Big Band Music is Great!!

So tonight we (Jason, Bekki and David Simpson and me of course), went to the Redlands Bowl to watch the Glenn Miller Orchestra perform. It was so cool! I absolutely LOVE Big Band music and this had songs ranging from Little Brown Jug to Pennsylvania 6-5000 to In the Mood. It was so so so so fun. Lol, we ended up seeing Jana and family there, although they had to leave due to the fact that her kids start school tomorrow. OMW DID YOU KNOW MARISA IS GOING INTO THE 9TH GRADE??? Crazy!!!! Anyway, lol it was such a wonderful night.... Just everything, from the company, to the music, to the atmosphere... *Sigh* Lol... I think I am forgetting some stories here, but oh well! Lol, Bekki will probably fill them in for me!

SURPRISE!!

Lol, so I was thinking that this weekend would turn out quite uneventful... It kind of did! Friday, I have no clue what I did... at all... All I remember is Bekki and I went to the mall that evening and neither of us found anything. We even went to Kohl's.... again... nothing. Oh well, then the next day, my brother's and I left the house around 2:40 to head up to Burbank to be there in time for their 4 pm service (well really to see the Montanos, otherwise we wouldn't have known about it). Little did we know that on the drive our lives would flash in front of our eyes. Jason is going around congratulating himself for making us wait a few seconds longer while he went and grabbed some much needed items in the house. While we were on the 210 getting ready to come up to the 134 junction, we saw an accident. A car that was in the 2nd lane closest to the right, swerved to the right, and must have been hit because it swerved again, except to the left and flew across the other 2 lanes and into the carpool lane (for some reason I had decided against taking the carpool lane earlier) and hit the median spun around to where it faced the right direction again, and then pulled over to the shoulder in the carpool lane area. 3 cars had pulled over so we didn't pull over, but when I saw this happen I (along with almost everyone else) came to almost a stop on the freeway, by the time we stopped we were only a few hundred feet from the accident... it was crazy, and it was God that kept us from being the one in the accident... Needless to say, after seeing that, my brothers became very paranoid about every little thing, LOL... It was entertaining listening to them. So anyway, we went had a wonderful service, hung out with Sarah, Nicole, and Bekki at BJ's and then headed home (with me driving again lol)....

So, Sunday was supposed to be uneventful as well. It was my last time to lead Children of Praise, ILC's Children's Choir, and they did a wonderful job. After we finished I tried to get them to leave and they were just staring at me, hahaha I went over to the first girl and put my hand on her back to push her along, and then realized that Jana had something up her sleeve!!! Marisa walks into the auditorium with a bouquet and I immediately felt my face getting red. Now, most of you know it is hard for me to get embarrassed, but I actually felt totally embarrassed because I was unprepared for that. She announces to everyone that this was my last time and that I would be going away..... Well here is the surprise for those of you who don't know.... Yes, I am going away.... to Indiana Bible College... *Surprise*!!! Lol. So after that, I have had what felt like everyone in the church come up to me and say something. Thankfully everyone has been extremely positive about it. I am excited that I get to go, and wish for the best. My brothers and I leave to drive out to Indiana on Friday, August 8. So in about 11 days from now. It came up pretty fast, but all is going smoothly. I know I know, I just graduated with my BA, but I think this will (as Sharon says) only enhance what I have already achieved. So there it is... Lol, it still is almost 2 weeks away, so I am enjoying Cali while I have a chance! I will keep you updated on it all!!

Goodbye QTQS, Goodbye Cal State..

My office window is the last window on the top right of the building (by the cylindar looking part)

Well, after being here on campus for 4 interesting years. I am actually leaving it all. Crazy... It is my last day, and I don't know what to do lol! I have already cleared my office of all my personal belongings, and have moved my personal folder that is on this computer onto my flash drive. So all I need to do is delete my explorer name, and voicemail. I haven't even worked for Quality Teachers for Quality Students a year yet, but when I started, there was no one else involved. So I am the one that helped recruit all the present participants. I have had so many emails, and people stopping by and phone calls, I feel so appreciated! My boss was supposed to stop by today, but something came up and she just told me she wants to schedule a lunch date before I leave. I will miss it all. California State University, San Bernardino really is a beautiful campus, but I don't think I will miss it too much. Lol. But it did give me some wonderful memories and friends!!! Oh well, I am on to bigger and better things now!!! :) (not only that but I will get paid for a few weeks even after I leave!! God is good!!!)

