Merry Christmas

It's about time I write on here.
Just to update you on my life...
I have a full time job now as a teacher at a daycare center. On an average day we nine toddlers in my classroom. It's extremely exhausting, but fun. Sometimes, like this morning, I get to take care of the babies. They're so adorable. It's a 40 minute commute to work and the gas money is killing me, especially because my husband has been out of work for a month.

Christmas was fun and relaxing....too bad it was over the weekend. Well, I can't complain too much because I only had to work a half day today and I have tomorrow off because we have very few kids at the daycare center this week.

Hope your Christmas was a happy one and your New Year's safe and fabulously fun!

In a month I will be Mrs. Rodriguez

The summer is going be very quickly and my wedding is coming up soon. I have a lot to do to prepare for it. Decorating and the ceremony are the two big things I have left to work on. My friends who just got married in the past year have offered their wedding decorations to me to use, so far there are three people who said I could.

Three weeks ago Olvyn and I moved into a duplex and three days later I had a miscarriage . It was very hard for both of us because I was almost 3 months pregnant. I had never lived with a guy before and we were learning a lot about each other. We would get into big fights over stupid things because we were so stressed out.

I haven't been working, but I will start on Tuesday babysitting my neighbors two kids, a two-year-old and a four-year-old. It's not a lot of money, but it's something and I don't have to drive to work. If I have to go somewhere I can bring the two-year-old with me and the older kid will be in school. I love kids and can't wait to start!

I'm alive annd well!

A lot has happened in a month. First, I went down to Chicago the end of June to be Steph Johnson's personal attendant in her wedding. Second, I celebrated my graduation from college by having an art show at my house and invited some close friends and family. Third, I turned 22 years old on the 4th of July. Forth, I got a temporary job working at the Dairy Queen. Fifth, I found out that I am pregnant and will be due in March. Sixth, I'm engaged and will be getting married October 1st, 2005. As you can see I have been very busy, so I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch with all of you.

the best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees...

I want money. (That's what I need.) That's what I want.

As of today it has been an entire month since I have worked and I'm really lacking in the area of funds. Hopefully, I can sell some artwork or get a commission soon because I have two weddings coming up and one is next week in Chicago and at the moment I don't even have enough money for gas to get there. Maybe my boyfriend will come along and help me out a little bit, but he quit his job and is done after this week. Once again I must say that life would be much easier if so much didn't depend on money.

I'm trying to lose some weight and get in shape since I have plenty of time on my hands, but we have so much cake and root beer left from my sister's graduation that it's not an easy task. This past weekend I went to see the Shaw Bros. Band with my friend Amanda at a bar in the middle of nowhere. It was fun and only one drunk guy hit on us. Then on Saturday I finally got to see Obi and we went driving and out to eat. That night we watched one of his many Friends DVDs and on Sunday I went to his soccer game. He plays on a team called Rayados and Obi and his two cousins(Jimmy and Marcos) are the only guys on the team who are from Mexico. They won the game and continue to be undefeated.
Life is good and moving at an extrememly slow pace compared to when I was at college. I'm getting used to it, but I better not because when I start my job on July 1st the pace will pick back up again.

Back in the U.S.A.!!!!

I'm back. Yay!
Don't get me wrong, I loved Europe, but I am so happy to see my family, and friends, and my boyfriend. I am glad that I don't have to live out of a suitcase, I don't have to pay to use the toilet and I don't have to wait for directions.
On Monday, we flew from Frankfurt, Germany to O'Hare in Chicago. It was a nine hour flight. OOFTA!!! Then I slept and loaded my car yesterday, ate lunch with Maggie who was my roommate on the tour and drove home(6 hours and 30 min).

I tried to write another entry while I was in Salzberg, Austria, but my time ran out before I could post it, so I will fill you in on the rest of my trip when I have my journal with me. SOme of you will be receiving postcards, but I have to send them yet. I'm wierd like that because it's hard to find stamps and things when you are traveling.

My aunt signed the lease on her restaurant, so I will have to find out the details of what she wants me to do and start looking for an apartment in Minneappolis. It's really exciting and a little scary.

I'll keep you posted on things.

Day 6 of European tour

TOday we did a lot of driving. We started in East Sussex this morning and drove to the other side of England where we took a train through the Chunnel. From there we drove through France to Belgium where we had our lunch and then to Cologne, Germany. Before checking into our hotel in Cologne, we toured the Dom Cathedral which is the most magnificent church I have ever seen. After we checked into our hotel, we had a most deliscious dinner in the hotel restaurant and now I am sitting in the internet cafe a few blocks from the hotel. I did not get much from England because the exchange rate is so terrible. A pound is almost $2, so everything cost twice as much. In Germany, I plan on doing more shopping so if I get you a gift it will probably be from Germany, Austria or the Czech Republic. Cheerio!

