Minnesota Nice

Dude, there ain't nothing like sleeping till 1 on a Saturday...i stumbled out of bed..put on my swim suit (its saturday in Cali baby) and am actually at Chatte....i had to come get my flight arranged to come home in December. I can't wait...i leave LA tues 16th and return tues 23rd...yeah i can't stay for christmas....but i'm going to have a kick-bootie weekend for lauren's wedding..i cant' wait...put your dancing shoes on luke....

I'm beginning to feel like Cali is home...call me crazy..maybe it's cause i keep getting affirmation from God that this is where He wants me right now...maybe it's the new friends i have (finally...but in just the right time)....maybe it's the warm sun on my face..i love the sun...maybe it's the cool clove underworld i've found here....2 more new friends today....I told Luke once that i thought all the young adults in Bakey lived underground together, never to let a new one in.....all i had to do was find there secret tunnel...well, i did...it's lined with love- C-love that is...yeah baby....

No big plans this holiday weekend....today i'm going to sit by my pool all day....tomorrow the same...monday a bunch of us are gong to Sequioa National Park and look at humungs trees all day...that should be fun...except for the fact that i have to up and ready to leave at 5am...WHAT...what kinda day off is that....oh well.....after we get home..i'm going to...you guessed it....sit by my pool....are you noticing the central theme of my weekend...

So here i am on a saturday sitting in my swimsuit (with clothes over it of course) in my fav. cafe, chatte...blogging...come to think of it...what am i doing..i should be by the pool....check you all later...hope your weekend is enjoyable.....

ps...i wish i were in chicago next week to see the cubs/cards series....i miss my cubbies..and all of you....("i hate cursive, and i hate all of you..." billy madison) *i was going to abbreviate billy madison/ bm..but then that's just gross..)

Posted by Shelly at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments

For those keeping tabs..I finally met some cool people my age. This is a cool story....for my new friends reading this..welcome to my little world.

So as you know i've been here in Cali for almost 2 months now..and have been complaining i don't know anyone my age..let alone cool people...not that i'm not appreciative for the many families i know here..but come on..i need some good young adult social interaction...
ok..so the week of insomnia was awesome for my prayer life..and i was actually feeling content with the times it was just me and God...but then other night in my prayer/journal time...i spent a lot of time journaling and praying for friendships and particulary an opportunity to start a small group for college/young adults....so with all the prefaced...here are the events of my night...

I'm sitting at my favorite cafe (chatte coffee and tea) of course....chatting on line with jamie, talking on the phone with my bro and sis...and just hanging out....i go there so that hopefully i would meet some cool peops...well last night was the night.....i packed up all my stuff and walked out the front door of the cafe...to smell the most glorious smell..the smell of fine tobacco cloves...mmm...i havent had one of those since i moved....not good for the singing voice of course....anyway...there were 2 girls sitting on the little bistro table outside....i walked out and said something like, "o my gosh..you guys have cloves...i havent had one of those since i moved here from chicago.." and of course one said,,"do you want one"....well, heck yah.....anyway.they asked what i was doing in Bakey..and i explained i was helping start a church....long story short...jenn and susanna are christians..and were just talking about how they wanted to have some sort of small group for young adults..not to metion jenn sings and susanna plays key and acts....so in one night i got...2 freinds, 2 artists for creative arts, we are starting a small group next thursday, and they are hanging out with me tomorrow night....nice huh...talk about divine appointments....and all over a delicious clove....God works in mysterious ways

Posted by Shelly at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments

In Two Months from Today I Will be 25!! Wow, a quarter of a century...I dont' know if I'm ready to be 25.

This years birthday festivities involve a vegas vacation with the fams and t-dubs and anyone else who wants to come for that matter....i guess my mom is making up for the mine and scott's 11th birthday where she just handed us watches (mine barbie, his army) and siad happy birthday and that was it...no party, no cake, no nothing....Mom, we will never let you live that one down. So this year, the twins are doing it up right, Vegas style!! Now, of course Vegas is old hat for the rest of fams, but scott and I have never been priveleged enough to join the vegas vacations...which reminds me of another vacation my family took without me: I recall last year they went to a nice cabin in Wisconsin without me...although i will give them some credit..they took a cabage patch doll and put my picture on it and took it wherever they went, snapping photos....yes, the photo album made me laugh, but that laughter will not replace the hours i spent crying knowing they went on vacaction without me...

