tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-265373732024-03-12T18:55:15.826-07:00Saving GracePoetry, Life, Love.Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-16102790063345145032010-02-10T18:30:00.001-08:002010-03-22T13:19:06.522-07:00Experiential Love<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I wrote this poem after a particularly influential worship night on the Pinnacle mountain. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Who knows if the words are even mine... :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I want you to experience what I experienced. So read it not just with your eyes, but with your spirit too. That's what it was made for. Enjoy.</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/S3Ns2ESlZJI/AAAAAAAAAtA/5S0ZGsFrQvo/s1600-h/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/S3Ns2ESlZJI/AAAAAAAAAtA/5S0ZGsFrQvo/s400/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436808851286746258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Whoever wants it,<br />Take a blade of grass<br />From the tufts and rolling hills<br />Of your pasture, overgrown.<br /><br />I’m feeling who you are<br />I’m breathing the very essence of you<br />Your love, astounding.<br />My heart is not ready for such a beautiful flame.<br />I can’t contain it, I’m not ready<br />The small piece of You floats into my nostrils<br />And the slightest upward glance<br />Delivers me into your surrounding embrace.<br /><br />My body is a flame.<br /><br />Even my mind has been obliterated<br />and now I can’t do anything but focus on Your presence in this room.<br />So thick I can barely see my own two feet<br />All around me, a host of freedom fighters<br />Urging me into it…come into the water.<br /><br />I’d take a step in but my feet are glued down<br />Each breath, like cement seeping into my lungs.<br />I’m falling, I’m falling into your atmosphere<br />Upward, downward I really don’t care<br />It’s the “inward” that matters<br />When the outward tends to fail.<br /><br />But fall into you I go<br />And I step into a piece of forgotten wonderland…<br /><br />The troops are rejoicing<br />My feet pick up speed, and I’m flying now<br />Each particle of air seems to hit my face with a piercing sort of force<br />Everything is magnified.<br />Everything <span style="font-style: italic;">magnifies</span>.<br />Did I tell You how much I love this?<br />I go from space to space but I never fall into this place.<br />Oh but I wish you would.<br />I would I could.<br /><br />I’m floating now, silenced in your stillness.<br />Then He comes……<br /><br />He comes.<br />He is here.<br />My heartbeat quickens, my back is against the wall<br />Everything moves faster and faster,<br />My head can’t keep up.<br />I love you, I want you, I want you not!<br />I want you now, but I can’t have you here.<br />I can’t feel any part of me anymore<br />I’m just a disconnected blob of energy, waiting to explode<br /><br />But then explode, I do.<br /><br />Everything outside me wants to come inside<br />And I’m not sure I’ve made room for You.<br />I’m so full of You<br />And I’m so thirsty for You still…<br /><br />You take me into your heart<br />Your huge, boundless heart.<br />It’s an untold mystery<br />Where everything fits, and nothing melts away<br />You see each one<br />With a fire in your eyes.<br />Fierce love that burns every past sin away.<br /><br />Your eyes are like deep crystal clear water pools<br />That never run out<br />Of Your love, so abounds.<br /><br />I’m thinking about you,<br />I’m smelling you,<br />I’m tasting the sweet parts of you.<br />You’re a banquet of perfect love,<br />One that casts out all fear before You.<br /><br />I’m getting so full<br />I don’t know if I’ll stay here<br />I’d love to, I can’t.<br />So delightful, so terrifying…<br /><br />Farewell perfect, experiential love.<br /><br />You’ve once again transformed me in every way,<br />Touched the deepest, darkest, prickly parts of me<br />Formed a beautiful, fragrant, bed of flowers for me.<br />And watched me with awe of what You have created.<br />How you could look at me with those eyes of fire,<br />I’m not really sure.<br />But I’m glad that You did.<br /><br />And You’ll do it again…<br /><br />And again.<br />And again.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-82527677568769129652010-01-13T17:53:00.000-08:002010-01-13T17:59:25.937-08:00Message To My Soul...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/S056UpCDcLI/AAAAAAAAAkw/6Pm-SQSNscA/s1600-h/IMG_0027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/S056UpCDcLI/AAAAAAAAAkw/6Pm-SQSNscA/s400/IMG_0027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426409096058466482" border="0" /></a><br />I’m not going to tell you to stop feeling, stop wanting<br />But I can’t just let it get out of hand…<br /><br />You’re pulling me down, you’re casting me out.<br />Like a worm to the raging sea,<br />You release me to the winds, you<span style="font-style: italic;"> fisher of men</span>.<br />I can’t keep my head above water.<br /><br />And you’re not helping me.<br /><br />You’re a problem getter, a problem solver<br />Never know who to keep close and who to keep away.<br /><br />To tell the truth, it’s been hard enough just to find the balance<br />It’s too delicate to touch<br />So I can’t do anything at all.<br />I’m a helpless wilting flower<br />Reaching for a promise.<br />Full of needs unmet.<br /><br />But I’m not gone yet, oh I’m not gone just yet…<br /><br />So I’m writing to you now,<br />For some grasp on peace or a life fully lived<br />But I know it’s a cause that’s somewhat worthless<br />Because you’re you and I’m me<br />A cold and hardened wall.<br /><br />One I’m tearing down,<br />But it’ll take me a while still.<br />So don’t take me down with you…<br />Don’t frame my trust.<br />Or shout out all my secrets<br />On the way down, crumbly ancient wall.<br /><br />Don’t waste the beautiful to eliminate the ugly.<br />Just let yourself breathe and God’ll know what to do.<br />Settle all your quelling waves<br />And receive His peace on your swelling, smoldering towns.<br /><br />If you were a village and I were the earth,<br />You’d be an uprising in a kingdom<br />That never gave you position in it’s fully balanced universe.<br /><br />So stop pushing, stop pulling..<br />Just give me time.<br /><br />Give me rest.Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-81326226923755478052009-11-11T12:21:00.001-08:002009-11-11T12:26:33.267-08:00Streams School of Ministry BLOG!Hey everyone!<br /><br />I just wanted to let everyone know that I have started a brand new Streams School of Ministry Blog for anyone who is interested in what's going on at Streams New Hampshire! The posts will be from fellow interns, intern leaders, or even me :) There may be pictures, testimonies from outreaches, personal experiences, etc. I am the creator/overseer of this blog, but I won't be the only one posting on it...Let me tell you, you are in for a real treat. These are some of my favorite people in the whole world! (And the people I see on a daily basis lol)<br /><br />I am really excited about this blog, so help me out in advertising it! If you know of anyone interested in Streams School of Ministry, feel free to direct them to the website: <a href="http://newhampshire.streamsschoolofministry.com/">http://newhampshire.streamsschoolofministry.com/</a> or the blog: http://streamsschoolofministry.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Big thanks to everyone!!!<br /><br />JourdanJourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-43443367234658113742009-09-18T10:34:00.000-07:002009-09-18T17:27:10.747-07:00Hello, Goodbye - Good News & Bad NewsOkay, there have been about a million and a half amazing things that have happened to me since I've been here in New Hampshire, and I can't even begin to explain them all in a measly blog post. There's just absolutely no way. So I'm resorting to pictures instead. If you haven't noticed, I get to be outside a lot and I love taking pictures of God's creation. I definitely put my iPhone to good use!<br /><br />Last week we hiked Mt. Kearsarge, about a 1.2 mile hike with GORGEOUS views at the top. It was a ridiculously hard hike to make, especially after being mostly sedentary in the comfort of my home AC for the past 5 months of living in Arizona. It was super steep, but definitely worth it.<br /><br />Here are the pictures I took!!