Starting New. This is a Really Jumbled Catch-Up Post...

The Dental Class a little over a week ago!

I don't even remember my last blog post. It has honestly been so long since I have posted a blog and honestly I have had internet for a while now. I live in Colorado. I have been here since the 27th of December 2011. I Go to Pima Medical Institute for Dental assisting. I only have 5 more weeks of school and externship left before I am done then I hope to buy a house. I am thinking I will eventually want to receive my schooling for dental hygiene. I am getting a bit too old for dental school... Or I guess not TECHNICALLY but yeah... I want to start my life and explore and have more adventures. It has been a while since I was truly able to have FUN in life but thats not to say that my life has not significantly improved here in Denver. I am still trying to make friends which I have not really done, but hopefully after spending a while here I will. I am a 4.0 student in school, I found a job after living here only for 4 days. My car died for good but my father flew out here to get me a new one... I think my new car could really use a new paint job! And I could really use some new clothes. Especially dresses. I don't have any to wear to Temple Sinai (a reform Jewish Temple I have been going to every week for about a month and a half now).  I hope to really strengthen that and make that part of my life for when I have children someday. I want my kids to grow up with that as part of their life and know who they are. But I also want a church to be part of their life cos all of that makes us who we are. I saw my friend Lydia like a week ago after having not seen her for like 4 years! That was awesome. Easter weekend I took Chad to Garden of the Gods. We didn't get out of the car but he finally got to see it. We should go back sometime I hope... After Chad is working a good job especially. I really want to travel BAD. Right now I'm mostly working on school though and learning Hebrew more and going to temple. After all, this is all a part of me and I enjoy it. I lost one of my best friends of 8 1/2 years about a month and a half ago as well and at first I was really upset at her about it but over time realised she had changed so much that she is just a bitch now and I honestly could care less if she is out of my life now. She isn't that girl who I was once friends with... She's just a bitch and nothing more. I hope to make more friends...
Honestly I considered starting a new blog all together but why not try to just start new on this blog? So thats what I'm doing. Oh and my joints have been in remission now since early/mid February.  My digestive track is back and forth between working and not and I have mild heart problems that I have been able to monitor... at least for the most part... The tonsilitis I had while still in Kansas and the HUGEEEE List of health problems that almost killed me (not sure if I was able to write about that or not) has finally settled down and I am doing much better. I really have a lot more on this blog to update other than a post so I reckon thats what I should do now. Oh I also read "Old Before My Time" by Hayley Okines which all of you should read cos its really good and inspiring. And I've been knitting... A LOT! So yeah. I'm gonna go update my page (maybe my photo at a later date?) and we will see... Cos yea... that picture on here is like... 3 years old and I don't look like that anymore. But Yeah... Its been ages... So hope you all haven't forgotten me! Catch ya'll later :)

-Raye

The Last Few Months

Chad's Mum dyed my hair dark & I LOVEEE IT! :)

