C.S. Lewis Song

If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy,
I can only conclude that I was not made for here
If the flesh that I fight is at best only light and momentary,
then of course I'll feel nude when to where I'm destined I'm compared

Speak to me in the light of the dawn
Mercy comes with the morning
I will sigh and with all creation groan
As I wait for hope to come for me
Am I lost or just less found?
On the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?
is this a soul that stirs in me,
is it breaking free, wanting to come alive?
'Cos my comfort would prefer for me to be numb
And avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become

For we, we are not long here
Our time is but a breath, so we better breathe it
And I, I was made to live,
I was made to love, I was made to know you
Hope is coming for me,Hope is coming for me

Speak to me in the light of the dawn
Mercy comes with the morning
I will sigh and with all creation groan
As I wait for hope to come for me

Late 20's.

I'm getting older. It's official- i'm in my late 20's. I can't really believe it. It always seems like a shocker every year, "OMG, I'm soooo old!"
Does it always have the same reaction the older I get?
"Wait til you hit 30" they tell me. Oi! I don't even want to think about that.
The question is, am I content where I am in life? am I happy?
I mean, I'm not married and I don't have any kids, though those are a couple of my desires.
Am I really ok with that?
I think so.
I had the chance for that life 5 years ago and it wasn't right. It wasn't the right person, nor the correct timing.
I'll admit, it's a bit difficult at times when I see friends my age who are just getting married and/or having their first child. Then I think, "That could have been me." I quickly snap out of it, shake my head and erase the thought like an etch-a-sketch.

I can't let my age pressure me. There's no rush.

God is working in me and my life in over time right now. That's my focus. And for that, I am Happy with where He has me right now.

So, here's to the big 2-8. Another year in my walk. Thanking Him for this life so far.

CHEERS!

THEN:

NOW:


















CHEERS & JEERS:

CHEERS: Going back to Fairfax for a few days, for the bday weekend.
JEERS: Feeling a difference in friendships. Close ones. Different vibes.
There's distance in the air and I can not make it leave, and I don't like it one bit.

CHEERS: Getting to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a while, at the bday lunch.
JEERS: Not getting a chance to talk with everyone.

CHEERS: Not being alone on my bday. Celebrating with Todd, Matt & Sarah.
JEERS: Birthday on a monday. Lame.

CHEERS: Hanging out with Todd today.
JEERS: Embarrassing myself in conversation. My face is still red.

CHEERS: Worship this morning at Relevant, The people at Relevant, RELEVANT, RELEVANT, RELEVANT!
No JEERS necessary.

I love Surprises!

This weekend has been completely random...but in a good way.

My friend, Ali B. came for a surprise visit.

She arrived around 6pm, I showed her around the place, sat down and caught up, and then ... word vomit. Not sure where it came from.
It went a little something like this- Conversation, conversation,this and that, "HEY! Wanna go to Busch Gardens?"
Best.idea.ever.
She was so stoked. We purchased our discount tickets and were on our way to the last weekend of Howl-O-Scream.
We had a solid time. It is agreed that rides at night are waaay better than riding during the day.
It gives you a little more thrill - You can't see anything, you don't know where the next drop is, You see shooting stars while hanging at the top.
And then you have the TURKEY LEGS.
Man, those legs are good and quite enjoyable (just don't think about what you're eating)
I don't know what it is about turkey legs. People are drawn to them and can't stop starring at you when you're eating one.It also strikes up a good conversation when you're in line. You almost want to offer them a bite.
Just be sure not to eat one before a big ride. It doesn't settle so well. My tummy was all over the place. Yet, I managed. Everything stayed down. Yummers.
All in all, Howl-O-Scream did it's job. I jumped, I screamed, I almost punched the werewolf that jumped out at me...I had a super time.

We spent our Saturday in CW (colonial w-burg)
It was homecoming weekend for W&M and downtown was packed with alumni.

On our way there, I noticed the car next to us - pointing,laughing and trying to tell me something, along with some gesture they were making with their hands.
I looked closer,rolled down my window and said...
Nothing. I didn't say anything.
They spoke up first and said "We're going to get you next weekend, it's on!" while saying that, everyone in their car shot up the gun signal.
I then realized, they weren't out to get me. They looked too clean cut to start any ruckus.
It was just a bunch of Texas Tech'ers responding to my Texas Longhorn on my jeep.
We then shared some laughs and some cut downs- All at the red light.
Ali was a bit shocked that ANY car would stop and talk like that. In NOVA you wouldn't dare see such a thing. Heh.
So, back to CW...
We walked around, window shopped and had lunch at The Cheese Shop.
Again, I heard so much about this place and yet I walked out thinking it was just "ok"
Meh, that's just me.
Now, one place I do love is Aroma's.
Such a neat environment.
We spent our afternoon there. Had a laptop party,exchanged music,online advice-shoe shopped and drank some coffee.
It was quite relaxing and cliche.
After while, Ali B. had to leave me.
I very much enjoyed her company and the surprise. Thanks Al :)

Now it's time to get back to work. I have tons to do and A lot to show.

Back on track I say, back on track.





CHEERS & JEERS:

CHEERS: Howl-O-Scream = great fun
JEERS: Not so much fun watching all the middle school'ers make out EVERYWHERE. Yuckers.

CHEERS: Mariachi's singing to me during dinner at a superb Mexican restaurant.
JEERS: Missing the ranchero's my pops used to sing.