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPGFBx0awI/AAAAAAAAAes/YdKNnx1bTKA/s1600-h/IMG_0628.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPGFBx0awI/AAAAAAAAAes/YdKNnx1bTKA/s400/IMG_0628.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382863769316911874" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A little New London charm...there were three bathrooms...one for women, one for men, and one for politicians. However, one door hid a delightful surprise! Oh man, small towns crack me up.</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPGg_maIpI/AAAAAAAAAe0/3oRaQR5VDCo/s1600-h/IMG_0629.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPGg_maIpI/AAAAAAAAAe0/3oRaQR5VDCo/s400/IMG_0629.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382864249768518290" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">the sign reads: "in new hampshire, you never catch a politician with his pants down..." HAHA!</span></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPY9n6Ky_I/AAAAAAAAAe8/LqZ5-lY1Rvg/s1600-h/IMG_0685.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPY9n6Ky_I/AAAAAAAAAe8/LqZ5-lY1Rvg/s400/IMG_0685.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382884532834454514" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPZRXDlETI/AAAAAAAAAfE/UAVOnvu1wgQ/s1600-h/IMG_0733.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPZRXDlETI/AAAAAAAAAfE/UAVOnvu1wgQ/s400/IMG_0733.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382884871907905842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPZcGd-ShI/AAAAAAAAAfM/19uSN9mHLrM/s1600-h/IMG_0701.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPZcGd-ShI/AAAAAAAAAfM/19uSN9mHLrM/s400/IMG_0701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382885056433768978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPZuixu4HI/AAAAAAAAAfU/dC_1mwol58Y/s1600-h/IMG_0679.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPZuixu4HI/AAAAAAAAAfU/dC_1mwol58Y/s400/IMG_0679.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382885373270483058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPaPWXCn0I/AAAAAAAAAfc/F-ad714Lzck/s1600-h/IMG_0730.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPaPWXCn0I/AAAAAAAAAfc/F-ad714Lzck/s400/IMG_0730.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382885936872988482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPac2z_4CI/AAAAAAAAAfk/QBSawY9AZC0/s1600-h/IMG_0726.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SrPac2z_4CI/AAAAAAAAAfk/QBSawY9AZC0/s400/IMG_0726.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382886168922677282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />That's the good news...aight, now for the bad news...I have to tell you, I feel compelled to take a bit of a break from my blogging. I am in this new season and I have a lot more on my plate than I used to, and I really want to devote this time to God. <br /><br />SO<br /><br />I will be back, I promise. But as of right now I am taking a break. So, thank you for reading, and I will be posting again eventually...just not now :)<br /><br />Ta ta for now!!!<br /><br />Blessings,<br />JourdanJourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-84430698628898655812009-09-13T18:21:00.000-07:002009-09-13T18:49:58.799-07:00I Went A'Walking<div style="text-align: center;">Today I made the <span style="font-style: italic;">epicest</span> decision to go on the <span style="font-style: italic;">epicest</span> walk ever. So I did! I turned out of the drive and made a left and just kept on walking for hours and hours. I took my lovely iPhone (that I love so much) with me and took some great photos of some great locations. I ended up finding a hidden little lake around some trails I headed down...it was such a delightful surprise! It really reminded me of the lake we used to camp on like 8 times every year. My family reading this will understand... :) Twin Lakes. Without mistake, <span style="font-style: italic;">the</span> most legit redneck "resort" of all time.<br /><br />I have hundreds more pictures from this one walk, but I pared it down for ya. Pretty sure if I put up all the ones I liked, you'd be scrolling down my blog page for about 45 minutes before finding the 'comment' link. Consider yourselves lucky...<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2eVvOfH6I/AAAAAAAAAeY/g7pFdsYza90/s1600-h/IMG_0612.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2eVvOfH6I/AAAAAAAAAeY/g7pFdsYza90/s400/IMG_0612.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381131226069278626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2ec__AkTI/AAAAAAAAAeg/zWnltJR1TlY/s1600-h/IMG_0580.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2ec__AkTI/AAAAAAAAAeg/zWnltJR1TlY/s400/IMG_0580.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381131350826848562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2eEUXXtxI/AAAAAAAAAeI/P1ufXns_uj8/s1600-h/IMG_0543.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2eEUXXtxI/AAAAAAAAAeI/P1ufXns_uj8/s400/IMG_0543.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381130926801008402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2c2MfFR1I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/wJ7Q201YVm4/s1600-h/IMG_0482.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2c2MfFR1I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/wJ7Q201YVm4/s400/IMG_0482.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381129584656074578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2d6VAB9FI/AAAAAAAAAeA/T1N_zE2lAyE/s1600-h/IMG_0528.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2d6VAB9FI/AAAAAAAAAeA/T1N_zE2lAyE/s400/IMG_0528.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381130755172856914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dG8MyZfI/AAAAAAAAAdY/lSwntfXD9v0/s1600-h/IMG_0491.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dG8MyZfI/AAAAAAAAAdY/lSwntfXD9v0/s400/IMG_0491.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381129872342148594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dw5rpyII/AAAAAAAAAd4/LvJJqCFexT4/s1600-h/IMG_0517.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dw5rpyII/AAAAAAAAAd4/LvJJqCFexT4/s400/IMG_0517.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381130593220806786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dnYhERBI/AAAAAAAAAdw/VuSS-mIMZRc/s1600-h/IMG_0513.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dnYhERBI/AAAAAAAAAdw/VuSS-mIMZRc/s400/IMG_0513.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381130429699212306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dcHM41pI/AAAAAAAAAdo/O45JOXWUFYc/s1600-h/IMG_0502.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dcHM41pI/AAAAAAAAAdo/O45JOXWUFYc/s400/IMG_0502.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381130236072613522" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dUPDKcnI/AAAAAAAAAdg/e9bRNsaTwGA/s1600-h/IMG_0501.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2dUPDKcnI/AAAAAAAAAdg/e9bRNsaTwGA/s400/IMG_0501.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381130100740354674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2csSS9OMI/AAAAAAAAAdI/ADq_FbQvuPs/s1600-h/IMG_0476.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2csSS9OMI/AAAAAAAAAdI/ADq_FbQvuPs/s400/IMG_0476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381129414417135810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2chyIXsKI/AAAAAAAAAdA/-FMogGMhGjk/s1600-h/IMG_0435.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2chyIXsKI/AAAAAAAAAdA/-FMogGMhGjk/s400/IMG_0435.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381129233984106658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2cYO-pKkI/AAAAAAAAAc4/i-nQ2ytHo38/s1600-h/IMG_0431.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2cYO-pKkI/AAAAAAAAAc4/i-nQ2ytHo38/s400/IMG_0431.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381129069929245250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2eMNWeXKI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/146-17_5mCI/s1600-h/IMG_0553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2eMNWeXKI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/146-17_5mCI/s400/IMG_0553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381131062357154978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2cPIPQ_BI/AAAAAAAAAcw/3eTZpiUmPP4/s1600-h/IMG_0420.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sq2cPIPQ_BI/AAAAAAAAAcw/3eTZpiUmPP4/s400/IMG_0420.