Thanksgiving KC STYLE

So this past Thursday was my first Thanksgiving that I cooked all by myself! On the menu... Turkey,potatoes,corn, green beans, rolls, stuffing, gravy, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, banana cream pie, and Kim made cheesy potatoes.

It was a great time... my roommate and I had two girls from church Tori and Kim over for dinner. I put my turkey in around 10 pm on Wednesday night checked on it a few times in the night. It was so hard to try and go back to sleep after I got up because the turkey smelled SOOOOOOOOO good. My own thing that I love is the Macy's parade so I tried to make sure that everything that could be cooked the day before I did so I could watch the parade. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Macy's parade.. I would love to go to the parade one thanksgiving I think it would be awesome!!!!! but anyways... we ate around 1:00-1:30. Then after lunch we watched some comedian.. Brian Regan I think was his name it was cool... I was just really tired because I had been up a few times in the night and up really early the next morning because I needed to take out the turkey So I wasnt really in the mood for comedy I really wanted to take a nap... that definately didnt happen.

Well every year in KC they have a plaza lighting. The plaza is a ritzy outdoor shopping area in Kansas City and they have a huge christmas lighting ceremony on the night of Thanksgiving. My roommate had wanted to go really bad so we got online to see when it started and low and behold it started at 6 with special light switch flipper DAVID COOK!!!!! we left around 4:30 so we could get a good parking spot because seriously like everyone in KC comes out for this thing. We had the best seats in the house. We stood on the side stage maybe 15 feet from the stage. And it just so happened to be the side of the stage that the singers and DAVID COOK would be entering from. We were literally standing right behind his family... We saw his bro and sister and mom. His brother is super friendly, tons of personality, and adorable! It was so funny... we were like hobnobbing with KC's American Idol Family!
We saw David Cook and everyone was going crazy we did get some really good pics of him... I could have literally reached out and touched him ... crazy I know!!!!

After all our idol madness we came back to our house and played Scene It! It was great we had so much fun. then of course we went on a youtube video streak and watched videos for almost an hour. It was a great night! I had a blast!!!!!

On Friday I went to the Mayor's Christmas Tree lighting to see my friend Kim sing in the KC symphony choir...it was beautiful they had fireworks that went off in unison to the carol of the bells... awesome.. but anyways... thats been it I get to come home in three weeks and I am super stoked ... but anyways..here are some pictures from Thanksgiving !!!









David Cooks Brother---


Tori, Sarah, Kim and I ---we were really excited for David Cook






self timer pic... we are too cool!

Feelings

So I need your prayers I have a lot of things going on right now with relationships and work that I feel like I cant talk to certain people out here about so instead, I decided to get on here and ask for your prayers during the next few weeks as I sort things out!

would you take me as I am...

"would you take me as I am? I know the way Im living is wrong is wrong but I cant change on my own trying to make it alone, I wonder how could you love me when my life so ugly but you came down and died for me" -Lecrae

So last night was BREAKAWAY 2008... I am still trying to recover for lack of sleep. But overall it was a great night! God is definately at work in the lives of the studenst as the center. We have in the past few months been having a lot of problems bringing the two sights together, but last night was yet again another God moment in that there were no arguments, they hung out TOGETHER all night long and were hugging on each other telling one another "bye see you next time." WOW that was a long time coming, its only through prayer ans constant guidance that this is happening. Last weekend we took about 12 students to Central Church and we had about 4 from one sight and 8 from the other and it was so funny because two of the students (one from each sight) that literally hated each others guts, were hugging all up on each other and everything, when I saw this I said...."aww look you two love each other now! yeah Im so proud of you.." they gave me this "please Miss Jessica" look and just kept on laughing and joking with one another. The same two students last night were kind of being criticized by a new student and they were like "listen dude we cool now...!!!" The one student even came up to me and was like "Miss Jessica guess what? I know you were kidding last weekend when you said that about us loving each other, but we do we a family and that new kid dont know that!" YAY thank you JESUS for being so faithful in the situation that at times tended and still tends to get so overwhelming!

God is truely at work in the city and at the KCUYC!!!

