From Coffee Shop to Cubicle

I have served my last cup of coffee at Caribou! Good-bye "large-extra-hot-no-froth-skinny-latte-with-a-half-shot-of-hazelnut-hold-the-lid." Hello computer software testing!
Of course, I will miss Caribou dearly. I had some great co-workers and customers that I enjoyed seeing daily. One customer actually cried when I told her I was leaving. "There are just some people, like you, who bring a little joy back into my life," she said. I'll definitely miss her and others.
But alas, it is time to move on. For the past week or so, I have been in training to test computer software at the same company where Gerrit works. So far, it's Greek to me. But they tell me I'm catching on fast. I even broke some software today! In testing land, this is a good thing. At Caribou...not so much. Anything I can do to help!
Looking at a computer screen is certainly a change from making mochas. The change in attire is a nice change, too. Instead of coffee stained, frumpy, black shirts, I get to wear pretty, fitted clothes...in color! (Though I'm not diggin' the heels all day.)
I will miss the interaction with customers, but it is nice to back in an office. It's a step in the right direction.
And I get to work with Gerrit! (He's this super hot guy in the next cubicle!) I think I see an office romance in my future!

My Birthday!

Welp, it was my birthday on Thursday. The day was just what I wanted it to be. Gerrit had the day off of work. He told me he would have to go in for a couple hours to get some things done. So, he got up as usual and left. While he was gone I got up and put the chain on the door (just for the extra feeling of safety). I woke up an hour later to someone breaking in! Don't panic! It was Gerrit surprising me with a dozen roses and....McDonald's breakfast!!! I was so happy and relieved. I nearly wet my pants when I heard the chain stop the door from opening. Anyway, we spent the day relaxing, playing scrabble (of course!) and going to the movie "The Women." Gerrit's a keeper, I tell ya. Not only was it an extreme chick flick, it wasn't even a good one! Ialso got phone calls and cards from my wonderful parents and sisters! (We celebrated together when they were here for Owen's dedication.)On Friday night, my dear friend Mandy took me shopping as her birthday gift to me. She bought me some cute clothes that I'm very excited about. Oh, and purple is the new black. It seemed that everything in the store was purple.On Saturday, Gerrit's family came over. We went to lunch, played games and had cake! Gerrit and I dominated in the game Cranium. That night I went to my friend Amy's house for dinner and a bonfire with our group of friends. Bonfire's bring out the best conversation topics, I think. We talked about our obsessive compulsive habits (everyone has them!), Britney Spears (why???), geneology and old college memories.
I've been blessed with some great birthdays.
All this to say that I feel very loved by everyone in my life.

S-C-R-A-B-B-L-E (14 pts)

Gerrit and I have been playing A LOT of Scrabble lately. I have been avoiding playing Scrabble for over a year and a half (since we registered for the game for our wedding). When the time comes to play board games, I suggest LIFE or a card game. But alas, I could not tip-toe around it forever...Gerrit asked to play Scrabble. And here I am a week later--slightly addicted to the game. We've played every night. I even won once! :) And this is the excitement in my life! This is why I don't blog, people!

I Carry Your Heart

As you may have noticed, Gerrit did some interior blog design. The picture in the header is from our first official date on May 16, 2006. We went to dinner and then to the lake at sunset. The words are from a poem by e.e. cummings. I used this poem in a scrapbook I made for Gerrit and it has become a favorite of ours. The full poem is as follows:

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

New Hair. New Woman.

Well, I did it. I got my hair chopped off. What brought this on, you ask? Gerrit has said before that I would look cute with short hair. Of course, I was hesitant because of the 5+ years of my childhood that I looked like a boy. Sometimes I still see that person staring back at me in the mirror. I worried that if I got my hair cut even to my chin that I wouldn't look like a female anymore. But I decided that maybe my face is more feminine now than it was in Jr. High. So, here it is, my new look:So, I think I still look like a girl. What do you think? This is my new grown-up hair. Hopefully this will be help me with getting a grown-up job. I really like it so far and I still feel feminine. As Shania Twain says, "Man, I feel like a woman!"

Girls Night Out in England!

Last weekend, a few of us girls went out to a British pub and eatery for Jess' and Brittany's birthdays. We definitely enjoyed the cuisine. I myself had a Cornish pastie....whatever that is. Very tasty. It was great to be together since we haven't all hung out in quite a while. There always seems to be someone missing, which is sad because I love these girls! Lately I've been thinking about what a weird time of life we're all in. Some of us are job searching. Others are getting ready to start new jobs. Mandy and Rachel just got back this summer from year long teaching jobs in foreign countries. Brittany will be leaving in a year for a four year(!!!!!) missions trip to Ukraine. It seems everyone is going through a transition period of some kind. Who warned us that life after college would be this way? No one! What now? I'm glad God knows what's going on. Anyway....other than the taste of life confusion in the air, it was a good time.

Our New Apartment!

Gerrit and I recently moved to a new place. So far, we've really liked it. It's closer to Gerrit's job, which is nice; and it's a bit bigger than our last apartment. The best part is...no mice!!!! What a luxury! I'm going to add some pictures for those of you who can't come see it yet. I love the closet space. There are 3 closets in the bedroom! Gerrit and I don't even have to share. That was something we lacked in the last apartment, so I'm really enjoying all the storage space. We're still settling in a bit, but so far we're very comfortable here!