Graduation Day

Whew!  Hot, sweaty, crowded day.  A proud emotional day, also.  

Scott and I rode to campus using a taxi service called Uber which did not end up being cheap.  We walked along with the streams of people only to find that the seats were already taken.  So we stood, sweating, mushed up against pushy people for an hour.  When the kids streamed in in their graduation robes and the speakers started, we couldn't even see.  I stood until I was worried I'd pass out then moved over by the stairs so I could sit down.  At least we were in shade!  The valedictorian speech was much like a bad High school speech then the main speaker talked about his company success mostly and told the kids to be philanthropic.  Then they released doves and it ended.  We met Joel and walked to the DKA house

where they has a meal catered in for us.  We sat in the heat and ate then went into the house to sit in the air conditioning with parents and kids we didn't know.  

Then we walked in the heat, said goodbye to Larry and Joanna (who spent 2 1/2 hous on the dash back to their hotel) to the hall where the Cinematic Arts graduation was.  There, they had us wait outside under a tent and it was hot!  We did run into Mike's family and are pop cycles with them before we went in.

We got great seats on the front row of the second section.  There was a video of the history of the Cinematic Arts school which was interesting, then the speakers were good:  the guy who made the marvel films and the guy from Century Fox.  

Then the groups started graduating.  We sacrificed actually seeing Joel cross the stage to take pictures that didn't really come out.  I felt emotional that Joel actually did this!  I'm so proud of all our kids!

After graduation we went over to the reception in the courtyard at the cinematic arts building and had a snack and met more of Joel's friends.  

We then went back to the house and rested in the coolness and quiet.

Then we picked up Joel's "friend" Haley and went to LA live and ate at a great restaurant, Yard House.  It was really nice.  It finally cooled off and we ate on the patio.  It was good to get to know Haley and always good to spend time with Joel.

It sounds like I'm not having a good time but I am.  It is very hot which has put a damper on things quite a bit and I'm tired.  Our hotel is not super close either.  I don't love LA but it's Joel's home now.  That makes me sad, really.

LA Day 2

Today I slept until 8 or so then had my quiet time and ate a muffin we ordered last night from LA Cafe.  I exercised and showered and read til Scott got up then texted Joel.  He picked us up and we met Larry and Jo at Hakata Ramen for lunch in downtown LA.  

They all ate their individual Ramen and I had a rice dish.

We went to Little Tokyo where I bought two pais of leggings, a pink kimono, and a good luck kitty for my printer's drawer.  We also ate gelato and mochi ice cream.  Yum.  Mike met up with us there.  

We walked a ways and went to a cool bookstore called The Lost Bookstore.  It was super hot out again today.

We got in our cars and went to a cool restaurant called Fred 62.  It was decorated retro.  

We put the top down on Mike's car and drove up to Griffith Observatory with about 3 thousand other people to watch the sunset and take pics.  

All in all a great day.

LA Day One

Travel to Wichita in the middle of the night then a direct flight to LAX went without a hitch.  We both slept hard on the plane.  Joel gave us giant hugs when he picked us up at the airport.  

We ate a big yummy breakfast at Jack and Joes. Blueberry and lemon Pancakes, eggs, 

bacon and coffee. 

We hung around Joel's room for awhile even though it was HOT!  The frat was super messy too!  

We walked to campus and ran errands, ATM machine, engineering building to pick up his Cole shirt (the game team he was on), 

the bookstore to pick up his cap and gown, then across campus to get headphones from his friend Haley.  Then we waited for Larry and Jo who rode the bus from their hotel.

Then: USC demo day!  

We watched presentations of all 7 video games from the advanced gaming class.  Super impressive!  One was to teach social skills to kids with autism!  Joel's team made a game called Cole. Fun sarcasm and dark humor. 

After demo day was a reception where we met Joel's friend Mike's parents then played another game Joel made.

We walked back to Joel's house then took Larry and Jo to their hotel and we are now hanging out in our hotel with Joel waiting for some food tobe delivered.

It feels surreal to be here in LA and to be with Joel.  I love him so much.

