Weather

According to weather websites, it is in the 80s in Clayton and 50s in Boston. In the 80s at home?!?! It's like summer never ended, but school began. Though I'm thankful it isn't freezing here quite yet, the 30 degree difference makes me miss the CA weather. However, I suppose the foliage here in New England makes up for it. :) I suppose winter is upon us, but I'm not ready to admit that quite yet. Thank you Jesus for the crisp, cool air and the warm blankets I can cuddle up in. Now, to continue studying for my midterm tomorrow morning! Last midterm of this 2-week long testing time! Then, I can really cuddle up and get warm and relax a bit before I continue to study the new material. Thank you Jesus for this opportunity to learn and further my academic education!

10-10-10

Yes, that is today's date. October 10, 2010....10-10-10. Could we say today is "10 cubed"? Just felt the need to bring attention to today's date since it will only happen TODAY, once next year and once the year after and then we will have to wait 91 years or something like that until it happens again, which will likely not be in any of our lifetimes. So, enjoy it while we can!!! :)

Poll

Well, the story behind the September poll is that I moved into a new apartment at the beginning of September and I think it took about 2 weeks before we could get our internet set up and running in our apartment due to the previous tenants failing to cancel their internet service. We contacted the internet company and they said that we couldn't start service because there was already another account open for this address. Therefore, we had to mail our lease in and then they could cancel the previous account and start service for us. However, the town I live in has an hour of free internet for computer users while in this town. It is an hour free everyday, but once you begin using the internet, the hour countdown begins. It doesn't keep track of how long you are actually using the internet. It doesn't matter if you close your browser or even disconnect from the internet. Once you start, you can't stop or pause or anything. Therefore, we had one hour of internet at home for the first two or two and a half weeks we lived here. It was manageable, especially once school started and we were able to use the internet at school while we were there. We had to plan our hour of internet use; I ended up writing a list of what I needed to get done using the internet and after I had a list of a few things, I would begin my hour and get the most out of that one hour I had. Now, I have unlimited use the internet. Oh, how I rely so much on technology....

July

So, my summer in Maine was quite the unforgettable experience. I had always dreamed of, or wished, to have the opportunity to live in Maine while I was growing up just because Maine was so far away and nobody ever really talked about it. It was like one of the "forgotten states" (kinda like some of the states in the middle of the country). However, I think I want to at least visit those as well. Anyhow, my dream/wish came true and after moving to Maine, I was not prepared at all for how rural it is. At the beginning of July, I was able to take a small little break from Waterboro, ME and spend the weekend of the 4th of July with my parents in Boston, which was fabulous! On the fourth, we went to church in the morning and then met my friends on the esplanade to take part in those fun Boston festivities. Then, we made our way back to Maine on Monday, spending some time in northern Mass and New Hampshire. Having my parents in Maine that week was helpful with my adjustment to Maine because they gave me something very familiar to come home to after work and people I could interact with that didn't have anything to do except to spend time with me. :) (It also helped that they took me out to dinner and spoiled me rotten while they were here.) Then, before they left, they came by the clinic and met the people I was working with this summer, which was also good. It makes it so much easier for me to talk to someone about where I am and what I've been doing when that person has seen where I am and have met the people I interact with on a daily basis. Then, they left and I continued living and working in Maine, adjusting more and more everyday and gaining more of an appreciation and liking for that state that was once oh so far away and "forgotten".

The next weekend, the family I was living with took me to Fort Williams park to see the Portland Headlight on Cape Elizabeth. It was a pretty area with a lighthouse and a view of other light houses. The kids had a fun time showing me all the cool places to explore and hide out in and rocks to climb and all the different paths to take. And, I had a fun time being introduced to such a fun area too. The next day, they took me to Kancamagus highway in New Hampshire where there are a lot of pull outs on the side of the highway with a bunch of different short hikes to take and waterfalls and lakes to see and water to play in and all kinds of fun exploring and nature to see. It was such a nice day (it reminded me of a CA summer day) and it was the perfect day to be in the warm sun and near water. Needless to say, I enjoyed that weekend and it ended up being one of many good weekends. :)

The next week, I had the wonderful (scary) opportunity to experience my first real life tornadoes! I suppose they weren't the real big tornadoes, but they were classified as touch-down tornadoes. I don't know much about this natural disaster, but I did know that I wasn't about to drive in the heavy rain and wind that I met after leaving the clinic that night. Therefore, I ran back inside, soaking wet, to wait it out with the girl who was closing that night. After about an hour, the wind and the rain let up a bit and I was able to safely drive home. It is a storm I will never forget and am so thankful that everyone I knew was okay. I didn't hear of anyone getting hurt in it, but I did hear (and see) trees uprooted and blocking the roads all over. One of the physical therapists at the clinic I was working at was unable to come to work the next day because the trees were blocking his road so much. His pigs had gotten out, other people's outdoor furniture was destroyed and taken to other people's yards (and these people have acres of land...the neighbor's yard isn't necessarily right next door). That was an eventful evening and I'm so thankful it wasn't too bad.