CHEERS: Dinner with stacy at the Chinese joint.
JEERS: Eating frog legs and getting sick afterwards. JEERS #2: Our waitress asked me if I was Asian. HA! it never fails. EVER.

CHEERS: Work week has been the best since I started a month ago
JEERS: Finding out shady things about my co-workers and Principal...Shaaaaaaaaaaady.

CHEERS: Getting a hug from Ali B.
JEERS: People around here don't hug. I need hugs :(

CHEERS: Halloween coming up, trick or treaters to treat!
JEERS: Nay. I will be on the road, heading back from my voice lesson. Hopefully the zombie dear won't attack.

Do you ever feel...

like Satan is destroying your journey?

Well, he's trying with me. Maaaan is he trying.

He can bring it.

I will ULTIMATE PUNCH him in the nads. Yes. satan has nads, and I will destroy them.

The little things that bring me joy..

This site: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors

Music therapy?

This is what I get paid to do...On a good day.

1 new message

God's Appointed Time
by Anabel Gillham

"Lord, I want to know Your ways, please. I don't want to be controlled by my emotions, nor by my ignorance. I want to be able to watch—unperturbed—your acts—understand Your ways."

But so often, we want Him to act now—we want to see His acts! We can't understand why He delays, why He allows this to continue, why He allowed it in the first place! "Act, Lord! Act!"

We cannot understand all the ways of the Lord. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways." That we can accept without fully understanding!

One of those ways is His timing…"God's appointed time"… "The fullness of time…"

"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" (Hab. 2:3 TLB)

God has heard your prayers. Right now, He is working on all of the minute details. And at the appointed time, you will hear Him say, "All things are now ready." And in His own unfathomable way… it comes to pass.

Weekend With Relevant..

Greater things are still to be done in this city...

Wow, what a weekend!

This weekend was the beginning of Relevant, the beginning of people knowing who we are and what we're all about.
We mailed out over 13,000 postcards and posted an half a page ad in the local paper. This was all to announce our 4 open house events.
We had the first 2 this last weekend and 2 more this weekend.
We also had some pretty sweet shirts made.


Saturday started off to be a great day. My Longhorns Beat OU (O who?), the weather was beautiful and ended up turning into a beautiful evening. Check out the sky as we began our first open house.

We had a great turnout this last weekend and I am looking forward to seeing what this weekend brings.
So far, we have been receiving great feedback from the community regarding the postcards.
People have been emailing, asking questions and setting up coffee/lunch dates with Travis.
It's very clear that Williamsburg is hungry, and is in need of something solid.
It's amazing how similar the stories are.
How mostly all have been searching for a church to get plugged into and have yet to find one in Wiliamsburg.
I pray that we can be that church for them. I pray that we continue to reach out to the community and William & Mary.
This week we're focusing on the campus and hoping to connect with them.
Please keep Relevant in your prayers.

Also, You should check out Travis' blog. It's a good read :)
http://irrrelevant.blogspot.com/

Say it, don't spray it!

Uh oh, I'm slacking off on this blogging bit.

When I want to write, I'm usually too exhausted or can't think straight.

Forgive me.

So, let's catch up, eh?

Let's see...What's new?

My weekend was pretty amazing.
I was able to have a nice weekend with some friends from Fairfax. A pleasant retreat to the beach. So nice, so relaxing. Just what I needed.
It was nice to have them here in Williamsburg for a bit. It made my heart happy.
I loved having them around and I was very sad to see them go.
It was also nice to catch up with a few faces that I hadn't seen or spoken to in a while.
So yes, My weekend was beautiful and you would think the beauty would carry over to begin my week...right?
Wrong-O.
Beauty was quite the let down this week.
Any recollection of my relaxing weekend quickly vanished. Out the door. Adios.
Monday said "get outta here pretty memories and relaxed brain, we don't accept your kind!"
Monday was pretty nutso and Tuesday...oh man, Tuesday...I don't think there is a word to describe the happenings of Tuesday.
Let's just say, I've never experienced exhaustion the way I did yesterday.
I know I say this a lot, but I promise you. Every ounce of energy had been squeezed out of me.
I was like a drained wash cloth, twisted to drain the last drop and then hung out left to dry.
I experienced a 7 hour melt down with a student. No kidding. It was non stop. I was constantly on guard, trying to figure out new ways to calm a 6 yr old with a horrible case of Smith McGuinness.
I mean, I tried everything.
The moment the student got off the bus, I knew something was up. I could see it in her face. She was teetering towards a meltdown.
I thought "sure, she'll have at least 2 later on today, no biggie."
Boy, was I wrong.
It all began at breakfast. Something set her off.
She was eating sausage and biscuits and before I knew it and before I could stop it.(it happened all to fast)
The huge wad of chewed up, saliva covered chunks of Sausage and biscuits,quickly covered my face. All over. Y-uck.
The hardest part of this job is that you can't react the way you normally would in a situation like that. These kids feed off of your reaction.
That started off the morning and it only got worse from there.
Can't really go into too much details, but that's a sniff of how Tuesday went.
I am happy to say that today was a WHOLE lot better and we only had 1 episode.
Heck, i'll take that over 7 hrs. any day.

