Life is a whirlwind...

Wow, I just signed on and realized how long it has been since I have updated this thing! Pretty much, every day is the same...college and work...nothing too new or exciting. Oh yeah, except I did turn twenty finally (like two monthes ago)! No more teen years! And I am looking forward to summer...but this rain will not leave us alone! Anyway, I will update this again soon when something exciting happens...for now I have to go do homework...I have a four page paper due in my Bible as literature class on Friday and I have not come close to starting yet!

And yet the bad weather continues...

Now that it has stopped snowing and the snow is gone, the temperature is rising, and all the snow in the mountains is melting. Add that to the amount of rainfall we are getting right now...and you get floods! The Puyallup River is rising, worse than it has in years, and the town of Orting has been evacuated, as well as parts of Sumner. I left for my PE class at the college's new fitness center this morning (classes started monday), and coming down the hill from Bonney Lake, found out that 4-10 was shut down due to water over the road. So I was detoured the only other way I could get to school, and ended up a half hour late for my class...kinda embarrasing, but at least I made it for the last half. On the way to school though, I had to cross a bridge over the Puyallup river, and man was the water high and fast. I've been listening to the news, and I guess there have been all sorts of things floating down the river, including large trees. I have never seen that river look that treacherous! So after my class, I drove to work, (and am currently on dinner break), and my boss told me to leave after only two hours of being here, in order to make it home safely! I called my parents, and 4-10, of course, is still closed, but now my only other way home is down through the valley, on roads through Sumner/Orting, which have been evacuating (so there is still massive traffic from people trying to get out), and I would have to cross the bridge over the river again, which is NOT a good plan. So I am stranded tonight. I can't get home, so I am driving to the Bovenkamp's house (between Meridian and Cannon in South Hill), and will stay there tonight, so that way I won't have to drive through the valley and lots of water :P Thank goodness Mrs. Bovenkamp also has a lot of food allergies and will have food at the house I can actually eat. So I won't starve luckily! I have no idea how long I will be there, i might not even be able to get home tomorrow....Orting and parts of Sumner are supposed to be under water at around 10 tonight! So I could be stranded for days...who knows...hopefully they have some clothes I can borrow too! haha Yeah, but this year is certainly crazy as far as weather goes! I just feel bad for all these people who live in the valley and have to deal with flooded homes!

Anyway...dinner break is over....back to work...I'm hoping my 37-year-old stalker doesn't show up tonight!

And a happy new year!

My, time has gotten away, this last week has been so busy! Christmas Eve, Christmas, Zoolights with my family, and now new years (and not to mention the wierd happenings at work!)...and I have lots to update...but all of that will have to wait for a time when I can sit down and type a lot...plus I am waiting on pictures from this last week so I can post them with the update :)
Anyway...big update coming soon...but until then...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Jesus is born...'tis the reason for the season!

Well, it is once again christmas time, and the whole month has been hectic...lots of snow and ice, people trying to get their last minute shopping done out amidst the bad weather, people getting snowed in at airports. Yes, it's quite the month. But what about the real reason we celebrate? Do we forget amidst the hustle and bustle what we are really truly celebrating? This season is time to remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ (not that we should not remember it all the time, but at Christmas, we need to celebrate it, not celebrate the presents and Santa and his reindeer). Right now, America's economy has everyone worried and times are tough for everyone. Many people are on especially tight budgets this year (I know we are!), or losing jobs, or dealing with other issues. But, remeber this picture, of Mary and Joseph, traveling on donkey, Mary ready to give birth to Jesus Christ. God's faithfulness was upon them. In the midst of an amazing experience they could not have done on their own, God was with them and lead them on and protected them. They trusted Him, and were faithful and obeyed. Just think about Mary, as she is ready to have the baby, coming upon Bethleham, finding no room anywhere to give birth. Think of Joseph, wanting to help Mary and finding no room at the inn to accomodate her. And then there was the stable. Not fit for a king people would say. But, a stable it was. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior was born in the humblest of places, in a manger in a stable, amidst the animals and hay. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. Great wisemen and shepards alike came to see Him and worship Him. Angels sang His praises, proclaiming the good news of great joy, leading the shepards to Him. Wisemen followed the star. It was truly a miracle. When you find yourself starting to worry about life in the world we live in, the economy, tough situations and whatever else everyone is facing, just remember our Savior was born in a stable, because there was no room for Him in the inn. He humbled Himself and came down as a baby, and grew to be a man who laid down His life in order to save us. This truly is the greatest gift anyone could ask for. So this Christmas, remember all of this, its not about the tree and ornaments, Santa Clause or elves, or candy canes. Its not about the gifts you receive or give, Christmas is about the greatest gift, God's son.

Whenever I think of Mary, and try to put myself in her shoes, it overwhelmes me to no end. A young girl, soon to be married to Joseph, and she finds she is to give birth to Jesus Christ. What would her family think, what would Joseph think? I cannot even imagine. I admire her. Her faith in God and giving her everything to Him and being faithful and following His lead.

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Merry Christmas, and remember the reason we celebrate! God bless!

Full of questions...