Its 4 a.m. and I am still up

So I figured that I might as well take advantage of the fact that I cant sleep and have been tossing and turning for the last three hours and write a little in this here blog. Seeing that its been awhile since my last update, I thought I should write, plus I hope that by writing I can get some of the mind racing out of my head and onto the screen. I have really been struggeling lately with a lot of things and I really think that is what is keeping me up tonight. I woke up around 1:45 and around 3:15 I picked up an old journal that I had from my Youth In MIssion trip that I kept, and have used a few other times since then. I dont know what made me grab that journal as opposed to a book, but I did. I started reading and realized how good God has been to me and how unfaithful I have been to him. I was reading a part of the journal from YIM training camp ( now mind you this was in the summer of 2006) and I wrote about an evening service in where I was literally shaking inside from the presence of God and the calling I knew He was placing on my life. Now almost three years later, I ask myself where that shaking went? Where did that passion to serve go? Dont get me wrong, its not that I dont feel called anymore because I very much so do. I just need that filling presence of God to come and grab hold of me. Its been awhile since Ive felt it. I need to be washed in the "Healing Rain." I have made a lot of dumb mistakes in my life and yet I always know God will be there waiting for my return. I dont want to have to keep running back to him, I want to be with him at all times, in His arms of mercy and grace. Its there where I feel safe. I see that safe haven when I look at my students at the center. The things in their lives that dont even compare to the things that I have gone through, and yet some of these students have more faith in Christ then I do at times. This morning I received an email from Chuck with a poem from a 14 year old student and this is what she wrote:
The Found Place
Just when i thought god was gone let me down
he came and lifted me up from the scum of the ground
hiding behind broken tears and a shattered soul is all gone now
for i have a reason for being around
lost is not an option
but step into life with pure caution
never take it like for a laughs when your joke'n
living is the best word ever to be spoken
im free im full and safe
for the lord has cast upon me and helped me find my place

I am sitting in my apartment right now and its now 4:34 and I hear sirens outside, I think to myself how short life is and when a 14 year old can write something so powerful it makes me realize how much I take for granted. I NEED GOD... I need Him now more than ever, I need and intervention... God is intervening for me and I am so glad he is on my side! For when God is for us who can be against us.

Please pray for a filling in my life, I know that I will be... I am still not tired, but I definately needed to get all of those crazy thoughts out of my head and onto something so that I could try and get some sleep before its too late! Luckily I dont go into work until 3! Good Night <3

Use Me!

So my pastor at Nall spoke a few weeks ago about giving and how we need not let our right hand know what our left hand is doing. And then this past week he spoke about storing up treasures in Heaven and how while we are on this earth we can still invest our time and money into programs and stuff that are making a difference in for the Kingdom of God. I was looking on the internet today for a poem for a friend of mine to read at church on Sunday, since I will be at home this weekend for Faith Promise, and the theme for Sunday is how everyone can be a missionary, and that where we are is a mission field, it was pretty perfect that I found the poem called The Chosen Vessel. I read this poem and reread it and it seemed as if were talking and summing up all the things I have heard in the last few weeks and what is in store for this weekend. I have seen people think that because they arent the poster child for christianity that they cant serve God or that he wont use them. I have also heard people say that they dont have the schooling required or the knowledge or the life experiences, and yet again God will use them. And again people can say Im too old or too young and we can make up excuses and make up excuses but when it comes down to it, God will still use us. He takes our brokenness and makes something beautiful out of it. My favorite quote is that God doesnt call the qualified he qualifies the called, and that is a quote that I have come to take on as some sort of motto in my own life. I think that we have to have a mindset of humility when we go to serve. This poem The Chosen Vessle really lays out a good picture of how our Master can chose the broken pot and make it into something BEAUTIFUL to serve.


THE CHOSEN VESSEL

The Master was searching for a vessel to use;
On the shelf there were many - which one would He choose?
Take me, cried the gold one, I'm shiny and bright,
I'm of great value and I do things just right.
My beauty and luster will outshine the rest
And for someone like You, Master, gold would be the best!

The Master passed on with no word at all;
He looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall;
I'll serve You, dear Master, I'll pour out Your wine
And I'll be at Your table whenever You dine,
My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,
And my silver will always compliment You.

Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass,
It was wide mouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.
Here! Here! cried the vessel, I know I will do,
Place me on Your table for all men to view.


Look at me, called the goblet of crystal so clear,
My transparency shows my contents so dear,
Though fragile am I, I will serve You with pride,
And I'm sure I'll be happy in Your house to abide.

The Master came next to a vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it solidly stood.
You may use me, dear Master, the wooden bowl said,
But I'd rather You used me for fruit, not for bread!

Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay.
Empty and broken it helplessly lay.
No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose,
To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.
Ah! This is the vessel I've been hoping to find,
I will mend and use it and make it all Mine.