In other news- Relevant is moving along famously.
This weekend we kick off one of our open house events. I'm pretty excited about it and can't wait to see the turn out.
We mailed out about 13,000 post cards announcing the event and who we are.
Travis has been receiving several responses already, and it's amazing how the ones he shared with me, are all pretty much the same.
Everyone has been seeking a church here in W-burg, and they have yet to find one.
I pray that we can be that church for them.
Please keep Relevant, Williamsburg, and the upcoming 'open house' events, in your prayers.
Prayers to reach the community and spark an interest.
We're ready to dive in, serve and do what we have been called to do.

I'll be sure to fill you in...Stay tuned.


CHEERS & JEERS:

CHEERS: Having access to a lovely beach house and eagerly awaiting the relaxation that is to come...
JEERS: Arriving at the beach house and finding mice droppings ALL over the counter. G-ross.

CHEERS: Finding people to watch scary movies with!
JEERS: Our first scary movie night turned into a stupid Ninja, Samurai Hannibal Lecter, stupid movie. Stupid.

CHEERS: MY TBIRD FINALLY SOLD!
JEERS: I miss it already.

CHEERS: My lovlies visiting the 'burg for a bit
JEERS: Saying goodbye.

CHEERS: SKYPE conference calls are my new #1
JEERS: Not everyone has skype just yet. GET ON THAT!

CHEERS: My bday is coming up and I have a half day of work the friday leading into my bday weekend.
JEERS: I'M FREAKING OUT about my age. Seriously. I can't take it.

CHEERS: I can put my hair in a tiny ponytail (with a little help from a couple of bobby pins)
JEERS: I should never have cut my hair. I miss it too darn much.

How long have I been sleeping?!?

Where have I been?

Working and sleeping it seems.

Work is sucking all the energy I have right now.
Hopefully after this week, I'll get back in the swing of things.
So, week 2 and I wouldn't go as far as saying I enjoy my job, but I do enjoy the quick connection I have made with the kids.
Each day I learn something new about them, and I've also quickly picked up the need to knows.
I'm more comfortable with jumping in whenever assistance is needed.
My one on one has been in and out of school for the past 2 weeks, so my days have been kind of slow.
The one thing that speeds up the day is being able to play my guitar for a solid hour.
The kids connect so well with music, it's amazing. Absolutely amazing.
You should see how much it calms them down and how much they LOVE it.
That time of the day is the only time I see them sitting still and quiet...
And for most of them, that's hard. Especially for a long period of time.
Heh, You might as well call me Raffi, cause I've had to switch it up and learn childrens songs.
Ya know, such hits as: The itsy bitsy spider, You are my sunshine, apples and bananas, and my all time fave- The ABC song.
Only the classics.
It's been fun, but man! My fingers are raw. In fact, it hurts to type right now.

I shall continue this tomorrow...

Sleep it off.

I've had a long/rough day and I just really need to sleep it off.

This has been the longest week ever. The days are SO slow and get even slower the last hour of work.

My student has been out all week, with one tiny appearance on Tuesday.

I did get to meet her for a bit.

She's adorable and the sweetest girl. We're going to have a good time and many laughs. I can already tell.
When I was introducing myself, I asked her if she could say "Ms.Sanchez"
She looked at me and said "Of course" she thought about it for a bit and said "Ms.Sandwich"
I wanted to laugh out loud so bad, but I didn't want her to think I was laughing at her.
She is one of our verbal students, but still not so clear.
I have to say that it is quite humorous when the students are learning my name.
Through out the years I have gotten:
Ms.Chest, Ms.Sunkist, Ms.Sanji,and My all time fave- Ms.Sunchips.

This week, since my student has been absent, I've spent most of my time working with the other kids and getting to know them.
One student in particular you have to be super careful with.
You say or do something wrong to upset her, she quickly will turn on you.
This then turns into Punching, hitting, kicking, screaming, scratching, biting, spitting, cursing, pulling your hair or what ever is free to grab.

This was all stuff I was warned about on Monday before she arrived.
Well, today I got to experience all of that. It broke my heart.
It happened so fast, i'm not even sure what triggered it.
She quickly became upset, started spitting, super tight grip on the hair- it took 2 other people to get her to let go.
As soon as I was able to get away, she began punching herself and screaming so loud. It was awful. At that point, I didn't know what to do to calm her down.
I could tell she was trying to control herself, but she just couldn't do it.
As I was trying to calm her down, she was screaming and crying out "sorry sorry, good girl, good girl"

The other teachers said to leave her and let her get control of herself and that the more attention I gave her, she would only get worse.
As much as I hated to, I had to walk away.
Tears started to fill my eyes.
I felt helpless and annoyed that there was nothing I could do to calm her down.

I've experienced other meltdowns before and controlled them just fine. But this one was by far the worst I've ever seen.

Later on she snapped out of it and was happy as could be and acted like nothing ever happened.

I have to learn again what it's like to be in this environment again. I have to learn not to get so attached and so involved. Not to take things personally and most of all, toughen up and get control of myself before I handle the situation at that time.
Talk about draining.
It can only get better from here...right?

At this time, it is way past my bed time and I'm ready to crash.

Rm 600

Day one and all I have to say is Wow.

Today went well, but I'll be honest, there was a point where I had a horrible attitude.

I feel that I was a tiny bit mislead in my interview.

I walked in to a totally different environment than expected.

I'm in a classroom with 6 adults and 5 students. All of which are girls.

Each student has a one on one. Which is usually ideal and what the parents want, but most schools don't have that in their budget or they shaft Special ed completely and work with what they have.
Luckily these parents have fought for it and succeeded. That's awesome.

