the ladies in my life

the ladies in my life,
originally uploaded by Em10.

These are the ladies in my life that I would ask for prayer for with their health problems and such. They are quite the amazing women. :) Never a dull moment... So, I wanted to share a picture!

the cripple and I :)

the cripple and I :),
originally uploaded by Em10.

Here is a photo of me and Jamey at our admissions conference in GR this month. This was at the banquet we had...talk about bad tan lines.

new yorker

So, I was walking back from starbucks a few moments ago and as I passed the clock tower I remembered a conversation I had with a mom under the clock tower at our closing 'ceremony' and she asked where I was from and I said that I was from Florida and she said, "I could tell you weren't from Jackson, you look like you are from New York City or something" and I, for some odd reason enjoy that. I like being different from everyone else, not in a bad way like going goth or something, but I do enjoy being different. When I used to spend my summers in Michigan I enjoyed the fact that everyone called me 'the florida girl' like it was something amazing. So, I had a flash back yesterday as this lady graced me with her words. Thank you!! :)

SAU institute

I am a graduate of the Spring Arbor University Institute and I have a pen to show for it! :) That was our 'graduation' gift- a nice pen that says SAU institute on it! haha. I will use it fondly and only when signing the most important of papers!!

Last night I had some crazy dreams. I can't really remember them at this moment, but I know they were strange!!! Tomorrow I am going up to the cottage and that should be proven fun times!!! My mom got a new pump put in for the water...and so we shouldnt even be able to hear the water kick on every 5 minutes!! Yippee!!!

Bring on the beautiful day!!

frank sinatra

I like good ole "mickey blue eyes" :) Now, here I sit sweaty and hot after a very fabulouso pre-registration day. Had great students and parents and met some interesting ones as well! But, different is beautiful- or so they say! :)

In a few moments, I have to go to Spring Arbor University Institute- for our LAST session. I am SO glad this is almost OVER!!! Praise God!! When I first found out I was going to have to take this class, I was dreading it cause I thought for sure it was going to be horrible, but in reality not much is as horrible as I 'imagine' it to be. Ya know?

I am going to give my last speech of this class- about how our emotions affect others, but in this book, it is talking about how our emotions affect those we work with. I am going to give an example about how smiling actually CHANGES a person...using an example from the other day when I was at Meijer and smiled at a little girl who was about 5 years old. She was sitting in the cart with her mom in the dairy aisle and I smiled at her and she just light up... I walked away and then all of a sudden heard her yelling to her older sister "THAT LADY SMILED AT MEEE!!" like it was an amazing deal. She told her mom and said it again later when we met in another aisle.

Anyways...thats my story and I am sticking to it!!

bike ride

Today is going to be a very busy day!! We have another pre-registration and I am not sure how many students I personally have coming, but I hope a lot so we can get them all registered and here for the fall!

Today is my 3 month anniversary:) I have never had one before, so this is pretty exciting if I do say so myself....

cat

the cat is gone from my apartment! :) It was a fun couple of days with Sulley. He was quite good company, although spastic at times, it is just the kitten in him!

I am jamming to some good ole Barry White in the office...kinda funny- just waiting for the visitors to show up so we can have a little chatty chat...and a campus tour. I gave a tour on Saturday and it was SO HOT!!!!!!! My feet got a tan line from my shoes!! Crazy but fun!!! :)
Here is a verse for the day;

"Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord's glory, and we are being changed to be like him."
2 corinthians 3:18

Our faces are who we are and how we are recognizable and different from others.
He uses are faces for his purpose and allows for us to show confidence that in him things are as they should be in life.

pre-registration

I am working on saturday again. yippee. I am in the library sweating to death because it is 100 degrees out and we dont have the air on in this joint. Sweat does a body good though right?!
Life does dish out its challenges, but I have learned that it is best to talk thru the hard issues in the day light- not late- because nothing makes sense as it should in the night...like it does in the day. :) I am thankful that the Lord has made me who I am. I am thankful that he has given me a mother who has 'planted' me to grow into a strong woman. Sometimes I am weak and weary, but strength shines thru in situations where strength needs to be....
I don't know if I am making sense, but I have also learned that honesty is amazing and honest people are even more so.

tired

I am VERY tired and don't feel good. I have a cat at my house and that is a blessing. I ran out of toilet paper this morning and that is amazing cause i had SO much toilet paper....and now I have to go buy more and that is my LEAST favorite thing to purchase now that I am on my own.

