chapstick and tuna burps

I melted one of my chapsticks to the point of no return. The other one oddly broke... sounds weird, but really the plastic tube broke. Moral of the story: After a good week or two without chapstick, while sick and therefore unable to borrow friends', I bought some at the store! Praise King Jesus for the intelligent mind that created this wonderful product. My lips are so much healthier.

Tuna Burps.

My friend Camille (on THE list of "why denver") took me to a great show last night with her amigos, Bodie and Whitney. As we were mingling at the bar, Bodie saw a friend from the music world he runs in and began the introductions. Laura (or something like that) shook my hand and leaned in... this is where it went awry. Was she leaning in to ask for clarification on my name, to kiss the cheek or just to lean in with the firm handshake? Either way, it was unexpected and I was mid-burp, yes, about to exhale the yummy tuna/goat cheese concoction I made for dinner, and happened to release right into her ear/face. Perfect introduction. I immediately turn to Camille and confess the awkward moment and hope the bar-stench overpowered my own.

Denver

My last night in NM was spent at jessie and matt's celebration with some great New Mexicans. We had green chile infused tequila (interesting) and a venue in the mountains with a patio amidst wildflowers, a live band we danced the hispanic "train" to and frito pies in a bag. It was delightful.

The wedding crew. The bride and groom in the middle.

and now on to Menver...

As of today I can proudly say that I will be living in Denver, at least I will pay for a month of rent and hope to find a job to pay for the rest. I arrived on Tuesday after a couple days in Colorado Springs with Trevor's crew, including an international feast night (freaking delicious food) and a tour of Manitou Springs.

Tuesday night:

1. Arrive at Calley's
2. Drop off luggage and waste time not showering until 20 min before I'm supposed to be ready.
3. 7:30 Corey (friend of friend) picks me up and we wander till we finally land at Park Tavern
4. Eat sandwiches while intermittently eying the chick with half a shirt and stomach tattoos, always interesting.
5. Meet Trevor, Mike, Calley and Megan for drinks at the Irish Snug
6. Somehow make it home without falling asleep in the car

Wednesday:

1. Meet Megan (new roommate thanks to Trer Darlin') for coffee and casa search.
2. Drive around to various options, including one house I think could be broken into via the floorboards.
   
3. Look for disc golf course and give up, eat lunch with Mike and Trev (delicious Chilli from Meg)
4. Look at what is now our new home - 9th and Pearl, sweet apartment I'm stoked about. Pics to come.
5. Check out more places
6. Go home to meet Calley before heading to meet up with the girls
7. Meet Katie and Camille for drinks at the Thin Man
   
8. Get encouraging words re: my current unemployment from my lovely lady-friends
9. Coffee-shop time at St. Marks while lusting after their artisan bread.
10. Bed-time till Trev decides to come over and borrow bread and my comp. for a few minutes

Thursday

1. Meet Patrick (future landlord) to discuss in detail why he should let meg and i rent his fine property.
   
2. Drive all over looking for a place to print my resume for the job fair Camille told us about
3. Go to job fair and have one significant conversation. One is better than none.
4. Fill out application and drop off with Patrick
5. Go home to prep for Snug Run, the only reason to run a 5k = free pasta and cheap beer afterward.
6. Run/power walk without the excuse of altitude since Ruidoso is 1000 ft higher in elevation. I'm just a pansy. ps my face stays beet red for at least an hour after any physical activity, which is great for the social circle following the run.
7. Change clothes and meet the crew at Pasquini's for $5 pitchers of sangria and free breadsticks. Are you getting the picture that the social world here is bustling? I need a job just to afford all of it.
   
8. I get tired and grumpy and go home to bed. aaagh, sleep.

Friday

1. Watch the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy! Lovely show.
   
2. Nervously await a call from Patrick saying he believes in us even though on paper we are jobless and pennyless.
3. Meet Kev, british soccer coach friend from the summer, for Vietnamese lunch. I don't think I've ever really done Vietnamese food. It was good.
4. Patrick called just as Kev and I were talking about the power of positive thinking. Yes, it works! Thank you Jesus, we got the apartment! woohooo!!
5. Oil Change turned fluid flushing expensive trip to meineke. Oh well, the nice guy gave me free windshield wipers. high five on that!
6. Came home and crashed. I'm tired. But first I walked Calley's dog and chatted with my big bro.
   
7. Looked for jobs with renewed hope after reflecting on Camille and Katie's words of encouragement.
   
8. Watched the debate and continued to dislike McCain. He's slimy and I don't trust his character.
9. Maybe go to bed soon after posting a way-too-detailed overview of my week. This one was more for me than anyone else I think. Big week. Love Denver. Excited about the potential. Thankful for good friends in a great city. Praise the Lord.
   

my mudbath bday

During my time in Santa Fe with my big sis Liz she took me for a day out to celebrate my bday since we didn't get to spend it together. We are fans of hot springs and she has long since raved about Ojo Caliente, this town up north with a great spa. I am not your typical "spa girl" but outdoor hot springs and a mud bath sounded great. AND when you're covered in mud it feels more like you're in a scuba suit which is comforting.

