Top 10 Photos (or memories) From 2011

2011 holds a lot of great memories for me. Here are a few that top the list. There are many more, but I feel like more than 10 can get boring sometimes...enjoy!

[in chronological order]

Over spring break I flew down to Oregon to visit a good friend of mine (Katie) who was interning at a Younglife Camp with her husband. Here we are on top of a huge hill we hiked up with some of her friends.

The annual Tulip festival is held in April in the Skagit Valley. I've gone for the last three years and I love taking photos there. Here is one of my favorites from this year.

June 16, 2011...Graduation Day!!! Here I am with a bunch of my Human Services buddies.

It's hard to sum up this girl in a couple of sentences. Lauren has been an amazing friend to me through the past few years at school and we have many memories together. She is one awesome lady and I can't wait to see her get married to her best friend next year!

I hiked to the top of the Oyster Dome this year. A group of Human Services kids thought it would be a great idea to do it right before we all graduated. I enjoyed the hike so much I did it a second time with my dad.

Ireland!!! Alana (left) and Dee (middle) are two fantastic people. I was welcomed with open arms into their circle of friends when I got to Ireland. I will never forget these girls. This photo is at Tramore Beach, a place we spent a lot of time.

Kilkenny Castle, Ireland. We did a girly day trip to visit Kilkenny Castle. My first time on a train too!

Sebastion (left) and Dee (right) and I made a quick trip to Paris before I flew home to the USofA. Thanks for a great trip guys!

After Paris I was able to see London for a few days too!

Upon returning home I have been able to reconnect with old friends and make many new friends. Stacy and I have known each other for many years but haven't seen each other much because of school over the past few years. It's been a lot of fun hanging out and reconnecting with her!

What were some of your favorite memories from 2011?

Photo Shoot!

While I really miss all my friends in Ireland, it has been good to be back home. As mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, my best friend got engaged shortly after I arrived in Ireland. When I decided to come home, she and her fiance asked if I would shoot their engagement photos for them. I was so excited to be asked by them and of course I said yes! I am so happy for these two, they really are perfect for each other. Here are a few shots from our adventure yesterday. My favorite thing about this couple is that when she is in her fiance's arms, she smiles bigger than I've ever seen her smile. Can't wait to see them get married in June!

Waterford Crystal

Before heading home I made a second trip to the house of Waterford Crystal. I found this vase and had one shipped home for myself and one for my mom. She bought me a bouquet of flowers today while she was at the store. Here is the first bouquet of flowers in my new Waterford Crystal vase.

Home Sweet Home

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. After praying about what direction to go, I really felt like God was telling me it was time to head home. He hadn’t been opening anymore doors, I had learned a lot, and I was feeling very ready to go home. I changed my plane ticket from March to September and decided I needed to travel a bit before heading home.

My first stop was the world famous Cliffs of Moher. I love the Princess Bride and had wanted to see the cliffs since I arrived in Ireland. They were amazing.

I was lucky enough to see more of Europe as well. Seb and I went to London and Dee was able to go to Paris with us. We had an amazing time together and I’m so glad we got to visit these places.

Before leaving, my friends at the church had a mini going away party for me. They all wrote notes on a sigh for me (that is now hanging in my room!) and someone made me a cake as well. I’m so sad to have left all of my Irish (and American-Irish) friends in Waterford. I hope I can see them again soon! Thank you to all of you who made my trip in Ireland amazing! It feels good to be home again, I’ll send you some American treats soon J

Update

The time between my last blog post and now has been challenging to say the least. I never moved into the "Belair" house. I received a phone call less than an hour before I was supposed to move in there and I was told that the father decided he did not want an au pair in their house. I was devastated to say the least, and incredibly confused. God provided me with a place to stay in the mean time, and I decided to continue the job search. Surely this couldn't happen a third time.

I found a single mother in a town about 40 minutes from Waterford and she was looking for someone immediately. I met her and her two children and we proceeded to create a contract and make arrangements for when she would come pick me up to move me in. I was supposed to move in yesterday and she told me she'd call in the evening. Late last night I received a text message informing me that she had chosen another childminder to watch over her kids.