#100HappyDays. Thankful Thursday

I am having a problem with this 100 Happy Days challenge.  How do you possibly choose just one thing per day that makes you happy?  Every day I sleep in a bed that feels like a pillow.  I snuggle with Res as my iPad music alarm goes off every morning then soak in my giant tub.  I get ready in my wonderful closet choosing from tons of great clothes and shoes.  I am reading a book called Trash about a boy who lives in a trash dump.  He feels bad for a boy who only has one outfit because he has two.  I really am grateful every day for all I have been given.

This week alone I have so much to be happy about.  Our Trubilee egg hunt on Saturday was a huge success.  I got to hold Karlisha's baby for over an hour.  Then at our TRU kick off, we had over 200 people!  They were excited and hungry for God.  We reconnected with old friends and friends who live in the community we didn't know did!  And we've built amazing relationships with our TRU core group so it's a blast to worship and serve alongside them.  

That's Pastor Dave, btw, being chocolate slimed at Trubilee.

Every Monday I get to go to work with the most amazing people.  This is secretary appreciation week.  I love them so much, and Angela, and Marvin and Tracy, and this year, Alexis.  I love my sped staff and all the teachers.  

On Tuesday I got to share my Cambodia presentation with 5 social studies classes!  It was so awesome!

Tuesday nights I get to spend with our TRU Connect group.  I look forward to it each week.  We are so real with each other.  This week, I walked to Jeff and Carmen's.  She served us an amazing meal and peach sangrias.  We chatted and laughed then learned about God.  We wondered as ewe were chatting if any of the other groups were discussing times that their spouses had vomited on them!  Yep, we are real.  I asked Bryce if he would be my food accountability partner and he said yes.  He said, " you won't have to text me about Tuesday because I already know you cheat very Tuesday!"  It was hilarious.  Then he asked what he was supposed to say when I text him that I've cheated and people were throwing out suggestions to him like, "You fat B-----!"  We laughed so hard.  After group I got to ride on the back of Jeff's Harley!  

On Wednesdays I get to be a part of FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  We have such an amazing group of kids.  It encourages me every week.  The kids teach and we just give a little input.  

Then on Thursday after work, I get to be with my girls, the Homestead girls.  I look forward to this time each week, to,hear their struggles and how God is helping them and to see their growth.  It is truly amazing.  I will take a picture today.  

On Fridays we go to Chipotle and eat.  I usually go to bed early.  Scott is an amazing, understanding, supportive husband and I am truly grateful for him, too.  We laugh together a lot.  Last night we watched American Idol together on the back patio.

Then the weekends are for relaxing, getting things done(which I like to do), friends, Adelle, talking to the kids and rents on the phone, and TRU church.  This Sunday we get to go back to our Westview small group as we've truly missed them.  I can't wait to see them and catch up with all that's been going on in their lives.

I live a very blessed life.  This 100Happy Days challenge will continue to be a challenge, but only because I have to choose!

Life is What You Think

I truly believe in that, life is what you think, both from my Social work training and my faith, but also by experience.  I preach it all day long.  So I pay a lot of attention to my own thoughts.  I used to think a lot in to do lists, what do I need to do, what did I check off, what have I accomplished today.  It really is no way to live life.  It creates anxiety and an occasional feeling of satisfaction.  So as read the Word and live out my faith, I am now thinking more relationally.  Who can I serve or bless today?  What does God want me to do or think today?  It's awesome.

  There is just one small problem.  Don't judge me.  I find myself thinking in Facebook statuses.  Do you?  I've just started that 100 happy days challenge so each day I have to take a picture of something that makes me happy and post it.  That's cool, because it makes me think about happiness which fits with my faith and I share it, which also fits with my faith.  But I also just think in Facebook statuses.  Thank God I'm able to control that urge and only actually post these thoughts about once or twice a week, unlike some people on Facebook I know.  I realize people aren't interested in my day to day thoughts and daily life.  For example, I just had a thought, "first world problem, my fingernails are freshly polished and I have to go poop."  Aren't you glad I don't post these thoughts?  People probably don't really care about what makes me happy either.  I know my daily Bible verses annoy many of my Facebook friends and family but I don't really give a rats behind. :).   And then about weekly I feel these blog posts coming on.  Then I just have to do them.  At least people read these more voluntarily.   And today's included my random status thoughts also.  Oops.