I need not the vessel with pride of its self;
Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf;
Nor the one who is big mouthed and shallow and loud;
Nor one who displays his contents so proud;
Not the one who thinks he can do all things just right;
But this plain earthy vessel filled with My power and might.

Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay.
Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day.
Spoke to it kindly. There's work you must do,
Just pour out to others as I pour into you.

B. V. Cornwall

Beautiful

So we are doing Girls Group at the Youth Center and we have talked about self image ad it made me think that if we want them to feel good about themselves then I probably should too... and I tell ya what this song by Bethany Dillon is so powerful and uplifting. Read it and tell me what ya think!



I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life

[Chorus]
I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory

[Chorus]

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

This is the Time of my Life

Well the last two weeks have been pretty boring, meetings and such at the center in preparation for center starting back up, which it actually starts back TODAY!!! I am super excited. I have been doing a lot of meetings and poster making the last few days in order to get things ready for today and I tell ya what those 12 hours of early childhood education are really paying off!

The big even from this past week was my wonderful trip to American Idol Concert at the Sprint Center. NOw of course I am living in KC and the winner of AI is from KC so it was pretty cool to be at the concert and Mr. Cooks homecoming celebration! It was awesome! We bought our tickets the day before the concert and were 1 section over from the stage and 13 rows back from the floor... AMAZING! Ill be posting picture at the end of the post! My favorite of the night was my future husband Jason Castro... and of course Chikezie was awesome, Archuleta and COOK!!!! But anyways after the concert we say in the parking garage for a little over 30-40 minutes it was horrible the roomie and I decided to take pictures of ourselves and our posters we bought of David Cook and Jason Castro, and Michel Johns. But thats pretty much been my last few weeks.. so its picture time... YA READY????

Chikezie- He was such a performer.. it was great!

Michel Johns - Mr Rocker himself.. that is one HOTT AUSSIE

Yeah so she looked right at us.. isnt this pic AWESOME! (Kristy Lee Cook)

Carly Smithson- All I can say is I went to the bathroom during one of her songs and she was so rocking I could hear everything she was saying word for word in the bathroom.. She was awesome!

Brooke White - no shoes .. priceless...

My Future Husband--- Jason Castro! <3>

Syesha Mercudo .. so I didnt really like her on the show, but she was absolutely amazing at the concert...

Archuleta came up out of the floor playing that wonderful baby grand... he was so good!

THE 2008 AMERICAN IDOL WINNER- DAVID COOK!!

My New Bag!

All the things I love-- Jason Castro,David Cook, High School Musical, and WVU FOOTBALL

Me and the Roomie before the show started !

Pictures that wouldnt up load last night

Pictures from Breast Cancer walk and the Chiefs Game..... Enjoy!



Crew 5425! Bethany, Carrol, Lynne, Jennifer, and Baby Rayden



my and my adopted Daughter!!!



Payless Co-Workers Carrol and Bethany-- I miss them so much


My wonderful friends- Morgan, Stefon, Andre and Monique


me, Morgan and the random lady sitting next to us with her Teddy Bear... my face is crazy because Andre was reaching behind the bear and I didnt trust him!


DesJuan, Mr. Adams, Arik, and Jared


My wonderful boys DesJuan and Taj!!


East Hills Kids - Jamar, Isaiah, Jochelle, and Brianna



If anyone is interested in donating to the KCUYC feel free to go to http://kcurbanyouthcenter.org/givenow.htm

Its definately worth investing in, your are investing in the lives of students!

Stefon- "Your Not Funny Bro" Me- "Im not a bro"

Yeah so things are off to a rocky start this week. I have really felt my temper swelling up like something awful. I sent a prayer request out to church about what is going on and I must say twice today I thought I was going to explode. Please continue to pray for me throughout this week, I dont know how much longer I can bite my tongue, but I know its the best for now, especially knowing how mad I get and how long it takes me to come down from it... hence why I am writing this blog right now, so that I can take my mind off things.