Why me???? AGAIN!

So, if I thought that my electronics problems were bad the other night, (oh and thank you Bekki for the wonderful Ode that was placed on our Random Blog) than SURPRISE! I had another *think* coming to me! Today has not been a good computer day for me at work. I am surprised that the computer has not shut down on me already. But I know it wouldn't hurt it since the blogger program automatically saves the post as draft every few minutes. Well, as I told Sarah, I was about to commit computer homicide.... well since then I have realized you can only commit homicide if you kill a HUMAN.... so, I guess I can't commit computer homicide. But I have come to the conclusion that if I pick up the CPU and throw it out of my window. I will no longer have the same problem after it falls 4 stories!

So, not only is my computer giving me problems, but my beautiful, lovely, wondermous BlackBerry Pearl has decided it doesn't like me...

I think that this is NOT a good electronics week for me! But, where would we be without them. Honestly. I could NOT work with out the computer. My boss and I communicate mainly through email. The same with most of the members of our program. To get to my paperwork, I have to go online. Otherwise, it wouldn't work the same. It is so frustrating sometimes. I have already contacted our Departments Technical person, and he said he would stop in Monday, I haven't heard a word from him. HMPH! Phooey!!! I give up! lol. Pray that I keep a good attitude lol

*** Oh and as soon as I had finished posting this, my computer shut down :~P***

Just Call Me Grace!!!

Well.... I almost feel as if I should defend myself. Sarrah Dillon wrote a short epistle on a portion of my life.... Falling. Falling is something that I do almost daily. It is a way of life with me, a friend once told me that I should ask around to see if they would give "Frequent FALLER Miles"! LOL. Hey it happens to the best of us right? I mean, my feet always seem to lead me in the direction of the nearest uneven ground, or a small dip that I don't notice. I think my church has just become used to me falling. I told Adam Pierce that I would take on a new persona when I move, and actually become graceful! He told me that I shouldn't do that, because I wouldn't be Erica if I did! HAHA besides, it comes naturally anyway, ESPECIALLY if I start telling myself "Don't trip Erica, don't trip!" Now I have to start thinking "Don't think about tripping Erica, or else you will!" I have started doing that especially on the platform. I always feel as if everyone is holding their breath waiting for me to make it off the platform without tripping. Sunday Morning I felt like an idiot. I tried to turn to leave to fast and had to grab the choir mic so I wouldn't fall forward off the choir loft. I have learned my lesson. DO NOT act too confident. LOL. I have also learned to look where I am I walking before I walk. I have fallen down the steps off the platform during preservice prayer... Did my friends that saw me offer to help? Of COURSE NOT!! They sat there laughing! I just raised my hands and acted like I was travailing! LOL And that is just a SMALL SMALL portion of how I live! Lol, oh well... My Mom shoulda named me Grace as my middle name.... Erica Grace.... Yeah right! LOL

Why???

Why does technology have to be painful??? Ok, so long story short, I had a long night last night, lol... I got home close to 3 am... Yes my mom knew where I was! LOL. Then today was a lazy, yet long day. I woke up at 9:30, cleaned a little, and before I knew it, it was time for dinner with my uncle and my family. MMMMM and a good dinner it was too!!! Anyway, all I did was mention some downloads my Uncle Marty had done for Jason, little did I know that I would totally monopolize his time!!! So, we have dinner early normally, we were done eating around 5:20. So I will say that we started trying to download a Bible program on my BlackBerry around 6. Well.... my Uncle left around 8:15.... so over TWO HOURS to TRY to get that program off the computer and onto my phone.... Oh if you are wondering.... No it is not on my phone.... In fact it is on the desktop of my computer, and I am frustrated with it. I felt so bad for my Uncle. Now I do NOT consider myself a computer whiz, but I normally have no problem with programs and such, but... this... this thing is EVIL! Lol well maybe not completely, but I think it hates me. It really does. Oh well, one of these days I WILL conquer it!