So here's the deal. The deal that I wasn't expecting.
I'm back in the severely disabled classroom.
It's been a while since I've worked in that area.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just a tad bit harder and a lot more draining.
Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed to even have a job right now. It's just that I had plans/wishful thinking of not being in a classroom again and being able to work in full time ministry as my career.
It'll happen. I just have to be patient and do what I have to do until then.
I'm trying really hard to have a positive attitude about all of this, and stay motivated.

I didn't get to meet my student today. She was out sick.
I did get to hear a lot of stories and study her IEP a bit.
She is the highest functioning kid in the classroom. Verbal and mobile, unlike a couple of her classmates.
She's 13 and the center of attention. All eyes and attention are on her. She is known as the "DIVA" of the classroom.
She LOVES music and knows every Disney, High School Musical and pop song out there.
Good to know we have a couple of connections already ;)
In her case, she has something called Wolf Hirschhorn Sydrome.
Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome results from the deletion of the distal short arm of chromosome 4. A genetic error.
It causes malformations in most parts of the body because the genetic error affects- fetal growth and development.
Some of the symptoms of this disorder include:
Distinctive facial features such as prominent forehead, wideset eyes, and broad beaked nose.
Brain and muscles - profound mental retardation, small head, seizures (50% of individuals), low muscle tone, poor muscle development.
Bones - very short stature, facial deformities, malformations of hands and feet, chest, and spine and heart defects.
She suffers from seizures here and there, but those are pretty controlled.
She also has Prader Willies syndrome.
PW is an obsession for food and to eat continually without control and everything & anything in sight. Whether it's in the trash or on the floor. It doesn't matter.

I'm excited to meet her and I know my attitude will change as soon as I do.

I think today was just a bit overwhelming, unexpected and exhausting.

I came home and slept for a solid 3 hrs...in my work clothes.
I usually can't sleep during the day, but today - no issue at all.

In other news:
I traveled to NOVA Sunday after church, in hopes of selling my car to either of the 2 possible interests.
They were both pretty promising and seemed one of them was ready to go with the cash.
To make a long story short, One wasted his and my time and the other flaked.
Gah.
So, the car is still up for grabs.
It's parked in front of the Keipi's house right now and Mr & Mrs. Keipi are passing the word on to the people in their ministry.
*Sigh*
Soon enough, it'll be out of the way. Right?

Ok, I can't keep my eyes open much longer, so I will have to end here.

CHEERS&JEERS:

Cheers: I looked super cute on my first day...ha. Classy, yet youthful.
Jeers: I came home yogurt and other unmentionables on my clothing.


Cheers: Getting to hang with Aaro and Graham for a bit during the car escapades.
Jeers: leaving Alexandria later than expected and ended up being pulled over in front of my house with the Mr.Policeman questioning if I had been drinking or not. Heh.

First day of work!

I'm about to get in the shower, but had to write a little something!

Today is my first day of Work at Norge Elementary. Woot.

I'll be sure to write about it later tonight.

But first, check out my badge. It's waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than my FCPS picture. Ha.


Alrighty, Catch ya later.

Sunchips is back.

Yep, that is correct.
I received the call this morning. I got it. I got the job.

I'm back in the classroom.

I will be at an Elementary School with Special Ed.

I will be working specifically one on one with a student.

At the moment I'm not sure of the disabilities or age of the child I will be working with.

It's always a challenge stepping into new surroundings and learning about a new student.
So much goes into working with Special Ed.
It's more than just learning their name.
You have to learn each and every thing about them, and their disability.
You study that IEP until you know it from beginning to end.

Not to sound uber cheesy and what not, but It's SO rewarding working with special needs.
I actually prefer it over regular ed.
They are brilliant, disability or not. It's amazing how they connect with you and only you, and know every emotion and feeling without you displaying it. They know.

Heh, Do I sound like I've been doing this for 7 years?

Man, I'm old.

Anyhow, My prayer would be to be able to connect with the student and understand him and his needs. Patience and a lovely work environment. :)

It's time to put my professional pants on.


CHEERS & JEERS:

CHEERS: Hooray for being employed again, after a month of free time.
JEERS: Not having that much free time.

CHEERS: Making monies.
JEERS: James city county not paying as much as Fairfax county. HUGE pay cut.

CHEERS: Chatting with my brother everyday. He's a character, that Paul Sanchez. Cracking jokes, making me laugh. Just like the good 'ol days.
JEERS: Calling me "Yoko" and finds it fitting for my new, short do. Not funny.

CHEERS: The overly friendly Williamsburg community.
JEERS: So friendly, they feel the need to "holler" at me as I walk to my car "Dang, I wanna tap that. Can I tap that? Hey, i'm talking to you"

This is the one and only time...

Ok, don't make fun.
Just a little video instead of the forever long blog I usually do.

Ya dig?

Old friends, New lives, Marriage and such.

I just heard that one of my friends from back home (tx) is getting married in a few days.
I didn't even know she was engaged!

Ya see, there was a group of girls that I hung out with in high school and pretty much up until I moved to VA.

We were close.
We were in sports together, classes, youth group, musicals and even trouble... but only the good kind.
Most of our mothers taught for the school district and one of our dads happened to be a judge in our hometown. So..only the good kind of trouble (I promise mom)

They were even set to be my brides maids when I was planning a wedding.