I'm beyond confused as to what I am doing here now. I know God has a plan, but I can't seem to figure out what it is. Part of me wants to come home, part of me wants to stay. My friends here at Calvary Waterford (the church I've been going to) are amazing. I can't even describe how great they have been to me. I feel like I fit in so well with all of them. How rare is that to move somewhere and instantly fit in with every person in a group of friends? I love them all and I will miss them so much when I leave, whenever that may be. I might come home next week, I might come home next year as planned. I have no idea what will happen from here. I'm trusting that God will continue to take care of me as He has for the last month. It's hard to believe I've been in Ireland for over a month now.

When I was asked to leave the first job here, I told one of my friends here that I couldn't wait to be a month out from that day to see where God would have me. I am 3 weeks out now. It'll be interesting to see where God has me in another month from now. I would love your prayers right now. God is taking care of my physical needs, but I would love prayer for some direction and wisdom right now.

Belair (this is a long one)

Now, this is the story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the [au pair] of a place called Bel Air

For those of you who understand the reference and are laughing right now, good on ya! For those of you who haven't a clue what that was about, hang tight. I'll try to make sense of it by the time I reach the end of this post. While this post is actually about some really serious stuff, I couldn't help but start off with something light and if you read this to the end, you'll understand why :)

I haven't blogged in a while and here's why. I was asked to leave the family I was staying with. Yes, basically I was fired. There's no easy or nice way to say it. In the end the result is the same. I'm no longer with the family I flew over here to be with. In fact, I've been out of their house for almost a week and a half now. I couldn't bear telling anyone right away because I was just trying to understand it myself and trying to collect my thoughts and feelings. On one hand, it's a long story, and on the other hand, it's not. I'll give you the watered-down shortened version here and if you have questions or want to know more, you are welcome to email me.

I arrived at the family's house and the first couple of days were great. Shortly after my arrival, the dad in the family began making inappropriate jokes and comments to me. At first I tried to let it go because he said he was only joking and that he wasn't serious. However, the subject matter of his jokes began to make me increasingly uncomfortable. I had a very civil and peaceful conversation with him about it, letting him know that I was offended by the comments and I requested that they not continue. He agreed to stop the crass jokes, and I thought all was well.

After my shift ended that day, I went to hang out with some of my friends from church. I returned home to a letter under my door that basically said that the family wanted to joke however they felt like joking and that they thought I should leave if I was offended by their jokes. In the end, the letter left me with a choice to basically tolerate the jokes and stay, or leave willingly. I was heartbroken. I cried and prayed almost the entire night. I decided that the best thing to do was to sit down and have a conversation with both parents the next morning. I showered and went downstairs to talk with them and I was met with an unexpected message. The dad in the family told me that they changed their minds, the decision was no longer mine and I had to leave. No room for discussion. He got my bags out of the attic and put them outside my door. I was shocked and confused to say the least. I was also told that I was not to watch the children that day. I spent the day with the pastor and a friend, trying to collect myself and figure out what to do. Later that day, I went back by the house to grab all my stuff and I left.

A couple from the church graciously took me in for a week. They literally met me in church that Sunday, and moved me into their house Wednesday evening. If there was ever a picture of the body of Christ taking care of one another, it was Anna and Tyrone taking me in. The amount of love and support I received from everyone at Calvary Waterford blew me away. People that for the most part, knew nothing about me other than that I was a sister in Christ, took care of me as if I was family. I can't even explain how great my new church family has been. If it weren't for them, I would be home right now. Had I not met them, I would have jumped on the first plane home. I had nowhere to go and the church rallied together to take care of me.

During me week at Anna and Tyrone's, I began madly searching for another au pair position. I felt called to Waterford and I was determined to stay here. The church prayed for me daily, as did a number of people back home. God came through and answered my prayers in ways I literally could not have even dreamed of! I got a job 5 days after I was asked to leave. Yes, it felt like 5 years to me, but it was only 5 days! God is good! I have not started yet, but I will be moving in and starting on Monday. I am currently staying with the pastor and his wife, as Anna and Tyrone needed their guest room back (and they had already been extremely generous in letting me stay a whole week!!)

