Surprise, surprise, pretty surprise

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAASEN. I love birthday's very, very much. I love Maasen very, very much. Last Thursday I was very excited to come celebrate her birthday after work. I walked up to the front door...chocolate peanut butter cheesecake in hand (Maasen requested) and went inside.

The lights were all off.

Tom turned on the lights and they all scream SURPRISE...it's Massen's birthday right? Those goofy TBlakes

Then before I know it YOH walks around the corner....AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Yep that's what came out of my mouth.

Sure enough Maasen's best friend decides to surprise not only Maasen but everyone and come into town for her birthday. Needless to say Maas was stoked, but so were all the rest of us. She should have birthday's more than once a year. She didn't get to stay long but we did get to go to see Mark Maasen at the Martin City Melodrama on Saturday night. It was pretty fantastic. Then off to McCormick and Schmick's for a chocolate bag. Yum! Here's some photos of our fun night.

At the play



                                                                                          

The chocolate bag...

We finished every bite of all 3 bags ;) Here's the bottom. Maas is cutting it with the steak knife.

We love us some Yoh!

Tom greeted us when we arrived back at the TBlake house.

Oh yes he did!

What a great way to celebrate someone we love...with someone else we love.



The End

First of all, thank you, all of you who have given me feedback on which lovely item to purchase. And although I am sold on the MAC, I may now have to question the Air...

As far as the camera is concerned, I think I have to agree with the majority of my vocal readers and say I think I want it the most.

However, I've had several opportunities to buy things in my life and when it comes to purchasing, especially purchasing large items I've never regretted a decision to avoid the purchase all together.

That being said. I prayed about what to do with such a generous gift. My Dad said I could use it for whatever I need it for, and bottom line is I want to live near my community.

So folks, I'm holding out. I'm cutting my spending down to about zero and I've got my praying shoes on. I not only want to live in Merriam, I'm asking for a house on Mastin.

It's a large request but I'm asking for a 3-4 bedroom, 2 bath home with an open kitchen and living room and a window over the kitchen sink. There are other things I want too, of course, but those are the most important.

So please L-rd soon! And if it's not Your will, please show me what that is.

Quick side note, one of my reasons for wanting to live on Mastin is little Cass. She saw me putting on eyeshadow the other day and asked what it was. I explained it to her and asked her if she wanted me to put some on her. She said "um, no, that's only for big mama's."  ...see why I have to live close. LOVE HER!

Thanks for tuning in...Until next time. 

Ick...

I have a quick prayer request. I love my job, it's amazing. If I could have any job on the planet this would be the one I would pick. One problem. It's real hard. I hope I get to the point some day when I know a lot more and can take care of those kiddos with confidence. But right now I have a lot to learn.

It seems that I'm getting hit pretty hard. I find myself now sick again for the second time and again after having a very hard day at work. I had a fever for the first time in about 10 years. It's not the kids or even the families, they are the good part. It's all the information I have to know and stay on top of. I beat myself up when I don't know something or don't remember something, then that's hard too.

If you wouldn't mind, first of all, I would like to be well. I would also like the gift of a better memory, better critical thinking and better assessment or observation skills.

It may seem silly but I want to keep this job probably for the rest of my life and I really want to fight for those kids. Compassion isn't enough, I need to be good at what I do, cause as scary as it is, their lives are at stake, and partially in my hands. At least they will be, when I'm working on my own.

Thanks

Part 3

The way I see it I have 2 options...

The Canon Rebel t2i. It is a digital SLR camera that is AMAZING. I've had the privilege of shooting with one and fell in love. The photos are quality and it has some really fun toys on it too.

Then there is the MacBook air. Need I say more?

So what to choose?

Pros of the t2i

• I currently am using my sister's camera, which I know she would love to have returned
• Because I've used it before I know that I enjoy it
• Maasen recently purchased her own t2i and we like taking photos together
• Since my journey of getting rid of insecurity I can finally realize that I have talents, this includes photography and I would like to invest in this new found gift from the L-rd
• It takes GREAT photos

Pros of the Mac

• I don't have a computer
• I have never had a quality computer
• I recently accepted a job that requires me to do lots of outside research and study
• Hopefully soon I will be moving to a new home where I will need a computer of my own
• Mac's have a great warranty and after the initial shock of not being a PC, they have rather high user satisfaction rates

Feel free to leave your input, further pros or even cons of either item. I look forward to hearing from you. Tune in next time for the conclusion of the great blessing...

Part 2

"...get you whatever food processor you want."

Yep that's what he said. I thought it was pretty funny, seeing as I wanted a food processor so bad that Dad even knew about it. Yep it's true, I even had 3 dreams about one.

Well here it is the 9-cup Stainless Steel Prep 9 food processor by Cuisinart

It's WONDERFUL! THANKS DAD!

No more screaming out from the kitchen..."I need a food processor!"

So far I've used it to make a raspberry sauce for a New York Cheesecake

And mashed sweet potatoes, made with a vanilla bean...they were GOOD!

But that's not all...he super surprised me when he gave me some extra moolah too. There are a couple other items I've been vacillating between. But don't think I'm going to tell you that easy. Tune in next time.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The Beginning

I opened the mail today and was so excited to see the words PAID IN FULL. Although I paid off my loans awhile ago, I got the last paid in full letter in the mail today. It finally hit me when I saw those little words. I paid off all credit card debt long ago, but I had to pay for my own school. So it took some work to get rid of the debt. Here's the proof...no more loans.