Summer is nearly over and I am sad to see it go, yet happy to see a new school year start! Our kids come back September 2nd and I am super excited to see them! I was able to hang out with a group of about 30 two weeks ago at a pre-season Chiefs football game, it was a blast, didnt really watch a whole lot of the game, more talking and laughing than anything else, but it was well worth it and I had a ball. I think that is another reason as to why I am so ready for the kids to come back, because they help me relax and forget all the craziness that goes on everywhere else. I am so glad that I have that extended family here for me when I need them. I just recently was interviewed for the youth center's new promotional video and one of the questions I was asked was why we referred to ourselves as a family and was that the case for everyone staff included, and my answer was YES! being so far from home and no family out here , I definately consider the center my family. They are there through the ups and downs, the fights the laughs, and yet they love me and I love them through it all. This summer has really shown me the true meaning of a second family and how someone who barely knows you will have your back in the smallest things. Ill post some recent pics of that wonderful family later on down the post, but for now bear with me through some more talking!

I participated in the Susan G Komen walk for the cure a few Sundays ago with a team from Payless (which BTW I AM OFFICIALLY NO LONGER A PAYLESS EMPLOYEE ---not that Im happy or anything!!!) but it was a lot of fun. There was an 82 year old woman who took a Taxi from Independence, MO to KC and walked the entire 1 mile, walker and all. She was adorable. I got a lot of free stuff and even played in the fountains at Crown Center after the whole thing was over. I also attended my first ordination service on the KCMO district, our old Worship Pastor, KIM was being ordained and James Diehl spoke!!!!!! HE was amazing talked about living in CHapter 7 but needing to be in Chapter 8... it was a wonderful message and he was so full of life.

Other than that my life has been pretty dull I took CPR/First Aid training again on Friday... BORING again, but I did decide to make it fun. The instructor had us practice wrapping a "wound" and so my partner Nicole was walking through the steps on me and asked me what had happened and I told her I was in a gang fight, she started laughing and then it was all down hill from there, I wore my fake bandage the rest of the day! I have now seen Mama Mia 2 times and walked out of Tropic Thunder... DONT GO SEE IT , I literally sat in the theatre for 10 minutes and walked out, not what I expected at all... well I think I have calmed myself down enough to upload some pics and then head to bed!!!

Hope you enjoy!!! NIGHT!!!
The pictures are having some difficulties uploading so I will try again in the morning !!!

Summer Slump Session came to an end

Well the center is over for summer ... sad day! We got back at 5:15 today from our wonderful weekend trip to Oklahoma City. We stayed on the campus of Southern Nazarene University and had a jam packed weekend. We were able to take students from both sights with us on the trip, for some it was probably their first time away from home with out family. But regardless it was a BLAST! I will have a few pics on here towards the end so everyone can see the fun we had. We left the center on Thursday night and arrived in OKC around 11:30. We had a full day ahead of us on Friday so we strongly urged the students to sleep, but of course they didnt want any part of that. I was the girls hall monitor on Thursday night and didnt end up going to bed until 3:30 and had to be back up at 6:45. I had one room of girls who just did not want to listen to anything! Needless to say Friday night they had an hour early curfew. Friday was spent at a local Non-Profit called Love-Link. They have a few shelters, half way houses, and a distribution center. We had two groups at two of their sights. One group was able to actually be at the distribution center and hand out food, clothes, toys, etc. to those families who needed it. The other group, which I was a part of, was at the new warehouse. Love Link just bought a huge warehouse where they are hoping to move all of their outreach ministries into. This is where we came in, we went through donations, and seperated them into various groups. It was sooo tiring and HOTT in that place. The kids did a great job of working together. The before and after shots are amazing, they definately deserved a huge pat on the back for all their hard work. After the service project we went to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. TOUCHING, that is all I have to say. To remember back to 1995 and seeing the pictures on the news, to actually going into this museum and memorial and seeing how big of an impact it made on the community. The museum is self-guided and I tell you what it was so neat to walk through the with students and see the interest they took in what happened. I had two favorite parts, the first was the board room. They have you walk through a make-shift board room, and in it is actualy audio from the morning of the bombing from the OKC water board that was located across the street, you can hear the board meeting and 2 minutes into the meeting you get to hear the actual explosion, they have the lights flicker and on a huge wall in front of you is a collage of all the individuals who died in the incident. Talk about cold chills. The other part that I felt was just awesome was the memorial that they have to each individual who was killed. They each have a picture and some sort of memorabilia from that person. Two of them made me cry, one was one of the babies from the daycare, and it was a poem that the parents had written that was written to Itsy Bitsy Spider. It said something about Itsy Bitsy Baby went up to Heavens gate, and talked about how God was their to greet her and wipe her tears away. Then he went to earth and wiped the parents tears away and that one day they will meet again... just thinking about it now makes me tear up a little. The other one that touched me was a note written on construction paper from a little boy who lost his mom and it said, Dear Mom, I miss you so much now that you aren't here, I wish you could see me Im growing like a weed, school is doing good, I love you and miss you. Talk about crying, I totally did. The whole memorial is awesome out side they have chairs that represent every person killed. Its just a really cool place to visit. I encourage it if you go to OKC.

