Update

Wow, it's been quite a while since I've written a blog. So...I guess it's time for an update on my life.

For starters, I finally got a job. At Petsmart, as a dog trainer. It's pretty cool, actually. I'm only twenty years old yet I've already reached where I want to be career-wise in life. I'm a dog trainer. It's what I went to school for and now I've already started a job in my career path. Not a lot of twenty year olds can say that.

Second, I got another dog. Kaelynn. She's four months old and she's a husky, lab mix. She's adorable and Liam and her get along so great and they just absolutely love each other. They have since day one. But, I do have to say that working and taking care of a puppy is a LOT of work. Potty training, plenty of walks, feeding, watering, taking care of her when she gets sick (which actually has happened, unfortunately) is a lot to deal with, but most of the time, it's fun.

Now comes the other updates. Wedding planning. It. Sucks. Everyone says it's fun and all that, but not when you have a very opinionated fiance and a future mother-in-law who isn't all too easy to deal with and who is also very opinionated about how you should spend your wedding budget and how you should live your life and how every future wife needs to know how to cook (which I do but it's not fun for me and I can only make a small number of meals). But, I did happen to find a VERY, VERY beautiful wedding dress that I have put a down payment on and can not wait to have in my possession forever. It's so pretty and I just know I'm going to feel like a princess on my wedding day, mostly because of the dress.

I continually feel the excitement about my future life with Chris. You know, the way future. Like our future house on tons of land, him working his dream job, me owning my own training business, having a bunch of dogs, and maybe a child or two in the mix. Yet, I know I have to be patient and that God will help us get to that point. But I'm still excited.

Life, and growing up, kind of sucks though. There are so many responsibilities that come with it. I wish I could just go back in time and be a kid without responsibilities and to just have fun again. But that's not the way life works and I'm reminded of that daily. But at the same time life and growing up comes with it's privileges.

It will definitely be an adventure, growing up. But I look forward to it.

Sarah's Chicken and Broccoli Mac N' Cheese!!!

For those of you who know me, I can't cook. I took Home-Ec most of my high school life but I honestly don't know how I passed. I messed up EVERYTHING. I can't even bake cookies! But as I'm preparing to get married next year I decided it's time for me to learn how to cook at least a little bit.

So far I have learned how to make (now keep in mind I couldn't cook anything before) Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Fried Potatoes, Chicken and Steak. I've always had help or at least a supervisor while cooking in case I forgot something or accidentally tried to set the house on fire =)

Today, I decided to brave it on my own, with a whole new (mostly minus the chicken) meal. 

You see, a while back my Grandma sent me the secret recipes to my favorite meals of hers! It was VERY exciting! Grandma is southern, her food is the greatest, I have always said so (sorry Mom). So when I decided to cook by myself today I decided to try the easiest and second favorite of mine. Her Mac N Cheese. But I didn't want to stop there...I wanted to make a full meal.

So I looked online for recipes. Found a Mac N Cheese casserole recipe that sounded really good...but it took FOREVER to cook and I didn't want to spend forever in the kitchen. So I took the basic idea and created my own invention.

I cooked Grandma's Mac N Cheese, cooked up chicken which I am now confident in making, and steamed some broccoli (without a broccoli steamer or the microwave). Then once everything was cooked I added it all together and it turned out AMAZING!! 

Everyone, here is my first ever all-by-myself-full-meal:

I'm calling it Sarah's Chicken and Broccoli Mac N' Cheese! It was SUPER good and very filling! If you want the recipe, just make Mac N Cheese, fry some chicken and steam some broccoli and add it all together, simple as that. (Sorry can't give out Grandma's Mac N Cheese, it's a family secret)

Writing, writing, writing...

For those of you who don't know, I REALLY like writing, it wouldn't be easy to tell with as little as I update my blog but I really do like to write. 

Well I did, then life caught up with me, made me busy and I kind of stopped and I lost the inspiration. 

Well lately, I've been on a major writing spree. I have an overload of inspiration and I just have to get it out.

Let me tell you it has felt SO GOOD to write again. After having such a major BLOCK for over a year when writing used to come so easily, it feels SO good to be able to write the way I have been lately. I was able to correct a story that I have been working on for about two years trying to get it just right and then I was able to start a whole other story and get pretty far in it.