At 25 I do still feel young: I'm in a career I've been wanting forever, that is good, and I'm among the youngest in a team planting a church
At 25 I feel old too: Still single (that we shall have to remedy) no kids.....

But as I look back on my 24 yrs, and 10 months... have no complaints..don't regret much...but mostly am excited about the next 25: that's the good thing about serving God I guess.

Posted by Shelly at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments

Another night of sleep=another wacked out dream

This time i dreamt about our first service here at Life Journey Christian Church...probably the reason for much of my anxiety and insomniac nights....anyway, here goes the dream:
we we meeting in a movie theatre (which is true)..but it was really dark in there, we started the service by showing ET movie clips-people were standing and cheering so loud..the place was packed, and i was in the front row...i'm not really sure why i wasnt on stage...but i did nothing but watch....the movie clips lasted forever..and at the end there was the sony logo, but the word sony wasnt there..it was the word phony...not really sure what that means...anyway..we went into worship-brian prunty was there playing guitar..but he had this little kids guitar with a tire glued onto the front of it (again with the tires...what the heck)....so he played along on this tiny out-of-tune guitar...and i was yelling at him from the front row.."brian, use my taylor, you can use my guitar.." but he insisted on playing his tiny guitar...whatever....the rest of the details of the service were kinda sketchy...i just remember a ton of people being there (which i hope really happens)...and at one point the projector got moved and we were watching the images on the side wall.....then my dream jumped to a hospital room..i was there with my cousin and some other lady i dont know...we were talking about how my finger twitches all the time (which is a real occourance: my right index finger twitches uncontrollably, and has since the insomnia began..i think it's a sign of stress)....anyway...that's my dream....what's up with the tires...

Last night i sat on my bed stuffing envelopes for my next wave of support letters to go out....i sat there listening to some jack johnson..and it took me about 5 songs to realize it was the same song five times..my cd player was on repeat apparently and i didn't know....

I got attacked by a rottweiler last night-and by that i mean my friend's dog was so excited to see me that he jumped on me and his claw dug into my arm and just slid down it...and it's that weird part of your arm that is super sensitive skin..like the part of the arm that only touch your side above your elbow....where most of the flab hides...well, needless to say..i have two huge line/bruises that start at my armpit and go all the way down to my elbowpit....they look weird and are spattered with tiny circle bruises all the way down....so didnt really get attacked..but it makes me sound tough to say a rottweiler attacked me.....

Posted by Shelly at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments

WOW...a picture is worth a thousand words....
except of course when they leave you speachless!!!!!

I just saw the most beautiful pics...wow...i can't even breathe......

Posted by Shelly at 3:19 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hold the Phone...i slept last night....Hallelujah...but for some reason i am more tired today than ever before...oh well...i think the end is near...the end of insomnia that is....not the end of life as we know it....

So a night of sleep meant a night of some wacked out dreams....nothing predominantly red though...i guess i have no anger or passion these days....although the dream did involve a grizzly bear holding some spare tires..as i raced out of a burning building with midgets (i'm sorry..L.P's) on my back..that i was saving....i wont explain the entire dream, but i do want to point out that there was a snow globe with a horse hoof in it...and there were several christmas trees in one room...not to mention an airplane that landed in my grandma's yard...o, and some skittles.....don't even ask...i'm just thankful for a night of sleep.....

If anyone would like to look up any of the items in my dream and let me know what my little sub-concsience is doing...let me know: you can look up: midgets, fire, christmas trees, bears, tires, horse hooves, skittles, airplanes..anything in the above descriptions.....man...it's like last night's dream was a combo of all the dreams i would have had if i had been sleeping this week.....ha

I love to laugh...i have been laughing all day...from reading friends blogs, talking on the phone with friends who are at work, and of course instant messaging everyone.....man a good laugh will make any day better...

Posted by Shelly at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments

The insomnia continues....i'm going to scream...
i laid in bed for a good 4 hrs last night with my eyes wide open...thinking about a crap, life, love, worries...all that junk
anywho...i slept a little from like 4-6...then was up again...fell asleep again around 8..my alarm went off at 9...and i got out of bed...turned the shower on to let the water get hot....laid back in bed for what i thought was going to be 2 minutes..but woke up 30 min later....shower running and all...so needless to say, my morning was a bit hectic..and now i'm tired, of course.....

