Susan Creek Falls

Here are a few pictures from a waterfall we hiked to last weekend when Kory's parents were here. I forgot my memory card so my camera could only hold a few pictures. It was a beautiful place and, as usual, is much better in person.

Random Thoughts

I LOVE getting in a hot car. I enjoy AC once I've been in for a little bit and don't like to be miserably hot, but I really do love to be warm, all the time. I rarely use my AC at all, but I might have a really high heating bill come winter time.

I was born in Roswell, NM. People in Oregon think that is hilarious and several have asked if my family is in the alien souvenir business. Summer in Oregon is so much sunnier and warmer than I expected. I am SO happy about that. I thought it would be cold and rainy and cloudy all summer and I would miss out on my beloved time in the sunshine. I have definitely fallen in love with this place and I can't wait to see how things look in the other seasons. I bet Fall and Spring are both beautiful here! I saw a tree yesterday that looked like it was starting to change colors and it got me really excited for the Fall.

We had another training at work yesterday. Once again, it was really good! I am very pleasantly surprised with the quality of training we receive here. The training was Vicarious Trauma and it was teaching us to take care of ourselves so that we aren't traumatized by the upset/hurting/desperate people we deal with each day.

I read a really sad article yesterday about one of the effects of the recession that you don't usually hear about. Apparently there are a lot more bodies of deceased persons going unclaimed because the family or friends can't afford or don't want to pay for the costs involved in a funeral and/or burial. So these bodies are just at the morgue waiting to be claimed. After a certain amount of time, the state pays to have them cremated. It makes me sad that people can't afford to give a lost loved one the dignity of a burial or funeral or anything. I hate that dying has become a financial burden on Americans. I know that you can gain so much closure and begin the healing process after a funeral/memorial service and I can't imagine knowing your parent/spouse/child's body was lying in the morgue and refusing to go claim the body because of the cost. The whole situation just makes me very, very sad.

Paperwork and Pictures

I got my Oregon driver's license and license plates today, so I think that makes me an official Oregonian. I had to take a driving test also, which was a bit harder than I expected. I did pass on the first time though, so I was happy about that.

We had SO much fun with Kory's parents this past weekend. I am so happy they came to visit! We went white-water rafting on Saturday and it was one of the funnest things I have done in a long time! Ben had a tough time staying in the boat and that made for an entertaining day for everybody. haha Everyone but Kory was thrown from the raft at some point, but Ben definitely got beat up the most as he fell out in some really rough rapids. My arms are sore from rowing and my legs are sore from trying to hold onto the side of the raft, but it was definitely worth it.

I had a tough time coming back from Texas last week. It was just difficult for me when I realized I live 1800 miles away from all our friends and family. Some days the distance isn't a big deal, but it was really hard after getting to hang out with everyone at the wedding. After a couple days, I regained my love for Oregon and I am once again very happy to live here! :) It was perfect that Ben and Jackie arrived this past week, however, and it helped me not to feel so homesick anymore.

Here are a few pictures from Rynn's wedding weekend that I finally got uploaded:

Death by Smoke

I really love the smell of our bathroom at work. Yes, I realize that is an odd statement but whatever the air freshener thing is in there, it smells so great. Sometimes, I go wash my hands just so I can enjoy the smell. My apartment, on the other hand, ALWAYS smells like smoke. I hate it so much! It is overwhelming right when you walk in the front door. Supposedly, no one smokes in the apartments but I don’t believe it. Either way, people are always smoking right outside my front door and the smell gets inside. I currently have 4 candles, 1 Glade plug-in and 3 diffusers in my apartment to try and help with the smell. My lungs are probably turning black every day as I inhale so much second-hand smoke. Ugh.

Fans of The Office will understand this next statement. The party planning committee has formed a clique and I need to be one of them! They are pretty exclusive. Obviously, I need to get some dirt on one of them so I can blackmail them and take over control of the committee.

Why is it that airports have such tiny bathroom stalls? It is almost guaranteed that people will have a suitcase to bring in the stall with them. I hate having to maneuver the suitcase around the door and squeeze in around it.

Somehow I started receiving Teen Vogue in the mail. It is clearly being sent to the wrong address, and I assume it is the previous tenant. I notified the magazine but they keep sending them. I think it’s pretty funny so, of course, I read it each month. I am so not a Vogue girl. There is usually maybe one item in the entire magazine that I don’t think is horrid. I am just not fashionable enough for that magazine.

Funeral Dress

The temperatures are back above 100 degrees here in Southern Oregon. This is really unheard of now that it is happening for the second time in one summer! My hope is that the weather is warming up in general and winter won’t be so cold either. :)

I have definitely noticed that the work culture is much more relaxed up here, at least in my office. This is true especially in terms of dress code and office conversations. Several people have told me that the liberal lifestyles of people around here come across as very unprofessional to people from the East Coast, where they generally have a much more conservative attitude towards work. I am beginning to think that professionalism is not common sense, like I once assumed. For some people, they must be told/taught how to act in a business environment. It is crazy to me that some people who never attended college have never learned about how to dress/talk/present oneself for a job interview, first day of work, business meeting, etc.

I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I left for Ireland! Wow—it is amazing to think back to my life then and what I was experiencing versus who and where I am today. I can’t help but see the many ways God was using that experience to teach and shape and prepare me to move out here. It is a great faith-building thing for me to think back 1, 2, 5 or however many years I can remember and think about what was worrying/troubling/scaring me at that time in my life. Then, I think about how God solved the problem or showed me a new way or took care of me and it just reassures me of how BIG my God is and how wonderfully he provides for me.

