Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Where to live?

Crazy. I tried to write this post last night, but as I tried to log in, Google told me that my email account didn't exist. Huh.

Well, Neal and I have a 9 month lease on our place which means that our landlords move back in for the summer. In searching for a place to stay, we found a substitute innkeeper position in New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesaukee. The idea of running an inn and living on a lake sounded great. However, the reality of it wasn't so sweet. After more than a week of weighing pros and cons and praying about it, yesterday we called the innkeeper and turned down the job (I forgot to mention that she had offered it to us!). We're quite sad not to accept, though we feel it was a good decision.

So, this summer, I'll continue to work full-time for my boss doing whatever needs to be done and Neal will hopefully get more hours at Gordon College working in the design center. We've already found furnished alternate housing, though its only a studio apartment. I fancy the idea of not really moving in anywhere and being nomads for the summer house/pet sitting for whoever happens to be on vacation for the week. Hey, we were almost innkeepers on a beautiful lake; it could happen.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Hair




Hey there. This is my 100th post! I'm writing to say that today was a big day. Neal snipped off my long pony tail today. I've been growing out my hair for the last couple years in order to donate to locks of love. Since then, I've discovered Pantene is supporting something similar. I'll do a little more research, and figure out who gets my pretty locks. Here's some fun pics.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Aisha Maxine Martinez

Welcome to the world, Aisha Maxine Martinez! Her details: 8lbs. 3oz. 20" Sept. 29th.
1:15 a.m. Her mommy is my cousin Amy Martinez. Congrats! Congrats!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Wedding Album Aug. 19, 2006

Here's our wedding album!

Link to view this photo book:
http://www.photoworks.com/photo-sharing/shareSigninBook.jsp?shareCode=A17EA03C442&cp=ems_shr_alb_emb&cb=PW

Friday, August 17, 2007

Birthday

My birthday was the 14th. It was a wonderful birthday. At work, my boss' family made me a cake, sang that song, and gave me all sorts of fun gifts, including: pig soap on a roap, earrings David bought in Brazil, little wooden airplanes to be assembled, chocolate, a gift card. Once I arrived home from work, a sweet friend had left me a balloon and card on my deck. Neal gave me lots of flowers and had dinner ready from Siam Delight (Thai food) to go the beach. We took our two minute walk to the beach and enjoyed a lovely picnic. Then we assembled the two wooden airplanes and were entertained by those for quite a while. Then we had a romantic walk along the water. It was very cool because the tide was super low and we were able to walk in places that are normally covered by ocean.
Thanks for a great birthday friends and family!

Gloucester



I went whale watching yesterday. We indeed did see whales and over two hundred dolphins. We saw several of the dolphins jump out of the water. It was a very cool experience. God is incredible. His creation is amazing.
Our boat left from Gloucester, Massachusetts-Home of the Man at the Wheel and where "The Perfect Storm" movie was made. To complete the day, my friends and I watched "The Perfect Storm". Sad movie.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Budapest

It's Tuesday morning and Neal and I just arrived home from a 10-day visit to Budapest yesterday afternoon. One word sums up how we both felt about being there: comfortable. It was so nice visiting the place where we lived our recent half decade in and it felt much more familiar than where we are currently living in the States.
Once we arrived in Big Bp., we dropped off our bags and headed straight to the graduation ceremony at my former school. Then Saturday morning, we went to the grad. ceremony of Neal's former school. It wasn't long before we booked our schedule to meet many students, collegues, and friends. We were busy little social bugs. What a good feeling to catch up with and meet with those who were important to us. Unfortunatley, we weren't able to meet everyone we would have liked, but did get to meet quite a lot. If you're reading this and would have liked to have met up, let me know and we hope to see you next year!

Monday, December 04, 2006

Snow!

We got our first snow this morning. I jumped up and down and shrilled! I like snow.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Maine

Liza, Byron, Neal, and I went to Maine yesterday. We had a lot of fun. We found a candlepin bowling alley and played that. It was a hoot. If you don't know what candle-pin bowling is, go here. Also, next door to the bowling alley was the "Fun-O-Rama". The best part of our trip? Finding the claw machine who's prize was a live lobster. Wow.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

The present

The other day, Neal and I passed "In Search of Nanny". Not knowing exactly what or who they are, I got ready this morning to ask them just that. After using my landlord's iron to make my clothes presentable this morning, a buzzing sound and fire burst from the cord! After I made sure the fire was out, I went to the bathroom to finish getting ready. A bottle fell from the cabinet and broke a soap dish I had purchased in Hungary. I didn't know if I should leave my apartment to prevent something more from happening, or should stay because something more will happen!

