We did indeed have a White Christmas, and we will CERTAINLY have a snowy New Year.
This past Monday we had a blizzard. 16 inches of snowy goodness.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
White Christmas?
When Jake and I decided to move to Maine, one of my requirements was that the first Christmas I had was a white one. Of course, I know that being a requirement is a bit unrealistic, but in my head I view it as; it snows in December. Christmas is in December. Therefore, it snows on Christmas.
There has been a few inches of snow the past few days, and over this past weekend there were tons of reports of a snow storm lasting Monday through Wednesday (today). I was SO excited!!! More snow for Christmas! Well, Monday came and no snow. I was comforted by the news that said snow would come in the evening. I woke up probably every hour or two waiting for the snow, but nothing. Just fierce winds and gloomy days. On Tuesday it was 40 degrees, so I knew no snow would come. AND it rained, so it melted all the previous snow. Today is now Wednesday, and Christmas is just three days away. There isn't an inch of snow on the ground, and while little snow flurries have happened, it's nothing that will stay or even stick.
I guess there is still a possibility of a snow storm this evening in to tomorrow, which would guarantee us a White Christmas, but right now it's looking like a gloomy one. So sad!
Of course, Christmas isn't about snow or any other thing like that. Being tight on money this year, Jake and I have had to keep reminding ourselves that we should celebrate Christmas as the day our Savior came down to Earth, in the lowliest form possible, to save US. Because he LOVED us. It's not about gifts. It's about mercy I can't even begin to fathom! Thank you Lord!
UPDATE: well, an hour and 10 minutes later and it is DUMPING snow. :)
There has been a few inches of snow the past few days, and over this past weekend there were tons of reports of a snow storm lasting Monday through Wednesday (today). I was SO excited!!! More snow for Christmas! Well, Monday came and no snow. I was comforted by the news that said snow would come in the evening. I woke up probably every hour or two waiting for the snow, but nothing. Just fierce winds and gloomy days. On Tuesday it was 40 degrees, so I knew no snow would come. AND it rained, so it melted all the previous snow. Today is now Wednesday, and Christmas is just three days away. There isn't an inch of snow on the ground, and while little snow flurries have happened, it's nothing that will stay or even stick.
I guess there is still a possibility of a snow storm this evening in to tomorrow, which would guarantee us a White Christmas, but right now it's looking like a gloomy one. So sad!
Of course, Christmas isn't about snow or any other thing like that. Being tight on money this year, Jake and I have had to keep reminding ourselves that we should celebrate Christmas as the day our Savior came down to Earth, in the lowliest form possible, to save US. Because he LOVED us. It's not about gifts. It's about mercy I can't even begin to fathom! Thank you Lord!
UPDATE: well, an hour and 10 minutes later and it is DUMPING snow. :)
Thursday, December 16, 2010
West Coast Christmas
Merry Christmas from my West Coast puppy! Camry is beautifully sporting her GDA breeder bandana. I think she looks ADORABLE. But of course, I'm incredibly biased.Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
2010
Since I started blogging four years ago, every December I would write up a summary of the year, month by month. I always ended it with what I expected the next year to be like. Unfortunately, a while back I closed my dog blog, which had all those posts. So I don't exactly remember what I posted last year about THIS year. I think I remember some of the things though.
Getting married (obviously), Camry maybe having her first litter of puppies, starting my second year as an apprentice trainer, starting a new life with Jake, yada yada.
Wow. How things change.
January -- After New Years, the first day I was back at work I put in my 2 weeks notice at GDA. It was a tough decision, and even though I knew it was RIGHT, I cried when I told my supervisor. That had been my dream job. I LOVED it. And not only loved it, but I was GOOD at it when my heart was set on it. But dreams can change. Hearts can be set on other things. I needed to focus on my life with Jake. Being a married guide dog instructor is not impossible, but it's incredibly hard. My last day of work was January 15th. Camry came out of heat at the end of the month. Jake and I found an apartment to rent in Camarillo. I kept preparing for the wedding.
February -- February was spent looking for jobs for both Jake and I. It was fun getting to spend so much free time with my soon-to-be husband. Having been a long distance couple for the first nine months of our relationship meant we had a lot of learning to do about one another. It was so fun. February was also a fun month for many other reasons, some that I shouldn't go into on here (I guess my loyalty to GDA still is as strong as ever), but if you guys thought about it, could figure it out. ;) At the end of February, Jake got a job for Sherwood Country Club as a greenskeeper. This month was also spent cleaning our new apartment and getting it ready to be lived in.
