this is pretty rad

I don't know if you guys saw this, but it's really awesome. there were some kids in Atlanta, GA who came up with a song for the debates called "you can vote however you want." it's really cool that they care and are open minded. it's all about coming together, understanding each others opinions, and looking towards a brighter future. anyways...this was rad and it brought tears to my eyes....mostly cause i cry all the time!

WHAT NOW!!

so..i figured a few updates are in order. well, there is nothing new here to report on, same old same old. work is good, but crazy as we near the end of the quarter and bosses get bossy!





I am thinking about shooting more photography, i've gotten a lot of positive feedback from friends and i miss it! yay. i don't know what that is going ot lead to, but...


so, this picture is my coworkers at the Jersey Shore! we won a contest and took the day off to go to the beach! whoot whoot. in the pic from left to right (Marie, Hillary, Randee, Rashida, Amanda, Leah, Ryan (boss)). hillary and Rashida do mixed martial arts with me!





i guess Megan sold her car? yay! please do report, what are you looking to buy, etc.





Julie is leaving Houghton, yay! they actually i guess asked her to, since she wouldn't sign some document saying she would say anything about things going on in her department, or anything bad about the school, etc. I guess it's some new thing they rolling out to all staff.





she doesn't have a job yet, but went on a few interviews and is flying out to CA for one out there! she might get her PHD...wow.





Ok. report! i expect to hear something soon from everyone. lots of love.

Let's see who reads our blog...

clearly bored at work...



so, if you read this you will know that my message in facebook was fake! of course i am coming :)



wow. i need to get a life.

http://ycorpblog.com/2008/08/04/and-now-we-dance/

this is fun. watch it! and comment.

JEN

So I was watching Regis and Kelly this Wednesday morning on August 6th and they have a guest dancer while they do their spin wheel for a contest and the dancer was named Kaitlin McCarty from Trumbell Connecticut. I am not sure I spelled it right and they didn't show her picture. You could only see her shadow behind the screen dancing. I just was so excited when I heard Trumbell. Just wanted you to know that it made me think of you and I wondered if maybe you knew her?

OK - so Karisa and I talked last night for a while, and here is what we came up with. Let me know what you all think. Even though Saturday was brought up (mostly by me), it wouldn't be the best day for Karisa and if we did it Saturday (even though I KNOW I brought it up) I can't go because we have family coming in from out-of-town for a shin-dig for my grandpa's 80th birthday, which is on Saturday.

So, we're back to Sunday again if everyone feels like they're up for it. I don't know what we'll do, but Shell, it's OK if we crash your house for a couple of hours? Let me know what you all think, ladies.

Hope you're well!

Couple of matters for you to pray for. I love that this has largely turned into a prayer blog :)

1. A group of kids from CHS just left today for Swaziland, South Africa. I thought I'd ask you to pray...especially for this one girl. She's been very resistant to the power of the Holy Spirit in her life and has largely decided Christianity isn't for her. She's going on this trip to get her parents off her back and is scared to death that she'll be confronted with some God thing that she won't be able to deal with. I've been praying with her and talking to her for the past seven or so months and I'm ready for God to do something in her. I know it's all in His time, but if you would pray...that would be great. Her name is Carrie.

2. So, I think we're going to be youth pastors again. The church we've been going to, Church of the Apostles, is looking for a part time youth minister. We love the church, the bishop, his family, EVERYTHING about it and would be so grateful to be in service there. Please pray that God would continue to lead and that if this is His will, the financial end of things will work out.

So, Karisa's coming up in August...do we have a place we want to rendez-vous? I'd love to have you all come here, but that would be a long drive for Karisa. Any other thoughts?

SURPRISE!

so you know how you guys are like always giving me a hard time saying things like "Karisa, why did you move to Missouri?" or "we haven't seen you since graduation!"

Well, I will be in buffalo from August 12-19th. So any of you who will be available to meet up, I would love to see you. Let me know......miss you girls so much.

Prayer request for Adam Sullivan!!

hey girls. I just got a facebook message regarding Adam Sullivan. He was at home for the summer when he developed blood clots in his legs and was hospitalized at St. Vincents Hospital in Erie, PA.

He was going to have to have open heart surgery and was in intensive care as critical....well, after another doctor looked at his heart again he decided he didn't need to have surgery right now and was moved to a "Step Down Unit". he still need Oxygen to breathe but this morning he is answering Questions with sentences.

Surgery is still a possability. His breathing should improve over the next day or two.