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381128913501092882" border="0" /></a>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-72714335224672815462009-09-11T11:54:00.000-07:002009-09-11T12:12:58.980-07:00Welcome To Streams!Today is my second day as an intern. It is awesome so far! I went on a walk down the road from the intern house and the sights were absolutely beautiful! Someone I know once said it looked like a mixture of Ireland and the Pride and Prejudice field...I could not agree more. Here are some of the pics I took with my phone:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqgOl7NAUI/AAAAAAAAAco/ze6T9Ih0ADg/s1600-h/IMG_0374.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqgOl7NAUI/AAAAAAAAAco/ze6T9Ih0ADg/s400/IMG_0374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380288877406519618" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqgEMHbwpI/AAAAAAAAAcg/u-Nc29H1CZA/s1600-h/IMG_0364.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqgEMHbwpI/AAAAAAAAAcg/u-Nc29H1CZA/s400/IMG_0364.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380288698679804562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sqqfspw0vcI/AAAAAAAAAcY/tu2f_mtUDPo/s1600-h/IMG_0369.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sqqfspw0vcI/AAAAAAAAAcY/tu2f_mtUDPo/s400/IMG_0369.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380288294321176002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqfacEZb2I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/DHNZI3JL29A/s1600-h/IMG_0368.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqfacEZb2I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/DHNZI3JL29A/s400/IMG_0368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380287981407530850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqfPdvLwEI/AAAAAAAAAcI/QXEVgBxnzt8/s1600-h/IMG_0372.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqfPdvLwEI/AAAAAAAAAcI/QXEVgBxnzt8/s400/IMG_0372.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380287792876863554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqfGtP3txI/AAAAAAAAAcA/dybbizgZHcY/s1600-h/IMG_0373.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqqfGtP3txI/AAAAAAAAAcA/dybbizgZHcY/s400/IMG_0373.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380287642421671698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />And, my personal favorite:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sqqe_AlfT7I/AAAAAAAAAb4/wzwzl2je91U/s1600-h/IMG_0371.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sqqe_AlfT7I/AAAAAAAAAb4/wzwzl2je91U/s400/IMG_0371.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380287510173667250" border="0" /></a>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-33826375742398272382009-09-09T10:57:00.000-07:002009-09-09T11:28:08.139-07:00My Last Day in Arizona<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqfzoLHRsWI/AAAAAAAAAbw/6drgJO5OA2c/s1600-h/IMG_0030.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 309px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqfzoLHRsWI/AAAAAAAAAbw/6drgJO5OA2c/s400/IMG_0030.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379536151420973410" border="0" /></a><br />I woke up this morning with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and a hazy cloud <span style="font-style: italic;">fuzzifying</span> my thought process...Today is the last day I will get to spend with my family before moving to New Hampshire to be an intern at Streams Ministries.<br /><br />HowEVER! It is also my last day to get all my packing done in preparation for this year long adventure! Mind you, I had absolutely <span style="font-size:130%;">no</span> motivation to do anything having to do with packing...It is my very last day in this house, with this family, and I still have a bunch of packing to do before I get on that plane tomorrow morning!<br /><br />So when I woke up at 9:00 (earrrrly for me) specifically to finish all the projects I had started over this past week and realized I had such strong feelings against all things packing, it caught me off guard! I have less than 17 hours to pack up my room, make sure that all of my clothes and such fit into my two suitcases that I'm allowed to take with me for a year, and hang out with my family for the last time, and I am what??? Too tired?? Unmotivated? Really??<br /><br />I suppose the reality of how much time I truly have left didn't quite override the not so reality of "oh i have plenty of time to finish that stuff...sleep is more important!"<br /><br />Who am I to be so selfish in these last precious hours of my time here with my family?<br /><br />So after staggering out to the kitchen to make some Mac'n'Cheese for breakfast (I know...I am super unhealthy...what else is new?) I made the command decision to be sedentary no longer. Now I have eaten breakfast and I'm totally ready to start my jam-packed day. Haha, quite literally!<br /><br />Now all I have to do is pack up the remains of my bedroom and bathroom, clean out my car that I won't be driving anymore, weigh my suitcases to make sure Delta won't be charging me $125 dollars a piece for each suitcase over 50 lbs, do a load of laundry, and find my winter hat. Among other things :)<br /><br />Oh yes, and the family is all going out to dinner tonight no doubt in a last-ditch attempt to keep me home just a little while longer. They've only come up with about 170 reasons for me to stay...God, I'm gonna miss them.<br /><br />Hopefully that hazy cloud around my head will get burned off by all the sunshine, because I have all to much to get done to deal with a head-cloud simultaneously.<br /><br />Feel free to pray for me while I set off on this new God-filled adventure! I'm scared out of my mind, but I know that I know that I know that this is God. I know I'm supposed to be there, and that <span style="font-size:130%;">peace</span> in my heart is the only thing keeping me from staying here.<br /><br />Heavenly blessings,<br /><br />XOXO<br />JourdanJourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-60141982368839537972009-09-06T18:44:00.000-07:002009-09-06T19:08:29.571-07:00Best Daddy<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />The best daddies are the ones that take you for walks</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Down the street with a smile on your face</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br />With an ice cream in your hand</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And a sprinkle on your chin...</span><br /><br /><br /><br />Today me and the daddy went on a date.<br />We drove all the way to Scottsdale (a 1hr drive) to go to the swanky mall and pretend we were swanky too :) We listened to The Kooks and rocked out in the Volvo, we drove through the Phoenician (which was so ridiculously exclusive, it was almost comical), walked around the mall and looked at Jimmy Choos, ate some delish food at The Yard House, then drove all the way home with some 'She Moves in Her Own Way'...fabulous day.<br /><br />Only my dad can make a girl feel truly special, I'm sure of it.<br />Even if we didn't buy anything nice or expensive, and even though we weren't technically checking in at that fancy hotel, and even though we parked in free parking instead of letting the valet drive our car around, it was one of the best days ever.<br /><br />The Yard House was uhh-mazing. I had mac'n'cheese that was to DIE for. It had apple bacon, wild mushrooms, chicken, and some funky shaped noodles. Oh. My god. Yeah, let's just say the leftovers are now in the fridge with my name and 'please do not eat' sharpied in big bold letters across the top. Simply scrumptulescent.<br /><br />And to top it all off, I found an awesome charcoal grey sweater (that is soo soft) at Urban Outfitters to take with me to New Hampshire. Now I'll be uber cozy in my new home.<br /><br />Perfect.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30194797&id=1433418697" id="myphotolink"><img id="myphoto" src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v651/175/27/1433418697/n1433418697_30194822_8737.jpg" style="width: 406px; height: 274px;" /></a><br /><img src="file:///Users/jourdanmeyers/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///Users/jourdanmeyers/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">*me and pops*</span></span><br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-89978317853494661472009-09-03T19:59:00.001-07:002009-09-03T20:21:33.937-07:00Autumn Air & Spiced Cider Cups<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqCG5fd9bAI/AAAAAAAAAbc/8C19wAV0ATA/s1600-h/DSC02988.