March -- We got married!!!!! March 20th, 2010. So great! We flew to Hawaii for our honeymoon and enjoyed five wonderful days there. When we got back we moved into our teeny tiny apartment with Fala. (Camry was gone again *cough cough*) We loved it. We loved getting a routine set up of Jake going off to work and me staying home to be a house-wife. I was still looking for jobs, knowing my savings account would only ast about 6 months with no additional income. We were losing about $600 a month. That. is. A LOT.
April -- in April my sweet, Cam Bam came home to me. My heart was finally whole again. I had my husband and my two wonderful girls in my house and I couldn't be happier. My job search continued. Jake continued working at his job. Around the end of April, we started toying with the idea of maybe, possibly, as a last resort, moving to Maine. I also started watching sweet little Dawson!
May -- the first weekend in May there was a graduation at GDA. I went to go see the dogs I had trained graduate with their partners. On the way up there, Jake said "we need to pray about moving to Maine." The whole way there we talked about the pros and cons to moving across the country. The biggest pro: We'd be making twice the amount of money we were making in CA. The biggest con: Leaving Camry behind. We called his old boss later that week to see if Jake would have a job up in Maine and he said of course. His parents said we could stay with them 'till we found a place to live. GDA found a home for Dawson... then they found a home for Camry. Two days before Jake and I moved to Maine, I gave up a little (actually, rather big) section of my heart. Camry went to her new forever home with a wagging tail and smile on her face. She loved her new mommy, having known her since she was a puppy. I, however, was a wreck. We made it to Maine in about 6 days, arriving the end of May.
June -- June was full of adjustment times for me. Jake started working 10 hour days, which is LONG, especially when he works 2 hours away. That adds on another 4 hours to a day. LONG. I looked for jobs, I applied for jobs, I looked for apartments and was disappointed. Fala was in Texas with my mom and I MISSED her so much. I missed Camry and my friends in California. I missed my job at GDA. I was homesick. Jake celebrated his 26th birthday.
July -- The first weekend in July I flew down to CA for 2.5 days for my best friend Christina's wedding. I missed Jake the whole time and surprised myself by being homesick for Maine, even though I was back in CA. Apparently, Jake is where most of my heart is. I got to visit Camry while I was there for a few hours. I cried the entire time. She tried to walk out the door with me. Turning my back on her for a second time was about all I could handle. When I got back to Maine, I once again started the apartment and job hunt. Fala, my sweet blackie, came to me that month and helped me be more comfortable. My mom and Danny visited while they brought her up.
August -- WE FOUND AN APARTMENT!!!!! Some good friends of ours owned a house with an apartment on the second story and their current tenants were moving out. Three weeks later, we moved in! I was so excited. Finally I could nest, and Jake and I could finally start making a life for ourselves! Sure we were stressed about money and bills and groceries and such, but I don't know a newlywed couple that isn't! That month I spent still looking for jobs, but much more content now that I was home. My homesickness was all but gone, and I enjoyed everything.
September -- Same ol' same ol'. Looked for jobs. Had a job interview and a dog bit me SO hard. I had a bruise for weeks! I learned that I loved to cook and bake things for my husband. I don't think anything truly exciting happened this month. OH! We went down to Virginia to visit my brother and sister-in-law. THAT was fun! Oh and ALSO!! We got little Belle!! Our kitten!
October -- Continued looking for a job.. are you starting to see a trend here? Now that my apartment was basically all put together I started feeling lonely for friends. I hung out occasionally with the girl who lives downstairs (she is probably a year older than me) but not very often. I had my first actual Fall season and SO loved the colors. I realized that I LOVED it here. It was so different than California.
November -- I turned 22, Ali and Shane came to visit for Thanksgiving, and Jake and I had miracle after miracle happen to us. God truly is an amazing provider! I still looked for jobs, but NOTHING was happening. To say I was discouraged would be an understatement. But I continued trusting that the Lord knew best, and when it was the right job, God would provide it for me.
