My fantastic job!

Yep! I know! I'm once again way over due on a post...

What can I say?

I GOT A JOB!

Many of my friends have asked what I've been up to in the last few months. Well, the truth is not much unless you count working like a dog. I got a gig at the local library here in Bakersfield as a Reference Librarian (basically I answer lots of questions all day long) and I am LOVING it! I have been so blessed to have gotten settled into Bakersfield and to have found a job almost immediately when so many are without. In fact, in the last few months the library had laid off almost thirty people and cut their hours so drastically that some branches are only open one day a week!

Beale Memorial Library, Bakersifield, CA

In the last few weeks, I have discovered just how much more of a blessing it is to be working at the library beyond just being employed. I absolutely love the people I work with, and I have been given responsibilities that make me feel like the time I spend at work is worthwhile. How many people can say that?

Berta and I dressed up for Halloween

Anyway, my job is just one of the many reasons I'm thankful this holiday season. Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Hollywood here I come!

So a while back Cody and I had a date night (this was while he was in Las Angeles for a psychiatric rotation). Ashley and I had gone down to visit our guys, and Cody decided that we needed a night out on the town. First he took me to see something that I never thought I would see in this lifetime. I saw the real Hollywood sign, yep, the one in all the moves!

It was a really neat drive, through a very pricey neighborhood (to say the least). I was a little disappointed that you couldn't get right up to it, but I suppose that's probably best considering the level of graffiti in Las Angeles.

After seeing the sign we were pretty hungry so we decided to find the Hard Rock Cafe. Turns out the one in L.A. is just outside Universal Studios theme park. We walked around for a while looking at the neat shops and restaurants. (Anna, there was a sock store that you would have loved!) We got one of the other tourists to take our picture in front of a fantastic fountain. Little did we know he was a professional photographer.

We did end up eating at the Hard Rock Cafe which was something I'd never had the chance to experience. Let me just say how cool the atmosphere is in that place. The full size car, the ceiling that changed colors, and all the great memorabilia had me in awe. So here's to the coolness that is the Hard Rock Cafe!!

Home Sweet Home!

After just a few short days of driving around Bakersfield, Cody and I found the perfect apartment complex. There was just once problem: we had to move in immediately if we wanted the apartment. So the very day we unload the u-haul at Jill's house and turn it in, we find out that we have to load all our stuff back up to move into our new place. (You can imagine how happy my husband was about this.) Haha! Life is great, huh?

Notice the beautiful mountains in the background! I see these out my bedroom window every morning. The picture below taken from the bottom of the stairs leading up to my apartment. We've got some great shade trees, a fountain, swimming pool, and hot tub just out our front door. OH! And the pond with the fountain has koi in it. How cool is that?

Our apartment is on the second floor, so we have great views. Below you can see our balcony and our front door.

Here are a few pictures of the inside of the apartment. We made the second bedroom our office, the better for me to sit and work on my blog. :) Remember, it's a work in progress...

Bakersfield or BUST!

Yeah, so I had this great post planned out about our trip out here, but then I really got to thinking about it. There was nothing really great about our trip. We spent twenty-four hours seeing who could spot the most trains. Oh, and thank God for walkie-talkies. Anyway here's a few highlights...

On the first day, we spent twelve hours in two separate cars and barely made it out of Texas. For the most part I saw only the back of the trailer Cody was pulling... What the heck is a custom hitch anyway?

The second day? Well, we left early in the morning from Albequerque. We loaded the cats and our suitcases back in the car and started out around seven thirty in the morning. For those of you who don't know, I'm NOT a morning person. The cats were not happy to be back in the car, and I was not happy to have them. The finally settled down after a while, but they let me know exactly what they thought about it first. We did get to see several hot air balloons taking off that morning, which was cool, but soon we got back to the boredom that is New Mexico. See below.

Arizona was somewhat better since the landscape began to change. Cody and I both fell in love with Flagstaff. It was an absolutely beautiful town. The mountains and trees were a great change of scenery.

Of course, the cats didn't care where we were. I did learn that they did better with a little air conditioning and that my Louie is WAY more needy that Madison will ever be. In between each new spot that he tried to sleep in he would come and sit in my lap for a few minutes. He eventually decided that no where would make him happy, so he rotated about four or five spots every half hour or so, stopping to visit me in between. Not that I'm really complaining because since we've been in Bakersfield he's been my bestest buddy.

Below is just a snapshot of me being bored. Nothing like the Mojave Desert to make a girl crazy.

We finally reached Bakersfield, California around eight that night. It was great to get to see our friends, Ben and Jill, who so graciously made room for us in their home. God truly blessed us with our friends. I nearly cried when I got there because they had gone over the top to make us feel at home. Dinner was waiting on the stove. We had a bedroom to ourselves, and they had even cleaned out a closet and a dresser for us to put our things away. I cannot say how much these people mean to me, but I hope that one day I will be able to return the kindness in some way.