Day 5 of European Tour

Well, today I am in Heathfield in East Sussex in England at my host families house. They have so kindly let me use the internet here. Alot has happened since the last time I wrote from London.
On Tuesday, we went to Colchester, the oldest recorded town in England, and stayed for two nights there with a lovely host family Greta and Michael who lived in a village outside of Colchester called East Bergholts. Michael came with the choir on our coach to Cambridge the next day and was kind of like our tour guide. Cambridge itself is not a college, rather it contains 28 colleges, including King's College which have the most magnificent chapel that we toured. It was a gorgeous, sunny day so I used an entire role of film in Cambridge. From there we went to the Town Hall in Colchester and sang as part of the Mayor Making ceremonies and got to meet him and wave from his balcony, which is where Queen Elizabeth stood when she visited Colchester a few years ago.
Today we drove from Colchester to Canterbury to tour the Cathedral where many arch bishops, kings, queens, and even the "Black Prince" are buried. From Caterbury we drove to Heathfield, met our host families and just finished a concert at there church which looks more like a hall. I'm very tired though, so I'm going to sleep soon. Nighty-night!

Day 2 of the European Choir Tour

Let me paint you a picture of what I am doing/experiencing. I am sitting in the upstairs of a little bagel shop in London in a room with about twenty other people on computers; some of the speaking Spanish and others sit quietly typing away. It costs £1 per hour, which is pretty good. I'm a little soggy for I have been walking around the rainy streets of London and through Hide Park and Kensington Garden. My friend Maggie is at a computer two rows away from me checking her mail as well.

The tour began with a two hour choir rehearsal in the concert hall yesterday morning and after that we ate lunch, parked our cars in the designated lot and boarded a coach for Chicago. After waiting an extra hour and a half for our plane to be fixed (Boeing 777 had an oil leak), we boarded and were on our way. It was not scary at all even though it was my first time. However, my ears are still plugged from the landing this morning. On the flight I gave the flight attendant a note from a flight attendant I met the night before at a graduation party. The note said something like do me a favor and take care of this nice girl. Because of the note I got a complimentary Bailey's Irish Cream.
This morning we toured the Tower of London and saw the Crown Jewels. Then we took a boat ride down the Thames.
Got to go talk to you soon.

Times when you should be glad you aren't an art major.

When you are working on your final piece and almost everything that can go wrong does go wrong. I guess, that can apply to anything. Perhaps, many of you can simpathize with me and maybe even have your final project going horribly wrong as well.
It all started yesterday afternoon, I went to the sculpture studio to make a resin cast in my mold (rubber mold inside the plaster "mother" mold). After struggling to get my mold put together and filling the holes with clay, I took the mold over to the work bench for Prof. Matson's assistance. Everthing was setup and Prof. Matson started pouring the resin into the mold. Suddenly, resin is all over the place. I forgot to fill a hole...oops...that started the rest of my problems. When the resin hardened an hour later, the board that the mold was on was stuck to the table, but with my handy dandy hammer and chisel I got the board off the table. My next challenge was much more difficult....DUN...DUN...DUN...removing the mother mold. The resin had seeped through the cracked in the mother mold seaking it to the rubber mold, but after hours of hammering and chiseling, most of the mother mold was removed.
I then began to try to tear the rubber mold from the resin cast. This was very difficult, so I took a break and unloaded a kiln. While unloading the kiln, I managed to slice open my fingertip of my right pointer finger, which bled a lot. This disabled me a bit, so some kind, big, strong football players, working on the same assignment offered me assistance in removing the rubber mold.
Now, I 'm about to go back to the studio to finish the job. I have until 4:30 to complete it.
I'll let you know what happens in my dramatic tale.

Finally, the week I've been waiting for is here.

Yay! It's finals week!!! WooHoo!!!

Alright, by now I know you think I'm crazy, but really I have been looking forward to finals week all semester.
Why?
I don't have any tests to study for. I have some parties and two critiques and Commencement rehearsals. So...I'm watching movies, working out, packing for Europe, making some art, planning for the summer, and hanging out with friends.
Sorry to anyone who has to take or give finals. God's blessings on your week!

In five days I graduate and in six I leave for Europe. I'm so excited!