Writing has been able to help especially since school has been on hold due to not being able to find a hands on trainer in my area that our schedules match with. Then on top of school being on hold I just got let go of my babysitting job because they don't need a sitter for the time being. 

Writing has always been my escape in life, it has always helped me focus when I get too stressed out or really upset. It seems that when I get in those situations I actually write better and write more then when I'm just feeling normal. So with being bored because my school is on hold and then losing my job and a bunch of social problems lately writing has been a magnificent outlet for all the frustration I've been dealing with.

So, if this writing streak keeps up maybe one day I'll become an author lol.

The newest addition...Liam!

I just seem to be behind in everything lately, but for my birthday last month my lovely fiance, agreed to let me get a dog. I knew that since I wouldn't be at the apartment enough of the time to get a puppy so I knew from the beginning I wanted that I wanted to start out with an older puppy dog. One that was already somewhat trained but DEFINITELY house-trained. 

I always find myself looking on craigslist at dogs and such and so I knew how many dogs were on there looking for new homes. Most of the time it's for ridiculous reasons like they're moving or they just had a new kid or they just got a new job or work schedule. I can understand that somewhat but seriously, dogs are very good at adjusting to new things so most of the time these reasons are bogus.

So, when Chris told me that we could start looking for a dog I was so excited. So I started my hunt. I knew I wanted a German Shepherd but I didn't care if it was a mix or not, but I knew I wanted a German Shepherd. And I was ok with either male or female as long as the female was fixed. 

After only a couple of days, I found the perfect dog. It was a male, German Shepherd Lab mix who was a year and a half. He was house-trained and came with a crate, leash and collar and food bowls. He was perfect.

So I called.

I asked if he was still available.

He was.

I asked a couple of questions about him.

Then it was their turn.

They asked a couple of questions, which I answered.

Then it came down to the moment of truth.

Could I have him?

Yes!

I was so excited I could barely stand it. I couldn't wait. We made agreements to meet up in two days and then he would be all mine.

The day I went and got him was a very exciting day. I took my best friend Dezi with me for the car ride and for safety reasons and it was just great.

When we got to the meeting point and I was so anxious I was pacing back and forth. Dezi continuously laughed at my anxiety and impatience. 

When the old owner finally showed up and then out came the dog. He was scared and nervous with the businesses around us. And he was shy. But he was so stinking cute.

The old owner handed over the leash, said his final goodbyes and told me good luck and left. 

This was it, he was mine.

It took a while for him to come around but now, he's my baby. He follows me around from room to room and he's just such a pleasure to have around. 

Everyone, meet my new baby, Liam.

The beginning of a new year

Well, I know this is a little late but I'm so excited for this new year! 2011 was NOT my year, although it had quite a bit of good learning periods and events but seriously, I can't wait to see what this year holds.

So, I'm not one to set new years resolutions, never have been, but what I do like to do is have "hopes for the year". Like, last year I hoped to figure out who I was as I spent my time in the Dream Center and grow closer to God, that was accomplished =)

This year all I was hoping for was a job, to do well in school and to finish school, and to just begin my life really, as last year was kind of my, figure stuff out year, this year I hope to actually START my life...and I have actually already started doing that, which is another reason I'm so late on my "New Years post".

First thing that has kind of helped "start" my life is that I got engaged...it has taken a while to get used to that term, as well as fiance, but now it's all kinda fun. So one of the things to start doing to start life is, well, wedding plan, and of course, get married. Oh boy! =)

The next thing that has helped me is a spiritual thing. I haven't really been relying on God lately, it's bad I know, but I'm trying, it's just been hard when I have a lot of people to rely on lately. Back at the Dream Center I really had only God to really rely on so being back home and having everyone back in my life has been kind of a hard adjustment where God and I stand, but because His love never fails and never gives up, WE are working on it, together. But, God had to get my attention somehow right? This is how he did it...