That weekend, I went into Portland, ME and spent the afternoon with my fellow student at the clinic, and friend, in "the city" exploring a little bit and walking around the quaint downtown area. Portland is a cute little city with small shops and cobblestone roads and water and an enjoyable atmosphere. The next day, we went for a little hike to overlook a town nearby and go to see a pretty view of the treetops and some lakes in the distance. It was a nice hike and a good way to spend the afternoon. Let me tell you...the tops of trees can be very different. They are not all the same. If someone can explain to me the majesty and excitement in these differences, I would be more than happy to listen because I can't tell you. :) Honestly, though, it was a good way to get outside and do something and enjoy the nature that one can't enjoy everywhere because there are people and houses and businesses that have cut down the forests and open space. There is a lot of beauty (and trees) in the state of Maine.

That last week in July, my CI (Clinical Instructor) and I went to do an ergonomic assessment for some business one afternoon. It was a good experience to see another aspect of what a physical therapist can do. It's not something I would want to do full time, but it's necessary to do from time to time from the business perspective, but also what needs to be considered with my future patients who will be working at a computer with a desk job for 8 hours a day. So, that was a good one-time experience to have and be a part of. I also received my first gift from a patient that week, which was exciting. I was given a can of those Pirouline cookies...oh, they are so yummy! The hazelnut flavored ones are my favorite, but the chocolate ones were tasty too. :)

I saw The Sorcerer's Apprentice with my CI and his family. I usually don't enjoy movies with Nicholas Cage, but this one wasn't too bad. I usually don't go to see movies in general, but I suppose I'll go every once in a great while and this was one of those great whiles. It was fun to meet his family too. Family time is something that I generally enjoy, whether or not it is my own family. (Although, I will say that family time with my family is by far the best family time. I am a little biased though.)

To finish July off, my friends came to visit me in Maine! Shirin, Hannah, and Trisha took a bus from Boston to Portland for the day. I picked them up and we went to eat at DiMillo's (a floating restaurant) for lunch. By floating restaurant, it was more just a restaurant on a boat that was docked and it didn't feel like we were even on the water because it was such a large boat that it didn't move. It was still fun though and we were outside on a nice day, eating lobster club sandwiches--YUM!!! :) After lunch, we took a ferry over to Peak's Island. There are so many islands off the coast of Maine and people can visit, or live on, many of them! When we got to Peak's Island, we got ice cream from a place that gave gigantic scoops and it was oh so good! Some were rather messy as it melted and got all over our hands (Shirin's was extra melty), but it was a tasty treat! We walked around the island for a short while and then took the ferry back to Old Port (Portland) and walked around downtown and in the shops too. We finished up their time visiting by going to the Popcorn store where they have all kinds of crazy flavored popcorn. There are so many unique flavors and then they mix and match their flavors to make new flavors. The sky is the limit with this popcorn company! Go look at their website to browse some of their creative creations!

If you thought July was busy, just wait until you read about what I did in August! Some crazy things and some true "Maine experiences". The best is yet to come! :)

I'm Famous

Yeah, right! I am hardly famous. However, I just found out recently that my face is featured on two different websites, one of which has probably been there for almost a year, completely unbeknownst to me. It is on my church's website when we took pictures with our community group last fall (October or November). I have no idea how long it's been there, but probably since soon after it was taken and will be replaced with another picture from community groups this year, which begin in October. Check it out and see if you can find me here!

Secondly, while I was in Maine this summer, the clinic I was working at had someone redesign/revamp their website. They took more updated pictures during this process and a picture was taken of me and used on the home page. Can you find me?

Also, in case you didn't realize, there is a new poll question and is only there until the end of the month! I'll write about the story behind the question and why it is relevant to my life after the voting has ended. :)

Blog Poll!

So, to make this a little bit more interactive, I have decided to put in a little poll to see what people think. Right now, I plan on having a new poll every month, but it could change to more often, depending on how many people are voting/if you all want to give your opinion on things more often. Just let me know! And, if nobody votes...well, then, I suppose nobody reads my blog then, which is completely fine too! :) Happy voting!

The second half of June

I returned to Boston later than I had expected due to airplane issues...surprise, surprise, right? I was supposed to leave SFO Tuesday night sometime, maybe 11 pm? Well, the plane I had boarded was overbooked and they asked for volunteers to come off and leave on a later plane. Well, that later plane was 6 am Wednesday morning. So, I (so kindly) volunteered to get off the plane and the airline put me up in some hotel for the night...well, it was really only 4 hours maybe, considering I had to be back at the airport at 5 or so the next morning and I think I finally got to the hotel at 12 or 1 am? Anyhow....I got a free (or almost free) flight out of it...as long as I know where I put my voucher. Hmmm......I hope I find it when I move! :) So, I returned to Boston Wednesday night and had a little bit of roommate time. Then, Thursday night, I had the opportunity to go to the Foundation of Physical Therapy dinner. It was quite the event and a bit extravagant for my taste. It was a very nice evening. However, I did feel like nobody was really paying attention to what was going on when the MC was going through all they had planned out for the night. Also, it was the same night as the NBA Championship finals, which people were all caught up in. After all, Boston was playing the Lakers. I left the dinner a bit earlier than most people and came home to watch Boston lose....sorry Boston fans!