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SqCG5fd9bAI/AAAAAAAAAbc/8C19wAV0ATA/s400/DSC02988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377446277338196994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(me and my sis)<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">It's a season of magic...a time of wishes and dreams...</span><br /><br /><br />Autumn <span style="font-size:130%;">wishes</span> begin around September, when the air gets all crispy and so do the leaves...when you start hoping for that blissfully chilly air to invade your summery solace. That tingle-nose feeling when you breathe too much in - an overdose of oxygen. When you start to crave a mug of hot spiced cider...that's when the Autumn wishes start.<br /><br />I wish I could feel those crunchy leaves under my toes, bare footed and all.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">No shoes in the tangy air, just the colorful ground and my rolled up jeans. </span><br /></span><br />I love not knowing if that squishy cold thing was a slug or just a water droplet...<span style="font-size:85%;">oh well. I'll find out later.</span> I love wearing warm snuggly clothes and leaving the warm snuggly house to indulge in a greater kind of creation - His. Just to venture out into the unknown,<br /><br />a field somewhere you didn't know existed, or a quaint little run-down cottage full of forgotten memories. You can find all sorts of little gems if you just take a walk and look. What's even more fun is when you take a walk and look with your spiritual eyes. You should try it sometime...A spirit focus vs. a soul focus. Watching out for the cool stuff God's doing in your everyday life.<br /><br />I think everything is more <span style="font-size:130%;">beautiful</span> in the fall...<br /><br />Hills and plains,<br />Houses and chimneys,<br />Overgrown paths and tree lined roads,<br />Whimsical girls and conquering men...<br /><br />Everything looks rosy through rose colored glasses, and everything looks magical in the most <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >magical</span> season of all.<br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-27329259626305572842009-09-02T11:22:00.000-07:002009-09-02T11:41:19.592-07:00Memories - Cali Fun Times<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sp68Jq6PxyI/AAAAAAAAAbU/doHlNuW2gvo/s1600-h/DSC06200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sp68Jq6PxyI/AAAAAAAAAbU/doHlNuW2gvo/s400/DSC06200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376941879450388258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Well, Cali was awesome.<br /><br />We went to the beach at least once every day - it was brilliant.<br /><br />I got to help the sis put together her brand new dorm room and hang out with her till all hours of the night too, which was awesome as well :) Because she's going to be an RA this year she won't have to share her room with anyone else..<span style="font-size:130%;">.besides me.</span>..when I come to visit...which I most likely will.<br /><br />I got a wicked sunburn that made me look like a redneck - literally.<br /><br />I think it's funny that I live in a state that stays at 120 degrees all summer long and I have to go to 70 degree California weather to get a sunburn.<br /><br />I didn't know I had the stamina to drive 5 or 6 hours straight...good to know.<br /><br />I found out that The Kooks, The Strokes, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are <span style="font-size:130%;">the BEST</span> artists you could ever bring with you on a long-a$$ road trip.<br /><br />We (the siblings) realized that turtles are the best pets ever. There were a few at the house we stayed at. We named them Geoffrey and Leonard.<br /><br />I laughed a lot on this trip.<br /><br />The end.<br /><br /><br /><br />Now, I realize you will have no idea what I'm talking about, but I just have to write down these memories...shout out to the sibs!!!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">**Unforgettable Memories**</span><br />*mama had a baby and her <span style="font-size:130%;">head</span> popped off!!<br />*noah sleeps with his eyes half open<br />*the matrix for windmills..<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(ominously)</span></span>.....they're <span style="font-size:130%;">grown</span>.....<br />*boogie boarding on the nude beach <span style="font-size:85%;">(it wasn't really nude, but the random kids were...)</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">*Taco Hell<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">*we're all techies<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">*the creepy italian guys learning to surf for the first time<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">*getting so frickin pissed at zack that you can't help but laugh so hard you pee your pants because right after he ticks you off he says something so hilarious, you can't help but forget what you were mad about in the first place. mm. good times.</span><br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-30441512020152926522009-08-31T10:21:00.000-07:002009-08-31T10:59:20.207-07:00Goodbye's Are The Hardest PartHere! Have a few pictures!<br /><br />These are just a few of the many pics I took with my iPhone...some are from my sister's camera that I stole and put on my computer, but for the most part the bad quality ones are from my phone :)<br /><br />This has been such a fun trip, and I'll be sure to let you all in on the great stories we've had once I get back...But right now I'm packing up for another long ride home in a suburban full of silly siblings. Minus one.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >Enjoy</span>.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwMUWEhevI/AAAAAAAAAa8/9pJfsSc4xgA/s1600-h/IMG_0300.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwMUWEhevI/AAAAAAAAAa8/9pJfsSc4xgA/s400/IMG_0300.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376185598834998002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwMoSdJiAI/AAAAAAAAAbE/sc7SOO4DxP8/s1600-h/IMG_0310.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwMoSdJiAI/AAAAAAAAAbE/sc7SOO4DxP8/s400/IMG_0310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376185941461927938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwKgR1XCmI/AAAAAAAAAas/tnMdnYolz5I/s1600-h/IMG_0320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwKgR1XCmI/AAAAAAAAAas/tnMdnYolz5I/s400/IMG_0320.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376183604832832098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">me and zach...he's the older of the two boys (which are both younger than me) haha, make sense???</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwKNLkKZAI/AAAAAAAAAak/N1DmMKE-5yM/s1600-h/DSC06244.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwKNLkKZAI/AAAAAAAAAak/N1DmMKE-5yM/s400/DSC06244.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376183276732572674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">sisters...</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwJ7LMoqjI/AAAAAAAAAac/iFx49DpGYsE/s1600-h/DSC06177.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwJ7LMoqjI/AAAAAAAAAac/iFx49DpGYsE/s400/DSC06177.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376182967396248114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwJbR-RgbI/AAAAAAAAAaU/gnZI9BcPWrU/s1600-h/DSC06133.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwJbR-RgbI/AAAAAAAAAaU/gnZI9BcPWrU/s400/DSC06133.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376182419459244466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">not like you can even really see noah, but this is me and him! the younger of the two boys which are both younger than me :)</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwIys-zS5I/AAAAAAAAAaM/9ofhbDt3h3c/s1600-h/DSC06193.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwIys-zS5I/AAAAAAAAAaM/9ofhbDt3h3c/s400/DSC06193.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376181722334579602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">all four of us playing in the water and watching the beautiful sun go down on the ocean..</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwHWPtabgI/AAAAAAAAAaE/ol5l2xA_ZuU/s1600-h/DSC06143.