December -- Well, this is December now. Jake and I have gotten our Christmas tree and bought each other a few gifts. Last night we bought the animals gifts, and I cried when we didn't buy Camry one. Yes people, I am STILL heartsick over Camry. I miss her more than words can say. I only hope that when she retires from the breeding program I can get her back. I feel so pathetic, feeling so sad about a dog I haven't had for 7 months now. But I can't help it. She was there when I graduated highschool, went to college, my sister got married and moved, I met Jake and got married, I started my job at GDA... she was there for all of it. And not having her now, when I'm in a new place, is hard.. maybe even painful. But at least I have Fala. She's not the same, but I still love her. And I spoil Belle rotten! Anyway! This Christmas should be a fun, quiet one. I am so looking forward to my first Christmas as a married couple!
So, that's my year. Very difficult, somewhat boring, but also definitely the happiest I've ever had. What are my predictions for next year? Well, I certainly hope I get a job! I've been unemployed for almost a year now, and that is difficult! Maybe I will fly out to CA for an unknown reason and see Camry again! Maybe Jake and I will decide to start expanding our family. Fala will become a senior citizen (nooooo!). I will have a new sister being born (my dads new wife is pregnant and due in February). I will have 3 new neices/nephews being born. I will probably have some more grandpups join the guide dog world.
Who knows. We will just have to wait and see. ;)
Getting married (obviously), Camry maybe having her first litter of puppies, starting my second year as an apprentice trainer, starting a new life with Jake, yada yada.
Wow. How things change.
January -- After New Years, the first day I was back at work I put in my 2 weeks notice at GDA. It was a tough decision, and even though I knew it was RIGHT, I cried when I told my supervisor. That had been my dream job. I LOVED it. And not only loved it, but I was GOOD at it when my heart was set on it. But dreams can change. Hearts can be set on other things. I needed to focus on my life with Jake. Being a married guide dog instructor is not impossible, but it's incredibly hard. My last day of work was January 15th. Camry came out of heat at the end of the month. Jake and I found an apartment to rent in Camarillo. I kept preparing for the wedding.
February -- February was spent looking for jobs for both Jake and I. It was fun getting to spend so much free time with my soon-to-be husband. Having been a long distance couple for the first nine months of our relationship meant we had a lot of learning to do about one another. It was so fun. February was also a fun month for many other reasons, some that I shouldn't go into on here (I guess my loyalty to GDA still is as strong as ever), but if you guys thought about it, could figure it out. ;) At the end of February, Jake got a job for Sherwood Country Club as a greenskeeper. This month was also spent cleaning our new apartment and getting it ready to be lived in.
March -- We got married!!!!! March 20th, 2010. So great! We flew to Hawaii for our honeymoon and enjoyed five wonderful days there. When we got back we moved into our teeny tiny apartment with Fala. (Camry was gone again *cough cough*) We loved it. We loved getting a routine set up of Jake going off to work and me staying home to be a house-wife. I was still looking for jobs, knowing my savings account would only ast about 6 months with no additional income. We were losing about $600 a month. That. is. A LOT.
April -- in April my sweet, Cam Bam came home to me. My heart was finally whole again. I had my husband and my two wonderful girls in my house and I couldn't be happier. My job search continued. Jake continued working at his job. Around the end of April, we started toying with the idea of maybe, possibly, as a last resort, moving to Maine. I also started watching sweet little Dawson!
May -- the first weekend in May there was a graduation at GDA. I went to go see the dogs I had trained graduate with their partners. On the way up there, Jake said "we need to pray about moving to Maine." The whole way there we talked about the pros and cons to moving across the country. The biggest pro: We'd be making twice the amount of money we were making in CA. The biggest con: Leaving Camry behind. We called his old boss later that week to see if Jake would have a job up in Maine and he said of course. His parents said we could stay with them 'till we found a place to live. GDA found a home for Dawson... then they found a home for Camry. Two days before Jake and I moved to Maine, I gave up a little (actually, rather big) section of my heart. Camry went to her new forever home with a wagging tail and smile on her face. She loved her new mommy, having known her since she was a puppy. I, however, was a wreck. We made it to Maine in about 6 days, arriving the end of May.
June -- June was full of adjustment times for me. Jake started working 10 hour days, which is LONG, especially when he works 2 hours away. That adds on another 4 hours to a day. LONG. I looked for jobs, I applied for jobs, I looked for apartments and was disappointed. Fala was in Texas with my mom and I MISSED her so much. I missed Camry and my friends in California. I missed my job at GDA. I was homesick. Jake celebrated his 26th birthday.