I would like to give a major apology to everyone for having not updated my blog since January!! Seeing as it is near the end of May this is quite crazy for even me!! And of all nights I am choosing to update, it is after working two double shifts the last two days in a row and getting our asses kicked ALL DAY! Hahaha... to make this easy I am going to break this blog down into sections to describe lots of different things and hopefully it will also make my blog much easier to read! And with any luck I will figure out how to manage keeping it slightly more up to date than I have (maybe one or two posts a month at least) from now on... So where shall we begin??
COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY- Shortly after my last blog, my PC kicked the bucket... AGAIN! So I was out without a computer AGAIN! In April I bought my MAC after quite a few months of being without a computer so I would have a reliable one for school and so far the computer has worked brilliant! I paid for most of it outright but put about $750 on a payment plan (which I have already paid off about $80). The computer in total cost about $1,600! I have not gotten much chance to begin to use it to record my music yet though with all the working I have been doing! When my father came to visit me in the beginning of May he fixed my PC so that is working again now too... of course working for how long is questionable but yeah... I guess it technically works for now...
MY JOB- I am still working at the same place... WOO HOO!! haha just kidding, but really since Ben is managing the store now, most weeks I get hours out the ASS!! Loads of overtime... in the first few months of the year I had already made half of what I did all last year... this is GOOD NEWS!! :) My finances are not GREAT but overall I've been doing much better... making all my bills... having a little left over to spend, AND money left to save! :) But I am still paying off my computer and my credit card...
SCHOOL, COLORADO, AND THE LIKE- Well Chad had the idea that I go to school in Colorado anyway so I was going to try to... I found out I could go to University of Northern Colorado for pretty much for free (there was an issue with AIMS college getting enough in loans that I was going to)... I had the money saved up for the move etc but then the apartment I was going to rent fell through and I had trouble finding another place, so ultimately I postponed the move until December and I will be attending Butler College here instead until then... I was going to start in summer term but there was an issue with my financial aid going through in time, so instead I will just begin in August. I will be getting a degree in secondary education science (and will likely take up a specific focus in physics when in Colorado). I have given a MAJOR summary of these events as if i went into detail it would take up a LOT of time to write it all).
MY FATHERS VISIT- Well I have health coverage now... and a real mattress on my bed! That was my birthday gift from them... Aside from him fixing my computer we spent time shopping, and went to Chuckie Cheese to play games :)
CHURCH- As many have known over the last year I have had many issues with the church and have been restless with them ever since... I for a while considered becoming Catholic but have ultimately decided not to as there were many key things I was not okay with. I have recently stumbled upon the Unitarian church and have loved what I have seen so far... I feel thus far it has really helped me make my peace with God. I bought a book on the Unitarian church to read to find out more and ultimately will help me make that decision for certain!
WHAT IS TO COME- My birthday is coming up soon so I just bought myself a lot of stuff on my amazon wish-list that all went on sale! :) Exciting... Other than that I have mostly been working on long term plans... I have been trying to figure out how to save up for a down payment on a house and where I want to live... Chad has expressed interest in moving out of the USA for more freedoms etc since poker is no longer allowed online and the country is just falling apart more & more... I could make a good life back in England when I'm done so that is also a possibility... You never know... I really like the city of Leeds :) Who knows though... that's not needed to be decided for a while... Other than that just working on my life now... learning to get better at cleaning my apartment and maintaining all of that before I would ever get married, have kids, or even get another pet... But we'll see... There is a lot to come so I hope to keep you posted soon... Sorry it has been so long! Please keep reading...

RAYE

This WOULD Be My Luck!!

A lot has happened since my last post and I have not enjoyed practically any of it. So far 2011 has not been a good year for me and there is not a whole lot to look forward to anymore either. You know how I was going to move to Colorado this year? Yeah, well that fell through. Turns out they have an open admission policy but you have to apply for spots in the MLT programme and take an Accuplacer test to get in. They judge you by points and those with the highest points get in! Well I am missing two Anatomy & Physiology classes, a Chemistry class, and a Medical Terminology class in order to have the most points to make me compeditive AND I have yet to take that test & it all would have been needed to be done by 31 March to be compeditive to start in late August. Impossible for me!! So it looks like I'm stuck here for another year. I can attend Wichita State University for a year to get those classes done as well as more to transfer towards my Biochemistry degree at Colorado University. After the year here going to school FOR FREE and recieving housing money I can properly go to Arapahoe College in Littleton for the MLT and after I'm done as I work I can attend Colorado University all on loans. I may even enroll in a graduate school right after that on a loan & then just pay off all the loans once I'm done! I figured people will also be more interested in hiring an MLY without a 4 year degree who is currently seeking a 4 year degree!! I can't wait though to move to Colorado. Chad and I have talked about buying a house in Loveland and the future things... all hypothetical of course... :)
On other notice... I have been sick with insane asthma attacks pretty much all day. I went to the doctor and recieved a breathing treatment etc but turns out I'm not sick... my asthma has just gotten very bad. So I'm on a secondary inhaler at least temporarily (we hope), as well as a pill medication AND a refill of my old type of inhaller all crazy expensive! So now money is insanely tight again... At least I am getting more hours at work with Amanda on Maturnity leave... I neede MORE MONEY... I can't wait to be in a better financial position.
I guess I have to make the most of being stuck here. It snowed a bit today but not enough... When I'm in Colorado I wanna ski, snow shoe, snowboard, snowmobile, and have a grand old time... I may never want to leave!! At least I get my new laptop this year though to start my writing and music to hopefully make some money :) I can't start RCIA to become Catholic til Autumn around here though... So I guess we will see where this year takes me...

