Kimberly Middlebrooks

My natural rythm and other such tragic things.

2011-07-05T00:33:00.000-07:00

So today I woke up and had a thought in my mind that maybe I would try zumba in a class for real. Gillian loves it, Patty and Ashley swear by it, so why not right? I may not be graceful but I am sure I can figure out the steps. They don't have to pretty right? Wrong. Well wrong in a class of two!
I have never been so scared in my life. Give me a trafficker to deal with any day! The problem starts with the huge glass windows looking into the "dance studio" of my gym. The problem gets worse when no you can't just "pick up" the moves. The problem only gets worse when the other one of the two of us leaves.
So you here had me and my instructor. Big glass windows. Latin Cha Cha.
Oh no.
We go for a couple of songs where she keeps trying to yell out (she still has the mike on) tips of how I can do better...good luck lady!
Finally she comes down off the stage and stands by me.
Inner head monolage:
You can just leave
No I can't if then she would be a lone
Who cares it's her job
How awkward for her, no it's fine, your American maybe that will help (it didn't by the way)
What if she got fired?
Why fires dance instructors?
Maybe she will loose her pep?

So as you can assume this was not helping my dancing talents. I used to have the same problem when it was time to choose a crayon. I always choose the orange one and told everyone it was my favorite because I was afraid it would hurt the crayons feelings not to get picked.

Finally after another half hour I was like "oh man I am wiped, I am probably just going to finish up the day with a run....thanks!"
Never again zumba. Never again.

Hamburg!

2010-11-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I know it's been awhile but I figured only really my sisters/cousins read this so it's a safe place to fill you guy's in on the "non" ministry stuff that is bound to happen, and I am going to need to share.... because let's be honest me in foreign countries that are not known for LOVING Americans, and not speaking a bit of the language is bound to come up with some good ones. Today I got lost in Hamburg, which was not a bad thing. Felicity only get's in tomorrow so I wandered around for something like 5 hours. Well along the way I found myself a sim card to put in my phone. I was told to wait 1/2 hour and it will work. This being Germany and the trains being exactly on time to the minute I was certain it would work out, what I did not put into the equation however was the fact that after it started working it needed to be activated, simple enough right? NOT WHEN IT IS IN GERMAN. So for the next several hours, and whenever the mood struck me I would pull out my phone stop an unsuspecting german stranger and ask in German "Do you speak English" if they shook there head I would just smile and keep walking if they said "yes" or more like "ya" then I then show them my phone and ask for help (they really are the nicest people, very friendly). Each time I thought it had worked something else in German popped up (I am sure it was all very efficient because that's just how they do everything here, but I was at a loss). Finally I arrived home and googled it, and using google translate was then and only then able to call my friend who I was supposed to have called hours before. Good solid second day I would say.

Love and miss you all!

ps this is a part that I was in today, it is massive and kind of creepy with all the statues

this is all i got so far

2009-09-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!! So I have only been able to get these two but give me some more time and I will put some more up here!
These two pictures are not even where I live, they are at a place called Worchester (pronounced vooster) where I was all last week attending a conference.
Love you all

friends and family TIA!

2009-09-15T00:53:00.001-07:00

TIA (this is africa) happens to be one of my most favorite sayings while working here.
So far:
-I have attended a protocal/rapid response meeting where the first line of the meeting was what happens when we get a phone call that people suspect human trafficking (that's how you spell human tafficking :)) .....call the ngo? (non goverment organization) or do you call the saps? (south african police).....my suggestion was "why don't we call both?" they stared at me.....(white american 21 year old girl) and then stared at eachother....then were like "good idea". haha! i love my job!!
-attended a conference with lots of YWAM leaders
-met a lot of the street children around and get to continually love on them with smiles and high fives
-attempted surfing
-visited an amazing women named Angline, she is fighting HIV/AIDS and loosing with a small two year old daughter
-getting a passion to create deep community and trying how to figure out how
-meeting incredible people with a passion to do anything that serves God
-looking for a flat with my new (potential) flat mate, hopefully a place were we can entertain and bring about many successful parties!
-trying to find either a scooter or a car I can buy for transport (please pray)
-realizing I should have packed more coats (I moved to africa, who knew I would be freezing?!)
-trying really hard to avoid being proposed to

I love it here so much you guys! It is beautiful. I have a camera but I only have a few minutes I will try and put up more pictures later tonight. The internet here sucks...like bad so I am just going to write a few notes of here to people so I don't have to sit for an hour trying to open AOL.
Love

Patricia- I would love for you and Jack to come!! I think it would be so much fun and I think you would really enjoy it. There is so much beauty and hard things to see that you absolutely have to come! Give me more details whenever possible. I love you cousin!

Katie B- I love texting you! That whole conversation made my week and I can not stop talking about how my amazing sister is getting to come and see all that we do. Lydia (my flatmate) and I are already planning a sister party for you!! And I found daddy a perfect room because of course you will be staying with me. Oh! and I had a prophecy spoke over me that totally was about you!! We will skype about it! love you sissy~!

