There is a time for everything! and apparently that time is now!

HI!!!  Oh my goodness...I am not very good at this blog stuff anymore. I have mainly been using facebook to update people on what is going on.  So......I bought a house!  Here is the link to the house . Check it out!  It closes on March 18, that is this Wed. Then I am hiring movers to move me on the 21st.  I am starting to pack but it feels like I just moved!  Oh wait I did, it was 7 months ago.  I can't believe it!  Oh and guess what? I am also getting a foster child on the 30th!  His name is Sy-Quay and he is 8 1/2 months old and he is so handsome. So hopefully I will be semi settled in by the 30th for when he comes live with me.  I start my overnight visits this weekend.  I am still working for the elder's services for the Puyallup Tribe.  I have applied for a couple other jobs because elders in is only an emergency hire. I applied for Process server/case manager assistant for Child Support. Also, for receiving clerk and for Community Liaison assistant for the housing for the tribe.  The Community Liaison is only part-time with benefits, so I think I want this one but all of them sound fun.  The reason I would want the part-time one is because I am going to be getting Sy-Quay and I would like to spend time with him.  Oh goodness so much going on-new house, new kid, and new job! CRAZY!!!!

Let go

Oh my goodness, it has been so long.   Well I have a story for you....

I was hired as an emergency hire for the Elder's and Vulnerable Adult Services Department for the Puyallup Tribe in September.  I was hired for 480 hours and I still had about 290 hours left of working.  However, on Dec. 16 I was let go due to budget cuts. My boss came over to my desk and let me know that there was no more money for my position and that I shouldn't come back the next day because the day she told me was my last day.  Once I gained my composure I asked her how it would have been nice to have a little notice and said she I am sorry about that.  Well after I found out, I went over to talk to my uncle about what had happened and he is helping me with the situation and trying to get everything resolved. So that may include a new job or finding me a way to go back to my old one, we will see.

Can you believe all this snow? Crazy. Help me by praying for all those who are out on the streets on these cold nights.

Hope all is well for you on the holidays!

Election and life

Oh my goodness, we will find out the new president today!!!! So if it is McCain, Libby and I are moving to Canada. :-) Anyone with us? My job is going great. Friday was a big day because I got to do some stuff involving an elder. It was an exciting day and these past couple days people have taken me on elder’s visits and I have been able to meet a ton of my elders. I have also been learning the tribal language. It has been great. We meet every Wed. from 3-4 pm and I have also been practicing at home. This job has been such a fantastic cultural experience. I am learning so much about the tribe and about the people. I am glad I decided to work here, the people here are pretty cool too.
My Halloween was pretty good. I went trick or treating with my god sons. We went around my old neighborhood and then we stayed at Libby’s apartment and waited for trick or treaters but there were none. Well there was one but they came while I went downstairs to get something!! I was pretty sad, I was looking forward to getting a ton because we lived in an apartment complex. My mom got 70!!!! No fair.

What's New Bubblelou?

Oh my goodness it has been forever since I have blogged. Sorry about that. A lot has been going on. Alright, so I am no longer working at Sand Point but they did have me back a couple of Sunday’s ago to say thank you and it was a lot of fun. I got to do the children’s message and also give a speech for the congregation. The same day I went to do that, they also announced that Pat would be leaving at the end of November (Pat is the pastor at the church.) A lot of changes are happening at the church but I am excited to see what happens. I applied for a job at my tribe in children’s services but I didn’t get that job because I didn’t have my social work degree and I have never really worked on any cases or anything like that. But my uncle put my name in for an emergency hire position over in the Elder’s Center of the Puyallup Tribe. It has been fantastic and boring at the same time. I am doing mainly data entry, and filing but sometimes I get to do fun things like put together a huge collage poster of pictures of all the elders or make a nutrition board for the elders to read. The other fun part is that I have had the chance to meet some of my elders. I am still new so I haven’t met that many but it has been fun with the ones I have met.
The Elder’s center here does a lot. They have caregivers specifically hired to care for Puyallup Elders. They do chores for them, transport them, do personal care, and an assortment of other things for the elders. The elders facility also serves lunch every day to all the elder tribal members living in the area. It is a pretty cool program. They are also building a new huge elders center that is going to be great.
Now you can see why the job is both boring and fun. Depending on the day it could be fun or I could just sit at my desk all day and do work.
Oh in other big news I had a small visitor in my house yesterday….it was a tiny gardener snake. I wasn’t sure what to do because I didn’t want to kill it. So I called Libby’s husband Cory who lives upstairs to help me figure out what to do. So he came down and he said to get a Tupperware. So I went and got a Tupperware and asked what I should do with it and he said just to scoop him up in it. I was like are you serious? Do you think the snake is going to want to be scooped up into the Tupperware? But I tried it and then it just ran and hid (well slithered and hid.) So we decided we would trap the snake under the Tupperware and then take it outside. Cory moved the dresser it was hiding behind and I went to grab the snake. I got the Tupperware over it and it was perfect because it was slithered up like a ball and I didn’t hurt it. But then we didn’t know what to do. Then Cory thought of getting a piece of thin cardboard and sliding it under it and then trapping it and brining it outside. I carefully put the cardboard under it. But when I almost had it he uncurled and I got his tail stuck under the side of the Tupperware and started freaking out because the snake was freaking out because his tail was stuck, so I picked up the Tupperware a little bit and got the tail unstuck but then got his head stuck. I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t want him to escape but I didn’t want to kill him either. So I picked up the Tupperware a little bit and got the head unstuck and got the tail stuck again and I started freaking out. Cory came over and did it really quick and threw the snake outside. Yeah for the good deed for the day, saving a snake the decided for some reason that my apartment was better than outside where he could find food.
Oh speaking of apartment, I have a new apartment right below my best friend Libby and her family down in Federal Way. It is a great complex with three pools, a workout room, security, gated entry (but it is broken right now), a theater room, a party room, and lots of space to walk my dogs around.
Hope this was a good enough update. Comment and ask questions if you have any.