As of last Thursday, I know what I'm going to do for a job when I move back home. My aunt called me and asked if I would consider helping her with her restaurant that she will be opening this summer in downtown Minneappolis. It's going to be a soup, sandwich, deli place and she's going to have her cakes there too.

My artwork is on the wall, now I can relax.

My senior thesis exhibition opened last night and it went quite well. I did not sell anything yet, but I had some nibbles. This morning my parents and my little brother came to see my artwork. I gave them a long, hopefully not boring, tour of the art exhibitons. Then, we went swimming at the hotel that they are staying at. After that, they took me out to dinner at Bluemound Gardens. I love that place porque la comida es muy delicioso(that means,"because the food is very delicious).
When I got home my roommate and her boyfriend were here, but thank God they aren't touchy feely in front of me because that would've been awkward. Andy, her boyfriend, is really cool and seems like a good guy. They went out tonight with a bunch of his friends.
Now that I'm pretty much done with my thesis, my next concern is the art camp that I will be directing this summer. I still need two guy counselors and I need to make brochures for it to send to churches so we have campers. This is the first time for this camp, which means we really need to advertise it.
Good things are happenings right now for me and it is an awesome feeling. In 29 days, I graduate from college and in 30 days I fly to England. It will be my very first time flying and therefore, my first time out of North America.
My boyfriend is playing soccer right now in a tournament. Tomorrow, he's playing in the tournament and then coaching junior high soccer. This month, his mom and sister were supposed to meet with the ambassador of Honduras to see if they could become residents of the U.S., but their appointment got canceled two years ago and they were never told about it. That means that they have to try to get another appointment with him or I don't know what the other options are. Olvyn, my boyfriend, is not happy because he was looking forward to seeing them and, if they became U.S. citizens it may be easier for him to become a citizen. He hasn't seen them in almost three years. I cannot imagine how that feels.

35 days and counting

Graduation is coming up quickly and I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life.
oh well...
I guess I'll move back home for a little while, get a job, be a camp counselor, and direct an art camp.


Do you ever wish that money didn't matter?
If you would have enough money for everything you needed and some for the fun stuff, would you worry as often? Life wouldn't be so stressful. There'd be no need to turn someone down because you couldn't afford to go somewhere. You could work where you wanted and enjoy it, instead of working a crummy job where you are underpaid and underappreciated. Maybe what really matters in life would be your main concern; God, family, friends, health, happiness.
I would create art and attempt to make any idea I have no matter the size or cost. My family and friends would hear from and see me a lot more.

What would life be like?

Afflicted with Senioritis

I have recently been afflicted with the infamous desease known as senioritis. My first case of senioritis hit me like a brick 4th quarter of my senior year of high school. Now, with a month and a week left I cannot escape it. No longer to I feel the need to care about grades, classes, my on-campus job, etc. I want to be working and actually making money and most of all near my family and friends. When I leave WLC, I will miss all of my friends here and some faculty. I really miss my boyfriend, who I won't get to see until June.
Oh, Man, that's a long time!
Next week is my senior thesis and after that I sense a severe slide and my senioritis to take over. We shall see what becomes of me. I will keep you posted.

It's the second day of classes and I'm already going insane.

I have taken on some extra responsiblities this semester, which at this point it not looking like it was a great idea. In addition to my stuff last semester I am now the president of the Art club, putting together one of the choir fundraisers (an art and craft sale), having my senior show and building my online business.
If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't be doing these extra things.

On top of that stress, Obi called tonight to tell me that he cannot come to Winterfest. I sort of expected that, but I thought it would be because he had to work. Unfortunately, it's because he is having some tests done on his back and can't leave the area for a couple weeks. I'm going to send him a care package.

I feel better now


My next problem is where to park my car in all this snow.

A new year means a better me.

Obi and I are still going strong. He calls me his ojitas azules, for those of you who don't know spanish that means little blue eyes. I just call him my honey. It's going to be hard on both of us when I go back to college tomorrow. We've seen each other a few times a week at least. Tonight we're going to see a movie if the roads aren't too bad. We got drizzle and the snow yesterday and today it's only 3degrees so the roads were really icy.

I had quite a list of stuff I wanted to get done over break, but very little of it got finished. How could I have thought that I would have enough time for all that? I've been working at a farm coop. in a neighboring town with my Mom doing projects that no one else wants to do or has had time to do. At least I'm making some money. Still haven't figured out what I'm going to do when I graduate. My dream is to be an artist and build my online business so I can make $2,000+ a month.

This year I am going to keep track of my finances better, lose at least 70 pounds and buy a new car. Hope you all keep setting goals and dreaming.