Molly & Me

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For my dear friend Molly's 25th birthday, which also happened to be her Golden Birthday (if you don't know what this means, it's when the age you are turning is the same as the date of your birthday :: Molly had to explain that to me too), I made her some personalized stationary.

We had both been talking about writing notes and I took this opportunity to design her something of her very own.

Happy birthday dearest! May your 25th be filled with much note writing!

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Molly's note set :: Front and back view of the notes
I also designed some stickers that are to be used to seal the note
(See below for a bigger version of the sticker)
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Close up of stickers :: "Written from the desk of Molly E Lewis"
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Birthday Card :: "from the bottom of our hearts HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLY LEWIS"

Blog It Out

Two blogs in two days - Can this be true? Oh yes sir!

In an attempt to get the ball rolling again I am on a blog mission :: Blog it out.

Today in class our professor asked us to discuss what characteristics a person needs to be a missionary. We got into groups to discuss and two of us quickly pointed out the obvious, adaptability, culturally aware, flexible so on and so forth. It wasn't until one guy shared that a person needs to be Kingdom minded or filled with the spirit that I stopped to think about what he actually meant. It sounds so simple. Duh, of course you need to have spirit within you. But it was more than that. A person needs to exude the spirit in all aspects of their life so that not only are your words speaking for you but your actions are dually doing the same. Both equally important.

This reminded me of when I had first started at my current job. A co-worker once commented that I was always smiling and so happy. Like I was filled with joy all the time. Almost two years later and ironically this co-worker is now the person that I have the most hard time to get along with. I'm pretty sure he would not say the same about me now.

I've lost it. Lost the "sparkle". The joy that fills, well at least outwardly. And although from the moment I step into the doors at work my first thought is "when can I get out of here?" it really shouldn't be.

So again to the turning of the metaphorical leaf. (This leaf has turned so many times it's spinning) Oh well. Lets give it another shot. Let the goal be to be joy-filled and joyful.

After all :: Work's not THAT bad. I get to chat and make these awesome little paper toys... It's the little things.

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The Quarter Mark

It's been exactly a month today since I wrote on this blog. Time sure does fly.
It's almost the end of March which means the 1/4th mark for the year is almost reached.

Where did 2011 go? Wasn't it just yesterday that I struggled to will myself to stay up til midnight to usher in the New Year? Or is that now pack away in archives of yester-year.

Another day, Another dollar...

1Month // - Til San Francisco
2Months // - Completion of the first semester of Grad School
2Months + 2 Days // - Til Thailand
9Months // - Til Christmas

*Update :: In our household, DVDs (specifically pirated ones, I know tsk tsk) are a thing of the past and off they go to the trash. The select favorites are now on a list awaiting their Blu-Ray existence into our movie library.
Out with the Old and In with the New

Read Me a Textbook

It's been awhile since I've blog. So long in fact that I had to look on my blog to even remember what I wrote about. Don't get me wrong it's not cause nothing has happened, it's cause so much has happened.

Now that I have semi-settled into the part-time work, part-time student role, I am able to juggle the line between the two and give myself a breather. Before I started classes I was so excited. I must have blocked out the homework, reading, reading and more reading that comes with it. Oh well :: No pain no gain :: Fortunately, I have really enjoyed the reading so far. It has been awhile and sometimes I feel like my grammar is not up to par, but I just keep telling myself that it will all come eventually.

Out with the Old and In with the New

Lately I have really wanted to flush un-nesscary things out of my life. A little re-purposing, a little "Out with the Old and In with the New". Life needs to be more than what I wear, or the number of friends I have on Facebook or the amount of time I sit watching tv. It should be more about quality than quantity.

Quality in things or clothes, quality in friendships and quality in time.

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First // Closet Clean Up

I started with going through my wardrobe and discarding clothing that I have not worn in over a year. A majority of those clothes were given to me, freebies that I gladly accepted.

• New Rule :: Do not accept everything that is free. Those things just pile up. Free does now mean you need it. Free is usually because a person or company is trying to sell you something more or it is junk they are discarding.

Unfortunately they are still sitting in a large garbage bag in our spare room waiting to be donated.

• To Do List :: Donate Items!

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Second // Facebook Purging

I have or should I say had over 800 facebook friends. A good chunk of those people I either, talked to once, do not talk to anymore or have never met. (They added me because I was a friend of a friend's.) This all really got to me when I received a friend request from a customer at work that I had never met but had worked with on a project. My first reaction "Umm.. We are not friends."

