Weekend Recap

I had a busy but restful weekend and wanted to write all about it before I forget it all!

Friday was Good Friday and after a very stressful day at school a big group of people met at PF Changs and surprised my roommate for her 23rd birthday. We surprised Sara and the meal was wonderful. Even better than that, a stranger paid for our bill + tax & tip! An older single lady was sitting behind us, and I don't know what it was, but she picked up our bill! When someone from the table asked for the bill, the waiter said that the lady behind us had paid but she didn't want us to know until she had left. That NEVER happens! It was so cool!

We then went to church and had a Good Friday service at Calvary. There was a great turn-out, with great worship and communion and prayer.

Afterwards a bunch of people went over to Heather's to celebrate Sara just a little bit more. Heather baked a beautiful cake and it was a great time to get to know some people just a tad more. We then got to play the glorious game of Mafia! I am not a good liar, but was able to trick a few people.

It was fun to be able to celebrate with Sara her 23rd year. I have known Sara since 2004 and its been fun to be able to witness first hand how God has molded her into a woman who loves Jesus.

Saturday I woke up, went to Costco then was off to my mom's to visit with my Grandma. We hung out and made dinner together. Ellen and Emily arrived a few hours later and we watched The Sound of Music for the thousandth time and then said goodnight to Grandma!

Since 2003 I have made it my tradition to attend the community sunrise service at Lover's Point and was able to make it this morning.

I came home, picked up Emily and we headed out to my mom's again to hang out with my grandma for the day. We found Easter baskets, made dinner and even got my 88 year old grandma to play the Wii. (Pictures hopefully to follow...)

I got to hang out with good friends, my family, take a few naps and celebrate all the things Jesus did on the cross!

Families

So when I was younger we had to say this prayer before every dinner we had together as a family:

We are a family

We need one another
We love one another
We forgive one another

We work together
We play together
We worship together

Together we use God's word
Together we grow in Christ
Together we love all men
Together we serve our God
Together we hope for heaven

These are our hopes and ideals
Help us to attain them,O God
Through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

Last night's study totally reminded me of it again. God is so good and has given me a great family family, but has also blessed me with an incredible church family. I love em!

Victory!

So tonight the city of Pacific Grove approved the growth of The Bridge in PG. They had to send out letters to 159 neighbors and put a big yellow sign in front of the big yellow house.

After all the letters were sent out, and the sign that was posted, there was only 1 letter of kind of disapproval, asking that the sign not be there. I think overall the people from The Bridge had the same complaint that they didn't want the big yellow sign in front of their house either. Nobody showed up this evening to dispute the growth, and in a year there has not been one complaint from the neighbors.

The president of the PG chamber of commerce came to the meeting tonight, sporting his Bridge t-shirt. This guy isn't a christian but just a community member who sees that without the guys from the Bridge many things would not be done in Pacific Grove. He went on to list all the things that have been done, including helping and clean up of the Feast of Lantern Festival, serving at the Feast of Salads, Highway 68 clean up, PG Triathalon set-up, help and clean up, PG Concourse, Yellow Brick Road Help, Monarch Sanctuary clean-up and removal of trees, and the list could go on and on.

It's true what the president said. With CA's fiscal situation, PG cannot afford NOT to have The Bridge around. Without them, many events that bring money to Pacific Grove would be waay understaffed.

Anyway... Woohoo! Congrats guys!

New Visa Info for UK

This was taken from my UK pastor's prayer requests... He is a pastor/missionary in London, England. Would you pray with me?

At the turn of the year the British Home Office quietly changed the rules for people entering the country to do volunteer work. They are now considered as workers, even though they will not be paid. Therefore they are required to have the proper paperwork and pay for visas. They are no longer considered tourists.

This applies to individuals and groups of people. Small groups are now going to have to pay for visas along with their airfare and accommodation. And those planning to host these groups are required to advertise the positions in mainline newspapers, even though these so-called positions are voluntary and not remunerated.

There are two main options. Either groups will be forced to fill out reams of applications and comply with unreasonable financial demands, or some groups will simply not comply, and try to fly under the radar. Those that are discovered might harm the movement by their actions.

