2) Moved everything I have accumulated during my 3.5 years in SoCal back into my room at my parent's house...there are still a few boxes in the garage.
3) Had an awesome Christmas season which included lots of sister shopping dates and lots of baking...gingerbread, eggnog cookies, and our annual Christmas Eve Cookie Contest. Sadly, I did not win with my delicious toffee. Emily (the youngest) beat us all with some chocolate-peppermint thing. I will win one of these days!
4) Spent time with old high school friends over the break, which included finding out a few summer wedding dates - grand total of weddings I will be attending this summer: FIVE. What a crazy season of life.
5) Was completely SHOCKED when Michelle, Alicia, and Kristen (housemates) showed up at my door a few days before New Year's! Alicia and Kristen had never been to Portland before so I got to show off my city, which, as you all know, is one of my favorite things to do. Apparently they have been planning the surprise for months. We had such a fun weekend. It was a great birthday gift.
6) Welcomed 2010 with M, A, and K and my family at a traditional party with family friends, with plenty of screaming, noise-making, and some champagne. (which was totally legal because I technically turned 21 at midnight) Earlier that night we went to a FREE Phil Wickham concert. Amazing.
7) Turned 21 on Jan 1!!! And had an alcoholic beverage! The only bev I was looking forward to was a margarita, so I went out to Mexican with my family and M, A, and K. It was yummy.
8) Applied for jobs. A lot of them. Monster.com, indeed.com, craigslist, local Oregon job search sites. Apply. Apply. Apply. Call. Call. Call. Wait. Wait. Wait.
9) Discovered the truth of a statement that I knew to some level, but not to the fullest extent - the Economy Sucks Right Now.
10) Interviewed with one employer for a receptionist position but did not get the job.
11) Took a 4-hour-a-week position working at a pool. The outdoor pool where I work during the summer isn't open during the winter, but the city runs several year-round indoor pools, too, and they needed someone to oversee swim lessons on Saturday mornings from late January-mid March. So I'm "the boss" for 4 hours on Sat mornings. It's nice to make a little money.
12) Watched a LOT of LOST to prepare for the new season. I watched the entire first season, and then some. And proud of it. =)
13) Enjoyed only ONE snow day so far this winter. Sad! Surprisingly, its been a very warm Jan/Feb here in Portland. (meaning the highs are around 50-55)
14) Started volunteering at Pregnancy Resource Center, which is similar to the clinic where Meghan and I volunteered last semester. Soon I start my "peer counseling" training, which I am so excited for. Pray for me as that starts! I'm really passionate about this ministry. I love it. Who knows, a job could open up at one of the centers - that would be amazing. I could go on forever about this but I will spare you for now.
15) Started going to a new church! I love my parents' church, but it was hard to get involved. I need social interaction! And I really don't have many friends who are still in this area. Just a few weeks after I got home, a church called Solid Rock opened up a second "campus" (like the Rock Harbor campuses) closer to my house. It was perfect! In a sense, everyone was new - I got to be part of the beginning of a new community. They launched new small groups, so I went to one and loved it, too. I'm excited to make new friends, that this church is all about Jesus, and to have this adventure apart from my family...it's good to have something apart from them...I love them, but I'm with them 24/7. =)
16) Heard Mike Erre preach at my new church last weekend! RH and Solid Rock are somehow connected, so I guess he comes up here every once and awhile. It felt like "home away from home"...
17) Visited my sister Kristen at Oregon State in Corvallis (1 and 1/2 hours from here) a few times. She is a freshman, living in a house (more like a mansion) with 50 Christian girls. Sort of like a Christian sorority. She's thinking about becoming a nurse.
18) Clarified my grad school goals a little bit. I've decided not to go the doctorate route for now. (some of you know I began applying for some doctoral programs - I did get a response from Rosemead for an interview, that was kind of exciting even though I didn't go through with it) I hope to go for an M.A. in Counseling at Western Seminary or George Fox. (both here) When? Not sure yet. Goal right now: find any job that will help me save up for grad school/give me the ability to live on my own eventually!
19) Decided to study for and take an actuarial exam. This is the weirdest and main news that I have. The story is...my dad is an actuary, so he has connections, and if I take the first exam, (there are 10+ exams you have to pass to become an actuary) I'd be qualified to apply for an entry level job at an actuarial company. Quick details on the exam: it's really hard, it's called "financial mathematics," it's a lot of math, and I have to study about 5 hours a day until May, when I take it. (little known Erin secret, I don't love math, but I don't hate it either. I can do it fine.) Thankfully, the jobs wouldn't require all the stuff that is on the test, they are somewhat typical office jobs, which I like. It sounds like a solid job to have in order to save up for grad school/continue to have through grad school. Nothing is guaranteed, but since no other opportunities are presenting themselves, I'm going to give it a shot and see what comes of it. I take the test about a week before graduation in May. This has been a difficult transition for me, from my expectations of "All right, out of school, time to get a job," to studying for this test. I had to switch back into a "I'm sort of still in school" mode, and this has been hard. Continues to be hard. Expectations are funny things.
20) Developed a new love for: Haagen Dasz Vanilla Raspberry Swirl Lowfat Frozen Yogurt. I will say no more. Just try it.
21) Missed and continue to miss YOU!