RAYE

New Year, New Hopes, Fresh Start

I didn't get to see Chad over new years at all which was pretty sad. Not until about 10AM when I went over his place to nap after already having some sleep at my own place. I had a dream that I went on a holiday to Tahiti and it was the best holiday of my life. I did not want to leave!! I learned after I got up that the Japanese believe the first dream you have in the new year is supposed to reflect the sort of luck and fortune you have in the coming year. I hope that means good things for me! I hope in the years to come I can get financially stable, see the world, find myself and my faith, and establish a strong foundation. I hope I can make a place home! Have a family and have the exciting adventures I have wanted all along. Going to the beach, mountains for a ski trip, tour Europe or Australia, go through school, publish a book or CD after I have my MAC... Learn new things, meet ne people, speak new languages (especially Italian), learn new cultures... And find beauty in all things... Kind of like in this picture of Tahiti I found that reminds me of part of my dream... It really is a new year and a time to start over. Not every part of it may go as hoped, but I hope I above all find peace this year, and an adventure I can look back on years later saying what a ride... It was awesome... :)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

RAYE

2010 Accomplishments and 2011 Goals

I have not accomplished nearly as much in 2010 as I had hoped, but I did accomplish a number of things from my bucket list. I decided to take this blog to write down each of the things off of my bucket list that I compleated & the date I compleated the goal on (I date everything I tick off of my list). I do need to update my list though and remove a few things that simply are not possible (or at least in my control to add), and add a few new goals I have. After I share the things I accomplished this year, I will discribe a few things I hope to accomplish in 2011 (not list off different things I want to do, but I may list a little). So here is what I accomplished in 2010:

Buy and Read All of Rob Bell's Books 27-6-10
Read Drops Like Stars A Few Thoughts On Creativity and Suffering 14-3-10
Read Sex God 27-4-10
Read Jesus Wants To Save Christians 15-2-10
Read Velvet Elvis 23-1-10
Read The Poor Will Be Glad 27-6-10
Buy & Read The Darkest England & The Way Back In 21-5-10
Buy & Read The Entire Emily Series By Katie Maxwell 9-12-10
The Year My Life Went Down The Loo 6-8-10
They Wear What Under Their Kilts 5-9-10
Whats French For Ew 6-10-10
Taming of The Dru 28-11-10
Life Love & The Persuit of Hotties 9-12-10
Beth Moore: Stepping Up: A Journey Through The Psalms of Ascent 13-2-10
Beth More: Living Free 27-5-10
Buy & Read The God Who Is There By Francis Schaeffer  29-7-10
Read at least one book a month for a year 9-12-10
Buy a Tamagatchi 26-3-10
Buy a Black Denali North Face Fleece Jacket 5-10-10
Buy a Paramore Tee 3-5-10
Keep a Blog (at least 5 months) 31-12-10
Have pet guinea pigs 24-4-10
Participate in a March for Charity (Crop Walk For Hunger) 3-10-10
Watch the USA & England World Cup Game on Telle 12-6-10
Decourate my own apartment 20-6-10

That is all I did in 2010. In 2010 my main goals are to move to Colorado, work on my tech degree for a better job, seek out a stronger faith and hopefully work through at least one of the Beth Moor Bible Studies each month of the year. I have a few other goals on my list I have began in 2010 and will hopefully continue or finish in 2011. I would also like to keep getting in better shape and keep growing my hair longer. I also want to buy my new MAC I have been waiting forever for. 2010 has not been the best year. It has actually been quite depressing reading through many of my blogs over the 2010 year... I will not set my expectation incredibly high because it never seams to happen & I don't want to let myself down, but 2010... I'm ready to end. Ready for a new beginning. Happy 2011 Everyone!! My next update will be next year!!!! :) See you on the other side...

