How will I greet this day?

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  • gratitude, prayer and tithing...
  • School is going great!
  • Lazy man's blog...
  • Just in case...
  • Caught being good...
  • I love baking...
  • Brenna turns 10!
  • I love quotes!
  • My favorite talk...
  • AAAHHHH! Double digits!
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  • Darling Courtney
    10-day California trip
  • Hollywood!
    10-day California trip 09
  • Keep that ball up.
    Brea Reunion
  • Gifts
    Brenna turns 10!
  • on the saddle
    Brenna's 9th birthday
  • Astro Blasters!
    California Dreamin' 6/08
  • moon sand
    Christmas 07
  • Downtown Brea
    Christmas 08
  • I love to watch her dance!
    Dance Contest
  • Refreshing!
    Disneyland with Daddy
  • emily and yindi
    fall break california 07
  • Don't eat yellow snow!
    flagstaff ski trip
  • I came back to this
    girls' camp 08
  • Dripping with mud
    Mighty Mud Mania 08
  • love this one
    movie night with the girlies...
  • Frisbee in Central Park
    New York
  • Skidoosh!
    Philadelphia, Washington D.C.
  • Farewell Grand Canyon
    Postcards from the edge... Grand Canyon 08
  • This was
    Rocky Point, Mexico 08
  • The reason
    Scrapbook weekend/Sharla's baby shower 2/08
  • Devaneys
    Spring break 08
  • Pillow Fight
    Surprise Party! 9/08
  • My 5 gallon bucket
    T R E K 08 photos
  • Img_0079
    tammy's farewell album May 2006
  • evelyn, sadie and brenna
    Utah fall 07
  • Tatum
    Well Bend my tendi!!!

gratitude, prayer and tithing...

I don't really know where to begin.  My emotions are so surfaced and since I am pretty sure I have 2 blog readers and they may have already given up on me, I feel safe to vent here.  

I am convinced that the reason I am getting through this time is due to prayer.  I can't account for any other reason to maintain a 4.0 GPA, perfect attendance, balancing out the craziness of my emotional and structured life and maintain a tiny bit of a social life.  My poor kids... I feel like we are ALWAYS in a hurry to be somewhere.  And mommy is always grumpy on Sunday nights when I have to give them back or if my time with them is cut short.  Shouldn't I be more kindhearted if my time is lessened?  In a perfect world I guess... but in my world it makes me grumpy and I have to really refocus on being anything short of "Little miss crankypants".  I have 5 1/2 weeks left of school and believe-you-me... the countdown is on.  My kids and I are SO excited. I am overwhelmed too, but that is another post.   

In that amount of time, I will also be single. I'll be dating.  After 16 years of marriage, am I ready?  So much has changed... from what I hear.  I am older. I have changed. I have two kids. And I want to have more. I am so nervous and so excited too.  

These past few weeks have been particularly hard... I feel like "calamity Jane".  :) For everything good that happens there is something not so good right behind it.  IE: went for a walk/run on one of the most beautiful days and when I got home I realized I lost my key on the walk and locked myself out of my apartment.  And the next day found the key in my shoe where it was all along.  Blonde moment?  Had my fair share of those lately.  There are so many of these trying moments lately (this is just a mild example of one) and while I feel like I am being tested, I am also reminded as I say my prayers at night that there are SO many others that have REAL problems, like cancer.  

So, I have always had a testimony of prayer and tithing, but tonight I had blessings from both.  This week has been extremely tight for me.  My hours are cut at work (which is fine by me) and that takes a toll on the pocketbook. Last week, I wrote out that tithing check amongst the other bills and knew it was going to be so tight, but I knew I'd get through it.  I prayed last night for blessings from tithing not knowing where money could possibly come from.  Tonight at school, they made an announcement that they would be passing out refund checks from student loans.  Honestly, I tuned them out and focused on studying for my final exam and didn't believe that a check for me was in that stack.  Sure enough they called my name and I was in SHOCK!  I almost started crying... in fact I had to fight back the tears.  One more example that Heavenly Father knows ME!  He loves me and knows my needs and hears me at any given hour... even if I am babbling something in prayer as I drift off to sleep at night.  

If you are still reading, thanks for hearing me out.  

April 13, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (8)

School is going great!

