Great Days

On Sunday I spent about 4 hours at Sea World with Jeremiah and Jonelle. We wandered around the park and saw the new Shamu Show: One Ocean, since they hadn't seen it yet. Then we said goodbye/see you soon and I thought that was it. I went home to change and then headed over to Autumn's house for dinner with her family. I am SO glad I put on regular clothes and not the PJs that I was considering LOL I walked in and Autumn's family was on the couch with Audrey, and then from around the corner: SURPRISE!!!!! Yeah, Autumn had arranged a surprise going away party for me. She had Jeremiah, Jonelle, Kle, Wrenn, Rob, and Sarah all there, along with her family (minus John 'cause he was at work). IT WAS PERFECT! I had said that I didn't really want to make a big deal about leaving, thinking more about work than anything else.
Then on Monday I went into the park to pick up my final check and try to see a few more friends to say goodbye. Out at Wild Arctic I got to talk to my friend Stephanie and to see the new baby arctic foxes. I got to see my friend Tim for a bit before his phone rang and he had to go back to fix something someone else broke...same as always LOL Lastly I stopped by Rocky Point to see one more friend. KC got it approved for me to join her with Gracie and Cortez during a Dolphin Encounter. I basically got to have my own dolphin encounter, just KC and I with the 2 dolphins. It was so much fun. I love that she took some photos for me and had 2 other trainers take some also.
Today I got quite a bit done today in my room. Though you may not be able to tell, except for the bare walls where you can see the dust marks. I then had dinner with my sister Kle and our father. Mmmmmm, BJ's! Berry Burst Cider, stuffed mushrooms, cobb salad, and after waiting a bit, a chocolate chunk pizookie! Perfect meal :0) They then took 11 boxes for storage and 1 to ship off to Florida now so that I have my quilt when I get there.

Okay, now for the photos :0)

 

And now I really should be heading to bed...it's almost 2am and I'll be up super early again to get more packing done. Then it's time for a hair appointment, just getting it trimmed before I leave and to see the lady who has cut my hair for over 15 years. Next it's out to one of "my houses" to see the family there and their critters and to return the house key. Lastly will either be going to see Winnie the Pooh with mom, or visiting with Wrenn where she's house sitting so I can see those cats one more time LOL

laundry, packing, cleaning...

I've taken a few days off from this packing adventure and now I must get my butt in gear and finish! I leave a week from today, in fact, as I'm writing this I would have been in the air for 1 hour if my flight leaves on time!

Today I did laundry at home for the LAST TIME!!! I can't tell you how happy this makes me. The washers frequently have what looks like mold growing where you put the detergent (they are front loading with the panel on the top for soap & such), though today that seemed to have been cleaned out. There was however the ever present gunk in the liquid fabric softener spot. Then the lint screens have this gross, slightly waxy residue on them. I don't even want to think about what it's from.

 

I've said goodbye to some friends already. Or, as they all keep telling me, "it's not goodbye". I had a great day at Sea World with Jeremiah & Jonelle and then Autumn surprised me with a WONDERFUL surprise party. The next day I went back to the park to pick up my last paycheck and had another great day. Saw some other friends, got to see a baby fox, and had fun with dolphins! Photos of ALL of these will be in my next post, I'm still going through them LOL

That's it for now. 

Wednesday's Progress

On Wednesday I attacked the far side of my closet with the intent of clearing it out so I can start stacking boxes in there and out of the way of more impending boxes. Why is it that the process of organization and getting rid of unneeded stuff makes such a mess!!! I mean, a REALLY BIG MESS! But, it was a success.

Now back to attacking another part of my room.

Disneyland

My last trip to Disneyland for the foreseeable future was a lot of fun. I got to be there for my best friends little one's 1st trip, though she will remember none of it as she is only 4.5 months old! Autumn and I got to hang out for a bit just us on Sunday night . . . front row for Fantasmic! and then Haunted Mansion and I actually rode Splash Mountain with her. It's one of Autumn's favorite rides, but I don't like walking around the park wet, and since we were going to be leaving soon, I was the one who suggested it :0)

Monday we were joined by Loreen & Jason which just added to the fun. We didn't make "rope drop" but I was in the park until just before it closed. I sat at the Main Street Train Station, on the benches that look out onto Main Street, and just took in the nighttime atmosphere. I love Disneyland at night!

Tuesday morning my goal was to make it for rope drop, I missed that but got there shortly after. I left Autumn and family still sleeping, got my stuff packed, AND put the air mattress away without waking them :) My goal for Tuesday morning was to get a cup of coffee from the Market and sit on the porch. I achieved that goal. I actually was able to hit all my main goals of the trip: 1. Fantasmic! 2. World of Color 3. Soundsational Parade 4. ride stuff that Walt Disney World doesn't have . . . this one I didn't quite complete, as Matterhorn was closed and I missed riding Alice, but I did make sure that I "went to hell" one more time!!!

Overall it was a great trip. Found myself getting teary eyed as I was thinking about not knowing when I'll be back. Mostly because of the amazing memories I've created there. Fun times with family and friends and friends that are like family. But now I'll get to know Walt Disney World. I'll find those perfect spots to hang out when it's crazy crowded, the shady places that get a nice breeze to help cool you off. I'll have new places to look up and down and find different ways to see things to capture new photos. But that didn't make leaving Disneyland any easier LOL

Here are a few photos: Loreen with Audrey, Audrey and the Fairy Godmother, and Audrey on King Triton's Carousel...she really wasn't sure about that !!!