Mama- I love you and miss you!! So I was at this prayer meeting last night and Myriam stopped it and was like I feel like we should pray you in more to the S-cape house (the restoration house) and so they did and lots of scriptures were given to me, and then one of the ladies told me "I just feel like God is telling me to be a mother to you, so I will be your south african mum" haha i told her i think that would make my mama very happy to hear that you offered that :)

Michelle- you are so amazing. I can't even begin. I don't think you would want me to make public all the reasons...or maybe you would ;) but just to let you know you and my dear brother have almost completely coverd my need for transport. Such such such a blessing! oh my goodness thank you sister! p.s. tell my brother i love him? and kiss my baby please.

everyone else,
you support is incredible and it has been crazy busy but as soon as i get a second to breathe i will write out a proper letter.
please keep sending the family and friend updates i love getting them!
love

new stuff!!

2009-08-26T00:07:00.000-07:00

The time has almost come! In 24 hours I will be sitting in a hotel room getting ready to fly out (yikes!).
But before I left God had to make sure and give me a few more surprises.
#1. A new ipod
well Nicole gave me her old one
#2 a new camera
a friend gave me money to buy something nice for myself
so....fun and exciting blogs to come!!
love you all

Goodbye portland and a quick stop in phx

2009-08-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

So i am sitting here with my sissy in the sunny computer room and it does not even seem possible that I am leaving for two years.
The last few days have been a hectic and sad goodbyes (except my brother luke who is hoping to visit real quick!!). I love portland so much and especially the people in it.
God has given me this amazing oppurtunity to pour out and serve in my most favorite way. He has blessed me countless times over the last few months and has constantly reassured me this is what His heart desires. I am going knowing the I am going to miss a lot. I am going to miss memories, babies, weddings, and parties, and most of all I am going miss just sitting and having life with my friends and families.
Oh and really good news!! my passport and visa will be sent to kates house via express mail tomorrow!! Hallulujah!
Thank you all for everything. I have the most amazing family in all the world, and the best friends anyone could ask for.

I love you all! Kate and I are going today to get a new camera so I can get pictures!

17 days!!!

2009-08-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

So there are 17 days till I leave for Africa!!
I am so so excited. There has been a lot to do but luckily God gave me a pretty incredible sister that has calmed me down at anytime I start to loose my calm. Katie B you have been incredible! I don't know how many times I can say it but I would have no idea what to do without you!
Cousin party in three days!! Totally excited for that, cresent lake after that.
On the 22 (a sat) I am having a last night bbq at my parents house to say goodbye for real.

Love you all!!

Best Phx friends ever!

2009-05-24T17:52:00.001-07:00

So I have some pretty amazing friends down south in the desert of Phx, but two girls especially are just my absolute favorites! Nicole and Michelle. They are both smart, beautiful, loving and a blast and a half to hang out with! So imagine my excitement when Nicole calls me and askes if she can come up for my birthday...umm yeah alright that works!! I was talking non stop about how excited I was to see her at the same time still talking to michelle just about normal life stuff, trying hard not to rub it in to hard that she can't come to. I never even asked, just assumed if she could have come she would have and I did not want to be the naggy friend, because she always talks about how busy and stressful life is.
well....on the night of my 21 (which was quite a party!!!) I realized oh no! I am late to go pick up nicole! so i run and grab my friend andrews hand while grabbing the keys off my brother, dogging my cousins who were confused where I was running and sprinted to the car yelling direction to andrew the whole way.
we get to the airport 20 minutes late (impressive driving andrew :) ) and there she is bags ready for some adventure (and cold of course, she is from the desert) so I rush out scream loudly like the girl I am, jump around a little, big hugs, but then i know the party is waiting so I rush grab her bag and tell her to hop in we gotta role. she stops me and was like wait (at this point I was like "what nicole there is a party just waiting for us!!") but then she said some of my favorite words i love to hear from other people about me ...I have a surprise for you!...awesome she had my attention in full.

As I then turn away from the car to look at what she is talking about I see michelle!!! I don't think say "freaking out" was words enough to describe the feeling of absolute shock, excitment, and overall devestation of all senses! I was one loudly happy girl!!
We partied all night, hung out and showed them portland all friday, camping on sat, and I just dropped them off at the airport..a girl could not ask for better friends. :)

Golden Birthday!!

2009-05-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone so I just wanted to remind you about all the plans!! There is a slight change in that we are meeting at Claim Jumpers at 5:30 instead of 5. Just makes it easier for people to get there without stress. So CJ is just the family part and then afterwards we are all meeting at Henery's at 8-8:30. That is the part were a few more family members (people who can't make it to the dinner (patty anne) and such) and probably a few close friends. I don't know who all is going to show up because it is a thursday night. so excited to see everyone!
oh and i don't think my mom has sent out an email yet but nays birthday is on the sixteenth (sat) and she is having a bbq deal. alright love you all :)

and if you are worried about a present for her she likes anything pink, teenage, and girly.

love

job hunt

2009-04-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was my last day of work! how exciting!! well today i was on the hunt for jobs...more like i woke up at ten and looked at craigslist for awhile. anyway i found some really fun jobs one example being a dounut sales women at a farmers market on the weekends! oh my gosh how fun!! i have an interview on thursday. another was a homeless shelter cooridinator in vancouver, and the last on i applied for was an activities director for a boys and girls club! could any of those jobs be any sweeter?? i think not

tattoos!!

2009-04-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

so on tues i woke up and felt sick to my stomache...never good. then my dentist called and asked if i could come in (such a blessing because my insurance in over in a few days). So I was feeling really sick and when I got home my whole face was swollen from being drilled...and I had to go to work in a few hours...then not only moments later I started getting cramps and a headache....awsome.

anyway i could not be in more pain right? So what to do on such a seemingly terrible day?! call in sick and get a tattoo!

almost there....