You win some you lose some

Thursday night I went to the August birthday celebration at the Emerald Queen casino with my dad to try to win some free money.  We had fun but I didn't win anything but after it was over I went up and asked the lady if I could have a t-shirt and she gave one to me.  :-)  Then I stayed the night at my dads. Next I ran bunch or errands in the morning.  At 12 I headed down to my old roommates Jackie's wedding. It was an hour south of Portland. It was a blast. We danced the night away.

Oh and on the way back from OR, I got pulled over. I was going 72 in a 70, then I missed the sign that said it changed over to 60. So once I saw the second sign I slowed down. But he pulled me over a mile outside of where the speed limit changed. it was a $231 ticket!!!! becasue it was also in a work zone!!

Then I finally got to my friend Whitneys house at one am, and we still had to make picture frames for a couple girls that were adopted from the orphanage that we worked at in the Congo.  So I was up until 4 am. Then I woke up at 8 to go to my tribal membership meeting. I got there at 11 because I thought that was when it started but oh no, it started at 10. The one membership meeting I could finally make it to!  But I still got to hear a lot and I even spoke about the tribe getting a lawyer that tribal members could use.  Because I have been looking for a lawyer from the car accident I was in back in January.  They said they were working on it.  I already got a lawyer but it would have been nice if the tribe had one.  The other cool thing that happened at the meeting was there was a guy who was talking about making a Puyallup Tribal history book.  He is going to interview all the elders and other people and get their stories.  So I asked if I could help and he said of course. I am so excited I have always wanted to learn more about the history of our tribe and this would be a great way to do it!

Then the last cool thing that happened at the membership meeting today was that I won $200. So that is good because I can pay for my ticket!!Then tongiht I have been cleaning and packing because I move to Federal Way on the 20th and I need to have my place clean for the people that come see it. So I have been pretty much non stop! 

Fun times!!!!

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin

• Against gay marriage
  
• Against abortions unless women is in harm
  
• Opposed for the environmental restrictions on drilling in Arctic National wildlife refuge
  
• Opposes designation Polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act Frearing that step would get in the way of proposed nation gas pipeline tapping into North Slope's reserves
  
• Beauty Pageant winner
  
• Doesn't believe in Evolution
  
• was only chosen as vice president to appeal to the crowds that want a black or woman for president.

After all this, why wouldn't I vote for McCain.  He has a beauty queen who appeals to me because I want a woman to be in office.

NOT quite.

P.S. Go Obama!!

Did she get the job?

Well I thought I wouldn't be able to say anything until Tuesday but I guess they made the announcement at church on Sunday.  Turns out I didn't get the job at Sandpoint United Methodist Church as their youth and children's minister. I was really bummed out about it for about a week after I found out because I feel like I am losing all the relationships that I have developed over the past two years.  It is hard when you become a part of a church family and have to leave.  After a hard week, I am now becoming more optimistic about the change. I am applying for a position at World Relief, Refugee Women's Alliance, Mary's Place downtown, and child welfare casework manager at my tribe (Puyallup tribe.)  These all sound like really exciting positions and I am excited for a change.  Now I just have to wait to hear from them to see if I will get the position.  So, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I go through this new transition.  This is one of those times when you have to just let go of everything and put your trust in God and trust that this is all in his plan.  And the great part about it, is IT IS!! It is in his hands and I have nothing to worry about!

Olympics, what do you think?

