Catching up

I figured some people who stumble accross this blog would be wondering what on earth I've been up to for the last year and decided that would be a good place to start. So... let's see... last December, I finally decided to quit my job at Cascade and move back to Washington. I lived with my best friend since forever, Julianne, for a couple of months. I found a job in January and have now been working as the Volunteer Coordinator for Vision House for almost a year. It is a great organization to be a part of. The bulk of our work is in providing transitional housing for homeless moms and kids, but we have a men's program as well. Check it out at www.vision-house.org.
In February (February 13th, for those interested in specific details) the man I'd been hoping to love for nearly 3 years told me that he felt the same way. Thus began the most incredible thing that has ever happened to me. Being loved by a man who is in love with God is really just amazing. Eric proposed on May 24th, and we were married 4 months later on September 24th. My mom says I win the prize for my life having changed the most in the last year.
I have to say that marriage is incredible. It's more than everything that I hoped it would be, and beyond worth waiting for. And I'm really, really proud of God for inventing it. When it's done His way (or as close as we humans can get to His way) and He is blessing it, it is just amazing. I have never been so happy in all of my 26 years.
So, that's the basic story of the past year. Next time, I'll try to write about something more specific, but I had to start somewhere... Hooray for God for my fun new life!

I Give Up!

Family is the best thing ever. It's the reason I moved back to Seattle in the first place. Now that all of Jeanne's family is living in the greater Portland area, as much as I love her and want her to myself, I don't want her to leave her family. So, I hereby resign my attempts to get her to move to Seattle. In the near future, I will rename and transform this blog so that anyone who is interested can keep up with all of the ridiculously exciting happenings of my life. I love you, Jeanne!

Reason #12

Yesterday was Jeanne's birthday. I like birthdays. I like to make them special and help my friends celebrate the gift of life they have been given. I especially like Jeanne's birthday. Why? Because I get to do all sorts of fun, silly things, and Jeanne gets to pretend like I'm a silly girl and she is half annoyed at the birthday fun, when the truth of the matter is, she LOVES it! For example: one year (2 years ago, I think, before she had to start spending her special day surrounded by a million little children at the coast) I broke into her office the night before her birthday and decorated it-- complete with a paper-streamer curtain on the door and vases full of daisies. Then, I brought her a bag full of individually-wrapped presents that she was only allowed to open one at a time whenever I stopped by to see her throughout the day. Doesn't that sound like fun. Well, this year, all I got to do for her was leave her a stinkin' voice mail because her phone doesn't even work out at the dumb coast. So, reason #12 that Jeanne should consider a change in location is that birthdays just aren't as fun without your everyday friends. Plus, I make a stinkin' good mayo cake. :)

Reason #11

Jeanne loves music. And not just the stuff that everybody is listening to on the radio, either. She enjoys expanding her horizons and finding cool new sounds that maybe nobody has heard of yet, but they sound good to her. She is, shall we say, a bit of a Connoisseur. In fact, right this very moment, she's probably thinking "where could I go in Portland on Labor Day weekend to hear lots and lots and lots of great music, see cool art and films, and eat good food?" The answer: nowhere!!! What on earth is Jeanne to do? I would like to suggest the following answer:

The 35th annual BUMBERSHOOT!!!







The 2005 schedule was just released a few days ago, and it's going to be great! You can check it out at www.bumbershoot.com. So... reason #11 that Jeanne needs to mobilize her musical madness and move to the beautiful emerald city is that bumbershoot is awesome and much more enjoyable when you can go home and relax in your own home at the end of each of the 3 days of fun. Come on, Jeanne. You know you want to.

Reason #10

Jeanne enjoys a good, relaxing time in a nice, calm environment. I just signed paperwork for my new apartment. Let me paint a picture for you:

Imagine a lovely neighborhood along the shores of south Lake Washington. The sun is shining, the birdies are chirping, and happy people are enjoying their beautiful surroundings. Charming houses with lots of character surround you, making this the perfect neighborhood for evening strolls. As you walk down the block, you notice a particularly cute brick tudor surronded by amazing gardens. You walk around through the gate at the back of the house where you find yourself surrounded by trees and flowers. You notice the inviting hammock, the comfortable porch swing, and the stress-relieving hot tub. Once inside the apartment, you immediatley feel at home.

This is where I live now. Reason #10 that Jeanne should move it on up is that, well, who wouldn't want to come visit me all the time when I'm living in a place like that? I mean, the bathroom is so big, it's got 2 chairs in it. We could have tea in there.

P.S. Also, here's a picture of the park by my new apartment:









P.P.S Also, hooray for blogger finally catching a clue about making it easier to use pictures!

Reason #9

Jeanne is a giver. She likes to serve people and take care of them. I just happen to work in a job up here that would allow her one of the mose awesome opportunities to do just that. I am the volunteer coordinator at a place that does transitional housing for homeless moms and kids. Which means that it's my job to find people to come and play with the kids on Tuesday nights while the moms have their meetings. Jeanne would be a fabulous addition to our volunteer staff. AND she would get to experience the deep satisfaction that comes with just holding one of these kids for a little while and letting them know that they are loved.

So, reason #9 that Jeanne should gather up all her matronly wonderfulness and relocate it is that the children need her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why, Jeanne? Why won't you help the children?!?!?!?

