Unexpected Surprises

There are two things I normally grab from the main compartment of my purse without looking: my wallet and the case for my sunglasses. It's a rare occurrence when I actually LOOK inside.

Well, the other day I happened to be 'looking.' You know the kind of looking I'm talking about. The digging, feeling around, and trying to poke your head into what some men would call the dark abyss of a woman's purse. (We seem to have everything stashed in there, don't we?)

Anyways, as my eyes are trying to focus into the dark hole and my hand is swirling amongst the contents of my bag, my hand and eyes locked on some sort of white paper. As I grab it (without pulling it out to see more visibly) I noticed it felt a little thicker than just some paper that I threw in there at some point. Then, I see the word 'Seester' written on one side and not in my handwriting. I was confused but then it clicked. The only obvious people that call me 'Seester' would be my brother, Mark and my new sister in law, Lyss. I pull it out to discover an envelope which contained a card, addressed to me... Seester.

How long had this been in there? How was it that I never noticed it before? I texted Lyss to thank her for her the card and asked her when she hid it inside my purse. It turns out it had been in my purse for nearly two weeks!!!

As I read the words, tears welled up in my eyes and I was reminded that I am loved.

Sometimes there's a disconnect between my my head and my heart... what my brain knows and how my heart feels. I know in my head that I am loved... by LOTS of people, and especially by my beloved Creator. But there are times when that fact doesn't connect with my heart.

But right at that moment, my heart felt it.

And God knew it was what I needed right at that moment.

I am loved...

I picked up an old book to start reading today. While flipping through the pages I found a 3x5 card that had marked the spot where I had last left off. On it was something written that I needed to be reminded of. Although I don't know where I originally found this quote, here's what was written on the card:

"I have nothing to prove today - to anybody.
I am a daughter of the King, set to rule -
and there are no expectations for me today,
to be or do anything.

I don't have to be perfect -
I don't have to perform -
I don't have to say the right thing
or do the right thing to be loved.

I am loved. Period."

A Bee in One's Bonnet... Err, house.

It was late in the afternoon. The windows of the house were already open. It was still warm outside but I could feel it starting to cool down. To make use of the slight breeze that would casually blow through, I opened the door that led out to the balcony in hopes that it would cool down the house quicker.

As I worked away, finishing up my latest project, I heard a very faint buzzing over the backround music that was playing on my computer. If it was Radiohead playing, perhaps it might have fit right in and I would never have second guessed the sound. But no. The sound seemed a little odd over the piano and quiet, airy voice of Feist. I looked over at my phone thinking it was sitting too closely to the monitor. That wasn't it.

I slowly glance behind my right shoulder over to the window and there it was. A Wasp. A Hornet. A Yellow Jacket. I couldn't tell. Did it really matter??? All I knew is it wasn't a fly.

I jumped out of my desk chair to the other side of the room and let out a quiet squeal as I turned back to face the window to make sure he wasn't chasing after me. Cause, you know. They do that. I think I literally stood 15 feet away from the window for about 10 minutes just watching him buzz about the window screen. Couldn't he see that the wide open door just to the right of the window was the perfect escape for him? Oh no. He had to try and figure his way out through the stupid window which was blocked by the screen. It was hopeless.

With no boyfriend or husband to come to my rescue, not even a cute, next door neighbor, I call my dad. As I'm explaining my story he puts me on speaker so my mom can join in on the fun. Okay. So I'm a little dramatic. I can hear them attempting to hold back their laughter, but in reality it was quite apparent with all the snickering.

A good hour had passed and my unwelcomed visitor had overstayed his... well, you know. After discussing all the methods of which could be used to get him OUT of MY house, I was still too scared to attempt any of them for fear of my life. I know. I already said I was dramatic. But I had no choice but to suck it up.

I decided to go with the "Closing the Window" method. I would wait for him to stop buzzing around the screen and inch my way toward the window. I swear he was watching me. I would get just close enough and he'd start buzzing around again. This took way too long to accomplish but finally saw him crawling his way up between the glass and the screen. At that moment, I ran over and slammed the window down trapping him behind the glass. Gotcha!

And by morning he was dead.

I know. I'm cruel. I left him there to die a slow death by exhaustion and starvation. I just couldn't put him out of his misery by squishing him. I had visions of a swarm of his buddies coming to his rescue, ready and willing to attack and fight till my death. I wasn't going to have that. Remember, he was the unwelcomed visitor who just invited himself inside.

I suck...

...at blogging.

There has to be a better way to keep me from disappearing...

Any suggestions?

Making a comeback...

Okay, so I turned 30 and disappeared for 4 months.

But I'm here.

I'm back... I'm almost sure of it.

And I promise to do better.