I'm DEBT FREE!

  I know you can't read this one, but it says Congrats, your loans are paid...the next sheet is showing that there is no balance.

Yea...Paid in full!

So when I told my Dad I finished paying off all my debt, He was so excited!

He said "I wish I could have paid for all your school."

Me: "No worries, it's all paid for now!"

Dad: "I want to do something for you. I want to..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Cass time

 On Saturday night little Cass and I had a long awaited time together. We made Turkey cupcakes that Cass kept calling chickens. It was a blast. She helped do everything including pouring in the "little brown things" (that would be chocolate chips). I don't know who had more fun, me or Cass. I can't think of a better way to have spent my Saturday night.



 Here we are before the fun began, Cass is showing off her gingerbread apron

Next we started mixing, she was very excited to turn off and on the mixer

After all the baking and decorating fun she was excited to eat her cupcake

Here we are with our finished creations

Yum!

I think she liked it!

After we ate the cupcakes Cass made a special one for Mama and Papa

So pleased with her "chickens"

And my version

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We have a lot to be thankful for.

A special day

I love birthdays! I love making people feel loved and cherished on the day they were born. It's a celebration for me too because I am blessed to have them in my life. Today I am overwhelmed with my love for Wyatt and how he made me love Jesus more. I know that his Father gave him a way better party than we ever could have. I can't wait to see his face and hug his neck again.

We miss you buddy, more than words can say!

From the north

Although I took my camera to the hospital to see Zeke, I didn't take any pictures. So I don't have any of him or him and I. As much as I love him, I only have a few pictures of Wyatt. This has been a real struggle for me. I have expressed this strongly to Gabriel to take as many pictures of his father as he can. I know they will mean a lot to him and his family.

When my recent travels landed me in Spokane, Washington (home of the Kellmer's); I was beyond honored when they asked me to take their family pictures.

Here are some other landmarks of my trip...

The beautiful falls of Spokane

You can see the gondola under the arch

I forgot to undo the zoom, but Gabe is actually smiling in this one

Some of the ravishing reds of Idaho

With such a quick trip, there wasn't much time for photos...I'm trying to get some good ones while Gabe was driving. Problem was...

so was he!

Some orange and yellow



It was a good trip, hard to leave, but good to come home.

Say Cheese!

I may be a vegetarian, but I love good animal products. Don't get me wrong, if it ever had eyes, I just don't eat it. However if the animal is still living and I get to partake of it's byproducts you'll find me digging in. I try to stay away as much as possible for health reasons, but one thing I love is CHEESE!

I find myself today in the lovely city of Portland, Oregon with a very dear friend of mine. We are having a delightful time. We indulged for lunch today and enjoyed grapes, bread and cheese, including some of my favs: Mozzarella, Gouda and Jarlsberg. I love Gouda because of the smoked flavor and Jarlsberg for the texture as well as the light Swiss flavor and Mozzarella for the melting capabilities (although we didn't do that today). Yum! 

Here's Mary and I enjoying each other's company.  

Empty

Funny thing pain. It makes you act differently, it makes you think differently. It hurts. I don't like it. I don't like feeling alone. I don't like wanting to blog about something so someone, somewhere, just might read it and care. I don't like when I can see my own flaws and insecurities and not be able to fix them. I don't like pain, I don't like feeling alone. I don't like hurt or rejection. I don't like being not good enough. I don't like being forgotten.  I don't like that I don't like it, all of it, any of it. I wish I were stronger, tougher, had thicker skin.

I don't like when I try to embrace what I want to change it gets harder.

I do love the L-rd. I do trust Him. Even though I'm mad, even though I hurt real bad inside somehow I keep asking for more. I keep trusting. How can I keep trusting...I have so many reasons to not trust. It would be easier to just stop trusting.

I want change, but I want a change of season. I want happy, loving, and whatever is the opposite of rejection...I could really use a lot of that right now. Come on L-rd, seriously, where is it?

Gone

I lost something at work today. It had sentimental value. I was sad, but not shaken. I do know I'm loved. My heart is still a little sad. I think that's ok.

The name game

I've been encouraged by a few friends to make sweet treats for people that request them. Problem is, I need a name for this business of sorts. I'm not very good at coming up with things like this, so I'm asking for help. I want it to be approximately 2 words, something sounds clever.

I have a friend with a flower shop called Blue Bouquet and I once went to a jewelry store called the Peacock's Plume. I'm looking for something similar. Unique, that's easy to say and kind of makes you think. So let me know if you have any ideas. Once a get a few options I'll post a poll and see what everyone thinks. Thanks for your help.

Come L-rd, Come

This is Gabriel.

He is an amazing man of G-d, and a really dear friend of mine. He used to live here in KC and moved home to be near his family. More specifically his Dad (Ed Kellmer) who has a disease that mostly attacks his gut. He has battled cancer off an on and recently has become more accutely ill. He is now in pain almost all the time, not responding well to chemo or radiation, and is in great need of a miracle.

This is Ed and Lynn.

Gabe came down this weekend to attend a wedding and for some much needed time away. We were able to pray for him and his Dad and my heart became even more burdened for them. The Kellmer's are a G-d fearing family and believe that a miracle is possible. 

Please partner with me to pray for healing for Ed and strength for all the Kellmer fam.