Monday, August 24, 2009

housing woes

I am at the point where I really need to find a place & space of my own. I have loved living with families for the past year and a half, but I'm ready to open my boxes and pull out my pots & pans again and sleep in my own bed. My roommate situation appears to have fallen through for many reasons, so I am back to square 1 for the 200th time (ok, maybe it's not been that many times).
I started halfheartedly looking for apartments in the last 24 hours. I really am getting sick of craigslist and rentals.com. These are great resources if you want sketchy apartments without a washer & drier. Is it really too much to ask to have my own laundry appliances in my apartment? I mean seriously, I work with children all day. I get spit up on, sweat on and have kids stick there hands in their mouths (and who knows where else), and then wipe them on me. I want to be able to throw my scrubs in the washer whenever I feel the desire!
So, if any of you know people in Colorado Springs looking for a roommate or have any suggestions or ideas, I am open to any option that has a washer & drier and is not in Fountain (see previous post about shady towns right off army posts).

Friday, August 21, 2009

Cooking & wishing...

This afternoon I went to see the movie "Julie & Julie," which was rather inspiring! I came out and decided that I was for sure making homemade Red Pepper Risotto (recipe courtesy of the Pioneer Woman). I was saddened though because I don't have a dutch oven and must make risotto in a large skillet. These are my two big kitchen implements that I would love someday:

1. Kitchenaid Mixer (on the list of very bad reasons to get married...more on that later)


2. Le Creuset Dutch Oven
I feel very materialistic saying that these are two pieces of kitchenware that I want to add to what I already have. I can definitely still make delicious breads, cakes, risotto & pasta sauce without these items. I guess they will continue to remain on the list of bad reasons to get married.

As for said list of bad reasons to get married, I will elaborate. Most of my friends from college are married and have been for at least a year and a half. Over the years, I have watched them date, get engaged, and attended all of their weddings. Hard to believe that somehow I'm the one not yet hitched. Based on my observations, these are the really bad reasons that I would get married without conviction of loving the man (not that this would ever happen):

1. The rock (aka the engagement ring). I don't mean any old silver or gold band. I mean a sparkly diamond!

2. The Kitchenaid mixer. It's like a rite of passage. You get married, therefore, you get a kitchenaid mixer. Several people have suggested that I just buy one myself. This idea completely defeats the purpose!

3. Cathy Koehler's jean blanket in a picnic basket. Now, to be fair, Cathy helped me cut out, piece, sew, find a machine quilter & dropped/picked up the quilt and bound a t-shirt quilt with a bunch of my college shirts. But, oh, the jean blanket! I feel like it's a "you know you're engaged when..." slogan in my circle of college friends.

I would never, ever get married just for these reasons, just to clarify this point again. However, it's fun to say that these are my bad reasons to tie the knot!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

way to long

I have officially slacked off and it has been way to long since my last blog post! So I will try to do a concise update.
First, the new job is amazing. The paperwork is a little daunting and I'm still learning a lot, but the environment is so supportive and I still love what I do. I'm learning a ton from my mentor & the other staff members, which has been a huge blessing.
In outdoor news, I'm hiking Pikes Peak on September 12th in support of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) awareness & prevention! The event is called the Pikes Peak Challenge, and I have to raise $150 in order to participate. If you are interested in helping to support me, please click here to donate. Every little bit will help! I really believe in this cause as I have personally worked with survivors of TBIs, and the research is definitely lacking right now. Also, TBI is the hallmark injury of the wars our soldiers are fighting in right now. These victims are often referred to as "the walking wounded" because often they are physically capable, but the brain damage has caused significant deficits. Look for future updates on training for this and pictures from the event!
Housing news consists of looking for a place to live, again. My roommate and I are trying to find a townhome to move into as soon as possible. This has been a frustrating process for me, especially since I thought we already had this figured out. My roommate also has some very specific places she wants to live, which has limited our options. Please pray that we would find something quickly that fits our needs and that the Lord would even provide for some of the "wants" so that we can have a home that serves the purposes He has.
I am continuing to meet new people and establish friends here, which has also been fun and challenging. I like to be genuine, heartfelt and real with people, which not everyone is open to. I am still looking for authentic community and trying to develop that. Thanks for all your prayers and support as I continue to transition to life in a new city.