'Tis the season...

...for Christmas decorating! Last night, while Robin was working on call, Kristin and I got out what Christmas decorations and ornaments we had and proceeded to decorate the giant Christmas tree I bought.

I didn't realize how tall Kristin was until she was standing next to her 6-foot tree. Hehe...just kidding, that tree was probably a foot tall.






Call me a non Christmas-purist, but I prefer my artificial tree to a natural one. True, it doesn't smell like a real tree, but it looked like one without having to deal with a dying tree in my entryway and Christmas tree needles finding their way into my socks and pocking the heck out of my poor little feet-sies...no, my artificial one will do just fine.

Only problem is, my tree ornaments were bought to decorate my little Christmas tree, not my big tree.

Little ornaments + big tree = not so good.

Thank goodness Kristin had some normal-sized ornaments. But either way, we put on some Christmas music and got to decorating. I'm liking the new addition to the house. I love the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but its been hard to truly enjoy this time of year.

This week and last week have definitely been playing mindgames on me. For being my most favorite time of the year, life has been kicking my butt. I find myself happy yet sad at the same time because of what life is throwing in the way of those that I care about.

I want to enjoy life and what I have, yet for some reason, everywhere I look, my eyes are being opened to pain and suffering.

Take for instance yesterday. The bf and I were going for a walk. From my house, we walked to Target, the mall, saw a movie, almost picked up Starbucks, and almost got to Barnes & Noble and Old Navy (have I mentioned that I LOVE where I live?!?!?!?!?).

However, during our enjoyable day exploring our little area, we passed these three homeless guys...TWICE. I will be the first to admit that I have lived quite the sheltered life in suburbia. I don't consider myself easily surprised or disgusted, though. So when I saw these three men coming our way, I didn't think I would react to them as I did. It wasn't the sight of them or the thought of them. It was the smell of them. I honestly don't know if I have ever smelled anything so ... bad!

The second time we passed them, we tried to steer a little bit aways from them, but unfortunately we were downwind, and let me tell you, it was as if we were standing right there next to them.

I was surprised that anything or anyone could smell so badly, but more than anything, I was sad. Sad that there were people that had to live like that. I wondered where their family was. I wondered what they must be feeling, thinking. Then I looked at them again, and you know what I saw? A smile! From one of the men to another. These three were friends! Although they didn't have anything, they still had the friendship of the other two, and it was enough for them at the moment.

It was a good reminder to me that I should be looking at what I had, not what was taken away from me or what I wanted but didn't have.

Happy season, everyone. Try to take some time today to consciously discover exactly what you have, and be thankful for it.

Happy Belated Birthday - Jim!!!

Last weekend was Jim's birthday. I thought I'd go through my archives and post a couple pictures I had of Jim from back in 2003.

See Jim make a goat look funny...









See Jim look thoughtfully into the distance...











Jim, such a complex, multi-faceted man you are. Hope you had a great birthday!!!!!

Chicago

This last weekend, the bf and I flew up to Chicago for his brother's wedding. We sure packed the weekend full of activities. Friday night we flew up to Chicago which is one hour behind Florida. Once there, we got in our rental car and drove to Berrien Springs, MI, home of our prestigious Andrews University...which, could you believe it, is on eastern standard time. I have never flown to another time zone, then driven back to my original time zone on the same day. Weird feeling that was...

Anyways, I have never seen the Andrews campus but thought it was very nice. In a way I wouldn't mind living in a small town, but we could revisit that thought on another posting.

Eliasib's young cousin got baptized at the Pioneer Memorial Church. It was pretty big, and although I hadn't met Eliasib's family before the baptism, it was still nice to be a part of the experience.


Saturday night, I met up with Cristina. It was SOO nice to see her. We went and saw the most recent "Pride & Prejudice," and I must admit, I'm still a total sap for guys that can express their feelings to the woman that they love. When a man lets down his guard and puts himself out there, well, you just can't help but just turn into putty.


Sunday was the wedding. I can't say its the most fun thing to travel out of state to a wedding in which everyone you know is in the wedding. However, it was really a beautiful ceremony and reception. Carrie, the newest member of the Ruban family, was absolutely stunning, and Ruben, the bf's brosky, couldn't stop smiling.

As for my enjoyment, the bf looked pretty darn good all gussied up. I got more than one comment on how well he cleaned up. :) Hint to guys... girls don't want a guy that spends more time primping than they do, but darn it all, we sure appreciate a good looking, well dressed man.