Life

In Spanish, one says I have...51 years instead of I am 51 years old.  I like that better.  I have 51 years of experience under my belt.  I've learned a few things.  I can't possibly blog about everything I've learned so I will just put a few.

Change is inevitable.  It is rarely easy but not worth the time to spend energy trying to fight it.  I've learned just to go with it.  In my experience, it usually works out ok, sometimes even great.  Not easy.

People come into your life and move out of your life.  Scott and I used to be reluctant to let people close because it hurts to have people leave.  But truly, life is about relationships.  It's important to appreciate the people in our lives at the moment.  I've learned that I need to be intentional about relationships with those God has put into my life, even if it only turns out to be a season.

I ain't gonna lose any weight.  I can try to be healthy and fit but I have learned to accept this body and make the most of it.  There isn't any point in trying to stress out over it.  

Let go and let God.  I have always been a person who tries to control everything.  Maybe that helped me in parenting, who knows.  But I also felt quite a bit of anxiety when I couldn't control things.  With lots of work by the Holy Sprit, I now realize, there are not a whole lot of things worth getting my panties in a wad over.  

Not everyone is going to like you and though they may actually appreciate you, very few will take the time to say so.  I have learned that it really doesn't matter what people think!  I can get all the approval I need from my Savior and He is most happy to remind me of it anytime I ask.  

It's ok to say no.  Goes along with the previous one but in this to do busy crazy society, I know I need to slow down and just hang.  Oh, yeah, I can get to feeling guilty about that, but, so what.  No, I'm not signing up for that and that and that.  And I can't really talk right now, I'm hanging!  I'm a better person when I take time out.  And say no.

I have more wisdom in there, but can't think of it now.  

Today I noticed this awesome bird nest.  It belongs to some beautiful cardinals.  I'm gonna leave it.  Maybe there will be some babies to watch while I'm hanging.  Looking forward to doing quite a bit of hanging on this patio as the weather warms.

Home, Jet Lag and Busyness

It is good to be home but busyness has hit so hard, sometimes it seems unreal that we even went to Cambodia!  The first week home I felt like I was in a dream state during the day, I was grumpy in the evenings and I crashed early each night. It took a few nights to be able to sleep hard all through the night but then I did. I still feel tired, and am visiting the chiropractor two times, but overall I'm amazed at how well I've recovered from the trip and travel. I spent a lot of time last weekend making a keynote presentation of the trip and met with Deb and Ken after church to debrief. 

We are such a short time away from the TRU opening!  This weekend we set up and have a "soft opening" or practice run with Westview folks. My role at church will be front door greeter and I'm pretty excited about it!  Our small group for TRU is going well, too!  God is truly moving !

Leah is coming home this weekend to wedding plan!  There was an email waiting for me from Leah when I got home saying, "Let's get crackin!"  Leah's wedding dress has been hanging in my closet waiting for her to try on for three weeks!  Leah's ideas are so awesome!  We need to make a to do list and budget and get rolling!

Homestead is going well, too!  One of our gals who stepped away has returned and the other five gals are doing well. One got married this week!  We have a volunteer training this weekend that I'm speaking on tonight. It is a blessing to be able to be a part of this ministry. 

Adelle is doing well.  it's been hard to get enough time to see her lately and I had to have my friend Alexis fill in for me while in Cambodia. I will have a graduation party for Adelle in May. Her schedule is busy too with special Olympics and prom and her Interpersonal Skills class. 

Joel is crazy swamped trying to finish up. We go to LA for his graduation the 2nd week in May!  Hannah is doing well but broke!  She leaves for Lander for her artist in residence at the Art Museum May 1 and is anxiously awaiting details for that. She is hopeful about job possibilities there instead of grad school. 

So life is super busy but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with school getting out. I hope once TRU starts life will slow down a bit, too!  I miss key people in my life, family, our Westview small group friends, my parents!  I don't even get to see enough of Scott!