Then, that weekend, we had some fun roommate tennis attempts, which worked out not too bad! We were all equally as terrible, so it was a perfect match! :) I also had a whole car fiasco weekend, which continues today, BUT I have a car for which I am thankful for and trusting the Lord as the pieces continue to unfold. I eventually made it up to Maine and began my clinical experience Tuesday, June 22. I spent one week in the clinic and then my parents came to Boston that second week. While my parents went frolicking and flittering around Boston seeing all that there is to see and experiencing the fun sights of Boston, I was (stuck) in Maine, unable to see them after work/clinic. But, alas, thankfully I have Fridays off this summer and Thursday night came when I drove down to Boston after clinic. I was once again reunited with my parents this summer. Except, this time, we were on the east coast. Well, that Thursday was July 1, so I suppose this post is now complete.

Stay tuned for the fun adventures and happenings of my life in July! :) And, maybe I'll post some pictures one of these days too....

The first half of June...my time in CA

May was a busy month, but so was June! After our classes ended and the wedding festivities, my roommates went off to work in the clinic and I had 3 weeks to wait for my turn to start in the clinic. So, I took a trip up to Maine to move a few things before moving for the summer. Then, I got to go home to CA for two and a half weeks, which was SO good, but left me wishing for more of a CA (real) summer, especially when I got back to the east coast. Time at home was short, but fun. I got to take a trip to downtown Palo Alto (which we were so pleasantly surprised with the food at University Cafe) for lunch and then we walked around Stanford for a bit. And the best part about it, we started at Walnut Creek bart and took bart and caltrain down on our little adventure, giving us the chance to talk and catch up the whole ride, without having to worry about what the next turn was or where to get off the freeway...just as long as we knew when to get off caltrain (bart we took to the end of the line). Then, my mom, Stephen, Cari, and I took a day to explore the city (of San Francisco). We were originally going to go to the Walt Disney Museum, but when we got there, we found out that it is closed on Tuesdays, which was unfortunate for us because we went on a Tuesday. Anyhow, we drove down and walked around the Golden Gate bridge and then we drove through Golden Gate park, which is a really nice park (I had no idea!). We also drove up and around west of the Golden Gate and around the super nice neighborhoods and homes and whatnot, getting a beautiful view of the bridge from the ocean side. So, our Walt Disney Museum trip was not successful, but our San Francisco trip most definitely was and it was really nice to do something other than go to Pier 39. Oh, and we ended at Ghirardelli Square with some yummy ice cream too-it was SO creamy!!! (I had forgotten!)

During my time at home, I also had a special opportunity to spend some time with my dear friend Julie, which was so good catching up and having some face-to-face time together. We went to BJ's for dinner, and of course had to have a pazookie! Then, we had a little sleepover with some more chit-chatting and some slumbering...she did have to work in the morning. :) When she left for work, I left for home. However, she lives five minutes from my grandparents, so I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop by for a bit to spend some time just my grandparents and me. They weren't home when I got there, so I just waited for a bit on their back deck and spent the morning-afternoon with them, which was so special as well! It makes me wish I could see them more often and spend that quality time face-to-face with them more than twice a year, but I suppose I'll take advantage of what I can get and enjoy the time I have with them to the fullest! To finish up my time at home for the summer, we had a family dinner with everyone (except Cari...) and homemade ice cream--so delicious! Went on a little shopping spree with my mom (thanks for the clothes and shoes...I use them all the time!) and we also went on a little hike up and around Mt. Diablo, which was a lot of fun! :)

The Month of May

After returning from Finland, I went to see my last play as part of my season pass. It was titled, August: Osage County. I don't recommend it. It was a strange play and the family had some issues going on that I didn't find all that engaging nor entertaining. Then, I had two weeks of classes learning about learning (and teaching) and some different exercises that we could use while out on clinic. The first week was a four-day week and then I took a trip up to Maine to look for housing on that Friday. Saw a few different places, some I would never want anyone to live in and I was able to choose the best option for me at that time! Had a second full week of class, during which both my Grandpa and Grandma celebrated their birthdays!!! (Happy Birthday you two!!!) Then, that last week of May, I had a day of review and then a day of testing for my classes. I was able to take my test on the first day of testing (out of the three needed for everyone in my class to be tested) and then I took a bus down to New York that Wednesday, the day after I took my final. Vilma, another Finnish cousin, had spent the prior five months maybe (?) in CA doing a study abroad program and she was able to meet my whole family, except for me. Before returning to Finland, she and her friend Aliisa stopped in New York for about a week to explore and be in NYC. So, I took a bus down there and was able to meet up with both of them and explore some of New York with them. How fun was it to meet Vilma, someone I had only heard about from my parents and family who had been spending time with her! I was able to stay with a childhood friend, Christina, who has been living in NYC for the last year (and has just recently moved back to CA). So, it was good to see Christina again, meet Vilma, and see NYC all in one trip! It was a good time and definitely worth the trip! To finish out May, I went to my friend's wedding the day after I got back from New York! What a beautiful bride Emily was and such a fun group of people to celebrate with them! :) It was a very special day and I am so excited for her! She is a classmate and a friend, and I can't wait to see her again in September!

Finland

What?! A post two days in a row?! Yes, it's true.