2009-03-23T23:07:00.000-07:00

three months and i am out...of a job! haha i am so excited! my favorite co-worker and i decided that we are going to quit the same day. we also decided that that gave us complete power. if we wanted we could be completely manupulative and say we are both quitting because of the same person...we had one in mind....and she would be toast!! muhahaha! (evil laugh) but then we decided that would probably not be very nice so we nixed they idea, but just knowing we had that kind of power has put a bounce in my step every since

waiting for my brothers

2009-03-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

hmmm.....so I love my brothers, I do. However timeliness is not their spiritual gift to be sure. I am waiting oh so patiently for them to arrive at my door step so we can get this show on the road!!

Today my two older brothers and I are going to go and visit my favorite older sister (in laws discluded in this list of favorites) and my favorite brother in law! And bonus!!! Savannah!! I was so excited to be there for the birth of Savannah and the week after, and when I came home I was so incredibly sad to have to leave that precious baby. I don't know how it is possible to love someone so much! Anyway since we made the plans to go I have been just picturing savannah how she was when she was born, my sister Katie blew my mind when she said "kimberly, you are not even going to recognize her!" what? what I will not recognize the child that I have known since she took her first breath? so sufficiet to say I am so excited to have a whole long trip with my big brothers (whom I adore) hug my sissy, to be beat up by my brother in law (it just happens there is no getting around it) and to hold my baby!! This weekend is such a huge blessing.

Oh and just a little note for the people who may not know or realize how co-dependant we (we being anyone is Sara Middlebrooks life) are of my mom.

So I am at work taking a little break talking to all the girls at my work, they were asking me what I was going to do with my weekend off, and why I took thursday off

I answered "Oh I am going to phx! I am so excited!"
Friends replied "oh what time are you leaving thursday?"
My answer" um I don't know I can not get a hold of my mom"
Ok so this would probably like the girls at work make you role your eyes, ask me how old I was, and tell me to grow up. Well just wait!

So then the question came up "well your brothers are going, why don't you ask them?"
"yeah" I relplied "I did, they could not get a hold of her either"

hmmm you might ask, what did She do to her children? Or maybe rather just those people need to grow up. But if you really need to ask those question than you don't know my mom. She is able to jugle 100 peoples life in her head and still take a nap every day from 2-3. I don't know how she does it....superwomen I think and I will feel no shame for letting my very capable mother run my social life!

It has been awhile

2009-02-22T09:13:00.001-08:00

So for all the things that I have not blogged about

Apt:
My room mate Ari is wonderful we both like to go out and have fun, so we have been on many an adventure. In actuality when I said "hey lets move out together"! I was half way joking but the next night she said oh guess what?! we are moving out....alright. So we did.
Our new apt is so super cute! I love it.

Job:
Still not my favorite but I have just decided to be excited when I work with my friend caitlyn and just deal with it when I am working with anyone else. This is a huge challenge for learing to love people who do not nessasarily love me back. Oh and I am looking for another one real soon. I turned in a resume at snap fitness, a really cute little gym.

Missions:
This is going to be a bit ambigius because I am not quite sure myself. I am still wanting to go but there is a lot of changes about times, dates, places....yikes!

Sugar: I am quitting sugar. Well I am quitting till March 12. I am goin to phx and I am accepting the fact that I will be the white friend of all my friends and family however since it is still winter here and I still have that holiday love I will be refusing sugar of all sorts so that I am not the double whamy of both white and chuby.

savannah update

2009-01-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

so savannah is ok. i am sure there has been lots of emails and prayers sent out but I just wanted to get a little update out there so everyone can be assured that our newest addittion is safe and sound.
Well she is. Ok now that you know that she is ok....
savannah has a hole in her heart. This is very common the doctors say. The heart has four chambers and you can think of it as two sets. The set that is the concern are the bottom set. There is a wall between the two sets and that is where the hole is. It is a big enough hold to cause a heart murmer and maybe cause problems, but the really good news is that it is looking like it is already healing itself. The doctors are having the new family come in in six weeks, and until then get bi weekly updates from there pediatrition.
-her heart has not enlarged
- she has not lost more than the normal amount
- her breathing is not labored
and several other reason of why the doctors were not worried.
ok so worst case senerio is it does not heal itself is surgery. Which sounds scary. And it is except for how easy the doctor seemed it would be. In his words it would be "walk in the park". Very routine and very safe. now it would be open heart because her little body is to small any other way, but her doctor said afterwards everything would heal up and she would be ready for anything. when her nurse saw her she said she is going to grow up to be a little volleyball player (awsome!) ok keep her in her prayers and know that savannah joy is a trooper! (along with both of her very impressibly strong parents)

Savannah Joy is here!!