Now how the heck does the Fresh Prince of Belair tie into all of this? (for those of you who missed the reference earlier, that was the lyrics to the beginning of the theme song from the show...check it out on youtube) I found a family in the Waterford area, Tramore to be exact, and I went to meet with them to see if they liked me and vice versa. I had no idea what God was getting me into. To say He blessed me and surprised me and shocked me doesn't even begin to cover it. I arrived at their house and found myself staring at a gorgeous, huge, mansion named Belair. Naturally, the Fresh Prince them song popped into my head. Why wouldn't it? Haha. The family is just as incredible as the house. I have a view of the beach from my room and it's just a few minute walk down the hill. I spent close to 3 hours at their house and I feel like we will be a good fit for each other. This family has 3 kids. 1yr, 3yrs, and 5yrs old. 2 girls and 1 boy.

How did I hold it all together during all of this? I didn't. God held it together for me. Never in my life have I had to depend on God for absolutely everything. I've always had a place to live, food on the table, and money in the bank. This time, I had nothing. I was homeless, and jobless in a foreign country. My only option was to trust God. It has been the hardest week and a half of my life, but I have grown so much. God reminded me that He is in control of absolutely everything. He knew that I'd lose that job. He also knew that He was orchestrating a perfect network of friends to take care of me during this in-between period.

I want to leave you with two things. One is a list of some incredible things that God did in my life in the period of one week or less. The other is a chapter from Psalms that helped me through this rough time.

In 7 days or less:
-God brought me more than a dozen amazing friends
-I went from being asked to leave one job to being hired at another (much better one!)
-God used strangers (now my friends) to show me his love and provision
-I went from homeless, to not
-God forced me to trust him more than I ever have before, and He showed me that He is taking care of me, much better than I could ever take care of myself
-During one of the hardest weeks in my life, my best friend was having the best week of hers. God used this to brighten my day and remind me how precious close friends are. And even though we're all at different points in life, we can still encourage each other and be there for one another.
-I saw the body of Christ take care of a sister they barely knew as if they'd known her forever
-I learned what trusting the Lord really means.

God used these verses to keep me going:

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
Now this I know:
The LORD gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
LORD, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!
[Psalm Chapter 20, NIV]

Thank you to all of you who joined me in prayer during this time, it means the world to me.

Praying for direction

I've been struggling with whether or not to put up a new blog post, but I have decided to write a short one in hopes that additional people praying for me will bring comfort and direction. I'm struggling with some tough stuff right now and I would love for you to join me in praying for God's direction. I've been incredibly blessed with friends here in Waterford and they have become a wonderful support system for me during this time. It's so nice to have them here so I don't have to go face my challenges alone. God has been providing for my needs in ways I could not imagine and I look forward to seeing how he will continue to do so. But for now I just ask that you pray with me as I wait for God to reveal more of His will to me. Thank you.

Great first weekend!

In addition to spending the day in the city yesterday, I was invited to dinner with some people from a church that I connected with. We had a great time last night and we all spent the entire day together after church. The people from the church are fantastic and I'm so thankful to have found them! I feel like I've known them all forever. They took me to Tramore today, the same little seaside town that had the circus. We went on a really long walk, sat and talked, and then finished the day with some dinner. They told me they are going to kidnap me every night once my work day is done (which will be 4pm). It feels great to know that they already want to hang out with me! Here's a photo of 2 of the girls I'm getting to know. This is us at the beach...also my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean!

Alana, Dee, and Me!