Now we are here in Bakersfield, and we are happy as can be. The town is more than I had dared hoped it would be. The people here are nice, and I have friends nearby who have helped make it feel like home (Ben, Jill, Ashley, Jason, Laura, and Steve in particular). Thanks guys!

I'm a big bad...

GRAD!!! Yep! I know this a late announcement, but I did it! I finished my master's degree. I can now officially be called a librarian. Sexy, right? Anyway, here's a few pictures to commemorate the event. (Like my fancy words?)

My graduating class - August 2009

Waiting in line to walk across the stage!

The fancy announcements I ordered!

Then out to dinner with the family to celebrate! Aren't they a beautiful group!

My summer in pictures...

I know the last post was all words and no pictures, so I decided to do one that's all pictures and well a few words. :) These are just some snapshots of the fun things Cody and I got to do this summer.

We went to Shreveport, Louisiana to celebrate our anniversary! Here's the beautiful Horseshoe Casino Hotel where we stayed. We were on the 27th floor and the room and the view were amazing!!

While we didn't go down to the casino, we did spend some time betting on the ponies! Of course Cody looked at the statistics and all that jazz. I just picked the ones that I thought were pretty!

Afterwards, we went out to dinner (Mexican food, yum!) then went down to the riverwalk. The sunset was incredible, but mostly I just remember having a great evening with my hubby.

When we weren't off having fun, Cody was working from daylight to dark. His old boss loved having him back in the tractor. Some days I was lucky and got to ride around with him... it was just as much fun as it was in high school.

Since Cody got to work pretty much seven days a week, I took the opportunity to visit my friends. Here's one of Maisie and I. We met during college and worked together at Foley's.

Okay, so not the best picture of me, but this was too good to leave out. Cody and I went to visit his brother down near Austin. While we were there we got to visit one of our old friends who happened to have set up a deer feeder in his front yard. Now he has about a dozen deer who visit every evening to eat corn out of his hands.

One last thing I wanted to mention... I got to spend the summer with my favorite doggy! Bo is our dog who lives with Cody's parents. He is very lazy and absolutely loves green grapes. What can I say, he takes after both his parents. I like green grapes too!!

Ready or not, here they come!

Yep, I know what you are thinking... Who is this person that finally updates her blog? I know it's a shock, but I finally have my camera charged, my pictures loaded, and I'm ready to give you the epic tale of my summer. It all started long ago in a far away land.... Haha! What can I say? I'm in a good mood today! Life has finally put me in a place where I look forward to each new day. More to come on that. For now, we will start with the beginning and see how far we can get.

So I spent my summer in Texas visiting my family and my friends. I saw my Grandmother and Grandpa Duncan (you never ever ever call her grandma because that sounds "old"), my Grandpa Stiles, along with some aunts and uncles and cousins. I spent many weekends camping out on Robin's couch when I just needed a friend (thank you so much). My sister moved home, and I think we are both grateful for that time we spent together (even though there were a few moments where neither of us would have said so). I got to spend time with my mom and Cody's parents, all of whom went above and beyond to give us that great feeling of being home. Overall, it was a great summer and one I will never forget.

While I did lots of stuff, the time I spent with my family and friends is what made it so special for me. The next posts will be about the stuff, but I wanted to do this one as a big THANK YOU to everyone who made our summer what it was.

My favoritest students ever!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet up with some of the best kids in the world. The McKnights lived in St. Maarten, and I was lucky enough to get to help with their homeschooling for a little while. Anyway, they happened to be in Dallas, so Cody and I drove up and met them all for lunch at The Grande Lux Cafe. It was an awesome restaurant and the company was even better. I'm so impressed with how well they are doing in school and how much they have grown since I saw them last. 

This is a picture of Michelle and I (and McKenzi's helpful hands). She's an awesome mom and teacher. Thanks, Michelle, for the chance to get to see you all again. I miss you!

Good friends are hard to find

This is just a short post to let my friend, Robin, know how much I love her! We were roommates in college, and I love the fact that I'm back in Texas where I can go see her whenever I want. In fact, she has let me escape to her house twice since I've been back in the states for some much needed R & R, and a little therapeutic shopping too! She bought my favorite foods, and took me to my favorite stores. 

So the lesson here is, when you find a great friend hang on to them with all you have! I'm very grateful to have friends like Robin in my life who make everything just a little easier. Thanks girl!

He loves me....

That's the only explanation I have for why Cody would agree to get me a new shiny car. He loves me! Yesterday, we went down to the dealership looking at cars and trucks. He kinda wanted a truck, and I kinda wanted a car. After looking at our options, we both agreed on a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT. I'm pretty surprised that I got financed for it, but I'm super happy I did. It's pretty much fully loaded, and SO SO SO much nicer than the Nissan Sentra we had on the island. Here's a few pictures though they really don't do it justice. The second one is after we got the windows tinted.