2009-01-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

So to all the family in Portland I am sorry it has taken me this long. I have been meaning to write about our perfect new addition to our family but have not found the time.
Since I am tired and I am pretty sure she needs her aunt to hold her right now I am going to give you guys a few details then head to bed.

the dogs have been great, not real interested. (just a side note I have been sleeping with the dogs and have not hated it...they are warm)
Kate is just an amazing champ. She is a natural born mother, she is calm and loving to her precious new born. She has been so welcoming and loving to everyone around her even though I know she is wiped
Matty has been great. Lets just say very very careful! It is so cute to see him watching people just to make sure his little girl is being handeled properly.
Both my parents and matty's were heros, getting anything and everything that was needed.
All of katies friends down here are awsome, they have taken good care of her and it is nice to know that when I leave she has as good as family down here watching out for them
Daniel. matt's brother got into town a few hours ago after driving all the way from s. california by himself so he could get a few hours with savannah before leaving tomorrow morning
Now some details about little savvy (her daddy does not like this nickname but i do...therefore i plan on making it stick.
she is absolutely and without a doubt beautiful.
she is so strong you guys! she lifts herself up and without making her sound possessed she bends her back so her head is inches from her bottom! it is so scary and just takes you off guard that the first time she did it i screamed which made several people in the room jump up.
she is so small the only one premee (spelling?) outfit fits. Katie is very disappointed. :)
There is lots more to tell but i will fill you guys in on it all later. love you

Noc shift....

2009-01-08T01:19:00.000-08:00

So I am sitting at work and it is 1:45 am. I worked this double being assured that it was "gravy" in my boss's words. Hmm... I would like to hear an oxford definition for that term. I guess it can not be that bad because I am sitting here typing. But call lights have been going off like crazy. Yuck! Well I just keep telling myself three more days and then three weeks off! It is a mantra that is working quite well.

boy cousins

2009-01-05T17:47:00.000-08:00

I was looking at my cousin pattys myspace and i saw a picture of all the boy cousins (a few of them missing) and I realized how lucky I am, well how lucky we all are in my family!

love you boys!!

adventure in snow

2008-12-23T19:56:00.000-08:00

so I had been stuck at work forever but today I was home! It was awsome to wake up in my own bed whenever I wanted. So today I decided to finish my christmas shopping. Problem was I had no car. So I walked. I called my friend beth and we together walked, or hiked to the mall. We finished up and went to dinner. Now we are sitting on the floor watching silly christmas movies. what a fun day!!

Stolen Wallet found

2008-12-18T11:42:00.000-08:00

So I don't remember if I blogged on it or not but my wallet was stolen on black friday, appropriately named i think. Any way I was pretty much out of luch because every peice of ID I had was in there, gift cards, credit cards, social security cards..ect. anyway since that time I looked through my car frantically a few times, each little sister looked through it, and my dad looked through it. It was not, I repeat not in there! Since that time also I have cleaned my car out twice (shut you mouth katie), and still no wallet. Any way on sunday I was going through my car to get a few iteams I would need for work and there laying on top of my seat, innocently just laying all by itself was my wallet. I stared at it for awhile not letting my self get excited because I knew it could not actually be my wallet.
yes. yes it was. And i believe without a doubt that someone put it there! all my doors were unlocked and that just has to be it. So yay!!

snow days at work

2008-12-17T11:06:00.000-08:00

So sunday morning I got a call from work saying will you please come in for the morning shift (I usually work evenings) and we will send a cab to pick you up. I said yes because working a unscheduled shift is awsome money. So I got up took a quick shower nervous the whole time the cab would come and I would make them late. I put my scrubs and I went to the front window to wait....and wait....and wait.
I called work and told them the situation, they said they would call the cab company back for me. I said thanks, my daddy and I talked for quite some time about theology, and why I was his favorite daughter (just kidding, but I know he was thinking it!!) the girls and I made some pancakes....I waited....my dad and I watched a movie....I waited.....we watched another one....I waited.....My sisters and I played in the snow...I waited. Come two in the afternoon I called my work again, theys said all the cabs are really backed up and that I don't have to worry about being later for my shift it is not like it is my fault. So I waited....at seven thirty that evening I called work and asked if there was anypoint in me coming in? They said no and they would cancell the cab.
Nine thirty that night the cab company called me and asked if I was ready, that they were on the bottom of the hill, I very politely said not thank you and I went to bed.
Four the next morning I got a phone call from work asking if I would come in and work a morning shift as well as any other shift that would come up (it was my day off) I said yes and to send me a cab as soon as possible. So they said ok and I waited.....finally at about one they arrived. I was able to work a bit of morning shift, the whole evening shift, and half of a night shift (state says you can only work 16 hour) so I have been staying at work (really nice suites) and picking up extra shifts if I can. I am sitting in my room just surfing the web till my next shift wich is at 3.
oh and I did not bring my phone charger or a tooth brush. yikes!

Finals week with savannah to look forward to

2008-12-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

The last week has been hectic!! It is the week before finals. Now, in most school this is known as dead week. Meaning that there would be no home work and lectures in class are limited, so to mentally prepare yourself for classes. Not in my wonderful community college.
Aside from the finals I have next week, I had a six page paper, a ten minute speech, and a test to rewrite. Now why did I leave it all till the night before you might ask? Good question.
Anyway luckily (well not luckily I guess because three of my patients have died in the last few days) my work has been slow. So naturally I took my computer and hid behind a chair and finished my speech, which i delivered today and was pleasently surprised with a B (i don't do public speaking, not my favorite).
Then Melissa came over, we got ready by having a big thai dinner and set in for the long haul. Two papers and two redone tests (a complete miracle that we were able to retake them and even bring them home!) some ice cream, and a little wine later we were done!
this morning went by smoothly and sure enough I don't have anything left till tues when I have two finals and I am out!
This winter I had full intentions of going back to school once more, however then I realized oh my! my neice will be born right in the middle of the semester! what is the answer to that delima? Not just wait for the weekend after she is born and go see her. that is just silly! instead I will not be going back (just winter term) and instead I will taking off for a month to phx to be with my sissy! I am planning on watching movies with kate, feeding her bon-bons, and just general taking care of her. I am so excited and I just bought my tickets yesterday!!
See you soon sister friend!

my joy!