Downtown Waterford City

Today I went downtown Waterford. I was pretty nervous at first because:

1. I was alone in a foreign country

2. I had no cell phone to call and I wasn't sure where pay phones were

3. I didn't even know exactly what I was going to do

4. I had to figure out the buses to get back home

But, it turned out to be a great day! I started the day off at the tourism office and went on a walking tour of the city. The tour was about an hour and our guide was fantastic. (Thank you Buechler family for the Rick Steve's book...this tour was in there and it was just as great as Rick said it would be!) I took LOTS of pictures and I'm still trying to decide what to do with them. I think I'm going to get a Flickr account so that I can upload a lot of photos at once and I will put the link for it on here whenever I add new photos. One of the stops on the walking tour was a glass shop that was started by some former Waterford Crystal employees. The make only glass (no crystal...which has lead in it which distinguishes it from the glass---see, I'm still learning even though I graduated!) They had this amazing piece that has been created for New York. President Obama will be presenting it to the State for the 10 year remembrance ceremony for 9/11 next month. The president hasn't even seen it yet and I have...how cool is that? It's a tower shape and has engravings on it of firefighters hands reaching down to help people. It's wonderful. We also saw a handful of gorgeous cathedrals on the tour.

At the end of the walking tour I wandered over to the House of Waterford Crystal---a place that I didn't know existed 4 months ago. But alas, I am educated in the realm of fine crystal. I have always liked my kitty's name (her name is Crystal for those of you who don't know), but now I think it's even cooler that she's named after something so awesome. The tour took us through the entire factory, from moulds and blowing, to cutting and polishing. While I thoroughly enjoyed the "how it's made" portion of the tour, I think my favorite part was the massive showroom at the end. It's the biggest showcase of Waterford Crystal in one room in the world. Which seems fitting since this is it's home city. So many pretty sparkly things that I will never be able to afford...but it was so fun to look! There were actually some things that are reasonably priced, I was quite surprised. I'll be paying another visit or two to browse and decide which piece to bring home :) They have some cute little Christmas ornaments that wouldn't totally break the bank.

After gawking at lots of sparkly things, I walked a few blocks down the road (Jennifer told me where to go) to a fish & chips place for some lunch. It is called Dooly's (mom, it's pronounced just like your relatives "dooley") The fish was fantastic but the chips (fries) weren't my favorite.

Next in my day came the trek home. I walked the 4 or 5 blocks back to the bus stop and was 10 minutes early for my bus. I was feeling pretty proud of myself at this point and so I sat down and waited. And waited. And waited...and FINALLY after 35 minutes, my bus came. Or so I thought. I asked the driver if he went to Williamstown Road (my stop) and he said no, but the bus coming in 10 minutes does. Well ten more minutes wasn't so bad after I waited for 35. So I sat down to wait some more. Right about the time that the ten minutes was up, I heard screaming and honking and guess what is coming down the road? A gay pride parade. Yes, all this waiting and my bus (wherever it is behind the backup) is delayed even more because of some ridiculous gay pride parade. The parade ended and I eventually got on my bus over an hour after it was originally supposed to come. Jennifer told me later that buses rarely follow the schedule here. Often times they are super early, other times they are obscenely late. Good to know. I made it home just fine after I got on the bus. And here I am typing this blog. It was gorgeous out all day and a storm has just moved in. Pouring rain and thunder...I love thunder!

Anyway, I'll be working on editing my photos and hopefully have them up very soon! I'll share a few here for now, but the rest will come later.

Holding some unfinished pieces that the master cutter is working on.

Outside of the factory

Inside a Cathedral (I don't remember which one)

The Clock Tower down town. It's right on the waterfront.

Busy Day!

I had a very busy day today! But before I tell you about my day, let me introduce two of my new friends. Freyja (pronounced Fray-yuh) will be 3 years next weekend and she is a compact ball of energy. She has adorable tight red curls and the cutest little laugh/squeal. Scarlett is her younger sister and she is just over 5 months old. She's got fine red fuzz on her head and she is one of the happiest babies I've ever met.

This morning, Freyja and I were dropped off at the park with her buggy (stroller) and some snacks. We played there for about an hour and ate our snacks. We started walking home just in time because about half way home it began to rain on us. The park is only a ten minute walk away so I think we will be visiting quite a bit (weather permitting!).

