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Old people are so cute. and hilarious. :)
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Erasing hell.
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83. The Surprise of a Lifetime
Brent and I were planning to spend the day celebrating our 9 year anniversary, little did I know what the day would bring and how memorable July 23, 2011 would always be. The surprise date began in LA, having lunch at a cute restaurant in Hollywood called Tender Greens, and then it was off to the next surprise.
Brent told me that we were going to Universal City Walk, which got me no closer to figuring out what we were doing. We finally arrived at iFly, an indoor skydiving place, where an instructor takes you into this enclosed area with a huge fan under you simulating skydiving. I was nervous about being in this glass area with a bunch of tourists staring at me, but it was a really fun idea and we now have a dvd for us to remember it by haha. Brent and I always joked about going skydiving when we’re 80 years old, and now we don’t have to anymore ;)
The next planned activity for the date was going to a shooting range in Artesia. I had mentioned it to him months ago that I think it’d be cool to just try it one time. Ironically, when I was back east for Krista’s wedding a few weeks ago, I ended up shooting guns for the first time. No wonder Brent wasn’t as excited about it when I told him I had shot guns in a backyard ;) The shooting range was an adventure for both of us. Walking in, it was obvious to everyone we were not gun nuts. We walked to the counter and said, “We don’t know anything about guns, what do you recommend?” We ended up shooting a 22 caliber and a 9mm glock (i think?!), and I shot the heck out of my target’s tummy. I guess I don’t have a killer shot haha. Driving back to OC, I joked with Brent saying how adventurous our date was so far. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think the date was designed for Brent instead of me. I guess I’ve always had a tomboy side to me.
I knew the last part of the date was dinner somewhere in Laguna Beach. We drove back to his place, changed, and Brent said he had one more surprise planned. As we entered Laguna Beach, he turned down a small side street leading to park overlooking the cliffs and beach called Crescent Bay Point Park. The day was beautiful, the skies were clear and the ocean surprisingly blue.
We walked around for a while, took some pictures, and he eventually gave me my gift and asked me to open it. I found inside the box one of those old school red view-master’s we all had as a child and he asked me to look through it. At this point, I started to freak out a little because I had a pretty good feeling what might be coming. Through the view-master I saw pictures from the beginning of our relationship up until this year and the last picture was him by himself standing at the very spot we were currently at, holding a flyer.
I looked up, somewhat confused and nervous, and he was standing there holding the same flyer as the picture - a flyer to the Harvest Crusade 2002 - the day he first asked me out to be his girlfriend. He got down on one knee, told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, and asked me to marry him.
I don’t think words can express how I felt at that moment, but I’m sure anyone who’s been engaged can relate. The complete shock of the unexpected and the excitement of it all was overwhelming. Tears of joy and excitement rolled down my cheeks as I said yes to marrying my best friend. A couple said “Congratulations” about 10 seconds after it happened, and I couldn’t even look up or say anything because I was pretty much speechless!
Not to mention, we ate dinner at Splashes, a beautiful restaurant on the beach, as the sun set. He had planned to have both my parents and his family meet us afterwards for dessert, a perfect ending to an amazing day. Three days later, the shock and surprise of it all still has not worn off. I can’t believe I have a fiance!
I can only praise God for His faithfulness shown over and over in our relationship and in each of our lives. It is obvious that He has been leading us and has been a part of our relationship through the years because there’s no way a 14 and 16 year old knew what was in store for them 9 years ago. It is by His grace and love that He can bring two imperfect people together. In a nutshell, we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
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82. Summer School
Yesterday, I finished my first session of summer school! This has actually been the first time I’ve ever taken summer school since kindergarten (which I don’t count!) and initially I was really really bummed. Everything seemed to remind me that it was summer, but I was not a part of it. Friends were ending school, some were graduating, people going to the beach, hanging out on week nights (how grandma like do I sound?), and even the beautiful weather were taunting my summer life. Buuuuut life goes on, I adjusted, and I felt better that my classmates reminded me that I’m not the ONLY one in school during the summer ;)
This first summer session was a lot of firsts for me. We had our first fieldwork, which is the exciting part of school where you can hopefully apply what you’re learning…hopefully. The focus of this semester’s fieldwork is adolescence and mental health. I was placed with 9 other of my classmates at a high school in South Central LA to work with a group of student in the special ed program once a week. Our focus was to help them improve their social skills because many of them have cognitive or behavioral problems and don’t have the skill sets to appropriately behave and interact with their peers. So we led them in games and activities each week to help them work on teamwork, cooperation, problem solving, and teaching them how this can apply to real world situations. It was really fun, and the students were awesome. In the short amount of time, I do feel like we made an impact on them, and I hope they continue to receive the support and resources they need. There were positive and negative aspects of the experience, but it was a good opportunity to wet my feet in the OT world. I am a lot more excited for our next fieldwork in the fall for pediatrics :)
Do I think that I will want to work with this population? As of right now, I’m leaning towards no. As enjoyable as it was, I think that I’m drawn towards more physical rehabilitation or something much more tangible and easily measurable than mental health. But who knows? I do have much more of an appreciation for the adolescent population in general. There is a lot that teenagers have to deal with (that even they aren’t really aware of) and to be a source of support to guide their development is pretty cool.