He is going to try to talk to his local Member of Parliament tomorrow night, to ask him to see if there is anything that can be done about this. Please pray that he would have the boldness to do this.

Meet....

Fish Stick!

I went out on Thursday night to take some clothes back and Marshall's and drove past Pet Smart and for some ODD reason, I parked my car and went inside and came out with a fish. (I think I don't know what inspired me, but I am now the proud owner of Fish Stick, a female Beta.

Male Beta's were 5.99 and females only 2.99, so of course I went for the cheaper! Males are normally bigger with bigger fins and females are smaller and are produced more than males. The guy at Petsmart said that a Beta can live outside the water for 15 minutes! Interesting!

I read Marley and Me on the cruise and instantly became an animal lover. Marley and Me the movie was based on a non-fiction book and that book made me appreciate animals. Although I'm not going to go out and buy a cat or a dog anytime soon, the fish is bringing out the animal lover in me more and more everyday.

I found myself, the first night I got her, worrying about Fish Stick. My house is usually cooler than most homes and the living room gets really cool in the middle of the night. I actually woke up with that thought and brought her to my room where it was warmer. I even considered making her a class fish for my first graders, but then decided against that as I already love her and know my kids would destroy her within a few weeks!

Spring Break 2009

My friend Stacy and I left last Monday morning at 6am to drive down to Long Beach to catch a Carnival Cruise to Catalina and Ensenada. It was a great time to get away. I slept, didn't think about teaching, read an entire book and hung out with Stacy.

It was a very uneventful drive, minus the time I got pulled over. A cop got behind me and stayed behind me for awhile, he pulled out next to me, and then slowed down, got behind me, turned on his lights and pulled me over. Stacy started praying hard-core and I kept my hands on the wheel. I rolled down the window and said, "What did I do wrong Officer?" He told me I did nothing wrong, he just wanted to let me know my gas tank was open. Cops aren't usually that nice. It sure scared the crap outta me, but thankfully no ticket only a helpful suggestion! Phew!

We got down to Long Beach by 11:30 and were able to meet up with Jaime and Andrea for lunch. I got to deliver their Christmas presents that I never sent!


Next we headed out to the boat, parked our car and went through the registration to get on the boat! Our room was small but we had a great window that allowed us to look at the ocean the entire trip. The first night we were pretty much passed out by 9:30-it was so nice to be away!

Alwyn was our cabin steward who made us cool towel animals every night. He was from India and is on the 4month/2month on the boat off the boat schedule. One of the best parts of being on the ship was that our entire cruise staff was international.





Tuesday morning we parked out in the ocean and we were able to visit Catalina Island. It was beautiful. It looked like Pacific Grove only on an island. We got some great photos, walked around and went back to the ship. There was a little boat that took us from the boat to the shore.




Wednesday morning we woke up in Mexico. Stacy and I took a $3 bus to the town centre where we took another bus to La Bufadora where we had hundreds of Mexican Natives attack us to buy things.

Stacy and I would begin to go into a shop and then about 5 different people would come at us in all directions offering us perscriptions, purses, wallets, clothes, churros and even boyfriends.

We would go into a shop and when people would attack us we'd leave. I really wanted to buy a purse, so we finally went into one shop and took matters into our own hands. We walked in and firmly (haha) told the poor guys that if they bothered us that we'd be outta there faster than we walked in, and if we had any questions we'd ask them. It worked and I got myself a real leather fake branded Dolce and Gabana purse! woo!

I then had some fish tacos, and we boarded back on the bus, went into town and walked around before getting back on the boat.

I was excited that there was a Starbucks and I was able to buy an Ensenada mug to add to my collection of mugs from around the world!


Thursday we had all day on the ship and arrived back in Long Beach at 6am where we drove home around 9.

Stacy had her camera with her more than I did, so when she sends me some I'll post them!

If you've never been on a cruise before, you should check them out! They are super cheap with all food and lodging free, because the cruise assumes that you'll spend at least $100 on drinks, a couple hundred on gambling, another hundred or so on excursions, $50 on photographs taken by a professional on ship, etc etc.

If you are cheap like me, you only pay gratuities and you're good to go!