So, we are back from Christmas break as of a couple of weeks ago, starting our 4th out of 5 quarters and we are considered "seniors".  We are studying Pathology, Shiatsu (LOVE IT), structural bodywork, and Professional Development. It is SO crazy how fast time has flown and yet, I wish it would fly by a bit faster. The great, amazing news is that I got straight A's again!  For some reason, I am genuinely surprised when I look at the grades posted in class each time.  There is a warm sensation, followed by giddiness that explodes into a huge smile every time!  

Don't get me wrong, I love school, but I am just anxious to figure out life.  Speaking of which, current life is still busy with an almost full time work schedule, school and kids on the weekends and little bits during the week and I have still found time for a social life.  Adam and I are getting everything ready to file.  Seems like we are BOTH ready now.  He and I remain friends though.  I have now lived on my own for 10 months, if you can believe that.  Time sure flies. I did have an awesome opportunity to teach about the heart in Jake's class.  It was so fun getting to know his classmates.  They are so smart and fun and a little crazy, but I miss working in the classroom SO much.  I hope I get to do it again even though I am not a great teacher. (don't really like to be in charge)

 

I have grown quite attached to my class and consider them almost family.  We all have grown so close and have our little jokes and our concerns for one another.  It's funny, sometimes I find myself zoning out looking at all the faces in my class and soaking up the diversity.  We'll never be all together again after we graduate like it is now. I am sure some will keep in touch though. I am not the oldest in my class, but amongst the people I surround myself with I am the senior citizen.  LOL  However, I did have to prove my age to a fellow student, by showing him my driver's license.  HAHA! 

One of the girls started MASH in our classroom (remember that?)... so we all have fake husbands and wives.  My fake husband is only 21,we have 5 kids and live in a shack and I think we drive a VW bus,  LOL.  We only have 10 minute breaks in class, but it seems we make the most of that time.  There is a small group of us learning how to crochet, another group is making plans to go into business together after we graduate.  Last quarter, we had a running/exercise group, but the security guard put a stop to that.

Sometimes we go out after school and play pool/air hockey together or go to midnight showings of "New Moon".  LOL  I kept falling asleep during that one (we'd just left theeeeee most boring lecture).  Luckily my good friend Jordan kept nudging me in the side and WAKING me up! And she made sure I woke up when he took off his shirt...hahahahaha!  We wore custom made "Team Jacob" shirts. This picture was taken after the movie.  I was SO TIRED, that I could hardly stand up.  Notice in the picture I am holding on to Mackenzie.  LOL

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  I am going to start a class yearbook and put it on Shutterfly.  I only  wish I would have started at the beginning, but we still have two quarters left and graduation and we know each other a lot better now.  


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Girls' night out! Jordan, me and Bree in Tempe before

dancing in Scottsdale. 

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A group of us at the midnight showing of "New Moon".

Good times!  Just wish I wasn't so tired!  Mark, Nikea,

Bree, me, Mackenzie, and Jordan.   

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  These 3 got called grannies because they are learning

how to crochet.  I have been working on other things

during our breaks so I haven't had a chance to learn yet. 


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Our massage and reflex teacher Stephanie with a bunch

of us.  We had just taken our anatomy final. YAY!  I do miss

anatomy though.  I think I am an official anatomy geek.

Who knew? Stephanie, Bree, Mackenzie, Chardette, me

Nikea and Jordan.

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Matt and Nikea... these two sure liven up our classroom!

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Bree and I playing  shuffleboard... the two of us had an

awful time focusing  on actually playing the game instead

of engaging in conversation.

Our clinical internship has been an amazing experience.  I was really nervous the first time, but I was put right at ease by meeting amazing people that come in and just want to relax or have pain and tension released.  Every Saturday Kenzie and I leave at 6:45am for the school.  We check in with the clinic manager, get our booth set up and call out our first client.  The goal is always to massage 5 people in 5 1/2 hours (High 5's).  Our first week, we there was a miscommunication in time restraints, so a bunch of us didn't get in our high 5, but we're told we'll have credit for it at graduation.  This has REALLY helped me with time management, a skill I don't normally possess.  haha! We will do this for 21 weeks and crank out 110 hours of massage for our resumes, not to mention the time in class and outside of class. My favorite feedback from a client after a massage was "You were like a friend to every muscle!" I was soaring after that. 