I was in Finland for two weeks, which was quite the trip. It had been one of my dreams to have the opportunity to go to Finland with my Mummi to see where she was born, raised, and to meet some of her relatives with her. My mom has been twice, my sister once, and my aunts have been as well. I really wanted to go sometime in my life, but wasn't sure if I would have the chance to go with Mummi. When I found out that she and Scott were going for an extended period of time, I found the dates they would be there and looked at my schedule to find that I had a two-week break between semesters, while they were in Finland. So, my last final was Monday, April 26, in the morning and I left that night, at 9:30 pm. I flew from Boston to London Heathrow and then Heathrow to Helsinki, Finland. I was warmly welcomed with open arms in Helsinki by Mummi and Scott, and Mummi's cousin and her husband. We had dinner at their home in Helsinki and then we (Mummi, Scott, and I) took the night train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. After maybe 10 hours of plane travel and 12 hours in the train, we met some relatives in Rovaniemi and borrowed one of their cars to make the 2 hour drive to Kongas, the village where Mummi grew up. We got to spend a few days there and I saw the house she was born in, the bed she was born in, the school she went to, Ounasjoki (a river through the village), I met other relatives, saw our cousin's reindeer farm, went bowling, ate food, relaxed a bit from all the traveling and finals I had just finished, and spent precious time with my grandmother in her homeland.

the night train from Helsinki

we arrived in Rovaniemi the next morning!

Riita took us to her home

welcome to Kongas!

we made it to Kongas, where we met Elsa (Mummi's aunt) and Terho (Elsa's son, Mummi's cousin) and stayed with them

Mummi's birth bed, in Elsa's home

Jari, Katariina, and me after bowling (Inkeri-Katariina's mom-was also there)

feeding some reindeer

Siltila (sp?) today, where Mummi grew up

After spending a few relaxing days in Kongas, we began our trek back down south. We stopped in Rovaniemi for a few hours and went to the Arctic Circle, where I met Santa Claus, in his workshop. We spent the time with Riita and did a few other errands (post office and driving tour of the city) before getting on the train to Kokkola to spend a couple days with Mummi's sister, Anna-Liisa and her husband, Lasse. There was quite a gathering at their home with people from nearby in Kokkola and others a bit further away in Pietarsaari. I had the opportunity to meet many more relatives and see them all together, which was a lot of fun. There were babies, little kids, parents, and grandparents alike; it was so enjoyable and so neat to meet relatives that I had only heard about and seen a couple pictures of a few times! :) Anna-Liisa is a very talented artist and she gave me one of the beautiful ceramic plates that she had painted. It was very interesting communicating with people who speak a completely different language; easier with some people than with others, but regardless, fun everytime!

I was on top of the world at the Arctic Circle

After a couple nights in Kokkola, we got back on the train and went to Hameenlinna to spend some time with Paivi and Paula and their families, which was a grand time! :) Lots of fun and lots of laughter being around those two! They spoke English, which made it easier to communicate with them and get to know them better as well. It was a great time to meet them and their families, see their homes, see their town, and spend time with all of them! After a night stay in Hameenlinna, we said good-bye and boarded the train once again to return to Helsinki!

The train ride from Hameenlinna to Helsinki was a rather short ride (only an hour and a half or two hours, I think), compared to the previous train rides. We arrived in Helsinki, which was the end of the line, and took a taxi to Minna's home, who is Mummi's cousin. It was so wonderful to meet Minna and her two children, Paulinna and Oskari. They are darling little ones! We were able to spend some time with them and then the next day, we (Mummi, Scott, and I) went on a tour bus to tour Helsinki. It was a rainy day, so not the best day to see the city, but still fun nonetheless. Helsinki is not a very large town and I think on our 2 hour(?) tour, we drove by the same places multiple times. I think we drove by the library 3 times. I definitely recognized places (again) the second time we drove past the same buildings. Either way, I got to see the city of Helsinki (multiple times) and it was a nice audio tour and a great way to see it on a rainy day! :) And, Mummi lived in Helsinki for some time before coming to the states, so she would tell me some of her stories of the apartment she lived in and how she would walk all around the city, from one end to the other in 45 minutes or so, when she lived there. She showed me where her apartment was (just don't ask me to take you back to it because I don't remember where it was). Then, later that evening, there was another gathering with relatives closer to Helsinki. Everyone who came that night spoke English, which made it MUCH easier for me to communicate with them. The further south we came, the more people spoke English. I think we counted 18 people who came that evening, and what a fun gathering and send off party it was! I left very early the next morning. Said good-bye to Minna, Mummi, and Scott, and took a taxi to the airport.

I found my way and got on a plane from Helsinki to London Heathrow, which took off without a problem. Then, when I got to Heathrow, I waited through my layover and boarded the plane a bit late and then waited on the plane for a couple hours before we could take off. You see, it was during the time the volcano in Iceland was erupting and all the planes were being re-routed to an alternate route. Fortunately, we were able to take off after some time of waiting and I didn't get stuck overnight in Heathrow. And, because of the new route, the flight that normally takes 6 hours took 7 and a half hours. When all was said and done, I was back in Boston the day I was expecting to be (May 8th), just 3 hours later than originally expected, which I was okay with. Instead of getting back at 1:30 in the afternoon, I got back at 4:30 pm, which is still a very decent time to return from a long trip.