On Friday morning the cruise people put our bills under our doors and some of the bills were half way in the hallway, so of course I looked! Thanks to the drunkards across the hall who spent $750 onboard and to others like them--cruises are cheap!

=)

Spring Break

Tomorrow is our last day before Spring Break, and I am stoked! My friend Stacy and I will be going on a cruise to Catalina and to Mexico. I am most looking forward to not having cell phone reception or internet access!

Pictures to come later. =)

Way Off Broadway and CPK

On Friday evening I went to see Calvary Christian's Way Off Broadway production for Amanda Hill's 28th birthday. The students put on a great performance and afterwards we all went out for some cake to celebrate Amanda!

Pink Slip Friday

So God had me totally prepared for my pink slip I got last Friday and I have such a peace about it. We sang a song at the Chris Tomlin concert called "God of this City" and I felt that God had really pressed on my heart the missionary call, but to reach out to my peninsula. God is bigger than pink slips or financial trouble of any kind. But more important than that is that God has so much work to do in my community and communities.

So yesterday I had to go to a meeting where I would be meeting with a lawyer that the Teacher's Union supplies us with. Before yesterday I wasn't too worried about the whole hearing process, but when the lawyer started throwing out judicial terms and talking about how we might have to testify, it finally hit me! This is kind-of a big deal, especially to those without hope of Jesus in their lives. Please pray for a peace with the teachers who received pink slips.

(I don't know why they call them pink slips because it was white!)

On April 16th and 17th there is a hearing planned where the district pays for a sub and I have to go to a hearing, possibly testify and wait to see if the district does anything wrong so the lawyer can ask the judge to dismiss the lay-offs. Basically, if you are going to get chopped, that's whats going to happen....and the lawyer mess is just a technicality that the union must follow to make sure they are doing their part to protect jobs.

For me, I'm thankful because its two days off! The day off won't be that fun, but at least I'll have a day to make lists, grade papers, etc.

Below is a picture from the meeting where about 85% of the teachers were present. The district's plan is to cut 113 total positions! Wow!

So along that point of politics....There will be an election May 19th where we the people will vote on whether or not the state needs to pay the districts the money that was promised to keep class-size reduction. (20 kids in a K-3 class instead of 30.)

So please VOTE YES on PROP 1B. If not...there will be 30 students in a classroom with an already overburdened teacher with no help.

Also, just pray if anything. I know the district hates doing this, but in some situations they are being faced with, there is nothing much more that can be done.

I heart Chris.

I have so much to share, but I feel like there has been one thing after another, but if I wait too much longer I might forget all my fun details!

I'll start with last Thursday. I went to a Chris Tomlin concert and it was amazing! If you don't know who Chris is...you are missing out. He has written many of the songs people sing in churches these days and is soo stinkin' talented. He's also 36 and single. hehe.

The ride was so beautiful with a double rainbow and a few other single but FULL rainbows.

The most memorable part of this adventure was after we had stopped at In & Out where I got a large Ice Tea but before we got to the concert where we got stuck in some major traffic around SJSU where there were no McDonald's or Gas Stations but just residential homes.

I had to pee SO bad. I am NOT one of those people on road trips that has to go every mile and I am usually quite good at holding it, but that night was a different story. I had to take off my seatbelt, poor out the rest of the ice tea in the street so I wouldn't have to look at any liquid, but that still did not do me any justice.

My dear friends Mike and Eliza were with me along with two other friends. We had been stuck in traffic, barely moving past residential home after residential home. I got Eliza to come with me, we jumped out of that car as fast as we could and we were on a mission to find a bathroom. Too bad for me, like I said earlier...there were NO bathrooms around....

So after about two minutes of walking, Eliza and I found ourselves knocking on the door of a stranger's home asking to use the bathroom. Now I know this is not the safest thing to do, but there was really no other choice.

It was a really sweet family that barely spoke any english, but they were so gracious to me. I wanted to take a picture for my blog, but I think they really would had been freaked out. So I thanked them with a two dollar tip and ran out the door. Right as we were walking out of the door our ride pulled up along with the other traffic in front of the house....so we hopped back in and got to the concert together.

Chris put on a GREAT show. Words can't describe! He had put his Jesus Messiah words on the screen--here's a picture from a clip of it.