preschool teacher crazy

So it's been a week and the hours have flown by like breeze. I'm having a blast even when the classrooms are chaotic... was meant to have this type of career. I love every second of it and even though I'm making nothing...it's worth it to me. I remember when I was younger something very odd that was comforting to me was seeing the Teacher mugs, and stickers and what now. I loved going up to her desk and looking at all her Teacher nick-nacks. Seems weird I know but the more I think about my childhood even I know this is really what God designed me to do. Anyways, I found this website that sells all types of T-shirts and things for teachers. Here are some cute examples of what they have-and what I want! I obviously wouldn't wear this out unless it was preschool or a quick trip to Disney Land ( I still have the fashionista/hair stylist in me some where, I won't walk around like a granny 0 but anyhow...I thought these were super cute! I want them! :)



Hope you all are enjoying your weekend so far! Stay blessed.

my first day of being a preschool teacher aid

I had a blast and enjoyed working in a Christian environment for the first time! They had a white board in the office with a huge "Welcome Danica" "Danica stars today" with hearts...a nice locker, home made carrot cake and lots of big warm hugs. I've never worked amongst Christians before and it's very rewarding so far. I love the teachers lounge because their is scripture everywhere and it is so comforting to me. I grew up in a Christian school and it was the most fondest memories I've ever had of my schooling. The smells and sounds of school, the learning of scripture and being surrounded by the Lord was something I always secretly loved in elementary school...funny how now I'm a teacher aid. And this whole time I thought I could try and fool myself by being a snotty, stylish crazed, gossiping hair stylist. Ehh...I rather change diapers and sing A B C's. ;) I had an awesome first day. :) Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. Love you all!

Our Journey to the Cross

I have been a Christian for sixteen years and have never experienced so much growth in my whole life. I am twenty-one and this is the first time I've truly been moved and touched by Easter. I don't know if it's because I've grown spiritually or if I'm old enough now to really understand grace, the cross and forgiveness-but wow. My Good Friday was amazing.

My church did this thing called "Journey To The Cross" which was basically like a hands on walk through as a reminder to our hearts and all our senses to comprehend what the meaning of the cross is. You are given a booklet that is kind of like a script where you are prompted to do activities, look at something, smell something and or read scriptures it lists before you continue. Here is an example of the last stop's script: here. They had everything from the scene of trouble in the temple, to the last supper table, the road when Jesus enters Jerusalem and the event of where the disciples fall asleep in the garden when Jesus needed them most. After each stop there is also a reflection page were you can journal and reflect the meaning of the stop and the passage. For example at one stop ( towards the end of the journey ) we were prompted to write a psalm to God and wrap it around a rosemary stalk and drop it in the fire. We stood and smelt the aroma of the rosemary and prayed the words of our thanksgiving.

If that doesn't sound meaningful and symbolic enough....my favorite stop was the sin pebbles. It was towards the back of the sanctuary were they set up a small maze of pots with pebbles and attached to the pot was a large sign of several sins. One sign had lust, jealousy, hatred, worry etc and for each one or many sins that you felt convicted to you bend down and picked up some pebbles ( as many as you felt fit ) and put them in a small brown paper bag. Through out the stops we held onto our little sin pebbles until one of the last stops where we were prompted to walk to the front of the sanctuary and drop our sin pebbles in front of the cross. I shed a tear as I saw all the small brown paper bags under the cross-my church families sins, regrets and struggles under the cross just as mine were. We were not supposed to talk through out the journey and Steve and I were looking at each other with the most sorrowful facial expression but still marked by joy.

It was really unexplainable and I can't form into words how powerful it was to both of us.Steve and I finished the journey and waked to the car in silence. We smiled and I said, "we just found ourselves a new family tradition". We sat there, still and moved by the whole experience and cried a little as he told me this was the first Easter he's been touched by as well. He explained how thankful he was for me, the woman of his dreams that Jesus had dropped in his lap. I was still in shock at the experience and overwhelmed by the holy spirit I couldn't really focus my thoughts but just felt so comforted and over joyed at how much my Savior first loved me. He died for me and continues to pour out blessings- now, I have my precious Stephen. Who makes loving and understanding Jesus even more real for me. I've experienced unconditional love from my Savior and now from my future husband. Life couldn't be any better this Easter. That's the motion of mercy.

can't wait!

To start my job as a teacher's aid for the nap room on Monday!!! Can't stop thinking about it and I hope I get to work with Fay the woman who reminds me of my mother-in-law to be. I have to wear a nurse/scrub type top and I hope it's not hot pink or anything...but hey...it will have baby food, spit up and slobber within a few minutes anyways. My sentences are short. I'm tired and I can't sleep. Ugh.

The Simple Woman Day Book

that I can manage to clean and organize my room once and for all next week!




that Stephen and I are going to have a lot fun today at church for "Journey To The Cross". This is the first time in my adult walk that I've truly understood the overwhelming power of the cross. It's much more real to me now that I'm older and spiritually mature.



I'm learning that God is always good and He is worthy of praise even when things aren't "going our way". This past week has been nothing but blessings and turn arounds.




The encouraging music of Tenth Avenue North.




to Journey of The Cross this afternoon, Easter service with my family on Sunday, first day of work on Monday and our first baseball game of the season! Hooray!



I'm trying to "un-create" messes if you will. My room is an utter disaster and piles of clothes that need to be hung and organized. Kill me now!



was spending quality time with Stephen this week! We went on a bike ride to dinner, jacuzzi, movies and making dinner together. What an awesome week. :)



Home made tea party with my Legacy Bible Study

On The Road With Love Birds: SEATTLE BABY!