Reason #8

Jeanne is a bridesmaid. And not just any bridesmaid, she is MY bridesmaid. And the only one in the party who has been in a wedding before. Something about her presence just makes me feel calmer. I've got this crazy thing going on right now where I don't FEEL stressed out mentally, but my body is showing aaaaaaaallllllll of the physical signs of being stressed out-- tight neck and shoulders, random canker sores, breakouts on my face, restlessness... even my teeth hurt! So, clearly, I need a little Jeanne therapy. I think it's the only thing that will break the vicious cycle. And a weekend visit is just NOT going to cut it, people. I need access to my amazingly grounded, Godly, wise friend ALL OF THE TIME.

So... Reason #8 that Jeanne should pack up her psych degree and journey Northward is that if she doesn't, I'm probably going to lose my mind.

Reason #7

Portland
Is that a mountain off in the distance? I'm not really sure...

Seattle
Waaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy more mountain for your moolah.

Reason #6

Jeanne is an auntie. Speaking as an aunt myself, I know that it is one of the great joys and privilages a single girl can experience. I mean, you get to have all the fun of having kids in your life that you love with your whole heart, but when they act up or get bratty, you can just send 'em home to mom. You can take them out and spoil them and get them hyped up on sugar and buy them noisy toys and then drop them off at home! Seriously, though, the relationships I have with my niece and 2 nephews are some of the most treasured in my life. When I moved to Portland, I started missing out on all of the little things. I mean, I made it home for their birthdays (usually) and holidays, but I missed all of the day-to-day stuff. Now that I'm back up here, I see them all the time. For example, my niece (who is now 12! and in the 7th grade) had a track meet last Thursday. I went to watch her compete, and then we went out to Cold Stone. Then on Tuesday night, she came over and had popcorn and watched cartoons with me. She's also been coming out to volunteer at the place where I work. We make it a point to hang out at leas once a week, and she even initiates it a lot of the time. Last Saturday, I took her and my nephew out shopping for Mother's Day. It's just so great!

Jeanne's niece lives in Oak Harbor. The equation is pretty simple: Portland=futher from her niece; Seattle = closer to her niece. She's almost 2 now, but she'll be 12 in the blink of an eye. So, reason #6 that Jeanne should get her little Auntie Fanny up here is that missing out on the loves of your life growing up is LAME. Come on, Jeanne. We'd be the coolest pair of Aunts you ever saw... group trips to the zoo, the waterfront, ice cream... you know it would be great!

Reason #5

Well, Jeanne came to visit me over the weekend. I was hoping she'd just stay, but it didn't work out. Curtis and I showed her a good Seattley time, even, and she didn't stay. However, we did present her with several more reasons for relocation. I am at work, though, so I will only be posting one of them now:

Jeanne loves beautiful things. Over the weekend, she got to see Mt. Rainier in all her glory, stunning views of the Seattle Skyline, and the beautiful baglady outside the B&O. Not to mention her new boyfriend at the Dilettante cafe. Also, her first glimpse of the Starbucks SODO building and a stunningly beautiful ferry on Elliot Bay. Now, I'm not saying that Portland is doesn't have it's share of beautiful things. Lord knows I love that city. All I'm suggesting is that perhaps it's time for a change of scenery.

Who could pass up the opportunity to gaze at these marvels every day? Apparently, Jeanne thinks she can, but she is sadly mistaken. So, reason #5 that Jeanne should herself become Seattley is that there is just so much breathtaking beauty to behold, and she should be a part of it.

Reason #4

Jeanne is the assistant to the Dean of Students at Mountain Range University. "I should be excused from chapel because (insert ridiculous reason here)." Who wouldn't want to run far, far away from that? Seattle = far away from whining college students who think that they are the exception to every rule. Portland = close to whining college students who think that they are the exception to every rule. Seems like a simple equation to figure out to me.

So, reason #4 that my patient and loving friend Jeanne should move it on up is that even the kindest soul can only take so much from the blubbering babies. Run away, Jeanne! Run away!

Reason #3

Jeanne is one of my very bestest friends in the whole enite great big huge ol' world. Today is my birthday. She's not here. I don't think this one requires a whole lot of extra explaination, so...

The third reason my fabulous pally Jeanne should hoist her hiney up here is because no celebration is as enjoyable without her.

Reason #2

Jeanne is the Replacement Sister. That makes 3 sisters in my family, and 2 out of 3 sisters agree that Jeanne should move to Seattle. Sister Marie and I are terribly lonely in our sisterhood without her. We cry most days because of the deep sadness in our souls at being separated from Jeanne's loveliness. We have Jeanne-shaped hole in our hearts! :(

All of our sisterly activities are only 2/3 as fabulous as they should be. Our laugheter is only operating at 66.6% of its usual rate of delightfulness. Return to us, Jeanne, and save us from our forlorn and fragmented state!

Reason #1

Jeanne is a California Girl. Granted, she has lived in the beautiful Pacific Northwest for a long time, but not long enough to acquire the "webbed feet" that most of us natives are born with. While it's true that Seattle and Portland both see their fair share of rain in a given year, the average annual rainfall in Seattle is a full FOUR INCHES LESS than it is in P-town! (i know you're curious- it's 36 inches in Seattle and 40 in Portland)

So, reason number 1 that my dear friend Jeanne should pack up the u-haul and point it North is that those extra four inches could just be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Her sunny Cali demeanor just can't handle the extra precipitation!