An Addiction??

Most of you who know me know that I LOVE Starbucks. I go to Starbucks at least (MOM DO NOT READ THIS!!!) 5 sometimes 6 times a week. And depending on who I am with **cough** bekki**cough** I will go more than that. As a rule, I have coffee every morning, whether I get it at home, or I make an emergency stop on the way to work. Well.... Anyone remember that diet I was on a while back??? Yeah the week long one that I lost 12 pounds on? (And before you say it Jana, I actually was considered overweight for my age and height lol sad but true) Well.... I have gained a lot of that back. Some of that is the way I eat of course and also, my Starbucks! I have been trying to eat healthier and I tried to stay away from Starbucks for awhile, but the need for it won out in the end. So the past 2 days I have been trying to compensate for not drinking coffee, I bought the Crystal Light Energy, but it still doesn't have that Kick! LOL. Justin tells me that it is all in my mind, and sometimes I wonder, but then I get headaches that are only eliminated by caffeine. UGH!!! It is so frustrating, I know everyone always says "well then exercise". Ok the only time I have to exercise is at 6 am. I can't even wake my DOGS up at 6 am, they sleep harder then me after my parents let them out at 5. I have something every night, this summer has NOT been restful at all. I have practices twice a week 7-??? depending which one it is, if I don't have practice I have something else going on, it has been crazy. Lol, Bekki and I started playing raquetball, but stuff just kept coming up so that stopped... So there are my reasons for not exercising (although I could exercise starting the 28th since I won't have a job anymore, but you didn't hear that from me) So.... the easiest way to do this is pray that God takes the weight/inches off... LOL "you don't need to lose weight or inches" You say? Well if not then WHY did my Mom laugh at me when I measured myself for a skirt today????? LOL! Anyway, I am done ranting and raving! Lol Jana I am trying to "Hold on" not "let it go". Now, Bekki and I just need to go shopping for new clothes since my regular ones have decided they wanted to shrink

What is Your Habit?

I was texting Sarah yesterday (big surprise there huh? lol!!!), and I mentioned something about her making a habit (and of course she denied it). But that got me to thinking about habits. Then I read Jana's blog, and then Bekki's from yesterday. That made me actually start smelling smoke :P. I even pulled out the trusty dictionary and the first definition I saw was "an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary". I looked down the list and saw this one "mental character or disposition." These both made me start thinking, what do I do involuntarily?? I go to church, but I do that because I honestly LOVE going to church! So that is a good habit to keep. I started looking at the things I do daily, eating, reading, running late to work.... especially running late to work. I realize that may be my biggest habit that needs to be broken. My mom would ask, are you going to eat??? My response? "Can't I'm running late." That started making me wonder if that would be how I answer God? "Are you going to talk to me today??" "Sorry God, can't I am running late." "Well how about looking at my love notes to you???" "Sorry God, can't I am running late." Sadly this is how my life has been lately. I can't say that God and I have actually had this conversation per se, but this has been my life as of late. A song keeps coming to my mind, I have been singing it for awhile now,

"There He was just waiting
In our old familiar place
An empty spot beside Him
Where once I used to wait

To be filled with strength and wisdom
For the battle of the day
I would've passed Him by again
But I clearly heard Him say

I miss My time with you
Those moments together
I need to be with you each day
And it hurts me when you say
You're too busy, busy trying to serve Me
But how can you serve Me
When your spirit's empty
There's a longing in My heart
Wanting more than just a part of you
It's true
I miss My time with you

What will I have to offer
How can I truly care
My efforts have no meaning
When your presence isn't there
But You'll provide the power
If I take time to pray
So Ill stay right here beside You
And you'll never have to say

I miss My time with you
Those moments together
I need to be with you each day
And it hurts me when you say
You're too busy, busy trying to serve Me
But how can you serve Me
When your spirit's empty
There's a longing in My heart
Wanting more than just a part of you
It's true
I miss My time with you"

To think that God would be waiting for ME to talk to Him... He wants us to WANT to talk to Him. It is so true, He is a gentleman, He will not force you. He wants His people to praise Him and love Him of their own free will. And He wants them to start realizing... that they miss THEIR time with Him.... And I do... I miss my time with Him

What Day is it???