Black Friday

So I came into work this morning and found my desk decorated for my 30th Birthday which happens to be on Sunday. Very thoughtful and nice... I felt loved. :)

As the morning continues on and I make my way around the office, I start to notice something... why does everyone seem to look the same?

I come to realize EVERYONE is wearing BLACK.

I later find out that my dear friend, Aubrey, sent out an email to our staff the day before which said the following:

Hey Friends,

Know that I told most of you but wear a little (or all) black tomorrow to help us celebrate the fact that Andrea is only getting older… she turns 30 on Sunday! Her golden birthday… so throw a little gold in if you’ve got it!

Tomorrow will be fun… Remember that we’ll all be going to Bravo Burger for lunch. We will all match which makes it easy to find each other in crowds… no getting separated now (Bravo Burger can get pretty crazy).

Cheers to tomorrow,
Aubrey

They all followed her lead and here we have it...

Last time I checked, BLACK was for being over the hill and turning 40... did I just skip an entire decade?!?!

TAG. I'm it.

I've been tagged and I've taken way too long to respond. (sorry Jessica... perhaps I can take you out to Diddy Reese???) ;)

So. Here are eight (more) random things about me. Let's make this short and sweet because I've already listed 100 random facts about me back in January.

Doesn't that count for something?!?! No? Ok then... let's get on with it.

1. I'm turning 30 on the 30th this month and each time the thought crosses my mind I begin to have a small panic attack. I WAS okay with turning 30 up until about 2 weeks ago. I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of time. For A LOT of things. Ugh.

2. Singer/Songwriter I never tire of: Greg Laswell. He never disappoints.

3. I truely believe I can eat anyone under the table... in CHOCOLATE.

4. I have never been drunk. Nor have I ever finished an alcoholic drink (perhaps for my 30th birthday???). That probably shouldn't be something to strive for.

5. I am not allowed to go to the following stores alone (but I do anyway): Anthropologie, Target, and any craft/art store.

6. I am not much of a phone person. So please don't call me to just "chat." As long as our conversation has a purpose, I'm fine. But I'd much rather see your bright, shiny face in front of me.

7. I have never lived farther than 30 minutes from my parents or even outside the state of California. Someday though... :)

8. Some of the best alone time I have is in my car (driving or parked). Whether it be a time of worship, prayer, or just simply enjoying the drive and delighting in God's creation, I just love to drive.

So there you have it. Am I dismissed??? :)

For you LOL abusers

Let me ask you this... how often do you or your friends use LOL in emails, instant messages, and text messages?

And how often are you or your friends actually LAUGHING OUT LOUD?

I'm pretty sure almost never.

You're basically abusing your right to use LOL.

There has been a call to change...

LOI

(Laughing On the Inside)

"Loi is to be used when something is mildly entertaining, yet not humorous enough to evoke actual laughter. Actual laughter, however, may still be represented by "lol" or its other manifestations (LMAO, ROFL, etc)."

Please. Spread the word.

Waiting is the Hardest Part

So you wait...

and wait...

Hopeful that God will answer your prayers. That God will make good on his promises. But day after day, perhaps even year after year, your frustration mounts to an escalated high.

You begin to wonder if God has forgotten about you. You begin to think whether God really knows what he's doing...

"Does He even realize how important this is to me?"
"How could God deny me the greatest desires of my heart?"
"Is God even on my side?"
"Why is the Lord keeping this from me?"

How often do we acknowledge God's ability to fulfill his promises yet deny God's sovereignty to decide when the promise would be fulfilled? We take it upon ourselves to fulfill those promises, no longer trusting God to do his job. We're simply tired of the wait.

"God can, but he won't."
"God can't figure this out."

And our faith collapses.



Waiting. It's hard. Especially when we just don't understand WHY. God wants us to be honest about our frustrations and fears. We are often required to wait and during that time our faith is stretched. Are you going to believe your assumptions over God's promises?

We must master the lessons of faith... learn to walk further in faith each day. He will continue to teach you... and stretch you...

...until you're walking in faith and not by sight.

Pieces of Me

So I composed a list of 100 random facts about myself and let me just tell you... its not as easy as it seems! It took me nearly 3 weeks to complete this list... that should say a lot right there. Here's to me!!!

