Enjoying the Journey

Weekend of FUN!!!

2009-11-24T22:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I went for a 6 mile run (hoping to do a half marathon in February with my mom), got some errands done, and did some gardening. On Sunday, I went to church...our pastor does the same message (for 20+ years) every year the weekend before Thanksgiving. Always a good reminder to be thankful and content with what you have and where you are in life. After church, I went out to eat with some of the high schoolers that are in the high school group I help with on Wednesday nights-always a fun time with them!

Then, on Sunday night I got to meet this woman...

...my sister and I got to meet the Ree Drummond/ The Pioneer Woman-what a fun night! We went with some friends and waited in line for THREE hours, but we had fun reading magazines and talking while we waited...and it was SO worth it. Ree was very nice and our cookbooks are now signed. I am hoping it will make my cinnamon rolls taste better when I make them this week for Thanksgiving :)

After the book signing, we went to dinner at King's Hawaiian-seriously that bread is heavenly. They bring you warm hawaiian rolls while you wait. The restaurant and food had a fun hawaiian vibe...made me excited for a potential trip to Hawaii with the fam in May.

Overall...great weekend...great people...great memories. Now off to fold some laundy...makes me miss the days I lived in New York and took my laundry to the "Fluff and Fold." However, I am thankful that I live in a wonderful house with a washer and dryer. I have so much to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

SUMMER 2009

2009-08-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

Overall I have had an AMAZING summer...and in my mind summer is not even close ending because it is my favorite and as long as I can lay out, it is still summer...no, I am not in denial :) Here are some summer highlights:

-Canada trip with the fam-I went to Canada with my sister and parents in May. We flew in to Seattle and explored around there for a day. It was my first time there and I loved it! Then , we went to Victoria, Canada. It was beautiful there! I would definitely go back-great parks, restaurants, coffee shops, and fun running trails. Then we went to another small town that was on Vancouver Island and stayed at a resort. It was also very pretty there and very relaxing. Me, my mom, and my sis did and spa day and that was just wonderful. We also celebrated my parents 30th anniversary while we were there!

-House Sitting Tour 2009-Let's just say I have a gift for finding house sitting jobs because I lined up six weeks of watching people's houses. The only problem is that the first job was the best...amazing garden full of veggies, not a lot of "chores", recently redone house, and my friend stocked the cupboards-what more can you ask for than lots of food?!! The next house was a great location, but I had to take care of their cat and hate cats because I am allergic to them and they are just weird creatures...definitely a dog person :) The house after that was kind of far from everything, but I did not have to do anything because it is my friends condo and there were no pets, plants, etc....it was a very relaxing week. The next house was the most intense on the chore aspect...I had a daily and weekly to do list. However this house had a pool and a chocolate lab-LOVED both of those. The best thing about house sitting was it kind of felt like I was taking mini vacations...the worst was the cleaning and laundry at the end of the week...but I had a couple of the people I house sat for ask me if I even stayed there because it was so clean...I guess I also have a gift for cleaning...I should mention that I sometimes had the help of my sister or friend that stayed with me at a couple of them :)

-The rest of the summer has been spent having fun on the island I live on with my family which has included walks to get starbucks/ice cream/ my fav mexican food place, laying out at the beach/bay, going for great runs, and spending time with the fam.

-I started working part time at my church in June (yes, my retirement partially ended and yes, I was kind of sad to miss all my morning work out classes). This is my sixth summer working at my church in the children's ministry department. It is always so much fun to go back and I was so thankful to get a job! I started my summer work by preparing for the preschool VBS program. I always love getting ready for VBS and seeing it all come together. I go to a rather large church and there were almost 2,000 kids that came that week. It was awesome! I continued to work very part time after VBS doing administrative work. My sister also worked at the church this summer doing part time admin. work and I am actually in the process of being trained by her for the position she was doing since she is going back to school and I need a job and an income. So, I now have a permanent position at the church, which feels kind of weird because in the past I have only worked there in the summer...we will see how it goes. I am working for one of my really good friends, so I think it will be great!

