The Year in Review: 2010 A.D.

(The first year when the 2000 era glasses could not be worn.)

January was a blur of trying to get the house finished, after Guy Spencer had emergency surgery.

Alana and I put up half of the ceiling and the bathroom marble by ourselves. Oi vey.

Alana and I and bunch of people from church and school had a sheetrock sanding/ceiling putting in/taping for painting day.

Alana, Hannah, Dani, and I primered and painted all the walls with Maylin’s help.

Daddy got out of rehab on January 12th, and we started getting things settled in the Palouse.

Less than a week later, Alana started having a bad headache that wouldn’t go away. It got worse and worse. The doctor said stress headache and then meningitis.

I drove to the westside by myself for the first time to see everyone and take a little break. First time seeing Phil in a very long time.

I googled Alana’s symptoms and was disturbed to find that they fit those for a brain tumor. So I made her make an appointment at Colfax Hospital.

On February 2nd Alana got MRIed and there was a large mass in the left frontal lobe of her brain. Taking it over, almost completely. That was the only time I cried...

On February 2nd, Alana was life flighted from the Pullman airport to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. I flew with her in the back of a tiny plane, and we got into Seattle at about midnight.

Much fuss, stress, and bother. SO MANY visitors (that was good). So many doctors trying to figure out what it was. We named it Bob.

On February 7th, Alana had brain surgery... 6 hours of brain surgery. That was a very, very bad day.

She recovered quickly, with no neural deficits. (Some massive black eyes though.) Praise Jesus.

We went to Grandma’s house for 5 days (2 days after surgery, they let Alana leave!?)

Stitches (etc.) came out on day 7, and we got the reports saying that it was part stage 1 brain tumor, and part stage 4 brain tumor. Alana has brain cancer.

In March Alana and I moved to Issaquah and she started chemo and radiation for 6 weeks.

We lived at Kelkari Condos, compliments of Lindy and Lynn Russell.

Brookie cut my hair into a faux hawk. Something to tell my kids :P

Alana and I took the ferry to Victoria B.C. and walked around for 2 days. Got to go to high tea at the Empress :)

Hannah, Alana, and I made a stop motion music video to Owl City’s ‘Hello Seattle’

March 30th Alana and I got two baby rats: Phoebe and Wilhelmina (my little curly rat).

April 6th I got my lip pierced. Also something to tell my kids.

April 9th Kiira, Becca, and I were part of a Glee Flash Mob in Seattle. So fun!

April 11th Colleen and I went to an Abney Park concert / Steampunk convention in Seattle. I was deaf for 2 days afterward, but it was totally worth it.

April 24th Alana, Nate, ZZ, Joe H., and I hiked up around Hurricane Ridge. Barefoot. In the snow. Except Nate, that is, he chickened out.

May 1st a bunch of Rockettes went to the Moscow Renaissance Fair and had some pretty amazing elephant ears.

May 8th Alana had to go to the ER for uncontrollable itching. So weird!

May 13th - May 21st was a whirlwind roadtrip in the jellybean with Dani, Hannah, and Alana down the Oregon coast, through the redwoods, through downtown San Francisco, a day in Disneyland, a visit to the Staley’s, two days in Las Vegas (Dani flew home from there), up past Zion, to Salt Lake City, through Twin Falls, a stop at Voodoo Doughnuts and Powells, and then back to Seattle.

May 25th tested out my new Osprey hiking backpack with a camping trip up past North Bend with Brian, Rachael, and Alana.

May 28th Beth and Kyle Ryan were married in Issaquah.

May 31st I moved to the Machen Ranch, Pearsall, Texas to bottle raise fawns for the summer. 120 fawns total. 71 fawns bottle raised.

Ended up learning how to medicate, bottle feed, tube feed, vaccinate, cut off antlers, wash bottles like a pro, and be a deer midwife. Also learned to love Tex-Mex. I wasn't a vegetarian this summer...

Made some amazing friends, including Barbara, Gary, Felicia, Jason, Justin, Amy, Hallie, and Madison.

Added a ton of birds to my life list (including Green Jays!), saw scorpions, tarantulas, wolf spiders, Texas longhorns, coyotes, The Alamo, country living at its finest, oh, and some amazing deer.

June 16th Barbara found 6 kittens, only about a month old, who’s mother had disappeared. Felicia and I (mostly me...) bottle raised them all. And I kept one to bring home with me. My dear Fletcher.

...I kind of fell in love with Texas actually.

June 7th Lauren and Justine Kinker were married. I wish I could have been there!

The bamboo flooring in Mom and Dad’s house was finally put in around mid June.

June 26th Felicia and I went up to Garner State Park, swam in the Frio River, and went to a country dance.

I shaved my legs. Weirdest sensation ever!

I flew home for a day to be a bridesmaid in Brooke and Phil Aasen’s wedding on July 2nd. Beautiful wedding :)

Mom, Dad, and Alana went to Michigan on the 4th of July.