If you would like to send cards the easiest place is home:

Adam Sullivan
9472 Brainard Rd
Fredonia NY 14063

Prayer Requests....

I have to leave in approximately 20 minutes and am not quite packet yet, but I wanted to do this really quick ask for your guys prayer....
1-Shelly, Joe, and their youth group are currently away on a missions trip and are returning to New York on Saturday
2-My youth group is doing a little mini local mercy missions trip from today until Saturday
3-My uncle is has to have one of his toes removed due to an infection that got into the bone (he has diabetes). His surgery is tomorrow, and I am asking prayer for that, but also that the infection did not spread any further because that might cause him to have some of his foot removed as well...

Off to finish packing...love you all!

I am mobile again!

Just wanted to let you know I now have a cell phone again. Hooray! I don't have anyone's # on it though, so if you'd like to talk, please call me! (609) 289-6205.

Yahoo! HotJobs.....

 i am in love...with my job and my life.  how cool is this.  it's going to blow you away.  this is where i work.

We are big losers.

Thought you'd like to see us all decked out in our Red Sox garb. We were in MA all last week and we ended out our time in Boston where we took in a game at Fenway. All I had was the camera on my phone, so sorry for the crappy quality. Love you, girls!

God in email!

I voiced some concerns about work to my girls in my connect group and this is one response, i thought it was so beautiful i had to share...


"Hey Babe,God's favor is on you. Remember that he gave you this job. He put you here. He is working. Things are happening. When Betsey de Thierry was here, she talked about how our lives quite often look like the back of a tapestry...all strings and yarn going this way and that and it doesn't look like it makes a whole lot of sense and sometimes it's hard to follow...but then God isn't looking at the back of the tapestry. He's looking at the front. He sees the beautiful masterpiece that he's creating. And every so often, he gives us a glimpse. The trick, though, is trusting God. Trusting that he is making a beautiful tapestry with your life. I know he is. He loves you and desires to give you good gifts."

God is Awesome. and works in mysterious ways, that don't make sense to us, but are perfectly clear to Him...He sees the complete picture...not just there here and now.

Post-Op appointment

Justin and I had our appointment with the doctor today (on our anniversary- what a joy) to tell us about the pregnancy. He told us that is was a "genetic defect that was incongruent with life." Half of all miscarriages are because of genetics and our chances go down for a healthy pregnancy each time we have one. He gave us the option of getting genetic testing done to see if Justin and I are prone to producing a baby that would have these abnormalities. If that was the case, we would look into having a donor sperm or egg.

I'm just not ready to do that quite yet. I'm sure it would be really expensive, plus I just don't want to know if it was anyone's fault. Maybe if it happens again, I'd look into it. He said we had to wait 2 periods before we try again. I'm not going to. I'm impatient and want to leave it in God's timing. It's probably not the wisest thing to do, but at this point I really don't care.

He also told us it was a baby girl.

I'm disheartened.

BURGLARIZED!!

it's offical...I live in NYC!! Jessie and I went home during lunch today and we were met at our front door by two NYPD cops.

The two apartments above us where broken into by a man with a crobar! for you all who haven't seen my apt. doors.....they are rock solid and when we went upstairs they were literally bent inwards!!

apparently he took jewelry and credit cards. The detectives talked to us, took my name and number NYC NYPD style ( i so felt i was on an episode of Law and Order!)

so, needless to say I am renting Home Alone 1&2 and doing my homework! (3 is totally out of the question!)

Some Good Verses

Hey girls! Just thought I'd share some verses that i found encouraging today.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
"Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toisome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him- for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work- this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

I love that last part.
Just wanted to share :o)

Done and Done

Today, I finished all of my grading and cleaned my classroom. I am done with school.

OK - technically I still have to go to proctor exams, but I have no more work to do!

Everyone rejoice.

Decisions, Decisions....

So real quick I wanted to ask you girls to pray.

I have been given an amazing job opportunity to work for the Binghamton Newspaper Company creating, proofing, editing business/real estate ads and working along with a Japanese company. Very exciting and sounds like a lot of fun. I need to decide pretty much by Monday if I want to stop working at the school at the end of June and move towards this opportunity. I love the relationships I've made with kids at school, I love the benefits that come with working for a school and I was planning on going and getting my Masters this next year in Education. But... I was given this amazing opportunity with graphic design which would pay more and is something I've really had a passion for for the past few years. Pray that God will show me the right pathway for my life.