Another “first” for me was writing up a case study on one of the clients I observed in fieldwork. This was an assignment where I had to give background and information on the client’s history (through observations, interviews, IEPs, and asking the teachers), present evidence-based research that might help her, write two treatment goals, and two interventions I would choose to address the goals. At first it sounded like a headache, and actually it was pretty tough writing it too, but it was one of the first times I felt like I had to think like an OT. I had to assess what the needs of the client were, find research to back up my intervention, and create activities that will benefit the client as well as keep them motivated. It was kinda cool to start using the little bit of clinical reasoning I have developed over the year.
One more nerdy “first” that I’ll write about…I wrote a research proposal with two others for the first time. Research seriously gives me a headache, especially when I have so many other things to think about, but I am pretty excited about our research study. We plan to research adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger Syndrome and their romantic relationships. It’s an important part of most adults’ lives, and we wanted to know if it was the same/different/existent/non-existent for people with ASD or AS. Sooooo if any of you know people who have ASD or AS and you think they’d be willing to be interviewed, send them my way! :)
This first session has had its ups and downs, but God is so gracious and continues to uphold me through the times when I feel weak and vulnerable. I feel blessed that I have this opportunity to be in OT school. Each little milestone I reach, I feel just that much closer to reaching my goal.
Here’s a picture of some of my classmates at Sgt. Peppers in LB! Sometimes we have fun too :)
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79. Rapture?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110524/ap_on_re_us/us_apocalypse_saturday
Is it confusing to anyone else that if you are a preacher (aka you read and studied the Bible) wouldn’t you know that it says that no one will know when the end times will come? Matthew 24:36-55 says:
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
I’m not quite sure where it says May 21, 2011 in there. Or apparently the new date of October 21, 2011 for that matter. I just feel that if you’re going to spend your life savings or quit your job, you should probably check the source? Whether you believe the Bible is a credible source or not in the first place, I do not understand why people put their trust in this one man’s opinion.
Sorry, random annoyance of the day.
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77. Semester one!
I’m so excited to say that I have finished my first semester of OT school! It may sound pretty insignificant, but when I think about all the changes, accomplishments, new friendships, and experiences, it was far from insignificant. There’s so much to process, but there are a few things I want to touch on.
1. I’ve met some amazing people in OT school. The whole age difference weirdness has worn off. We’re all OT students enduring and persevering together. It’s so nice to know that I’m not in this alone. Or that I’m not the only one struggling :P. The friends I’ve met are funny, kind, gracious, and caring, and I’m so glad that I have them for support and fun for these next two years (hopefully more!).
2. I have never done so much public speaking in such a short amount of time ever. I counted it up, and I did 10 presentations this semester. Some were longer than others, some in groups and some by myself. Public speaking was never something I loved or thought I was good at, but after these last 16 weeks, I really do feel more confident speaking in front of people. I don’t love it anymore than I did in the beginning, but it’s not as bad as I once thought.
3. I’ve struggled with being genuinely thankful throughout the semester, and probably will continue to do so, but I’ve learned a little more about being thankful in the midst of craziness. Yes, teachers are ridiculous, assignments seem unnecessary, but I’m learning you have to suck it up a little and endure the annoyances because honestly, there’s nothing to complain about. I’m in school for something that I really love and want to do, and that’s something to be thankful for.
P.S. My brother got married! More to process….haha but that’s for another post :) In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy my oh so long one week break! Haha
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76. Sunny Days
Funny how the sun can affect your day. Today was beautiful and there’s so much to be thankful for.
- The warmth and sunshine from the sun makes staying at school all day not so bad.
- Being able to eat lunch outside with friends is the part of Wednesdays I enjoy the most.
- My lecture/presentation is over with. What a relief to finish that! The name “Eleanor Clarke Slagle” might be forever tarnished because of this class, which is too bad. She seemed like a decent lady haha.
- Another huge blessing is one of my quizzes that was originally next Friday was changed to an online open book quiz. Hallelujah! I originally scheduled my flight to San Francisco RIGHT after that quiz next Friday for my brother’s wedding. I was nervous it would be late and I’d be late for the rehearsal, but now I can fly up in the morning stress free!
- God is good all the time! He is my strength and my foundation. He gives me peace when some nights I go to bed with a knot in my stomach. Thank you Lord.
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WOW great song, CRAZY good performance. Holy moly…
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75. Easter Weekend
It’s been a while since my last post, but no worries, I’m still thankful, and haven’t turned into a bitter complainer. Easter weekend came and went and it really has given me something to be thankful for. Above all else, I am so so thankful for the reason why we celebrate Easter. That the Son of God came down to live on this earth as a human, and died on a cross, so that people might be able to be with God again. I’m so thankful for a love that is far more perfect, pure, and unconditional than I could ever find on this earth. I’m so thankful that a God could love someone so much that he restores the broken and sinful.
This week is gonna be a challenging one, but today I’m thankful for:
- good time management skills kicking into high gear
- three presentations this week that will stretch and grow me
- the luxury of time to watch Dexter all afternoon with Brent
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74. Just keep swimming…
Week 13! BRING IT.
So thankful for:
- holy week. a reminder of God’s love and grace - the ultimate sacrifice and death on a cross for me.
- having peace about my group presentation tomorrow.
- eating oxtail stew for dinner. I haven’t had that in a looong time.
- good Powerpoint skills…makes my life much easier
- my brother’s wedding in less than 3 weeks! holy moly…