The good side of insomnia:
i've played guitar a ton...even taught myself a couple new lisa loeb tunes by listening to them...sweet tunes..can't wait to bust them out in the cafe scene
i started running....i've run a couple miles a day for the past couple days..thinking exercise would help me sleep normal again
I've spent a lot of time journaling and praying and reading....so that's good too

My mom told me today that my blog always makes her cry cause it's sad...i don't want to be all sad all the time...so time for a happy blog....

I watched my favorite movie of all time last night....yep, you guessed it...Braveheart...the world's best movie....that has prompted me to list my favorite movies:
1. Braveheart
2. Dazed and Confused
3. Swingers
4. Ever After
5. Love and Basketball
6. Waiting for Guffman
7. Hope Floats
8. Billy Madison (of course/classic)
9. Save the Last Dance
10. Shawshank Redemption
These are in no particular order after Braveheart of course...these also include the movies from which i know the most lines and use them in my eveyday conversations....i love movies....they are my life right now since i dont have cable...

dude..i turn 25 in 2 months....2 months from wednesday to be exact...i dont' think i'm ready to hit that age....but my bday will be well spent in Vegas with the twin, the rest of the fams, and t-dubs...i can't wait....'vegas baby, vegas" (see number 3 on the above list)....

that's all i got for today..i need to bust out for a meeting..to talk about sound equipment...yeah...like i even know the difference b/w QRX and JBL cabinets...what?

Posted by Shelly at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments

I got one full night of sleep..friday night..i was so excited....and if i had a dime for every time someone told me to drink wine to sleep..i would have, well, $0.20...but still i wanted to use that saying...anywho, wine did the trick...i'm no wine drinker, but at this point, i would do anything to sleep. so thanks kris, it worked...
I slept until, well, 8am when scott called and woke me up, but i quickley fell back asleep and slept till 11...i caught up on a week's worth of missed sleep...but now i'm back to not sleeping....and there are glasses of old wine sitting on my nightstand....

I love being the single young staffer here at the church..that means free dinner by loving families every night..last night ribs..tonite tacos.....mmmm

well, i'm off to my free dinner...i will keep you updated on my insomniac life...i wish i had internet at home..so i could post some late night ramblings of the insomniac...you'll just have to do with postings of the morning after the night i didnt sleep...anywho...

Posted by Shelly at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments

The insomnia continues.....i'm so tired today....when will it end.

Maybe I'm adjusting to my non-crazy life....back in the day, when i had 4 jobs, still hung out with friends every night, then went to bed..never had a problem falling asleep...now, i go to bed early...lay there FOREVER..last night i had to get up and play may guitar...i finally fell asleep about 4....so by the time my alarm goes off for work I don't want to get up...and now i'm at work and am exhausted....what's a girl to do?

I'm beginning to accept my hair cut for the time being..it's a good thing i won't see my friends till December, you guys will never know of any such bad haircut.

Our network is down at work...so no productive work can be done..I may have to get out of here and hang out at my cafe all day...

I can't even think clearly...no sleep...no thoughts...

Posted by Shelly at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments

Story from my childhood: Proof that I am scatterbrained!!

When i was in Jr. High I had a paper route...good money for a 12 yr od.....anywho...one day i was on the phone with my Grandma..just chattin' away, and my papers came to my yard....so is say, "hang on, grams, i need to bring my papers in cause it's raining....." Then i proceeded to do my entire paper route.....by the time i got home...about 1/2 hr later..i was surprised to see that my grandma had come to visit....ha....she thought something had happened to me, since i just left the phone receiver laying there and did my entire route.....ooopss....
i forget sometimes what i'm doing.....
apparently i always did crap like that...my mom would send me into another room to get something..and i would never come back..she would come in the room 10 minutes later to find me contently playing....it was liked i walked in my room to get something for her, but i caught the eye of my Barbie, and was like, "hey, why not play..i wasnt doing anything...." Barbie..that little temptress....

I can't imagine what my memory will be like when i get older...it's already shot....i'm in trouble...
i'm just a multi-tasker..that's it....