The day after was Mother's Day (Happy Mother's Day to my mom, my grandmoms, and all the other moms out there!!!) and I was able to talk to my mom (and the rest of my family) for the first time in a couple weeks, which was extremely nice and refreshing! :)

That's about it for Finland; well, not all of it, but a small glimpse of my time there. I took so many pictures to help me remember my time there and the people I met. It is such a beautiful country and loved seeing and experiencing God's creation in that part of the world. It was so amazing and such a blessing to meet relatives face-to-face and get a little taste of Finland and Finnish culture and to learn more about my grandmother and my own family heritage and culture. Thanks Mummi and Scott and everyone for such a wonderful and memorable trip to and experience in Finland!!! I hope I can return again one day; maybe with my mom and sister and aunt(s)....maybe some of the boys and some of my first cousins too?!?! It's another dream at this point in my life...some dreams do come true though (like this first trip with Mummi!)!!!

Next time: the rest of my busy month of May.......

so, I have tried adding more pictures a couple times, but blogger has not let me. Maybe I have reached the max number of pictures for one post....is there such a thing? More pictures of Finland to come soon...

It's Been a While

For those who check in regularly, there's been nothing new in over 3 months! Oopsies! It's not that I don't want you to be "in the know" about my life, I promise. I wish I could remember all the exciting things from April 1, but I'll try to hit the highlights. Let's start with EASTER! April 4 was Easter, when we celebrated Christ's resurrection! He is Risen; He is Risen, indeed! I went to church in the morning, and then I went with Hannah and Shirin (roommates) to our friend and classmate's (Vanessa) home and had Easter dinner and afternoon with her family. It was so wonderful to get out of Boston for a bit and spend some time in a home with a family. It was a wonderful afternoon, and included some (not so wonderful) mosquitoes.

NEXT: BERKLEE SHOWCASE (April 15, 2010)

Berklee is a music college in Boston and at the end of the year, there is a showcase with maybe 10 of the top musicians at the school where they have the opportunity to showcase some of what they have been working on recently. One of my friend's (and classmates: Cecilia) friend works at the box office at Berklee and he was able to get cheap tickets for us to this showcase. We sat in the 2nd or 3rd row and it was a very fun evening. We went out to dinner beforehand and then the show was very enjoyable and we saw some very talented vocalists (and musicians).

NEXT: FINALS WEEK (April 21-26, 2010)

Don't really remember too much about this week, except there was a lot of studying going on and I passed everything. One more semester down, one less to go, and one more closer to graduation/taking the boards/and becoming a licensed physical therapist. That's all about that!

NEXT: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (April 23, 2010)

As part of my "Broadway across America" package deal, Young Frankenstein was one of the plays I went to with my friends. Suzie, who I have been going to all the plays with, was out of town this Friday night, so she saw the play a few days before me and Neil (roommate and other play goer) didn't want to attend this play, so he gave his ticket to Shirin (other roommate). It was HILARIOUS! Maybe it was because it was towards the end of finals and there were songs like "The Brain" that we can relate our nerdiness/learning to, but there were many parts of this play that made us laugh. I wasn't expecting much from this play, but was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed it. :)

NEXT: FINLAND (April 26-May 8, 2010)

WOW!!! What a 2-week trip this was! And, there is SO much to say about it! It definitely deserves a post of its own.

That's it for April! I'll do one month at a time and catch the blogging world up on my life soon enough! :)

Dreams and April Fool's

The other night I had a dream that there were fish swimming outside my window. I wasn't living in an aquarium...I was in my bedroom and I saw fish swimming around the flowers and in the trees and it wasn't a body of water out there. Maybe all this rain is affecting more than I thought it would. Fortunately I am not personally experiencing the effects of the flooding that is occurring on the east coast (or maybe I am psychologically?). Also, the rain has stopped and the sun is now shining and it is supposed to be a nice weekend; great weather for Easter! And, no, this is not an April Fool's joke. No April Fool's pranks this year. Did you do anything to trick someone else, or were you tricked yourself?

I'm Going...

yes, yes, I am going to Finland! After my parents looked long and hard through my entire room at home this past weekend, I found my passport with me, here in my room in Boston. Sorry mom and dad!!! Thanks for looking though...I owe you! :) I had put it safely inside one of my journals with a snap close to be sure it did not get lost when I moved in September (shows how often I use that journal). Well, I had looked in the drawer that the journal was in a number of times before I decided to go through every single item in my room on Sunday. So, there it was, waiting to be found Sunday night, right with my immunization records card. So, it's good that I found both of them and since I can actually leave the US and come back now, I decided, why not?! So, I booked my ticket last night to go to Finland and am so excited! When will this semester be over? But, at the same time, I have SO much to do before it finishes and before I leave. I leave Monday night, after all my finals are done, on April 26 and then I come back on May 8, which will be just enough time to rest up some and get ready for school to begin once again on Monday, May 10. That's my exciting news this week and I am thoroughly looking forward to meeting family and being with Mummi in her country of birth. :)

Finland

I was talking to my dad the other day and he mentioned to me that my Mummi (my mom's mom) will be going to Finland for 2-3 months. It has been a desire of mine (more so in recent years) to have the opportunity to go to Finland with my Mummi. With that, I do have a two week break from school at the end of April to the beginning of May, which is during the time she will be there. I began looking at flights, and am playing with the idea of going. hmmm......If I knew exactly where my passport went, that would be helpful if I do end up going. I wonder where it went...I briefly looked for it here, but was not able to find it. I wonder if it's in my sock drawer at home. Or maybe in my shelves somewhere. A prize to someone who finds it first! :) Maybe Stephen will look for it this week while he's home for his spring break?! If I am able to locate my passport soon, I will definitely be looking at flights more seriously. Anyone know of a good deal for a plane ticket to Finland?