So the Olympics have been my life lately because I haven't had a job at the present moment.  :-)  Last year I didn't watch the Olympics at all but this year I was all over it.  They were fantastic.  So what are everyones thoughts on the Olympics?  Is it way too much waste (garbage?)  Is it something that helps with peace around the world?  Would you ever want to be an Olympian?  Does it promote good health? Or does it not promote good health because some people are too competitive and be unhealthy in their training?  Is it fair that the developed nations are usually the ones to win and compete?   What other good or bad things do you think about the Olympics? Oh and why is Jamaica so good at running???!!!!  

Here is a good article on some of the good and bad things of the Olympics

Here is another one about businesses in sponsoring the olympics

Okay I suppose that is enough. I will update you more on my life after Tuesday.  :-)

Story of Stuff

Check out this fantastic video about where all our stuff comes from. I have seen it twice now and it really makes you think about all the stuff we have.  

Story of Stuff

Video of Zephyr

 Zephyr's Birth  Check out this video I made for Libby of her son and my god son, Zephyr.  It is of the first couple days of his life. 

Vacation Bible School

For those of you who don't know I am directing a Vacation Bible School this year.  VBS starts tomorrow. After an 11 hour day of work today I think I am finally ready.  A couple things I need to put together tomorrow but I think we are ready!!!  So, last week on Friday we were trying to decide whether or not we were going to have VBS because there were only 9 kids signed up (Last year we had around 45.)  But we finally decided we would.  And thank God we did because we now have 21 signed up!!!!  Over the past two days we got 11 more!  There are only 5 kids attending from our church, the rest are from the neighborhood and many of them have told me they are looking for a new church!! Yeah! Praise God!  During these past couple weeks I have definitely been working on my patience.  Because first it was really difficult to find volunteers and then with very few kids signed up.  But everything has come together so perfectly!  

VBS ends Sunday at noon.  Then I need to work really hard to get the VBS stuff cleaned up in turbo mode because I am going to be cabin leading at Sr. High Camp at Camp Indianola.  Guess when I am suppose to be there? ???  Sunday at noon.  But I am going to clean really fast, pack, and head out there.  Anyone want to watch a couple dogs for me? I will pay you!!  July 27-Aug. 2. 

busy body job

Okay, who knew Vacation Bible School and Deaning (directing) a camp would be a full time job?  Apparently it is. It seems that once I start working on one, there are a million things I need to be doing for the other one.  Wow!  

Well I haven't heard back from my coach yet about my body hurting so much, so I think it is time to quit the coaching and move to a gym or something.  I am paying a lot of money for a coach, but not a coach that isn't responding to my body hurting so much and my fears of what I am doing to my body in the long term.

Peter, the youth and children's minister at Sand Point, is leaving. Therefore the main position for Sand Point United Methodist Church has opened up. I am the associate of youth and children's ministry right now.  I applied for the job back in the middle of May and I had my interview last Thursday.  I thought it went pretty well but we will see. There are two other people in the running that I know of. One I know and the other one is from California.  I would be extremely excited if I got the job but not disappointed if I didn't because I know that God has another plan for me.  So please pray for he right decision to be made.  :-) They said I should hear about the job in early July.  I will let you all know. :-)

Is it worth it?

Alright so I have been running since Dec. to train for a half marathon and to get fit.  I had to stop in January because of my car accident and now I got my milage back but not my time yet.  Once I started back up my coach and I worked slowly to try to get my milage back and if there was any back pain I was to stop.  Well I can run now with out my back hurting so bad but my knee started hurting for awhile. I would go to bend down to get something and I would be thrown to the ground in pain from my knee.  It would only last about 30 sec, but it is a horrible pain.  Then that pain started to go away because when I would bend down I would try to go very slowly.  Then the end of  May the inside of my knee started to hurt after I ran 10 miles. It was extremely inflamed and my massage therapist didn't even want to work on it because it was so inflamed. The knee that is hurting now is the same knee as before but it the inside of it now and before it was the outside.  Last night we went for a run up by Snoqualmie. It was suppose to be a 6.5 mile run but we started going up and hit snow.  However we kept going even though it was hard to see the trail.  Then sure enough we couldn't even find the trail. After about 20 min of looking for the trail we finally decided to head down. (don't worry there was about 20 of us up there this time, I wasn't by myself.)  So, after we got back through the extreme snow I started to run back down because I really needed a workout since we only went about 2 miles up.  Well, it is two days later and my hip has started hurting.  It is the same as my knee the first time. If I sit a certain way or move a certain way I get this extreme pain that makes me want to cry it hurts so bad.  Anyway.... now I am trying to decide if running is worth it. Of course running is worth it because I love it.  But is it worth ruining my health for the rest of my life.  Isn't that weird to say, running ruining your health.  Anyway, I sent an email to my couch to ask for some suggestions.  What do you think?