Posted by Shelly at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments

Dude..this 'not sleeping gig' is going to kill me.....if you know me at all, you know i can sleep anywhere and at anytime...so it troubles me that i can't sleep...what's up with that. I once heard a Christian speaker say that if "God wakes you up, ,GET UP!!...meaning sometimes God will purposely wake you up hoping to spend some time with you.....looks like i know what i need to do now....it's like the little kid who comes into his parents room at the butt-crack of dawn wanting to play.....just a thought.

I looked in the mirror this morning and almost forgot about my new haircut....scarey as it may be....i'm just praying my hair grows fast and soon...the only thing worse than this haircut would be if i shaved a nike swoosh in the back of my shaved head....ha...member those....dude, i admit i even did the shaved up the sides things that those "bad" girls did....only because my neighbor shannon gorman did though...this being the same neighbor that bought me a bright pink fanny pack for my birthday one year....

There's actually clouds iin the sky here today..which throws me off a bit....it's so funny how spoiled i am to this wheather.....it's still sunny out, but i freak at the fact that there are these white masses of fluff in the sky, temporarily blocking the direct sunlight for minutes at a time....

I'm feeling for all you peops back in Il, dealing with the heat and humidity....sorry....i dont miss humidity at all...praise God from whom all blessings flow.....

Our server at work is down...looks like i get to blog and IM all day....yeah..yeah..yeah...i've got mail....yeah..yeah...

Last night i watched "Good Girl" starring jen aniston...weird movie...has anyone out there seen it? good movie about choices i guess..but weird as all get out....

My cubbies were victorious last night....while the cardinals lost 14-0...ouch that hurts.......I think i'm the only cubs fan on the west coast...always baby.....

i'm sure i'll be back blogging all day....i'm out for now

Posted by Shelly at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments

mama's back....just went to get a new hair cut..and my earlier fears were right on....i'm not really happy with the cut....and although it's no longer a mullet like mentioned earlier, it's reminicient of a bowl cut from the early 90s...but i'll deal....i'm not too pickey about my hair..it will be grown out in 2 weeks anyway...chalk that up to the fact that my mom fed us dog food as kids...we have long, shiny coats of hair.....ha

Posted by Shelly at 3:07 PM | Permalink | Comments

I dream of Jeannie....and by jeannie i mean...a Jeep Wrangler...my absolute dream car.....it's the total perfect California Car...can't you just see it now...my hair blowing in the wind..my surf-boards (and by surf-boards i mean guitars) hanging out the back of my jeep. I can't wait..i'm going to get one as soon as i get my money situation under control....which is never....but i will, o yes, i will have a jeep wrangler....check it out at www.jeep.com (i want a blue one...of course)

So, for some reason i was thinking back on sixth grade (mental note: don't do that again)..and was thinking about when you would have to wait in line in the hall to see the nurse to get your "lice check"....You know, bring your pencil and let her scrape it across your scalp to see if you are going to infest the whole school with lice... ha.....
I can just remember sitting thinking, 'now what are you going to do, if they do find lice while using your no. 2 pencil to mess up my side-part...(yes i rocked a side-part in 6th grade).....so they expect me to re-use that no. 2 on my scantron test later in health class....you'd think with all the marvels of mondern medicine, they could invent a little tool that could be used instead of the pencil....come on....just a random thought.

Those are the things I think about as I lie in bed at night...i think i have insomnia..i havent been able to sleep all week, and you know that ain't me......

This girl needs a hair cut...it's looking all mullet-esque.......but i'm always afraid to venture out to a new hair cutting place...that's a scarey thing...when i first moved to Napes..i went to this little place..and first of all paid $32 for the worst cut ever....o my goodness...and did i mention the left a bunch of hair in back that resembled a tail or sorts......i went back to lauren's house crying and she cut it for me.....o..the nightmare...so i'm off the try a cut in bakersfield...i'll let you know how it goes....

Posted by Shelly at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments

The statement, "the best things in life are free." is so true. I've been thinking about all the things that i have, that someone has given me or that i paid abolutely nothing for...and they are my favorite things....I thought of all of this...because i was just given a bass guitar....so now i need to learn to play bass, i'm so excited...i began to think about all the things i have for free...my car was given to me....my taylor...who i affectionately call 'gracie', because of the nature of the gift....all those things, just handed over to me.

And of course there are many other things free in life, as far as money goes.....love, friendship, happiness, blessing, laughter, tears.....all free, but at a cost, mind you.