It is supposed to be like 92 degrees out today feeling like 99 or something....not too excited about that. :(

amazing friends

I also want to say that I have amazing friends. Last night my mom called and informed me that neither my aunt margie nor my granny are doing very good health wise and she feels really bad about being up in Michigan while they are down there. Plus, my uncle george is down there trying to take care of all that himself- she is probably going to cut her summer short- a summer she has looked foward to all year and now she has to end it early. My heart hurts for her. But, my amazing friends gathered around the cell phone with my mom on speaker phone and surrounded her in prayer. Nothing beats praying for someone in the moment they need it. My mom always does that for me- so I am glad my friends and I were able to do that for her. God does indeed have everything under control and can give peace like a river.

dirt cake

Last night my BF and I had a slight dinner party for our friend Jamey. We love her and wanted to do something fun to hang out and give her nutrition. :) Before the dinner party started there was a trip to the mall, which was supposed to be FAST- but it ended up taking FOREVER - cause the boy wanted some new shorts. :) And he got a pair- and a good deal:) then off to Walmart to get the items for not only the dinner party but for the dirt cake I had to make for work today cause yesterday I was informed that it was my month to take care of the birthday celebration for June birthdays!! AHH!! Well, I got a recipe for dirt cake, which seemed easy and fun with the little gummy worms and oreo pieces....but...of course, when I try to do such recipes, it goes wrong. I lost the recipe/directions somewhere between walmart and my house...I bought the wrong size pudding which messed up our measurements. We ripped apart the house trying to find the directions, had to call a co-worker and she gave us her recipe which was a LITTLE different from the one we had- SO....we had to make ANOTHER trip to the store cause the stuff wouldnt thicken up and once the BF and I got there- we didnt remember if it was cream cheese OR cool whip we needed at 11:30- So, we got both.

Fun :) Good times that is for SURE. :)

another one:)

100_0396,
originally uploaded by Em10.

Just wanted to post another picture on here...cause it is really fun!!!

cloudscapes

100_0310,
originally uploaded by Em10.

This is my first time blogging and being able to download photos! I am pretty excited! My BF was proactive about my getting photos on my site and look at me now!! :)
This was on lake michigan watching the beautiful sunset. I think it is a unique picture...very cool :)

lessons learned

I learned a lesson last night. Do not...I repeat DO NOT pour water up your boyfriends nose. It isn't nice and it doesn't feel good.

:)

Gosh, I feel bad about that!!

I have a marvelous BF....the pistons won last night...(not that I really care..but..it is news) and...hmmmm. It is a beautiful day outside!!!

sleepy!

I fell asleep at like 8:30 last night! I was SO tired!!! Ridiculous!! But, it felt good and I could sleep some more too! I did not want to arrise out of my bed this morning. It was comfy and I was comfy and it was just perfect. But, I guess I can be thankful for this day and thankful for the cool weather and thankful for my life:)

accomplishing

Well, I am accomplishing a lot today! It feels almost better than AWESOME. I have gotten all 3 teams off ...well, at least packed up and ready to go on the road and use all the resources I have given them. I need to remember to pray for them. Pray without ceasing...

My office no longer has BOXES and BOXES of admissions stuff.....and the store room has cleared a lot out too!!!! I like it when stuff becomes uncluttered- even though I am like the QUEEN of clutter!!! I enjoy cleaning it out too!!!!

All I have left today is an interview and a campus visit. I kinda hope the campus visit doesn't last past 5 ...cause this could have been avoided....

Well, Aint You something?

That is on my calendar for yesterday....i think it is funny. I am TIRED today. I need some good sleep...and lots of it! :)
Last night we had a pizza party...and watched some good home videos of a really skinny kid with a rat tail....good thing I am dating him now! :)

Today I will be VERY busy!!! I have summer teams coming back for training etc., and we have interviews for the admissions position that I have to sit in on and SO much stuff!! It is crazy today!!

we're back!!