Thanks and I Love you girls...

Jen, I'm praying for you and the whole community and please tell your sister Congrats!

Hello, My Name is The Grim Reaper

It occurs to me that I only post when something bad happens. Let's keep that going. A kid who graduated from CHS the year after I did died this morning. His mom teaches 6th grade at CHS. He was sleeping at a friend's house and was having difficulty breathing around 3am. His friend calmed him down and then Colin (that's his name) seemed fine, so they didn't see the need to take him to the hospital. When his friend went in to wake him up around 6am, Colin was dead. They think he had some kind of genetic heart problem, as his dad has struggled with heart problems for a long time. He was only 25 and there are still a handful of kids at school who knew him through Starbucks (where he worked) and some from church.

I wasn't close with him, but I have some friends that were, so if you could just be praying, that would be great.

I feel like I should write something happier...OOOOOH! I got it!

My little sister is getting MARRIED! His name is Josiah Carden and they're getting married April 25, 2009. Here are pictures! Sorry for the general schizophrenic issues with this post. Love you girls!

Beautiful Backyard AKA Carissa is awesome

So, in case you're under some delusion that if you ever come to visit my house it will be relaxing, THINK AGAIN. Carissa came up this weekend to go to a mutual friend's picnic and all day Sunday, we worked in the yard. I'm going to go right ahead and mention, she said she was happy to do it. My parents came too, to provide vision, and we made the backyard look lovely. Here are some before and after pictures.

After is first because my computer is dumb and making me angry and I'm tired of trying. 

Prayer Request

Just a quick prayer request. There was a 17 year old kid who was recently shot and killed in his home in Fairfield, CT (about ten minutes away from here). His grandmother, uncle and cousins all go to my church and the two girls who are his cousins go to the school where I teach. The oldest girl Emily is currently on a missions trip in Rwanda and has no idea what's happened. They aren't telling her until she gets home on Wednesday and then the calling hours are later that afternoon. It's a lot for them to have to deal with (obviously) and their family is like family to us. I knew you would pray, so I wanted to tell you. 

On an unrelated note, there are only 27 days until the end of school. I'm not entirely sure that I'm going to make it without severely damaging one of the seniors I teach. I hope you'll all come visit me in prison.

Week 3 of bedrest- and hopefully my last

So I'm starting to feel like that guy in About a Boy who measures his days in 15 m inute units. Showering (the highlight of the day)- 2 units. Eating- 1 unit. Waling dogs- 1 unit. Flipping channels-4 units. America's Next top Model marathons- about 20 units.

I'm hopefully going back to work next week but that means I can stop worrying so much. 80% of miscarriages happen in the 1st trimester. 1/3 of women bleed during the 1st trimester- half of those are fine. 70% of women who miscarry once will have a normal pregnancy the next time. Just thought you'd all like to know. A little more typing will take up another unit- so there you go!

Love you girls!

P.S. Just a reminder that Sarah Mol's play is on the 16th &17th of May. Anyone still planning on attending? I'll have Christmas breakfast ready for you ;o)

Grace Edwards Is Having a Baby...

Grace called me last week to tell me she was pregnant. The weird thing is that after talking with Molar a few days later we realized that Megan and Grace have the same due date! And... that due date which is Megan's birthday is also Grace's birthday. How weird is that!? Just thought I would share that.

This is just to say...

That I love you girls very much and hope you're all well.


That is all.

Update

So.... went to the doctor yesterday and they made me go to the hospital to get another ultrasound and my cute lil' kidney bean of a baby still has a heartbeat and has grown since the last ultrasound. Happy news! And, I'm further along than my original ultrasound showed. I'm 9 weeks today. The baby is an inch long, has eyelids and ears, fingers, and toes. (Although in the ultrasound just looks like a blob that has a tiny flickering heartbeat.) And more good news- the doctor put me on "modified bedrest" which means, I should take it easy, lay around most of the time, but I can do whatever I feel up to. And not go to work. I think I'm only going to take a week off, although he wants me to take 3. I don't want to take advantage- I just need some mental health time before I start telling kids I hate them- which I was about to yesterday. (love you, jen!) Thanks so much for all the prayers! I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Oh- and I lost my cell phone. I swear I'm getting dumber. So, if you'd like to chat, my home # is (609) 568-6036.