Started making a quilt around August 20th. Finished said quilt on December 3rd. Hand quilted, and proud of it :)

August 30th, Alana’s blood counts were low, so she took a break from chemo and flew down to Texas to visit me for 5 days.

Alana and I went down to Corpus Christi and saw (and waded in) the Gulf of Mexico.

I got an article published in the Los Cazadores magazine. And I made an advertisement for the Machen’s that was published in an auction magazine.

October 1st I got to go to the International Knife Throwing competition at the Alamo. Darren and Terry Collins were competing.

After some sad goodbyes, Fletcher and I flew back to Washington on October 20th.

Chloe was visiting Alana and was there with both of us for a week. I discovered that I have a pretty cool cousin.

For Halloween I was a female gambel’s quail, Alana was the ultimate WSU fan, and Chloe was an irresponsible mother. Good times.

I went through my series of rabies pre-exposure vaccines in November. Blech!

November 7th Alana, Lee, and I hiked Squak Mountain. I was unreasonably sore afterward.

Speaking of Lee, he proposed to me, via text message, while drunk, 4 times this year. I love that boy :P

Alana and I went over to Palouse twice in November and Dad is doing well physically but not mentally. I miss my Daddy.

While in Palouse we had massive amounts of snow, went sledding, and I almost went off the road (thank you, black ice).

On November 20th Liz and Peter Boothman were married. A bunch of us caravaned to Yakima for the happy event.

November 29th I went on my first actual date.

December 1st Alana had a doctor’s appointment to mark 6 months of chemo, and it was reiterated that she may only have a few months to live. She’s going to continue chemo.

December 2nd... in all honesty, my 23rd birthday kind of sucked. Beth treated me to go see Tangled, and then she, Colleen, Kiira, Sarah, and Phil came over to build a tent in the living room, have pizza, and watch Serenity. I made a Totoro carrot cake. But all of this was done with an aura of depression hanging over head.

December 4th was the Cougar Alumni pseudo-Thanksgiving dinner at the condo. So many people, so much fun! So much flirting... met Phil’s girlfriend for the first time... interesting night.

December 5th, I packed up all my belongings and Fletcher and I moved back to Texas to start an apprenticeship at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc.

December 7th I started my new job. I was more nervous starting this job than I have ever been about starting any job. But it started well. The people are amazing!

As it stands now I have taken care of raccoons, squirrels, opossums, African sulcata tortoises, red eared sliders, chickens, ducks, geese, mockingbird, doves, pigeons, blue jays, nighthawks, rabbits, parrots, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, eared grebes, coopers hawks, screech owls, roadrunners, skunks, bobcats, black headed vultures, and befriended a fennec fox.

2011 looks to be promising. Lord willing. With a STRONG emphasize on Lord willing.

Noteworthy

*This 'weekend' was a fun one, and a spontaneous one. I enjoyed that. Brandi, Kalley, and I couldn't figure out what to do, so we went to Goodwill in New Braunfels, Target and World Market in San Antonio, experience IHOP for the first time, and ended up seeing a movie.

*The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is worth the trip (from where ever you might be). It's set up like a theater, but it's also a restaurant and you can order food and drinks throughout the movie. Such a cool idea!

*The Voyage of the Dawn Treader made for a good movie, but it made a mess of the book. Sad day! Though both are wonderful in their own right, just don't try and compare them too much.

*One of my housemates (Lindsey) is as much of a neat freak as I am. Oh the joy :) We cleaned the trailer today, and it looks so much better.

*My housemate, Robin, doesn't shave her legs either. It's kind of crazy how well I fit in here...

*I bought a tea kettle yesterday. It's small and black and nothing special, but it beats the microwave by a mile. And next time I'm feeling rich, I'm totally going to order the giraffe tea kettle on Amazon. So cute!

*Speaking of cute, we have a fennec fox here at WRR who is an ex-pet, but still whines and wants his belly rubbed. Honestly, he is one of the cutest animals I've ever seen... and coming from me, that means quite a bit.

*My roommate Jennifer adopted a dog last week. He's super cute (a basenji mix), but remarkably needy and whiney! He feels the need to be close to you at all times, and is not satisfied sitting next to you, he must be sitting on you. Orion doesn't really live up to his name...

*Had an interesting conversation yesterday about cleaning up your friends on facebook. Apparently I am friends with someone because I'm his unicorn... or more specifically because "You are the girl I want, but know I don't deserve and the having of would ruin probably both of our years, and likely longer in your case." *sigh*

*Going outside in the pre-dawn light and hearing the wolves howling, the lions roaring, and the roosters crowing, and then coming inside to feed the birds, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, etc. makes me realize that I have a pretty darn cool job.

*I'm becoming a lotion addict. Washing your hands a few dozen times a day with dish soap will do that to you.