More pics

Lib, Zephyr, and Cory

Auntie Becca and Zephyr

LIBBY'S NEW BABY, ZEPHYR

Libby had her baby!!! Yeah. I went into the hospital at around 3 pm. We were waiting in the triage before they admit her and finally the nurse came in and said they were going to admit her. Libby cried and I jumped up and down because we had been waiting for this for a long time.  So they took her to a new room and started inducing her.  Then at about 10:45 pm or so she said she needed to push.  So I went and grabbed the nurse.  Then Lib started pushing at about 11 pm (I was holding a leg, so I saw the whole thing.)  By 11:23 Zephyr was born.  I was the photographer.  I took a 82 pics but I will only share a few with you. If you would like to see more you can go to my myspace or ask me for the link for snapfish.

Zephyr's weight 8.77 lbs

Lib, Zephyr, and me

Grandma and Zephyr

Zephyr and me

Zephyr and me

Babies and youth

This week was my off week.  :-)  I spent most of my time down at Libby's.  She is prego and is about to pop at any min. We have been in and out of the hospital numerous times thinking for sure that the baby was coming.  But, no. The doc puts her on the monitor, checks her cervix, gives her a shot of morphine and sends her home.  One of the nurses thinks she knows why she is hurting so much so that eased Libby's anxiety a little bit but not mine. It is so weird how you can be in so much pain over and over again.  There have been times when she was just ready to die because it is so frustrating that this baby is not coming!  So, if you could pray for her and her family we would much appreciate it.

Oh Tuesday I got to go to one of the youth in the youth groups school, Bella and have lunch with her.  It was such a blast to get to know her friends. They seem great.  I really want to be able to do it every day.

 Friday I went to another youth in my youth group's school to watch him play in a thing called Battle of the Band.  While I was there I saw two other youth from the youth group.  It was a lot of fun.

Friday night we had Friday night hang out at the church. There were 7 youth.  We stayed at the church for a while to hang out and then we went to the playground right down the street and they had a blast. They went on the swings, played hot lava monster, and Frisbee.  Then after that we all pilled in the cars and went to get bubble tea down in the U-district.  It was great,they played some Jenga.

Church, tattoo, and dancing bliss

My weekend:

Saturday I woke up and went to our all church meeting at Sand Point United Methodist. It was on redefining the mission statement of the church.  Which is awesome, because it gives me hope for the church. Hope for a church that has been around for a long time to continue to survive even through decline in membership. It also made us look at things a little differently.  For example there was a paper handed out, the title was Moving Toward Becoming a Missional Church.  Underneath it said:

Rather than growing the church, form disciples.  Rather than running the church, live faithfully in a way that witnesses to God.  Rather than being people-led, be spirit-led.  Rather than just doing mission projects, live a mission.  Rather than fixing the church, create the church.  Then here is one of mission statements I came up with using the many words we came up with that were most important to all of us.  "Welcome all, love all, serve all, and walk humbly with our God."  I am so glad I was able to attend this because I feel it brought the church members that were there together.

Then Saturday I went and got a tattoo at laughing Buddha, a great place in capital Hill.  Debra Simpson and I had decided awhile back that when she turned 18 we were going to go get tattoos in memory of Carrie Lingow.  A woman who we were both very close to.  She was my youth director and the woman who got me so involved in the church.  Carrie loved Butterflies and had a tattoo of one on her ankle.  So Deb and I both got butterfly tattoos.  She got one on her foot and I got one on my ankle.  Here is the pics:

MINE-on my ankle- this is what it looks like now.        Deb's tattoo on the top of her foot

The coloring and stuff may be diff. once it heals.

Then Saturday night I walked over to Deb's aunts house for Deb's birthday/grad party.  Deb and Brad kept telling me I am not part of the family ;-) but I continue to think I am and come and hang out with them at all their family stuff.  :-)  

Next, after that I headed down to Fife to go to our casino's night club for my dad's girlfriends birthday party.  It was fun, my sister was there and so were some family friends.  

Here is a wonderful video of the dance club. There was this guy dancing who Stacie and I thought was just joking around with his dancing but no he was serious. He had some disco moves and many others he pulled out from the 70's. This is why the night club is so fun!  The guy  is the one in the blue shirt and before it starts tilt your head to the right because it is sideways.  :-)

Crazy people!

What kind of crazy people run 10 miles?!!!  Oh wait, me! I am officially a crazy person that runs 10 miles and it wasn't even that difficult!  I ran from Greenlake to Edmonds (if you live around the area you will understand.) What is going on?  At the end when I saw the van that picks us up to take us to our cars, I felt like he should be playing the Rocky music as I come in because I was so proud of myself. Yeah Shannel!  :-)