Free is great. Freedom is great...in the words of William Wallace...."would you be willing to trade this moment for the next just for once chance at FREEDOM..."

and in the words of Jesus, "...the truth will set you free." (jn 8:32)

and in the words of Paul, "...it is for freedom that Christ set us free.." and in this freedom we are called to, "live by the Spirit": the fruit that is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal 5)

As a kid I had to memorize 'the fruit of the Spirit", we even had a little catchy tune to remember them by....but i don't think i truly understood what it meant to live that freely...and by the Spirit....how simple those 9 words, and how life-changing those 9 words if we truly lived like that.

Something to Ponder.

Posted by Shelly at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments

I'm sitting here in my favorite little cafe down the street from my apt. It's my escape from the world....free wirless internet hook up...good coffee...great art on the wall...it would all be perfect...if smashmouth weren't on the radio..i hate the sound of that man's voice.....kill me now.....

I spend most nights here....getting work done, chatting with friends online, surfing the net...observing people.

I spend a lot of time observing people, wondering what is going on in their little lives...just watching from afar..this weekend at the beach i sat on a huge rock and observed people for hours..and here are some of the things i saw...simple but beautiful things...

1. a 2 year old girl screaming at the top of her little lungs with excitement every time a wave crashed against the rock, putting her tiny had into the hand of her dad's huge hand

2. a honeymooning couple, snapping pics of eveything...asking me to take a picture of them...they were so happy and so young

3. an old man, i mean old, sitting on a rock...reaching his wrinkled hand into holes in the rock seaching for little crabs that got washed up from the waves.

4. 10 young boys playing tackle football on the beach, using their shoes as boundary lines....

5. a kayaker overturned in his boat as a huge wave came over him...

of all the observations of others....do i really take the time to observe myself..what is going on in my little world......if you allow, let me draw some parallels in my life to the aformentioned observations

1. I love being held by someone who is so much bigger than I, to be hugged by someone twice your size...to feel so small, so safe, so protected. I get excited over little things...like the moon, the stars, the beauty of God's creation...from the cornfields to the coast...i love it...(ps 8: when i consider the work of your hands, the sun, the moon the stars, what is man that you are mindful of him?")

2. I'm so afraid of being alone...I dont' want to be one of those single girls that complains about wanting to have someone all the time...but i long to grow old with someone...to serve in ministry with someone...to share all of lives adventures with......(josh 1:9..."I am with you wherever you go...)

3. I want to find simple pleasures in life. I want patience to wait on God...to wait for the tide to come in a bring me his undeserved gift of grace....to pluge my hand into ministry and find pleasure in that, in serving......(Ps 16:11... You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.)

4. I love to play, life should be full of more play...more home run derby, more pickle in the front yard, or bloody murder: my fav childhood game....i want to kick off my shoes and run around...tackle life with all I have...(ecc 9:10 "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might")

5. I feel overwhelmed sometimes...overwhelmed with emotion....with passion...with lonliness...with blessing.....my boat gets overturned daily..disappiontments, heartbreak.....but i get back in ...but it's not ignorance that puts me back in the boat...it's the thrill of life..a purpose that there is more to live than this.....the thrill of passion, or blessing....of God's overwhelming goodness in light of the crashing waves of life...once i get out there...past the break.....it's not so rough.....in God's greatness, in his vastness, in his bigness... he "stoops down to make me great"....ps 18:35


My cafe is fililng up with people...more people to watch...to learn from....to compare my existence to...

Posted by Shelly at 7:42 PM | Permalink | Comments

Monday, monday.....

i'm a bit emotional today....i spent the morning catching up on all my friends blogs...missing them more than they will ever know. Where would i be without my friends?

I'm pensive today...and have been all weekend for that matter.

I had a great weekend...i drove down to San Diego and got to see so many of my friends, and spend some time with a friend i havent talked to since april.

I've spent most of the day in tears today.....i told you I was pensive....meditating on life, on friends, on love...coupled with the facts that it's monday and i'm a girl....not a good thing.

Being at the beach this weekend was good for my soul..something about the waves crashing on the huge rock cliffs...gets rid of all the worry, all the sadness, all the doubt.

I have random thoughts today...hence the one sentence entries....

