Amelia Bedelia and Me.

Growing up I loved to read Amelia Bedelia. I am shocked by how many people have not heard of these books. MAN, you really are missing out. They are so cute.

Maybe the reason I love Amelia Bedelia so much is because I can relate to her. If I had to pick a character out of a book that was most like me she just might be it. haha.

If you aren't familiar with her let me tell you who she is. Amelia Bedelia is a house keeper who has the best intentions. However, she ends up doing everything wrong. For Instance, in one of my favorite books of her she is given a list of things to complete while the home owners are away for the day.

This list includes things like:

1. Dress the turkey.
2. Draw the curtains

Amelia literally put the turkey in a cute little dress and bonnet. And then she proceeds to sit in front of the curtains and draw the most lovely picture of the windows and curtains. haha. Amelia takes everything literally.

I have found myself doing that over the years when people tell me to do things. Maybe not to the extreme Amelia does them though. haha.

I looked these books up on Amazon yesterday and read through one. They are only like 3 dollars each. They are for sure being added to my book collection one day when I have children.

What children's books are your favorite?



On a slightly different note but one that still makes me incredibly blonde like Amelia Bedelia, I have just learned two new important things in life:

1. Whenever I was going to pay for gas with cash at the gas station, I would sit there and literally try to count out the exact amount the gas costs. You guys know this is a challenge for me. I even asked once that the guy behind the counter help me with the math. This was due to the fact that I thought if you went over in how much you paid them, they got to keep the extra money. My friend just informed me the other day that if you over pay all you have to do is walk back in and get your change. MAN. That could've saved me a lot of trouble. I have given several gas stations extra money.

2. I just learned that Alaska is above California and Washington. Not above New York. I told Jonathan we should just drive up there sometime. HAHA. He was like,"That would take many many days." You know, I used to think you had to take a boat to get to Alaska. Then I learned it was attached to Canada and you can drive. Now I am learning it is on the opposite side of the United States than I thought it was. My friend Sarah Beth told me this isn't my fault because on every map they put Alaska in a little box like it's floating in the middle of nowhere. haha.

I agree with Sarah Beth. This is not my fault. ha.

Turning 24.

Twenty Four. It doesn't seem that old, right? I think it kind of does to me. Mainly because once I reach 25 I am on the upward slope to 30. And then I will just keep ascending into this incline of oldness. haha. Is oldness even a word? Apparently it is, because spell checker isn't even correcting it with that little red squiggle.

My best friend told me, "Now that you are 24 we have to have a night of facials and makeovers". Hmm....does that mean that my age is starting to wear on me? In some ways I feel that way.

As I get older, my birthdays have been marked with things that remind me I am no longer a child. This year specifically. This year my birthday was full of people. Friends. Family. Co-workers. And a reminder that this is what matters the most in life. Relationships.

I have been given a husband who will cook a wonderful breakfast for me. Who knows all my favorite things. Who knows me. Someone who will drive thirty minutes to hang a happy birthday banner in a tree at my work place and have everyone stare at him like he's a freak just to make me smile on my birthday. One who will buy me gifts. But more importantly will remind me of his love all day long. And who more importantly will encourage me to do what's right. And remind me of what it looks like to be a loving and forgiving person.

I am blessed.

I have been blessed with a wonderful family. Who drove down to eat dinner with me for only an hour or so. So that they could celebrate my birthday with me. Who baked me a cake and brought me gifts. And not just on my birthday, but every day make me feel loved and appreciated. This is the kind of family who would do anything for me if I needed them to. The kind that would love me regardless of what I did to hurt them. The kind that is peaceful and full of love. The kind that taught me about christ and what really matters in life. The kind that has done so much for me I could never repay them.

I couldn't ask for a better family. God has blessed me beyond measure with them.


I have been blessed with an amazing group of friends. The kind of friends who would drop anything for me. The kind who will travel 9 hours to be there days early for my wedding. They will sweat and not worry about themselves getting ready for the wedding in order to help out. Friends who care about me enough to look me in the face and tell me when I'm wrong. The kind of friends who if I called them and said I was upset and needed them right then would drive to come see me any time, day or night. The kinds of friends who will get me tickets to Beauty in the Beast all the way in Atlanta and pay for all the expenses of the trip.

They are great. That's just what they did. For my birthday they drove with me down to Atlanta to watch a broadway show. They decorated the house in balloons and streamers and got me presents. They did way more than they ever should have. To show me that they care about me. I'm very undeserving.


When I got to work yesterday my co-workers had decorated my cubicle. They had baked me a birthday cake. Everyone wished me a happy birthday and stopped by to ask me what my plans were for the day and things like that. I am grateful to work at a place where people genuinely care about one another.