Back from GR and happily settling back into the routine of work! It was a great time over at Calvin. I once again realized that God really does direct and send you to the places you are SUPPOSED to go....Cause I really really wanted to go to Calvin as a 17 year old. And the Lord closed that door and I am SO THANKFUL!!!!

Had a party last night and watched Phantom of the Opera! Good movie....:) kinda long...
my mom is in town and we are enjoying each other. It is so fun to have a mom around. They make everything better. Mothers just KNOW you. And I appreciate that. You dont have to explain anything...they just KNOW and remember all the memories you have. Cause you share them together. My mom says that my granny isnt doing very good- cause her heart is not running to capacity...
That makes me sad. I don't really know. I think sometimes you just think people are invinsible. They will always be there...a staple item in your life. But, that isn't always the case I guess. I am lucky that she is 84 and has been able to share in 25 years of my life. Amazing. She is unique and strong willed-so I am sure she will do GREAT for more years!! We just have to watch her! :)

I got to see my BF yesterday finally! :) nothing like a BF to bring you flowers and hide a whoppie cushion in your house while you are gone!! :) LOVE IT!

Happy Day.

still HOT HOT HOT

It is still SO very HOT!!!!!!! Today was a fun day!!!! I went to some boring conference sessions- then...ate a really good lunch, chicken, spicey rice and some good ice cream!!!! :) Then jumped in the car, rode around GR and to the MALL to buy some PERFUME! I got 2 bottles....and 1 was new....Kenneth Cole, Reaction. I hope it gets a GOOD reaction!! :) HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

Then, we went to the Frederick Meijer Gardens for a nice dinner- which was also very good!!! :) I walked around and saw a bunch of orchids and fabulous cactis and some really pretty lavendar! :) I smelled it and it was nice....

I like my boyfriend. He is marvelous. He is great with kids and is so sweet and kind hearted. What a good guy and a fabulous catch! :)

waking up late

We had a rather late night last night...after a thrilling day of conference sessions and mingling with others, we watched some GAMES and met some more new people and then we traveled back to the Calvin campus and enjoyed "club naccap" which was pretty darn funny if you ask me. I got video of this guy opening bottles with his BUTT CRACK. DISCUSTING!!!!

After that we did some more mingling and THEN off to Steak n Shake with some admissions peeps and I got a peanut butter chocolate milk shake. It was good. Then my co-worker Ben-told these 16 year olds that I was interested. The kid came BACK into the rest. and I had to TALK To him. We gave him a phone number and said I was from TX. It was really funny. GROSS but funny.

Jamey and I woke up really late this morning and we raced around trying to get dressed and stuff....I made it to the chapel service deal on time...but highly sleepy. I never stay up late on school nights! :) We didnt get to bed til like 3am. CRAZY in GR:)

Well, thats all I can think to write. I have a fabulouso boyfriend who is marvelous to me even when I am one crazy girl!!

HOT HOT HOT!!!

I think today is the HOTTEST day I have EVER experienced in a LONG time. Sweat is just dripping EVERYWHERE! It is slightly ridiculous!! :)
We are staying in some unairconditioned dorms and trying not to SWEAT to death!!!!

ARGH! Tonight we had a chapel service and communion and that was okay- the speaker was kinda blah. I day dreamed a lot. :)

Hmm...I am on the phone with my mom and she is talking about the pumps...

This conference is cool. I mean, you get to meet so many different people from ALL over the place. We have already made some friends with some kiddos from Texas. Having jamey as a cripple is funny. We are very memorable:) haha. Nothing too tramatic happened so far....last year I had my most embarassing moment in the DC when I fell and slammed my body into the ground!! That was BAD!!! :)

So...anyways, I am having fun, sweaty, but that is okay!! :)

GR here we come

Today is the day we leave for GR to sleep in un-airconditioned dorms....and have a blast with a bunch of admissions peeps from around the nation. Yippee. hahah.

I can only hope that things are fun and I am able to learn something to help me grow in my profession- heck, that is what we are going for....

Last night I helped my BF move his stuff into his new 'place' for the summer. It was interesting to say the least....we got the couch moved in- but i am a tad bit concerned with his safety....interesting neighbors...but I shouldn't judge. They are nice.

