My life in a nutshell

So last week was kinda rough.  After the last post, a couple days later a friend of our's from college committed suicide.  It's been really rocky to work through mixed emotions of guilt, anger and sadness, but we're getting there.

I'm real glad that we have some things to look forward to this week.  Toward the end of this past week I found a job opening with my internship site.  I told my old supervisor that I was interested and I know that I will at least get an interview since he told me that he would be in contact with me soon.  I'm hoping that I get an interview this week.  Although this job would likely not get me any hours toward licensure (AND I found out that Iowa has changed their requirements to 3000 hours instead of 2000, which basically adds more than a year to the requirements), I still think it would be a good opportunity.  It certainly would be a low stress job (with benefits) and I would really enjoy it.  I'm trying not to be too optimistic, but it'd really be nice if I had an income soon.

I also am enjoying tutoring.  I have another session scheduled this week and it's going fairly well so far.  Next weekend we will get to see Bethany (and hopefully Brad) who we haven't seen in a while and I'm way excited.  There is also the superbowl in a week (which I love), a free Denver zoo day coming up and I'm working in the nursery again next week at church.  I also am loving our marathon training program and am getting anxious to start jogging.  Only 3 more weeks of speed walking and then we'll actually get there.  I'm also auditing an addictions class at school (only $35 to audit a class after you graduate!) which I think is going to be pretty amazing.

And finally, I'm doing some much needed cleaning today and tomorrow, and that always makes me feel good and in control.  I'm pretty sure that I learned in my first week of addictions class that I am addicted to control.  Otherwise known as a control freak.  Whoops.


**In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.

Heartbreak

I just found out that a coworker at my internship site lost her baby.  She was due in a couple of weeks (seriously, over 8.5 months along).  Apparently she went to her doctor appointment this past week and found out that the baby's heart was not beating.  She delivered the baby the next morning.

I cannot believe it.  I got to hear her excitement (this was her second child) about the little girl that she had on the way.  I heard some of her hopes and dreams about her expanding family.  I grew to care for this woman, and my heart is aching.  I'm not going to be able to go to the funeral today because it's too far away and the class I'm auditing starts today.

I don't even know what to say.  I think I'm going to go paint.  Please pray for Elainna, her husband Dustin,  daughter Tatum and her infant daughter Payton who went to be with the Lord.

Bat poop and fish scales

So I found out 2.5 years ago when I was getting ready to get married that most mascara contains bat poop.  Jake was obviously grossed out when he found out- luckily the day of the wedding I was wearing mascara without bat poop.

Well much more recently Jake found out that one primary ingredient in most lipsticks is fish scales.  I thought Jake was going to barf when he learned that.  After he told met that, I reminded him that mascara has bat poop in it, to which he replied by saying that he would rather wear bat poop than fish scales.

I think it's fair to say that his comment pretty much grossed me out.

Then the other day, I gave Jake a butterfly kiss (butterfly kiss = batting eyelashes with the eyelashes of another person).  Jake really likes them- he's a bit of a softie at times, but don't tell! :)  After he giggled because he liked it, I reminded him that I was rubbing bat poop on him, but it was ok because it wasn't fish scales.

I think it still grossed him out. :)


**The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

$107k

I did my exit counseling today for grad school.  According to an estimated fixed interest rate of 6.5%, I will need to make approximately $107k per year to repay my loans within 15 years.

I'm pretty sure that working at a non-profit does not include a salary of $107k.

A lifetime of repaying loans awaits me!

It's official.

Stone

So we just got back from vacation- which was fantastic.  You should check out Jake's blog for lots of pictures!  Now back to reality....

Except I have to tell a story first.  Jake just asked me why there was a rock sitting on our dresser.  I immediately started giggling because I can't exactly remember where it came from.  I know that it was one of those rocks that you get at a Christian retreat where they say to "keep this to remember" whatever it is we are supposed to remember.  Except my stone hasn't helped me remember at all.  I don't even know what retreat I was at when I got it.

I also struggled to figure out why it was on the dresser, but then remembered that it was originally in my bookbag but I took it out before we left for vacation.

Cuz you never know when a smooth stone that has the word "empathy" on it could turn into a weapon.

Anyone have any fun suggestions as to what this rock might represent?

Christmas

So my family came out over Christmas.  It was pretty great.  This blog is going to feature some pictures taken on our fancy new camera!

We had fun just hanging out.

And ate LOTS of cookies.  Seriously.  My mom brought a whole box labeled "cookies."  Fabulous.

And we took fun pictures.

And gave a gift that has a story behind it.  A funny one too.

And ate lots of really good food!

And hung out some more.

I also had a video I was planning to post of me flying while playing wii (better I post myself looking like a dweeb than my mom, right?), but I haven't quite figured out how to post the video yet.  Oh well.  Just trust me- I look super duper silly.  But it's pretty darn fun!



* 'Stewardesses' is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.