2008-11-07T00:22:00.000-08:00

So I have the next three days off!! Count them three! I am spending them with wonderful friends and my fab family! I am super excited! No work no school! Awwwwwsome!

california here we come!!

2008-11-02T00:19:00.001-07:00

so here is our california adventure in brief form.
we woke up (way early) and headed to a coffee shop to meet my soon to be cousin melissa to study for a test (which i got out of by sheer luck and by having a non-american around, they are so flippen useful!)
any way so we went to take a quick shower and to pick up stephanie daline. and we were on our way. our destination: only Jesus knew. Due south.
Meg was dropped off by her family who are on a seven and a half week vacation around america. All we knew is they were headed to cresent city, california and south. So we did the same thing. it was beautiful and so much fun. we had lots of laughs and good conversations. When we were about maybe two hours away we picked up a hitchhiker named nile. (i know some of you may be discusted with our poor choices, however, its cool because the first thing he said to us was "hey girlfriends" and the first hour of conversation was dedicaited to communs (think hippy without the weed). anyway we drove all the way through mountains and the red woods to cresent city and that is when meg decided to call her family. They told us they were at crater lake.
now please don't judge me, for a few reasons, i had only a few hours of sleep, i had been driving all day, and i was disoreanted with being not in oregon and all. any way my question was "where in california is that?" the gas station attenant that was once fondly looking at me looked both a bit disapainted and my obvious display of being an idiot and annoyed pulled out a huge map of the west coast and pointed while saying, this is portland (way north) this is cresent city ( way south) and this is crater lake (way way east and also quite a bit north) hmmm that is quite a problem.
so what did we do? go to the beach of course. oh and also mexican food. lots of adventures that day. and we went home that night. how exciting.

how many times can someone hit the same car?....and get away with it?

2008-11-02T00:06:00.000-07:00

So a brief over view of how meg and i california adventure went....
so it started out with meg getting in at like two on monday and me having to leave at two thirty for work...bummer! so i called maria and had her take her out to portland to see the beauty and amazingness which is portland. I was so sad to miss them (i had not seen maria in forever) but was glad that they were going to get to be friends.
Any way i got off work an hour early (i am a very lucky girl) and rush to downtown portland. still in scrubs and getting a bit lost, getting direction from an unlikly source (haha another story entirely) I got there. we were meeting at a coffee place. So as a was expertelly parrell parking I hit the curb "oh crap" i think was my reaction but i was to excited to see both maria and meg that i rushed out of the car. now in the back of my head i was thinking "shoot i did not hit that car right? it is awfully close to me, but i am pretty sure it was the curb i hit". so as i am getting out in my hurry i look at the bar window next to me. i see about eight faces pressed up against the window laughing and pointing at me. dangit! stupid car. so i mime "did i hit that car" using lots of hand gestures. and they just kept laughing. phew! i thought they were just kidding....

so about two hours later a few more stories later i get back with meg in the car and we are headeding home. crash! i hit the car for sure this time. as i get out of the car...rather sheepishly...i look and the same eight faces are looking at my laupghing harder than i would think possible with our afixeating. anyway a guy walks out and says "what is your deal?" at this point i have a few options running through my head, one do i look cute enough to get out of this, answer: no your dirty and have scrubs on. two, is he drunk enough to forget? answer: maybe but he is not smiling. three can i get away with saying i am foreing or at least the fact that meg is from new zealand and she is? answer: yes indeed that is the ticket!
some how we get on the topic of surfing and this same surf spot we go to and then he talks about how he is going to new zealand next week...of course he is.
some how i swing the convo back to his dented car and he just laughs and says well can i get you to come in and have a drink? i would have had six out of pure appriciation if not for meg not being of age, i guess me technically either but yay! for nice people left in the world or maybe just for good drunks :) so the night ended happily with a quick pit stop to vodoo doughnuts and bed.

New Zealand friend!

2008-10-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

One of my very best friends in New Zealand is coming here!! I am going tomorrow to pick her up in Seattle. I think she may only be able to stay one night before going down to S. California to visit family but I am so so so excited!! Her family decided it was time to come to America for a visit. Her father is Kiwi (new zealander) her mother is american, and they have not been back here for 18 years. They started on the east coast and have slowly made there way over here.
Every where else but America really knows how to vacation. They are gone for close to on month and a half I think...now thats the way to do it!!

adventure or running away?