Does anyone know how to get the project playlist on here? I have a music playlist, but do not know how to get it on...I tried a couple ways, but they didn't work....any help would be welcome! Thanks! :)

There's a storm a brewin'

So, as if we don't already have enough interesting weather conditions...there is a storm coming tonight...it started snowing again around one today, and they let me leave work at three because I have a long drive home, and it took me twice as long as usual to get home...the roads were already starting to get a bit slick, and it was snowing pretty hard by the time I reached Bonney Lake. Actually, I was lucky I even arrived at work this morning...the main roads are fine, but I couldn't get off our road very easily. When you back out of my driveway, you have to drive up an incline, which is bothersome on the ice. My wheels kept spinning and I kept sliding backwards. My dad tried pushing, and that didn't work either, because our road was too icy, he couldn't plant his feet! So I had to keep backing up down to the flat part of our dead-end road to get a running start at it, and after about five tries, my car barely made it over the top of the hill. So I arrived to work, and it was HECTIC all day, we had so many people in today...everyone wanted to drop off library items and pick up dvds and music in case of getting stuck at home in the storm! So yes, it was a crazy busy day. I was happy to come home, and get here safely, I only slid around once time coming home :) I guess for the storm tonight there is supposed to be a lot of wind, especially around Enumclaw, Buckley area...the foothills. And I am on the Bonney-Lake, Buckley border, so yeah...I am expecting our power to go out...so yesterday I did a ton of laundry, and some baking just to get prepared for being out of power for a few days! So yes...we are ready for the storm... I am sad that church tomorrow is cancelled though due to bad weather, although I would not have been able to get there anyway, not if there is more ice coming!

Last night, I went with a few people to a musical called "Scrooge" at a very large church in Tacoma, they put on the musical every year, and it is really well done, great singing, acting and set, etc. It was a very fun evening.

I am possibly going to get to go sledding tomorrow afternoon with some friends in Buckley...if I can convince them to drive the four minutes it takes to come pick me up, seeing as I doubt I will be able to get there myself. I hope I get to though, I haven't gotten to do anything in the snow this year yet...no sledding, no snowman, no snowball fights...well ok...so maybe I have thrown one or two snowballs :)

Anyway...chances are our power is going out....so if no one hears from me for a few days, everyone stay safe and warm and go have some fun in the snow before it melts!

Walkin' in a winter wonderland...

Oh the weather outside is frightful, and the fire is so delightful...and since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....
Well, this morning I woke up to...more snow! Not much mind you, but enough snow and ice for me not to be able to get off my street this morning. The library system was closed yesterday, due to weather conditions (which didn't turn out all that bad yesterday), so I did not have to go to work yesterday. Instead, I spent the day making a last minute grocery stop at Fred Meyer, doing a bit of Christmas shopping and then doing a lot baking and cooking, just trying out some new recipes, and making dinner for my family. On Tuesday morning, before work, my mom and I went to Federal Way to Trader Joes and Marlene's (two great health food stores :) and I was able to stock up on everything I needed to pretty much make anything I need for my limited diet :P I have to start doing a rotation diet, just so my digestive system can heal up well without becoming sensitive to foods I eat a lot of. So, I will be eating a wide variety of foods, hence, the needed grocery run! So yesterday (Wednesday) was quite a glorious day...getting to sleep in for a little while, getting to do quiet time with a beautiful scene out my window, reminding me of God's faithfulness. And just being able to get a few errands done and take all the time I wanted in the kitchen was quite nice :) And, I even got to re-organize my allergy free pantry, which was on my to-do list.
Then, this morning, I received a call from a co-worker saying unfortunately the library is open today, although conditions are worse today than yesterday! I am normally not scheduled to work on Thursdays, but I was going to take the place of someone today and work 9-4:30. Well, due to the usual bad conditions we get here in Bonney Lake in this sort of weather, they told me that if I couldn't make it in to work, I didn't have to come in. So my dad and I were out at 7 this morning testing the roads by my house in my dad's car...it was sheer ice, and it was so bad we had to turn back before even making it to the really bad roads! So, alas, I am home again today, instead of trying to drive to South Hill for work, but luckily, I get paid for snow days :) Kind of an odd change...getting paid to sit in front of a fire at home with some hot cocoa (made sugar free with pure organic cocoa and stevia of course :P ) and a warm blanket. Its a nice break from work, because something like this usually NEVER happens! Yes indeed. My dad and I took a walk this morning for about a half hour, and I kept teasing him that he was going to slip and fall, because his boots have nooo traction. Well, he didn't, but the amusing part is that going down the hill back to our house, I was the one who slipped and fell, right on my tailbone, which is now sore, and I slid down the hill a bit. But, its all good, it was a fun way to start the day, and the sight of all the snow is absolutely wonderful. It makes me feel peaceful and happy to be alive, and just be able to take in God's creation. It's so fluffy :) Anyway, I have no huge plans for going anywhere today...no way am I going to attempt driving on this ice! So I suppose I shall spend more time in the kitchen, re-organize my room, and perhaps curl up in front of the fire with a good book. So...I am off to accomplish some things...have a great snow day everyone! And stay safe if you must be out driving!