Friends

As I was driving into work today I thought about my best friends.

I spent yesterday evening with a couple of them.

It used to be that we spent every waking moment together, saw each other all week long, made plans at a moment's notice...

now we've all grown up and have so much going on.

As we were talking and laughing during dinner last night I thought of how much more I value them now...now that we don't get to always be together.

Just the thought of it...

I get to have these girls in my life that get me, love me, accept me...when we are together it's like nothing else. I am me and they are them and we love each other just the same. I don't think I can have as much fun with anyone else, like when I am with them.

This morning I got a message from one of them...
a call from the other...

I really love them.

Booked

I've been working on my calendar for the better part of the day.

High school events, camps, kids ministry things, family gatherings, overnighters, luxury camping, beach trips, Mexico City, the theater, conferences...

I seriously don't know how I'm going to get through this summer...

there's so much to do (fun stuff) and I want to do it all...just don't know how I'm going to fit it all in.

If I were still in second grade, this is when I would be excited...I'd have SO many stories to tell my class about all the fun stuff I got to do over the summer.

No...seriously.

The air conditioning in my car is broken...

so is the AC in my office.

It's been over 90 degrees for the past three days...

is this some kind of sad joke?

Worse part is going to the back offices and hearing one of the girls say, "Oh, I'm so cold!" -regarding the AC.

Seriously?

I'm not a girl, not yet a woman...

I have never considered myself a girly-girl.

I love being a girl...don't get me wrong...I just don't consider myself girly.

I like getting dirty, sitting on the floor, proving someone wrong when they say that something is too heavy for me to pick up, burping, laughing really hard...

I also like wearing dresses, high heels, perfume, doing my hair, talking about boys...

The other day though...I crossed over.

I went into CVS and came out with nail polish and eye shadow.

Before that night I had never purchased two pieces of make-up (I know nail polish doesn't qualify as make-up, but follow me) at once...

maybe it's time for a change.

Me? A Singer?

I posted (a couple of weeks ago) about my desire to sing well.

I was finally pushed over the edge and convinced to take classes with Jazmin while at Fuse on Friday night.

I sat next to a couple of girls who were there for the first time. We chatted and they seemed fun...they even laughed at all my lame jokes (really a perfect first meeting).

We all sang a bunch of songs and right before we went into "Came to My Rescue" I whispered to the girl next me, "Oh, I love this song!"....she smiled and said, "You have a really nice voice".

All my friends make fun of my singing...but a total stranger saw the potential...

funny.

Mmmmmmmm

I had a Coke with my breakfast, lunch and dinner the other day...

is that bad?

This Thursday Night

I can't wait for it!

My Future Home #2

You can read what I first posted about my future home HERE.

I went shopping on Friday and made more purchases for my future home...

This:
and this:

Here are the next items on my list:

Vase

and Salt & Pepper Shakers

I can't wait to use them all!

Friendly Fun

Here's a low-down of what I've been up to for the past 3 days...

FRIDAY
Rand errands in Orange County
Met up with Allison for lunch at Wahoo's and fun conversation.
Spent time with Liz and Faith at Cheesecake Factory and shopping at Brea Mall.
Had dinner with 20 people until midnight.

SATURDAY
Spent the better part of the day by myself.
Had dinner with Janette and her family.
Did homework with Janette and had banana splits.

SUNDAY
Spent morning at church.
Afternoon watching Forrest Gump, America's Next Top Model and THS.
Evening with Damaris and some Mc Donald's.

It's been a fun weekend!

What's COOKing, Good Looking?*

I'm not an American Idol fan...but watched it this week (mostly because of the Mariah re-makes...I really loved her growing up).

And so I fell in love with David Cook:

If you can pull off "Always Be My Baby" and make it new and fresh for someone who's hear it hundreds of times (me)...you won in in book!

*I realize how cheezy this title is.

Superheroes

A random hero we met while waiting for Batman...
and some familiar ones...

even superheroes need a break.

14 at 24

My nieces are in love with Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana.

I've listened to her songs while in the car with them and they gave me copies of some of her CDs. The other day I paid attention to the lyrics of "Rockstar":

Sometimes I walk a little faster
In the school hallway
Just to get next to you
Some days I spend a little extra
Time in the morning
Just to impress you

Sometimes I wish when the phone rings
That it would be you
Sayin' let's hang out
Then you confess
That there's something special between us
Why don't we find out

Miley sang this as a 14 year old...I'm 24 and still do these things...

wow...some things never change!

Feels like...