Insight From Beth

This post is from Fresh Grace one of my favorite blogs ever and a good friend of mine! This post was practically genius, true and witty...I love her...anyways-enjoy. :)

"Hello, all.
So to change things up a bit, I thought I'd bring attention to something I've been thinking a lot about lately that isn't directly related to my personal life. Yes?
I've got this theory, you see... That evolutionists have it all wrong. They think we started as these primitive cells who started from a one track mind of stay alive to the complex state we are now, where we are continually thinking of better ways to improve ourselves and our surroundings. But you see... I just can't agree with that. I feel like we hit the peak of our existence somewhere around 1930-something and ever since then we've been on this slippery slope in the opposite direction, rapidly taking us from a high society of class to this giant pile of douche-baggery. I mean honestly, how do we go from finding THIS attractive

To this??

But of course it isn't just females... Look at how classy Fred Astaire looks. Modestly dressed, tailored, and with a swagger that he doesn't have to prove.

And then there's this idiot.

It seems we've gone back to our carnal way of thinking, back when we were just those slimy blobs of whatever, trying to avoid the bigger slimy blobs from eating us and trying to impress the female blobs to mate with us. Men bulk up and try to look intimidating when we all know they are really just full of hot air, and women show as much skin as possible to look sexy when really, you just look like a cheap prostitute. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh?

But PLEASE... Someone tell me I'm not alone in my thinking??"

Disney Land Collages

This is one of Steve's favorite pictures of me when I was little! It's sort of an inside joke he calls "Danica loves Disney Land" that describes the facial expression...I tried to duplicate it last night but I seemed to forget it was popcorn not a lolly-pop...oh well...I will definitely try and duplicate it again because it was too funny. :)

Shade of Gray

Stephen here. Today I woke up from my sleep feeling a sense of grayness shrouding me. It had to do with yesterday night and the conversation that I had with Danica about our future and the many uncertainties that still lay ahead of us, which I mind you is never a good thing to talk about when you are tired.

First of all I love Danica more than anything in this world. I love the woman that she is and the woman that she has become since we've been together for the last year. We've shared so many momentous occasions together and have seen God open many doors that we thought would take a miracle to open. We've been through our handful of struggles that couples deal with in any relationship and have been able to work them out before the day is over. It has been God's ultimate blessing in my life that he gave me such an amazing woman, really...it has.

Despite the many blessings that have been bestowed upon us in our relationship, we still have a lot to accomplish before we get married next year. A few days ago when I was talking to Danica on the phone I told her that if we got married now with the present jobs that we both had, we would be literally be living paycheck to paycheck at the start of our marriage and not have any room for much else beyond that. It's one of those realities that I really do not want to think about, which is why before we get married I am desperately trying to find a better job so that we don't have to live like that. The only problem that I'm facing though is that not jobs are hard to come by and there really is much that is better out there at the moment. How can you expect to find something better when the country you live in is trying to solve a multi-trillion dollar deficit or when people are getting laid-off from their jobs left and right? There seems to be no hope for the future of this ailing country. Right now is the worst time for anybody to get married. Though we try to realize that God is sovereign and he will provide for our needs, it's hard to sit here and wonder how that will happen.

Danica told me yesterday that she will not be getting her hopes up for the future since it looks like a tough road ahead of us. When she told me this I was happy, but yet I was also saddened at the same time. The way I picture our future household looking is for me to be the main income provider for the family and for her to not need to work. I'm old fashioned you could say. I understand that it is quite common for married women to work in today's society since that seems to be the norm, but I believe that should be optional and a choice for Danica. She told me that reality of her not having to work seems like a fairytale at this point. Who knows, she might be right. Maybe the world is changing and we cannot live by the ways of the olden days.

I'm hoping that I can kick this bucket soon and get this shade of gray out of my head. Maybe a nice little adventure today with Danica will help solve the problem.

Alas, I cannot swim

Alas, I cannot swim so I ride the natures beast and beauty of land. He carries me soft into the afternoon and I cannot ever look away. Beautifully strong he leaps-he used to ride me. "And we were galloping manic to the mouth of the source we were swallowing panic in the face of its force."

The Simple Woman Day Book

Inspiration for day book from A Beautiful Journey and main idea from The Simple Woman.

that the Mariners Preschool get's my fingerprinting results in soon so I can start working! I'm also hoping my hair gets longer but that's not very important.

how fun it is to hang out with girlfriends once in awhile. We had such a great time baking tonight and had lots of ab hurting laughs!




my mom and sister laughing at our dogs...they are quite entertaining at times.





back to school this summer! I'm so excited to get school supplies and sit in an actually classroom again. I know that sounds lame but I'm craving more knowledge and it will also mean more money for me at work! ( which I haven't started yet )




a blog post at the moment. I know, real clever Danica.




more first hand that God's love is powerful and that fellowship is such a great tool to get insight and to build rewarding friendships.




I see nothing but tall oak trees surrounding my neighborhood. I'm on the second story so all I see is an elevated view of track. Really a beautiful night tonight.




the job I just got at the preschool. I'm still amazed and happy about getting hired and I'm also thankful for my Lita's kindness in being willing to purchase my wedding dress for me. :)




going to Bible study, walking more and cooking something different.




Ebun, Annette and I licking the batter of course. Mhmmm banana/chocolate muffins!


P.S Annette has been a close friend of mine since I was about 16 years old. If your an old follower of mine you will remember this post of pictures I took of her back in high school.