The Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Nine

A Year, in Review

I came back to Pullman to begin my last semester at WSU.
Brooke and I cleaned the house, listened to Muse, and Brian told us a scary story involving midgets in closets.
Got two (wonderful) new Rockettes: Sharon and Wendy, to replace Abby and Lauren.
Began insanity, including anatomy and independent study (4 labs, 5 if you count anatomy two times a week).
I studied my brains out.
Had superhero/rock band night at The Rock. I wore a quilt toga and carried a mandolin.
I went to CJ’s pretty much every Thursday night.
I went to the pub and played pool a lot.
Had an epic cupcake decorating night at The Rock.
Five of the Rockettes competed in the WSU 100K.
I watched, and Brooke ate some road.
Talent, No Talent Night occurred at XA.
Sang Three Blind Mice with Alana and Brooke, all in chipmunk voices. I started laughing halfway through.
Our house was attacked by zombies. One of which licked the window… ew
“I think those boys are birdwatching too. And by birds I mean girls. And by girls I mean us.” ~Brooke
Did a magpie/crow experiment with Hannah for Animal Behavior. A hilarious fiasco failure.... silly crows
I stayed in Pullman over Spring Break, and Beth and I drove to Jerry Johnson hot springs.
Hiked in the snow, swam in the hot springs, nearly totaled the Taurus’ transmission on the way home by driving over some rocks.
$500 dollars in towing fees.
Beth and I went to Rico’s on St. Patrick’s Day, and I drank a glass of wine. *gasp*
Made a pie for Pi Day.
We made s’mores on the front porch over the BBQ.
Brooke and I made an epic fort in the upstairs living room that we slept in and studied in and watched movies in for 3 days.
Alana, Dani, Nate, Erika, ZZ, Peter N., Robbie, and I all graduated on May 9, 2009.
Lots and lots of family and friends in Pullman.
I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology with a minor in English.
We had a big graduation party at Mom and Dad’s place. So much food!!
Then a late night stroll through Palouse and train climbing with some of my favorite people.
I continued independent study snail research for Dr. Dybdahl and applied for 41 different jobs, all over the world.
My whole family went to Jerry Johnson, but the nice springs were flooded.
Hannah, Sharoni, Alana, Dani, and I all had a random adventure in Albion/Rose Creek. Sharon and I climbed a train.
Hannah, Alana, and I camped at Palouse Falls (in the back of the pickup).
I had the worst allergies I’ve had in years. Cool hike though.
Julie Ann brought me a baby bunny that she’d found. Took care of it for a day, then took it to the WSU Vet School. Cute little guy :)
I took all the change off my door. $258 dollars.
I got my Matthew 6:26 tattoo on my back; it hurt so much! Alana got Solo Por Ti on her foot.
I got offered 3 different jobs, all within a few days of each other.
I accepted an internship in Hawaii at the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center.
A bunch of Rockettes and ex-Rockettes all went to Yakima for Sally and Joel Wells’ wedding. We all giggled a lot, and had a lot of fun.
I said a lot of tearful goodbyes, got a lot of hugs, then flew to Hilo, HI
I was picked up at the airport by 4 other interns, who I eventually, kinda, befriended.
I cleaned up after, made diets for, and observed some of the worlds most endangered birds: puaiohi, palila, maui parrotbills, ‘alala, akepa, and elepaio.
My coworker, Kara, and I explored the island.
I snorkeled, and saw green sea turtles, spinner dolphins, and a plethora of tropical fish.
Alana and Dani came and visited for 9 days.
We rented a Mustang convertible and went all the way around the island.
We camped on the beach, snorkeled, and hiked up Waipio Valley and swam under a 1600 foot waterfall.
We went to the southern most point in the United States, and went to green sand beach, and I got an epic sunburn.
My shoulders blistered… pain and suffering!
I worked overtime a lot, and got $20 a day, and a job that looks great on my resume.
Interns cycled through, and I met and lived with Gretchen, Tamara, Sarah, Michael, Kyle, Amanda, and Bethany.
I rode on the free bus system a lot, and met some interesting people.
I was told I should write a book about my adventures in Hawai’i, and that I have a beautiful aura, and I sat next to a near albino.
Alana went to Uganda while working for the WSU Soil Science Department.
On my last morning, I got up at 4:00 and rode the intern bike (no brakes and rusted through) to Volcanoes National Park to see the sunrise over Kilauea’s crater.
I came home for 2 weeks and surprised everyone. The reactions were amazing!
I helped Daddy put up the sheetrock in the house while home.
On Oct. 28th I flew to Maui to start another internship at the Maui Bird Conservation Center.
I lived in an old prison, built in the 50s. Kinda cool, kinda weird.
We worked with nene, ‘alala, maui parrotbills, and puaiohi, and I got to be there when the first nene goslings of the year were hatched!
I met and worked with Sharon, Josh, Amy, Marissa, Rachael, Michelle, and Brian.
Beth and Kyle got engaged in Italy
Melissa and Austin got engaged (finally!)
I joined deviantART; so much fun!
Kevin was on Maui on my birthday so we went to the Haleakala sunrise (at 3:30 in the morning) and explored Lahaina, built sandcastles, and went to a wonderful bookstore.
The day after my birthday we drove the road to Hana and hiked around the seven sacred pools. Beautiful hike!
On Dec. 6th I got off work and had a ton of voicemails, telling me that Daddy had a severe stroke, lost half his vision, couldn’t talk, and had a paralyzed right side.
I flew home the next day.
Daddy was in the ICU for 5 days, then moved over to the Sacred Heart hospital for a week, then moved to St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.
A lot of people came to visit and offer support.
We had Christmas in his rehab room.
Mom and Dad’s church is helping to finish the house, and Grandma Dode is helping to pay it, as are a lot of other people.
Alana and I laid the marble flooring in the bathrooms, and helped mud the sheetrock, and helped put in the ceilings.
On New Years Eve Alana and I went to The Rock and made apple pie, carrot cake, rice pudding, snowballs, and present cookies.
Ben came over and we all watched Up, then went to Rico’s to play pool and to ring in the new year. I won the last game of 2009, and lost the first game of 2010.