On January 19th around 1:00 p.m. I got a call from my mom telling me to come and get her from work so we could get to the apartment because it was flooding...with SEWER water. By the time my mom and I reached the apartment we had to hurry and get all that we could get (that hadn't already been touched with the 3-5 inches of sewer water flooding through the ENTIRE apartment) out and to our (Thank You LORD we had it) storage unit. Right after that, my mom had an appointment to get to so I drove her to that but she asked me to go and buy her a soda (pop, soft drink, whatever you call it) and bring it to her. Well, I went ACROSS the street and got the soda, as I was coming back someone ran a red light and drove right into me (in my mom's 2011 Honda Civic). This was my first MAJOR accident, ever, so, as you can imagine, I was QUITE shaken up. The accident happened at 5:03 p.m. So, within FOUR hours my mother and I became homeless and car-less. Crazy huh? Yeah, talk about it.

So, for the last month I have been doing school throughout the day, going to chiropractor appointments, hanging out with my sister and then running around with my mom doing whatever errands she has after she gets off work. Then, we return to our new home...our camping trailer that is parked at a rv park here in town.
 Talk about interesting...it definitely is. And it's been busy, very busy.

Where does the spiritual part come in? Well, through everything my mom and I have been trusting on God to get everything figured out and He has completely been doing just that. He is so great and so wonderful and He knows just what we need to get by from day to day. Instead of allowing ourselves to get lost and hopeless and angry with God, we trusted Him and thanked Him for what we DID have. We have a camp trailer to live in instead of a motel, we have insurance that covered a rental car until last week and now my aunt is letting us borrow her car and we still had each other. BUT there's more. God put us in an RV park where the owner and manager are protective, the neighbors are super friendly and helpful and it's just a nice place to be. On top of THAT our new neighbor Ron is (oddly enough) a mechanic who is helping us fix our truck that we've had just sitting at the apartment because we were too afraid it would break down on us, and my mom's neon that she crashed last year that has been sitting at my old house waiting for someone to be able to fix it. So once the cars are finished not only will we be in a safe home environment, we will have not one but TWO good, reliable running vehicles to get us to where we need to go. ON TOP OF THAT, God has blessed me, with the help of a friend, to find a babysitting job so that I have money to be saving for my wedding and other financial goals. Thank the Lord, isn't He just great?

Lastly, God is giving me the ability to stay on track in school through all of this, so I'm not behind AND I'm doing really good at it and thoroughly enjoying every bit of it!

So, all in all, I have to say, even with the testing and trials of losing a home and car in the same day, 2012 is looking to be a great year.

Wowsers!

Wow wow wow wow wow! It has been SO long since my last blog! Too long! For those of you that have actually followed my little blog here I am truly sorry for skipping out on you, my life has just been a little crazy lately, which I plan to update you on in just a little bit.

For those of you that HAVEN'T been following my blog let me catch you up a little bit. I was spending eight months of my life in Los Angeles all by myself to intern/volunteer at a place called the Dream Center, a non profit organization and a church. They have a ton of different ministries and out reaches that are so incredibly awesome and life changing that you will truly never be the same once you go there and serve. They have a homeless family program, a foster care prevention program, a rehab for not only drug and alcohol addicts but for those that have just lost their way in life and need help getting back on their feet, they have programs like food truck and adopt a block and under the bridge that go out tithe community and bring them food and clothes and basic household and hygienic needs. It's truly an amazing place. Feel free to check it out at dreamcenter.org.

Anyway for those of you following mg blog here's what's up. I've been home now for about four months now, wow wow wow and sooooo crazy, and it's weird. It's like so much has changed but at the same time it hasn't. I'm back home with my mom, very in adult-like I know, but honestly I love it. Sure there's challenges like sharing a room, bed and car with her but I've always been and always will be a mommys girl so I'm enjoying it. I can only be a child for so long, right?

Anyway so I'm back home, STILL looking for work, spending time with family and friends that I missed SO much when I was gone. Yet...it's different. Everyone's lives changed while I was gone just like mine did. So that's taken a bit of adjusting to. Thankfully I've had my m and sister and friends to help me with adjusting back.

A few new things have happened as well. For starters I enrolled into college! I am now a student of Animal Behavior College to become a professional dog trainer. Cool huh? I REALLY like it, A LOT! It's fun and it's interesting and it'll be a fun profession to be a part of when I'm married with kids since its something I could do on my own time.