2008-10-23T14:20:00.001-07:00

So I feel like I have made it clear the way I feel about my job. But that is just part of growing up right? Getting a job you don't love to make ends meet, just push through it. Many women in my work who have been working there for years have been living that mantra. Take it a day at a time. Just make it work. Well I say no flippen more!! What the heck? chances are you only have like what 85 maybe 90 years if you lucky (lets me honest the places i want to live probably not that long) I am not! I reapeat not! going to live like that.
I am so thankful for wise people in my life. I really really am. I think I would make way dumber decisions if not for them. I wanted to quit the first day, and they said not a good idea so I waited. They said it would get better and it did. They said God would teach me big stuff, and He did. They said I would feel proud of myslef, and I do.
So heres the deal, I don't think a month here or there matter. If I decide to keep this job till June thats fine, I can make it work.
But now I have other options, but would it be running away? This man who lives in both portland and phoenix has offered me a job to be his in home assistant (not sketch he has another one also) and the man I work I would work for travels quite frequently. I would be doing errands and a bit of just office things. It does not sound mundane in the least though. I would be making slightly less than I do now, but I think with far less work and he is willing to provide a car when in Pheonix and all travel and living expensis paid for, including anything I want like dental, health, gym membership.
I told him I would be able to start Dec 1st and that school does not get out till Dec 12th. Hmm...what do you guys think? I don't want to run away from something but I am ready to move on.

Wedding dress shopping, school, and work....

2008-10-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

So Melissa (David's (my cousin) bride to be) is getting married!! We are having so much fun together doing wedding stuff and just hanging out. So on Sunday we went wedding dress shopping! I have never seen such a beautiful bride, and I have never seen a bride with such a huge entourage. There was grandmas, sisters, cousins, aunts, moms. It was so fun.
As far as work goes, it is getting better. I have learned just to do my job and keep my head down. I don't really talk at work unless I am speaking with a resident. During my breaks I go into the meditation room and read or do homework. I have decided to stay through Christmas going full time then switching to part time after December.
I have never really appreciated school before, but this semester I am really enjoying it. I think I just realize how much I prefer school to work. :) It is not the classes, because they are bio and speech, besides from math my worst subjects, but I enjoy them because I am doing well in them, and lets be honest who does not like something they are good at??

new job....

2008-10-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

hey so just an update about my job. it is really really hard. I am trying not to complain because once i get down every patients schedule it should get loads easier. but right now it seems like whatever i do i get yelled at, maybe not yelled but more of talked down at from the other cnas. I am being trained right now by two very very efficient women. they both came to america with the american dream and have had to work extremly hard for whatever they get. i am not that way and would prefer it to not get yelled at for throwing away the garbage before i do laundry. (this sequence of events does not matter wich way you do it). they say it is more efficient therefore i am wrong.
I just smile and say ok. trying to look docile and compliante but on the inside i want to scream i am not an idiot and yes i know how to place a pillow.
well i will get it soon and i am sure i will be so thankful by how hard they are pusing me, but right now i just want to sleep and not wake up for a few days.

The Heart Beat

2008-09-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

ok so i feel safe writing this about one of my sisters because anyone who reads this will know who i am talking about!
But with my brand new stethoscope (yay so excited!!) I heard the babies heart beat! It is the first heart beat in fact, to be heard. My sissy was so excited so we called the whole family in and took turns listening (so unsanitary, but completely ok because of how exciting it was!!).
sister i love you and am so so happy for you!!

the boss called...

2008-09-27T01:18:00.000-07:00

So exciting! My boss called and told me my licences has finally come in! I am so so excited! That means work starting Monday!! Also my classes start on Tuesday which I am also looking forward to.
OK all that is way fun but there most, no maybe the best thing ever was this day because I am loving referring to it as the day of lavished gifts!
Ok wait first to share with you my mind set of the day there is a verse that I am to lazy to look up that says something along the lines of....and if you fathers, even though you are evil can give good gifts to your children how much better can the father in heaven lavish gifts on his children?

so anyway today my daddy (i love my daddy and mama) bought me a car (i don't even care how dependent this sounds), a bedroom set, and help buy (my favorite) a nurse starting kit!!!!!!
It has a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and lots of other fun toys! It makes me feel like a real life missionary!
Oh and speaking of which I am (God willing) for sure moving in June. I will be living in a piece of land owned by Spain but technically it is still in Morocco.
I will try and keep you all better updated.
love

I hate the washington state nursing board

2008-09-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

This blog is all about frustration and dumb dumb Washington (sorry family that lives there). Let me just contrast for you.
Oregon board: calls me sweety, offers assistance i did not even know i needed, told me to send stuff in without finishing it because they knew it was confusing so they will just finish for me, they have a kind tone and picks up there phone really quickly
Washington board: rude. mean. questions like (in a negative tone) "what? your question does not make sense" not helpful. takes at least fifteen minutes to get a hold of anyone, and once you do you get even more frustrated because they expect you to understand all the ins and out of there dumb laws and get mad at you when you don't understand that the dumb blue form is only sent when requested and you are supposed to send it in only on a certain date. who knows that? do any of you know that?

so right now i am waiting for them to answer the phone (waiting for fifteen minutes) so i can find out my licensing number that they were supposed to send me of two months ago! all the while i can not work because they are being so slow!
I told the Oregon board what the Washington office was doing and they said it was ridiculous and to call them the next time i have problems. So i did and sadly enough the washington n. board is the only one who can give me my license number. ahhh!!!! so frusterated!

I forgot I grew up...

