MC Dinner Auction

Hi all my family, friends and countrymen out there in blog land!





Our Masters Commission is having their first ever dinner auction this November 3rd. We are trying to raise money for approximately 30-40 individuals to go overseas to India and Thailand on a missions trip in February 2007. The past two years we have taken students to Singapore, Malayasia and Indnonesia.

This years trip will include visiting New Delhi, India, where we will be prayer walking and hopefully visiting some orphanages. As well as working with groups that are established in the area that have various ministries already established. It is never our intent to go to a country and start a new program, but instead to go there and support and uphold the work already being done by Christian men and women.

From India we will travel to Bangkok, Thailand. The details have not yet been finalized, but we may have the opportunity to travel to the north by Laos and work with an individual who has a church planted there. We are also hoping to help in some way with groups that work with the child prostitution that is so rampant in Bangkok.

I am asking if anyone who reads this, if you are able to donate some type of goods or materials that we can auction off. We are looking for gift certificates to restaurants, coffee shops, tourists activities from Seattle to Portland. We are also looking for contacts that can help us procure such items as cruises, airplane tickets, and even a NEW CAR! If you'd like to help out with a donation, please feel free to email me at mc@p4square.com You can also call me if you'd like at 206-276-9332. We have our church's 501-3C paperwork available for any who donates, as we are a non-profit organization and you receive a tax write off.

If you are interested in attending our dinner auction please let me know as well. Tickets are set at a very reasonable price (I believe a couple is $50 or thereabouts). We want to raise at least $30,000....but I am dreaming big and hoping for $$70,000--$100,000.

Thanks for looking! If you can't donate or attend the dinner auction, please keep us in your prayers!

Blessings
Rachel

Annoying Habits

This post is dedicated to my best friend Susana!

Do you have an annoying habit that bugs the crap out people? Do you belch in public? Do you twirl your hair? Ok...so here is my annoying habit....

....I, um...um...I don't sing the right words to songs! I'm most famously known for singing, "I can see clearly now, the sun is shining...!" I know, I know what a dork I am.

She gets quite irritated...well maybe not irritated, but she can't fathom why after so many years of her correcting me I still can't the words RIGHT! What are the correct words again?

And when I don't know words at all...I just simply make them up. And I think that life should be a musical. Don't you agree? You have a bad day...you break out in a song about how no one loves you...you have a great day, you and everyone surrounding you breaks out into this big song and dance routine...doesn't it sound great?

Anywho...just wanted to let you know a little bit more about me! What do you want me to know about you?

Susana....I promise to try and remember how to sing the songs, but you and I both know that probably isn't going to happen anytime soon...nor would I be the dorky best friend if I all of sudden remembered words to songs?!?

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

After working last night, I headed inside the Key Arena to watch the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill concert. It was kind of a long road into the concert though...at first I wasn't even going to go in, but just head home. However, I did decide to go watch a few minutes of it (might as well, as it was free for me!) with my fellow co-worker Wendy. As we are waiting around outside seeing if we have to do anything else for work, Flo our afternoon Traffic Diva was hanging around. She mentioned that a listener had sent her some tickets that he couldn't use...they were floor tickets (at this point we didn't know where on the floor), and she gave them to us!

So we go into the show, find our way down to the floor, get directed to the row that we are to be sitting in, and to our amazement......the usher pointed to the first chair said, "This is seat #1, you are #'s 12 and 13...all the way at the end". Where was the end of this row? Right next to the STAGE, SIX ROWS FROM THE FRONT!!! Double Whoa!!!

Oh, it was fantastic! Both Tim and Faith opened with a duet, then Faith sang for quite some time on her own. Then they both came back out...then just Tim, and then they finished together. She sounded wonderful and looked gorgeous...Tim was, well...Tim!




This is the view from where we were sitting. I was directly behind this man in the red shirt. Yes, I sat resting on the stage! Awesome!!



This is just about how close we got to Faith at points during the show. I was impressed by how well she sang! And she has tons of energy...I guess that's what being a mom of three does for you!


Some nice people behind us took all these pictures for us and emailed them to us. This is a shot that we specifically asked her to take...Tim's um..rear! Just lookin' Faith!



What a cute couple they make!


Tim again!

Ebay/IPod Update...Chomp Chomp

Ok, remember the last post I did I stated that I wanted to buy an IPod; however, something like that isn't in my budget right now. So I decided to do some power selling on Ebay...I've bought and sold before, but no power selling before. What is power selling you ask? Let me tell you...instead of just selling one or two items I had 40 some items up for sale...mostly stamp/craft stuff that I am not using anymore. So,I just finished my first round of power selling and how much did I make?

$182!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!! Even I was shocked....that means I only need another 100 bucks to buy my IPod...I'm going to get it much sooner than I thought. YEAH!!!!!!!!!

Ok..why the chomp chomp in the title?

