Updates

So much has been happening...

We lost Mike to a better place and celebrated his life with friends and family. It was a beautiful ceremony, with a focus of striving to learn from Mike. His message was to leave life like we were dying. I have really taken this message to heart, letting go of hurts, of dislikes, and of anger. Mike left everyone a personal message, a note of appreciation and thanks for friendship over the past years. It was an amazing blessing to have one last conversation with Mike.

The wedding plans are coming right along. I have my dress, the location and the date! Next up, designing the stationary, the decorations, and the flower and food arrangements. Joel has booked our honeymoon and at the advice of his mother, he has decided not to keep it a secret from me. It was going to be a surprise, but he knew he wouldn't be able to to get away with asking me to pack for a trip where I have no idea where I'm going or for how long. After our beautiful wedding, Joel and I will spending three weeks in Hawaii. We are visiting two islands, and are busy now planning all the hikes, beaches and snorkeling sites we want to visit.

Work is picking up. We have finally signed a job which saves us from having no work. The end of the month takes Charlie and I to Oregon for the next Remodeler's Advantage meeting. In Portland, Or I hope we will finally make the transition to next level in the group. We are among the senior members in our group, and I think we are ready to move up. I'm looking forward to learning all the little nuggets, insider-information from people who have already made the mistakes needed to learn the lesson.

Well, that is all the time I have now...

My List of 25

My List of 25 was inspired by a friend who posted her list of 25. These are my fears, my secrets, my hidden talents, things from my past, present, and future, and other miscellaneous tidbits about me. It was fun to read through her list of 25 and so to return the favor, here is my list of 25.

1. I love to make car sounds as I drive in my car; like when I speed up I make the sounds of a race car driver and when I brake I make the sounds of braking really, really hard. It is entertaining to imagine what it would be like to drive like a crazy person while running mundane errands.

2. I hate peppers, onions, some tomatoes, but I love salsa and pico de gallo.

3. I am very competitive. It doesn't matter what it is, I will try to to it better, faster, harder, stronger, or longer than anyone else. I don't like this part of my personality.

4. Napping is one of my favorite pastimes; I can sleep anywhere, anytime.

5. Fearing what people will think keeps me from making decisions about my wedding. I don't want people to think my decorations are lame, or my colors are boring, or my food is gross. So I just don't make any decisions.

6. If I could learn how to paint, or draw that would be wonderful. I can think of what I want my picture to look like, but somehow as the message travels from my brain to my hand it gets messed up.

7. Most of the time I feel more comfortable in a setting with more males than females. I know how judgemental and catty females can be, and I hate feeling like I am being judged. I don't feel like guys judge as much as females do.

8. I hate wearing jeans for longer than eight hours. I much prefer pants with elastic waist bands such as trackies, sweats, and yoga pants.

9. When Jack-Rabbit binkies, my heart literally flutters. Nothing makes me feel as happy as when I watch Jack race around the house and binkie to his heart content. I feel like I have accomplished at least one thing in my life when I see how happy my bunny-boy is.

10. Cleaning always makes me feel better, when I am upset, lonely, or lacking something in my life - I clean. If I can make my house, my car, or my yard clean and orderly than maybe my life will follow.

11. I love to smell books. Different genres have different smells. Sometimes I will a read a book just because I like how it smells.

12. People tell me that I am a good story teller and I like that part of my personality. I like to tell stories and one day I am going to write a book. That is one of my life goals.

13. When I ride my bike around the neighborhood, or when I go running, or make the drive to Redmond, I like to imagine myself as being in the opening credits of a movie. I picture the camera being zoomed in on my bike tire as I ride through a puddle, and close shots of my feet peddling for a bit, and then maybe a shot of changing gears... I like to then imagine what the movie is about, who my character is, and what is going to happen.

14. Puzzles are one of my favorite past times. I enjoy turning the chaos of jumbled pieces into the finished puzzle.

15. I love to watch Super Nanny and Trading Spouses... I really do and I have even gotten my roommates addicted to the shows too.

16. I love how Joel smells. I like to put his t-shirts on my extra pillows so during the week when we are apart, I can still feel like he is close.

17. I listen to classical music more than I want to admit.

18. I made my younger sister poop in a bucket when we were kids because if we went into the house mom would remember to make us do our chores. I feel really bad about how I treated my sisters when we were growing up.

19. I have really gained a lot of weight and it makes me angry. Why is it so easy to put and so hard to take off?

20. I really don't care if people laugh at me. I honestly do not. My life motto is "Laugh with me or at me; just as long as we are laughing". I know that I am goof and klutzy person, I am over being worried about other people knowing this about me. Laughter makes people happy, so I will sacrifice myself to make everyone happy.

21. When I think about how much I love everyone in my life I honestly get teary eyed. I love my family, my friends, and my fiance more than I know how to say.