RAYE

Seeking Faith

I am not really religious... No matter how much I may want to be, my faith is very screwed up. Sometimes I have no idea what I believe, and after a hard year I have the desire in my heart, but very little knowledge of what is real and what is only a feeling. What directions are right to take and what is wrong. And where I can find peace and contentment in practise. I was looking at churches in Littleton Colorado online so I could get an idea of where I wanted to go before I moved there (I usually do this, and usually the church my gut tells me to go to is usually the right choice... actually it has always been the right choice). This time the church I was most drawn to and expirenced peace when looking at the page was Pax Christi Catholic Church. I am personally not Catholic, but my background has been close to this. At least 500 times in the last five years I have at one point or another considered converting to Roman Catholic, but I have always dismissed the idea. But I find myself considering it again. If I do convert I have a feeling a lot of my prodastant friends will be very angry, as some have already expressed in their critisism at my mere consideration of it! I have been to Catholic mass before though and have always found it meaningful and deep. Also quite complex. I do not understand all of the sacrements etc and would still find a lot to learn. From what I have learned however is that much of what people think of the Catholic church is not true, and that many of the issues Prodastants have with the Catholic church are either due to misunderstanding of purpose of an act, or it was a practise that has been done away with centuries ago. Even things like "Catholics do not believe in birth control" I have found are not 100% do not do this type of rules. The main purpose of that "rule" if you will was implimented in 1968 at a time of the hippy movement with casual sex running wild. It was implemented to discourage improper use of birth control. There are many who still recognise hormonal birth control as medical treatments, and condoms used responsibly (say a couple already has 2 kids and can not afford anymore, there is no problem using one because ultimatly God has final control over it, and sex is for pro-creating AND pleasure). Those involved in sexual acts just have to be open to the fact it involves all of this and is not mutually exclusive when using Birth Control (who knew that looking into the context of what the pope says would be just as important). And the Catholic church is changing in many ways within itself, yet remains strong after close to 2,000 years while all the prodastant denominations seam to split every-which-way. Not to mention it is the largest religious group on earth, and soley funds over 3 BILLION charities worldwide, not to mention over 200,000 hospitals in the United States alone!
Well anyways the process of becoming Catholic involves a lot of study, faith discovery, and seeking while growing in the Catholic community. This can take from 9 months to 18 months depending on the person, on averege. Either way, seeking out a faith I feel sure and strong of, and can practice and enjoy is what I would really like. I would really like to be able to proudly claim a faith and practice with all my heart finding meaning in it. Pax Christi offers the becoming Catholic faith discovery class for free and I hope to begin it when I get to Littleton. It feels like a good thing to do. The right thing at this time. At least seek it out. That has to be a goal for 2011... Seek faith and meaning, learn more, do more Bible studies, and put my whole heart into it! That is what I want :)

RAYE

Nasty NASTY COLD :(



The BEST COLD MEDICINE EVER!