Please pray...again

So I made it to 8 weeks- yay! I didn't make it that far in my last pregnancy. BUT.... I'm bleeding again- I hate my life. I havee to go to the doctor today at 1:30 which is making life increasingly difficult to keep missing work and finding subs. So please pray that everything is still ok! Thanks, girls!

Thought you all might want to know...

That I have no school for a week. WOOT for Spring Break. It came not a moment too soon - I think I actually said the words, "I hate you" to one of my students. I'm a horrible teacher sometimes.

Love you all and hope you're well!

Ethan broke up with me...via text message.

and this is what Jessie is emailing to him!



..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAL!

Hot firemen!

So, I was taking Zola out for a walk when I smelled smoke in the hallway leading outside. I thought it might be coming from the garbage area, but alas I didn't see anything odd.


Well...I walked Zola and came back in and was on the phone with my mom and I smelled it again...and I was walking up the stairs my neighbor came in and I asked him if he smelled anything and he did...I asked if I should call the super...

I called Pedro, our stellar super, and of course he wasn't home.

After much coaxing my mom and roommate and I decide to call 911. 3 minutes later there were 2 fire trucks speeding towards our apt.

and 1 more minute later they were running up the stairs and banging on everyone's apartment door.

they didn't find anything, but said they smelled something when they came in...and if we smelled anything again to call. they were hot.

and so not mad. I told my mom she should date the guy I was talking to and she was down.

so, I feel save. Thank you New York's Bravest.

Round 2...and trying not to get too excited

So the past few weeks have been torture not to talk to all of you. When we found out we were pregnant again I was so scared to evern talk to anyone in fear that it would slip out. When we lost the baby last time, it was horrible to have to find everyone to tell them we miscarried I didn't want to have to go through that again.

Well, yesterday I started bleeding and getting crampy and just felt in my gut I was going to loose this one too. We went to the doctor this morning and he told me that the blood was coming from outside of my cervix (I know you all want to know this- sorry) and that he thought everything was fine. Tonight we got our first ultrasound- and the baby had a heart beat!!! So the past 2 days I have learned-

1- I am terrible at secrets.

2- I know God wants us to share our burdens with eachother- no matter how heavy. and our joys- no matter how small.

3- I think it would have been more comforting to me today to know that I had people praying for me.

I'm sorry for not sharing sooner. Only my parents, siblings, and principals at school know and I'm doing my best to wait until my 1st trimester is over to tell any of the kids. I am officially 6 weeks and 3 days and my due date is November 21st (what a birthday present that would be!) I love you girls and I covet your prayers desperately. (especially this week- I'm incharge of the formal. Nothing like adding a little stress into the mix.)

A Story for My Beal

So I got a phone call from my dad a week ago who was very upset at me because BlockBuster Video has been calling him non-stop saying his daughter Michelle Cline has overdue videos. My dad soon started asking questions and discovered I was renting movies from a Manhatten location. So he then asks this BlockBuster man, "Who has been signing for these rentals?" and the man says, "Krista Bee". My dad starts screaming at the man that his daughter's name is Michelle Schieve and he has no idea who this Krista Bee is and he is going to sue BlockBuster if they don't stop calling etc... Then my dad calls me and tells me that someone named Krista Bee is signing out the videos. My dad also says that the man he spoke to was Asian and he could hardly understand him but he heard the name Kristi Bee. I soon put Manhatten and Krista Bee together and realized that it was YOU! I couldn't stop laughing when I solved the puzzle! I then remembered that when we lived in Buffalo I opened an account and put you on the account. So it all started making sense. Anyway, the point of my story is that my dad is still getting phone calls about late movies etc... Today he called me at school saying BlockBuster is giving me until April 6th before they charge my credit card for some movie that is overdue. So... I am begging you Carissa to open your own account so my old senior father will stop fighting with some Asian man in NYC. I also don't want to be charged for your late charges if ya know what I mean! I know you didn't mean to cause any problems and probably didn't even realize that the account was under my name. I totally forgot I had an account at BlockBuster. Once I explained to my dad who Krista Bee was he soon understood, laughed and told me to fix the problem. Well I forgot to call you about it until today. So if you could fix the problem that would be awesome! Thanks Beal! Oh and I now know of every porn movie you have rented in the past year by the way... you should really consider getting some counseling about that addiction :) Love ya!

hardly working: cool english teacher

so, i can't upload the video, but I found this cool site...college humor. too funny.

so, this one goes out to Jen! Please enjoy.

also, if you can find Hardly Working: Overgrown Guy Girlfriend 1 or 2. you will laugh for a very long time.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1804409

these guys are working for the same peeps that do Bustedtees. Yes. they are all under 25 years of age and ridiculously rich.