22. Sometimes I go to bed without brushing my teeth just because I am too lazy.

23. When Joel and I first started dating, I would wait until he went to the bathroom and then I would quickly go out the patio door and fart and then race back to the couch before he returned. I will not fart in front of ANYONE!

24. I bite my nails and won't stop even when it starts to hurt. I can relate to that song, "make it hurt so good..." I'm trying to stop this habit.

25. I am orally fixated (according to Freud). I have this heart blanket that is so worn out it is nearly threadbare in spots, and I love to rub those parts on my lips when I watch TV. When I am nervous I bite my nails. When I am angry I clench my jaws.

Well, that was my list of 25. Please leave a comment or if you so choose make your own list of 25 and share.

I'm Engaged!

I know, I know! It's true, I was finally able to convince someone they wanted to spend the rest of their life with ME! I'm still not sure how I did it, but I have the ring to prove it!

Joel and I are engaged for an October 2009 wedding. He totally surprised me on the day of my graduation from Western Washington University with a ring and a proposal. I thought I was getting a puzzle not a ring!

Here's the story... So the Wednesday before graduation, after a long night in the computer lab on campus, I was driving home and decided to see what Joel was doing. I gave him a call, and he told me he was wrapping a present. My ears perked up, at the word, "present". For those who know me, I have always been a gift shaker, poker, and man-handler... I just have to know what is in there. I started to ask him questions about my present to see if I could guess what it was. This always gets Joel all flustered because he hates my ability to accurately guess what the gift is after only five questions. I asked him if I would be able to shake the gift when he arrived on Friday night. He told me "No!". So then I started thinking, "What could be identified by shaking alone? A puzzle!!" (I should probably note, I have an embarrassing addiction to puzzles. I love them!! I will sit and work on a puzzle for hours, happy lost in my puzzle.) So I blurt out, "Is it a puzzle?" Joel paused for a moment before replying in a frustrated tone, "No..". I thought to myself, ah-ha it is a puzzle! He just doesn't want me to know I have guessed it! I keep guessing other items, to make Joel think I don't know what it is, all the while trying to imagine what the puzzle might look like. So Friday comes, and Joel arrives at my house. I just can't wait any longer, I have to see the box just to confirm my suspicions. I go through his overnight bag until I come across a box about 6"x4" wrapped in gold paper. I just knew it, it was a puzzle!

Saturday was the big day, and my family was going to meet me at my house before heading to campus all together. Mom, dad, Jackie, and her boyfriend Chris arrive right on time. Dad went outside to wave down Cathy, who would be arriving shortly. It was long before Cathy called me to let me know she fell back asleep and wouldn't be able to make my graduation. So Joel went outside to let Dad know Cathy wasn't coming (and also to ask my dad's blessing on our engagement). So as we all walked out of the house, I noticed Joel was bringing the present with him. I thought that was weird, but maybe he wanted me to open it in the car. But when we got out of the car in WWU's parking lot, he brought the gift with him. He just acting like it was no big deal. So we head off toward the gym for the ceremony. After the ceremony we decided to avoid the big crowd and head toward Haskell Plaza in front of Artzen for family pictures. As we approached a good place for pictures, Joel said, "Well, I guess you can open your present now." I excitedly tore through the wrapping as my family looked on. Inside the box, was another box. Inside of that box, was a small wooden box. As I looked at that small wood box, my stomached dropped. Was this a ring?!? Was this the moment every girl waits for? Is this really happening? Am I about to be engaged? No... It is probably just earrings or something. I took the box out of the wrapping and slowly opened it. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring. Joel took me by the shoulders and said, "Jessie, will you marry me?" I just started crying, I was so happy! I couldn't believe this was happening to me. Of all the people out there, me, the most awkward, goofiest, oddball of them all, I was being asked to marry the man of my dreams. I just started crying and hugging Joel, who was also teary. As he slid the ring on my finger, my family came forward with congratulations and hugs. It was an amazing moment!

And thanks to Dad, who was the only person aside from Joel to know what was coming, we have pictures of the moment.

In Honnor of Mike

This week has been really tough. Mike's cancer has returned, invading his spinal column. The doctors gave him two weeks to live. Mike has been going through physical therapy in hopes of becoming strong enough for one last round of chemo; in hopes of giving him more time. Unfortunately, Mike is too weak. There is nothing more the doctors can do. Mike is returning home, to rest in comfort until the Lord calls him home.

The house has been very quiet, as we begin the process of coming to terms with this news. It is hard to prepare for a loss you refuse to accept. I hurt so deeply for Mark who is about loose his older brother. I can't even imagine what he and his family members are feeling. I am trying to prepare my self for the loss of a dear friend, but I just don't want to say goodbye yet.

I have lost people close to me, family members and friends, but it never get easier. Especially when they are young; when I remember just months ago everything was hopeful and Mike was in recovery. I can't imagine leaving this earth at the age of 28.