Happy first day of the second decade of the second millenium after the birth of Christ :)

This year I resolve to get at least one stamp on my passport, live in Alaska at some point, and to complain less. We'll see how that goes.

Merry Christmas

A rehabilitation center in Spokane seems an odd place to reflect on the birth of a baby over 2000 years ago, but I've never claimed an exactly normal life...

Ever since the day when time began God has been outside of it. It's like He's been looking down on a physical, emotional, spiritual time line that includes our lives, and the lives of billions upon billions of other lives. That said, you realize that even before Adam and Eve sinned, God could see what the consequences would be, and was already viewing these consequences, playing an enormous part in them, and guiding all the people involved in his plan to fix things that hadn't even happened yet (in our minds, that is).

Thinking about that is quite the mind trip...

That said, God the Father knew the pain that He would have to inflict on His son, and the Son knew full well the consequences of becoming flesh and dwelling among us. But He came anyway. He cared that much about our sorry souls... I should probably stop using the word 'love' so lightly, when it was for love that God became one of us.

And then think, if God had wanted to, He could have been born a prince, in a comfortable palace, and conquered the world, made the nations bow down in fear and awe of His miracles and power. But after reading the Bible a couple times, I realize that our God reserves shock and awe for only the most desperate of times. So instead of coming in power and might, He came as a Jewish refugee born in a dirty stable surrounded by smelly animals and dirty straw. I might ask why, but then if I really think about it, I have to conclude that He was born and lived the way He did in order for us to actually apply the concepts of faith and trust. It wouldn't be too hard to believe in a conquering hero who took out the Roman empire. A humble, carpenter turned rabbi who never left His small corner of the world on the other hand...

Why do we only think about these things when Christmas rolls around? What God did is a pretty mind-blowing, awe-inspiring, worthy-of-worship thing to do. I think I need to get my head out of this little self-righteous and pitiful world that I am so comfortable in, look around me, and remind myself and the world that the God of the universe, who is outside of time, who is true love, who is true justice, squeezed himself into the restraints of time, became a man, and dwelt among us...

