Haiti Relief

It seems as though there is a lot of hurt and heart ache lately. One such situation that brings much heart ache is the devastation in Haiti after the earthquake. I don't watch the news much but the glimpses that I've caught about the situation in Haiti are absolutely heart breaking. So many people hurt and in need.

Service Steel is a steel provider that Primus (the company that I work for) works with. Mike Hightower, the General Manager of Service Steel, had a daughter, Molly Hightower, who was working at an orphanage in Haiti. Her body has been recovered from a collapsed building where she lived and worked in Haiti.

While she was alive Molly had started a shoe drive to provide shoes for people in Haiti. What an awesome idea! Her parents, along with Service Steel, are continuing this effort. Other business and churches in the area are helping with this shoe drive. To any of you who live on the Eastside, let me know if you have shoes that you'd like to donate. I'd be happy to come by and pick them up to put in the drop box at my work.

Of course financial donations are also needed. There are several organizations helping in the Haiti relief. I encourage you to find one that speaks to you, and donate, even a small amount.

If you would like to donate to rebuilding the orphanage that Molly worked at please visit www.friendsoftheorphans.org/molly

Also if you'd like to read a little about Molly's work at the orphanage please visit her blog at http://www.mollyinhaiti.blogspot.com/

get a new hobby

Dear Punk who stole my Saab emblems,



Please get a new hobby. I don't understand why you'd want them. I finally replaced them and I don't want to have to do it again.

Thanks,
Saab Owner

Curtains

So my wonderful boyfriend helped me paint my living room and kitchen/dining room while he was visiting from California over New Years (what a champ!) but now I'm dying to get some curtains up. I went ahead with the colors for the rooms that you guys all helped me decide on. The living room is the dark grayish blue, and the dining room is the green (similar to the ones that are in the below picture)

Because I used somewhat dark colors I'm thinking that I should use a lighter and brighter fabric for the curtains, in order to brighten up the space. Here are two that I like... but I'm worried that:

A. are they too busy?

B. are they too bright?

C. are they too girly?






What do you think? Which do you like? Or should I keep looking? I'm open to suggestions!

Heart Strings

You know how there are those people that you have an undeniable, unexplainable connection with? Those people that you feel drawn to, they make your smile that much brighter, you feel more like yourself when you are with them, more whole, more of an understanding?

The first time I remember experiencing this was on the first day of 5th grade. I was in a 4th/5th split class. There were only going to be ten 5th graders in the class and I was very nervous that I wouldn’t be happy and wouldn’t have as many friends, since our class was somewhat separated from the other 5th grade classes. Then Steph walked in. (sounds cheesy already right.) She had just moved here from California, and was the new kid. I instantly new that she was going to be my best friend. She and I have talked about it several times since then and we both agree that we were instant best friends. We've had our struggles, just like any friendship, but most importantly we have always, and will always be there for each other.

Most of you who read my blog know Amy. She’s awesome. I was always drawn to Amy. My first memory of this was when I was probably 16. Amy and her husband Damon were the youth leaders who drove the vehicle I was in over to a church youth retreat. I don’t remember who else was in the car, but I do remember thinking that they were both awesome. I clearly remember thinking that I wanted a relationship like they had. That I wanted to be more like them. I thought that that feeling of being drawn to Amy was just a one way thing until about a year and a half ago. Not being active in church I had asked not to have visiting teachers (a person from church who is assigned to check up on you once a month.) I really DID NOT want to have anyone from the church checking on me. But then Amy told me that she had requested to be my visiting teacher because SHE had always felt drawn to ME for some unknown reason.

The funny thing about my friendship with Amy is that we’ve never hung out. I don’t have a picture of myself with her, or any real inside jokes or crazy experiences. But I completely adore her and I do consider her to be my friend.

What was I thinking?!?

This morning as I arrived to work I noticed that there was a note on my desk. It was folded up so I couldn't see the context of it. I was a bit nervous to see what was inside... Erin (please open)

When I opened the note and saw it's context I totally laughed...

What were you thinking ?!!? naughty grin (Snickers Wrapper included)

I always have a bowl of candy on my desk (mostly just to make me popular, because then people want to come talk to me) but apparently people aren't so happy with me this time. Everyone loves Snickers. What WAS I thinking?! There goes every ones new years resolutions. Sorry! ;)

White Elephant Party

It has been a tradition the last 3 or 4 years for Steph and I to have a white elephant party in order to get our long time friends together during the holidays. I love it for several reasons but mostly because

1. I LOVE these people but rarely see them

2. We laugh and have a great time

3. It's like we're still 15 when we get together

Life goes on, we change... but really we dont. We get together and we're all exactly how we were years ago.

This years party consisted of

• "Let's go fishin'" competition
• some food, but pretty much just what the girls made, because the guys apparently dont understand the concept of bringing something to share (some of them did bring drinks, and I think Trev and Noah may have contributed but that's because they were with steph...)
• of course the white elephant exchange with many wonderful gifts, but these 2 were my favorites

Whatever this is that Trev brought?!

And Noah's gift of LIVE mice! (At least it was better than his gift last year!)

• and a rousing game of King Elephant. This time Jon Williams was not King Elephant the whole time, and even though Risenmay's apparently suck at this game, Reed and I made it to the top! Booya!

We sure do know how to party! ;)