*I guess that's about it. Here's hoping I can go to Austin for New Years eve! Which reminds me, I need to post my year in review. It's so very long this year...

Happy Christmas

5:00 Making eggs benedict for my roommate and me

(5:30ish Opening some of my Christmas presents)

6:00 Cleaning, feeding, weighing a persnickety little eared grebe

7:00 Force feeding an angry screech owl who I have named Mr. Cranky Pants

8:00 Getting run into and jumped over by a super stressed whitetail deer

9:00 Giving oral medication to a raccoon who really didn't want to take it

(9:20ish Yelling at an emu trying to eat the raccoon's food)

10:00 Cleaning the kennel of a very sick grey fox

11:00 Giving IV fluids and cleaning out a massive s

tomach wound on a very friendly cat

12:00 Rushing through lunch and finding my notes on whitetail deer medication

1:00 Cleaning the office and sweeping the dried mud off the walk ways around the clinic

2:00 Feeding an annoyed bobcat kitten

2:30 Checking to make sure the interns did their jobs properly

3:00 Wrangling a raccoon into a kennel so he can be released

3:30 Done with work, and heading home to call the family

5:00 Listening to Christmas music and thinking about making chili and cornbread

It's been one of my more unusual Christmas days, but it's been a joyful one (and a cold one! Yay!). I got to wear my pom pom hat and walked a

round humming Christmas carols all day :) And despite the fact that I'm far away from the familiar, it doesn't make the whole idea of Christmas any less convicting. If anything it makes it more incredible to me.

Thank you Jesus, thank you so very much. I love you, and Happy Birthday :)

A good day

It's 3 days until Christmas, 10 days until 2011, and somewhere around 349 days until I get to see most of you again.

I've made friends much more quickly than I expected to. So far, I love this place.

Today I got to start my 'official' apprentice training, and I had a great time. There were some sad moments today (we had to euthanize 4 super sick raccoons, and a baby squirrel died), but there were also some good moments too. Three young cottontails were released on property. I learned how to give sub-q fluids to a pigeon. Crazy thin skin! I was taught how to give IM injections to African sulcata tortoises. There are 10 or so giant sulcatas here, all living in a large, warm, hay filled room, and all have a diameter of at least 2 or 3 feet. They can be quite friendly (following you around, pushing you around, sniffing your shoes and pant legs) until you try to give them injections. They're faster and stronger than they look! I also got to give sub-q fluids to a young, dehydrated whitetail doe. She took it like a champ, even though Lindsey and I had to follow her around with the bag of fluids so the needle wouldn't come out. Last task of the day was to move our bobcat kitten outside to a day cage. I think he hated us all for putting him in a crate, but here's hoping he forgave us when he discovered his new cage, all decked out with bamboo, branches, hay, and blankets. So yes, good day :)

Speaking of 3 days until Christmas... I want a Christmas tree! Maybe I should just break down and buy a little one. And decorate it with popcorn, foil, and paper. And hope the cats don't eat it.

It is what it is

Well, I'm back in Texas, and I've been here for almost 4 days now.

The people seem quite nice already. We had a staff party last night and ended up watching the Muppet Christmas Carol and Dr. Horrible. Promising.

There are black-headed vultures that just wander the WRR grounds, looking for scraps. Which means they end up inside the Nutrition Center, just hopping around and begging. Pretty darn cute :)

I am destined to become a crazy animal lady. Good evidence tonight involved me laying in bed, snuggling with 2 purring cats.

I'm becoming apathetic about a lot of things. Not good! I'm only 23 for pete's sake.

I've discovered that when you leave all the people you care about, knowing that it will be for an entire year, it makes you miss them 10x more than you expected to.

Turns out, I can be a shameless flirt when I'm around Lee... and it's fun! Maybe not the best idea in the world, but I don't regret it. Plus, he gives phenomenal hugs.

Growing up in a Christian home, with only Christian friends was great, but it makes me sad that it wasn't until recently that I realized just how heartbreaking it is to love someone who does not love Jesus.

I suck at coming up with ideas of what to cook for dinner. Cooking for one is not easy!

Using my quilt is quite satisfying, and it's nice and warm :)

Eye-shine is crazy cool. And also a little bit creepy at night when being stalked by a ninja cat.

I'm so very thankful for Tillamook cheese.

Christmas music rocks my socks. Makes me think that I should maybe send out Christmas cards or something.

I'm back to making lists again, surprise surprise.

Numero... oh, who am I kidding

Somehow I managed to get 4 days behind. I blame being at Mom and Dad's house, and having to do all sorts of Thanksgiving-ey things. But oh well, it's Thanksgiving today, so I can list several things :)

Today I'm thankful for:

*All those crazy, cool, sometimes aggravating, sometimes hilarious, wonderful people that I call friends.