Thanks doesn't seem to cut it

I feel so small when I think about this

I'm sorry Lord, for my part in your pain, but thank you, thank you so much, and Happy Birthday

Want one!

Dumbo rats: only 5 bucks at the pet store up the street

:)

Things are not going well.
I didn't get the job I wanted/needed.
My mom and I don't get along; we never have.
I can't talk to the one person who understands me.
I hate my life right now.
etc. etc. whine whine whine.
And don't try to encourage me, it won't help.
I have hope that things will change

...

Eventually

God is bigger


I hope it snows this week,
A snow flake on your cheek
Would make this Christmas so Beautiful
But that would just bring the pain
Cause things can’t stay the same
These Holidays won’t be wonderful

I look under the tree
But there’s nothing to see
Cause it’s a broken heart that you’re giving me

I don’t wanna talk
I’m sick of all this talking
A broken heart wrapped up in a Box
There's tear drops in my stocking

I hate Christmas parties,
They offer me some punch,
But I just shrug
I hate Christmas parties
You and the cookie tray
Hear me say "Ba! Humbug"

Jingle Bells

I want a Christmas tree this year, but I won't get one.

I hope I get that vet tech job... I think...

Have you ever felt coldhearted and cruel because you don't feel much stir in your soul when you see pain, suffering... even death?

If this doesn't break me, what will? Do I even want to know?

It is possible to be happy and sad at the same time, when it pertains to completely different circumstances.

Howl's Moving Castle is a marvelous movie. And so is Avatar! I do believe both deserve a second watch.

Apparently heretics listen to hip hop. Who knew?

I wish I had an oven to bake Christmas cookies.

Victoria's Secret makes wonderful underwear. But you most certainly did not hear that from me.

My dad still snores. Some things never change.

My phone is having a mid-life crisis... or late life. How long do krazors live?

The fan in Artemis is flipping out. Perhaps it's time for a new computer.

Worried brows and pitying glances do. not. help. Hugs and distractions, on the other hand...

Why do men who work in construction take one look at me and assume incompetent? I'll have you know, buddy, that I could practically build my own house!

...

I'm fine! How are you?!

Do you ever have those times in life when Murphy's Law almost applies perfectly?
I'm in the middle of one of those times.
I'm not sure if I've ever been quite so miserable or so desperate in my entire life...

Daddy's laying in a bed, a floor above me, hardly able to talk, right side still paralyzed, and his bowels aren't working. I know the doctors are busy, but I feel like they could at least fix that last one... he hurts and can't do anything about it. He hardly eats or drinks, and doesn't seem to care. Is his brain just not working well enough to remember how much we need him right now?

Mommy is freaking out on average 5 or 6 times a day. She just starts talking about what needs to be done, and how to afford it, and 9 times out of 10 concludes that we'll have to sell everything and move away. She's also forgetting things from day to day, and it's really hard to convince her that things are being taken care of. I don't know if I have the strength to take care of both parents. All the friends and family are wonderful, don't get me wrong, but at the end of the day it's down to Alana and me to make things happen.

If Daddy makes it through this he'll be coming home in 4 weeks, and 'home' still needs to be finished. The house has the drywall up at least, but all the details still need to be done. I know their church is going to finish it for us, and Grandma's paying for it all, but that's such a blow to Daddy's pride, that it kinda hurts. I mean, it's been pretty much only Alana, me, and him building this house for 2 years.

It looks like I'll have to quit my job, and try to find a job in Pullman or Moscow. I'd forgotten how incredibly hard those are to come by! And quite honestly and selfishly, I don't want to quit my job, I don't want to move back home, especially not to a home that doesn't exist. I don't like being homeless...

Okay, that's my little rant of misery

God is still bigger, even when I have literally had the worst week of my entire life

This is too surreal

This happens to other people

Not the Brunners
Not Daddy

Dear God, please, I still need him