Someone's got a job! I am so happy and it's so a God thing...He has really provided for me during this time of unemployment.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers!

This one's for Shelly

I watch American Idol and they were doing Beatles songs and one of the guys sang "Michelle" and I thought of you! Love you, Shell!

Another update....

My part just got switched and now I actually have a speaking part...I am one of the merry women:) I am so very excited!!!!

Ina and Jeffery

they are soo cute. Ina is Barefoot Contessa, in case you didn't know...cause I didn't. But Jeffery is her husband and I am in love with them. I was watching a rerun, cause I don't have a job and Ina sent Jeffery on an errand...and he was all "I don't want to mess it up" and it was just to get spinach! He came back with two kinds and she was like "well, it's better than when you went out for a lemon and came back with a grapefruit!"

anyways. i love them. too cute...Jen, we have to make these cookies!
Rugelach! cream cheese crust...apricot preserves and amazingness!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31111,00.html

Update....

Just wanted to let everyone know that I received a letter in the mail today letting me know that I was not being offered the job as a case manager.
Also, something very un-Molar like...I am in a small play in May. My mom and brother Philip were in one last summer and so they were trying out two weeks ago and wanted me to go along. So, I did and I tried out. Granted I am only a towns person and have no lines-so basically I will probably walk across the stage once...but still should be fun:) It is the somewhat true tale of Robin Hood. My mom is actually one of the merry women and so she has a few lines and Philip is one of Prince John's guards.

This is Just to Say

This is just to say that I am currently watching Hope Floats and very much wishing you were all here with me.

savanna joy

Hi guys! Here's a picture of the only member of my family who is still shorter than me. Sure, laugh it up.

She is up to five and a half pounds now and I am going to visit for a week in march when she (hopefully) comes home from the hospital. Thanks for praying!

job interview!

hello. i have a job interview today at Antique Magazine...doing ad sales...and what not. I have to go get my resume printed out and Kinko's....stab me in the eyes.


also, on a side note...i am in love with Josiah Leming this boy on Idol...he was kicked off, but was on the Ellen show today....

yep...he's emo. jen loves him too!

here are some of his lyrics:

"i showed up at her door no gifts or explanations...I tried to kiss her lips she said lets put an end of this...it sent my head into a backspin....anything just to keep her smiling..my voice was all she heard, sentences filled with empty words, I thought i was so clever."

http://www.myspace.com/josiahleming

LOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!

Whether you love it or hate it, I wanted to say HAPPY VALENTINES DAY and let you know I was thinking of you today. I am thankful for each of you and love you dearly.

Fired!!!

Well, girls. I was fired by Stephan...he is an evil man. I knew this going back to GSB and was not surprised at all by his actions.

I am not working this entire week, I have an offer for a print company in NYC, but I just don't know if I want to go back into print. (it's not challenging at all and i am easily bored by it).

So, please pray that God opens up a door for me...cause he obviously shut GSB's door for good....which i am extremely thankful for and feel at peace about the entire situation.

I am loving the time off, but I am getting a little bored at home and can only clean and sell so much on craigslist!

lots of love.

I wasn't trying to take the easy way out....

I wasn't trying to take the easy way out...I was just waiting until I heard from a job I interviewed for....and I still haven't heard yet even though the third and final interview was over a month ago. So, I figured I should suck it up and post something...
I absolutely love reading what is going on in everyone's life...however making my own post has honestly caused me a little anxiety mostly because I am in route to being one of those 30 year olds who still lives at home with their parents. I don't want to still be living here, but as of now it is my only option. I am waiting for God to show me what He wants me to do....as of now it consists of working in the hospital as a secretary and taking classes at Rowan working towards my Masters in Educational Counseling. I do not know what the end goal is....but for now this is where I am! I don't hate the job it just doesn't leave you feeling like you accomplished something worthwhile during those 12 hours-although there are plenty of interesting stories. Such as the parents who wanted to name their child Sheehaud...granted I don't know how to spell it...but I am pretty sure it isn't Shithead which is how they ended up spelling it even though everyone tried to change their mind. Or, the mother who decided to name her child Placenta because that sounded like a beautiful name and she heard it after delivery. I think I like the sound of Meconium (which is what they call it when the baby poops inside the womb). What do you guys think?
Anyhow, there really isn't much new for me to report. Like I mentioned before I am waiting to hear about the job working as a case manager with the children and adolescent part of the hospital. I am so ready for something new because I pretty much feel like I have been standing still the last couple of years and not accomplishing much....
However, God has been showing me that although I might not have a lot to show for it....He has been showing me a lot these past couple years. It has been almost five years since I graduated from Houghton and to be completely honest it has been five of the hardest years of my life. My senior year I felt like I couldn't control anything...so I tried to control anything I could and in doing so (unknowingly) I did an incredible amounts of damage to myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. So, the past year and a half or so...I have been trying to get myself healthy again in all of those ways. Unfortunately, it is a very slow process (going to the gym and only being able to use five pound weights ). I am doing much better but there are still things I am working on and through (I think the mind games were the worst part of it). Most of the damage that was done is reversible and unfortunately some is not. But God is definitely good and although I might not be moving as fast as I would like to be-I know that God is control and He has a plan for me and His timing is perfect!
So, that is my post for now. I love you all and I just wanted to share that with you...
Love,
Molar