 I didn't update Christmas, or since I got back from holiday, but now that my computer is "fixed" I guess I can write a little. I have gone back to work, and not much has been exciting or interesting yet other than I have come down with a nasty nasty NASTY cold! I caught it from Chad, the one he had while I was away! It is terrible and doesn't really want to go away. I slept in until 4:30PM on Christmas just about. Chad's mum was sick on Christmas as well so we did not go to visit her until the day after! Chad and I did Christmas gifts at about 10:30 PM again this year (its becoming a tradition I think haha). I did not account for all the 24/7 stores closing Christmas Eve & Christmas though... Whatever! Chad and I watched Harry Potter 6 so now we can see the new one as soon as the Palace Thearter has it! I also got the DVD The Blind Side to Watch With Chad as soon as I am no longer sick, as of now I am sleeping a LOT! I don't really know what else to say... My cold is kind of distracting me... UGG!! Well I will say more later folks, Have a good one... I need more sleep,

RAYE

Holiday to Washington DC



Me in front of the Washington Monument in DC

 I made it back home after my holiday (no surprise- I didn't fly Delta this time...) It was good having a break away from work... that break was LONG PAST OVERDUE!! Some of the things I did on holiday were go shopping, help set up my parents Christmas tree, learn the basics of knitting, watch flims, and see the sights of places like Arlington National Cemetary, The monuments (my favourite is the World War 2 Memorial), The National Christmas Tree, Went to dinner for my parents 25th Anniversary, went to a science museum, saw part of the Smithsonian of American History, Watched the Nutcracker Ballet Performed by the Washington Ballet (third row seats), and I quite frankly didn't care that it was cold outside seeing a lot of this. The things I did not get to do were go inside the White House, inside the Washington monument, and inside the Pentagon. Oh well. I did get my picture taken next to each state name that I had live in at the WW2 Memorial plus Colorado (2011 should be great woot woot!). HAHA! I even had a stranger grab my ass on the escalator leaving the DC metro! One of the down sides to my trip I can think of would be the uncomfortableness of the bed I slept in oh yes... and the flight out there which of course I shared in my last blog. My computer is now fixed though (YAY!), but I still want a MAC because I don't trust a PC to stay fixed. HAHA! My suitcase arrived the next day as it was supposed to... and then the rest of my holiday just flew by! Hard to believe it really... Christmas will be soon. I have found Chad has hung out at my apartment while I was away seeing he left soda cans, cigarettes, and dirty klennex around my living room. Yuck! Anyway, I'm ready for another holiday... HAHA. That one went by SUPER FAST!

RAYE

I AM NEVER FLYING DELTA AGAIN! EVER!