* Friend (Defined by Dictionary.com) " a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard."

• New Rule :: Only accept friend requests from REAL friends. Ignore everything else!!

• To Do List :: Still need to filter through the people I have left. There's got to be more "friends" to delete.

Let the friend-deleting being. I am not at 552. (I added a couple after purging.

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Third // Reading My Heart Out

This third one goes along with my new year's resolution. Read, read and read. So far I am almost done with book one and have a billion more to go. Not to mention since I am starting grad school next week I am also adding 7 books to my reading list. These ones not only have to be read but I will need to write a book report on them as well.
No worries. Slowly and surely I will get there.

• New Rule :: When bored, read. Don't turn on the tv and let it's mindlessness consume you. Some of the shows that I end up watching tidbits of are ridiculous. (Example: Toddlers and Tiaras)

• To Do List :: Just read.

I think the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning describe reading very well.
"No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning"

New Year's Resolution

My New Year's Resolution :: Read all the books I own.
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This resolution sounds pretty simple and in the span of a year it shouldn't be hard. Unfortunately I have been stuck on the same book for about four months. Break that up in a year and it is about three books a year. Not good, especially since I received nine more books for Christmas to add to the number of books I own that have still not been read. So here goes. Can't hurt to try.

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This is the year :: I can feel it.

2010

It's 2011! Oh how time flies. It seems like it wasn't too long ago that we were entering the new millennium and here we are a decade into it.

A number of the blogs I read have a "Year in Review" post, just looking back on 2010. I figure I'd take a look back as well.

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Highlights // 2010 had a lot of blessings in store for us. Here are a few of the highlights.

:: New Apartment :: We found a better deal on an apartment closer to both our work places. I really hope we don't move again for awhile. It seems the older I get the more stuff I accumulate and moving is not fun.

:: Parents in CA :: My parents took a mini-furlough from the mission field so that my dad could write a couple books. I have been so used to not having my parents in the same country as me that I forgot how nice it is to have them close.

:: Grad School :: I got accepted into grad school at Biola. Higher Learning here I come!

:: Two Year Anniversay :: I can hardly believe that Oli and I have been married for 2 years, which means we've been together for 8 years! We celebrated by going to Pantages Theater and seeing the musical "Phantom of the Opera". It was beautiful. What a blessing it is to be utterly in love with your husband after so many years! I love you Oli.

:: Church Membership :: We officially became members of our church, Grace Presbyterian in Yorba Linda. It has taken us a few years to find a church that we really feel comfortable with and that also shares the same doctrinal values. We are very blessed to say the least.

:: Birthdays :: Oli turned 26 in December, I turned 24. We feel like we are getting old but we are just getting to the prime of our lives! There is so much ahead of us!

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Travels // We love to travel. Unfortunately this year we didn't get to travel outside of the country, except for shore excursions on our cruise to Mexico. But that doesn't really count.

:: Indiana :: My dear friend, Hannah and Ki young, from high school recently moved from California to Indianapolis area. Oli and I went to visit them for a week where we went camping and fishing. It was definately nice to enjoy the slower pace of life.

:: Catalina :: We took advantage of having my parents here so along with my parents, my brother, Oli and I trekked over to the beautiful island of Catalina. Definitely want to go back sometime.

:: Mexico :: We went on a Malabuyo family reunion cruise to Mexico. Oli and I had never been on a cruise before. We definitely have converted to cruise vacationers! It's the best way to relax.

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Events // Oli and I decided to dive into each opportunity we get. Needless to say we were able to do numerous fun things this year.

:: Galaxy Games :: While my parents were here we went to a Real Madrid - Galaxy game. Oli was not able to come but we did end up going to another MLS game this year. Viva la Football!

:: Lakers Game :: We went to a Lakers home game with some friends. It was really fun and even though our dear Lakers lost we still love them very much! Go Lakers!

:: 49ers Game :: Through his work, Lem was able to get us tickets to San Francisco 49ers game. This was our first NFL game and it was a good one. 49ers have a losing record this year but we were able to go to one of the few games they actually won.

:: Barnum and Bailey Circus :: My family went to see the Barnum and Bailey circus show. It was spectacular! Definitely worh seeing, even if you don't like animals like me.

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As we enter 2011, Oli and I have so much to be thankful for. We both have amazing loving families, steady jobs and a great community of friends.

Thank you 2010!