2008-09-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

In high school I had lots of late nights with this one group of guy friends. We always did the same kind of thing that may be look down on in society, such as stealing lawn gnomes, or trading peoples Christmas decoration. I look at it now and see how lucky we were to never get caught. Any way I started to loose contact with some of these old friends until last night when they called. They told me I immediately needed to come over.
So I hopped in my car (after finishing my movie) and went. I don't know what it was but instead of acting like a sane adult I snuck through the back gate, under the terrace, fell on my face the same place I always do, and opened the door really a quite. After flipping over the couch and being flung to the floor with hugs from all my long lost buddies we all started cracking up because, we are no longer past curfew (well for them at least i never had one..thanks mom!) and we could do whatever we wanted! It was very exciting! However not long after I realized I had to work the next day, and they had stuff to do....so unlike times of old there was no four am adventure, and no fear of being caught, instead it was off to bed and responsibility.

a few late night summer parties pictures

2008-09-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

2008-09-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

So here is a little run down on the N. Africa base. The base is the regional base for all of N. Africa. The base is located in S. Spain. I think just for a little extra freedom. They run a dts (discipleship training school), a prayer room, and hospitality (which is serving the missionaries) and other ministries. I don't know loads about it yet, but from what I have gotten I will be officially living in Spain and working lots in N. Africa. We serve the missionaries there in a lot of different ways.
Here's another thing that I need prayer for. One of the directors missionaries in N. Africa just emailed him and he just emailed me to tell me that there is tons of prostitution in her area. I don't have any info other than that, she said she would get more info and keep us updated. The thing is it would be a huge commitment. Like years. I would have to learn Arabic and lots of other things before even thinking about starting.
I want to end child prostitution. I want to end it globally. So right now I am so lost and confused what it should be. Originally I thought for sure max two years there but this would ask for a lot more.

Africa/Spain

2008-09-03T19:09:00.001-07:00

Hey guys so just to let you know I am leaning strongly towards Africa. I really am trying hard to keep God my lead. I am loving it by the way because I am really having to talk to God a lot, and God is definately helping me figure it all out, I love Him so much.
I will keep you better updated and tomorrow I will tell you a bit more about the base.

Australia or North Africa???

2008-09-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

OK so my lovely friends and mostly family (Ashley this includes you because we are related twice now and I like you a lot so you are officially one of the many sisters!...I digress)
Here is the plan (I know Kate :)) I am leaving in about June ish. There are three options. Well actually the whole world is an option. Ok I am starting in the begging.
In the beginning...
When I came home from my DTS (discipleship training school) I was so happy to see everyone I loved here in America. I really was and I missed you guys so bad. But I was also quite sure I would be leaving again really soon. I mean come on God! I was totally ready!! (that was how a lot of my prayer times were). As some of you may remember I started planning a trip back to the Philippines, which ended in disaster. So, then I got it through my head God was saying wait. Lame! I was a little hurt and confused to because my place was not here! I knew that as a fact. I like being busy. I love serving. It makes me more happy than anything in the world. Serving God makes me feel like I am doing my dream of changing the world, and I feel more dependant and more connected with God then and other time in my life.
Anyway whenever I would pray God would say the same thing "by still and know that I am God" well God, hello I know you are God. Uhh! So frustrating!
Then the day came when He asked me "am I enough?" What?? what a silly thing to ask creator of the universe! Of course you are! then came the question "am I enough? If you stay in Portland Oregon your whole life and never lift a finger to serve the broken again. If you live the mundane, "normal" life, am I enough?" my answer very sadly was no.
I was broken. How had that happened? How had I, Kimberly, let serving and my dreams become more important? I was so focused on who I was going to save, what my next adventure was, I had lost what was so very precious to me. Sure I still read my Bible daily, sure I prayed often, but to what? For what?
God is good and gracious and He spent the otherwise very boring next few months of my life to teach me one thing. "you are loved" (direct quote). It was a hard lesson to learn. He stripped away everything that I thought made me happy. Every organized ministry I tried died in the beginnings. If you knew me well through these months since being home, I have tried to put on a happy face but these extremely boring months have been excruciating.
I am not loved because of the work I do, I am not loved for how fun I am, I am not loved because I read my Bible and pray. I am loved because I was created to be loved.
Not that I will always rely on that, not that I won't for sure screw it up, because God is my father, and he loves me so much, He is giving me another chance. He has opened up the world for me and said I will bless you wherever you go. well...
So wow! My dream. Thank you so much Jesus.
Now the fun and slightly stressful part!!! where to go??

Here are the options I think I have narrowed down, however if God like sends an angle telling you that I should go somewhere else, cool. Let me know.
anyway options are:
-North Australia ---I would be a School Staff
-South Australia ---I would be a school staff
-North Africa base --- I would work at their regional base in s. Spain and work in north Africa wherever they needed me.

I am really leaning on the North Africa base. Let me know what you think and please be praying for me.
and know that you are loved.

New job...New apt....getting married...just kidding

2008-08-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

So this new job is going to be so so fun! I work swing so it is 3-11:30. There has been so much paper work, fingerprinting, just general running around to get my License work for Oregon, and training/orientation, that I am just ready to start loving on old people! Their days revolve around food mainly wich is great because that is how my life works as well. However I just have to deal with dinner (at 5 p.m.) and I get to take all the time I want. Stoping and talking with them, sitting down and really getting to know my clients is going to be my favorite part I can already tell.
Anyway, this place I am working at is amazing! It is were all the CEO's, presidents, and just general rich people of Portland retire. It is a 26 acre campus full of green and flowers and the nicest stuff I have ever seen. It is right on the river with great views from everywhere. There are about 5 main building and they all connect through sky bridges, so you never have to walk out in the rain if you don't want to. There are Japanese gardens, residents gardens, tree groves, pathways, the list just keeps going on and on. We took several tours yesterday and still I only know how to get to my "neighborhood" and back.
I work in Wisteria Neighborhood. (in my head I call is wisteria lane). You start at the manor or the plaza when you first move in to the community but as you age and need a bit more help you move into the neighborhoods.
Anyway I am so so thankful for this job. The residents never have to leave, there is a bank, restaurant, grocery store, clothing store, movies, library, etc. I love it!