One of the reasons I HAD to write a new post was because if you would scroll down JUST a bit, there are 45+ comments on the last post!!! LOL so I figured why not write a new post and allow a more easily accessible comment view... Cuz you know my fingers were just getting so tired of scrolling all the way down to the bottom to see the newest comment! ridiculous!!!

Anyway, have you ever woke up and wondered what am I doing up???? Who am I, where am I??? WHY??? Lol, well if you haven't one day you may. Today I woke up wondering why I couldn't see, and where I was and wanting to go back to bed. Lol "alas" (that was for Bekki) I found out the reason why. I had forgotten to take my contacts out last night (stupid right? But it does happen to the best of us) and they had decided during the night that they did NOT like my eyes. So I tried to rewet them and put them back into my eyes. But nooooo.... My right eye took it just fine, my left eye threw a fit. So here I was with a puffy, bright red, leaking left eye and needing to get ready for work. Oh well, at least I am alive! Although I felt like a COMPLETE nerd on the way to work with my glasses on, and sunglasses ON TOP of my glasses because the sun made my eyes extra sensitive! Needless to say, here I sit at work wondering why I am even writing this.

I AM SO RANDOM!!!!!!

Yet ANOTHER Eventful Weekend

Ok, so Friday was not so eventful. Other than everyone in the house was up around eightish...ish...ish. Lol. And then started cleaning.... and cleaned.. and packed and cleaned and packed. That was pretty much all we did all the way up until 10 something that night! (well... with a few breaks here and there). Then Saturday, we got up to the smell of my mom cooking and baking. I told Nicole it smelled like Thanksgiving in my house! We ended up having some close family friends over, the Jones family, the Sablan family, the Davis family and the Lee Jr family (lol Tiffany Randy and babies). The food was wonderful and the fellowship marvelous! Lol when Tiff got there I stole her newest addition, Ryan, he is SUCH a doll! And then took Baby Randy for awhile. It was so funny watching him crawl all over the place, and then go up to the dogs and get scared and try to get away as fast as he could! It was fun!

Well they were all gone by about 5:30, and Bekki had told me that we wanted to meet at 6:30 because we wanted to see..... fireworks! So, Bekki, Tasha, Laura, Brittany, Jennifer, Maria, Jonathan, Jason, Julian, Jimi, Johnny, and of course little ol me went to the Colton high school to go view the fireworks. Now in our area, you normally get to fireworks early to get a spot and bring something to entertain you, well Bekki was so cool and brought some games. We played pit for awhile, and then played Liar. It was fun! And then at 9 pm the 30 minute show started. Well... I had an issue after it finished, so I quickly walked to my car, like the lady I was talking about how beautiful the night was, and ever so slowly made my way to to the nearest facilities. I parked ever so wonderfully and slowly made my way inside Starbucks Afterward Bekki, Laura, Brittany, Tasha, Jonathan, Jennifer and I sat around enjoying each others company and conversations lol.

Then Sunday morning started revival with my uncle Bro. Martyn Ballestero, what I thought was really neat was that Adam Pierce's (our Sunday School college class leader) message just tied in so well with the worship service message that my uncle preached! It was so awesome! They both touched on wanting Jesus, His Word and all that comes with it more than anything. Then Sunday night my uncle preached another awesome service, and afterwards we went to the Booker's house where chaos already reigned lol. The grandkids were running around and when I walked in the door I was a little surprised by the bodies flying toward me lol! But we had wonderful food and a great time there as well with my cousins, the Berriers and all the Bookers (minus Joel and Erica).

I will post pictures as soon as I can get to my camera!