Most importantly, I have been blessed with a Savior. One who loved me and saved me from eternity in hell. There is nothing in me that should make Him do this. But He did it anyways. And is an example to me of how to live my life. A savior who brings hope into the worst of circumstances. Who makes it possible to truly live this life.

I am such a blessed person. I was reminded of that on my birthday.

As I get older and am no longer sheltered from the weight of this world and it's troubles, I realize this more and more. God has been very gracious on my life.

I have seen my family and friends hurting because of hardships coming into their lives. People on the verge of losing husband's to cancer that they just married. Families in danger of losing a father at such a young age it breaks my heart. And this has all reminded me, especially on my birthday, that I have been given the greatest gifts in the world. I should not take them for granted. And I should live life to the fullest.

Gifts don't matter. They do fade or go out of style. They fall apart and break. Relationships matter. And I have been given some amazing relationships.

So on my 24th birthday I was reminded of relationships. And how they are not always a guarantee. So I should not take them for granted. And how grateful I am for all the relationships in my life. God has blessed me. This birthday was a little sad in some ways, thinking about reality. But it was also a wonderful reminder.

Boyfriends, Ball Point Pens, and Colonscopes!

I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember how embarrassing it all was. Being a stranger in a foreign country. Struggling to communicate. Struggling to understand.

We were sitting at the concrete table in the orphanage yard. The kids were playing with whatever they could find: a stick, a can, a string, even a bird. One of the fellow workers had just said it out loud. And I was sitting there perplexed.

"Can I borrow your boyfriend?"

HUH???? BORROW HIM? Well, he's in America. I don't think so. "What?"

"Can I borrow your boyfriend?"

I guess I'm going to have to get more direct. "NO. I mean, he's all the way in America. What do you mean borrow him?"

This was followed by loud laughter and pointing. "Can I borrow your boyfriend". Finally Cameron helped me out of this situation (true friends would've helped sooner. haha. JUST KIDDING) ,"Jessica, he wants to borrow your ballpoint pen".

"OH. SURE".

Every moment in a foreign country is lived like this if you can't speak the language and they are attempting to speak english. Accents make it very hard to understand what someone is saying. I forgot how humiliating it all is. Until yesterday, when I relived this very scenario to a much bigger degree.

"Thank you for calling backup care advantage this is Jessica, how can I help you?"

"yes, I need vietnamese now."

"HUH"

I'll spare you the entire conversation. I realized the guy needed someone who could speak Vietnamese with him. HMM...I think we are a little short on those in our office. And in the Colorado office. I'm pretty sure those in the UK would be lost as well.

That's when I find out that we have a language line. A line you can call to get a translator on the phone. No one in my office had used it. So they handed me a piece of paper which I read quickly. I was still lost.

The First go round:

I gave them a call told them I needed a Vietnamese translator. I was told they were on the line so I begin with my normal spill.

I am STRUGGLING to communicate with this man. WHAT IS HAPPENING? I get frustrated and say,"Translator are you still on the line?" Dead silence. I'm pretty sure this isn't how this situation is supposed to play out. SO I have to put the poor man on hold again.

FINALLY, I conference call in a Vietnamese translator. So, I am speaking like I normally would but she is translating everything to him. he will then give his answer in Vietnamese and then she will translate back to me in English. This means everything takes twice as long.

I begin to register the man with our system. This takes a while. We have to know a lot of information. One of the pieces of information being their children's information (because we help people find care for their children). When I ask him the birth date of his child, he says he doesn't know and leaves the phone for five minutes. He comes back and says,"I think it's 1988". haha. OK?

SIDE NOTE: At this point everything they are saying to one another sounds like they are angry. I start wondering if they really are angry or if Vietnamese just sounds like an angry language?

This is when things start to click for me. This means his daughter is 22. Why would she need care? She's old enough to take care of herself. Maybe they do it differently in Vietnam?

I begin to ask him why he needs care for his 22 year old daughter?

The response was shocking. And imagine hearing a long diatribe in Vietnamese. Then the translator comes on (a woman),"I am not understanding why you are asking me about my daughter's birthday. I just need a colonoscope and was calling to see if it was covered?"

This is when all who know me will maybe be able to sympathize. I burst out laughing. I realize. THIS IS THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME TO LAUGH. What is wrong with me? Why couldn't I hold it in? This is so unprofessional. I'm two years old. Since when was a Colonoscope so hilarious? It's not. But I was laughing. The Translator didn't translate that. I guess it's universal.

I pulled myself together to tell the guy that he meant to get in touch with his health insurance to discuss this matter. I directed him to his HR department.