Down Jacket

This morning, I woke up to rain and a little bit of cold in the air. I actually fell asleep to rain too. So, it has been raining for quite some time now, and it doesn't look like it will be stopping anytime soon. While I was getting ready to go to church, I decided to wear my down jacket because it's "waterproof" and would keep me warm. Well, I learned that it isn't waterproof and my jacket was SOAKED after being outside for just five minutes. I got to church and everything was okay. I was a bit wet and my clothes weren't visibly wet, but they were sticking to me a little bit. Then, after church, I had to face the storm again. I was meeting Hannah and Shirin to go shopping, but by the time I got to the store, I was soaked through and through and my coat was dripping wet! (even after standing in the store for 15-20 minutes) After deciding I didn't want to be trying clothes on with my own clothes being wet and gross, I decided to return home and get dry. When I got home and took off my jacket, I found my shirt was now visibly wet and my jeans were soaked as well. My shoes kept my feet pretty dry, which was fabulous. Only if my jacket was able to keep the rest of me dry. Oh well. I suppose down jackets are supposed to be used for a lot of cold and maybe a little wet rather than for a lot of wet and a little cold. We will probably have had at least a foot of rain by the time it finally ceases, but we shall see...

Mail Time

Some of you know that receiving personal mail is one of my favorite things (aka brown paper packages tied up with strings). :) Speaking of which, I watched The Sound of Music the other night and fully enjoyed it. In the past month, I have received two wonderful packages sent with a lot of love. The first one was a Valentine's Day package from my parentals. There were all kinds of items inside this box and as I was unwrapping and unveiling the goods, I realized that most of these wonderful gifts were things that were taken from my room at home. However, they were just as enjoyable, if not more so, to receive in a care package. I was able to enjoy these things all over again and gain a new appreciation for my old items. Just goes to show how I don't need anything new and exciting to enjoy care packages; I just need the love from the care packages to enjoy the special packages I receive in the mail. Thanks Mom and Dad!!! :)

Another lovely package I received in the mail was from my grandparentals. I was only expecting socks, but I sure was surprised to find some extra goodies inside the box. :) Since I'm not able to go shopping at Grandma's anymore because I live 3,000 miles away, she was still able to help me and shop for me a bit! :) Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! (and Uncle Tom for sending the box of goods!) Also, the Valentine's Day card was so lovely and such a delight to receive and read! :)

I love mail. :) And I love those who send me mail (or have sent me mail).

Daylight Savings Time!

Remember to set your clocks forward one hour tonight!!! Looking forward to the sunlight (when it's here) lasting later in the day! :) It's been awfully wet and rainy the last couple days, but sun is in the forecast for Tuesday, so hopefully that stays true...Tuesday is a long ways away for the weather to be correctly predicted. :) It was sunny at the beginning of the week; what a gorgeous way to begin our spring break! :)

Spring Break...

...where did it go?! My, oh my, how time flies! This year, spring break for me was just a week without classes, which was really nice to have. However, in years past, because Cal Poly is on the quarter system, spring break meant a week of total relaxation without any classes or studying to think about because they were done! This year, spring break was a week of some relaxation, some studying, and some organizing my classes. You'd think I'd have them organized half way through the semester, but that was hardly the case. I somehow managed to pack my week full before it had even started, leaving only a little time to relax. Monday was enjoyable as I went to a friend's place for breakfast with a few other girls from school. She made the most delicious french toast and had eggs and fruit for us. After eating the scrumptious meal, we hung out, attempted a 1000 piece puzzle and got the border done and a little bit of the middle before we left. Then, I went to the gym and did some homework that evening. Tuesday, I went to clinic in the morning to make up for a previous week when I was sick. Then, Bible study Tuesday night for a Taco night, which was so good! Wednesday morning, I went to meet with a teacher, then studied that afternoon before going to another Bible study that night. Thursday morning, Shirin, Hannah, and I went and looked at apartments to live in next year. Didn't find anything, but it was a good start to the search. Then, Thursday night, I went to the Boston Orchestra Symphony with a friend, and what a performance! It was beautiful and we sat next to the nicest couple who have been going to symphony performances for years and years. Yesterday, I couldn't believe it was already Friday! The week flew by so fast! Yesterday and today I was able to rest a bit and organize all my papers and get ready for the last stretch of this semester, which was enjoyable. I felt so crazy all week long that I was so thankful I didn't have any plans for the last couple days of spring break. I was able to cook tonight, which I feel like I have not been able to do for quite some time, so it will be nice to have some leftovers too! :) I made a crustless quiche; I hope it turns out tasty! And, I also got stuff to make lasagna in my crockpot tomorrow! YUM!!! More leftovers for this coming week. :) Well, that's the overview of my spring break that I thought was going to be a little bit more relaxing and doing more "Boston exploring" but that's the way it goes and now, daylight savings time is here, and school starts again on Monday.