1) I always want to believe the very best of people.
2) Far too often I stay within my comfort zone.
3) I was a cheerleader in high school all 4 years. Yeah, I know.
4) I used to dance around and sing in an empty living room pretending I was performing in front of a large crowd. Okay. So maybe I still do.
5) I've never lived outside of Southern California.
6) When my mom used to fix my hair as a child, I used to cry and scream at her because I had a tender head.
7) I have never broken a bone or been admitted to a hospital.
8) My favorite food is a good 'ol juicy steak. Medium rare please.
9) I love singing at the top of my lungs while driving in my car.
10) I get my love for photography from my mom.
11) I'm a Mac user and won't ever revert back to a PC. Ever. (With the exception of work... they don't give me a choice.)
12) My parents have been married for over 35 years and are still madly in love.
13) I've always hated running... and running has always hated me.
14) I like to think of myself as an introvert. My friends beg to differ.
15) I was born on March 30th. So was my cousin. And my other cousin's daughter.
16) I went to college for 7 years. I'm not a doctor. Zak calls me Doc, but not for that reason.
17) I like movies and used to go to every weekend. Lately, there's been no reason to.
18) I like to cook and wish I wasn't such a picky eater. I'm trying to be better at both.
19) I went to New York City 3 months after 9/11... and so glad I did.
20) 5 percent of American adults are naturally blonde. 2 percent of the world population is naturally blonde. I am one of them.
21) I love chocolate. Like, a lot.
22) Twenty-two is one of my favorite numbers.
23) On long road trips, my parents named the middle seat between me and my brother as 'no man's land.' When we'd start to bother each other they'd yell out "No man's land!!!" and we'd stop poking and proding. That is why I believe we are so well-behaved today.
24) I love taking personality tests and making other people take them as well.
25) I am not a morning person. I set my alarm to go off for an hour before I have to get up so I can press the snooze button at least 7 times.
26) Sometimes I wish I was Gwen Stefani.
27) I have no problem going to the movies or eating at a restaurant all by myself. I actually enjoy it tremendously and find it quite liberating.
28) I can only fall asleep while on my side and cannot sleep on my stomach.
29) I was voted 'Best Hair' in 8th grade.
30) I hated Junior High so much that I don't remember much of my 7th Grade year.
31) I still remember the dance I made up to Love Shack by The B52's. If you ask, I'll even perform it for you. Sober.
32) I've owned 3 cars: '85 Red Honda Prelude, '97 Beige VW Jetta, and '04 Grey Honda Accord.
33) I've held 6 jobs in the last 12 years... 2 of which I held for over 4 years. Each.
34) I have lived in 15 different homes over the course of my life but have remained in the same county. 2 of those homes were after I moved out of my parent's 7 years ago.
35) I am very loyal and get very attached to people and places.
36) I like the IDEA of getting an early start on my day. But the reality is I like staying up late into the night even better.
37) I have expensive taste yet feel guilty when I buy nice things for myself.
38) I love thunderstorms. Perhaps because we rarely get them in California.
39) I took piano lessons when I was 7 but it was only for a few months. Then we moved 30 minutes away and I never took lessons again. I wish I would have kept with it.
40) I used to know the 50 States song where you sing all 50 states in alphabetical order. Now I can only sing to Michigan.
41) When I was a kid, instead of using the Fisher Price Little People Family House, I would tape together pieces of paper and draw my own floor plan of a house and use this instead. I should have been an architect.
42) I prefer the toilet paper to roll off the top.
43) Taking a shower and getting ready for the day is such an inconvenience.
44) When typing, I overuse the punctuation symbol called the ellipsis, otherwise known as dot-dot-dot...
45) My most overused phrase on IM is "hahaha." I have never and will never use LOL... because it's lame!
46) My mom is definitely that person who carries a camera around with her everywhere and makes her friends and family pose incessantly. I'd like to think that I'm that person too but I like to be in the photos. One day...
47) My brother fell out of a two story window when he was 3. No, I did not push him.
48) Angela, Christie, and I went to Mexico on accident when we were 17. It's a long story.
49) I love, Love, LOVE surprises but I'm too smart and usually figure it out.
50) Touching velvet, felt, and foam give me goosebumps and make me cringe.
51) My first bike was bright yellow with a banana seat and a flowery basket.
52) I've never been snowboarding or skiing.
53) The first time I lit a match I was 28.
54) I prefer my computer over my television.
55) I've never tried coffee but I'm convinced I wouldn't like it. I don't like the smell or the taste of anything coffee flavored.
56) My favorite animal has been the Koala every since I was little. I used to pronounce it "Ko-la-la." Sometimes I still do.
57) I've always made friends easier with guys than with girls.
58) I've been pulled over by a police officer once but never got a ticket.
59) If I recall correctly, I only had 2 birthday parties as a child. One was at Skateway with 10 friends and the other was lunch Ruby's and a party boat on Lake Mission Viejo with 5 friends.
60) When in uncomfortable or new social situations, I find myself constantly drinking water. A lot of water.
61) I love to laugh. People who make me laugh are my favorite people.
62) I love the ocean. I love to hear it, see it, smell it -- just to be near it.
63) I'm almost always late but I'm getting better at being on time. Never expect me to be early though.
64) I use a lot of hand gestures when telling stories... apparently I'm an animated story teller and I do this because I want my 'audience' to feel like they're a part of it.
65) I love the rain but I don't like to drive in it.

