It finally feels like Fall!

I have been really terrible lately about updating my blog. For the past month and a half my time has been spent doing my 300 Jr. High internship hours for counseling at Nicolas Junior High in Fullerton. I have loved my experience there and in just a few short weeks I will be done! The other part of my day has been spent training. On September 27th I finished an Olympic Distance Triathlon. The Olympic distance consists of .9 mile swim, 25 mile bike and a 6 mile run! I finished in 3:30 which was an hour before my goal time. I was very pleased with my time and had an amazing cheer section. This Sunday the 11th, I will be running the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon.

Up next...well Wednesday I am off to Hawaii for a 5 day vaca with Sam for her birthday to visit her family and enjoy some time in the sun. Once I get back, I am starting my new job at Lululemon. Lululemon is a Canada based company that sells yoga/pilates/run clothing. It is AMAZING stuff~thats all I wear. I decided that since the counseling field is well-slim to none-right now I needed to get a job. Substitute teaching is great but not always reliable. The position I am hired for is to be an "educator." Basically it is educating the community about the brand and the product and about healthy living and wellness. There will be some retail involved which will be fun and the other part is getting out and doing trunk shows and events. The greatest part....I get to wear workout clothes to work! Heaven! I start on the 20th for some HR stuff so I am super excited!

Finally, at the end of the month I will be traveling to Texas to see Michael! I can't wait to see him and go to a Baylor game. While I am there we are going to get to go see my friend Jean Anne, her husband Matt and their new baby boy Kase! So much going on...I promise to try to be more in-tune with the blog world!

being joyful while practicing patience

A lot of great things have happened over the last few weeks! Sometimes I truly have to pinch myself about all of the amazing blessings I have been given. I completed my first triathlon...duathlon on July 26th. The next day was my 29th birthday which was amazing! I had a massage and got to go to drinks and dinner with family on friends. Friday July 31st I GRADUATED! It was an incredibly joyful experience. The next day, my parents hosted an amazing graduation party for me! They truly over did themselves. The whole day was filled with fun and celebration. Needless to say for an entire week, I had a lot of things to be thankful for. It was such a memorable week.

Now I am in this strange...I don't know what to do now...place. I am still doing my internship hours which won't be completed until the end of October. So do I get a job...do I get a part time job...do I apply, where do I apply...lots of questions I ask myself daily. I have been able to get through a few of them with having a plan a, b, c, d, etc... First...I plan on finishing my hours with diligence. Fairmont has asked me to stay on for the fall to continue helping the counselors. Hold the excitement...it's not a paid job. I hope by hanging around in other words they will eventually just hire me. I am right under their noses! I have decided to get a part time job selling MARY KAY!!!! Please buy anything form me that you would like. :-) Applying...well I am looking, I am getting my resume together and being active about searching for jobs everywhere. I have an open heart right now to change. I would be open to a move if that was the plan that God has for me. I just need to practice patience while remembering all of the MANY things I have to be joyful about!

I will post pictures soon, just had a lot to say for now :-)

be bold...be joyful...be wise

Last Sunday, my friends from bible study and I joined each other for a great Sunday-Funday! We started the morning at church with Kenton's last service before he leaves for his summer vacation to Texas. I don't blame him one bit :-) He spoke about being bold, being joyful and being wise. He read from the book of Ecclesiastes.

The verse that truly spoke to each of us girls was Ecclesiastes 11:3
~When the clouds are heavy the rain comes down. Whether a tree falls north or south it stays where it falls.

This verse told us to step out in our faith for something that may not be comfortable. It may be challenging. By being bold, joyful and wise, God will strengthen your walk with him and bless the choices and step that you have made. It was incredibly enlightening. Each of us really needed to hear it. It is very easy to live a life that you want to know what will happen next. That will never happen!! Only God knows our infinite plan. After church we all gathered together at
3 thirty 3 in Newport Beach for some delicious burritos and mimosas!

I am so blessed to be amongst a group such as this. These girls have strengthened me, given me grace and most of all encouragement! I am so grateful for them and their friendship. We are all cheerleaders for each other. Each of us know that we can rely on each other through the trials or our lives. We have seen some of the happiest of times together and sad times throughout the years together. I know that through these times we spend together our bond of friendship is blessed that much more. I love each of these girls and can't wait to see how God plans to work in each of our lives.

Jennifer, Chrissy, Sam and Stephanie

missing...Jennifer, Katie (mommy to be) and Megan

a couple more for good measure!

my wonderful dad!

ladies lunching...and wining ;-)

sweet sadie sound asleep with mommy

little bug

fabulous is my middle name

more summer fun pics...

some of the fam on the 4th of july!

My happy swimming boy~

and then there were 4.. :-)

sweet Aven Jaymes

Summer Fun!!!

Summer has begun and I am loving it! I started the summer off with a nice vaca to Texas! I got to meet Miss Sadie Kay Stahler for the first time! She is absolutely precious! I am so in love with her. I was able to spend 8 days there which left a lot of time for visiting with Kay and Rob and playing aunite since I don't get to see them too often. Once I got back, I had my exit interview at Azusa which went great! I found out I passed my thesis and oral with a 100 on both :-) Graduation is in 3 weeks I can't wait.

That weekend led me from San Diego County, to San Bernardino County to Orange County. I went to San Diego to see the Mangiafico clan and my sweet little Aven & Easton. They are so tiny but growing more and more everyday! I love them so much, they are already bringing the family double ;-) the joy!! Allison and I then headed to Allison (2) bachelorette party! Boy did we have fun! We were well known at the Shout house dueling piano bar. Saturday I headed to APU for an internship seminar then back to OC for Megan's 29th b-day celebration. Oh boy, 30 is around the corner.

Finally, I started my internship. It is going really well so far. I am getting some much needed experience and practice in the field of counseling. One gripe...sitting at a desk. Not a desk kind of girl. I will be bringing an exercise ball next week to sit on ;-) The 4th of July cam quickly! My family and I were able to celebrate my mom's 55th birthday and the 4th of July at the river! Tucker spent the entire time in the water. He spent most of Monday sleeping once we got home. He was "tuckered" out! We all had a great time together celebrating all we have to be thankful for.

The summer is already half over and so much fun us yet to be had!

Easton Joseph

Girl you are kidding me! :-)

Bath time is my favorite

My Sweet Sadie Kay Stahler

Stress Management

No time to blog...I am suffering from severe stress with school! Please pray that I get through the next four weeks. I am getting a little worried about my mental health...eek! See you when the pain is OVER! :-) June 12th will be a happy day...