July -- The first weekend in July I flew down to CA for 2.5 days for my best friend Christina's wedding. I missed Jake the whole time and surprised myself by being homesick for Maine, even though I was back in CA. Apparently, Jake is where most of my heart is. I got to visit Camry while I was there for a few hours. I cried the entire time. She tried to walk out the door with me. Turning my back on her for a second time was about all I could handle. When I got back to Maine, I once again started the apartment and job hunt. Fala, my sweet blackie, came to me that month and helped me be more comfortable. My mom and Danny visited while they brought her up.
August -- WE FOUND AN APARTMENT!!!!! Some good friends of ours owned a house with an apartment on the second story and their current tenants were moving out. Three weeks later, we moved in! I was so excited. Finally I could nest, and Jake and I could finally start making a life for ourselves! Sure we were stressed about money and bills and groceries and such, but I don't know a newlywed couple that isn't! That month I spent still looking for jobs, but much more content now that I was home. My homesickness was all but gone, and I enjoyed everything.
September -- Same ol' same ol'. Looked for jobs. Had a job interview and a dog bit me SO hard. I had a bruise for weeks! I learned that I loved to cook and bake things for my husband. I don't think anything truly exciting happened this month. OH! We went down to Virginia to visit my brother and sister-in-law. THAT was fun! Oh and ALSO!! We got little Belle!! Our kitten!
October -- Continued looking for a job.. are you starting to see a trend here? Now that my apartment was basically all put together I started feeling lonely for friends. I hung out occasionally with the girl who lives downstairs (she is probably a year older than me) but not very often. I had my first actual Fall season and SO loved the colors. I realized that I LOVED it here. It was so different than California.
November -- I turned 22, Ali and Shane came to visit for Thanksgiving, and Jake and I had miracle after miracle happen to us. God truly is an amazing provider! I still looked for jobs, but NOTHING was happening. To say I was discouraged would be an understatement. But I continued trusting that the Lord knew best, and when it was the right job, God would provide it for me.
December -- Well, this is December now. Jake and I have gotten our Christmas tree and bought each other a few gifts. Last night we bought the animals gifts, and I cried when we didn't buy Camry one. Yes people, I am STILL heartsick over Camry. I miss her more than words can say. I only hope that when she retires from the breeding program I can get her back. I feel so pathetic, feeling so sad about a dog I haven't had for 7 months now. But I can't help it. She was there when I graduated highschool, went to college, my sister got married and moved, I met Jake and got married, I started my job at GDA... she was there for all of it. And not having her now, when I'm in a new place, is hard.. maybe even painful. But at least I have Fala. She's not the same, but I still love her. And I spoil Belle rotten! Anyway! This Christmas should be a fun, quiet one. I am so looking forward to my first Christmas as a married couple!
So, that's my year. Very difficult, somewhat boring, but also definitely the happiest I've ever had. What are my predictions for next year? Well, I certainly hope I get a job! I've been unemployed for almost a year now, and that is difficult! Maybe I will fly out to CA for an unknown reason and see Camry again! Maybe Jake and I will decide to start expanding our family. Fala will become a senior citizen (nooooo!). I will have a new sister being born (my dads new wife is pregnant and due in February). I will have 3 new neices/nephews being born. I will probably have some more grandpups join the guide dog world.
Who knows. We will just have to wait and see. ;)
Monday, December 6, 2010
Winter is here!
Yesterday there was a pathetic snowfall. Really, it all settled on the tree's and melted on the ground. Something about the ground being warmer than the trees, blah blah blah. Either way, it was quite discouraging. I was ready for the snow! The REAL stuff. I woke up this morning to lots of snow coming down. And it hasn't stopped! These pictures were taken around 10am. I just went outside again and I stepped down into the snow and sunk up to about mid-shin. CRAZY!! I LOVE it.
Fala hates it. When we had just a few inches of snow (like, 1-2) she loved it. On walks she would run through it, tail a-waggin. This morning? Not so much. She seemed completely offended. She stared at me, and didn't think my "happy voice" was very encouraging at all. 10 minutes later, she finally pee'd. Same thing happened this afternoon. Even deeper snow, even unhappier Fala. She even almost made me face plant in an attempt to get back to the house. NOT OKAY Fala!
I am more excited for this weekend when the snow is supposed to continue, and I will have my husband to enjoy it with. It's just boring when you can't express your happiness to anyone!
Oh and P.S. The low for Wednesday is 3... Maine winter, here we come!
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