Guess who finally made it to Washington DC?!? That's right... I did! Delta Airlines is officially the worst airline on the planet! Of course I am not going to make that claim without fully backing up my point for all of you, so let me explain the whole situation of my flight out here and after I tell you the sort of things I have gone through in the last 24 hours, I am sure several of you will be in agreement that you too never want to fly Delta again ever, even if they are offering the lowest fares.
It started out with my flight to Atlanta this morning. Aside from having the least amount of space on any aeroplane known to humankind, rude cheque in staff at the airport, no class, and our snacks in flight were sponsored by hotels, and having bad service on the flight, that was the GOOD part of the trip. After arriving in Atlanta and waiting a while for my connection, shortly before boarding they cancel the flight into Washington Reagen National Airport. Okay, we all need to rebook our flights and wait in a long line. We do not get to talk to any employee about this, they simply scan our ticket and print us our info for our next flight. Luckily I am told I make it on to the last flight of the day to Reagen. After my gate being changed a dozen times in the next few hours I hear that so far Delta has not ran a single flight between ATL airport and DCA airport from the earliest flight to present and ALL OF THEM had been cancelled so far, but they were pretty sure the rest of the flights would fly out. WRONG! At about 5:30-6PM sometime they announce ALL flights for the day had been cancelled into Reagen and we needed to go to customer service to rebook. After RUNNING along with thousands of others to reach customer service to rebook I reach the line. With a long line still in front of me I am informed that ALL flights for the day are full into Washington-Reagan, Washington-Dulles, AND Bultimore! At least on Delta. We would need to leave security and return to the main ticket counter where you cheque in to rebook our flights. I met a girl from Germany at customer service, and an 18 year old who attends college in Arizona who was travelling for the frist time alone who was scared and crying. Neither had any idea how to get to the main ticket counter, and having previously lived in Georgia and knowing that airport well, they followed me to the main ticket counter where we waited nearly an hour and a half! The college student rebooked into Richmond Virginia that night which worked out better for her anyway, and I believe the girl from Germany ended up renting a car to drive to Washington DC. When I got to the counter the lady said they had nothing I could fly to the same day unless I wanted to go to Virginia Beach, Newport News, Norfolk, or Richmond. She confirmed me on a flight for the next day and told me that even though I was in Atlanta for the night the airline would not be providing any hotel credits- that would only be available to rewards members in the amount of 25% off. In fact, even though I was confirmed for the 6:45AM flight to Reagen, the airline had the right to bump me off of that flight if a rewards member needed that seat. They wanted to make sure all the rewards members made it to their destination first (of course they don't want to pay any more in hotel stays than they need to). She said I was free to try another airline and to ask US AIRWAYS or AIRTRAN AIRWAYS to see if either of them had any open flights to Reagen, Dulles, or Baltimore. She said doing this however I would lose all money I had put towards my Delta ticket, because Delta tickets are not recognised for credit by anyone else. But unless I wanted to wait a few days in Atlanta with no hotel, that would be my best option. UGH! Well US Airways was not an option as their only flight was departing in 30 minutes, so I proceeded to the opposite terminal to ask AirTran if they had any flights open. They do have a 10:15PM flight expected to leave to Baltimore with plenty of seats available for $257! However this flight can only be booked over the phone they say. After calling the parrentals and explaining the situation they agree and decide it is best to buy the ticket, only the lady from AirTran says the flight can not be booked over the phone less than 4 hours before the flight takes off. Then they decide to try to wire me money through Western Union to purchase the flight at the airport using cash. The Western Union outside the security however is closing shortly and I am not able to re-enter security  to get the money because... TA-DAH... I don't have a confirmed valid flight for that day! The money will not go through anyways. I likely ran across between the terminals over and over in the next short time. In the last two minutes before the last possible minute I could cheque in for that AirTran flight, my father has success booking the ticket online. I have success getting out of Atlanta that night, and arrive in Baltimore just after midnight followed by an hour car ride to my destination. My bag of course does not arrive until the next day's flight that the airline requires it sends it on. But whatever... After a full day of chaos I am OUT of Atlanta... & I was beginning to forget how much I hate Georgia. I discovered later that it was ONLY DELTA who cancelled flights into DC that day and ONLY into Reagen. The other airlines made by with as much as a 30 minute delay. And this was all due to a dusting of snow?!? (just a couple inches)... REALLY. No other airline had ANY issues, nor did any other airport. Delta has really gone to shit! It has gotten terrible. I am really praying they go out of business and telling everyone else, if my story isn't enough encouragement, BOYCOTT THEM! I am, even if I have to pay double for any other airline. Heck my one way to Baltimore was about the cost of my entire round trip! Thank God I'm flying back on American Airlines.

RAYE

Why am I such a SLOB this Year?

I leave for holiday tomorrow! I am not packed at ALL yet though. I also finished my Christmas shopping and set up my tree yesterday. But before I leave for holiday I have really had to clean. I have noticed I have been more of a slob this year than any year before!
I found the most disgusting thing on my sofa yesterday! A BIG GOOPY MESS! Chad has helpped me clean the sofa and cushion but man its been RANK! I think it could have been BBQ sause but I don't know how it got there. I have had to shampoo the sofa like crazy. Its so nasty! My goal for 2011 probably should be to be cleaner after this year. After this at sompe point I am going to have to break out that sewing machine to make a sofa cover to protect my beautiful sofa!
I have so much cleaning left to do before my holiday. I hope my computer gets fixed while I'm there & I will have plenty of good stories to tell. 2011 is coming fast & I know good things are ahead so stay tuned! :)

RAYE

Colorado? Seriously :)