I'm just saying, It just makes me sad that we have lost touch over the years and we have missed out on so much in each others lives.
I mean, I can't speak for them (with each other), but I'm totally out of the loop. SO much that facebook has to be the "life updater" to let me know that one of them is engaged or getting married.

I miss them all very much and plan to keep in better touch. In fact, phone dates are already in place.

Heh, it's kind of funny.
I was the first of our group to be engaged (7 yrs ago..wow) and then break the engagement.
And now, they are All or soon to be married.
Now I have ended up to be the last.

But that's ok. It doesn't bother me so much. Being single these days doesn't bother me as much anymore.
I mean, I should be freaking out because of my age....right? heh.

Although, the one thing that DOES bother me is when you haven't seen someone in a long time and one of the first things they ask you is "are you seeing anybody?", "how's the love life?"


I think my response has always been "It's not a priority of mine right now." or "I don't have time"


Lately it seems to be the most popular question. Some one just the other day told me that they were going to find me a "man".
I'm surprised.
It kind of died for a while and now it's back and ready to attack!

Great.

So, what do I say about it now?

Don't get me wrong, If the opportunity ever came up, I would make the time and make it a priority and give it the attention a relationship needed.

But what people don't understand is, it's not my place (or theirs ) to make it happen.
Song of Songs 8:4

It's the same thing I tell my youth and it's the same thing I tell adults.

Go about it the right way.
I've learned Many of lessons and still healing from those lessons too.

There have been interests before. Heck, I was even engaged. But it was not of God's interest, so I had to let go and move on.

Trust me. It's not worth the other route.
Been there, done that, Have the t-shirt...in multiple colors.

All I can say is, God knows.
He knows my heart and my deepest desires.
He and His timing will let me know.

So there. That is my answer to THE Question of the past 2 weeks.



I can be patient....can you?



CHEERS & JEERS!

CHEERS: Enjoying a day at the beach. Beautiful weather, good company and Waves that knocked me over on several occasions. That was fun
JEERS: The waves knocked me around so much, I was sliding around all over the sand and snagged a few "sand burns" Ooouuch.

CHEERS: Starting off my week with a phone call from the school district ready for an interview.
JEERS: Not being able to sleep due to the excitement of a possible job opp.

CHEERS: Being able to share things with friends and knowing that they're going to listen (even if they don't want to)
JEERS: Realizing, after the fact, that there's just some things you don't share. Even if you're dying to get it out of your system.

CHEERS: First time ever going to an interview with tattoo's and nose piercing :)
JEERS: Praying that the spiral part of my nose ring doesn't stick out during the interview.

CHEERS: Spending time with some of my close friends last weekend.
JEERS: losing a few of those friendships a bit at a time.

CHEERS: Finally getting to see Sarah McBalli!
JEERS: Not getting to spend much time with her :(

Removal of Nose Jewelry?

I have an interview today at 3pm with the School District, to work with Elem. Sp ed. and come to think of it, This is my first interview with tattoo's and a nose piercing.
Heh..yeah, I'm hardcore.

I mentioned that to my mom and she asked "Can you take it out?" and then followed with "oh, and cover your tattoo's."

I then replied with a simple "No. No I will not."

I don't think it would be an issue, do you?

Nah.

Anyhow, I'm off to turn on the "Professional Christina" switch and see what develops.

Catch ya in a bit.

I've been gone too long...

Annnnd I'm back.

Man,
What a fun, tiring, awkward, weird feeling and Eventful weekend. So many emotions, eh?

Friday morning I headed up to Fairfax for my voice lesson. That went well.
It seems that my voice is getting a tad bit stronger.
I was able to work more on my upper register and sound somewhat decent.
My voice teacher is a pretty rad man. A man who has met and sang with the 2 out of the 3 Tenors (and many more).
We did a lot of talking about opera and how I used to be classically trained.
Since I shared that tid bit, he now wants me to bring in a Soprano Piece.
I'm thinking- Vedrai Carino by W.A. Mozart. (Zerlina's aria from Don Giovanni)
Though it's been a while since i've busted out my operatic pipes, and not to mention my Italian...I think it'll be fun to practice again.
Exercising my upper reg. will definitely be a good move to strengthen my voice. Solid.

Before my lesson and serious birthday party planning. Aaro and I made a special visit to Waples Mill to see my kiddies.
Let me just say that I miss those kids like crazy and to see them happy to see me (and remember me), Made my day. Yeah, it almost made me want my job back...heh. jklol.

And of course it was fab to see the dynamic duo-Ms.Younger & Ms.Vaughn :)

After that, we met up with Christian for some lunch and party planning.

With great success, we planned a superb party for Pauli.
It was nice to be able to do that again and hang out with some people I missed dearly.
Pauli had a great time, and that's what counts.

I made it to Williamsburg in 2 hrs flat (around 12:30am)

I was so sleepy this morning and had a hard time waking up.
It made it easier after reminding myself that I was attending a pretty sweet church and then beach afterwards.
Mmmm, so nice :)

The beach was beautiful and empty. It was such a nice get away to clear your thoughts and talk with God.
I did a lot of thinking and praying while relaxing on my towel.
It was so refreshing and I can't wait to do it again.

All in all, it was an alright weekend.

Even though Friday night was a little off and made me feel a bit uncomfortable, the rest of the weekend made up for it.

P.S. Sorry my blog is a little bland and not in too much detail.

