so I'm trying so hard to...

settle in. I really am. And I am making some progress. You'd think that since I had three surprise days off that I'd be all productive, and all caught up with what needs to get done. well, not so much. I did get some stuff done, but a disappointingly little amount.

I did get to do fun stuff yesterday. First I met with a lady and her husband who want a twice a month minimum babysitter. She is super nice and we talked for 3 hours. I've decided all the money I make from random babysitting jobs is going into my "Get Amanda a New Windshield" fund. Cause I need one. I'm meeting with another family tonight (who lives in MAGNOLIA...woohoo), and another one on Sunday or Monday. It would be nice to pick up one or two extra babysitting jobs a week to help get my stupid windshield paid for.

After I met with the lady I got to go met Elizabeth for the first time. We've been e-mailing for several months. She's going to go to Trinity also, and she's living on campus. It will be nice to know someone.

I've been on the phone with Comcast for an hour, trying to figure out what the HECK is up with our wireless internet, and then I got disconnected. argh. It kills me.

mmm...

ahh, mike's and painting. and roomies.

a cross with cool colors. just-love-mercy

a flower, in the works. it's pink. i have a thing with pink tonight.

i made chicken. with potatoes. and rosemary. yum.

and another mike's. do love those.

yay for three days off work. apparently they are staying in Leavenworth for a few extra days. oh well. time to work on my art, unpack, and hang out. sounds fun, eh?

very hot at the moment. that is what alcohol does to me.

I made it...

...it wasn't always easy. I had about three major breakdowns on Sunday, but managed to make it through them. Not with flying colors but...I really was able to use my experience moving back east to NJ to get me through the extreme anxiety I was going through. Every time I thought about leaving my family behind, not having Kris here for a few months...I was in tears again. And slowly I began to realize that moving all the way across the country was SO SO much worse and if I could survive that I can survive this.

Work is going really well. Two days down...two more to go this week.

The fair starts tomorrow...wish I was there! I talked to my brother yesterday and his pig didn't make weight...but he still gets to show. I'm going on Friday for the sale and to hang out at the fair.

mmm...watching Bench Warmers.

last day of work...

I can't believe it's finally here. My last day of work. The replacement is trained, I've gathered my stuff, the kids love her, I've started my goodbyes....it's hard.

Three more hours and I officially don't work for the Howards anymore. What a crazy 15 months it's been. We've taken two trips, been to the hospital once, gone on fun daytrips...eaten too many gyozas to count...

Tonight it's off to the beach. yipee! Kris and I are staying at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino. Should be a nice two days of vacay.

...and then I am officially moving to Seattle. I am going back next weekend for a night or two for the fair...but that's just a visit...as of now, I am officially living in Seattle, on my own. Do you live with your parents Amanda? Hell no! I live with some friends in Seattle. Cute little place. Magnolia. You should check it out sometime. <--frikkin' sweet.

adios yo.

guess what I shopped for today?

one more day of work, and then my last day of vacation. and it's not shaping up to be a very vacationy day. My goal is to pack, make a goodwill run, pack some more, clean, pack...and pack. Needs to get done, and tomorrow is the only full day I have to do it. The only good news is that Aunt Pauly and I are going out to dinner because we need to see each other before I leave..:(

so tonight after dinner with part of my fam at Applebee's I went to Walmart and did school supply shopping...so much fun. I'd already bought a pack of 25 mechanical pencils the other day, and tonight I bought notebooks, pens, highlighters...well, tha's about it. But several kinds of pens, and two kinds of notebooks. And two headbands, as they are my new favorite accessory.

It's been a pretty relaxing couple of days with the munchkins. We played in the pool, hung out with my family last night at my Grandma's. It was cool because my uncle is in Afghanistan, and brought back a few rolls of film when he was home two weeks ago. I got to see where he lives (in a tent with 8 other guys), the local Afghani kids, their "villages" (plus heard a whole bunch of really interesting stories from my aunt) and he even accidentally took a picture just as a bomb was exploding! That was my favorite, simply because he couldn't have planned to take a better picture.

9 days until I start my new job...and 6 until my last day of my old job!

ahh, life.

Of course I would write that, just when I thought it was all going to work out. according to plan. like that ever happens. not only is Kris not going to be graduated a month from now, it looks like he most definitley won't be moving over when we thought. frustration. and I really need to talk it out. with him or dionne or someone. cause my mom wasn't much help, and Kris' mom, although she means well, was even less help. and God, well, I just don't feel like chatting with him at the moment.

yesterday when kris first told me I didn't think it really bothered me, until I was writing to a friend about it today, and realized that it does bother me. and since I realized this I haven't had a chance to talk to him and tell him this, plus I'm not sure I want to before I talk to D....sometimes it's nice to talk things out before I blow up on him for no reason. she helps me see clearly. but she's in a seminar.

two and a half years I've waited for this, and now most likely it will be postponed.

I only have one word: unfair.

worky worky work

well i've been here just over 24 hours now. and everyone is still alive, the house is still standing and we have managed to have qutie a bit of fun in the process. for those who don't know, I'm watching an 11 year old girl, twin boys who are 9, and a 7 year old boy. One of the twins had a swollen testicle the day before I started working, but found out it was just an infection and surgery is not necessary. Every night before bed we pray, and last night Tanner, the other twin, thanked God that He was healing Bryce's wienie. Then Bryce thanked God that He was making his wienie smaller....maybe the only time I'll ever hear that prayer! It was adorable and hilarious at the same time...so little modesty, and he really was thankful that he's getting better. Then at bedtime he asked me if God was going to come down from Heaven last night and heal him...so cute.

Yesterday we went to see Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties. very cute. even held my attention most of the time! Then to WalMart and the bank and Safeway. Today I woke up with a sore throat, made pancakes for breakfast, now the kids are doing their daily reading.

Today is August 2nd...that means likely in one month from today Kris will either already be graduated or we will be going to the ceremony today...exciting! I can't wait for him to be done with school and over on the west side!