Cheers to Mike, to his energy, his laugh, his joy, his sense of humor, his skills on the guitar, his friendship, his stories, his life... his courage...

So Sad

I am sad to announce that Sir Lancealop and Jack didn't get along, so I had to take Lance back. I feel terrible, but it wasn't fair to either bunny. Now I am back down to one bun, and looking for a little girl bunny to join our family.

I am busy getting school finished up. Only three more weeks, until absolute freedom. I am so close I can almost taste it!

Speaking of... I better get back to it!

We may have killed our neighbor

Okay, before I can tell this story, I should introduce you to the main characters

Mark Bailey - One of my roommates
Mark Thayer - My other roommate
Katherine - Mark Bailey's girlfriend
Old Nag - The mean old lady who lives next door
Mike Bailey - Mark Bailey's brother, currently undergoing treatment for his returning cancer

Okay, now that you know everyone, I can begin.

So shortly after we moved in I was standing at the end of the driveway waiting for my Dad to come pick me up. Old Nag comes out of her house and asks me, "Hey, who is parking in the street?". Thayer has been parking his truck in the street, a completely legal action, because our driveway only fits two cars at a time. I extended my hand for a handshake and walked over to introduce my self to our new neighbor, "Hi, my name is Jessica. I just moved in next door." She recoiled from me like I was severely infected with leprosy. Old Nag then proceeded to scream at me how my roommates and I have broken so many convent rules and how subhuman we are for it. Our landlord must have forgotten to tell us that only one vehicle is allowed to be parked in the driveway, there is no parking in the street, the lawn must always be neatly moved, and the recycling must be immediately returned to the garage even if you work during the day. I told my dad about the encounter and he told me Old Nag is probably upset her property value has gone down because she lives next door to a rental. When I returned home from a lovely dinner, I told Mike and Thayer about the encounter. They were so upset that Old Nag had been so rude to me, they went right over to her house. Old Nag's husband answered the door and proceeded to interrogate Mike and Thayer. "Where do you work, did you go to college, why don't you park in the garage, how many of you live in there, how long have you had your jobs, is anyone currently a student..." So we have decided they are just two cranky old people with nothing better to do than observe their neighbors and get bent out of shape over the stupidest things. So we just keep to ourselves, keep the lawn mowed, park where we like, and keep the blinds shut on that side of the house.

So, now the stage is set for the recent events. I was watching TV, taking a homework break when Bailey comes out of his room and tells me that Katherine, who recently left our house for work says there is a ticket on Thayer's windshield. Bailey and I run outside to check it out. Sure enough there is a traffic ticket on his windshield. He was fined $0.00 for parking against traffic. Bailey and I ran inside to give Thayer the news. There is no way a cop just happened to be in the neighborhood. We are off the main road, in a side street, and you can't see Thayer's car unless you come all the way around the corner. The best we can figure is Old Nag called the cops on Thayers car. She really needs a hobby. In order to take retaliation for this offense, Bailey and I promptly moved our cars into the street. For a couple days we only parked in the street, leaving our driveway perfectly empty.

When I came home from school the other day, I was told by Bailey we may have killed our neighbor, the Old Nag. He told me he was sitting in his room, which faces the street and an ambulance came down the street and parked in the neighbors driveway. It was there for awhile, flashing lights and everything. He didn't see them take anyone away. We figured our parking in the street is driving her beyond crazy and could have caused a heart attack or something. So I have started parking in the driveway again. I am not sure what the laws are regarding "death by passive-aggressive behaviors toward old people", but I do know that I don't anything to do with it.

I'm Adopting!

I decided that it was time again for another rabbit. Poor Jack needs a buddy to bond with, and it just so happens there is a bunny at the shelter that needs a home. So tomorrow after work, I am headed to the shelter to bring home my new baby, Sir Lancealop. I didn't pick that name, it is what the new bunny came with; it is pretty cute though!

The new bunny is an adult male. They are not sure exactly how old he is, but they are guessing that he is full grown. This means he should be about one year old. He appears to be a mix breed with lop being the main breed. He has these very cute floppy ears that stick straight out to the sides of his little bunny head! He is a beautiful grey color. Not a dull gray, but a bright gray with little spots of white and brown. He is very calm and relaxed most of the time. When I first saw him, he came running up to the front of his cage to be petted. He loves to lay on the laps of the caretakers at the shelter and to take naps in his cage. It will be a bit more work to bond two males, but it will work out in the end I think. Jack was very eager to bond with Katie, and he seems ready to find another friend. He has been getting used to Juno, a roommate's girlfriend's dog; but I know that he would rather have a bunny buddy.

Here is a picture of little Sir Lancealop

I can't wait to get my new baby home and situated. I have been storing up toys and boxes for him, so he will have some of his own. I am so excited!!