sidenote:

Jen, today when I was out running, I smelled you. I know it sounds creepy but it's true. I think someone was using the same kind of laundry detergent you use or maybe it was shampoo. I don't know, but for a second, you were walking beside me in your flip flops and we were on our way to dinner. Hope that doesn't creep you out.

I'm a loser!

Wow...so I guess I'm the loser friend that is the last to write about their life. Although, I think Molar sucked out by only writing, "I'll write when something exciting happens in my life." What an easy way out! So I'm very sorry that it has taken me this long to update you all on my life. I have been a tad bit busy lately and I think you'll see why.

So this past year has been like usual. I have now finished up my fourth year as the head varsity volleyball coach and head JV soccer coach at Greene. This is also my fourth year as a teaching assistant for high school special ed. This is Joe's third year at Johnson City as the business teacher and we both love education. We are very satisfied working in the school system and love the perks that go along with teaching. He coaches soccer and lacrosse and so we often never see each other on some nights. This is also our 5th year as the youth leaders at our church. After our youth pastor died three years ago we were put in charge and at times have felt stressed by the lack of parental support and at other times have felt extremely blessed to see transformations in many of the teens lives. This Spring Joe will be finishing up his Masters and this fall I will begin my Masters in Education to become a certified teacher and get paid a heck of a lot more for doing the same thing. Why oh why did I ever get a degree in Psychology...what a waste of time and my parent's money :)! Anyway... I will be in school for a full year and a summer and then student teaching. Then I will look for a permanent teaching job in the area. I'm very excited to start this fall...I kinda miss learning...weird right?

Joe and I have also been given a great opportunity. My Aunt and Uncle are missionaries in the Dominican Republic and we have arranged a missions trip to the Dominican Republic this summer with our church teens. There are 8 teens going and 4 adults including Joe and myself. We are looking forward to this great opportunity but could use prayer in the preparation of fundraisers, preparing material for the work projects, the dramas, the VBS we will be running, the airline tickets and passports etc... We have a lot to do before we leave in July and I am getting excited and stressed. We each need to raise a little over $1,000 dollars and right now it seems like a million dollars but I know the Lord will provide. I think I have all of your addresses so I can send you a letter with a prayer card enclosed but just in case if you want a letter leave your address on here for me.

Our dog Chloe has just turned 2 in human years. She is so beautiful and stupid. She does the craziest things and makes us laugh. Here's a picture of the sweet little girl.

My sister Nikki is still dating her boyfriend Josh. They are not engaged and I have no idea when they will be engaged...a little annoying and frustrating for her but she is trying to trust the Lord's timing.

One other great opportunity Joe and I have this summer is we are training to run do a triathlon. My brother-in-law in Maine has invited us up to Maine this summer to participate in a triathlon that he did last summer. It includes swimming, biking and running. Joe and I been training since the fall and lately Joe's knees have been hurting him so he has definitely fallen behind me :) But I'm so excited to challenge myself and train for this summer and see how I can do.

The only other thing you can be praying for is Joe's dad. He has lost one of his kidney's and is waiting on a kidney transplant from his Aunt. There are many complications and for now he has lost a lot of his strength and has started to go blind from other complications. Joe's grandma had been living with his parents and they recently had to put her in a nursing home because with Joe's dad very sick she couldn't take care of both people and work a full-time job. So be praying for Joe's family and God's healing touch.