Busy, busy

I can't believe how fast time has passed since I got home from the trip! I feel as if I have not had a chance to do anything. Our program has recently hired a friend of mine, Naomi, to take over my position, and I have been training her. It makes me feel like I actually accomplish things at work now. I would have loved having someone in my office everyday like this!!! It keeps me from becoming bored, so I actually have to find things to do and for her to do! It has been fun! Dr. Hwang has been so good to me, I am definitely going to miss working for her. She has even asked if I can continue working for her through phone and email for a few weeks after my last day, due to them needing answers for paperwork and other business items I have dealt with. It has been a job that I would so take again. Hopefully my next job (as my mom so aptly said) pays me this good. Pray saints pray!!!

This is a holler out for my traveling friends!!! I miss you already! lol! Heather, I was looking for you to sit by at church last night, but then remembered you weren't there, I hope you don't stay too bored. Daryn, some strange people were sitting in your seat. And Erica I hope you have a safe trip I'll miss you lots!

Oops... back to work time! No more break for me :-p

Our last trip to Fresno (for now)

Well, once again this weekend was quite eventful! Not only did I go to the Pantages Thursday (as you already know), we (Jason, Justin and I) left Friday morning to spend our 4th of July weekend with the Montanos! It was so much fun, but a lot of car time was involved lol. When we got there, we snacked and played Skip-Bo, then ate. When it started getting dark we played volleyball and got to see some of the fireworks. The boys were staying with the Montano's family who lives on the property, so their cousins came over for games after they got home from fireworks. We didn't get to bed until late, well really early that morning, and then got up around 7ish to go to outreach. After outreach we headed up to Yosemite to have a picnic! It was so so so beautiful, but the drive was not an hour hehehe. Poor Nicole drove and all together it was about a 5 hour drive (is that close enough??). But the chicken salad sandwiches were wonderful and the fruit salad and just everything. Then we left and went back to get ready for the play that night. Annie Get Your Gun, was so neat! I've loved the songs, but now I got to see the play too! Once again we stayed up rather late that night. The next day of course was church, we attended church in Pinedale that morning where I was told I was to sing, but the Lord moves in miraculous ways lol! There was just an altar call instead of a special! Then church that night was in Fresno, it was a wonderful service as well. Afterwards we went to Doghouse Grill and ate some WONDERFULL tritip sandwiches. Beau, Andy and Mark met us there, and the pictures you will see taken in the restaurant were mainly taken by Beau. Lol.

We left Fresno Monday morning. I was hoping that I could get back by noon to work, but I didn't get there til one because of some traveling problems lol. After dinner that night, I laid down to rest my eyes, and fell totally asleep (on the floor since I don't have a bed right now) and did not get up until 1 just to switch to the couch! And then I did not get out of bed until 7:30! So I should feel rested.... Strange enough, I don't! But I had fun and that is all that matters! I miss my friends

IT WAS AMAZING!

So I am going to have to write a pretty quick one due to the fact that we need to leave in about an hour for Fresno. My parents, Bekki and I went to Wicked at the Pantages Theater last night..... Oh my.... oh my!!! It was just incredible! If you have ever heard a bad report about that play disregard anything the person who saw it told you! I laughed and laughed and sighed and yes even cried! LOL I was still on a high even at In-N-Out! Lol! I so will not spoil the play for any of you that have never seen it, but the music was outstanding, the actors were amazing and the whole thing.... well I have to say it was literally awesome! I have never been to a professional play like that and believe me, it was a whole new world! SIGH! I would so go again and again and again! THANK YOU BEKKI!!! She made it happen for me! Bekki's blog will prob have more details on the play (we're depending on you Bekki lol). So now I am leaving for Fresno to spend the weekend with the Montanos!!! YAY! What an eventful life I lead! Lol I will try to post pictures now, if I don't you will see them.... eventually!

YAY!!!

Just wanted to drop a line and let everyone know (as if they care lol) that I was just informed that my diploma has been posted, which means I will be receiving it in a month. I was a LITTLE worried with my other friends having issues with grades and such. But I am so so so glad that there was not anything overlooked. Just knowing I am for sure done makes me want to give a huge sigh of relief! So this is probably the shortest post so far! But look for more! I plan on taking tons of pictures tomorrow at............. WICKED!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!