Music

 Last weekend, when I got off of work on Saturday, I was heading over to meet up with Lawrenn and I couldn't find the place she was at. I got super frustrated, especially when I got stuck in a lane and sucked onto the freeway! I decided to just head to the park and sit for a bit because in that frustration, added to the emotions running high already, I was crying. You know that "all I can do is cry 'cause I don't know what else to do" kind of cry? Yeah, it was that.

While sitting in my car, my radio was "speaking to me". When I'm not listening to an audio book, my radio tends to be on KLOVE, the Christian Music station (even though they tend to play the same songs over and over and over (I personally prefer The Fish, but can only get that when I go to Disneyland LOL)). One of my new favorite songs came on, and in that moment it was perfect:

Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

 

The not so helpful cat...

She tried to help me pack, but was more of a hindrance than an asset.

 

 And in other news, I only got 1 box done this morning. Now off to work until 8pm. Not much else going to get done today LOL Tomorrow after church I'm heading up to Disneyland and will be there Monday too. On Tuesday I'll start working with a vengeance. I don't work again until Thursday, so 2 full days should be helpful.

another corner done...

This corner in the living room isn't actually a "corner" but that's what we call it LOL It is the 2' space between my chair and the dresser full of mom's stuff. It has been a bit of a "catch all" for, well, everything, for quite a few years, as you can see in the photo. I was hoping to find the title for my car while clearing this out, no such luck, so in the next 2 weeks I get to add "DMV adventure" to my list. Oh Joy!

The corner produced: 2 bags of trash. 1 bag of recycling. Goodness, paper gets crazy heavy insanely fast! There is also a bin of things that will either be packed for storage or be shipped to Florida...more to storage than to be shipped! I'm really trying to NOT take too much with me, but there are just some things that I really want to have. Some books, movies, my quilt & the new super fluffy small blanket LOL

So, as I'm trying to document this whole thing, here are a few photos of "The Corner" and the resulting stuff to take to the dumpsters!

BEFORE

THE AFTERMATH

ALL CLEAN

It's a process...

Well, I've gone through my desk, the towering corner, my books, and have now started on the lower portion of my closet. Clothes will be the last part of this packing adventure, so I will be cleaning out the top and the bottom of the closet before I start on the middle where all the clothes hang LOL I am trying to be as ruthless as possible with what I am getting rid of, I've taken out 8 bags of trash already and have 2 more waiting! One of the bags was full of the stuffed animals in the bottom photo. My mom's cat has a love of stuffed things, and she tends to prefer Eeyore LOL but will enjoy anything she can get her claws and teeth into.

Here's some more photos:

boxes to store, to ship, & books for the thrift store

these all have been chewed on, eaten, or mangled by the cat!

Alright, time to head to work :0) 5 actual work days left!

:0)

Okay, so this new adventure just got really, really, real! I now have a 1 way ticket to Orlando, by way of Denver, leaving Tuesday August 2nd at 8:24am! And I'm getting to fly 1st class 'cause I have an AMAZING friend :0)

Actually, my life is filled with amazing friends (and family), and I feel so blessed by the support I am getting.

I have most of my books packed. I was rather good and have weeded out MANY of them, even some favorites. Tomorrow is a day off from work, and I know what I will be doing LOL Though I may take a side trip to Old Town. Not that I need anything else to pack, but there was a nice, cotton shawl in a store for under $20 that I was good and refrained from buying a few weeks ago, but I really want it! And for under $20 it's kind of hard to pass it up.

Next Monday I'll be able to be at Disneyland with my best friend for her little one's 1st trip, she's 4 months old LOL It's going to be a lot of fun, and my last trip to Disneyland for some time. But hey, the distance to Walt Disney World from where I'll be living is SO much shorter than I currently drive to Disneyland! Yeah, sorry, not trying to rub it in or anything :0)

Okay, that's it for tonight. I should be getting more photos posted tomorrow on the progress of my packing.

Hi Blog, I'm your creator...

Wow, so it's been awhile again since I've done anything with this, oh so wonderful blog. I'm telling myself that that will change. As of TODAY! :0)

Life has a funny way of being amazing while turning our lives upside down and inside out. That is happening to me right now, and I brought it all on myself!

Today starts a new chapter in my life (wow, that's so cliche it almost makes me want to delete it, but it describes things perfectly). Today I officially accept a new job. This isn't just an easy thing. 2 weeks ago I had a phone interview, and last Friday they called to offer a position. I am going to be a photographer at Discovery Cove, one of Sea World's sister parks. The crazy part? It's in Orlando, FL! Yes, that's right, I'm moving across the country!!! My official start date is August 8th at 9am.

I have AMAZING friends there who are welcoming me into their home.

What might be the craziest part? I'm doing this in about 3 weeks! I have 27 years of stuff to go through. Sorting it into keep and pack, donate, and throw away categories. Sell my car because it wouldn't make the trip, and then buy a "new" one in Florida. Figure out how to get to/from work out there, without getting lost. And say goodbye to everyone in San Diego.

My goal is to take photos of my progress. Everyday if I do a good job, or at least every few days if the packing doesn't truly reveal any progress LOL

I hope you will join me on this crazy adventure!!!