Happy Birthday to me...

Happy 24th Birthday to ME!!!!

23 was a wonderful year for the most part--- friendships grew, I spent time with my family and important people in my life...

but here's to 24!

Prayers Needed

Can't say much about the situation right now, but please pray for me to feel peace about something tonight, peace that I will be making the right decision tomorrow. It's a decision that has the potential to shape the rest of my year in a certain way, and I'd really appreciate it.

Excuses

I've been absent this week...life has been just a bit busy these past few days:

Monday: sub 8-11, work 11-6, eye appointment in which they dilated my eyes so I spent the evening not doing much...

Tuesday: babysit 8-10:45, work 11-6, grocery shop, buy this wonderful distraction...eeee!!
Wednesday: slept in a little, finally! working 11-6 and then young adult group in the evening

Thursday: bringing my co-worker Hope to the airport around 3-4 am, subbing 8-11, working 11-6

Friday: subbing 8-11, working 11-6, birthday dinner out with friends, playing wii afterwards most likely

Saturday: My bday--- who knows (without looking on facebook) how old I will be? LOL.. craft open house in the morning, bowling and early dinner with my co-worker A's women's group, broomball tournament from 9p-1 am...

Sooo guess I'll be back on Sunday!!! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Me: Flair

I'm glad you all enjoyed my candles! :) I've spent most of the weekend making more candles for friends and work. I used some of the amaretto scent and ohhh it smelled so good!
Anyway, I decided to do something kind of fun on here...introduce you to me, according to (facebook) flair!

I was:

As a child, I enjoyed:

I've never experienced this:

I spent a semester in the Alps, but not with this animal:

My job:


I love:

I once had this theme for my birthday party:

One of my favorite television shows:

As an adult, I crave:

My style of humor:

My favorite animal:

I truly believe:

Candles

I've been going a bit candle-making crazy lately...but it's SO fun and really relaxes me, so I'll roll with it.

I recently had to throw out the first mold I ever received back when I was 11 or 12 and began making candles. It was an adorable tiny beehive mold and I used it for many of the Christmas candles I gave to my co-workers.

The beehive mold

I was bummed, but bought a few more molds when Aniya and I went away on Monday. I also stocked up on scents and colors, and purchased 8 scents on Ebay that arrived today. My favorites so far of those are MacIntosh Apple and Amarettto-- the apple is so fresh-smelling!

Without futher ado, here are some picures of what's been consuming my life on weekends and after work...that is, when I'm not babysitting or at a young adult group event... ;)

Kitchen while candle making is in session...


Christmas stash


Bubbly top (no idea how this happened!)


Vanilla


Pillars for Aniya


Fun experiment (wax poured in and swirled, tiny pink and red flecks, filled with pure wax) I was impressed with the way this one turned out :)

I Give Up

I'm done even suggesting anything fun happen on/around my birthday in terms of dinner with friends, game night, etc. 

I'm done.

There is way too much going on on my birthday...

- broomball tournament, which is totally fun but means any church friends are unavailable

- concert by one of my favorite bands (but it's at a conference so the likelihood I can go is slim anyway...)

- my friend's "not boyfriend" is coming to town that weekend, which means she will just want to hang out with him

- Cara and Hope (from work) are both unavailable...one will be celebrating her fiance's birthday and the other will be out of town at a conference that's been planned for months and months

I swear, people, I'm not a nasty, selfish person but sometimes I feel like one :(

Sooooo....

After about seven weeks of searching, a few in-person interviews, countless emails and phone interviews...

I HAVE A SUMMER JOB OFFER!!!!!

I do have to figure out if I'm going to accept, but I most likely will-

Details:

7:30a-4p (wooohhooo!)

7 yo boy

4 yo girl

Paid week off when my family reunion is

Paid week off the following week because they will be gone

When they have long weekends and go away, I will be paid for a full week

Basically no housework, just taking care of the kiddos and having fun!

Thankful

I stopped by my mailbox after returning to BC last night, expecting to find nothing but bills and ads.

On the contrary, for once!

The first piece of mail was from my dad, an unromantic guy if there ever was one...yet he sent me a Valentine's Day card! Aww...

And then I got to the second envelope. There was no return address and I didn't immediately recognize the handwriting, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I opened it and was greeted with a monkey valentine (did you know I LOVE monkeys??) along with such a sweet note from my friend Lexi, letting me know how much she values our friendship (as do I!) Definitely keeping this note forever, as I may need to refer back to it someday... ;)

I know sometimes she reads here, so if you are reading, THANK YOU!!!! Totally made my day, friend! :D

4 Hours

Four hours can drag on forever, or fly by.

Today I drove to another Big City with Aniya. I hadn't really seen or talked to her recently, so I was eager for the drive together. What's better than FOUR hours to talk and laugh with an old co-teacher? Aniya and I got along very well when we taught together, but we're even closer now. We discussed our jobs (hers gets a thumb down, mine up), relationships (swap those thumbs), the lottery, vacations we'd like to take, her schooling, my roommate, how we both ended up working at school in the classroom we shared, desserts we've made recently but failed to share with each other... it was just a wonderful time to reconnect with each other. As she was leaving my car, she said "I'll call you next week"...I asked why, she gave me a strange look, shook her head and replied, "It's your birthday...maybe we can celebrate! We have to make up for January and February's non-existant bar trips!" 

GROAN... but being with friends always makes me feel better :)

Single sadness

I stood in church this morning, along with a few hundred individuals and families. We solemnly prayed the "Our Father", hands outstretched.

I've never felt so alone or about to burst into tears.

I was surrounded by families, most with two or three children under the age of ten. Each couple, every family held hands with each other, tiny toddler hands reaching up to grasp the fingers of a mother or father. And then there was me, a single, lonely, unhappy-at-the-moment gal.

I'll be 24 in less than two weeks. I've had ONE date my entire life, almost a year ago. I love my life, my job, most of the time. But there are moments, like this morning, when I just wish I had *someone*. Church is hard enough for me right now, and going alone just makes it worse. I long for a partner, someone to attend baseball games with, actually make and devour a dinner with, someone to bowl with and go to Sunday church with. Is it too much to ask?