A JOYFUL NOISE

...........I started My job at Region Ten Community Services Board! PRAISE GOD!! ------> (My badge and entry card for work) Okay, so technically my year is tomorrow June 1, but I'm counting the year as part of the work week, not weekend. It's so hard to believe that a year ago, God provided me with this job at RTCSB. After 6 months of unemployment I was offered the job as a Mental Retardation Specialist. It's a rewarding job and I enjoy it very much. Each day brings it's own delight and lessons and I learn things each day. Reasons why this job rocks: 5. Watching my clients grow in their learning and conquer fears and disabilities is a great reward! 4. Great co-workers that I can be totally myself around (yet in a professional manner) 3. Monday-Friday work week; 8:30-4:30; NO WEEKENDS!!!!!!!! 2. ALL major Holidays off plus 3 floating holidays (11-1/2 regular holidays); NO WORKING HOLIDAYS ANYMORE!!! PLUS 10 vacation days and 10 sick days .................

............and Caitlyn's Great-Grandma ("Bach Bach") My grandma was so happy to meet her newest great-grand child. The gleam on her face was priceless! The trip to NYC was great. Unfortunately, my grandma fell and broke her wrist, but she's okay now. She has a soft cast and I think today will get a hard cast. In a way, I'm glad she we were there when she fell but I wish she didn't fall at all! We took her to Emergent Care near Flushing to ensure proper care because ERs in NYC doesn't really consider a broken wrist as an emergency and if we did go there we'd be there for the whole day! This was Caitlyn's reaction to her first trip to NYC......................... Miranda seemed to enjoy her 3rd trip to NYC although I noticed she was a bit more sensitive and latching on to my mom and her ...

.................... KEEPING BUSY Life is busy for me these few months. I think since Caitlyn was born, my parents (the grandparents) and I have traveled up to Richmond about once or twice a month for a visit. I'm sure it helps them out as well as it gives them some time to themselves while we babysit the girls. Work is indeed busy for me as well. I still enjoy many aspects of my job and an eternally grateful for this job. At times, it's a struggle traveling over the mountain each day, twice a day, but I'm thankful my dad is ready and willing to drive. In a few days, I will be 'celebrating' (not literally) my ONE YEAR anniversary of working at Region Ten. I can hardly believe how time flies in the workplace, especially with a job I enjoy. Although I enjoy my job, I need to say how much I'm looking forward to a vacation. My family and I are headed up to NYC on Friday evening to visit with my grandparents and my other extended family. My sist...

When I was younger I never did enjoy going to church and that could be due to the dynamic of the church that I grew up; it was to harsh and cold. But now being older and everyday trying to grow closer and closer to my Savior, I enjoy going to church. I don't mind driving the 45 minutes to Harrisonburg each Sunday to listen to gifted pastors teach you more and more about Christ. Today I was reminded of how faithful God is to His People. Pastor Joe spoke about how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and how Lazarus' sisters Mary and Martha did not understand why he died in the first place. The significance? Mary and Martha questioned the Lord's sovereignty and basically felt that God had abandoned them. OH, but what they didn't know was what was God's plan for Lazarus' death! God's plan was to show Mary and Martha that He has the power from His Father to raise dead people and make them alive again! In Mary and Martha's sorrow, God was plann...

Here are a few pics from this past weekend. Caitlyn is growing up so fast! Here is my niece and I getting ready for a "nap" She loves to cuddle with ANYONE and she loves being held! They came over last weekend for a visit! I love spending time with my nieces! My older niece, Miranda loves her Dora buddy and my Dopey. Every time she comes here she goes into my room to find my Dopey and plays with it. I just have Dopey in my room on top of my dresser for decoration. My friend got it for me a long time ago when I came out of surgery; since then I've kept it as a souvenir since it is from the Disney Store and it's no longer in circulation! It has sentimental value to me, but she can always play with it whenever she wants1!! Isn't she cute????? My mom likes to talk to Caitlyn and make her smile and talk!

This past weekend, May 3 and 4, I was able to meet up with my best friend Alexis. She was willing to met me at Doswell (where Kings Dominion is ) and pick me up since my folks were already near the area visiting my sister and her family. I was also able to see my friend Zak whom I met at JMU; he lived on the floor above me (and so was Alexis). It's great that we are all still good friends! We had such a blast spending all Saturday together. Alexis lives in Fredricksburg, so we all decided to just walk around downtown Fredricksburg. We ate at an Italian Restruaunt, which by the way was YUMMY!!! Thanks Zak for treating us!!! YOU are the GREATEST!! You know how to treat your ladies! :) Here we are waiting for our food! Alexis and Myself Zak and myself Alexis and Zak After lunch, we continued to walk around Fredricksburg and then headed to walk on the bridge where the river goes under. After that, we went to a tea place (don't ask me the name; I can't for the life of me remembe...

The song below has the song of the week for me; I've listen to it a lot this week; it's been encouraging to me. This week has been tough for me. I've struggled with an ear infection for over a week now and I haven't had one since I was very young. I've forgotten how painful it is and how it can affect your whole body. the ringing and buzzing makes me dizzy and in turn has made my stomach problems even worse. I hate to complain, but com'on, you gotta let me complain when I don't feel well! Work is stressful and at times I feel like I'm walking on pins and needles. It's hard and a bit personal to explain now; there are many times I feel alienated from my coworkers and not sure my communication style is at all effective. Just a lot of stress and wondering. I've come to realize that I need to really focus on God much more than I have been over the past few weeks in order to really be able to conquer these feelings of frustration, wh...