Thanks big sis!

the sibs

My family makes cute babies. I've spent the last week driving around northern NM with most of my life, minus a tupperware container or two, packed away in my car as I visit my brother and sisters and their cool kids.

My little sis, hannah, is attending NM Highlands in Las Vegas, NM. She has her little Ruby Sierra joining her in the not-so-sin-city of NM. There are wonderful hot springs within the town limits, a community of other single parent mothers in her apartment complex and a playground that Ruby is attached to.

From Tour de Fam 2008

My older sister, Liz, was trying to teach Ruby about her belly button last month, but somewhere in there Ruby got the "button" a little misplaced on the torso. I had her on my lap and she pokes at my boobs with her pointer fingers and says, "buttons," and then proceeded to push them up as she mustn't have thought they were accurately placed on my body. Gotta love those kids.

From Tour de Fam 2008

Arthur and Kristi are living in Rio Rancho with their little men, Benjamin (4) and Parker(5 months). I was in ABQ for a friends graduation and didn't make it over to see the fam till sunday afternoon, which was apparently a little late for Benjamin. He ph0ne-bombed my sister and I asking when "his animals" were coming over to play monster trucks? My sister's nicknames are Lizard (liz) and Hampster (Hannah) and mine is Renee Bird (followed by cacaaaw, cacaawww if you are lucky). So his animals had not arrived and he was ready to play. I ended up staying with them for a few days, hanging out with my brother on the disc golf course (he's been practicing in anticipation of my visit but I gave him a run for his money), playing monster trucks with ben, letting Parker spit up on me and telling Kristi stories of my summer and what veggies we dream of growing.

From Tour de Fam 2008

It happened one day that the cautious little man was ok with no training wheels. Now he is "wheelin poppies" all over the place.

From Tour de Fam 2008

Liz with Benjamin on the rare occasion he's not doing a totally crazy smerk and our little Parker, the old man in a baby body.

From Tour de Fam 2008

My 4yr old BFF

From Tour de Fam 2008

Arthur's Bday was on Tuesday and Kristi made some cupcakes - here is the happy fam:

From Tour de Fam 2008

From Tour de Fam 2008

on the move... not on the run

After realizing I am now an adult, I did one of those potentially foolish things... I decided to get some momentum by lifting off into the unknown. Yes, I packed up my car and headed North. I didn't/don't know where I shall end up by Thanksgiving or Christmas, but I needed to get my feet moving.

I have a phone interview with a company in Chicago on Wednesday. I applied for 2 jobs in NWA and a few dozen in the mile-high city. It may take all these people a few months to realize they've got a great worker on their application list so I think I'm going to wait it out in Denver. I am not sure where I shall stay or how long it will take to find temp work, but in the midst of all that I know I am capable and God is good. With that in mind I shall utilize all the wisdom myself and my confidantes can muster and hopefully make some sound decisions about the next season of life for this wanderer.

Why Denver:

1. Some of my favorite people in the world are in close proximity to this very great place... in no particular order: katie, camille, calley, scotty, trev, nik's fam, sophie, kev, bethany, etc.

2. There is more opportunity than Ruidoso - once I crack into it that is.

3. Short distance to Chugwater, Wyoming, home to one of the greatest families ever, the Kirkbride-Westermans

4. Denver International Airport. Those last two words are key. Of course, I'm on a traveling fast until I secure that financially freeing J-O-B.

5. Free things to do outside that are pretty and make me smile.

Please pray. As you can imagine, there are a few gaps in my plan (or lack of one).

And to those of you who live a very planned life:
I know this stresses you out, but don't worry, it only stresses me out when you tell me about the said stress;)

whirlwind of life

Since my last post -

I had a birthday! It was my 25th on the 25th and it was splendid! My mom and I went to pick raspberries in Arabela then adventured around Lincoln County for the afternoon.

From 25 on the 25th

We had Cafe Rio pizza for lunch - an essential in truly celebrating the goodness of life - white pizza with a starter of a garlic bulb, thanks to my dear friend Eric.

We then hustled to the community garden to gather goods for the evening feast and celebration. I picked squash blossoms to stuff with goat cheese, diced garlic and fresh basil while my mom found some veggies for salsa. A watermelon, can of pink lemonade and a few hours later we were all enjoying yummy punch (with a bit of rum) and our tasty treats.

From 25 on the 25th

It was a wonderful smattering of my favorite faces and a few missing, but I felt well-celebrated.

From 25 on the 25th

I even got a capgun from my friend Lindsay! How exciting is that?!

From 25 on the 25th

And the wonderful Peanut Butter Cake my mom makes for our birthdays! I can pass the recipe along if anyone is in love with peanut butter too.