-I also started a new per diem hospice social work job. I kind of thought I was done with social work forever, but this is just per diem and so far I only have two patients, so I think I can handle it. It is definitely an adjustment to working with those that are dying and their families. I have already been in some intense emotional situations and I am sure there will be many more. I do not think I could do this job if I was not a Christian and I did not know where I was going to go when I die. I am so thankful to have Jesus Christ as a my Savior and know that he is preparing a place for me in Heaven. Already this job is probably the one that I have had to rely on God the most and He is teaching me so much. Hospice social work is not something I can do in my own strength.

-It has been nice not working full time this summer because I have gotten to spend a lot of time outside in the sun and see many of my friends. I wish that summer could go on and on. I think the only way I could look forward to fall is if I was going back to school...I know I am weird, but I would just keep going to school if someone would pay me. Eventually I would like to get another masters degree or my PhD, but I think I need to pay off the loans from getting my masters before I add anymore debt to myself.

Off to enjoy some more summer time fun!

Work It Out

2009-05-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

So, during my time of "retirement" I have really gotten into to working out. I have always been pretty active, well except for the time I lived in New York and tried to justify walking the city streets as a work out. Surprisingly, walking at least an hour a day did not compensate for my diet that consisted of Dunkin Donuts, pizza, cookies, mac&cheese, pie, Tasti D-Lite, etc....Weird, I know. Let's just say that I am about 20 pounds lighter than I was then. Good thing I did not stay in New York....clearly that city has the best selection of food in the world and it is a dangerous place for one's figure.

Anyways, these past four months I have really been able to focus on working out and eating pretty well. I have made a great friend that I meet at the gym most of the days during the week to do the group exercise classes. Monday we go to Amped Abs and Core Central, Tuesday is Yoga, Wednesday is Zumba (LOVE this one!) and Pilates, Thursday is Salsa and Yoga, and Friday is Pilates. I absolutely love all of the classes and I am going to be so sad when I start working and won't be able to attend my daytime classes.

I have also been getting very into running. I have always loved running and did track and field in high school. I try to run two or three miles four times a week and then I try to do a longer run once or twice a week. Today I ran 7 miles and I was so excited! It was a great run! I ran along the bay and the beach to this point where you go down a hill and there are tide pools. I have always loved going to the tide pools and looking for sea creatures. I headed back home along PCH. It was fun to run by all the shops and watch all the people that were out and about. I ended my run going down hill (I love going down hill :) and ran along a section of docks where there are some huge yachts. I felt a great sense of accomplishment as I ran back over the bridge to the island where I live. I am hoping to keep on increasing my miles and do a half mararthon soon...and hopefully a full marathon one day. Both of my parents ran a marathon, so I am hoping that I have some of their running genes. I love the way that running and working out makes me feel. Well, except for the fact that I am already sore from my run, but it is the good kind of sore :)

Grown Up

2009-04-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

When are you considered a grown up? Graduating college? Getting a full time job? Getting married? Having kids? I feel like everyone has an idea for themselves or other people about what it means to be grown up. I am in my mid-twenties, but I rarely feel grown up. Maybe it is because people often think I am 18 upon first meeting me. I am sure once they start talking to me, they realize how mature and wonderful I am...haha...well, actually I hope so! I have a master's degree, but no job and really I am not sure what I want to do next. I keep applying to jobs, but this economy has provided no such luck in even getting an interview. I think I will get married one day, but I don't think that will happen for awhile. Same thing with kids...definitely not happening for awhile considering that depends on when I get married. I was living by myself at my grandparents house while they were living in the desert, but they moved back for the summer, so as of last night I am back to living at my parent's house. I am feeling very far from grown up...well at least in my opinion.

I kind of feel like a little kid again, well at least how I felt in high school....dependent on others, not sure where my life is going to go, annoyed with boys :) Now, don't get me wrong, I have matured some since then and my walk with God has deepened on many levels, but essentially I feel like I am taking steps backward. I am sure I will have a job again soon and it is looking like I may be able to move back into my grandparents house in the fall, so I know that this is just a time in my life I have to go through right now (hopefully just a short time).