Oh, here's Eliasib going over his best-man speech. You see that paper he's reading? I put it together. Yiiiiiiip! Yours truely researched all the aspects of the best man toast, and let me tell ya, he delivered it well! Everyone laughed and "awww-ed" when they were supposed to. Dang it, I should be a speech writer!!! Just kidding, it was all in the delivery...though I'm still secretly very pleased with my small part in the matter :)).


All in all, it was a really great weekend. Carrie, Ruben, 'may you look back on this day and remember it as the day you loved each other the least.'

Congrats!

(paraphrased the above quote from something I found while researching Eliasib's toast...dang, I found good stuff, huh?!?!?!)

We're Off!!!

We're off to Chicago and Berrien Springs, MI, for the weekend.

Thus starts my year of wedding hopping.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

I'll post pictures later.

*eek!!!*

I was just on the phone with a midwesterner, and I realized that I was speaking with a little-tiny bit of a southern accent.

Did I ever tell the story about this accountant I met up at one of our hospitals in Tennessee? She had such a deep accent, it was cute. Well, we got to talking, and she asked where I was from.

"I'm from California!" I say.

"Really! ah' used ta' live in California."

(huh?????)

"Where 'jda go ta' school there?" she asks.

"I went to PUC for college, and Monterey Bay Academy for part of highschool."

"ME TOO!" she replies. "Ah' grew up in that area, ma' parents were faculty at MBA, so ah' spint a while there."

(seeing the visible confusion on my face)

"Its 'cause ah' have such an ac'cint, isn't it?" she smiles at me. "Huuney...you ain't immune ta' this!!!!!"

(For the record, she's a very wonderful, intelligent person. I just misspelled words to emphasize the southern-type drawl).

It's happening, folks. My parents noticed it, now I'm noticing it.

Anyone know of an antidote???

Robin & Brian

Congratulations to the newly engaged couple!!!


It is official, four out of the last six roommates I've had has been engaged at some point in time while rooming with me. For some reason, they all just wanted to get away!!!!! Hmmm...I'll try not to be offended. :)

Best Wishes, Robin & Brian!!!!!

Posted by Val

Insights

The other week, the boyfriend and I took a compatibility test.

"Como?!?" You may ask, since yes, we have been together for pretty much three years and should know if we're compatible by now, right???

If you're serious about someone, I recommend taking this test the second you realize you are serious. I'm still a little bit fuzzy on the actual name of the test, but it may be called the 16PF Personality Inventory test. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Needless to say, after taking the 187-question test, the resulting scores were as the boyfriend and I expected.

Opposites.

Anyone that knows us as a couple more than likely has concluded as such...and we knew it as well...but it was nice to hear it from someone else who was not emotionally involved.

Anyways, I'm not going to go into detail on how we tested as a couple, but I did want to talk about how I scored.

Here's me, for anyone interested (on a scale of 1 - 10, 4 - 7 being characteristic of the norm in women):

8 - (closer to) Warm, Outgoing, Kindly, Easy-going, Participating, Likes People

8 - (closer to) Abstract-thinking, More Intelligent, Bright

9 - (closer to) Emotionally Stable, Mature, Faces Reality, Calm

6 - (closer to) Dominant, Assertive, Aggressive, Stubborn, Competitive, Bossy

7 - (closer to) Enthusiastic, Spontaneous, Heedless, Espressive, Cheerful

10 - (closer to) Conscientious, Conforming, Moralistic, Staid, Rule-bound

8 - (closer to) Bold, Venturesome, Uninhibited, Can Take Stress

6 - (closer to) Tender-minded, Sensitive, Over-protected, Intuitive, Refined

5 - (closer to) Trusting, Accepting Conditions, Easy to get on with

3 - (closer to) Practical, Concerned with "Down to Earth" Issues, Steady

4 - (closer to) Forthright, Unpretentious, Open, Genuine, Artless

4 - (closer to) Self-assured, Secure, Feels Free of Guilt, Untroubled, Self-satified

5 - (closer to) Conservative, Respecting Traditional Ideas

6 - (closer to) Self-sufficient, Resourceful, Prefers Own Decisions

5 - (closer to) Undisciplined Self-conflict, Lax, Careless of Social Rules

7 - (closer to) Tense, Frustrated, Overwrought, Has High Drive

I wrote "closer to" because each characteristic had an extreme characteristic on each side of the 1 - 10. For instance, for the characteristic where I scored a "10," if I had scored below a "5," I would've been closer to "Expedient, Disregards Rules, Self-indulgent."

The test also spits out a whole document about what people with our scores (and combination of scores) would prefer from a professional standpoint, which was pretty on, and how they function in a relationship.