I still have a lot on my mind and very sleepy. Also, I still need to get some reading in before bed.

Usually a couple Cheers & Jeers would end this blog, but not tonight.

Mayhaps i'll pick up on that tomorrow.

Good night.

Home for the weekend!

Heading up to Fairfax for my Voice strengthening session...


Catch ya in a bit.

On sale!

First, forgive me for missing a day of blogging.

I needed to discipline myself and finish my reading for the week.

Not that reading is a chore, it's just that I get distracted easily.
I even told myself that when I finished one section of my studies, I could take a break and go for a Snoooooo cone! Yippee!
So, success. I then drove over to 'Sno to go' and snagged a small cherry sno cone.
Cherry-My all time fave, since forever ago when I told people I was Indian and thought my name was 'Mija' Sanchez.
Man, even as a child I wasn't claiming my roots. (a whole other discussion)

Anyhow, Sno to Go is a joint that EVERYONE raves about. Hence the excitement to try one.
The outcome: A bit overrated. (though I didn't get the ice cream filling that is an option.)
My dreams were shattered.
The burst of cherry flavor I eagerly anticipated, turned into a cough syrup explosion in my ever so sad mouth.
You know the face babies make when you give them something sour? Kind of a disgusted, eye squinting expression?
That was me. I was that baby.
I'll try not to blame one flavor of ruining my 'Sno to Go' experience.

In Todays news:

I finished my reading for the week!
Man, I tell ya...
After reading hours upon hours, non stop, Your eyes get all googly and weird. Not only that, but You yourself go a little crazy.
As soon as I was done, I ran around the house bursting into song and shouting random "I'M DOoooooNE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I NEED TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AAAAAUHDLFAJSDHF!!!"
No kidding.
Pardon me while I relive that moment with a huge *siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh* of relief.
I never thought I could get through the Gospels without including my own soundtrack.
"Jeeeeeeeeeeeesus Christ, Suuuuuuuuper Star" and "Preeeeeepare Ye the way of the Lord" (Godspell).
It's ok, one more week of hanging with Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. I can get through it.

After my outburst of craziness, I decided to go for a drive with the windows down.
The weather was pretty gray, but still a nice coolness/breeze.

I drove down Richmond rd, which is the "mainstreet" for tourists.

As I was driving, I noticed something glorious to my left. That something was calling out to me...

I found the OUTLETS! or The outlets found me! How ever you want to look at it.

I drove around to see what was there.
I didn't plan on shopping by any means, Until...

I saw that Nine West had a huge '50% OFF SALE' sign plastered all over the place.

My weakness. Shoes.

Sooo, I hopped out to take a peak.

Let's just say that I couldn't pass up such a GREAT DEAL on a couple pair of shoes.


No biggie, right? I just have to make some room.


Now it's time to relax, let my brain rest and watch a movie.


CHEERS & JEERS:

CHEERS: 2 new pairs of beautiful shoes that I will wear forever and always.
JEERS: The amount of crap i'm going to get for purchasing 2 pairs, when I just got rid of 20 + something pairs during the move.

CHEERS: Sitting at the kitchen table with your study material and a nice cup of tea, from morning to night.
JEERS: Sitting at the kitchen table from morning to night.

CHEERS: My short hair cuts off minutes from my shower time!
JEERS: It's even harder to fix with the hair straightener. GAH!

CHEERS: Great compliments so far on the new do...even from Mama.
JEERS: I look like a college girl.



JEERS: Sno-to-Go

I did it!

I can't believe it.

It's finally above my shoulders.

It's going to take a while to get used to.

I don't think i'll ever go short again :)

Now, i'm not regretting it, I'm just saying. I've tried it and I won't go back.

Well, there you have it folks.

Oh, and My mom flipped out a little, but then got over it. Heh, she did say no more. Nooooo more.
My brother likes it. He said I look more Asian. Heh, he would. (He looks asian too)

Man, I'm really going to disappoint people now. Who knew being Mexican wasn't exciting enough for the country folk?
Ha. Don't answer that.

Sorry to all the long hair lovers.

We are the Light of the World

Well, technically it's Monday,but I'm still going to write about my Sunday.
I'm just 30 minutes late.

I just finished Skyping with my DearDear Lisa.
It was so nice to see her and chat about her new life in Korea.
It's so refreshing to hear that we are going through the same things, and how we are both digging into the bible at the same time and being reminded just how necessary it is to find those quiet times.
She shared some scripture with me that was passed on to her, and that was very encouraging.
It's definitely nice to be able to share that with one another.
God has been working in both of us and I pray that we continue to encourage one another...millions of miles away :)

Well, I spent my day with a lot of reading, studying the Bible, a tiny bit of guitar and A LOT of praying.
We attended a church this morning and it was totally something different than I've ever experienced.
Let me just say that Williamsburg is in a huge need of a church that's going to feed you in every aspect. Something up to date and willing to reach and keep reaching and not settle with just being comfortable.
I want to reach out and take charge so badly right now, but I also don't want to go ahead of God.
I'm ready to worship and impact others with it. Not for me, but for Him.
It's such a desert here and people need to be quenched.
Maaaaan, i'm squirming in my seat!
Tonight, the team met up for prayer. Much needed and long awaited prayer. It was so nice to pray with one another as a family. A family who can share everything and all with one another. Our doubts, our fears, our concerns. Our agreements/disagreements. Everything.
And all of that we did.
One of the things mentioned was a location for the church. There's a couple in mind, but there's one that really sticks out to us.
I prayed for us to leave encouraged rather than discouraged...and I did.
I left the Watson's pumped and on fire around 10:30pm and went straight to one of the locations and prayed over it.
It was very dark and a bit suspicious.
I was hoping a cop would come by and ask me what I was doing parked in front of an empty building :)
Would have made for great conversation, eh?