After the memorial we went into Bricktown and ate at the Spaghetti Warehouse and ate, Andre and I got our pictures taken in the photo booth, they are pretty great! The whole group went on a water taxi ride and it was fun. There were tons of bridges on this ride and on one of the bridges was a couple kissing and all of our kids decided to clap and hoot and hollar at them.... they were so embarassed it was great!

Saturday was full of fun also. The temperature reached over 100 degrees. We went to an amusement park, called Frontier city. We got there at 10 and went to lunch at 1 and the kids were already ready to leave because it was so hot. Some of our girls got stuck on a ride they said it was scary. My group was a BLAST! I had 5 boys and 3 girls and then Andre joined up with us so that just added to the craziness. We rode so many rides. Nicole, one of my co-workers was telling me that I was nicer than her, because Andre won two basketballs and a huge bouncy ball at one of the games and I helped him carry them until lunch, but he paid me back by winning me a COW! The boys were winning things like crazy. After lunch I went with a different group, one of the boys in that group is really big and he was started to get very hot and tired, so he and I decided that we needed to find a place to sit where he couldnt get overheated. We found Earls Hillbilly Shower and played in it for awhile. It was a fun day bu it was just too hott to enjoy everything. After the amusement park we went to the Minor's house. One of the interns knew them and they allowed us to come to there home and swim and have a cookout. We swam forever and then went back to SNU and had a worship service. Jared had the kids act out the story of the Coat of Many Colors, talk about a different twist! FUNNY... during that time Andre decided that I needed my hair braided and he did that for me! He actually did a pretty good job. There will be a picture. Saturday night our youngest boy (10 years old) decided to jump out of his window and he got cut up from the thorn bushes under his window, thats how he got caught. LOL. Needless to say his punishment sucked, he had to clean out all three vans before the ride home!

Sunday was full of packing and sleeping. We stopped at a mall on the way home and ate and shopped a little while. The kids seemed to enjoy their time. The whole trip was great! It was a blast to hang out with the students in a different environment, we had tons of fun that will be remembered for years to come! I have learned so much about this kids and vice-versa!

I am glad to be home... and hopefully Ill be able to catch up on some sleep!!!

Well here are the pictures I promised!

Picture #1- Some of the students on the campus tour at SNU

Picture #2- Andre and Morgan helping out at Love Link

Picture #3- The whole group after a very hott and tiring day at Love Link

Picture#4 - DesJuan at the OKC Bombing Memorial, you can write a message on the sidewalk outside and his message said "Heaven is a better place!" Great KID!!!

Picture #5 - Felix looking at the make-shift memorial that was made after the bombing happened. (This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip)

Picture #6- This is me and Anitnet at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Bricktown

Picture #7- Me, Jamar, and Kim on the water taxi through Bricktown!

Picture #8- Andre and Monique pillow fighting! Montague organized a huge one on one pillow fight and they were hilarious.. Andre was by far the clear winner all night...(Ill try and post the video from their fight also)

Picture #9- My group plus Jared at Frontier City

Picture #10- Me and Stefon at the Minor's House.... Stefon calls me Barbara Jean, because I remind him of Barbara Jean from REBA! YOUR NOT FUNNY BRO!

Picture #11 - Me and Olivia trying our hardest to get Andre in the pool, he had already pushed most people in so we were trying to get him in... not successfully may I add

Picture #12- Jamar and I were playing taxi in the pool

Picture #13- Andre's handywork on my hair!

Picture #14- enough said... I WAS SOOO TIRED!!!