Robin was reading my results and concluded that after knowing each other for ten years, she had learned something about me...and you know what, I learned something about myself, too, and how I can be.

Robin is always saying how much I've changed since highschool, but you know, I'm not taking it as a bad thing. I think we all grow and develop even more every day. I'm all for that.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY!!!

Okay, without going back into archives, this is the best picture I could find in the time that I had, of Casey and me.

I just wanted to make a "SHOUT OUT" to my girl, Casey, C-dawg, Leach. You bring out the V-town in me at all times, and I love ya for it!!!

My oldest and dearest friend, I miss you muches.



(sorry i couldn't do better than this cleavage-shot picture from my sister's wedding, but its not so bad. :))

Duck must be in shock after being tackled...ever see anyone cradle a duck before?????

Posted by Val

awww...

Posted by Val

Eli & the Duck

Posted by Val

I am sooo proud...

So I'm laying here, this beautiful Sabbath afternoon, willing my sore throat to go away and contemplating what I needed to do in order to not be a drag tonight, (and surfing the internet) and I get the following phonecall:

*ring - ring*

Val: "Hello?" (knowing full well it is the bf from the personalized latin-flavored ringtone)

Bf: "Val!"

Val: "Yeeesss...." (still engrossed with the website she was on at the moment)

Bf: "Just so you hear it from me first, Yes! I tackled and grabbed a duck."

Val: ".........?................."

Bf: "Hello?"

Val: "So I don't misquote this on my blog, you just said, 'Just so you hear it from me first, Yes! I tackled and grabbed a duck'???"

Val: (now speaking to herself) "Where the heck is paper when you need it...I need to write this down..."

Bf: "Val...wait!"

Val: (to the bf) "Is that right? I have never heard a phrase like that, and i doubt i ever will again, so is that right?"

Apparently there are pictures of this act which somehow the bf's memory is starting to get fuzzy about.

Must - obtain - said - pictures - and - post...

Biblical Legos

Last night, Robin and I were having fun making lego versions of each other and Eli on the website we found on Leslie & Laura's website...we were having too much fun.

Then Robin's boyfriend called, and hearing the laughter in the background, was wondering what the heck was going on. We told him thinking he would think us crazy, but instead, he pointed us to this website.

The story of Jonah - lego style


This website told select stories of the Bible with scenes made entirely out of legos. Now, if you link to this site, www.thebricktestament.com, please remember that the Bible wasn't all nice cuddly, heart-warming stories. There was a lot of murder and "other stuff" that happened as well.

Warning: Not all lego scenes may be appropriate for children.

(I promised I'd make mention to that)

So, anyways, HAPPY SABBATH!!!

Random Pictures and stuff...

So... i'm takin' it that sugar and lack of rest isn't good for trying to stay well, huh? apparently...

i spent this aftrenoon sleeping in bed and being stepped on by the various felines running around this house. but i'm feeling better, despite my high temp...but gotta get back to work, so i'm relaxing today and hoping tomorrow will be better.

in the mean time, i've posted various pictures that i have been carrying around on my camera card.

take care, peeps...i'm off to my current audio book. :) i'm lovin' it!!! :)

Yo Quiero Queso...the one before this had a LOT more cheese in it.

Posted by Val

Didn't Robin look too cool???

Posted by Val

yeah, i think i'll be staying away from the 'fro in the future

Posted by Val

Handing out candy

Posted by Val

Weekend Fun... & RABBIT RABBIT!!!!!

Apparently there is something going on with the picture-poster for Blogger, so I'll be posting some pictures later.

This weekend Kristen came to visit. It was really nice to see her again, felt like she has never left, and those are the best friendships of all. :)

This last Sabbath was the first weekend all us girls were in the house. Sabbath morning, I woke up and cooked breakfast. I LOVE breakfast but never have a chance to actually cook anything during the week. So, Sabbath morning, I love to get up and cook up food. Since the weather was awesome, Robin, Kristin, Eli and i had breakfast out on the porch. Eli took off for church, and we girls just sat outside and talked until almost 1pm.

We did get church in online, which was really good, too.

Later that afternoon, we met up with Kristen and Kevin and wandered around the neighborhood for a while before taking in some dinner. I have a great picture of Kristen and Kevin showing us just how much cheese was in the fried cheese ravioli's.

Sunday we had a little get together at my place. i didn't realize how much i loved having people over until i was homeless for five months. i'm definitely breaking in the house and catching up on missed parties for sure. :)

Anyways, this weekend was really great. I'll be posting some pictures soon.

Oh, by the way...RABBIT RABBIT