With all that said, please keep Relevant and the team in your prayers.
Even though this journey is so exciting, it's not the easiest.
I thank God that we have such an awesome team.
God placed us here for a reason and We're ready to shine that light. Matthew 5:14-16

In other news:
I'm chopping off my hair at 10am today. Yikes.
I haven't had it short since 5th grade? I'm kind of nervous.
But, it's just hair and thankfully, if you don't like it,It does grow back.
I've only had one person who doesn't think it's such a great idea. Though I highly respect and love them so, I'm gonna have to continue to embrace the "change is good" hoo-ha and go for it.
I'll just have to never complain to them if I don't like it. Heh..I would never hear the end of it :)
But wait! there's Mama Sanchez who is going to DIE and possibly kill me when she finds out.
By mama's words. I'm not suppose to cut my hair until I have my first child...or adopt an Asian baby. Ok, maybe not the 2nd part, but the first part is true.
We all know that's not happening annnnnnnnnnnytime soon. So, I think it's only fair that I take the plunge now.
I'll just have to break the news to her...over facebook. HA!ha. jklol, I kid. I think.
I'll keep you posted with some pics later on today :)

In the meantime, here's some CHEERS & JEERS:

CHEERS: Remember that snow cone stand I mentioned? I was so excited about it and took a break from my intense reading and studying to enjoy one...
JEERS: IT WAS CLOSED! boooo.

CHEERS: Skyping with pals
JEERS: My web cam sucks. I'm super blurry and obese. Heck, this camera adds about 20lbs.

CHEERS: Reading Matthew, Mark, Luke & John at the moment.
JEERS: Bursting out into song from GODSPELL. GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD! I just want to get through one chapter without it.

CHEERS: Finally getting to see one of the 3 tenors!
JEERS: It's not Pavarotti :(

CHEERS: Meeting with Maestro McCully twice a month to strengthen my Voice, and make me all better!
JEERS: Being on vocal rest and not being able to sing without it hurting.

CHEERS: Breakfast for dinner! *BRINNER*
JEERS: Frequent Bathroom trips. Ya dig?

Almost midnight.

I'll catch you up tomorrow.

I'm super sleepy.

LOVE YOU ALL!

2am and can't sleep...

It's 2am and I am wide awake...

Well, Friday is over and I am in the early hours of Saturday morning.

I was suppose to go to the Outlets with the W&M girls, but they received an email telling them to stay put as much as possible..due the the hurricane.
It's suppose to hit us today. But i'm not too sure about that.
So, I suppose I can sleep in a bit and then get back to my reading and studying.

Speaking of reading...
I took a tiny break from that yesterday (friday) and did something I never thought i'd do...
I went to the movies by myself. *GASP*
Yep, that is correct. I enjoyed a matinee using my student i.d. (shhhhh) $7.00 FTW!!!

It wasn't so bad. I could probably do it again sometime. Maybe.

After the movie, the weather started to get bad. So I went home and tried to read some more. Instead I found myself starring out the window, watching the rain droplets against the glass in rhythm to Coldplay..
I quickly became lost in my thoughts and began thinking about my friends and how much I missed them.
Not only was I missing my friends, but I was also missing my students from WMES.
It's a little weird not hearing "Ms.Sunchips" on a regular basis.
The good thing about all of this, is that they are all (most all) a phone call or IM away. No biggie. My frown has been turned upside down.
Later on, I enjoyed an evening with Brad, Mindy,Travis and Live music at Aroma's (despite my stomach ache)
It was nice to hear a local musician properly cover a few tunes and not butcher them.
All in all, the company was good, The atmosphere fit accordingly & The music was refreshing.
I survived my first Friday night in Williamsburg :)



Cheers & Jeers:

CHEERS: I decided I wanted to do something different with my hair and chop it off to my shoulders.

JEERS: My buddy, (who digs long locks) doesn't think it's a good idea :(
Is it because it'll look bad or because he prefers longer hair in general?

CHEERS: Skype with my pals
JEERS: Silly time differences in the way of us skyping.

CHEERS: Rainy days make the perfect reading weather
JEERS: A little too much rain can drive you crazy

CHEERS: Getting to study the bible inside and out.
JEERS: My eyes are starting to hurt. I need a bigger print bible. I'm talking huge bubble letters.

CHEERS: For my bed looking beautiful, covered with soooo many decorative pillows.
JEERS: Making my bed every morning. Getting a little tired of each pillow...Heh, YOU can say 'I told you so'

Bored/ Boring is no longer in my vocab.

The day has come.
There is no longer a reason for me to be bored.

We'll get back to that...

In other news:

My day was quite nice.

Got up (not early enough for my morning run) and headed over to one of the coffee shops on campus, with Mr.Watson.
Nice place. Though I wish I remembered how to get there.
I'm still learning my way around.