Other than that...we live a normal life and feel extremely blessed with all God has given us. We have talked about starting a family but we would like to wait a few more years and enjoy our married life. We would like a few more vacations before having to share our time with a newborn:) I think I have spewed everything possible about my life in Binghamton. I do really want to get together with everyone. I finish volleyball in a few weeks so after February I am free game to drive anywhere. I haven't seen anyone lately and we have several houses to visit so tell me where and when and I'll be there! I love you all and miss you so much but love keeping in touch even if it is just through blog venting!

I'm Posting...AGAIN...and other people still haven't...I'm just saying...

As if one career change in a family wasn't enough, here's the new stuff. I'm tired of teaching. I love the spending time with the kids element of it and forming relationships and mentoring. It's the best part of teaching. I'm tired of all the working for HOURS outside of school and all the of trite garbage we have to do all the time. I especially don't want to keep up with the workload I have now if we're going to have a baby. Which we're still not, but you know...I'm a planner.

I started praying about what else I might be able to do. A couple of weeks ago I was over at the Bilger's house. This is Kathy's, my dear friend who passed away, family. I was talking with her youngest daughter Laura. In August after Kathy's death Mark (Kathy's husband) hired an au pair for Laura. I wasn't a huge fan of this, but she's not my daughter and it wasn't my decision to make. But Laura and I were talking a couple of weeks ago and she was telling me about how she loves the girl they have, but they really haven't connected and Laura was struggling with her. She was crying me and telling me how she feels like the au pair can't really understand how she feels because she didn't know Kathy. Laura looked at me and asked why I can't just do it.

So...that, of course, got me thinking. After a little while of thinking and praying, I felt that it was right to take the plunge and talk to Mark about it. We talked and Mark told me that he wants me to do it and that Laura and Amanda (his older daughter who is in college) both really wanted me to do it and that he really believed that this is what Kathy would have wanted.

So then I had to go and talk to my bosses about going down to part-time at the school. I'm not really ready to let go of my connections there and working for the Bilgers would only be in the afternoon and evenings. After I nearly started crying in the meeting, they told me it was something that they would make work.

So I'm going to do it! I can't believe it and I don't know how it's all going to work out but I know it's the right thing to do. I promised Kathy before she died that I would do everything I could to take care of Laura and I'm so thankful that this is what God has for me to do.

Because really...who wants to work the same job for more than four years in a row? Right?

New York City...

on crack.

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What was NY City's Tourism Bureau thinking??

also...

Megan. Question. Who illustrates the Little Mermaid book I love of yours? I am at a loss.

Adjectives!

so, I think I am going to do a mini lesson on Adjectives...I found a cool book "Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective?" By: Brian P. Cleary that I will read aloud and then go from there! I am pretty excited and I love going to Barnes and check out the books and thinking about how to make learning fun for kids! I am thinking it's a good lesson for 2nd graders.

I know I will never be as creative as you girls, but I am glad I have such amazingly talented friends to discuss this with.

love you all

Just a little something to make you smile

So I've been waiting to post something until I felt a little less bitter about the world. It's taken a while, but things have finally started settling down to a place where I feel like getting up in the morning and going back to work and enjoying it again. The mental shift I had to make has been the hardest. I really had convinced myself that I wouldn't be returning to school in the fall, and having to adjust back to caring about work, lesson plans, prepping, cleaning my room, etc. have been difficult. Justin and I are coaching our girls varisty team, and it has been a good distraction -I really have been enjoying hanging out with the girls and getting to know them better, plus the time with Justin has been great & I've gotten to see Sarah more when she comes to practice with us. Today the team is going to go see a PBU/BBC game near Philly- which I'm excited about. This Wednesday, I'm taking my art tutorial kids (10th-12th graders) to D.C. to the National Gallery of Art and I've made up a scavenger hunt when we're there. So- lots of things to be excited about in the near future.

New Year's Resolution- getting knocked up again. :o)

NY Teaching Fellowship update!

Hey girls. so, thank you all for keeping me in your prayers...I am advancing to the interview process of the teaching fellowship...they must have loved my application! yay. so, I am not sure how many people advance, but I am pretty excited.

So, I have to come up with a simple sample lesson...they give an example of difference between similes and metaphors and I have about 5 mins...super easy, but I thought maybe you guys might have fun ideas since you are the experts...any tips would be appreciated. I think I am going to schedule my interview for either the 29th or the 30th of this month...the other dates are too soon!