So, in all seriousness and as graduation nears, I can't help but think of which direction I would like to go. Getting a job right after graduation might mean a chiropractic office, or a spa, or massage envy.  Not sure yet what I'll be doing.  As I said before, my first priority is to eventually work with cancer patients.  I learned recently with the passing of a friend I visited only hours before she died of breast cancer that I CAN massage cancer patients.  The hospice nurse that was with her, explained to me that it is possible to work with hospice cancer patients and that they have 2 massage therapists on staff.  I wrote an article in my pathology class on the benefits of massage therapy for these patients.  The studies that are being conducted are showing that there is a significant decrease in pain and anxiety. Reflexology, in particular can decrease the perception of pain and nausea and increase relaxation in such patients.The beauty of it, is giving them comfort during this painful time.  I massaged a lady in clinic before Christmas that was in remission (it was her birthday too) from breast cancer.  She had her eyes closed so she couldn't see me, but it was difficult to hold back the tears for this sweet woman.  Almost started up again as she thanked me profusely for the massage.  :) I have actually had some really meaningful experiences in clinic.  The big dilemma... all my clients will be close to imminent death.  Can I emotionally do it?

My niece Marissa was adopted from Romania almost 14 years ago and I can still remember watching the Dateline and 20/20 episodes that unveiled what life is like in an orphanage in a third world country.  The children were rocking themselves and when my niece was brought home at age 2, she was left in her crib all day. She was fed and changed ONCE during that day.  That was so disturbing and broke my heart. I keep thinking it would be an amazing experience to go to Romania and provide infant massage to those sweet souls who are lacking in that positive nurturing touch that every child of God deserves.  It is so key for their brain development and emotional development and ultimately their survival.  So, my newest daydream and I pray that it comes to fruition is to take some other therapists, photographers, storytellers and whoever else wants to donate service time with me over and hit as many orphanages as we can and provide infant massage.  Prior to that, I  will take a continuing education course in infant massage to further my skills.  I mentioned this to my friend Jenny last night and she is SO in!  We talked about looking into getting a grant or funding elsewhere to make the journey.  


There is so much more to tell. For now, that'll do! 

January 24, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Lazy man's blog...

is what a friend of mine is calling Facebook.  LOL  It's so true.  I have grown lazy to post here or could it be that I don't really have the time?  Combination possibly.  Anyway, thought I would do a simple update with lots of pics.  

As far as I am concerned, life is the same.  Lots of challenges, countless blessings, and I love school.  Trying to be positive... right?  

In September, I drove out to California for the weekend to celebrate Brenna's 10th birthday and my parents got tickets to an Angel's game.  Lesley brought cupcakes to the stadium to celebrate.  So much fun!  

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How did I get this picture you ask?  Camera in my left hand and the hose is in the other.  LOL  LOVE this picture!  

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Girls' night out with friends!  We went to dinner in Tempe then dancing in Scottsdale!  

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Soccer season has been A-mazing!  Brenna is on "Purple Thunder" with 3 of her best friends and the best coach ever!  These girls have really come into their own this season!  Their skills have sharpened on so many levels.  Here are some pics of their team.  Snack time and team cheer!  

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Ok, so what started out as my asking Brenna and Lora to clean their stinky feet, became all manner of craziness!  Click to make them bigger.  I took so many pictures of this and would love to post them all because they all make me smile and laugh equally, but here are the 4 I chose.  HAHAHAHA!  

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Halloween Festivities started with a party given by my darling friend Jenny.  The kids had such a blast.  Jenny always makes things so fun for all the kids. 

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Jenny got me tickets for my birthday to go see U2 and it was awesome!  A-mazing!  We were so bummed that we had to wait in 2 hours of traffic and missed the Black-eyed Peas, but nevertheless U2 never disappoints!  Me, Robin, Jenny and Meagan.  

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Jenny is rocking out to our own personal Black-eyed Peas concert in the car.  I was texting a friend inside the concert who kept me posted on everything going on inside the stadium so we knew even before we entered we'd missed it and we were a bit miffed.  Jenny asked one of the parking guards if we could park in an empty lot and the lady told her no... Jenny looked at her for a second and then sped off!  The lady yelled for her to wait!  LOL I mentioned to Jenny that I thought she was the lady who collected the money for parking!  HAHA!  We got free parking.   :)  Oops! 