Another new thing is my boyfriend Chris. He's an amazing, wonderful, incredible, encouraging, supportive man who I honestly think I would be lost without. Even if we weren't dating, I would still need him in my life as a really good, close friend and I would honestly think the exact same about him, he truly is an amazing man of God and I'm do thankful to have been blessed to have him in my life. Even though we've only been dating for a short period of time (since I've been home officially, but unofficially for quite a bit before I came home) he has become a very important person in my life and I know he's a lifer (someone to keep in my life forever). He treats me very well, encourages me in everything (including my walk with God), he's a supporter, and he just makes me happy. He makes me smile and laugh so much with such ease its amazing.

Another thing that has changed and been hard to adjust to is my family. It's really sad because honestly...I feel as if my family is gone. Sure I still have the family members but we're not a unit, not close like before. Do you know how hard it is to split holidays between three, not including Chris' family's, families? Talk about a chicken walking around with it's head cut off! SO hard!

There have been a lot of challenges, most of which I honestly haven't completely dealt with, it's just so much, you know? There's been the whole family thing, the job hunt, the college, struggling to balance friends and family and boyfriend equally and still keep my sanity and get my alone time in.

Lastly, but most CERTAINLY not least, is becoming a very proud auntie! On October 23rd I became the aunt to the worlds cutest baby! I have said time and time again that I really don't know how I'm going to love my kids because I love my beautiful niece way too much already. It's such a blessing to be a part of something so absolutely wonderful such as beig an aunt. See how prideful I am?

Well that's it for now but I'll be sure to get back to regular updates again. Thanks for reading!

Starting over

Well, I realized that I hadn't blogged in a while so I decided I would do another catch up blog. This last month has been kind of different. 

For starters, August started out with my church coming here to the Dream Center and it was super fun and it reminded me a lot of where I come from. Being in L.A. even in a Christian environment can have an impact on you that can make you forget who you are, and what you stand for. Don't get me wrong, L.A. and the Dream Center have both had a good impact on me as well, more good then bad. But it still has had a little bit of a bad impact as well. But my church coming here in August quickly made me remember who I am and where I come from and whipped me back into shape. They also made me REALLY, REALLY, REALLY miss home which has put me on this anxious wait and major countdown to come home which I have had to work on because if I focus on just that then I won't be focusing on what God has in store for me for the last of my time here. 

The second thing that has made the last month or so weird is that Bri, my room mate that I started the year out with, is no longer here. I miss her like crazy!!! It's just been weird because I came here and had Bri, and she became my best friend here and now she's gone and it feels like I have to start all over again friend-wise due to having that void of no longer having a best friend here at DC. So that has been weird to adjust to. 

On top of Bri leaving we had a new addition to our room family. Meaning Georgia. She's from England. She's awesome. She's 18. She's boy crazy =) Georgia came in at a time where Bri, Stacy and I were just like, REALLY? ANOTHER ROOM MATE? and then she ended up winning us all over. We LOVE Georgia. She fit in PERFECTLY.

Then, within this last week, since Bri is gone, we had a spare bed and registration thought it'd be great to give us ANOTHER new room mate the same week Stacy was LEAVING. Meaning, once again, FOUR girls in ONE room the size of the room I had TO MYSELF back home. So, we got Ra'chelle. She's from the Northwest as well. She's 19. Super sweet. Just loud in the mornings...which isn't a good thing for me or anyone else because when I get woken up BEFORE my alarm goes off...well, let's just say grumpy gills comes out...so I've had to work on that, don't want to make the new room mate feel uncomfortable right? 

Another thing is Stacy left, leaving me as the LAST from the original group in our room. It's weird...I feel different. I used to feel really comfortable in our room knowing I was gonna come home to my bri-bri and stacy-loo but both of which are no longer there and now I come home to the two other girls. Please, don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE these other girls but it's just weird when your friends have left you and you're by yourself and you have to make a whole new list of friends just so you don't go crazy for the next month while you wait to go home...

Finally, I come home soon! I'm very, very, VERY excited to come home and see what God has in store for me over the next part of my life. Everything has changed SO MUCH since I left home in February I'm kinda worried if I'm going to have problems adjusting back to my old life...well sort of old life. Then of course there's the fact that I'm going to have to find a job, car and eventually, by the course of a year, my goal is to be living on my own or with a room mate, but not a home. Let's see how that works out huh?

I think that is it for updates except for the fact that going back to the BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY, WONDERFUL, RAINY Northwest couldn't come sooner. I hate heat, especially when it's hitting the hottest days of the year this week here in L.A.