Telluride Colorado- aka Heaven on Earth

 It looks like a new door has been opened for me to move to Colorado in 2011. It was not the way I expected, or to the particular town I hoped, but I guess God opens doors mysteriously! The saddest part is I can not take Chad with me, so he has to find his own way there (which he says he will)... :( He has still encouraged me to go through with the move though saying its what is best for me. In Colorado, for a year or so, I would train in Medical Lab Technology at Arapahoe College in Littleton, Colorado. My friend Danielle Fulkerson from Georgia currently lives there as well with her family, so I would know at least one person there. when I am done training I would be able to go to a good job where I could eventually put myself through Uni at CU. It will be hard being away from Chad for a while, and then probably living an hour apart from him when he is in Colorado until my training is complete, but maybe this is the best thing for us. I love him so much maybe we just need to see where this road takes us. I am sure it will strengthen us both as individuals in the least, and God knows we need that! :)

RAYE

Life, Love, and the Persuit of Hotties

I have officially compleated my New Years Resolution to read a book a month every month each month of the year. This month I read the last of the books in the Emily series by Katie Maxwell. This book takes place ten months after the book before it did, and tells about the last part of Emily's senior year in High School, her graduation, and transition to University in Vancouver, British Columbia with her boyfriend Fang! Emily also takes a cruise to Alaska with Fang, which left me wanting to go on a cruise to Alaska, only if I go I do not want it to be an adventure like Emily's, because as always Emily continually finds trouble in her adventures no matter where in the world she goes! From breaking her arm in Vancouver on her graduation trip, a trip to the emergency room at a Canadian hospital where she and Dru attempt to sneak around to avoid a spinal tap, to Emily thinking Fang's spleen will rupture, to Emily getting high on Canadian pain killers at her graduation causing a major scene (as she last minute has to give the class graduation speech), to falling overboard on her cruise and Fang getting arrested in Alask, this book is nothing short of laughs beginning to end. The book is a fast read and one of my favourites in the series. I give it 5 of 5 stars :)

RAYE

Oh December, 2010 is Near its End!

Stella and Chloe

The picture is of my pet mouse Chloe. I bought her almost a month ago as a friend for Stella. I thik they really like eachother so I'm glad I got her.
I go to Washington DC on holiday in about a week. It is coming fast, hard to believe. I could use a break. Work is not giving me any hours and I hate it. My car is getting on my nerves and Chad has a major attitude. We argued all last weekend. I told him if his attitude doesn't improve though I will take off. I have had it with his attitude and drama!
As fo the future I am ready to seek God for the long term (whatever that means). I can tell Colorado is the right choice, but I don't know how to get there. I also looked at a discipleship trainiong school to grow again, although I'm not sure when or how that could happen. I guess time will reveal! I can't wait! Only one more book for this month then all of the books are compleated in finishing my 2010 new years resolution! In 2011 I hope to focus on all of the Bible studies I have not accomplished. I am already looking forward to a new (and hopefully better) 2011!

RAYE

November Miracle?

"Do not forget my teachings, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosparity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and humankind. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will keep your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, & your vats will brim over with new wine. My child, do not dispise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." -Proverbs 3:1-12

Maybe this is my miracle! Maybe this is my secret to a happier 2011. Maybe I need to seek the way not just ask my life to incorporate into God's plan. Maybe this is the secret I didn't have right. Maybe this is the miracle.

RAYE

Taming of The Dru

This is the fourth of five books in Katie Maxwell's Emily Series. The Taming of The Dru tells of Emily's last month living in England. Emily is not in school and takes a job for a month at a museum, but is disgusted to discover the job is labelling bones of dead birds! After having broken up with her boyfriend Devon in France, she can hardly wait for her friend Fang to return from New Zealand so she can make him her official boyfriend, only he comes home with a girlfriend named Audrey. Emily goes from a crying mess to trying to win him back, convince Audrey she is wrong for him, trying to set Audrey up with someone else, until eventually she decides to take Fang's words literally by "fighting for him" challenging Audrey to a sword fight using real swords at The Battle of Helms Deep st Never Neverland summer camp where Holly works. Emily deffinatly makes her last month in England interesting between work, Audrey, her friend Dru's visit from Seattle, and attempting a final exorcism on Dermontt (the ghost who has been haunting her underwear drawer this entire series since "The Year My Life Went Down The Loo"). The book is not the most interesting in the series, but funny all the same. It is worth a read, especially if you have read the rest of the series before it. I give it four stars.