Later on, Travis and I played some basketball...and by "played some bball" I mean
A.) Got the ball stuck and B.) Chased after the ball rolling down the hill into traffic.
We picked THE worst day to play.
It was a scorcher. I could hardly move. My legs are so darn sore from my early morning runs. I jammed my thumb. I...I...I'm going to stop whining.
Next time...NEXT TIME, hopefully we'll have more people to get a real game started.
Any takers?

Those are a few tid-bits of my day.

Now then, back to why I will no longer be bored.

I had an awesome meeting tonight discussing my expectations and my role as a Worship Leader with Relevant.
Talk about A-lot of work.
Work that's totally going to be worth every obstacle to reach and touch others.
There is so much to be done and I can't wait to get started.
I have a list of things to accomplish and books to read in a matter of 2 weeks...and it doesn't end there.
It can be done. It will be done.
It's time for me to invest and pour into my role as a Worship Leader.
Not that I didn't before, but this time I'm dealing with different situations and circumstances.
All good, but very challenging.

Here are some Q's to think about:
How does one reach the "un churched" with worship?
How do you make Worship comfortable for those who are not used to it?
Do you make it into more of a concert feel rather than a Worship service to fit their needs?
How can I change crossed arms into praising hands?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

It's time to get to work.




Cheers & Jeers:

Cheers: We've had beautiful weather this week (minus todays scorcher)
Jeers: What's this about a hurricane in our neck of the woods? CNU canceled friday's classes and sent the freshman home because of it. Ridic.

Cheers: the evening drives are still glorious.
Jeers: The zombie deer and their glowing eyes still scare me as I drive past them.

Cheers: My brother now has GChat. Such a better way of keeping in touch and talking everyday. Hopefully now he'll sign on to facebook.
Jeers: My mom still has a facebook. Thanks Sak.

Cheers: Getting out in the morning for a run and feeling great.
Jeers: losing the 'great feeling to uncomfortable soreness in the legs...So bad it feels like my muscles are going to rip through my thighs when I walk down the stairs or sit down.

Cheers: Meeting new people and them interested in my nationality.
Jeers: Disappointing new people when they find out i'm not Asian. What's the deal? would I be much cooler if I was?

Cheers: September 3rd marks 2 years of playing guitar. I've been practicing like a mad wo-man.
Jeers: My fingers are seriously disgusting and unattractive. I'll spare you the yuck.

and for my final "Cheer" that does not require a "Jeer"- I found a snow cone stand! HAZAA!

Conclusion: Williamsburg is the Weatherford of VA.

Back to my country roots

Ok!

So I am in the middle of week 2 in the burg.
To be quite honest, I never thought I'd end up and out in the country again.
Heh, it's a good thing I own a pair of boots, eh? ;)
Who knows, I might get my accent back!
example: Corn = Coworn


I'm adjusting. S-l-0-w-ly but surely.

Williamsbrug-It's nice. Different. Slow. Old. Quiet. lonely. Country. Friendly. Beautiful.

At the moment i'm unemployed and trying to (cautiously) enjoy the fact.
Though it's terribly hard ...since i've been working since 15 (mom says 14,but i can't remember)


I've been using my time wisely and making the most of it. I have my own little work space in my room. It's very nice.
I even get to work on music for a few hours a day.
You should see my fingers, they are uuuuugly! But hey, they dish up some yummy tunes.

With all that said, I need a job! I'm going a little crazy. Heh.
Hopefully soon I will be with one of the many school districts in the area.


In other news:

The church planning is going really well.
Not a day goes by without one of us meeting someone who is interested in knowing about Relevant and our mission.
I do have to say that, that is one of my favorite times of the day- When I get to tell them why I moved to Williamsburg.
Conversation usually ends well with an exchange of cards, a "Good luck" or "Let's meet for lunch/dinner"
Or..
In my case, today during a pedicure (while arguing if I'm Asian or not)
I mentioned my role with the church and what I do.
This is what I get- "Teach me how to sing and play guitar" (they were serious)

It's all very challenging, exciting and sometimes uncomfortable.
God has to throw a curve ball in there somewhere :)

Also,I've been meeting with some William & Mary students here and there and slowly getting connected with the FCA College team. Pretty solid.

God's been faithful and definitely present through out this journey so far.
He's working and trying to get my attention in so many ways.

"Christina, Open your eyes! Clear your heart and mind and get ready to Dive in!"

It's time to let go and let God.

I live by this: Isaiah 26:8


Next up: Searching for musicians and forming a Worship team.



CHEERS & JEERS:

Cheers: Finally, a Sonic drive-in and a 24hr. Super Wal-mart.
Jeers: They are right next to each other. "Well, since i'm in the area, let me run in real quick. I'm sure i'll find something I need." - No good.

Cheers: The Gillespies and home cooked meals every night. Yummers.
Jeers: I have to learn how to finish an entire meal. For those who know me, this can be a challenge.

Cheers: People wave at you all the time. Whether you're out for a run or driving by. They give a quick nod or a wave hello. It's so nice :)
Jeers: While out for a run or driving by, there's always a flock of geese ready to attack...or poop all over the place.

Cheers: Beautiful nights,Open skies and admiring the millions of stars...Breath taking.
Jeers: Enjoying such beauty on my own. Gah, i'm so emo!

Cheers: Driving on the country roads with the windows down.
Jeers: Deer! Every where! Hanging out on both sides of the road. It's like that one ridiculous scene in 'The Ring 2'
Gotta take it slow on the country roads. Lamesauce.