Shortly after we got home, Wyatt (dad), Freyja, and I went to Run Amuck. It's very similar to Chuck-E-Cheese, just without the games and pizza. I ran around in the play area and went down the giant slide at least a dozen times with Freyja. This girl is going to keep me in shape! We played there for about 2 hours and then came back home, where we played in the backyard and on the trampoline for another hour or so. I swear Freyja never gets tired.

While Freyja may not get tired, Scarlett sure does. Being only a baby, she sleeps most of the day. When I first arrived on Monday, she wouldn't even let me hold her for 5 minutes without crying. Today she let me hold her for quite a while and she even let me rock her to sleep for nap time! We've made a lot of progress in only 4 days.

Oh, and last night Jennifer (mom), Freyja, and I went to a cute little circus. It was in a big tent right on the Irish Coast. There was actually some pretty impressive acrobats and Freyja had a great time. I was also introduced to bangers and mash last night for dinner. It's basically sausage and mashed potatoes served with sauteed onions on top of both. It was very good!

3+2=1

3 flights plus 2 amazing sunrises made for one long travel day...but I'm here! I arrived in Waterford yesterday around lunch time here (it was about 4am for all of you back in WA). I ate lunch and immediately began jumping on the trampoline, playing in a play house, and blowing bubbles. I was pretty tired yesterday, but I slept a lot last night and I felt much better today. I had my first shopping experience today and the weirdest thing I saw at the grocery store was bacon flavored crisps.

It was sunny yesterday and again today, I'm told that isn't common around here so I guess I've been lucky so far. Tomorrow night we'll be going to the circus so that should be fun!

I tried Indian food last night for the first time (mom, tell Kelsey I already tried new food!) and I really liked it! I'll have to try to find some when I come home. I also found chips and salsa at the grocery store but I have yet to try them. Maybe I'll open them up tomorrow to see if they're any good, haha. I did receive some bad news, though. Mexican restaurants are nowhere to be found in Ireland. I bet you can guess what I'll be wanting when I get home!

Here's the sunrise I saw over Mt. Rainier on my way out of WA.

Double Digits

I am at the point where the number of hours until I leave is in the double digits! Just a few short days until I hop on a plane and fly across the world. I am in the middle of trying to pack so this blog will be short, but I thought I should post something since it's been over a month since the last post.

Here's a few things I've been thinking about as my trip approaches...

• The reality of 8 months is starting to sink in. It's a long time.
• Narrowing down my life into 2 suitcases, a carry-on, and a backpack is much more challenging than I expected.
• Skype is wonderful and I am so glad I can use it to keep in touch with everyone while I'm gone.
• I'm wondering if Ireland has chips and salsa as readily available as we do. (I am praying that they do! And Ashley---if they don't, I'll be expecting a care package from Tadeo's)
• I cannot wait to meet my "new family." I've seen many photos and exchanged countless emails, I am ready to meet them in person!
• I'm getting a little nervous, but I know this is where God wants me and that is very comforting.

A few things I know I will miss...

• Going out for Mexican food with my best friend, then coming home and playing card games for hours on end.
• Bellingham and all its beauty.
• Family gatherings, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• The piles of fleece blankets on my bed in the winter. (I only have room to bring one)

My next post will be coming from Ireland, stay tuned!

HSP BFFs

Graduation is a day that celebrates past accomplishments and future endeavors. On June 11th, I graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor of arts degree in human services and a minor in psychology. As I heard my name called and as I walked across the stage, I couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness among the immense excitement I was feeling. For the past 2 years, I have grown close to several incredible people in the Human Services Program. While graduation was a huge celebration for all of us - a day where we realized that all our hard work and late nights actually paid off - it also marked the day that we began to split up and go our separate ways. Some of us are off to various cities and states, some to Africa, some to Spain, and me to Ireland. The graduates of the Human Services Program are exceptional people and I feel honored to have worked, studied, and laughed alongside them.

We in the Human Services Program often refer to ourselves as HSPers, HSP kids, or my favorite, HSP BFFs (Human Services Program Best Friends Forever). The unique program that we had the pleasure of being a part of gave us the opportunity to create lasting friendships that we can carry with us through our professional and personal lives. While we weren't able to get everyone together for a post-graduation photo, here are some of the amazing people I've spent the last two years with.

