School, School and more School

No time for anything these days except school. I have Statistics, Psychology and Intro to Social Work and it is keeping me busy 24/7 when I am not working or being with family. I did pick up my knitting needles just the other day and started knitting a scarf. Must be the snow we got in the last week. I am feeling like keeping warm! I will probably donate this scarf I am sure, if it ever gets done.

I started volunteering at a Day Center for Homeless and other needy people. We make referrals for all the services in our local area but mostly focus on housing issues. They have a social worker employed there from West CAP which is a non-profit group that helps with housing.

I am enjoying school despite the hectic schedule. This semester is just especially challenging with the fast paced statistics class. I must spend at least 20 hours a week just doing homework for that class.

Summer is almost over!

It has been a crazy and hectic summer. I had two online college classes over the summer and I now get a whole 2 weeks off before starting up again. I was going to try to get some sewing in but that has taken a backseat to putting together a DVD of pictures for my Dad for his 70th Birthday. I have scanned over 115 pictures already and I have about 10 more years of pictures to go through. Although not all those years will need to be scanned as I converted to digital camera sometime in the last 4 years I think. Those pictures will already be on my computer so I will need to just choose which ones. I am hoping that he will like the DVD as it will take me the next two weeks to finish it up in my free time. I have until 19th, as I look at the calendar that is only one week away. Yikes! This next semester I will have three classes, Statistics, Psychology and Intro to Social Work. Upon completion of the Statistics class I will have completed my Associates degree. That will be a good feeling even though I still have about 3 years of school left going part time for my major of social work. Things are crazy at work as our Associate Pastor left and the church now has to go through the process of finding a new pastor. Our senior pastor will be busy. We are working on getting an interim pt pastor and hopefully he/she will start in September! Fall is a busy time in a church office with everything starting back up. Lots of paperwork for us office ladies.

Well I really need to try to get better at posting in the future. Life seems to be a runaway train these days and I need to make better efforts in doing some of the things I like to do rather than all the things I don't!

Summer has begun

Summer is here if I gauge that on my summer classes. I have two classes this semester and one began last week. My son is not out of school yet until next Tuesday but I am looking forward to the summer schedule! We bought a pop up camper and am planning on going camping throughout the summer. We are going this weekend just locally but we are going to do some fishing also. Looking forward to spending time with family this summer in addition to school work. I am going to try my best to balance the fun of summer, family and school work!

Long last few weeks....

Well I thought I had come home from Mexico having not gotten sick. I was excited about that and then, bang, last Wednesday night I felt miserable. Luckily it did not last too long but Thursday at work was a really rough day. I had so many things that I had to get done for Sunday services and my co-worker is out on vacation so I had no backup plan. So, being the responsible person that God made me, I worked until I got everything done. It was a good thing too because I basically worked until I could not manage any longer. This week has been much better and I am getting back to normal (if I ever could be considered normal!)

Today they are expecting a big snow storm and I just heard they are going to close school early. It has yet to start snowing. Oh well the kids will be excited about being done early. I wish I could have a snow day and still get paid!

Pictures of Mexico mission trip

http://community.webshots.com/user/tjgrayfamily

Here are some of my pictures from my mission trip to the orphanage in Mexico. It is in an album labeled Morelia, Mexico 2009

Amigo's in Mexico

(upper left; All the kids at the mission with the staff) (upper right; Tonio and I) (Lower left; Fernando(left) and his younger brother Jorge(right) and I)

Here are some more pictures of some special friends in Mexico. Got home Saturday about noon and having gotten hardly any sleep the night before was so tired I just crashed for several hours. We took a 2:00 am flight and it is hard functioning on so little sleep. I should be recovered by tomorrow and then I can start in on homework. It is hard to think about that right now.

More Photos'

More fun in Mexico. Don't you just love this little boy on the swing. This is Oscar and I asked him if I could take his picture and as you can see he thought it was a great idea. He is such a ham! I was showing Fernando (on left) my pictures from home along with a few other boys. I have sponsored Fernando for the last 3 1/2 years so I am really enjoying spending time with him this week. The last picture is of one of the babies with a quilt that someone from the Sunshine Online Quilt Guild donated to the home 3 1/2 years ago when I came. I am so sad that I have to leave tomorrow night. I am so glad that I was able to make it here this year. Gotta turn this computer off now and go play a game of spoons with the older kids.

Sunshine Quilts still in use!

Here is a sunshine quilt still in use at the home. Thought that Sunshine members would enjoy seeing that they are still using the quilts we donated 3 1/2 years ago.

I am here!

I am in Mexico at the orphanage. We have wireless internet and I decided to bring my computer to stay in touch with my classes, although it is very hard to even think about homework while here. I am having too much fun playing with the kids and relating with the people. I don't have the correct camera cable with me so only have a few pictures that others here emailed me. The wonders of computers and internet! Here are a few of the kids. I will post more photos when I get done with my trip. Just thought I would give you a taste of Mexico for now.

Leaving shortly....

Well I am flying out on Sat. Feb. 7th for the orphanage in Mexico. I have been working hard the last few weeks trying to get everything done at home, school and at work. It seems whenever you want to go somewhere you always have to work extra hard before and then after! That is okay this will be well worth it! I will be unplugged for a week. Not because we have to (I could bring my laptop computer) but I am choosing to! It will be nice to be able to just concentrate on what I am doing there. I will have some homework I can work on without my computer but for the most part I worked ahead and can concentrate on helping the kids. I will post plenty of pictures after I get back! I am definitely bringing my digital camera.