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwHWPtabgI/AAAAAAAAAaE/ol5l2xA_ZuU/s400/DSC06143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376180133929053698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwG_fMuciI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/PtdMJV0tOgQ/s1600-h/DSC06240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwG_fMuciI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/PtdMJV0tOgQ/s400/DSC06240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376179742949929506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwL6p2KovI/AAAAAAAAAa0/qagH-l4O2GA/s1600-h/IMG_0313.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpwL6p2KovI/AAAAAAAAAa0/qagH-l4O2GA/s400/IMG_0313.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376185157466890994" border="0" /></a>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-71074688906965974982009-08-29T09:22:00.000-07:002009-08-29T09:26:46.857-07:00Au Revoir!!<div style="text-align: center;"><br />Today we are taking my bff sister Jess back to her hometown, San Luis Obispo, CA. School starts very soon and she is off to be a big bad RA!!!! I am so proud of her :) So we are all driving that grueling 10 hour trip back to cali with all her college stuff packed in the car...this should be exciting. It feels like I've made this trip a million times already, but it's worth it!<br /><br />See you soon, sweet blogosphere!<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SplWf0x1SUI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/SzzUqMBsndA/s1600-h/DSC05939.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 332px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SplWf0x1SUI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/SzzUqMBsndA/s400/DSC05939.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375422734986987842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(me and her with red lipstick...i feel awkward lol)</span></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-89755485940431517732009-08-27T17:30:00.000-07:002009-08-27T14:04:30.714-07:00The Humorous TruthA few of my bloggy friends were doing this little survey, so as the dedicated blogger that I am, I decided to jump on the bandwagon! These are just funny little tidbits about me and my values...hopefully your opinion of me doesn't change too much after reading this :)<br /><br /><br />1. <em>What time did you get up this morning?</em><br />6:30 am...Last day of work though!! One...last...day....... :)<br /><br /><br />2. <em>How do you like your steak</em>? Well done. I don't want to see what it looked like when it was still alive, so please...kill it. Kill it good. I would greatly appreciate it if the cow that I'm eating <span style="font-size:130%;">didn</span>'t just walk right off of my plate and back into the pasture that it came from.<br /><br /><br />3.<em> What was the last film you saw at the cinema?</em> Post Grad yesterday with my sister (who is in town for a bit) with Alexis Bledel and the beeeeautiful Zach Gilford. It was cute. Wait, he was cute. Wait, the whole movie was cute!!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">4. What is your favorite TV show?</span><br />Umm, hellooooo! <span style="font-size:130%;">Gilmore Girls!</span><em> </em>In case you haven't noticed, the women in my family are all pretty much honorary members of the Gilmore family...oh yeah, that and the fact that random strangers on the street will come up to me and tell me I look uncannilly <span style="font-size:85%;">(is that a word?)</span> like Rory Gilmore.<br /><br /><br /><em>5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?</em><br />Ireland, hands down. I've never been, but always wanted to. It is so beautiful there (I've heard) and I wanted to do a study abroad program in Cork for a while, but it didn't really work out. Now I'm going to New Hampshire!!!<br /><br /><br /><em>6. What did you have for breakfast?</em> Half of an un-fizzy dr. pepper. Yeah. I'm classy like that.<br /><br /><br />7. <em>What is your favorite cuisine?</em> It's a verrry close tie between Italian and Mexican. But I'm gonna have to go with my heritage here and say Italian.<br /><br /><br />8. <em>What foods do you dislike?</em> Anchovies, clams, oysters, dirt, cd's, drywall, candle wax, leather...you know.<br /><br /><br /><em>9. Favorite Place to Eat?</em> An understated, character-filled restaurant with food that tastes like the cook actually cares about what they put on the table. Mmm, those are the good ones.<br /><br /><br /><em>10. Favorite dressing?</em> The kind that makes an 80 calorie salad into a 350 calorie salad. What can I say, calories <span style="font-size:130%;">taste</span> good!<br /><br /><br /><em>11.What kind of vehicle do you drive?</em> A green Toyota Camry...I call him 'Camo'. Let's just say we had a run in with a lightpost that left him dented and camo-taped for a few years. The name just stuck.<br /><br /><br /><em>12. What are your favorite clothes?</em> Layered winter clothing is de best!! I hate summer clothes because they seem just so...<span style="font-style: italic;">unimaginative</span>, you know??<br /><br /><br /><em>13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?</em> Ireland.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?</em> Half full! But who's measuring??<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>15. Where would you want to retire?</em><br />In the mountains somewhere...a peaceful log cabiney cottage with lots and lots of fireplaces, decks, and lookout spots. And maybe a body of water somewhere nearby with fishes in it. And a great kitchen to house all sorts of lovely old people parties.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>16. Favorite time of day?</em> I don't have a specific favorite time of day. I do have a favorite time of year though, <span style="font-size:130%;">Christmastime</span>.<br /><br /><br /><em>17. Where were you born?</em> Upstate New York.<br /><br /><br /><br />18. <em>What is your favorite sport to watch?</em> IIIIIII hate watching sports so much, I'd rather go iceskating in bare feet for 3 hours.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>19. Bird watcher?</em> Never tried!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>20. Are you a morning person or a night person?</em> Sometimes I'm both.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>21. Do you have any pets?</em> Not me specifically, but my family has two Maltese dogs. One puppy, one 2 year old. Gabe and Gunner.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>22. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?</em><br />I'm frickin tired today??<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>23. What did you want to be when you were little</em>? An astronaut because every other little girl I knew wanted to be a ballerina and I just <span style="font-size:130%;">had</span> to be different from everybody else :) Well look where that got me? Now I'm a ballet teacher. Karma.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>24. What is your best childhood memory?</em> Eating noodles on the kitchen floor with my sister.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>25. Are you a cat or dog person?</em> Dog person all the way. But I don't really like animals in general lol<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>26. Are you married?</em> ha. no.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>27. Always wear your seat belt?</em> Of course!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>28. Been in a car accident?</em> I don't think so.<br /><br /><br /><em>29. Any pet peeves?</em> Show off's, I'd say.<br /><br /><br /><em>30. Favorite Pizza Topping?</em> Hawaiian.<br /><br /><br /><em>31. Favorite Flower?</em> I like every flower God created!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>32. Favorite ice cream?</em> I like vanilla with Hersheys hot fudge and sprinkles on top!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>33. Favorite fast food restaurant?</em> DQ Grill and Chill :) It's got the sweet <span style="font-size:130%;">and</span> the salty!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>34. How many times did you fail your driver's test?</em> Only once, people, only once.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>35. From whom did you get your last email?</em> Bank of America...<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>36. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?</em> Buckle.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>37. Do anything spontaneous lately?</em> How about my whole life??? Can I just put that?<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>38. Like your job?