It was a late night because I still had to pack at like 11pm...man. Time really flies, but at least I wasn't bored or alone. that helps. :)

Hmm.. I stopped to get some pop/water at the gas station. My daily trip...ridiculous.
:) but it stinkin tastes GREAT :) i wish I had a good book to read while I was at this place...oh, i am going to take my computer with me so I can continue to blog and stay in touch with people :)

Have a great WEDNESDAY everyone! :)

front desk

I am sitting at the front desk while the other girls take their lunch break. I have a lunch appointment at 2:30 and then will rush back here at 3:30 to go to SAU institute....it will be great fun. Let me tell you. So, it is gorgeous outside....lots and lots of sunshine. I have my caf. free diet pepsi and I am good to go for at least another hour:)

I am going to try to sit here and think about all the things I am thankful for....
my apartment, my boyfriend (even when he isnt around), my job (even when it is stressful) the sunshine, birds that chirp, my car, the fact that I have money to pay the bills, Spring Arbor, John Mayer's song, daughters, sliced turkey on whole grain bread, answering the phones at the front desk (yea right)....hmm. today is FOR REAL one of those days that I just find it hard to think of things I am thankful for. It is odd. Usually I am pretty upbeat...but, not today! hmm..So, it was...3 months ago that I had a birthday. I just looked at the calendar. Wow. 25 has been pretty good! :)

Working the phones out here is kinda funny. I wish these all counted as completed phone calls! That would be AWESOME!!! See, we have to get 40 phone calls..which to the normal person, no big deal to get 40 calls in 1 week, but for us, we call like 97986 people and BARELY actually talk to 40 kids/parents. It is pretty depressing at times, but we make it thru.

My PPO for the stalker got denied. I am really ticked off about that. I mean, how in the WORLD are you supposed to get rid of someone who is bothering you if even after the police go to them and say LEAVE HER ALONE and they continue to try to get my attention....but, apparently the judge is a MAN and i havent been threatened enough. This could make me go into politics or at least do some sort of protest or march for womens protection rights in this seriously messed up world. If I want, I can have a stinking COURT HEARING and see about getting the PPO after that...SERIOUSLY!!! I looked up stalkers on the internet and mine is....delusional stalker. In that, he is unmarried and socially immature loner, who is unable to establish or sustain close relationships with others. It says they like to go after people who have a higher status/or are very socially desirable. Some studies show that delusional stalkers are the most tencious of all. And....Erotomanic delusions themselves last an average of 10 years!!! HELLO!!! 10 YEARS!!! GET A CLUE. They also talk about False Victimization, where the stalker claims to be a victim of stalking...IDIOTS!!!! I swear.

Ridiculous. Going thru strange situations tend to make me a stronger person, but ya know, I think that I would rather not be so strong and not allow this to happen to me!! Not that I want it to happen to someone ELSE, but you know.

Such is life and I am just finding that out. It never goes as planned or as wished, but if you are lucky along the way, you will be blessed thru people, places and things:)

Well, the phone has only needed to be picked up occasionally, which is kinda nice and I really like this keyboard. I need to read about communication in my "Working wtih emotional intelligence" book for my class later this afternoon. I might have to do a speech about what I learned.

This states that people with communication competence are effective in give and take, registering emotional cues in attuning their message, deal wtih difficult issues straightfowardly, listen well, seek mutual understanding, and welcoming sharing of information fully, and they foster open communication and stay receptive to bad news as well as good.

Isnt that just the most interesting thing you have ever HEARD!? I often think back to when I heard that people use physical cues when talking to you- such as....a stewardess offers you coffee on the plane and she really doesnt want you to take any- if she shakes her head in a no fashion, you are more likely to say NO by the subliminal non-verbal. I think I will talk about that and the same goes if you shake your head YES. You have a higher chance of getting the person to do what you want them to do. Crazy eh? I believe so.