66) The nickname my family gave me years ago was 'Queen Bee.' I'm not so sure I'm proud of that.
67) I don't drink soda but when I do, I love Dr. Pepper and Root Beer.
68) Occasionally I'll have anxiety or panic attacks but it's neither fear or anxiousness that cause them.
69) I love spreadsheets and organizing data... I know, weird.
70) I grew up drinking 2 percent milk but as we got older, we switched to non-fat. Now I can't even take a sip of 2 percent milk without feeling like I'm coating my mouth with cream.
71) There was a period in my life when I would have 2 scoops of ice cream almost every day. That obviously HAD to stop.
72) I'm good at starting things but horrible at finishing them.
73) I love cold weather because I like snuggling with blankets.
74) I can't sleep without feeling the weight of my comforter all the way tucked under my chin... which makes it quite difficult to sleep in the summer.
75) The piano and the acoustic guitar are two of my favorite instruments.
76) My two favorite hymns... "Be Thou My Vision" and "How Great Thou Art."
77) I'm not assertive or aggressive.
78) I don't handle humidity very well. I feel like I can't breathe.
79) I never believed in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny.
80) I have a great sense of direction but I'm a terrible judge of time. Basically, I can get us to our destination, no problem, but it might take longer than I anticipated (please see #63).
81) I never owned a Barbie growing up.
82) I've lived in Southern California my entire life and I've never been to Catalina Island or Universal Studios.
83) I don't like alcohol. I've tried dozens of different drinks but I've never finished one.
84) I love freshly popped popcorn cooked on the stove with real melted butter.
85) Most everything at work and in my house is organized and tidy. But for some reason my bedroom is always a disaster and I hate it.
86) Good food, great company, and lots of laughs = my ideal night out (or in, depending).
87) As much as I think I like to shop, I think I secretly hate it. If I were infinitely wealthy I would definitely hire a personal shopper to assist me with my fashion sense and purchasing needs.
88) I like eating cookie dough more than baking it.
89) I've never been a big phone person... I prefer talking with someone face-to-face.
90) Although I rarely eat fast food, I prefer Taco Bell over Del Taco.
91) There's nothing more precious than listening to little kids carry on a conversation.
92) My most prized (material) possessions are my iMac and my Canon 30D camera.
93) I've only gone once to get a pedicure. I usually do them myself.
94) I have a thing for accents... particularly Australian and English accents.
95) I have a slight fear of heights but I love rollercoasters.
96) I still remember the phone number from our first house... 952-1837.
97) I wish I had read all of those books I was supposed to read in high school. I don't remember any of them.
98) I love summer nights.
99) I enjoy live music at small venues that have an intimate atmosphere.
100) I Google almost EVERYTHING.

A look back...

Now that 2007 has come to a close I can't help but reminisce and think back on all my experiences:

My brother's girlfriend, Lyss (Alyssa) moved out to Southern California which gave me the chance to develop a relationship with her.

A new employment opportunity allowed me to venture into a new industry and reconnect and deepen my friendship with a dear friend from college whom I also have the privilege of working alongside.








Met a southern gentleman I simply adore and enjoyed a season (or two) of small adventures containing lots of laughter and great memories.

I had the chance to go undercover and photograph my brother's proposal to my future sister-in-law.








Ventured to Atlanta for work and was able to take a little jaunt over to Charleston, South Carolina before heading home to visit my wonderful friend Mandy, her husband Filipe, and baby Lily.

Attended a wonderful ceremony and help celebrate the union of my amazing cousin Chad and his fabulous bride, Kelli.








Of course these are just highlights but I must say this has probably been the best year for me personally. There's been a lot of spiritual and emotional growth that has happened these last few years. I've learned that my circumstances don't define me as a person. I am fully content with who I am and how God shaped me. It excites me to see Him work in my life... through all the joy AND all the pain. I discovered how to delight in the joyful circumstances and embrace the painful ones. Don't get me wrong. I would rather feel joy than pain but I now realize that through the pain I'm able to appreciate the joy more abundantly.

Wind Romancing Trees

Starting off 2008 with a little something I wrote on New Year's Day 2007...


Tonight the wind blew strong. The leaves on the trees danced in the moonlight.

When I reached home tonight I sat in my car for an hour.
Windows down. Hair blowing about.
Listening. To the wind. Talking to the trees.
And the leaves sang back with excitement.

I was witnessing a different kind of romance. Nature's romance. God's creation.
All for me to drink in and breathe out.

The wind. The trees. Though they speak in a different language...
I stayed. I listened. And I heard.

God speaks to us in many voices. We just have to open our ears and listen for it.

So tonight, God will sing me to sleep and romance me in my dreams.
All with His orchestra of wind, leaves, and trees.

God's shared expressions... voiceless.






Yet I can still hear Him.