Something I Never Saw Coming

Hi Everyone!! So, I know I've been promising you outfit posts, but everytime I get something new or cute, something comes up that I think is way more fun, and I have to tell you about it! I got called to work on the most random thing I could have every imagined: a forest fire. You read that right. For the past few days, I've been working at the base camp for the US forest service as the firefighters work on the massively huge fire in the Mendocino National Forest. No, I'm not suiting up and wielding a fire-hose. My job is much less dangerous. I make copies and print important documents, and make fun signs for the camp. I got the job through the family that I babysit for. The Ruscicas...I've told you about them right? Well, if I haven't, then you're missing out, because you'll be a better person for having known them. They are wonderful. I got the call at 8:30 am, and by noon that day I was driving to a rodeo grounds in the teeny tiny town of Stony Ford, CA. Our base camp isn't anywhere near the beauties of Mendocino, CA, but Stony Ford is beautiful in it's own way. Here are few pictures of the fire! Next post I'll show you what I actually do :)

This is not cloud cover. It's smoke! It was so thick when I first got there. It turned everything orange-y. It was really surreal. Ash was everywhere. There is a  Slip Skate Shop sticker on the back window of my car, but you would never know it now!

More smoke. Look at the mountains way in the back, aren't they beautiful? We are stationed right where the fire trucks get fueled up before they go out to the fire. It's really crazy seeing how many trucks get sent out.

 This little circle is the sun! I wish the picture would have taken better, but it was bright red! Talk about apocalyptic! It was nuts!
 This the view from our sleeping trailer. Those are the rodeo grandstands. We work 16 hour shifts, and then sleep for 8 hours. My shift last week was 11am-3am. I know it sounds grueling, but there's down time where we can just sit and relax.

This is the view of the fire from the grandstands. It its CRAZY! I could see the flames!! When I asked Gail how close to the fire we were and she replied "You don't want to know....Dont tell your husband!" hahahaha! She really super funny. In fact, everyone that I've met has been wonderful. I'll say it over and over, it's not really the actual job that makes this fun, it's all the nice people you meet who make this fun! 

Well, those are my pictures for now. I will definitely be taking and posting more, but thats what I got for the time being. There are two downsides: 1) I'm away from Nathan for a few days, and I hate that. 2) I miss out on the Bachelorette. But everything else is great! I'm excited to go back and see how things have changed :) If you're curious, you can go to this website on the Mill Fire in the Mendocino National Forest and check it out. It's crazy!

Life Lately

Good morning everyone! How are you? It's been wayyy too long. I've been in a weird no-blogging mode for a while, and I can't seem to snap out of it! I dont know! Anyways, Let me just give you a little update on life while I'm thinking about it!


Let's start off with the only think I've been able to thinking about: I have 29 days until I start at Vacaville Christian High School. Let me tell you, I am slaving away over lesson plans and taking in all the teaching wisdom I can before those students come through the door of my two classrooms. I also get a little office! I'll have pictures of my class room soon. This is the view from my desk. Look at those hills, have you ever seen anything more beautiful? Me neither. Thanks Lord :)

One of the bajillion blessings of this job is also the fact that I'll be issued an iPad! Crazy right? All of their text books and things are loaded onto their iPads as apps! Obviously there are lots of rules in place to keep the kids from using Facebook/Twitter/Updating their blogs :) in class. I'm really hoping that I'll have the option of upgrading to 3G, that way I don't have to get the internet, and I can still do all my online teaching stuff from home. Yep it's true. Nathan and I don't have the internet in our apartment. With as many places that offer free internet, it's actually not that much of an inconvenience.

This is my Choir and Drama class room. Yep, that is a grand piano you see there. Can you believe it? for those of you who are just joining, I'm gonna be teaching Bible, Drama, and Choir. Could life get any better?

I'm currently in the process of pining over scores and scores of... scores! Choir scores! haha. Wow. Worst joke. My iTunes is filled with choir music now. There's so much more to directing a choir than just waving your arms around. A lot of what I have to work on for both choir and drama won't event be able to be done until I meet my students! There's so much to consider! I'm also in the process of reviewing musicals for spring and picking out a show.

Enough of teaching stuff, Onto the next thing: besides lesson plans and stuff, I've been hanging out with these people! There's one missing, but he was at a play date with a buddy of his. This is at the new Library in Roseville. This playground rocks! There's no sand (yay!), and there's a little mist-er thing that will cool you off if you're getting too hot! The only bummer is, sometimes you could drench yourself in water, and it won't do you any good on a playground that might as well be on the surface of the sun.