July has come and gone ....VERY QUICKLY

I cant believe its almost August. This summer has flown by. July has been full of fun, craziness, busyness, visists, programming, etc. I have officially been at the Youth Center for two months now. And let me tell you those kids have really initiated MISS JESSICA! We have taken three field trips on Friday nights, the first night we went and saw Kung Fu Panda at the mall and 2 of our students were caught shoplifting from the Claire's across from the Theatre, it was crazy, we had to stick around the mall until we could get another adult to come and drive the van. The girls were banned from the mall and willl have a court date at some point in time, but I dont know when or what will happen, but I do know that these girls need prayer. To keep their identities secret Ill give them different names but if you could pray for them it would be ( Nicole and Shelly). It was a great experience for me though because we had to confront the rest of the group about what had happened and their feelings and so I learned a lot from that. That same night my mom , dad and aunt Linda came to visit for the week. We went shopping, to Theatre in the Park to see Beauty and the Beast, and moved me to my new apartment. The following Friday was a trip to Super Splash USA, which is kinda like Water Waves or Waves of Fun, just cleaner! We had a BLAST! It was fun riding the slides with the Kids. One of the boys Andre , which if you ask him, I am his future wife ( dont think so), was so much fun to ride the rides with, he was such a chicken that it made it worth everything just to see his face as he went down the innertube drop! It still makes me laugh just thinking about it. This past Friday was a Picnic at a local park. It was a nice evening, the park was gorgeous it has a rose garden, pond, huge areas to run around, playground, and a splash park, it was so much fun to hang out with the kids and just let loose. The kids enjoyed the picnic, minus the vegetarian tacos that the church served! they didnt like those too well :-/ but oh well.

Lets see I have also been apart of my first Bible School in KC. I was the preschool teacher! It was a great chance for me to get to know more people from the church and to know some of the kids, I am wanting to get connected more with the childrens department , so hopefully a door will open up!

I have moved to a new apartment, and got a new job. I am only at Payless one day a week right now and I work at a store called Bloom which is a little girls boutique type shop! Its great! Its in one of the malls in KC and i love it! So I am continueing the wonderful world of working THREE jobs! Hopefully though Ill be able to leave Payless soon, its so far away from everything now. I live within 10 blocks of the youth center and Bloom and 15 min. from church. ITS GREAT!!!

Well I think that is everything that has happened so far this summer, I am going to OK this weekend with the youth center for a "mission" trip/fun trip! Ill have to write about the fun from that when I get back!!!

THANKS FOR READING AND ILL TRY AND UPDATE MORE OFTEN!!!

Staff Meeting

So lets see, this past week was my first official week as a staff member at the KC Urban Youth Center. It was a good week, I filled out a lot of paper work, watched some focus group videos of students, met the summer interns, and a few other things. It was a good week, I still feel as if there are a lot of things I am unsure of in my work and role, but thats to be expected. I am sure it will all work itself out. There is a lot to learn and a lot to do. This week should go a little more smooth, and I feel like Ill have a better grasp on things. But other than that, life is going ok... Im wanting a new part time job away from Payless but have not had any luck as of now. But like the title of this thing says, Im in staff meeting at the center. Later

spring has sprung and summer is in full bloom

Well It has definately been awhile since my last post, there are no really good reasons as to why, except for the fact that I have been traveling like a mad woman. Busy Busy Busy. I finished classes at seminary about three weeks ago, I just got my grades back and I got 3 B's and 2 S's (those are for my internship!!!) but it is still a 3.0... its crazy I am doing better in GRAD school then I did in college... its crazy, I dont know why that is, I am still being the wonderful procrastinator that I was then?? Who knows.. but Im not complaining. After finals I headed to California for the Urban Youth Workers Institute Convention at Azuza Pacific University... it was a wonderful time... the campus is gorgeous and the seminars that I attended were amazing, it was very helpful for me and it was a great time to get to know my new co-workers better. I was grateful for the opportunity to go, the center covered everything, it was a great conference. We also got to go to the Santa Monica Beach and Pier, along with Hollywood... Ill add some pictures at the end! After that I traveled back home to visit before I start at the youth center. It was a short trip, but boy was it good to be home with family. We had a cookout and I was able to see family and friends and just have a wonderful time of fun and fellowship.... That is a quick overview of whats been going on in the last three weeks, I start work at the Youth Center on Monday and am super excited for the summer and whats to come with working there! Continue to keep me in your prayers and thoughts, its rough being so far away from friends and family that care so much... thanks for all you do for me! I love you all and miss you... but like I said I would attach some pictures from the last few weeks so here ya go....

Pic. 1. - Me with Bing's Star!!!!

Pic 2. - Montague and Ciara representing on the beach (Montague is on staff at the center)

Pic 3.- Sarah and I at the beach in Santa Monica (sarah is the office person at the center)

Pic 4.- At the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, thats Hermione Granger's Hands from Harry Potter

Pic 5- Me and Ciara , one of the students at the center, at Santa Monica Pier