Killington, VT and Valentine's Day

So, last Wednesday was the snowday in which school was cancelled because of all the expected snow. However, no snow actually came. Therefore, it was a snowday with no snow. I'm not complaining though! It sure was nice to have the unexpected day off. However, now we will be having class this Friday to make up for it. There goes our Friday off! Anyhow, after our test last Friday, which went alright, my roommates and I had a dinner party that night. We had all kinds of food and fun and friends as we talked, hung out, and watched the opening ceremonies for the winter olympics. It was a lot of fun, but I had started to get a little sick the day or two before and had a hoarse voice, making it a bit difficult to talk to people, but it was still fun. :)

The next morning, we (Shirin and I) woke up at 4:30 am so go up to Killington, Vermont to go skiing. We went with a few of our friends/classmates and although it was an early morning, it was worth it and we had a lot of fun. We took our third lesson and I felt like I was able to learn more this time as we got more skiing in during the morning lesson. There was a total of six of us who went and we had a really nice time. We came back and I didn't feel any better or worse than before we went, so I thought that going while sick didn't make much of a difference. I did bundle up!

We had Monday off from school since it was President's Day, which was nice and relaxing. My throat was hurting more that day, so I didn't do too much but stay around the house resting and studying a little bit. I did start to lose my voice Monday, and now, I can't talk much louder than a whisper. My voice isn't necessarily the loudest to begin with, so talking only at a whisper makes it really hard for people to hear me. Oh well...hopefully it'll come back soon!

Oh yes...Valentine's Day!!! I had two valentines this year...Shirin and Hannah! :) We had a very nice dinner at a restaurant down the street from us called Tasca. There was a three course meal and I had a lobster bisque appetizer with a prime rib entree and a chocolate and caramel cheesecake dessert. It was quite the meal! And, the cheesecake was even pretty good. Most of you know that I don't care for cheesecake all that much, but this one was lighter and fluffier than normal cheesecakes, so it was easier to eat and rather tasty! It was a very enjoyable Valentine's dinner date and so scrumptious! :) What did you do for Valentine's day?

Now...back to studying for my test on Thursday!

Snow Day!!!

Today is our first snow day, and my first snow day ever! :) School is closed, so that means I got to sleep in a bit today and can stay at home and study instead of go to class all day. Praise the Lord! I've been feeling a bit sick the last few days, so I'm especially thankful for the day off.

I went to the Women's Retreat through church last weekend, which was pretty good. The theme was walking in God's Beauty, which was a good reminder of how beautiful God is in a majestic way, but also in a pleasing, delightful, and joy-to-be-around way. It was only Friday night and Saturday, but so good to "get away" for a night and be refreshed in the Lord. But, I'm pretty sure that is where I became sick, so that's a bit unfortunate. (But it was worth it.)

Tests are starting to come up (Neuroscience this Friday) and then one a week for the next four weeks, and then we get a week off for spring break! Oh, right....something I wanted to share with you...schools here have a "ski week" in which they get a week off of school in February to go skiing (or I suppose do whatever they want). New to me! Why doesn't California give a hiking week, or a surfing week (because as we all know, everyone in California surfs), or some other kind of week? Maybe it's because there are no real seasons and we can do anything pretty much year round. Maybe schools near Tahoe get a ski week.

Dreamgirls last week was really good. The cast did a tremendous job and each person had such a strong voice, making the vocals incredible! It made the show really enjoyable, and it was much better than the movie, so it was a good night. :) Alright, that's all for now; time to go study!!!

January

Wow January flew by rather quickly! After a fun New Year's celebration in southern California when the younger people fell asleep first, we returned to "the north" and, for the first time in maybe four or five years, I celebrated my birthday at home. :) A couple birthday/good-bye dinners and time with family and some friends was most enjoyable. I was just thinking the other day that I should maybe start thinking of myself as an adult. It's much harder to convince myself that I'm still a child now that in my mid-20s. 24, really?! I sure don't feel like a 24-year-old. Maybe that's how I'll feel the rest of my life...I don't feel x years old.

Anyway...after my birthday, I flew back to Boston to begin our Spring semester of school. That flight was COMPLETELY different from going to California. I flew from San Francisco to Milwaukee and then Milwaukee to Boston. Both flights were on time and half empty. I had a whole row of three seats to myself during both flights, so I was able to spread out and lay down and do whatever I wanted without feeling confined to just one seat. It was such a luxurious flight...I'd say better than first class! (Not that I have ever flown first class to compare this too, but I can imagine.)

School started and during the first week, I had a show to attend with my Broadway buddies! We saw In the Heights, which was pretty good. The choreography was incredible and it was so much fun to watch the cast dance! The story line was alright (a bit typical in a coming of age story) but the dancing was what made the show for me. :) And, speaking of Broadway shows, I have another one to go to tomorrow night! We are going to see Dreamgirls. I watched the movie last year, and was a bit disappointed because I had heard it was good. But, I'm hoping the play is better than the movie (which was my same experience with Mamma Mia). So, it should be fun tomorrow night...we'll see. :)

Then, that first weekend back, after our first week of school, was Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. So, we had that Monday off from school, which was nice. A group of people from my class and I went to Vermont for the weekend and went snowboarding and skiing. I skied and it was a lot of fun. There was a group of about 20 of us and we rented a cabin down the road from the ski resort. We drove up Friday night and came back Monday morning. It was fun to be with everyone and learning to ski was great too. I took lessons and after skiing Saturday, there was a deal to get two more lessons (with 2 lift tickets) plus 3 more days of skiing at another, smaller resort down the road, which included rentals! It was such a great deal and I couldn't pass it up. So, the beginners took another lesson Sunday morning and skied a bit in the afternoon. And, now, we have one more lesson to go back for plus three more days of skiing on our own! :)

Then, it was Stephen's birthday! Happy (belated) Birthday Stephen! There are no more teenagers in my family now...weird, huh?! I called him on his birthday, so I'm not really wishing him a belated birthday, but I suppose it's belated on the blog.