-This week I am especially thankful for Brookie, because she listened to how I am feeling

and didn't try to fix it. We made cookies instead :)

*The way the Palouse looks when it's covered in snow and the

sky is pale grey and you can't tell where the earth ends and the sky begins.

*How good a traditional Thanksgiving dinner tastes when you haven't had one in almost 2 years.

-Especially stuffing and cranberry sauce. So good!

*A delightful wood stove to sit in front of when the weather outside is frightful.

*A family that puts up with me, even when I'm a total brat.

*Turkey. It's tasty. But I think I'm gonna try tofurkey next year, just for kicks and giggles.

Numero Trece

I'm thankful for second... and third... and fourth... chances

Because I'm a horrible, rotten, no good, very bad sinner. And not the bestest of friends either. And not the best at posting a blog everyday for that matter.

Numero Doce

I'm thankful for facebook.

I hear people saying all the time that they don't see the point of facebook, that they should just delete their account, etc. etc. But really, when I leave and go far far away, it's the best way ever to stay connected with people. And I really like that I can know what's going on with my friends, even when they don't call or text for months.

Numero Once

I'm thankful for Fletcher.

My little ray of sunshine (sheesh, I sound like a proud mother :P)

My little bit of fuzzy in the good times and the bad.

He makes me feel like I did something good by saving his life.

And he's always good for a laugh (I mean, what other cat will be willing to walk around with a sock on its head or eat the lettuce that I drop when making salad)

Numero Diez

I'm thankful for epic bagels (and sandwiches)

Alana and I discovered the amazingness one afternoon while working madly on Mom and Dad's house in the Palouse. We threw together what ingredients we could find in the tiny trailer fridge, and behold, tastiness. The recipe has since been edited and embellished, but here it is, in it's current state:

*toasted bagel, or bread

*spinach

*sprouts

*sliced happy turkey

*a thick slice of apple

*a thick slice of Tillamook sharp cheddar

*cream cheese

*dijon mustard

*cranberry sauce

And now I'm hungry

Numero Nueve

I'm thankful for lolcats.

Because they make me laugh, without fail, whenever I flip through the folder on my computer or visit icanhascheezburger.

So very good.

Numero Ocho

I'm thankful for texting.

Maybe it's because I'm a hopeless phone-phobe, but texting is an amazing thing. Especially since I'm not a witty conversationalist. It's also wonderful when you really don't have time to have an entire conversation. Or when you're out of breath. Or when you don't want to wake someone up in the middle of the night, but you know you'll forget what you wanted to say if you fall asleep (unless they're a light sleeper, that is...). Or when you want to ask a bunch of people the same question. Or... yeah, you get the idea.

Numero Siete

I'm thankful for pizza.

I think that's about it.

p.s. Flying Pie Pizzeria in Issaquah makes one of the best pizzas I've ever had. A close second to Fultano's in Astoria.

Numero Sies

I'm thankful for quilts.

They make good capes, sledding attire, tents, warming apparatuses (for one or two or many), togas, distractions, accomplishments, and they can be as unique as their owner or creator.

Did I miss any of their many qualities? I feel like I may have...

I'll finish it one of these days...

Numero Cinco

I'm thankful for cameras.

Not only do they capture cool pictures, they also help me document my life, remember important events, bring back good and bad memories, and make people feel different things. I would be hopeless at remembering what I have done and when I did it, if it weren't for my little Cannon.

They're a way to freeze the best images in life so that you can look at them and enjoy them for as long as you want.

And they're fun to play with.

Happy moments

Numero Cuatro

I'm thankful for deer.

And for more reasons than you may think.

I didn't realize until after the fact, that this summer spent working with deer kind of brought me back from the brink of a mental breakdown. Raising the fawns, helping them to grow, and get better when they were sick was stressful for my body, but relaxing for my soul. I now truly believe that my life is so much better when I have animals to take care of.

Deer are also remarkably cute, and so much fun to be around. And if you feed the fawns, they adore you.

(Deer also make good eating, but you didn't hear that from me)

I think this should be my Christmas card...

Numero Tres

I'm thankful for church.

Okay, maybe just Christian fellowship.

Despite the fact that I don't have a 'home' church, I do have a home group of Christian friends that encourage me, help me, and have gotten me through some truly awful times.

And who help get my priorities straight. That's an important one.

And who remind me that God is bigger, no matter what.

Those people mean the world to me.

Numero Dos

I am ever so thankful for libraries.

I love the Issaquah library in particular because:

a) The have free internet

b) They have many much children/young adult books

c) It is only a mile walk from Alana's condo, and a lovely walk at that

d) It is not a silent library, there is always something going on

e) It has many windows, through which I can watch the world go by

f) There are some fantastic puppets in the children's book section

g) It's just pretty

Thanks so much

Have you ever noticed the exhaustive "I'm thankful for..." lists that are posted around Thanksgiving day? My dear friend Colleen gave me a great idea recently; posting one thing a day, up until Thanksgiving. Well, more like she's doing it, and I'm copying her... but either way, I think I shall do this until I leave once again for Texas (since I'm starting kinda late in the month).