And then, I felt awful. Because I realize it must be really hard for him to figure things out if he can't speak english. The Poor guy just needs to stay healthy. And I realize just how hard it is to figure things out in a world where you can't speak the language. So I felt for him later. Especially that he wasted 45 minutes of his life on the phone with me for no reason.

I am angry at myself for laughing at all the worst possible moments. And this is definitely a pattern that has been consistent over my entire life. Something to work on.

By the end of the phone call I was literally sweating. Oh man. I didn't realize that this could even happen to me at this job. But next time I will be prepared. And it will probably, once again, take me back to my time in the Philippines. Where every day was this way.

Dust.: a beast of an enemy.

This is going to be a very girly post. I will go ahead and apologize to any guys who might read. Including my husband. Although, he is required to listen to me even if I am saying something completely girly. He's the one that is not allowed to run in the other direction. haha. LUCKY!!! Right Jonathan?

For the past couple years of my life I have had issues with dusting. No one makes a good product. NO ONE. You end up dusting and there will be oil spots, streaks, things that dry leaving random puddles of things. I've always hated dusting. Because you have to move everything in order to do it. Only to have to put it back. But the thing I hate the most about dusting? It's greasy. It's nasty. And when you get done you have no satisfaction. You can be satisfied that the dust is gone (cause it is). But you are dissatisfied as well looking at all the random streaks and spots on your furniture. My poor husband. For the longest he would leave his books on his night stand. I would come along, dust, and put them back. Next time he went to pick up the pile he got oil all over his hands. I have tried :

1.

2.

3.



I have even just tried using a duster. NONE of it works.

But, don't be distraught thinking there is no answer. Because recently, I found this:




It's the answer to all of my dusting issues. Seriously. It comes out in a wonderful light mist. It doesn't leave things oily. It helps resist dust for a week. And it makes everything shiny and like new. I couldn't really ask for more. Now lets hope they don't take it off the market like all my other favorite things. haha.

Really, if you were an old woman like me you would realize how exciting this is. What's more exciting? I got my bottle for one dollar. Cause I had a coupon and it was doubles week at Harris Teeter. haha.

One more good thing: It is also anti-alerginic....meaning it won't make you sneeze. Which is an added plus because Jonathan is allergic to everything.

That still doesn't make up for all the money wasted on the most awful dusting products ever. But at least we are making progress.

Maybe you can benefit from all my knowledge? ha

A Recap of 2010!

Now for a recap of the year 2010:

1. In January: I turned 23 and there was the biggest snow fall I have EVER seen.







2. In February: Mine and Jonathan's first nephew/neice was born: JONAH ZAVIER MELIN!




3. In March: My little sister turned 14. WOW! Still can’t believe it.



4. In April: I experienced my first Hurricanes Hockey game.




5. In May: Me and jonathan had our last date before we got married at the cutest little drive in. Jonathan moved into our new apartment!







6. In June: : I got married June 12th and then went on a honeymoon to Paris and Switzerland!!!! And it was my last month working at Chick Fil A.











7. In July: Jonathan finally turned 23. Haha. And I got to go on vacation with my family to Gatlinburg. I stared a new job at an eye doctor’s office as a technician.






8. In August: I saw Mary Poppins Broadway in Charlotte, NC with my girlfriends!





9. In September: Me and Jonathan went to Washington D.C. for the first time (well that, we could remember anyways). I got to visit Grace on the way back home at the IMB ranch in Virginia! Jonathan entered a drum competition and did an AWESOME job! HE made it past the first round and in my opinion, was jipped out of going farther. I lost my job at the eye doctor’s office. It was an eventful month.






10. In October: Me and Jonathan got our pumpkin from a pumpkin patch. Something I have never done before. And we carved it into the Eiffel Tower. We also had a Halloween party with our friends.





11. In November: On November 8th, I started my new job at Workplace Options. One of the best places I could work I believe. I also got to go home for the first time in five months for Thanksgiving! It was a wonderful visit!







12. In December: I had a White Elephant gift party with my friends at my apartment. An Ornament gift exchange party with some friends. Attempted to make cake balls (more complicated than it appears). And Me and Jonathan had quite an adventure getting our first tree together. My favorite thing though is that we went home for Christmas. It was a WHITE CHRISTMAS! I only wish we could see family more often!







It has been a good and eventful year! I imagine it will be hard for 2011 to beat 2010. I mean, afterall, I did GET MARRIED and go to Europe!! haha. But I am looking forward to it being a good year!

My New Year's Resolutions (which I have avoided making for the past couple years now):

1. Read through the entire bible again.

2. Memorize a chapter of of the Bible (haven't decided which one yet).

3. Work on one aspect of my personality that needs improvement.

4. Lose 5 pounds.