Congratulations to all my HSP BFFs...we made it!

2 Months!

In exactly 2 months from today I'll be leaving! Thinking back to 2 months ago from now, I was just starting my last quarter of college and it has flown by. I can't wait for the next 2 months to fly by!

Finishing a Chapter

Before I fly to Ireland and begin the next chapter of my life, I feel that it is important to conclude the chapter I am in now.

I have spent the last two years being poured into by incredible professors and fellow students in the Human Services Program at Western Washington University. I wish there were words to effectively describe the Human Services Program and what it means to me, but I have yet to find them. At the end of the two year program, each student is required to create a capstone portfolio to showcase their learning throughout the program. The portfolios are due next week and many of us (students) have been sharing ours with each other. My friend Hallie's portfolio was exceptional and I loved the way she described one of her experiences in the Human Services Program. She said "Sometimes it's hard to describe the indescribable."

That pretty much sums up how I feel about the Human Services Program. To each of my professors, you've touched my life in ways I can't explain. To my fellow students, I will cherish all of the experiences we have had together. To Jane's junior core, I will miss our monochromatic nights and I look forward to our annual New York Pizza adventure. And to CHABAKKA, well, like Hallie said, "Sometimes it's hard to describe the indescribable."

It's hard to think about this chapter ending. It's been an amazing journey that far surpassed any and all expectations I had for a major. As I put on that funny cardboard hat in 22 days, a part of me will be sad to be leaving all of this behind. The other part of me will be so excited to start the next chapter: Ireland.

I invite you to take a look at my Human Services Capstone Portfolio if you'd like to get a glimpse of what I've been doing for the last two years.

Headed to Dublin!

I just bought my plane ticket! I'll be leaving on July 31st and I'll be arriving in Dublin on the morning of August 1st. Dublin!? I'm really going to Dublin?! Yes. I really am.

As I looked at the purchase date on my ticket, I realized that exactly a month ago, April 12th, was the day that God revealed this whole Ireland adventure to me. April 12th was the first day I thought about going overseas. And here I am, one month later, and I am holding a ticket to Dublin. If you would have told me a month and one day ago that I'd be going to Ireland this summer, I probably wouldn't have believed you. This ticket is proof that God's plans are much bigger than I could ever imagine.

It's Official!

I'm going to Ireland!

Why am I going?
About a month ago, I felt God leading me in a new direction. A very new direction. You see, I had the next year of my life all planned out. I'd been applying for jobs in Bellingham (and I got one that I'll be working at until I leave!) and my friend and I had chosen our favorite apartment in the area. I have spent the last 2 years getting to know Lauren and we were both very excited about what next year would look like for the two of us. She is one of my closest friends and our friendship means a lot to me. So, when I felt God pulling me away from living with her next year, I was very confused and not too fond of the idea. Through many conversations and much prayer, I realized that leaving Bellingham is what I am being called to do...at least for now. Lauren has been more than supportive through this transition and it has been exciting to watch God take care of her through this as well (she already has a new housing plan in place!)

What will I be doing?
Not only did I feel God calling me specifically to Ireland, but I felt him calling me to be an au pair. For those of you who are not familiar with what an au pair is...it's basically a live-in nanny. I will be living with a family in Southern Ireland for 6 to 8 months. I will be taking care of two adorable girls. The older sister is 2 and a half now and the younger one is just 10 weeks! They will be a handful, but I am excited!

When will I be going?
I have not purchased a plane ticket as of yet, but I plan on doing so within the next week or two. I'm also trying to figure out visa stuff, which has proven to be quite confusing. The plan at this point, is to leave the land of the red, white, and blue on July 31st.

Where exactly where I be?
Waterford, Ireland!

While this whole journey was completely unexpected and surprising, I am more than excited to see what God has in store for me. I'm flying half way around the world trusting that He knows what I'm doing and that He will take care of me while I'm there. I've never been a blogger before, but my goal is to blog about my experiences as an au pair.

And Mrs. Trotter, I hope you enjoy reading this...soak up every word :)