So yes.

Numero Uno:

I'm thankful for heartache.

It makes me pray like I ought,

makes me appreciate joy even more,

makes me call out to God with a passion,

causes me to question and search my beliefs,

makes me realize that I am nothing without Him,

and makes me look forward to the time when God will wipe the tears from every eye.

"God shouts through pain"

That's Life

I have 2.5 days left on the Machen Ranch. *sniffle* I'm really gonna miss everybody!!

I need to find me a nice rancher cowboy, preferably in Texas. Anybody know one?

Fletcher is costing me an arm and a leg... but when he rolls over and purrs excessively while I rub his belly, it makes it all worth it. He still bites too much though.

One of the ranch cats (Wisdom) came stumbling in yesterday with a broken/crushed shoulder. Poor baby! But she's feral, so not much I can do besides give her food and water.

Prince of Persia... it was as if Tomb Raider, Clash of the Titans, Hidalgo, and an old John Wayne western had a child with a British accent. Entertaining though, I'll give it that.

Being back in WA will be quite the climate and culture shock.

More people should use sir and ma'am in regular speech. And y'all.

I wish I could have gotten my quilt quilted before leaving, but alas, I shall have to finish it back in WA.

I think I want my next project to be a victorian era corset (just not one that'll cinch up too tight).

Packing... oh buddy, this should be interesting.

Met a lady at church today who grew up in Bemidji, MN and has a sister who lives in the Renton area. Small world!

That's all for now, next post will likely be written in WA.

Life as I know it... at the moment

Fletcher just jumped in my face, purring like a maniac. It's a good thing I like that kitty or I'd have a hard time shelling out $150 on his travel expenses. Oh well, if this year has taught me anything it's that money is a liquid asset. I did start a budget today though, with my new salary, I'm gonna need it...

I don't want to leave the Machen Ranch, I still absolutely love it here, and will miss everyone immensely. Granted, deer season starts this week, so maybe missing out on the carnage will be okay... But they did offer me some venison when I get to my new job, and a crock pot, and they did invite me down for Christmas if I can get the day off :) God has been so good to me this year. I really can't emphasize that enough...

My travel plans are set in stone now (at least according to Southwest Airlines). I'm arriving in SeaTac at 11:20 on the night of October 20th, and leaving SeaTac at 9:30 in the morning on the 5th of December. The time in between is currently wide open... anybody want to hang out before I leave for a year?

Harry Potter must be seen,

Bucer's must be visited,

Dancing must occur at CJ's,

Ridiculous Halloween costumes must be made,

Copious amounts of tea need drinking,

Shopping for new work clothes has to happen,

Thanksgiving should take place (and I don't mean just the holiday),

Church should definitely be attended every week,

A quilt might just have to be made for the Father's Heart auction,

Rabies shots have to be fought by my immune system (booo!),

A movie night involving Iron Man 2 and pizza really should happen,

I need help deciding what to do for my 23rd birthday...

So yes, if you'd like to join me on any of these ventures, please, do let me know :)

huh

Isn't it funny that a single comment from someone, doesn't even have to be someone who means a lot to you, can make you sit down hard and wonder what AM I doing with my life? What DO I want? And most importantly, what IS God's will?

With so many of my friends getting married, engaged, etc. and then settling down happily and not pursuing a career it makes me all the more determined to actually have a career. I feel like not enough women want to be independent and make something of themselves. But then I realized today that if I sit back and look at the big picture, it's actually the reverse. So many women are pursuing careers and independence that the concept of home and family is being swept out of the way. The daycares are full (as my mom can attest), the pre-K classrooms are packed, the idea of a stay at home mom is subtly looked down on... Here I sit wondering why the hell I feel that having a career is better than not having one, when the thought of settling down and having a full time job scares me.

Am I really that determined to prove people wrong?

Am I so afraid to change my mind because of the smug looks and comments I would get from a couple people?

Is my pride really that strong?!

Or is my lack of a biological clock God's will?

*sigh*

I am currently, solidly, on the fence.

The Next Step

I gots me a job.

A job for a whole year. A job with a dress code (hrm...). A job as an apprentice instead of an intern. A job at one of the nation's biggest wildlife rehab facilities: Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Inc. http://www.wildlife-rescue.org/

I do believe I am equal parts stoked, scared, and sad.

Stoked because... well, wildlife rehab, if you know me at all, you know how much I love to help animals :D And just thinking about the amount of animals and the diversity of animals that come to WRR... eeeee!!!