</em> You mean the job I don't have?? Haha, today was my last day of work before moving to New Hampshire...<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>39. Broccoli?</em> Yeah, for sure!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>40. What was your favorite vacation? </em>Oregon coast with the whole family. Ughhhh I <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">yearn</span></span> to go back!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>41. Last person you went out to dinner with?</em> The fam!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>42. What are you listening to right now?</em> Kim Walker<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>43. What is your favorite color?</em> Purple.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>44. How many tattoos do you have?</em> None, but I imagine I'm soon to have a few!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>45. Coffee Drinker?</em> Only with my oxygen!<br /><br /><br />What time did you finish this quiz? 1:58 pmJourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-86956133558944345792009-08-25T22:05:00.000-07:002009-08-25T22:33:36.885-07:00Nyquil - The Bane of My Existence<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Funny story time!</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpTIBGwmoSI/AAAAAAAAAZs/UkR_o3zv0gc/s1600-h/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 317px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SpTIBGwmoSI/AAAAAAAAAZs/UkR_o3zv0gc/s400/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374140176679739682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So <span style="font-size:130%;">haha</span> joke's on me...I never woke up this morning.<br /><br />Well, that's not entirely true. I <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> wake up. Just not at the reasonable hour I wanted to. See, work opens at 7:30 am and, well, I didn't wake up until 7:38. Sound like a familiar story?? Well it is. It conveniently decided to repeat itself a few months ago - the first day of my job. Lucky me.<br /><br />So here I am, lying in bed at 7:38 am wondering HOW in the WORLD did I miss my alarm?? I mean, I know I set it for 6:30, I just know it!<br /><br />But alas. There it lay. The secret answer to all my little problems. The Nyquil bottle...sitting <span style="font-style: italic;">right</span> next to the alarm I was supposed to awaken to.<br /><br />Yes, I had a cold last night, and yes, I took a <span style="font-size:130%;">healthy</span> dose of that stuff at like 11:45 pm.<br /><br />No, I did not know that when you take Nyquil past a certain point in the evening, you risk not waking up ever again. And no, I did not know that even if you only take a half dose, at 110 pounds it doesn't really matter <span style="font-style: italic;">HOW</span> much you take of that stuff, it <span style="font-size:130%;">will</span> knock you out.<br /><br />Nyquil. Truly the bane of my existence. You love it, you hate it. It helps you sleep, but it also helps you to never awaken again...especially when you're supposed to awaken for a very important meeting...or a coffee date. Yeah, not so wonderful there.<br /><br />So at 7:38 am when my mother came traipsing down the stairs with 'i've been awake for hours makeup and hair' asking me if I did indeed have to work today, and if I did indeed sleep right through my keith urban alarm, I was in bed wishing I could be her for once <span style="font-size:85%;">(no offense mom, teehee!)</span><br /><br />But all told it was a lovely kind of day.<br /><br />Not sure if I told you all this yet, but my grandparents have been in town the last few days - they're from New Jersey. I haven't seen them in 10 years!! We ate, we laughed, we cried, we ate, we watched movies, we went on walks, we ate, and we laughed some more. A true Italian vacation.<br /><br />Sadly they are leaving on a plane tomorrow morning at the butt crack of dawn, and I will miss them terribly. It was so nice to have so much life in our house. It felt like overflowing.<br /><br />Two more days left at the health club until I am finally a full-time student again. No more working for me! Well, not the paid kind anyway :) And then I'm off to New Hampshire for a <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >new</span> kind of lovely adventure...the kind you never forget.<br /><br /><br />"For His anger <i>is but for</i> a moment,<br /> His favor <i>is for</i> life;<br /> Weeping may endure for a night,<br /> But joy <i>comes</i> in the morning."<br />-Psalm 30:5<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-73761559838087202642009-08-24T11:42:00.000-07:002009-08-24T12:03:57.748-07:00It's Allll About Perspective, People...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.discoveretfs.com/assets/images/pro_con.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 165px;" src="http://www.discoveretfs.com/assets/images/pro_con.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Con's</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>I'm sick...with some sort of mild-ish cold that makes my eyes water, my nose run, and my body tiredddff<br /><br />I've eaten more than a horse in the last few days<br /><br />I have to work tonight even though I'm sick<br /><br />My last little yoga class to teach is this Thursday...*tear<br /><br />My last dinner with my family before I move away is Tuesday September 8th.<br /><br />I have to drive 9 hours to take Jess back to school in a few days...I hate travelling.<br /><br />I have to take a bus from Boston to New London, New Hampshire and I hate riding buses.<br /><br />I'm almost done with my book which is awesome, but at the same time I know I will be sad to finish it because that gives me one less thing to procrastinate sleeping at night... :)<br /><br />I have a cold<br /><br />I'm sick<br /><br />And I hate being sick.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pro's </span><br /><br />My family is all here - My grandparents from New Jersey, my sister from California, my bros, my parents, my two cute puppies, my other grandma, and me. I LOVE having a full house.<br /><br />Yes, I've eaten way too much in the last few days, but oh boy was it worth it...You'd be a fool not to try mama's eggplant parmasan. I mean, come on! Mama mia!!<br /><br />I'm sick, but not as sick as last time. So I count that as a pro.<br /><br />Yes, I have to work tonight but I'm making moneyyyys!! That's always a pro, right??<br /><br />No no, I GET to take a bus from Boston to New London because <span style="font-style: italic;">walking</span> a hundred miles with 50 pounds worth of luggage would be much much worse :)<br /><br />My last little yoga class to teach is this Thursday, but now instead of running around with a bunch of 2-5 year olds for a half hour, I will have a BILLION more times energy on Mondays and Thursdays to devote to other important things...like...working out. Hmm, don't think that one will happen. Oh well, it's a PRO! <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(honestly, either way I will miss it...i love my little two year olds :)</span></span><br /><br />I <span style="font-style: italic;">also</span> GET to drive Jessica back to school with my mom because we always make road trips loads of fun...Every single time. Always fun. Pringles, loud country music, the wind in our hair, a clunky old suburban that has the constant potential to break down on the side of whatever road you're traveling on, lots of picture ops, and hilarious stories. GOOD. times.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now you see? It's all about your perspective in life. I was thinking about this last night - about how negative I can be sometimes. I catch myself focusing on all the bad without seeing the upside of things. It makes me mad. SO, I could choose to be the glass half empty kind of gal and see life for what it isn't, or I could flip my eggs to sunny side up and realize how great my life truly is. I think I'll choose the latter.<br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-50947339981850999302009-08-19T19:07:00.000-07:002009-08-23T16:07:45.407-07:00Perfection By Definition<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">love</span></span><br /><br />it flows from our hearts<br /><br />lies dormant till its' time<br /><br />its' call.<br /><br />its' season.