I hope that eventually I a find a job I love and am able to completely support myself. In the meantime, I will try to "Enjoy the Journey" as I mentioned in a previous post and focus on the positives...my parents live on a beautiful island, I have my own bedroom and bathroom, and the rent is free-can't beat that! I am trying to be a good sport, but I do often ask God, where He is taking me. I can be so impatient and I always want to know what is going to happen next. Maybe one day I will feel grown up...on second thought I don't know if I ever want to feel grown up...I for sure do not mind people continuing to mistake me for an 18 year old looks wise :)

I am reading the book Believing God by Beth Moore. So far I love it! The book has really challenged me to really believe God and what He says. I am believing God that He has something great in store for me and my future!

The Desert

2009-04-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my family and I went to Palm Desert for Easter. We have gone there almost every year for Easter and I always look forward to it. I love it out there! We celebrated Easter with my grandparents. It was really pretty and perfect for laying out by the pool. I went for a great run to the Marriott hotel which is shown above. It was fun to watch all the kids there in their cute Easter outfits enjoying all the hotel activities. The Easter Bunny was not a slacker this year...my mom still makes my sister and I hunt for our baskets...we found them full of candy, gift cards, and other fun things we wanted...good thing we still believe :)

I can't wait to go back to the desert in the summer when it is really hot! As long as the weather is under 110 degrees I am a happy camper. I am definitely a beach girl, but there is something that is so relaxing and peaceful about the desert. I would have to say that Palm Desert is definitely my favorite getaway destination!

Not the Destination

2009-04-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

A couple nights ago I watched the Academy of Country Music Awards with my family and I have to say it was a great show! I LOVE country music and it was so much fun to watch the performances and acceptance speeches. When they talked about Trace Adkins and his song "You're Gonna Miss This," it hit me that I have never really explained the title of my blog. The song talks about a father encouraging her daughter to enjoy each part of her life at that moment. The song always brings me back to a talk I had with my dad not long after graduating from grad school.

I was upset to say the least...I had a master's degree, but no real job lined up....I had just broken up with my boyfriend whom I had been dating for almost four years while most of my friends were getting engaged or married...I was confused....why did things not happen like I thought they would?....God has a plan for my life-right?...Am I not smart enough?....Will anyone ever want to marry me?...What do I even do next?

As I poured my heart out through my tears to my Dad, I could see the love in his eyes that he has always shown to me and he began to give me some advice that I still apply to my life daily. He said, "Meg, you have got to start enjoying the journey and not destination." I looked at him, still a little confused. He continued to explain that so often in life, people are always looking to find satisfaction upon arriving at their destination and they miss all the fun parts of the journey along the way. It was true...up until that point I put a lot of my focus and self-worth on getting degrees, landing the perfect job, finding my husband, etc.

From that day on, I have always done my best to "Enjoy the Journey and NOT the Destination." Do I enjoy every day? No. Do I try? Yes. The funny thing is that I am still trying to figure out where I want to go with my career and I am nowhere close to getting married. However, I am really trying to enjoy this time in my life because I know that one day I will look back and miss this time. I am so glad that my dad pointed this out to me and my heavenly father helps to bring me joy on this path that he has put me on. It has not made the past couple of years easier, but it has made them more exciting and I have learned so much! It is always amazing to look back and see God at work in my life when at that time I felt like I was not achieving anything. I guess it is truly in my weakness that He is my strength. When Trace Adkins' song was mentioned on the awards show, my dad said, "That is a great song," and I said, "Yep-enjoying the journey and not the destination." Lesson learned :)

Little Adventure

2009-03-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago I went for a run and when I came back, I just knew I had to get back outside because it was a BEAUTIFUL and WARM day. So, after a little snack to re-charge, I set out on my bike. I decided I would just ride for awhile and see where I ended up...I was gone for almost two hours :) I started out on the boardwalk and took in all the wonderful aspects of riding at the beach. At this point I started to get very excited for summer! As I was riding, I passed the elementary school where I went from Kindergarten to 5th grade. As I passed some women on their bikes, I heard them say, "How lucky are these kids that get to go to a school that is right on the beach?" I just smiled because I was one of those lucky kids.