You are so beautiful...to me...that song is on the radio right now. I wonder why guys always sing the love songs....i mean, you know they are written by women cause men have a hard time communicating romance (some men) and so, why they end up singing songs, having women believe that they are actually thinking of the words themselves is highly annoying to me. I mean come ON!
Whew. I am on a roll and I dont know if it is a good role or a bad roll.

tuesday

hello. It is tuesday. Last night, after I got home from one stupid day...there was a car parked in front of my garage door- so I couldn't get in- or if I was in- I wouldnt have been able to get OUT. of course, it was my stupid neighbors and the kids they invited over to go swim in the pool. Me, being the already ticked off person I was...stomped over to the neighbors house and rang the door bell. Nothing. I wrote a note to put on the car saying "this is not a parking spot, you are parked in front of my garage" and by the time I got out there...it was gone. SO, about an hour later when my friend Jamey came over...she goes, "there is a car parked in front of your garage" HELLO. IDIOTS!!! So, I stomped out there to find 2 - 16 year old girls in their bathing suites chilling outside. I said, "Girls, hey, is this your car? You need to not park here in front of my garage" DUH!!!!!! How STUPID are people?!?!?!?!?!?
Thankfully, they moved the car and I hope I don't have to be THAT annoying that I make a NO PARKING SIGN on my garage door. PEOPLE ARE STUPID. Just like my stalker. I am on the phone bright and early wtih the police chief trying to get my PPO stuff taken care of.....so, when the judge calls me, I can have all the information I need. YIPPEE!

Alrighty, what else? My boyfriend apparently is going to be back in town...that shall be nice. Although, I am going out of town as he is coming into town, and I am running out of patience. haha.

Well, I hope the day is GREAT!!!

PPO

i am getting on for my stalker and hopefully this will be the end of this issue.
ARGH.
Earlier, i was walking across campus, and my skirt flew up- never really had that happen before. I nearly spilled my coffee..it was a bad situation! :)

you raise me up...

to walk on stormy seas...I am strong when I am on your shoulder....you raise me up to more than i can be.....

I LOVE JOSH GROBAN!!!!!! Man, his music is beautiful.

This weekend was pretty boring...I cleaned a LOT and that was awesome...apparently 9 bags of GARBAGE is not a good sign...it means I was keeping a lot of stuff I didn't need to keep. I got some new cleaning supplies from Walmart yesterday ...and the freak-a-zoid stalker is BACK. He sat pretty close to me at church and approached my friend Jamey and I when we were talking by her car after church. I swear- GET A CLUE. I guess the police going to his house to tell him to leave me alone wasn't ENOUGH. So I have to figure out what to do about that today.

I haven't slept well in like 3 days...and I have a lot of energy or something inside me. Maybe it is adreneline...or something? No idea.....it makes me crazy.

Bring on the monday!

FRIDAY in June

Wow. I love Friday's!!! They are awesome....today shall be busy because we have a pre-registration day... and I have to give a tour after all of that...and I am not sure that the band aids that I have on my feet from yesterday's 2 tours will hold up to the walking required today!! Anyways, I went to the grocery store last night and had a great time because..FRUIT IS IN SEASON!!! I love fruit and I love the fact that you can get some good stuff!!!
I got...Cherries, grapes, peaches, strawberrys, blue berrys and rasberries, along with some bananas. YES!!!! :) I love it! I also got some new cereal so I can begin to eat healthy AGAIN ..and I can put some of my new fruit on top! I ate it on the way to work and it was DELICIOUS!!!! :)

I also got some foot gels for the balls of my feet in my new black sandals..there isnt much padding for it- but..luckily, these gel things are pretty darn cool.

I just sneezed! Whew!!

That is all for now!!!

cold cut trio

is what I had for lunch. I never have had it from Subway before...but it was a footlong for 3.99 and that was a deal to me!! so, that is what I had for lunch!! yippee!!

Another day done...it was a good one. We had to host some 5th graders from Frost Elem. and they were AWESOME!!!! I love kids and I would love to be a teacher...except that the job market is crazy and I dont want kids to throw up in my class room or on ME!!!

HAHA. So, anyways, I got some pictures developed from my vacation this weekend and they are so fun. I love pictures. Re-living the memories! How marvelous!!!!!

:)

houghton lake

I had an AWESOME 'long' weekend up at the lake!! That is really all I can say about that! It was awesome. :) and now I am back at work...:(