I was at the post office mailing a few of my ebay sales off to those lucky recipients somewhere in this country...and standing behind me was this older gentleman (Older than me, but younger than 60). I started to hear this chomp, chomp, chomp noise...so I casuallly turn around to investigate. The guy behind me is blissfully unaware that the gum he is chewing is absolutely driving me nuts. Yes, the chomp, chomp, chomp noise was coming from this gum smacking imbecile. Now, I hate to be harsh and call people names, but seriously...do you have to chomp your gum in my ears????????????? UGH!!!!!!!!

And you know when you casually turn around to look at your surroundings, people usually get the hint if they are doing something obnoxious and stop. OH NO, not this guy...chomp, chomp, chomp...swish it to the other side...chomp, chomp, chomp. Lord, let him have to scrape gum off the bottom of tables when he gets to heaven!

Goals

Ok...I know that people normally make goals at the beginning of the year, but how many people actually keep those goals? And who said I was normal? Yeah, yeah you can quit laughing now!

So here are my goals for the next year...most are just things I want to do or buy...but goals nonetheless:

1. Buy plane ticket to go to California to visit my family for Christmas
2. Save money for trip to India and Thailand...MC mission's trip in February
3. Save money for trip to London and Paris...going with the family I live with next June
4. A 30GB IPod...want before my trips...using money I make off of Ebay to buy this
5. Trade my car in and buy a Jeep...soft top preferred...older model not new
6. Participate in a weekly small group...yes I know I should already be in one!
7. Move to California next June
8. Laugh more and enjoy life...wait I already do this! Yeah for me!

Do these sound selfish? I know I do a lot of things and travel a lot; however, since I'm not married and have no kids, I figure might as well do it now. I really just wanted to put these down so that I could see them and visualize what I am wanting to do this next year.

My Little Man!

My sister Shannon sent me this picture of my nephew Mason today! He is going to be 3 on August 26th...doesn't he look like a handsome young man? I love Mason and think he is one of the greatest kids out there! It is fun to talk with him on the phone...although he can be a bit tempermental and yell at people if they don't hand him the phone fast enough!!!

Mason, I love you, Love Auntie Rachel!!!

**After viewing my blog, the picture looks funny...don't know why,
so just ignore it! :)**

Water Fun

Point Defiance Zoo has a new play zone for kids! Part of the play area is water area that has water zipping up out of different areas...Dajia had a blast. She loves water and had so much fun getting wet.



This is Dajia soaking wet and having fun!





Dajia is face down over one of the holes where water spurts up out of. She'd seen water come out of it; however, didn't grasp the concept that water was going to come out again.



Here comes the water...watch out!




Standing in the water!




Point Defiance also has a new carosuel ride. Here's another place that Dajia screamed uncontrollably once we took her off (after two rides).

The Zoo!

Last week me, my sister Camille, niece Dajia, nephew Brandon and his friend Chris headed to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. It was a nice day, a bit hot, but not as hot as it had been the week before. My sister and I were trying to find something to do to spend time with our nephew Brandon who was up here visiting for six weeks (my sister and her family moved to Cali last summer).



Me and my baby sister Camille!



Dajia checking out the starfish and other "sea creatures" that you could touch inside the Aquarium.



My nephew Brandon, who was up here visiting my Dad for about six weeks. Hard to imagine he is 16 now and driving...where does the time go?



I love this picture even not being able to see Dajia's face. She was completely fascinated in the Aquarium. She loved all the fish and the sharks. She sat and stared and touched the glass like she could get to them. She screamed when we tried walking on to the next exhibit.



Me and the "Family" statue inside the park!

Saying Goodbye!

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying goodbye and don't know when you'll see that person again. My friend Chipo, who was an MC student this year, left today to go back home to Zimbabwe. She had been here in the states for quite a few years, as she was an exchange student in high school and then came to Washington to attend PLU where she graduated from a year ago. While at PLU she was on a student Visa. Once she decided on MC, we began working on changing her Visa to a religious visa, as her student visa was no longer valid. This was something we worked on all year. Unfortunately, a few months ago, we received final word that her Visa to stay in the States wasn't going to come through.

Not only was she an MC student, but we were roommates last summer as we took care of a Dementia patient, Tom! We had so much fun living together and getting to know one another. Who knew that a black girl from Zimbabwe would love TV so much and know so much about the show "Golden Girls"! We watched entirely too much TV last summer...going from the standard re-runs on every summer, to Disney (Hey from Raven), to GP's (Guilty Pleasures...those shows you don't want anyone to know you watch..."Dancing with the Stars!").

She is truly one young lady that I can count as a friend and a sister. Who knows what God has in store for her back home. She may be back in the States next year or she may never be back. I may get to go to Zimbabwe some time. What I do know is that God has ordained each and every step that we take, and Chipo's returning home is not an accident. If we never see each other on earth again, we will meet again in Heaven.

Cheeps...I love you! You are truly an amazing woman of God, and He will richly bless you for being obedient to Him about returning home. Think of all the people that you will be touching and blessing that you couldn't have done from the USA.