Last but not least. I'm getting a new haircut. It has been...seriously two years since I've gotten any significant cut, and it's grown out from this:

thats me on the far right there (obviously)
to this:

And while it's not a bad cut, It's two year-old-non-trimmed-straightened -plit-end-y hair. Also, I cut my own bangs on a whim, and it's painfully obvious. I haven't even had it colored in...who knows how long. But I like the natural color of my hair, and will probably just stick with it. These are the cuts that I'm considering. What are your thoughts? I hate the picture of the girl with the yellow hair, but I feel like I could make that cut work. Give me some feed back. The old taylor momsen is the hair cut I had right before I chopped it all off. It was platinum and everything. I'm leaning towards the girl on the right. Who knows. 

ANYWAYS!! Thats about it for me today. Thats life as I currently know it. Church starts in about 20 minutes. I'll see you soon :)

An ordinary kitten will ask more questions than any five-year-old

Hello everyone!! This is kind of a weird post, but I have to utilize every possible avenue! I had just gotten back from Stockton and I was putting away all the clean laundry when who would step into my life, but the cutest little kitten! She is so precious. Without a second thought I just swooped her up in my arms and for that brief moment I thought, "Yay! the kitty I always wanted" Then I thought, "Are you nuts? Nathan is in Nicaragua! He will not be thrilled with a kitten running around..." So, here is my plea to you in the form a craigslist listing: Rescued Kitten, Free to good home. She is so cute, and Impossible to take a good picture of.

 If you know anyone who is interested in this sweet little buddy, please let me know!!

 She is like a little shadow! For right now, I am going a little nuts trying to take care of her because I just don't have any time. Thats why I'm plea-ing with people to adopt her. I can't afford a kitten, and I'm not home long enough to take care of her.

So thats about it for me today. I know totally strange, but she is so cute, I couldn't bear not to take her in and rescue her. IF no one claims her in a few days, I'll take her to a no-kill shelter and hopefully someone will adopt her from there. If you know of anyone in the Sacramento Area who might want a new little kitten, please let me know!

resting before you get tired.

Hello everyone!! It' been a while, but I have some big news to share with you! No, unlike every other person my age (seemingly), I'm not having a baby. Maybe one day, but not today. No, my bid news is this: my job hunt is over!! Yep, that's right, I have been hired for what is essentially my dream job. As of Thursday of last week, I will be the new Choir, Drama, and Bible teacher for Vacaville Christian High School!! Seriously....WHAT??! I'm still astonished by how quickly the process has gone. Who gets a full-time job 8 weeks after graduation?! but more than anything I'm just so thankful for the opportunity. the Lord is so much smarter than me. I don't know how many times I've repeated that on this blog, but I only say it because I get reminded of it so often. God is so good.

Anyway, this is what I decided to wear today. I'm at home in Stockton today, while Nathan is on a mission trip in Nicaragua. I can't wait until he gets home. I am beside myself missing him. I also want to hear about how great the trip was. I've seen a few pictures online, but its not enough!! Anyways, onto the clothes.

 It has been hotter than the surface of the sun here in Stockton these past few days, so summer dresses are pretty much a must. Also, standing in the baby pool is a must.

 I only have my moms camera with me, and I'm not 100% sure how it actually works, so sorry for some of the blurry-ness!

This is not something I wear to school. This more of a... backyard barbecue with Nathan and stay at home kind of dress. But I couldn't get enough of the print on the bottom. It's so floral and happy and beautiful!

 However, these oxford, definitely I'll be breaking them in for school. They're a little stiff now, since I just bought them, but before long they'll be read to go!

Well everyone, thats about it for me today. I think I'll stop by the Friends of The Library used book store, and actually sit in the baby pool and read. Doesn't that sound heavenly? I think it does. Maybe a trip to Crossroads too. The Stockton store is the best one by far...except their music is wayyyy too loud (remember: I'm 101 years old). Also, with my exciting new job and exciting new chapter in life, this blog is gonna change a little bit too. I'm not sure yet what it will look like exactly, but it's gonna be fun :) See you soon!!

Well actually, just your head is free

Hello Everyone!! I hope your week is going well. Mine’s going pretty good. It’s weird being officially out of school. I know it’ll be especially weird when the fall rolls around and my younger friends will be going back to school. I remember when I took a break to tour, when I was 21, my friends went back to school in the spring, it was really super strange. Anyways, my days have been filled with job boards and resume sending. I’ve had three scheduled interviews, one right as I got back from choir tour, one yesterday, and I have one next week.  The Interview next week is for part time work to keep me from going out of my mind with boredom, nothing serious.  I’m one of those people that just can’t stay still, I have to be doing something.