RAYE

November Makes for the Boringist Month EVER!

I have nothing interesting to say this month! Period! I have only seen Chad a few times all month, I have been working on a puzzle to glue for Christmas to keep as a decouration for years to come. Its 1,000 pieces and very challenging. Thanksgiving I went to Chad's mums for dinner. Chad was exceptionally annoying most of the day. I just need to finish my November book and blog on it! I doubt November will bring a miracle at this point! Figures, PATHETIC! 2010 sucks anyway...

RAYE

Rest In Peace Janessa



RIP Janessa Beth Batchelor

19 March 1989- 21 November 2010

 My friend Janessa passed away tonight at 10:31PM EST at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Hospital. I would like to share a bit about this wonderful young lady I attended high school with. She was very smart, athletic, coofy, and an all around authentic good girl who will be missed by many. I remember bringing gum drops to Bible Study once junior year and Janessa thought it would be fun to throw them at everyone. The pastor and his wife found them months later. She was healthy her whole life, but shortly after moving to North Carolina she fell ill & was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of the flu & strep throat, later phenomonia. At that point she was transfered from the local hospital she was at to the UNC hospital and put on a ventalator and fell into a drug induced coma. She was later diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Lukemia. She recieved one cycle of chemo and then was changed to a partial ventalator as things appeared to improve, but she could not recieve any further treatments as she was in renial failure, she has expirenced damage to each of her major organs on some level, was on a feeding tube, and was still largely unresponsive. Two weeks after being diagnosed with Lukemia, at age 23, she passed away. She will be missed by many. here is a link to her obituary: CLICK HERE

RAYE

Medical Bills = Money?

This is going to be another short blog. I have just been learning that if I itemise my medical and dental bills from 2010, whatever exceeds 7.5% of my annual income I get back in my tax return. At this rate the number is getting closer and closer to $2,000 (not there quite yet but will likely hit it) that I should get back. and I still need to see the dentist again and the chiropractor this friday (my joint disorder screwed up my back again). I can't wait for Friday for payday when I also go tanning and get the UV light my body lacks in winter for my joints to function. The money thing is good news though. I can make my credit card bill eventually disappear. I want to apply for the Discover Escape credit card to earn flyer miles too (and I will need a new credit card anyway cos once this credit card is paid off, I am cancelling it!!) Man... this is going to be a long week!!

RAYE

Meet Stella!

I got a new pet yesterday when I said goodbye to all the guinea pigs. This is my pet mouse Stella! Stella is the Italian word for star. I thought she was cute, and she will cost quite a bit less than the pigs did. She will smell less as well. She has really enjoyed playing in her running ball so far. She does bite, but it doesnt hurt too much, but she likes to poop in my hands and that can be nasty. Overall I think a mouse will be a much nicer & much less expensive pet. I am so happy about it. Isn't she cute?

RAYE

Goodbye Dear Piggies



Moe & I



My guinea pigs have officially gotten too expensive to care for. They eat too much (a ten pound bag of food every 5 days costing nearly $10 at cheapest), they make my apartment smell, and have attracted so many flies I can not even eat in my apartment without getting attacked. I can't even SIT without getting attacked! And they have become impossible to get rid of! Chad will not even come and visit me anymore!! It is sad, but it will be best for us all. I can keep my cage in Chad's storage shed & I will use my store credit to purchase the necessary things to downgrade to a cheaper pet. The 21st of October I will sell the babies to Pet World and they will take my adults to continue to breed. Change is in the air, and its coming soon...

                  



Ginger & I



Splodge & I



                

RAYE