rambling of recent happenings

This last week has been busy but it has been so fun! Plus I got 5 hours of overtime which is always nice.......... On Monday, I enjoyed a family dinner with some cool friends. They are from different churches around here, but just generally passionate, genuine people that I really enjoy being around. They go together to talk about Jesus on the ASU campus, pray together, and stuff like that, just on their own because they want to. Every Monday they have dinner at the home of one of the guys with his parents. I joined them this week, and then also sat outside and talked while it rained a cool rain with a nice breeze-- it was glorious. Then on Tuesday I met my friend Naomi for coffee at 5:30, and ended up talking, going to get Taco Bell, and then walking to a fish pond she used to frequent as a child, and hanging out until 11 before we knew what had happened. I so enjoyed my time with her. On Thursday after small group, Bonnie and I went in pursuit of the lighting (it is "monsoon season" here... which doesn't mean we get a lot of rain, but that there are crazy weather systems involving lots of clouds, wind, lightning, and often blowing dust)... we sat in her car and watched the lightning bolts reflect off the saguaro cactus, and watched the dust blow under the street lights, and then breathed as much rain smell as possible, and she took lots of pictures. Last night I hung out with Jessica M and Kellie at the house where Jessica is house-sitting. We swam in their pool (yes!) and then planed DDR in their theater room with a wall of a television screen. NICE! And I also finished my "classroom" training this week for volunteering at the Crisis Pregnancy Center. I get to start on-the-job training this week! I'm also training to become a manager at Chipotle... who knows how long I'll be there, so I may as well start the process, right? And that is all that is happening. I'm getting really excited for my trip to Colorado in a couple weeks for Bethany's wedding...

Well, big news... I have been offered my first nursing job. But actually the news isn't that big, because as I will explain, it seems it's only "kind of" a nursing job. It is seasonal (about 2 months) giving flu shots and swine flu vaccinations for a traveling immunization clinic at Wal-Marts, CVSs, and Frys. It's supposed to be very flexible, I'll get to sign up online for the clinics I want... but this also means they may be hiring a ton of people and there won't be enough hours for anyone... but if I get any hours, it will pay a lot better than Chipotle!

I had an interview this week for another part-time (but year-round, and with the possibility of becoming a full-time) position. Hoping it goes well.

Loving the Celtic Book of Daily Prayer I just got!!

Also loving lolcats... here's one of my favorites.
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

awesomeness of late

Last Thursday, it was right between my birthday and my friend Bonnie's birthday. Bonnie, being her cool self, planned a girly road trip up to Sedona. Sedona is known for being cooler than Phoenix (and by that, I mean lower temperatures and a "hip," new-agey environment. It's kind of like Boulder to Denver.) It was gorgeous and refreshing. AND we went to Slide Rock, a State Park on the creek with a "slick natural water chute." We jumped in, waded, and went down the water slide several times. Plus we ate the carrot cake that I made and celebrated birthdays. This is Naomi, Jessica, and Bonnie at a "scenic overlook."

On Tuesday it was my birthday. It was a wonderful day! I so enjoyed the people I spent time with and doing new things with them. My day included: going to breakfast at Joe's Farm Grill with Ephrem, having Chic-fil-A with Amanda and Hannah, and then browsing Bookman's. (I had never been there before and was enthralled... plus I got a copy of The Brothers Karamazov from 1950 for free!) THEN Amanda and I browsed a wonderful new thrift store (and I found two good shirts for cheap, wonderful!) and also had the best Gelato ever (cantaloupe flavored... and it really is the best- and I've sampled at least 10 gelato shops in Italy). THEN we had the dinner I planned with everyone at Gilbert Pizza. It was a great turnout from church friends, a great opportunity for everyone to be together. Here's a picture of half of the table.

I didn't have plans for afterward, was thinking about going to a movie or something. I'm still not sure how it happened exactly, but it was arranged for everyone to go hang out at Jim's house afterward. And there was a wonderful cake compliments of Christian, and wine with some berries compliments of Jim.

I was so surprised and felt so special that they had gone to the trouble. Then we all sat in the living room and several people shared "Evidences of Grace" in my life, and experience which was rather awkward and uncomfortable for me, but very encouraging. And then a few people prayed for me, which was of course a huge blessing to me. On the whole, the day was a joy.