<br /><br />then released into the atmosphere<br /><br />through your more than willing, <span style="font-style: italic;">waiting</span>, soul<br /><br />it <span style="font-size:130%;">swirls</span> around with unusual grace<br /><br />but stable in some magical, romantical way<br /><br />a three way <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">tide</span></span><br /><br />shared between The Father, you, and another lucky somebody<br /><br />it stretches and bends with generosity<br /><br />all encompassing.<br /><br />all consuming.<br /><br />everlasting in <span style="font-size:130%;">perfection</span> and righteousness.<br /><br />never will it tire, never will it die.<br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-90513532694770834422009-08-18T21:15:00.000-07:002009-08-18T21:23:40.264-07:00Inspiration<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sot9-GLrLfI/AAAAAAAAAZU/wBW7WG-qn5Q/s1600-h/DSC06196.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/Sot9-GLrLfI/AAAAAAAAAZU/wBW7WG-qn5Q/s400/DSC06196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371525486334389746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Write and be happy, I always say...</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Don't write and, well, spend the rest of your days in a hellhole properly titled, "uninspired."</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />-Me</span><br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-27728799331061587252009-08-16T20:15:00.000-07:002009-08-16T20:26:21.581-07:00Closed Book<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SojNtm_RZmI/AAAAAAAAAZM/lRyRljG91-Q/s1600-h/IMG_0202.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 232px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SojNtm_RZmI/AAAAAAAAAZM/lRyRljG91-Q/s400/IMG_0202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370768739083052642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, my time here is almost finished and I only wish it lasted a few more months...or years. I feel so connected with this place, these people. I want to stay forever but I know that it wouldn't be in the right timing for me to do so...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"So off I go, back home to everything I wish I could turn around;</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">If only the present could last forever..."</span><br /><br />Miss you, sweet home. You will always be my first real home. I never thought I could be this sentimental about a plot of land. I hope it's like this for many plots afterward...Hmm, what could the future hold? That's the thing about the future, it's a closed book until we <span style="font-size:130%;">get</span> there. But by then it's called the <span style="font-style: italic;">present</span>.Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-32990646999050005982009-08-12T18:21:00.001-07:002009-08-12T18:32:18.665-07:00Winds of Change<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">It is strange to think I've been away for so long</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But when I walk outside it feels as though I never left it</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The earth speaks to me like it always did before</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Strange familiarity and sweet rememberance</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As I walk and look and pray,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I can't help but feel the difference in the spirit</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Like my time here is up, I've run out of things to connect to</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I remember it as it once was, but it is slightly different now...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The distance, the same</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The smell</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The colors</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The real world feeling...it never lost its' meaning to me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But somehow, the land has finished with me.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It doesn't need me anymore, doesn't call anymore.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I no longer feel that magnetic pull inward and outward</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It's more of a dull memory.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But those sweet, tempting memories go way back in time;</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pulling on my heart strings until they feel ready to burst</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I can't keep doing this to myself,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This remembering.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It hurts and it burns...the vague sense of overall peace that once was,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It is no more.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I will always love you, but for you I am mere vapor</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Blown away swiftly in the winds of change..</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />And swift, it was.</span><br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-68911938893061859302009-08-11T10:58:00.000-07:002009-08-11T11:08:16.533-07:0074 is Waaaay Too Cold<div style="text-align: center;"><br />This is sad, just sad.<br /><br />I looked up the weather forecast for Tri Cities, Washington a few hours ago in a last minute effort to "prepare" for my one week vacation. And <span style="font-size:130%;">guess</span> what I found??? At 9:10 pm when I arrive at the Pasco Airport it will be a <span style="font-size:130%;">whopping</span> 74 degrees!<br /><br />Are you kidding me??<br /><br />I havent' felt 74 degrees since I walked past the refridgerated isle in Walmart a few months ago. 74 degrees is like the dead of winter to me. That's like 40 degrees below what I'm used to! Yes, it is 114 degrees here in Phoenix, Arizona...no lie. And that's not even all that bad.<br /><br />So.<br /><br />I'm bringing lots and lots of pants, sweaters, long sleeved shirts, and boots. Not going so far as to pack scarves and mittens, but trust me, I was *this* close.<br /><br />Isn't it sad that I think 74 degrees is like the dead of winter?? Man I have lived here wayyy too long :)<br /><br /><br /><br />Update: I'm headed off to the airport in about an hour to see all my precious lovins from Washingtonnn! Hopefully I don't end up sitting next to someone chatty on the plane, I hate talking to people when I'm flying. Throws off my groove.<br /><br />Love you all, and have a fabulous week!<br /><br />XOXO<br />Jourdan<br /></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-30202275216752380552009-08-04T19:44:00.000-07:002009-08-09T20:36:30.063-07:00Your Wish Is My Command - Love, Your Metabolism<div style="text-align: center;">Pretty sure I'm one of the lucky ones...<br />You have my permission to be envious, but remember, it won't be like this forever. I will soon have the metabolism of a regular human being, so don't get TOO envious :) Just wait till I'm 40. Hahaha...<br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Okay so I've been feeling a bit unhealthy lately...not fat, but just unhealthy. You see, I've been eating a bunch of junk food for like the last month and a half, and it has made me feel gross. So. Here's what I do. I cut out my constant snacking while at work and just eat a small lunch instead of munching on cheezits and whatnot in between. Then I only take one taco instead of two at dinner time. Then I eat a piece of gum instead of a chocolate bar from Bashas.<br /><br />The end.<br /><br />Now I'm back to my usual weight after..oh...say...a week and a half of trying??<br /><br />Man, I take my metabolism for granted sometimes.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />**UPDATE: Today is Sunday. I embark on my glorious reunion/trip to Washington on Tuesday. Yes, I'm still psyched. And ohhh my lord do I have a ton of people to visit. And without a car, no less! We'll just have to see how that turns out! I will post as soon as I catch a minute or two...Because, well, I love y'all.<br /><br />Have a lovely week, everyone!!