Scared because I don't know who I'll be living with, if they'll be even close to as nice as the Machens, if I can handle the work load, if I'm smart enough or fast enough, if I want to get my rabies pre exposure vaccine, if I can handle not going to church for a year (unless a miracle occurs), if I'll fit in... ever... *sigh* so many ifs in life, you'd think I'd be used to pushing them away and just going for it.

Sad because... I'm gonna miss my Washington/Oregon family. I have 10 total days of vacation/sick time, so I don't see coming home as an option.

That said, praise God, He knows what's best for all of us, and it would seem staying in Tejas for a whole 'nother year making animals feel better is what's best :) And despite the fact that I botched my interview, apparently they think I'm qualified, so I ain't gonna argue.

*gulp* Adventures ahoy!

Ouch

What's wrong with me?

What's stopping me from being all that I can be as a follower of Christ?

Why am I so damned insecure, when God has given me eternal security?

Why am I always so tired, and constantly using it as an excuse not to live life fully?

There are people who are far worse off than me, some in my own family, and yet it's so often all about me, me, me. Ew. Just ew. I disgust myself sometimes, and I'm so glad that I don't disgust my God. Anyway.

So often I feel like I need to do great things for God, and not menial tasks like emptying the dishwasher, feeding baby deer, making more iced tea when we run out, helping with dinner, making messes then cleaning them up, making quilts and not being patient enough to make them perfect. I can't remember what day it was, but I was reading My Utmost For His Highest the other day, and O. Chambers said something that is now ringing true in my mind. One of the most dangerous thing in the world for Christians is to do things for God. To work for Him. As if He didn't die for us when we were still sinners. As if we needed to curry His favor...

As if He's ever needed our help!

No, we need to do things with Him. Empty the dishwasher with Him, because it's what He would do: "If then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master..."

Jesus washed feet. Jesus did commonplace, mundane things *gasp* Another good quote from O. Chambers "It takes God Almighty incarnate in us to do the meanest duty as it ought to be done." So true. If we work with God in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we will be prepared when the storms hit.

I barely survived the last two massive storms in my life and I did not end either one well. I was barely prepared. I had gotten stuck in a rut of forgetting my God in the commonplace. And I'm falling into it again. By God's grace I won't fall completely.

My bad...

....I just realized that I haven't blogged in over a month... a month?! Where did that month go?! I guess it was eaten up by fawns (they eat practically anything after all)

Oi

Um, yeah, so, what's been going on:

*Felicia went home on the 7th to start school. Pretty lonely for a few days there, and I certainly still miss the conversation and laughter that went on while washing bottles.

*I discovered an XM radio channel that is all music and songs from the movies :)

*Kittens... how did I not mention the kittens! On July 20th one of the ranch cats disappeared, leaving behind six 4 - 5 week old kittens. We (well, mostly me) dropper fed them goats milk for a few days, then slowly weaned them onto dry kitten food.

*One of the kittens is now in my room, and goes by the name of Fletcher Hermes Geoffrey Ransom. He's wonderful :) And he's coming home with me :D I love kittens, have I ever mentioned that?

*Dean Huber's cousin's son works at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center here in TX and Dean put us in contact. He wants me to apply for one of their internships :) I'm also in the process of applying for an apprenticeship at a big wildlife rehab place just north of here. Lord willing one of those will work out!

*I really like Texas, y'all should come down and visit awhile

*I got to go to Cowboy church again this Sunday. Good times, good times.

*Did I ever mention that I got to go the Alamo and San Antonio Zoo? Both were amazing. The zoo was especially impressive. It's huuuge! And their bird collection is fantastic. I kinda want to apply there too...

*Barbara got Photoshop CS4 for her computer to make adds for the ranch and for deer auctions and such things. So we're both trying to figure out how to use it. I made 2 advertisements for them though :) They turned out pretty nice, if I do say so myself.

*Oh yeah, and she gave me photoshop for my computer. Woot!

*The Machens are co-owners of a hunting/sports/ranch store (I'm not sure if I mentioned that already) but anyway, they publish a magazine every hunting season and I think I'm going to get to write an article for it. Short, but about cleaning up your trash wherever you go so that it doesn't affect wildlife and nature. I'll try and post it when I'm done.

*We had a twin fawns born day before yesterday. CRAZY. We thought all the does were done having babies because none had been born for over 3 weeks. So we're up to 71 babies on the bottle now. I named the cute little doe Zoe (from Firefly)

*7 year old Hallie has officially declared that I'm long. Not tall, long. I decided not to question it. She even drew me as a long person :P (I've been teaching her proportions and how to draw people; it's kinda fun)

*The sunsets and sunrises here are fantastic.

*That is all for now

Sincerely Yours,

The deer nanny

I shall never be a great blogger.

Okay.

I'm okay with this now.

Because I have spotted minions :D

~I got attacked by penicillin today while trying to inject it into a fawns leg. She kicked, the white nastiness exploded everywhere; including my mouth, glasses, and face. Lovely.

~60 fawns. All named. And going strong!