I continued on my ride and made it to "The Wedge" which is where there are often big waves. On this day they were a pretty good size and guys kept running in the water and catching wave after wave. After watching a couple of sets, I continued on my journey. I passed the "Fun Zone" where I have played many games ski ball...thanks to my mom and her passion for the game :) Then, I took the ferry over to an island. I rode around the island for a little while and had to stop at Starbucks to get some iced tea...it was more exciting than the water bottle that was sitting in my basket!

I left the island and sipped my iced tea as I took the ferry back across the harbor. It was just so beautiful to be on the ferry with the water sparkling and the sun shining. On my way home I rode my bike along the bay and enjoyed looking at beautiful homes and boats. Since it happened to be on my way back (ok, I totally planned it), I stopped at my favorite coffee shop and got a chai latte (AKA my new addiction). It is just so good! I will admit that it was slightly hard to drink the latte while I was riding and I might have lost a couple drops, but I made it work.

When I got home I quickly changed into my suit and cover up and headed to the beach. All in all it was a great day and it showed me that sometimes the best little adventures are not planned or expected, but they are always fun! Another great perk was that I got some sun...it felt so good to be somewhat tan again!

Retirement

2009-03-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

Due to some various reasons, I left my job a couple months ago. I have had many people tell me that this is not the time to leave a job...you know in the midst of economic turmoil (yes, I am aware...most of my days at my old job were spent talking with homeless and low income families), but I have to say that so far this has been one of the best decisions of my life. Do not get me wrong, there are some days when I struggle with anxiety of not knowing what I am going to do next and the regret of not having the comfort of receiving a paycheck every two weeks. However, I have felt the best I have in a long time physically, mentally, and spiritually.

This is the first time I have really taken a break. I went to college and went straight to graduate school, which I completed in 9 months. Yep, that is two degrees in five years for those that are counting. Every summer between school I was working and after graduating grad school, I started working about four days after I got home from NY. Yes, I am definitely a high achiever and a type A kind of girl. So, it is not easy for me to take a break and just enjoy life, but let me tell you these past couple of months have been AMAZING!!!

I go to the gym every morning during the week and have even made a new friend that I do group classes with. I am doing Beth Moore's Esther Bible study, which has been exceptional and has taught me many new things about myself, God, and my relationship with Him and others. I have had the time to meet friends and family for lunch. I have also had time to garden, walk on the beach, bake, volunteer at church, babysit some of my favorite little friends, and just enjoy the simple things of life.

I often joke with friends that I am practicing being a stay at home mom, minus the kids and the husband :) I also say that I have finally found what I am good at-RETIREMENT! Forget retiring in your mid 60's, I think mid 20's is much better. I went to visit my grandparents in Palm Springs...played a great round of golf, laid out by the pool, and played bingo (not to brag, but I did win $28). See, I am pretty good at retirement. I know.

I am searching for jobs, but definitely enjoying this time of relaxation and restoration that God has blessed me with. It is a time in my life where I do not have many responsibilities or bills and I am taking advantage of that fact. Also, thanks to my tax refund, I have been able to extend my retirement :) I am sure I will have a job again in the near future, so I am really trying to enjoy my freedom days. I pray that God will lead me in finding a job where I will be able to use my skills He has blessed me with and ultimately be put in place that will glorify Him.

On my last day of work "God" (my mom:) sent me the following email:

-A promise from Psalm 16:11-You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

-A prayer-Help me learn to rely on you alone for all that I need in every part of my life. In Your name Amen.

Enjoy some free time and most of all, have fun!!! Love, God

I pray for God's guidance in my path of life, that I would continue to find joy in His presence, and that I will rely on Him for all my needs. Now, off to have some more fun!!!