There's nothing like a monday full of im-ing with a best friend, and talking to another bff on the phone...what a day...and now i think i'm off to take a nap....clear my thoughts...

I'll blog later a little more coherently!!

Posted by Shelly at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

It's Friday....

That's all I got!!

Posted by Shelly at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments

"...she dreams in color, she dreams in red..."

o, how right eddie vedder is...

As most of you know..i have the most wacked out dreams of anyone, i'm convinced....and I usually remember every little detail...to the T...so that i can explain my weird night visions vividly...
And, like the pearl jam tune...i usally dream in red...there is always something significantly red in my dream....or a little object is so bright red that that's all i remeber.....

A list of things that have been red in my dreams:
1. I dreamt one time that i killed Christina Ricci (the actress)....and of course there was red blood everywhere...but the ghost of her had long beautiful red flowing hair...weird..yeah..
2. I dreamt of a red colander (strainer) full of red cell phones was in the kitchen cupboard I ended up tunneling to, from underground.....don't ask
3. In a recent dream, my brother and I were running through the streets of chicago, and down this dark street were a ton of cars...but in every red car...was a gun sticking out the window, waitign to shoot someone.....
4. Last nights dream was very disturbing and vivid....too disturbing i won't go into detail...but anyone....i.t was full of red neck-ties...every guy was dressed up and had on red ties....weirdo

I often have my dreams analyzed by a friend/couselor who has a degree in pshych and all that fun stuff..he loves interpreting my dreams....and for what it's worth..he says that your dreams arent' actually in color...your mind just perceives them that way...so the color red has no significance what-so-ever.....well, still i think it's kinda weird....
And is just so happens that every dream he interprets comes back to my sexual desires, and no, his name is not freud...but you would think....

a dream dictionary says this...
"Red being the color of anger could be a warning to stay cool and keep your temper under control. A deep, blood red is usually a portent of good news to come. It is also the color of passion and the entire dream should be analyzed to get the true meaning."
another one says this...
"Red - sacrifice, sex (carnality, taboo sex, humiliation, physical injury)"
"Red: Anger, passion"

so....anger and sex...am i angry cause i don't have sex?..i don't get it....... either way...eddie sings right to me....'can't find a better man......."

Posted by Shelly at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

There is s weird smell outside my apartment...it's smelled that way since i got back here to CA....it's a combination of smells really....like a combo of the nail place in the mall, the stuff you soaked your frog in for biology class, and finger nail polish removal...so basically it stinks...and i can't figure out why it smells that way...so there you go.

I've found a new reason to work out....my fitness room has cable in it....so i can watch sportscenter all the while i work out...catching up on the latest cubs info...so basically i've chosen to work out becasue of the convenience of TV...sounds kinda ironic right....well, it works for me....

I'm getting a new bed tomorrow....some old couple is givng me an entire bedroom set...heck yeah baby...free is great. It's probably good since the bed i use now is child's size (like my desk)...and is broken...i won't even begin to explain why it's missing pieces. not to mention it was my grandpa's bed..that he literlly died in...for real....ha

I'm going crazy today making lists...unlike jamie, i hate lists..i dont' think that way..i'm a little random...but i have to put together a list of all the sound equip i need for the church..i have worked on it for 6 straight hours..and have decided to take a break...i can't take it anymore.....but i have to do it tonite...awwwww

better get back to my lists.......darn you lists

Posted by Shelly at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments

So, if you know me at all...you know i hate going to the bathroom....i see it as a total waste of time...hence the many bladder infections i have acquired over the years....
the reason i say this is lately...i get up in the middle of the night countless times to go...what is up with that....that has never happened in my life...it all started at camp last week, when at the beginning of the week...i avoided using the only bathroom we had (an outhouse)...not that i'm a girly girl or anything...but i just dont want to visit the big blue watered pit full of cosby kids.....
but by the end of the week, the pee stream had caught up with me...and i found myself not being able to hold it in anymore...so much so, that at some times, i had to go behind the dean's cabin...cause i couldnt make it up the hill to the outhouse.......which brings me to the final bottom line...i'm going to need Depends before the age of 30....dang, that sucks...

If this story weirded you out in any way...i'm sorry...but if you are any friend of mine..you should not be surprised by it's content.....


I got my California lisence in the mail...it's official...i live here....of course my picture looks like a mug shot...literally...and they put your pic. on it twice....yeah...twice the nastiness....