Anyway the new apt. I am moving in with some girls I grew up with, Bailey and Olivia. They have another girl named Kaley living with them. Bailey and Kaley are sharing a room and Olivia and I would share. I am almost positive about this but we will see. I want to wait for Katie to come because I want as much time as possible with her and Savvy. Oh and ps I will probably be working so morning I get Kate! Back off! I am staking my territory now!! Love

New Job

2008-08-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

I am leaving in about one minute for orientation! I am a little nervous. Supposedly I am doing it with like three or four exchange students that are very smart and very giggly.
Hmm.....I don't know how I feel about that. Well pray for me and I love you all.

Did I take it too far?

2008-08-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

So I need your personal views whether or not I took this situation too far or not.
Today, for my new job (yay!) I had to take a u/a test (I had to pee in a cup). However that was not the issue. when all was said and done, I was very pleased with the result (very clear).
However, while I was walking out of the backroom to the exit I hear a very excited "kimber!" as i was turning around my question I posed to myself was who do I know that calls me kimber? So I turned around and looked this very excited girl up and down and had no idea who she was. i tried real hard to pull off the "...oh...yeah...hi! how are you?" she seemed so excited to see me that she did not even notice my lack of enthusiasm due to the fact that I had no idea who she was. She carried on with "oh i can't believe you were going to walk out of this office without saying hi first!" I was so completely lost at this point. Stunned is probably a better word.

She then asked me the normal questions like what are you up to these days, the tricky part for a response was, what in my life does she care about? Church, school,...ect. I had no idea. So I explained my reason for getting a drug test wich seemed enough for her because she chatted on about her job. A moment later we were interrupted by a nurse saying "oh you two know each other?" I just looked at her and smiled unintelligently and looked at my new/old friend and waited for the response. I think my mouth dropped a little when the response was "oh yeah she is my brothers ex girlfriend."
ok a few problems with this statment. 1. I have never had a boyfriend 2. i have not lived in portland for quite some time 3. i had never seen this girl in my whole life
at this point in the conversation I had made the decision to be as non-commital as possible for the sake of the poor girl when she realized i was none of the things she claimed me as.
So while I was looking for an escape route to this continualy awkward (only for me) situation, she turned to me and goes "kimber you really have changed" (yeah lady because you have no idea who I am but at this point I was in far too deep to turn back),then she decided it was a good idea to grab my hand and and take me over to her desk to show me her children. she showed me the youngest and was like look shaila, you remember her right?
i just stared. her response to my blank look was (or what i would like to say, non-commital look) was oh of course you don't! she was just born. (silly me). Then she started talking about her other girl. Her words were "of course you remember her!" with my reponse of "oh wow she is beautiful"
"she asked the question she has grown huh?" my response "yep she sure has grown i am sure"
while our little reunion was winding down there were a few more awkward questions about her dad and her brother (apperently ex boyfriend) that i (with skilled) avoided.
while walking away after our departure and promises to see each other again my last words were "tell her brother I say hi". I really did not want her to think I was bitter.

The Swiss come to visit!

2008-08-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

So my the story of my friend Sam.

One cold and wet rainy Oregon coast day (is there any other kind?), three really bored eighth grade (almost freshman) girls were wandering around the oh so chilly beach. No boys, no sun, no fun! But wait, was that a boy (maybe they were slightly boy crazy) in the distance? "oh no" said one girl "we are on the Oregon beach! There are never cute boys here!!"
Well as it turns out that girl was very very wrong.

It was Bailey, Stephanie, and I and we decided we wanted to pursue a friendship with this boy (cute or not we were desperate). So Stephanie came up with the idea to yell random names until maybe he would respond to one. Bailey and I decided to bash on that idea for a few minutes, and then followed through. We shouted Tom! Elliott! Ralph! Steven! and other varieties of names.
Finally I got bored with this silly game and with bravery that surprised even me, I walked right up to him and asked if he would like to hang out with our little trio. And oh my was that a good idea!
We had found our self our very own, very cute, very foreign, Swiss boy! All that night we hung out and talked about how to say funny words, we went on an adventure that required me to (some would call it stealing) borrow my parents car (no license quite yet...sorry mommy!). Well it could not last long he was going home to very next day so goodbye to him...or so we thought.

Luckily we are the technology generation and through a variety of myspace, email, and face book we have kept in contact these long years. Finally Sam thought it had been long enough since he had seen his favor tie American girls and he flew out to see us. He is here now and will be here another two weeks.
Much to all of our dismay he has a girlfriend. We plan on taking him to see all of the beautiful Portland so if you guys have any ideas for fun adventures let me know!

Disneyland?? Oh no...we are poor!!

2008-08-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Did I slave away all day in the heat while my family moved?? Nope! i went to hang out with my cousin. Enchanted forest! (otherwise known as the "poor man's Disneyland" was invaded last weekend by Patty, C.J., and myself. We rode rickety, old rides, we got scared out of our minds by the haunted house (you had to be at least two to get in...yikes!), it was quite to party. To top off the wonderful adventurous day, we went home ate food and watched a movie!