Anyways! This is what I decided to wear today. Super-duper casual. I’m really not much of a shorts person. I’m not the hugest fan of my legs. They’re really white, and they bruise really easy, so I look really gross in shorts, but with these Sacramento summers, sometimes there’s no other option. One of these days I’ll post my interview outfits and you can give me pointers.

 I’ve been deciding to take my pictures inside more and more, people have been increasingly walking behind our apartment unit, I don’t know why. I’m not a fan of creepy strangers, so I just keep to myself. Also, I don’t really need people watching me taking pictures of my own self.

 Aren’t these shoes great? I know they just look like any ol’ normal pair of loafers, but I’ve been looking for the perfect pair for… months and months, and now, I’ve found some! Hooray!

That’s about it for me today. I gotta get to the airport! Also, heres one more picture from Fish Fest of my husband bringing the metal. I had to add this. His hair is too much. Welp, have a great rest of your day everyone. I’ll see you soon!

Family Faith Festival of Faithful Family Fun

Hello everyone! So it's nice to be back in blogging commission. I like sharing these things with you, it's kind of like having a reality TV show, but I get to choose what is shared with this crazy world, and no one is putting my life under the magnifying glass and scrutinizing my every move... so I guess it's nothing like a reality show. 

ANYWAYS! Here are a few pictures of what I did on Saturday. Nathan's band Kingdom played at a radio festival and it was such a blast! They were the best band there, if I do say so myself. If there is one thing I've learned from this concert. Sing like you mean it! Play like you mean it! That's something Kingdom is really good at, even in 100 degree heat with no shade. Maybe it's because they do mean it. Not to say that the other artists didn't, its just that...well...you couldn't tell. Except for Lincoln Brewster, he also rocked, literally, he's a crazy awesome guitar player.

 In case you were wondering, Nathan's hair is naturally gray. And yes, I find him to be the hottest man I have ever seen. I'm so proud of my husband. Kingdom is such a good band, and their new music is so awesome. It's very difficult not to brag.

Also: This little guy came by to give us a visit! Isn't he so cute? He just showed up, and I thought about catching him and keeping him as a pet for a few days. But then I thought: What if that happened to me? I would hate that! So I decided against it. ANYWAYS! That's about it for me today. Outfit posts coming soon!! See you soon!

Wear Sunscreen

Oh. My. Gosh. So, I realize that I haven't posted anything since Easter Sunday. For that I do apologize, but wow. I've missed you like crazy. Sooooooo many life altering events have happened since I've last spoken to you. Needless to say, life was CRAZY!! So, here are some photos and videos in chronological order to catch you up. Lordy.

This fuzzy picture is a very unfortunate representation of one of the  highlights of my Jessup Career: The worship team that I had the privilege of leading/serving had the great privilege of leading worship for Francis Chan! If you're not aware of who Francis Chan is, I STRONGLY recommend you check out his website and read every little thing on there, buy all his books, take all his advice. Read the word, know Jesus, and disciple others. So simple, so strong. Also: I can't tell you enough how much I truly adored this team of people. I love love love this worship band. I already miss them so much.

My senior Recital! Remember how I told you that I was slaving away over the greatest labor of love? Well here it is. Also, my Grandma freaking made that dress for herself back in the day! Can you believe it? It's AMAZING! and to think: I almost put it up in the shop! Wow....

Oh yeah, and this: My freaking COLLEGE GRADUATION! I did it! I am now an educated citizen ready to be hired and serve the Lord in whatever capacity he calls me to. I've put in a few applications to various places, we'll see what happens!

Oh WJU leadership. Man, I love these people. Don't I kind of look like Squilliam Fancyson from Spongebob?

And then there was Choir tour. Since I'm as old as the day is new (and it's only 8:45, so it's pretty new), I was asked to drive the 12 passenger Van from CA to OR. If you know me, I drive a 98 Corolla, and I love it. I've never been the most confident driver, but I drove the road of adventure, and now I rock at driving. Choir Tour can now add "Conquer your fears" as things that you do. Check out Hwy 36 online if you ever get the chance. It's a scenic motorcycle drive... yeah, I did that in ginormous van. NBD.

Also, for those of you who didn't know, I served as the choir chaplain for the WJU music department. What an honor. This is a picture of my last devotion that I shared with the group. Needless to say, I couldn't make it without shedding a few tears. I so love this group. There are two young men picking up the baton to fill the position. Nick and Zoe. I believe in them so strongly, They're gonna do awesome!

And last but not least I finished super duper strong with straight A's my last semester. I don't think anything could sum up my 2 years at Jessup better than this scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

See you soon!