~Felicia and I figured out today that we hand wash 196 bottles, caps, and nipples every day.

~"My head told my heart, let love grow, but my heart told my head this time no, this time no." I miss him though.

~Brooke and Phil Aasen. Their wedding was fantastic. Honoring to God. And a blast! (Though flying to and from Seattle from San Antonio within two days is a recipe for serious jetlag). I'm so glad I got to see everyone though!

~I shaved my legs for the wedding (!!!!!) but it was too much work, so I'm letting the hair grow back now. Plus, when you've never shaved, it sure feels weird!

~I wonder if listing things says something about how pathetically short my attention span is.

~The times when you question your point and purpose in life are frustrating, to say the very least. They also leave you discouraged, lonely, and with the desire to just go join the circus. Or maybe that's just me.

~Where do I go from Texas? I'm at the crest of an emotional wave that wants to push me towards an 8 to 5 job and something that resembles stability. And yet I know that's not what I really want.

~I like Texas a lot, but unless I marry a rancher or something, I don't think I can keep living this life.

~Uganda?

~I. NEED. TO. PRAY. Why can't I? There's so much to talk about...

~I'm starting to work on my story again... sort of... in the few breaks from my 12 hour work day.

~I'm really tired, which, I've discovered, leads to either loopiness or depression.

~The babies are wonderful, I love them dearly, even when they chew on my clothes and skin, jump on me, and smear poop and mud on me. Does that make me weird? Probably :)

~My vet tech school application is staring at me, reminding me that I need to ask people for letters of reference. I don't really like doing that so much. Though Gary told me that I could write it and he would just sign it :P

~*sigh* Maybe a nap is in order.

Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult ~Oswald Chambers

I have called you friends.

~John 15:15

Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.

~Oswald Chambers

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

~Matthew 12:37

...because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

~1 Peter 1:16

Dear Friend,

How do I do that?

What does holiness look like lived out?

Help me control my words, they come out so easily...

Baby Names :)

I was going to include this in my last mass e-mail, but decided I'd put it on here instead. Supplemental information, you might say. These are the names of the 2010 fawns on the Machen Ranch and why that is their name (more to come, so check back for updates). The number indicates birth order.

1. June: she was born June first

3. His Majesty: also called 2X. Sickly, but incredibly spoiled. Barbara's lap has been dubbed his throne.

6. Kiki: after Kiki's Delivery Service

7. Mae: after the little girl in Totoro

8. Sophie: after the heroine of Howl's Moving Castle

12. Cleopatra: her eyebrows and eyelashes are very pronounced and lovely

14. Zibiah: means deer in Hebrew

15. Salsa: moves his feet like a salsa dancer when he's nursing

16. Kaylee: such a sweetheart, named for the mechanic in Firefly

17. Twitch: he seems to have a nervous tick in his entire head

18. Grace: because she's not graceful

19. Jade: also called Jadice, after the white witch in The Chronicles of Narnia (she's a brat!)

20. Lila: named for a certain Miss Goodwin. She's also a very pale deer

22. Little Lee: his ears often form an 'L' shape, he's a dark red fawn, and he's a lady's man

23. Izzy: after the wonderful soda. She also has a lot of spots that made me think of carbonation for some reason

27. Angel: one of the nicest babies ever, never sick, ate immediately, and has lovely blue eyes

30. Loca: she's crazy. Need I say more?

31. Esperanza: named for the flower and the character in Zorro

32. Olivia: the darkest deer we have, almost named her Olive instead

33. Chase: she likes to make you chase her

34. Diana: named for the Roman goddess of the hunt, because I felt like being ironic

35. Wren: she's the smallest deer I've ever seen, and also one of the feistiest (like the bird)

36. Shirley: named for Shirley Temple. Tiny, and the only curly haired deer I've ever seen

38. Athena: named for the Greek goddess, and also because she can be kinda cranky

40. Miss Scarlet: one of our reddest (and most dramatic) deer

41. Cinnabon: sticky buns... also called sticky butt, because her poo has always been super sticky

42. Trillian: named for Trillian Astra in The Hitchhiker's Guide. Her number is 42, I mean really, what did you expect :P

43. Ava: you know, I don't know why we named her that...

46. Fiona: we were going to name her Princess Jasmine, but then her poo smelled so bad we named her after the ogre princess instead