Last Saturday, I went to Portsmouth, New Hampshire with my Bible study group from church for brunch at this cute, YUMMY, breakfast place called The Friendly Toast. The food was delicious and so filling. I think that was the only thing I ate that entire day because I was so full afterwards. After eating, a few of us walked around the town for a little bit and browsed through some of the shops. We went to the edge of the river and across the river, we could see Maine, so that was kind of fun. Still have yet to go to Maine though. Then, we just walked down the main street and into some shops, but didn't buy anything. We took pictures as our souvenirs. I haven't put them on my camera yet though, so they will be coming soon...

As I have written this, I have realized that January was a "big traveling" month for me. haha! Started in CA, made a brief stop in WI, returned to MA, went to VT for the weekend, and went to NH for the day. So many states! haha! Just as a side note... :)

And, now, it's February!!! Time sure flies when you're having fun! But, it was also my grandparents wedding anniversary today too!!! Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa! Love you both so much!!! I have been so blessed by your marriage, as so many people have. Thank you for demonstrating Christ's love to so many people and for being Godly examples in my life. It was so great to see you and spend time with you while I was home...Happy Anniversary! :)

From Boston to California...

Some of you know this whole story, but for those I haven't seen or talked to...I got to Logan Airport the Monday before Christmas, the day after the beautiful snowstorm, all ready to fly home to California and be home. Unfortunately, my plane was delayed an hour out of Boston. Because of this delay, I missed my connecting flight in Atlanta, GA since my layover was only a half hour. So, I flew to Atlanta and had the pleasure of staying there for the night. I decided to go to a hotel to get out of the crazy airport and be able to take a shower and sleep in a bed and take a breather from all the craziness of the Christmas travel. AirTran was the airline I was flying with and they only have two flights a day from Atlanta to San Francisco. So, I was trying to fly standby the next morning, but that flight was already overbooked. So, I hung around the Atlanta airport all day until I took my flight at 9:00 that night. I saw some interesting things, people, and wrote a few posts. :) So, if you were wondering why I posted five blogs in one day, I had some extra time on my hands.

A little bit about my time in the Atlanta airport now....

1. It's a rather large airport. It's been some time, but I believe I kept on hearing that it is the busiest airport in the world. That sounds a bit extreme, so maybe it's the busiest airport in the nation....but, I'm not entirely sure. Because it's so big, there is a train that runs to each terminal and the baggage claim. I walked from my terminal to baggage claim and beyond to catch the shuttle to the hotel. I did not pick my bag up, since it went on to SFO without me, but I had to go by baggage claim to get the shuttle.

2. There were many military people going through the airport as I sat there the whole day. It was the most military people I have seen in the course of one day ever.

3. They have these trash cans that will sometimes make a noise when someone throws something away. It makes it very entertaining to see people's reactions when the unexpected noise surprises them...kind of reminded me of candid camera. I think the noise may have something to do with recycling since you throw everything into one bin and apparently it separates the garbage and recycling on its own.

4. Some people miss their planes because they don't pay attention. Seriously...pay attention when you're at the airport and make sure you're at the correct gate more than two minutes before you're supposed to take off. Especially if you've been at the airport for two hours, waiting for your flight. If you haven't boarded and nothing has been said about your flight, double check for a gate change or something so you can get on the plane you're supposed to get on. But, if for some reason that does happen, don't blame it on the airline...it was your fault for not checking the gate a half hour ago. Yes, I witnessed that happen with this couple who were going to San Francisco, so I was around them at the airport all day, since they missed their flight.

5. I did make a friend, who is going to school in Georgia and is from Sacramento area. She got to the airport super early and we kind of hung out throughout the day. She was knitting a hat for herself and was almost done by the time we landed in San Francisco. About an hour before we were to board, I asked her what seat she was in and you can imagine my surprise when she told me she was in the seat right next to me! Once we boarded, we kept waiting for the third person in our row, but nobody ever came. So, I moved over and gave ourselves some extra room, which was really nice, since I think it was maybe the only empty seat on the plane. Also, the people who had missed their flight that morning were sitting in the row behind us. We just couldn't be split up! :)

Once we took off, it was a smooth flight and I arrived in San Francisco only 24 hours later than I had planned on. I think it was worth it for the snowstorm. :) Thankfully I didn't get stuck anywhere for too, too long and I was home for Christmas. My first experience of traveling with snow to consider...overall, it wasn't too bad.

Here are some pictures:

Sunset from my bedroom window.

A view out my window of the snow after the storm.

The branch outside my window.

My first hotel room all to myself. A king size bed just for me!