<br /></div></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-63242618081894221662009-08-04T13:01:00.001-07:002009-08-04T19:53:49.778-07:00Heavenly Architecture<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"...The sufferings of this present time</span><span style="font-style: italic;">are not worthy to be compared</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">with the glory that is to be revealed to us.</span>"<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-Romans 8:18</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">from Brin at <a href="http://messythrillinglife.blogspot.com/2009/08/perspective.html">My Messy Thrilling Life</a> today</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2129252744_14946f56be.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 242px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2129252744_14946f56be.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My life is like a rollercoaster and I've said it before...it twists and it turns, and I don't know where I'm going until I get there. That's what it has been like ever since I moved from my hometown in Kennewick, Washington to the dry, hot Phoenix, Arizona. I hated it when I got here but I think God had a reason for it all...a divine design that was hidden from my eyes until His perfect timing determined that <span style="font-style: italic;">"it's time."</span> Now I know.<br /><br />Man, I'm looking back at my posts from when I first moved here and it's crazy how much I've changed. It is so humbling to re-read my grumbles and whines about coming here and then see how God has routed my life so perfectly for the near future. I would never be where I am at this moment...right now...if it weren't for this move. I'm sure of it.<br /><br /><br />All that to <span style="font-size:130%;">say</span>...I am just having some of the BEST days of my life right now. <span style="font-style: italic;">My choices finally feel concurrent with His timing and it feels inexplicably perfect. </span> My sister is home for a month (woohoo!), I put in my letter of resignation at work (which was a little bittersweet), I get to take a trip to Washington and visit all my good friends next week, and I get to start planning for my new life in New London...I couldn't be happier.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">God works everything in His plan for the good of those who love Him. </span><br /><br />...He really does...<br /><br />I'm finishing up down here in Phoenix and I'll be off to New Hampshire towards the beginning of September!! That's a month :) Ah! I'm crazy excited.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"The light is breaking, the surface cracking...all the good is leaking through."</span></div>Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-46597299965803608032009-07-31T13:19:00.000-07:002009-07-31T13:59:05.521-07:00Holy Crap, I Got IN!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.scenicphotographsbyvance.com/images/vth107b-Quiet-Streams-of-Autumn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 245px;" src="http://www.scenicphotographsbyvance.com/images/vth107b-Quiet-Streams-of-Autumn.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />AS promised, here are those six words I really <span style="font-size:130%;">really</span> wanted to be able to share with you all....<span style="font-style: italic;">"I Got Accepted, I'm Outta Here!!"</span><br /><br />I just got the phone call today and I have been officially accepted into the Streams Ministries Internship Program in New London, New Hampshire! I will be leaving sometime around the 9th of September...<br /><br />Wow, I am <span style="font-size:130%;">flying</span> right now. I can't BELIEVE I got in! Well, I guess I can..I knew I was supposed to do this so I shouldn't really be surprised when God works it all out. But still. I'm in shock. And awe. And surprise...ment...And excited...ness.<br /><br />Holy moley.<br /><br />THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who prayed for me, I know it made a difference.<br /><br /><br />That's all I've got to say..Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-10683097593532380542009-07-26T16:03:00.000-07:002009-07-26T16:15:42.949-07:00Thank You, Thank You Very Much!I am a <span style="font-size:130%;">big</span> girl now!!!<br /><br />Translation: I just graduated from HIGH SCHOOL!<br /><br />Ahh, finally. Sweet sweet freedom. Freedom from old cranky English teachers and smelly high school cafeterias. Freedom from the mean girls that look you up and down in the hallway..EVERY...SINGLE...DAY. Does it <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> matter that much to you what I wear on a daily basis?? Oh, and freedom from those mean, perfume sprayin, makeup cakin attendance ladies. I mean come on, if you hate your job that much you should really look into a career change. Seriously. Give a kid some candy every once in a while like those nice elementary school secretaries...they're so nice!<br /><br />And really, I'm most happy to be done with the obligation. I hated having to turn something in every other day and risk the penalty of an "F" if I didn't. Ugh, I HATE that! Can't you just see that I work hard and give me an A automatically?<br /><br />OH and non-multiple choice tests...I hated those too. Why can't every test have just three answers to choose from?? What will it be, A, B, or C? Pick one. You'll probably get it right. The end. Essay exams suck.<br /><br />There goes my ranting...I'm a little out of breath, but on the whole feeling much much better. Ahh, sweet <span style="font-size:130%;">sweet</span> freedom.<br /><br />Oh and for my incredible perseverance and dedication to all things high school, I have earned myself a brand new MacBook Pro from the Apple store. I love it :) Thanks mom and dad!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://sporeflections.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/macbook-pro.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 470px; height: 320px;" src="http://sporeflections.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/macbook-pro.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I will be hearing about Streams School of Ministry within the next few days, so hopefully my next post will read something like "I Got Accepted, I'm Outta Here!"<br /><br />But we'll see :)<br /><br />XOXO<br />JourdanJourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26537373.post-25957520056953779412009-07-23T20:05:00.001-07:002009-07-23T20:14:51.653-07:00Saving Grace Turns 50!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SmknI8K_QNI/AAAAAAAAAZE/vFUUAMtGhGQ/s1600-h/IMG_0025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_o-F7hiZgwkA/SmknI8K_QNI/AAAAAAAAAZE/vFUUAMtGhGQ/s200/IMG_0025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361859865905938642" border="0" /></a><br />Or - well - Saving Grace turns a few months old while her posts turn 50...or whatever :)<br /><br />Now this usually wouldn't come as such of a shock to most of you, but 50 whole blog posts is a <span style="font-size:130%;">pretty</span> big deal to me.<br /><br />I'm kind of a "starter-not-a-finisher" kind of gal, so I'm quite proud of myself for <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">finishing</span></span> fifty posts! I'd have drafts and drafts of random thoughts and tidbits without publishing a single one without my undying determination and love towards you, oh great blogosphere...<br /><br />I can't believe I even got this far without quitting...honestly, i sort of expected myself to do a re-run of my last blog attempt "The Father's Heart" which lasted a few months before I got sick of thinking up interesting ideas for people to read about.<br /><br />This time around has gone much better, i think :)<br /><br />Maybe it's because I've matured just <span style="font-style: italic;">oh so much</span> since the last time I tried blogging...at least I like to think of it that way...<br /><br />So here's to you! Thanks for making my blogging worthwhile, even if you don't leave any comments or what have you...I know you're out there, and that means something. To all you fellow readers of my life, I salute you. Here's to another fifty, or five hundred, <span style="font-size:130%;">interesting</span> blog posts that await.<br /><br />XOXO<br />Jourdan<br /><br />ps. I have a few good signs concerning Streams School of Ministry, but I will wait to tell you about the official outcome when it's...you know...official. Thanks for the prayers - keep 'em coming!!Jourdanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03418212970579427328noreply@blogger.com1