Holiday Highlights

2009-01-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

My Sis and I at Rockefeller Center

Going to New York with My Family:

-Seeing White Christmas and Wicked on Broadway

-Eating at wonderful restaurants

-Shopping all over the city

-Ice Skating at Rockefeller Center while it was snowing

-Seeing my old apartment

-Walking 60 blocks down 5th Ave. and wandering around the NYU campus

Being at Home:

-Spending time with my grandparents

-Sleeping in

-Shopping for Christmas gifts

-Eating at my favorite coffee shop many mornings and going for tea many nights

-Spending quality time and laughing with good friends

Christmas:

-Going to Christmas Eve service and going out to eat afterwards with my family and friends

-Making my first ever homemade cinnamon rolls

-Watching kids play with their toys

-Giving my family their presents

-Seeing most of my extended family and catching up on life

-Realizing the impact that Jesus' birth has had on my life

New Years:

-Having a great friend to hang out with on New Year's Eve

-Playing board games with a fun group of people

-Toasting to the new year with hot chocolate

-Eating donuts and drinking Starbucks while watching the Rose Parade

-Enjoying a fresh start which will hopefully turn into a wonderful adventure

These past couple of weeks have been truly amazing and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me this year. I hope that this year will include me doing my best to love God with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Happy New Year!

It has been awhile

2008-12-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

I have not written a post for quite some time. I have been sick for about the past month and work has been crazy. I am hoping that I will feel better soon and I will be full of life like normal. On Saturday, I go to New York and I am sooooo excited! I went to graduate school at NYU and lived in the city, so it is always fun to go back. This will be the sixth year that my family and I go to New York right before Christmas. We love to shop, eat, walk around, ice skate, and just enjoy everything the city has to offer. I am looking forward to going to some of my fav restaurants and just walking the city streets. There are many times that I think I want to move back to the city and then I remind myself how it is cold, I hate the subways, and I like to take life at a slower pace than New York has to offer. However, there are many reasons I love the city, so it is always a treat for me to take a trip there. I am already trying to mentally prepare for the cold...because CA cold and NY cold are two very different things. NYC, here I come!

The Move

2008-10-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

I moved into my grandparents house last weekend. They go to the desert for the fall through spring months, which leaves their house open...for me!!! Yes I am greatly loved by my family and extremely blessed by God. I have been on cloud nine (or "stoked" as my grandpa would say) for the past couple of days. I have been organizing my room, which I love becuase somehow if I know where all of my things are I feel better about my life...weird...I know. You really realize how much stuff you have when you move...I have almost 30 pairs of shoes and I am not even a shoe person...I also got rid of three trashbags of stuff...that felt good. This is the first time I have lived by myself and I am loving it. I have lived with roommates and that has been fun too, but I am excited for this adventure. At night it is very quiet when I go to bed...last night I may or may not have listened to Tim Timmon's worship songs while I fell asleep. I went to bed with a smile on my face, that is what I will tell you.
Now, I am not completely alone becuase I know half the neighborhood due to the fact that it is the same one I spent 18 years of my life in. Last night, my friend that I grew up with and now lives a couple doors down, came over and we caught up on life. My mom also stopped by and brought dinner...excellent! Then some other family friends stopped by...it was a wild night...let me tell you. Over the next couple of nights I have some friends coming to spend the night...it is so great to say "Welcome to my house!" Even though it is not really mine, I am great at pretending and it is mine for right now. I will be staying at this house through the end of spring and then I will have to figure out what my next adventure will be. However, I am going to do my best to enjoy every minute of living in this house. Did I mention I do not have to pay rent and I can walk to the beach...which would only take about two minutes? Yes, I am truly blessed!!!

The Song

2008-10-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

You know when a song really describes something in your life? One that you can sing with passion because you have felt the same emotions being poured out through the words. One that can make you cry. One that makes you feel better because maybe you are not the only one who has felt that way. Recently that song has been Keep You by Sugarland...

Now I can't laugh, can't cry.

And I can't run, can't hide.

What do I gotta do?

What do I gotta do to keep you?

What do I gotta do to keep you

from doing this to me?

You get used to the pain, and numb to the sting

Till you can't feel anything.