OK. well, love you all and i will talk to you soon.

xo

my life update

Ok. so, I was talking to Karisa today and was chastised for not posting despite Jen's threats...so, here it goes.

I am applying for the New York Teaching fellowship, which basically means they will pay me to teach right away (after a summer intense seminar without pay) while I get my master in education. I didn't realize I might want to teach until I started talking to Jen, Megan, & Allison about all the fun times (wink wink)they have making fun of their kids. just kidding.

So, then I figured I would try and really pursue becoming a makeup artist...i was talking to a few peeps in NYC and they said they would defiantly refer me to clients and people of interest! My friend Liliana is a hair stylist and she is always looking for a reliable makeup artist for jobs and shoots and what have you!

Work is same old...i think i need to do yoga or something to relieve some of my stress!

anyways...that is about it. I have to clean my room now! pce.

New Phone!!

I got a new phone and that means a new number:917 434 8458

xoxo
Carissa

A bunch of things you already know...

Hey Girls! Since Jen threatened us, I am updating you as well. There is not too much to update you about, but I do not want to incur Jen's wrath. (we have all witnessed it--not pretty.) First, my sister and her baby Savanna are doing well. Savanna has gained some weight and seems to be healthy. Please keep them in your prayers in the months to come. Also, Joe just got an internship working as a chaplain at a nursing home near our house. That is a big relief for us since he has a certain amount of field credit hours he has to accomplish in order to graduate next December. Also, my dad has been out of work for a year now. He is pretty discouraged about the situation and the constant rejections. I'll be back in class at the end of January and we are very much looking forward to finishing our last year here so we can move back north--where it's normal. Here is a pic of Joe and I Christmas eve:

You girls are in my thoughts and prayers. Miss you!

I'm Updating for the New Year (and if you know what's good for you, you will too!)

Hello Girls! I haven’t given a real update in a while and seeing how it’s the first of the year, I thought I’d catch you up a little on what’s been going on here in CT. The real answer is…not very much. Life goes ever on and on with all the good and the bad rolled in. Here are some highlights (if you can even call them that) of the past couple of months:

1. Micah left his job at the Huntington Chapel. This I’m pretty sure I told you all about. He’s currently working for friends of ours doing screen-printing and will be going to Gordon Conwell starting in late January. He’ll be commuting twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday), three or so hours both ways. He’s also in cahoots with a friend from the Chapel who is in cahoots with some rich people who are funding the flipping of a house that will start in the spring or summer. An offer was just accepted on a house so Micah’s already scheming about that. Other things about Micah – he’s buying a 1984 VW Rabbit that is diesel with the hopes of converting it to bio-diesel and running it off vegetable oil. We’ve become somewhat environmentally conscious. I’m not sure how that happened, but he’s terrible excited about it. I want to kick myself every time he talks about it, but that’s marriage J
2. We are attending a new church. It’s called Church of the Apostles and I heard about it through a variety of students at school whose families attend. It’s an Anglican church (so Episcopal only not really) and it’s INCREDIBLE. The bishop and his wife are amazing teachers and we have been fed more there in the few weeks we’ve been attending than in the past couple of years at our old church. We are truly being blessed and are so happy to attend there. God teaches me so much every week with each new sermon.
3. Speaking of God…let’s talk about learning the same lesson over and over and over and over. Anyone else dealing with this, or am I the only thick-headed freak around here? Accepting God’s timing and trusting Him has been my perpetual lesson. Long story but Micah and I have been trying to get pregnant for a little over a year. Some of that time we couldn’t try because with our trip to Ghana one of the vaccinations you had to get you can’t try to get pregnant for six months. Sooooo…it’s been a lot of trying, waiting, praying, peeing on sticks, crying, etc. My emotions have been crazy-go-nuts. One minute I’m fine and accepting of God’s will, the next I’m pissed and yelling a lot. It’s fantastic. I know…I KNOW He has a plan. Very slowly it seems, I’m learning to accept exactly what that means for my life. I get it…it just sucks sometimes. You understand J

OK – so that’s all that’s exciting in my life. Work and school is ever the same. I hate my life and want to quit my job but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I leave you with some pictures from Christmas (top is Micah, me and our dog Simon. Micah made us all matching hoodies for Christmas. We're losers. The bottom is Micah, me, Carissa, Zola, Amy, Allison and her boyfriend Josiah). Sorry for the extensive rambling. You should consider yourselves lucky it’s not way longer considering how long I’ve not posted.