My friends want to go to Magic Mountain tomorrow...

I do too.

I just don't want to face 90 degree heat.

But the worse part isn't the 90 degrees, it's the "feels like" factor.

If the weather report says it will be 90 I'm guessing it will really be 100...yikes!

In My Mind's Eye

Yesterday someone told me that they admired my ability to love people (so much)...with my heart and mind.

I feel this is something that I really need to get better at.

Why is it that people can see such amazing things in us...and we can't?

Top Notch Customer Service

My co-worker, Gaby, and I spent yesterday afternoon/evening at the Happiest Place on Earth (I promised I'd go buy her pass with her).

Disneyland has always been one of my favorite places to visit.

I love feeling like a kid again, remembering times I went there with my parents, riding the same attractions over and over again. But one of the main reasons I enjoy going so much is Disney's true dedication to high quality customer service.

This service was brought to a whole new level yesterday.

As we pulled into the parking structure we stopped at the booth to pay our regular $11. Manny, the cast member at the booth, greeted us and the following is how our conversation went:

Manny: "How are you ladies doing today?"

Us: "Good, how are you?"

Manny: "Good! This car looks a little suspicious..."

Us: Puzzled looks on our faces.

Manny: "Are you sure you don't have any boys in the trunk?"

Us: Light laughter "No."

Manny: "How about any boys in the hood?"

Us: Loud laughter.

Me: "Now that's a good joke" more loud laughter, handed him a twenty.

Manny: "I'm sorry, but I can't take counterfeit money today, I'm gonna' make you my VIP guests. Take these tickets and park right next to the trams."

Us: "Thanks!"

Best customer service...ever.

One Wish

If I could have one wish, right now...

it would be to sing well.

Not because I'd love to one day be a performer, record an album, lead worship at the church, be musically talented...

just so that when I sing aloud...in my car...by myself...I'll like what I hear.

That is all.

Character

I've been going through a process for the past couple of months...

my character has been challenged to grow, change, be more like Jesus.

It has not been easy...

I thought I was flexible, willing to grow, open...but I've found it's been really hard for me.

I'd like to become a really great version of me...

I'm just looking to have God show me what that looks like.

1 down...2 to go!

I'll be part of 3 weddings this year performing random jobs...

The first one took place last night...Mercy and Tony!

I was a greeter at the church and reception and we had so much fun.

And yes, I cried four times.

Note: I find that after each wedding I go to I think about the bride and groom for at least one week after the actual wedding day. I wonder what their life will be like, think about how much they love each other, hope the best for them. I was told that was weird, but I still do it.

My Person

In the first few episodes of season two of Grey's Anatomy Cristina tells Meredith that she's pregnant. She also tells her that she's her "in case of emergency" person at the abortion clinic...she's planning on giving the baby up.

While sitting at the bar, Meredith leans over and puts her arm around Cristina. Cristina (obviously bothered by the affection) says, "you realize this constitutes hugging?", Meredith's response, "shut up, I'm your person."

I have tons of friends whom I love and love me back. But after some thinking (and a talk with a good friend) about it I came to the conclusion that my person is Howard.

I can't explain why...he just is.

We had a falling out a couple of weeks ago, but made up.

Funny part is, every time our friends asked us about the disagreement we had, they refused to believe we were in the midst of an argument.

I especially loved Janette's reaction..."No, but he's your person!"

"Promise me you'll never change"

I walked into the office this morning declaring how excited I was to be wearing my new boots to work. I then talked about how I bought nuts and raisins to make my own delicious trail mix, after that I told the story of when I splashed into a huge puddle at Disneyland and was freezingly miserable afterward...but would totally do it again.

My boss looked at me and simply said, "Promise me you'll never change. That you'll always be fun and happy. That you won't ever be too old to laugh the way you do. Stay the way you are."

I felt really great when he said that.

I've come to the conclusion that...

women with high pitched voices should not be radio personalities.

I don't usually listen to morning radio.

I live so close to the church that I have maximum 12 minutes to listen in before I drive into the church parking lot.

But, since starting my cardio kickboxing class, I drive up to East LA for a good 25 minutes which leaves an ample amount of time for me to listen to a good chunk of Ryan Seacrest on KIIS.

While driving up this morning I noticed that Ellen, Ryan's on air partner, was missing. In her place was a woman who sounded younger, smaller and brunette (Ellen is a blonde). Nothing against brunettes...I'm a brunette, she just sounded brunette. But what bothered me most was her incredibly high pitched voice. Yikes!

I cringed everytime she spoke.

It was that bad.