Now (thank you Jesus!) I have been able to move forward recently, but there are still hard days that remind me of being in a place of feeling stuck and paralyzed. Thank God for His constant listening ear and comfort that can come only from Him. And thank you Sugarland for giving me a song to sing on the top of my lungs. :)

Just Add it to the List

2008-10-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

See the eye to the right...that is what mine used to look like. I went to the eye doctor today because I had a small growth in the corner of my eye. My hypochondriac self was thinking cancer and my optimistic self was thinking that some type of drops would make it go away. Well, it is some where in between. I have what eye doctors would like to call Pinguicula. It is benign, but it will never go away...ever. Do you know why I got this? It is because of my dislike of sunglasses. The darn UV rays have created a growth that is here to stay. I used to view sunglasses as a way to look good when I did not put on make up, now I am going to wear them to protect my eyeballs and attempt to keep my vision. The eye doctor said that there are some drops that can make it go away for a couple hours...you know for all those hot dates where I am not ready to disclose my pinguicula.

This is honestly another thing to add to my list of weird conditions: hand, foot, & mouth disease, unexplained rash on my face, excema, bump on my head due to flying golf ball, fractured bone in my foot...the list goes on, but I think if I continue I would bore people and convince myself that death is near. The good news is that I still have close to perfect vision. No glasses or contacts for me, just a growth, thank you. Well, off to rest my eye (thank God it is only in the left one at this time)...the doctor said that little sleep could make it appear worse....I am going to start getting more rest and be the girl who is always carrying eye drops. Let's all just try to focus more on my right eye...that is my goal...well, my real goal is to wear eye ball savers (sun glasses) any time I am outside.

Some Things...

2008-10-07T22:47:00.000-07:00

...I Love

-God pulling together a workshop for work and I think He wants to teach people about more than just finances... great move in my opinion

-Wonderful friends who continue listening to me discuss the various aspects of my life for hours and encourage me all the time

-The Office re-run that is on right now

-Being out of the office most the day and knowing I am leaving at 2:30 tomorrow (even if it is for an eye doctor appointment)

-Tetris

-That it is October and I got an iced tea at Starbucks today because it is still hot

-My bed... now if only I could sleep in tomorrow... one can dream

Weekend Recap

2008-10-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was quite entertaining! Friday night...went to dinner at one of my favorite places with a friend, my mom, and her friend. After dinner I asked my friend (whom for now will be anonymous due to previous requests/demands) if she wanted to go see Stepbrothers again (we already saw it a couple months ago)...I also informed her that it was at the dollar theater. Without hesitating she said, "let's go"...and that is why she is my friend. The movie was even better the second time. I really do love stupid humor...it gets me every time. Let's just say that a couple more things happened that night that made us laugh even harder...life is so entertaining.

Saturday morning was spent at the usual breakfast spot followed by some shopping and hanging out with friends...a great relaxing day overall. That night was not so relaxing...I will just say that it was probably one of the most awkward nights of my life...that is all I will say and I am not even exaggerating one tiny bit.

Sunday started out with church...great message about the Sabbath...saw my favorite kids in the world...and toured the church's new high school building... let's just say that when I was in high school my building was apparently missing basketball courts, wii, skate park, recording studio...crazy. I took the Sabbath message to heart and practiced with taking a nap. :) That night I went to my friends' house for dinner. Great food and great group of people...what more could you ask for? It was a great way to end the weekend.

Over the past couple of weeks I have realized that there are some times that you need to take action and not just wait for things to come to you. I am also keeping in mind that God is in control and does not need my help, but with that said, I am doing my best to change the things in my life that I feel will help me to grow in all aspects of my life. Well, off to do some reading and then watch the Hills... I am very balanced. :)

The Beginning

2008-09-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been wanting to start this for quite some time...so here begins my blog. I am not quite sure what I will share, but I hope it is somewhat entertaining and will give some insight into the life of a 24 year old trying to enjoy the adventure of life. Story for today: My mom emails me to let me know that my grandpa thinks I need a bike...don't really need one, but I think it will give him something fun to do, so maybe I will tell him that I have really been wanting one. This will probably be the topic of my next four conversations with my grandpa. Gotta love him!