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The amazing stage on the concert taken with my cell phone, hence the awesome blurriness!  I am sure most people who look at my blog were there anyways!  

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These are two random Halloween moments, first from our "fall festival" at church.  I was actually in charge of the photo booth, but someone offered to take a pic of me and B.  The second was a pic of the girls at lunch at school.  It was Court's 10th birthday!  Have I mentioned I adore these girls?  I'm just sayin'! 

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Halloween Night!  PHoto shoot with the kids! Brenna was a green fairy, not to be confused with Tinkerbell. Jake... shocker!  He was a D-backs player.  Gotta love that passion.  :)  

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And then there was me... Jake and B took these of me in my "skater girl" (WHATEVER!) costume.  Yes, I have green hair!  

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After visiting some friends in surrounding neighborhoods, we went trick or treating with Lora and Chelsea and Preston and Emma.  Courtney met up with us later at the party where we dipped caramel apples (YUM) and the girls performed a skit... well, sort of.  LOL  

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Witches brew!  

































November 08, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just in case...

you need one of these... unfortunately the ad says there is ONLY one!  

Newspaper-ad

LOL

October 28, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Caught being good...

You know, life isn't always what you expect it to be, but there are days where you are showered with little blessings.  Today was one of those days.  There were a few little things that happened today, but this one just MADE MY DAY!  


I opened up this e-mail from Jake's teacher at school.  Made my heart soar!  

I wanted to let you know that Jake got caught being good! I was busy trying to clean up the lunch tables and without asking Jake pitched in and helped. It was nice getting his help without asking. He was able to go to the office and get an ALA pencil. I also wanted to let you know that Jake is reading in his free time now! Whenever he is done with an assignment he reads his Babe Ruth book. I am so excited to see him reading. Please keep up with the Reading Logs at home. He is doing fantastic!
Mrs Amber Ward 
2nd Grade Teacher 
American Leadership Academy 


Here is a typical picture of Jake jumping off the wall at church.  He is always climbing or jumping or just being a seven year old boy, but I love hearing that he is stepping outside of that occasionally and making good choices.  I try to teach him to be chivalrous, but that doesn't always compute and play out in real life.  I am grateful for his teacher as well, that she took the time to let me know.  :) 


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October 26, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love baking...

but lately I don't have so much time.  So, I live vicariously through this website.  We actually made the Father's Day creations a while back, but I thought these little beauties were so cute.  What a darling way to propose!  And I LOVE pumpkin pie, so I can't wait to make these lil guys! Anyway, lots more fun things on this website, if you've never been there before.  Love Bakerella!  

October 24, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brenna turns 10!

There is an album at the sidebar with the same title if you want to see all the pictures.  Not much time to blog these days, but here is a little snippet from her party!  Or just click here!  

Love you Brenna Mc Beezly!  

October 11, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (2)

I love quotes!

After 10 weeks in the same classroom I just noticed this quote framed on the wall.  And it is so true.  I know so many people that are suffering right now and they are the ones who know how to give me comfort.  They are the ones who know how to love UNCONDITIONALLY!  They are the ones who tell me I am loved and not to give up.  The truth is, I couldn't make it without them.  Love you friends!  

"Do not believe that he who seeks to comfort you lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good.  His life has much difficulty and sadness, and remains far behind yours.  Were it otherwise, he would never have been able to find those words."  

                                                                                            -Rainer Maria Rilke

P.S.  Don't have much time to post and I have A LOT to post... perhaps Christmas break?  We'll see.  

October 07, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

My favorite talk...

has a Youtube video.  YAY!  I love it!  

September 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

AAAHHHH! Double digits!

Brenna turned 10 today!  


My little darling baby girl is 10... going on 16!  

Yesterday, I had a little party for her with some dear friends, but she planned the entire thing!  I am telling you, if Brenna was my personal assistant, I wouldn't miss a beat.  

I have more pictures to post, but I am super tired from a full day.  Here are two of my favorites:

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And I quote "Look, I'm a fountain!" HAHAHA!  

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This kind of sums up the party, but there are so many more pics I will share!  Love these girls!  So glad they are in our lives!  

And she went out to dinner with her daddy and Jacob tonight and finally got her dream gift... A CELL PHONE!!!  

September 09, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

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