Anyway, now I'm at the public library checking out this nanny business.

I'll give more updates later, but for now, check Neal's site for password to see wedding pics.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Gold



Interesting fashion...

Breakthrough


Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Apologies

Dear friends,

If you read my blog, chances might be that I'm reading yours too.
I don't update often, and sometimes I do.
But please when you blog, omit the apologies.
Yes, I want to hear from you often, but if you look around, so many blog entries
contain sorrow for the lack of blogging.

STOP IT!

I'm just glad to hear from you.
So blog when you can and stop apologizing.

Thank you,
D

A ramble from the soul

So, it seems like God's got my back. It's funny to say that, cuz that is the same thing I might roll my eyes at these days. I said earlier confession brings freedom, and so it seems that it really really does. (I believed it then, and believe it still, just another confirmation, I guess). But see, I've got a lot going on these days: wrapping up a life of five years, planning a wedding, passing on the country-directorship and finishing up of ESI work, packing my belongings in 2-50 lb. bags... And the thing is, Neal says that he can hear ME in my voice again. It's like I've been hiding out for a few years trying to control my own life. When all along I needed to give that control to God. I can't say that I've given control to God, I don't think that is something I have consciously done. But I am learning that some things/ideas I have learned when I was younger (whether taught to me by someone, or I saw by example) aren't really "right". Things like "winning souls for the Lord", and having conversations and building relationships with an ulterior motive to get them saved, being ashamed or scared someone might not like me if I shared Jesus with them, thinking I might be rejected if they reject Jesus, thinking I can control what another person will think (it's not my job).

So, what I was trying to say in the beginning, I've got a lot of things to do. And well, it seems like they are getting done. There are so many things that need to get done, frankly, I don't have the energy to worry whether or not that I can do it. I have been trying my best. That's really all I can do...and trust that if it needs to get done, it will.

Neal's collegue, who I have hung out with in groups with his collegues before, called me up to go for some tea. We went out and had a good time and great conversation. I didn't have an ulterior motive to "save" her. I was completely honest with her (as honest I can be with myself and her). What is this faith of mine? I don't know. It's going somewhere and somewhere new (for me). I have to trust that our conversation will be glorifying to God. It's not about ME being a better Christian than HER (cuz she does believe in Jesus), It's not what I can do or say for her. Maybe it's what she could say or do for me...who am I to compare that my faith or her faith is stronger? What the heck does that matter or mean? IT DOESN'T!

Got off track again... So with all these things, I've been getting things done. I've got mice. A student was going to watch the mice. He just told me (with about 10 days before I leave) that he can't watch the mice over the summer (Matt is adopting them next year; smuggling mice to America really isn't my thing). And so Ildi (that's Neal's collegue) came over to see if she wanted any of these things in the flat, I mean, apartment and she saw the mice and she said she would watch them over the summer. So, hey, yeah. Things are getting done. So, maybe I can say God's got my back. It isn't about saying "there is no such thing as coincidence" because come on, what's that mean? Either way, things are getting done. I've been having cool conversations about faith, and I feel pretty good. Maybe God really is doing something in my life. Heck, I know He is. I can say it makes me excited. I can't say what's going on in the depths of my soul is refreshing. Actually, it's quite painful and scary. But I like the conversations and thoughts that have been given to me. Thanks Aaron, Janelle, Soomi, Ildi, Don, and Neal.
I hope it was good for you too.



Last time with the girls-->me, Gabi, Liz, and Soominator

Friday, June 02, 2006

Apartment

We've got a place to live!!! Neal signed the contract today. It has light, light, sun, and light, tall ceilings, and washer and dryer. It's only 14 minutes from Neal's school, and ? from my job (that is, I don't know what I'll be doing yet).

Here's a picture of our living room, and a picture of our kitchen.