47. Clementine: she was super orange when she was born

51. Indy: she has such clear, defined stripes on her neck that they look like racing stripes

54. Holly: a very small deer, named for Captain Holly Short the elf in Artemis Fowl

56. Savannah: she is a lovely tan color; makes me think of an African serval, with her big ears

58. Alley: she was born in the alley between two of the deer pens

59. Maya: she has an incredible overbite that makes her look just like my dog Miaya

64. Juliet: a very pretty but difficult deer, with big dark eyes. Also a daughter of Romeo

66. Eowyn: named for the heroine in The Lord of the Rings

68. Tinkerbell: just as tiny and feisty as Wren, and because we all love Disney

69. Penny: a pretty copper colored little thing, I call her Miss Money Penny

70. Tay Tay: our second curly haired fawn so we gave her Taylor Swift's nickname

71. Brad Paisley: Aunt Dawn suggested I named a brown eyed cutie after my favorite country singer, so I did

72. Wendy Darling: because we were on a Peter Pan kick after naming Tinkerbell

74. Snow White: she has two white socks and two pink hooves

76. Nokia: it was Hallie's birthday and she got a Nokia phone for her birthday and was allowed to name one fawn, so she decided that the fawn should be named after her phone

77. Mister Rob: his tail was bitten off, so he's a bobtail. Rob is more subtle than Bobby

78. Victoria: looks just like His Majesty, so we decided she should be named after a queen

83. Flora: one of triplet does, the biggest. So of course we had to name them after the three fairies from Sleeping Beauty

84. Fauna: the second largest triplet

85. Meriweather: the smallest triplet

87. Iris: because she has the most gorgeous blue-green eyes I've ever seen on a deer

88. Liberty: born on the 4th of July

89. Amy Rose: (also called Hedgehog) named after Sonic's girlfriend because she seriously looks like a hedgehog.

90. Faith: named for Faith Hill, because we're on a country music kick

92. Nani: named for Lilo's older sister

93. Lilo: because she is small, whiney, and always acts lost (Lilo means lost in Hawaiian)

95. Toby Keith: because we're still on a country music kick

96. Evangeline: no particular reason, I just love the name

97. Aurora: because she acts like a little damsel in distress. Hence the princess name

98. Giselle: tall and blonde, named for the supermodel and for the princess in Enchanted

12Y. Clarisse: also called Big Mama, she's a big golden colored girl. Clarisse just seemed to fit

16Y. Alejandro: has a dark mask coming up from his nose, so we named him after Zorro

20Y. Neytiri: named for the heroine of Avatar, because she also has a dark mask that looks something like war paint

99. Joe: triplet bucks, named for the Jonas Brothers. Don't judge us, it just seemed to fit :P

100. Kevin: "

101. Nick: "

103. Lucy: named for Lucy Pevensie of The Chronicles of Narnia

107. Willow: because she looked like she was crying when she first came in, so we called her our weeping willow

110. Tully: named for Tully's Coffee :)

111. Latte: because Felicia was on a coffee kick, after discovering that she actually likes it

112. Mocha: "

113. Macaroon: she's a light, toasted coconut color. And macaroons just sounded really good at the time.

114. Luna Lovegood: named for the character in Harry Potter... and because she's a little weird

116. Celia: named for the receptionist in Monsters Inc. because Felicia and I started singing "Put that thing back where it came from, or so help me... so help me!" when Justin brought her in.

118. Guinevere: named for a certain queen and a certain Furry Eell

119. Zoe: named after Zoe in Firefly, and because Z is the last letter in the alphabet. Here's hoping she's the last fawn!

Life Amuses Me

I have these great aspirations to be a great blogger, and have lots of people being entertained by my writing skills... yeah... ha... it seems all I can do well is listing, so here goes:

~I got the morning feeding off this morning; my goodness, is sleeping in nice!! Though apparently my computer skills were needed at 6:30 am... oops?

~We got a new set of twin fawns yesterday that are the tiniest ruminants I've ever seen! I can put my hands around little Wren and engulf her body!

~I'm trying to design a t-shirt for Father's Heart and my creative juices are dripping... at best.

~I like being organized, it helps everything go smoothly

~I'm glad that I am developing antibodies against homesickness

~It's a weird experience (for me) to have more animal experience than my co-workers. The new intern has had a dog, and that's it!

~The Machens are going to let me go to church on Sunday mornings. I love these people!

~Any feedback on my most recent crazy idea of going back to school to become a certified veterinary technician? There's a good school in San Antonio, and it takes 2 years...

~Have you ever had the privilege of being in a situation that you always told yourself that you wouldn't let yourself end up in?

~I like a young man who is not a Christian, and he likes me (I won't let it go further than that, but it's still an unusual situation. I really don't want to hurt him, I've been praying for two years that he would encounter God, I've talked more about religion with him than with anyone else... *sigh* still can't figure out why he likes me)

~I bought myself a cowboy hat the other day, and I love it!

~My next investment is probably going to be cowboy boots :P

~I love listening to Pomplamoose, you should check 'em out http://www.myspace.com/pomplamoosemusic or check youtube, their videos are wonderful too :)

~I've been listening to Mark Driscoll's sermons on prayer, and they're rather convicting...

~I wish I was better at keeping up with people, why is that always so hard in the summertime?

~My mind is kinda spastic, my life is kinda messy, but I'm happy

~God is still bigger :)