Today I got a new book called Boundaries. It’s about learning When to say Yes and How to say No, or at least that is what the cover says. Kory told me he has heard great things about it, so I am excited to see what it’s about. I definitely have trouble saying No, even to little things, so I’m hoping this will help me with that.

Someone told me that the dress I wore to work today would be a great funeral dress. I am not sure how to take that. Yes, it is black but I really think it was just a poor attempt at small talk. That is another skill that I have discovered many people are lacking. Silence is not the end of the world. It’s much better than making awkward comments about my appearance such as: “You aren’t wearing blue jeans today.” “My grandma made me a sweater that had the same colors as your blouse once. She is dead now.” “Your hair looks very nice today. Why?” or “The back of your head reminds me of my high school girlfriend.” I wish I could tell you I just made those up.

Wedding Fun!

I went to Lubbock this past weekend for Jeff and Rynn Day's wedding and oh my word, it was SO fun! It was such a great weekend! I loved getting to hang out with so many friends and see people I hadn't seen in quite a while. Of course, the best part was seeing Rynn and helping with her special day. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her dress, of course. The decorations were amazing and I pretty much loved everything about the wedding. We danced out of the wedding to Play that Funky Music White Boy and it was hilarious! I feel very attached to Rynn and her relationship because we both starting dating within a month of each other and have followed the exact same patterns of being together/apart for over a year and a half. Each time I was apart from Kory, Rynn was with me. I had the privilege of being present when Jeff proposed to Rynn. She has played a huge role in my relationship with Kory and I also feel quite involved when it comes to her and Jeff.

I was doing really well being so far away from friends and family, but it was really hard to leave them all and come back to Oregon. Of course, when I landed in Portland, the incredible scenery reminded me of how much I love it here! I got to live the college life again for a couple days and I think it was just hard to come back to the real world after that. If only I could hang out with my girlfriends all the time and not have to work and be responsible!

On a different note, Kory and I are both working to be more musical! He is learning to play guitar and I am learning to play piano. Actually, I am playing Kory’s keyboard, but I am learning from a beginner’s piano book. I am quite impressed with myself because I had no idea at all how to read music and I can now play 3 songs after a couple nights of practicing. And yes, Jingle Bells is a real song. Kory is picking up guitar really well and he believes it is because of his extensive practice with Guitar Hero and Rock Band. A man from church gave him the guitar and another guy is teaching him to play. I am very pleased that we are doing something fun and productive with our time.

I am working on getting my pictures from the wedding online and as soon as I do that, I'll post some on here.

Oregon thoughts continued

MORE reasons why I love being here: Preacher called me twice this week to check up on me and sent the church secretary to my apt last night to make sure I'm doing ok here by myself this week with Kory gone :) Lady I lived with right when I moved here took me to eat and was making sure I'm not homesick or anything and didn't want me eating alone since Kory was gone.

I'm going to a coffee shop to listen to some music with a 60 year old lady from church tonight--she is so fun! Also, I just found out I am going to be able to volunteer with the Special Olympics this fall. I am going to help coach soccer and we have our first meeting tomorrow to get everyone signed up. I can't wait!!

Fall weather continues today. I'm sure there will be a point when I get tired of it, but I am loving it for now. I wore a sweater to work today and I am already ready for some egg nog!! :)

There is no sales tax in Oregon which is fabulous! The 9% income tax isn't so great, however.

I have a plant at work now! This lady gave me one of hers...however it just looks like really tall grass. It's kind of odd looking, but I love it anyway. I want another one but I feel like I need to keep this one alive for a while first.

This year is Oregon's 150th birthday. Did you know that is called a Sesquicentennial?? Me neither, but the signs everywhere say it is.

I am really spoiled to getting my gas pumped for me and I would have it no other way. I seriously dreaded getting out of the car to pump my gas...not sure why, but it is so fun to know I can pull in and someone else will pump the gas for me and I can just sit in my car and relax. We have noticed, however, that when you don't pump your own, we rarely look at how much the gas costs.

Kory and youth group are gone to camp this week so I am here alone. I am ready for friends to be back! It would help if I had TV or internet at my house I am sure. The fair is in town this week so I thought I might go, but it is $9 per person just to get in!

I went to Salem for new employee training this week and it was REALLY good! It was fun and interactive and I learned a lot. I love my job even more after this training. Speaking of, I'm finally getting into a routine at my job which I really enjoy.

I feel pretty settled in my life right now and that is a GREAT feeling. It's such a relief. I love the experiences I had over the past year of my life, but it is SO nice to feel at home somewhere. I just feel very content right now.

Thoughts about Oregon

It is crazy to me that Canada is the closest foreign country and not Mexico. Also, it seems like everyone has been to Alaska. I want to go now!

Everyone says soda or pop here but I am sticking with calling it all coke for now.

There is this awesome bridge you drive across to go into Myrtle Creek and everytime I cross it, I am reminded how much I love living here and I thank God for bringing me to a beautiful place!

Apparently, we live in the most republican county in all of Oregon.

A lot of people told me people in the NW weren't as friendly as in NM/TX and it would be a big adjustment for us. Maybe it's because a lot of the people we are around are Christians or because we're in a small town, but I have definitely not found this to be true. Everyone is so nice and friendly here!

Today was definitely fall weather! I loved it! I went to Starbucks after work and got a Caramel Apple Spice and was just SO happy with life. I really love Fall weather and the changing of the leaves and wearing scarves.