Latest Cd on Repeat: Anything by Jack Johnson or John Mayer (reminds me of the good life in Napes)

Latest Website Frequently Visited: Jamie's journal...WorshipTogether.com...Kristi's blog...Soeb's blog...

Latest Pet Peeve: the music they play on Hold...why is so gay...can't they get some good stuff in there

Posted by Shelly at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Wow..it's been a long time..since i've blogged.......

Let me catch you up on my life

Kristi was here for a week visiting....how fun...i didnt knwo what to do having a friend around..i was used to going home and having a convo with my tv...or the two cats outside (which freakishly there is only one now....and there are people around now...weird)
anyway...we went to LA for 2 days before I flew back to chicags.....we spent a day at the beach...and got lots of sun....kristi got a little too much..and some unwanted sun poisoning to go with it...aww..i felt so bad....

anyway....flew back to chicago and let me tell you about the best week i had....

I got in friday night..and my bestest friend jamie greeted me at the airport....what a refreshing sight to see.....

Friday night was the absolute perfect party night of my life.....i was surrounded by the best friends from napes and chicago and we just chilled....there was a guy for every girl...which that never happens....sometimes we are scraping for guys to hangs..but not this night.....
Jamie wore the sweetest little tank that so eloquently said, "I'm a Lady"..enough said....
My bro and sis were both up....love those family reunions....
The other cast of players were: Luke (who even danced...i love it when that happens....and i love that little duke) Tanya (my fiesty little friend who can party with the best of them...and i'm sure her night was worth the trip up...wink wink), Szoke (who wins the 'hard core' award..for not having a single drink...and still partying into the wee hours of the night...my partner in crime), Guy (who blessed us with his presence, wore a vintage star wars shirt..and was referred to as David Grohl by my bother....) Caleb (our long haired lanky friend...i had a good time chatting with him..as always) Seth (a childhood friend of guy's, who has the sweetest wrigleyville pad that we hung out at after hours....many things were thrown off that roof, and i won't tell you who peed off the roof)
"Stripes" was the name of our unwelcome friend who tried to steal our table..jen and i had to put him in his place...basically he was a 40 something drunk guy that had no manners what-so-ever..and him and his british friend surely didnt know how to talk to a lady....jen and I held our own..although scott was about to jump over the table at any moment.....
but we escaped the night with no brawls......what a night

Then i spent the week at camp...see jamie's blog for the best description of the week....agirlcalledjames.blogspot.com...notice her falling story..the funniest thing of the whole week...oh, and jamie, you forgot the nickname 'green suit' among your list....

So, here i find myself back in Cali....and boy was it hard to come back

I come back with the realization that I live here now..i don't think i accepted that..cause i knew i was going to be back in IL....
So, here I am.....
I boarded the plane last night....and as we took off and i saw the night skyline of Chicago, I began to cry...It really hit me..I live in CA....
I cried for many reasons....i cried of course because i had to leave my friends, the best friends in the world, the fun life i had in napes....that constant social interaction....the "dinner plate" that is my relationships.....
I cried because i also realized that i was leaving the things i didnt like about being in Napes..having 4 jobs...not doing what I love..the humidity...the busy, unfulfilling life...
But, I cried also thinking about where God has brought me....He brought me here for a reason..i'm doing what i love...i'm following His plan.....not mine.....
I cried thinking that i gave up everythign to move here......everything except my passion...my passion for ministry..my passion for worship.....and my pursuit for God...
I cried cause that hurts...but it is right....right? It hurts to leave all that is familiar...all that is good...to go to better......

during my week home...i realized....that's not home...that made me sad....
but i felt loved there..i felt support...i spent friday night worshipping with the most talented band....boy was that refreshing.....
being in napes and chatting with people made me excited for what i'm doing here..it reminded me that i was sent here.....
so what if i dont have the best friends yet....it will come..i'm confident....but i'm also confident that no one will ever replace the friendships i have in napes and in chicags....God bless my friends......all of you.....thanks for your support both through your prayers and the checks you write....i could not do ministry without you....

Tears are a good thing...they refresh the soul....i cried for the good first hour of the flight..and i'm crying now.....

If you are reading this..you are among the freinds that i love....

Posted by Shelly at 4:28 PM | Permalink | Comments