Can I Move to California.....?

Please, please, pretty please!!!! 

So, I've been blog-stalking again... One of my closest friends, Jill, is really good about keeping up with her blog (unlike someone you may know). After looking through her pictures with her two adorable daughters, I'm realizing how VERY much I miss them. So this is my ploy to nudge Cody in that direction. :)

Very sly, I know! Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for us that everything goes well, that Cody passes his Step 1 of the USMLE, and that I get to hang out with Jilly-Bean by the end of the summer. *big cheesy grin*

5th Semester Bash!

This weekend Cody and I went to a terrific party. It was the 5th Semester Party hosted by Cody's class. It was held at the Sonesta Great Bay Hotel in Philipsburg. This is basically an opportunity for everyone to get dressed up, have dinner, a few drinks, and lots of dancing. The girls and the guys all looked amazing. Here's a few of my favorite pictures from the evening...

Ashley and I looking GORGEOUS!

The girlfriends... Megan, Hanna, Me, and Stephanie

Cody, Rachel, Geneva, and Chuck

One of my newest friends, Amanda, and I

The classic shoe picture - left to right - Steph, Geneva, Me

The Laundry Fiasco...

Okay, so some of you have heard my stories about how I do the laundry, but now I have proof. For those of you who didn't believe my crazy island setup, here's how it works. First, I have to run the connection hose through my kitchen window. Then I walk outside and hook it up to the waterhose, making sure it doesn't leak. 

Of course this means that the washing machine has be set up close to our kitchen window. Therefore, we have it just inside the front door. (Definitely not my first choice, but what can you do?) In the picture below, the blinds are covering the front door, but you get the idea. 

Okay, so once I have everything all hooked up through the window, I have to make sure that the drain hose is in the sink and that there is a bottle of detergent weighing it down. If there is nothing to way it down, the pressure of the water flowing out pushes it out of the sink and we wind up with a flooded kitchen. Yes, it has happened more than once. Did you know they make squeegees with really long handles? We have one attached to a broom handle that comes in really handy when this happens.

After the laundry is all done washing (and with luck, no flooded kitchen), everything goes on the drying rack with a fan to help dry all our clothes. You guessed it... no dryer! Am I grateful to have the opportunity to live in the Caribbean? ABSOLUTELY! Am I going to be grateful for a washer and dryer when we get back to Texas? HECK YES! Have I made Cody promise to buy me the fanciest set on the market as soon as we can afford it? You can bet money on that. :)

Making a List and Checking It Twice!

Holy Smokes! How did it get to be 5th semester?? And where HAVE I BEEN?

Well, I can't believe it, but it's here... We are nearly to the end of 5th semester which means a lot of things. First, it means that Cody is studying like CRAZY. There are comprehensive exams, shelf exams, physical exams, behavioral exams. You name the exam, and I can tell you he's probably studying for it. Second, it means that we are getting ready to go home in just 5 short weeks. I know, I can't believe it either... seriously. We've bought the plane tickets, got our cats confirmation numbers for the flight, got their shots up-to-date, and now I'm getting rid of my stuff! That's where the list comes in. I'm packing up what we don't need, and I'm getting rid of it. Good golly it's a lot of work. 

So where the heck have I been for two months?? 

WELL, I wish you could see my calendar that I use to keep up with my school assignments. It is almost as jam-packed as Cody's is. Most of you know this, but I'm taking 9 semester hours of course work for my master's degree this semester. I know it's crazy, but I'm gonna be finished this summer! *Crosses fingers* But for now, I have papers coming out the wood-work with no end in sight. *sigh* This week it's two papers, a formal outline, and a midterm. Wish me luck....

Rachel

who is sick of research papers

Happy Birthday to me!

For my birthday (the big 25) Cody took me on a trip to Saba, which is an island we can see right out our front door. It was really neat to get to see another Caribbean island. I kind of thought they would all be the same, but boy was I wrong! Saba reminded me more of a tropical rainforest than anything else. The towns (all 4 of them) were very charming. People were NICE and thought very highly of the medical students on the island. It was very refreshing. 

The cottages where we stayed were super cute. They were on the side of a hill looking out over the ocean. There was no a/c, but the cottages were completely open. The kitchen and the bathroom were technically outside. It got a little cool at night, but it was nice just to feel the breeze. The picture above is the view from our kitchen /porch area.

Anyway, our big adventure while we were there was to hike Mt. Scenery (basically to the top of the island). As you can see, the top of the mountain is actually in the clouds. And the picture really doesn't do it justice. On a side note, when you are climbing to the top there are 1,067 concrete steps, and more than a few uphill slopes. Yes, you are looking UPHILL in the picture below...

There were a few times that we both questioned our sanity, but we made it to the top. Yay! We sat at the top for about 30 minutes, but we really couldn't see much because of the cloud cover. It was fun anyway. We had a blast and enjoyed the rest of our weekend relaxing in the cottage.