ahora

I felt affirmed today when I was walking from ACE back to our apartment. The weather is just SO beautiful today that I felt inspired. I walked to ACE and purchased some gardening tools (in preparation for our first garden!). While I was there, I saw a few flowers and thought to myself, "Self, you should get some already-blooming flowers to plant in the planters on your deck!" So I did! I walked home with a box containing gardening tools and 5 flowers and a big bag containing plastic water-catcher thingers (so our neighbors below us don't get mad at us again for, heaven forbid, our water dripping down onto their balcony). As I was walking, I crossed paths with a few older folks who were also taking advantage of the sun. They just looked at me and smiled. It is as if they wanted to tell me, "Wow - look at you! A young lady who appreciates the fine hobby of planting and growing. Good for you, honey!" Needless to say, I felt proud of myself for being pro-active on this beautiful sunny day to plant beautiful flowers on my deck, for finishing planting seeds in my little seed starter kit and, in general, for being ambitious enough to grow things myself for the first time. It was a good, out-of-the-ordinary feeling.

Wo hoo!! Feeling good about life today.

Here's an updated picture of my plants: red onion, green pepper & roma tomatoes

My mom sent me this tree for Christmas. It came as a little kit to decorate as a Christmas tree (since we weren't going to have one) and I finally transplanted it here. It'll stay here at least for now. We have no place to plant it yet, obviously...maybe someday when we own a home.

Here are my deck flowers! I love these colors together. They just make me happy. :)

This is a view of our soon-to-be garden (with some of the plants that will go in it once there is "no danger of frost," according to planting directions). Our plot is on the left garden, the closest plot towards the deck.

I'm not feeling particularly insightful or anything, but it has been a few days since I updated so I thought I'd post a few (really) random thoughts.

Life just feels busy. I thought that with giving up TV for Lent that I would have all this extra time to get other things done, but it seems like that extra time never comes (and, by the way, I have been staying faithful to the no TV thing). Between three part-time jobs, meetings and Pro Cert time seems to just get sucked up. I don't get home until 4:30/5:00 and then there are groceries to buy, the bank to go to, family members and friends to catch up with over the phone...then Kent gets home around 6, we eat dinner, talk and, before you know it, it's 9:30/10:00 and we are ready to hit the sack. Then it starts all over the next day. I realize that this is just a season and that there is a season for everything...but let's just say that I'm glad this season is only a few months away from going.

I am still enjoying knitting - learning new patterns. Experimenting. Can now knit with 4 needles...exciting stuff.

My plants are growing! I don't have an updated picture yet, but all the ones I planted have come up! I have another round of seeds to plant this month and will soon be able to plant them in the ground in my own little plot outside our apartment. I'm pretty excited about it. :)

I chatted with one of my high school girlfriends the other day for an hour. It was SO good to catch up again. It's pretty amazing how, after a year and a half, we can pick off right where we left off. She is expecting her first child this summer. It's so crazy to think about her and so many other people my age who are beginning to have kids. They are entering into the next big phase of life. For now, I will just live vicariously through them.

I'm sick of rain. I can't complain too much, though, because we really have had an amazing few weeks out on the West coast. We've had lots of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Flowers have started growing (eager gardeners have started planting indoors...), birds are singing. It's glorious! But when it rains, it take the joy away. It's just wet. Gray. Bleh. Please, sun...come back. Bring the joy back. It's way more fun.

I just finished a unit on Spain with my students. Some of them told me it was their favorite one we've done...quite affirming as a teacher. Definitely not perfect and there are things I will change the next time I teach the unit, but I am very happy with the outcome for the first time around. It's one of those times when I just feel like, "Yes. I love being a teacher." Amidst a difficult year job-wise, that is a really good, encouraging feeling to have.

Speaking of job...contracts come out soon. Should know within a week-ish what the plan is for me. I have a peace no matter the outcome. I think this year (and, since moving out to WA, really) that God is teaching me to get comfortable with not being comfortable - to totally rely upon Him and not on any one person, job or location. It is a difficult lesson to learn time and time again...but I'm beginning to get the point (*knock on wood*). Whatever next year looks like, I know that He has me here for a purpose...for such a time as this. He will use me wherever I am in whatever He calls me to do. And it will be better in the long run than I ever could have imagined.

And on that note...I think it's time for bed. Springing forward tomorrow...and leading worship. Meaning a 6:45am rehearsal is going to feel like 5:45am - yippee.