Thanksgiving Trip

I am leaving Oregon this weekend and will spend 10 days in NM/TX with family and friends! I am SOOO excited!!! :)

This post was not initially going to be filled with ridiculous pictures, but once I saw the above picture, I just couldn't help myself.

Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Post-Thanksgiving Update

Thanksgiving break was so fun and relaxing for me! I can't really explain why, but for some reason, Robby and Lynsey's one-year old daughter, Anna Kate, thought I was the coolest person ever! Of course, I loved the attention and the fact that she was always looking for me, letting me hold her, sitting in my lap and giving me the goofiest smiles ever. The second I walked in the door, she walked up to me and held her hands up for me to hold her like we'd known each other for years. She has the cutest little fake smile she would flash at me every time we made eye contact. We laughed at her "stranger smile" many times during the weekend.

We went to see The Informant the day after Thanksgiving and I wasn't really impressed. It doesn't really have a plot and isn't too entertaining, in my opinion. It's based on a true story and it's really just setting up this very quirky character the whole time. It's also really hard to follow and I spent almost the whole movie just trying to keep up. I did enjoy New Moon, however. I know it's corny and geared towards teenage girls, but I am a sucker for a love story. I can handle a little cheesiness if it is a happy ending :) I'm definitely Team Jacob. After seeing him, Edward just seems like a pale, skinny, old guy without much of a personality. Yes, I'm totally shallow and Jacob's good looks don't hurt either.

My wallet went missing about a week ago. It was such an ordeal because basically my money was trapped in my bank account and I couldn't access it. I had a hold put on my checks and went ahead and canceled my debit card just in case. I had other checks so I tried to use them, but nowhere will accept a check without picture ID. My driver's license was in my wallet so I had no picture ID. I also couldn't withdraw money from my account at the bank without picture ID. So, I figured I could just get another Driver's License and then be able to get money out. Well, you have to pay for a DL and they don't accept checks, so I couldn't get money to pay for that! Ugh! Anyway, hopefully it is all worked out now, but it's been such a mess. Luckily, my wallet was found and hadn't been stolen, so no money was gone at all. It was a good way to not spend any money for about a week or so at least!

It's Civil War week in Oregon! That means that Oregon State University and the University of Oregon are playing each other in college football this Thursday. People have been talking about it for months and I'm getting really excited for it. Of course, I'm a Ducks fan and hope they win. We'll go over to watch the game and eat pizza with a very fun couple from church. They are a divided family--she loves the Beavers and he is a Ducks fan. Should be interesting!!

I just realized I haven't taken any pictures in quite a while...so this blog is probably boring you all with just stories. I'll try to take some pictures and post them this week.

Recent News

Kory is gone the rest of the week to Austin to be with his family for Thanksgiving. I'll head up to Portland on Thursday to celebrate with the Wells--I'm so excited! I'll bring my awesome cooking skills and make some killer frozen rolls for us to enjoy.

I'm currently working on a program for a Christmas Family Giving Event at church next month. It will be a candlelight service followed by giving needy families food/clothes/toy boxes. I'm really excited about this and think it's going to be a great event!

I am also going to begin working in the nursery at church once a month during services--should be interesting. In theory, it sounds easy enough to watch some kids while their parents are in the auditorium, but somehow I have this feeling I have no idea what I'm getting myself into...

This week I put in my application for a new position that is opening up at work. My current position is temporary and ends January 15. This new position will last through June/July 2011. It's essentially the same job I've been doing...just for an extended time period. The Employment Dept is creating lots of temporary and limited duration jobs to beef up staff during this tough economic time. The idea is that when the economy improves and we don't need so many staff people, the jobs will naturally come to an end and they won't have to lay off a bunch of people. I have to go through the application and interview process just like everyone else...no special treatment for me being a current employee. :( Sad day.

Blessings

For this past Christmas, one of my best friends, Deonna, gave me a blessings journal. Each day I write down the blessings in my life or things I am grateful for. It has been SO great to see how much I have to be thankful for and what a blessed life I lead. If nothing else, it makes me focus on the positive things in my life. No room for complaining or whining in the blessings journal! I have decided I will continue my blessings list here in my blog. Here are a few of the many blessings I am currently enjoying:

• 3 days of sunshine in a row!!
• Got to be a part of Rynn & Jeff's engagement last night
• Friends visiting us in London for the next couple weeks
• Taking 4 trips in the next 2 weeks (Oxford, Derbyshire, Stonehenge, Rome)
• I will be in America two weeks from tomorrow!
• Joshua Radin and I will be hanging out TOMORROW night! :)
• I have spent the past 7 months in Europe on an incredible adventure with two of my favorite people
• The future is wide-open for me and the possibilities are endless!
• We have a beautiful park right next to our house that I love to visit, especially on these warm afternoons
• My faith and trust in God are stronger than ever before!

I think all of you should take some time to actually list your blessings and thank God for what He's doing in your life. I promise it really does make a different in your outlook and attitude!