**Thanks Marcie for the picture**

More Vacation Pics!

I just had to share with you a few more pictures from my Disney Cruise Vacation. We had so much fun, and I was totally blessed to be able to go on this vacation.





This was a road sign on the Route 66 Road where all the bars/clubs were at on board. I just thought it was hilarious..."Nuts to You!"




Enjoying a little wine with dinner, at Animator's Palate on our last night of the cruise.




Tony and Helena...Susana's brother and wife from Spain. I love talking with Helena, my Spanish is non-existent and she speaks English fairly well. However, there are moments when the correct English terminology escapes her, and that is when we start laughing.





You never know who might just decide to take a walk around the deck in the afternoon. Repeat after me...I must always have my camera handy and ready! Me and Alexis were ready for our pic with Daisy Duck.





Me and Susana hanging out in one of the cool round windows outside Wave Bands...the club we went to every night to listen to music.





Aarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Who is this wench???





My favorite way to take a pic...take it by holding the camera and taking my own picture! This is me and Juana, Susana's mom. This is actually our second vacation together...she went with us to Spain a few years ago.





Me and Susana outside on Deck 10 at the Pirates in the Caribbean Deck Party!




These are some mean looking twin pirates. Laura and Virginia on Pirates in the Caribbean night!




I'm surprised he posed for this picture....Antonio in his pirate get up!

Castaway Cay

Disney has their own private island in the Bahamas called Castaway Cay. We were here on Tuesday of our cruise, and had a great time enjoying the scenery, the water and just being out in the sun. I went snorkeling with Susana's brother Tony, his son Antonio, and her other nephew RJ. It was a blast...so many cool fish to see, and Disney has "sunk" a ton of items to attract fish as well as to keep the snorkelers occupied.




An absolutely beautiful view of the sun breaking through the clouds at Castaway Cay





View of the ocean, beach and palm trees....makes me wish I was still there or that I could be one of the full time residents of the island.







Another view of the sun breaking through. There had been a little bit of rain off and on throughout the day; however, the last hour or so of our time on the island was interrupted by a small tropical storm. To this Washingtonian it was nothing...but they thought it was bad enough to kick everyone out of the water and beach. But look how beautiful it is once the rain is gone and the sun is shining!





This is a view of the "sunken" mast in the snorkeling lagoon. We snorkeled out past there looking for the sunken Mickey Mouse mast head. It was a blast snorkeling for the first time.




Me and Susana at Mount Rustmore









Me getting ready to go snorkeling for the very first time. This was probably one of the best things I did on vacation. It was so cool to be swimming just a few feet above hundreds of fish swimming together. It really made me see how much God has created, and how cool he created the animals. Awesome experience, I can't wait to go snorkeling again.






Me with the Disney Wonder Cruise ship in the background




Susana enjoying some of the water at the beach





Me at the entrance to Castaway Cay, Bahamas




Me enjoying the beach chair plopped right in the water

Pirates in The Caribbean

These are pictures of my favorite Pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow




The Flying Dutchman anchored off the shores of Castaway Cay, Bahamas





Jack with Susana and the girls





Me and Captain Jack. The guy playing Jack was perfect...he had Johnny Depp's movements, voice and characteristics down to a tee. He was fun to talk with and nice to look at :) The picture came out a bit blurry, but oh well!




Jack signing autographs for all of us!






Me, Mikki and Alexis in front of the flying Dutchman

Vacation Pictures

I'm back from cruising 'round the Caribbean. We had an absolutely amazing vacation. It was warm and sunny...although we did have a storm at Disney's private island which in turn cleared the beach and we had to go back to the ship an hour or so early, but oh well.

Of course, being a Disney cruise, I met lots of characters and had them sign my autograph book. You think, she has an autograph book at her age? Why yes I do...I'm just like any typical child who gets excited when she sees all the princesses. I also like the villians, Malificent is one of my favorites!

Here are some of our character pictures





Me, Susana (my best friend), and her nieces Alexis, Mikki, Laura, and Virginia with Cinderella






Me, Susana, Maria (Susana's sister) and Alexis (who absolutely loves Tinkerbell, and was told by Peter Pan to keep her eye out for her during the cruise!) with Peter Pan and Wendy Darling






Me with the Queen of Hearts...off with their heads! and Alice in Wonderland





All of us girls with Snow White




All of us with Aurora...Sleeping Beauty

The Bahamas!

So yeah, I leave in three days for the Bahamas on a Disney Cruise! I'm so excited. Even though I travel a lot, it has been almost two years since my last vacation with my best friend Susana. Gosh I miss her!!!! Not only do I get to see her, but I get to see her whole family which I love as well. I leave Saturday night at 11:30pm...catchin' the red eye...and get to Orlando at 11:30 am (dang those layovers)! Then we set sail on Sunday afternoon for a four day Bahamian Cruise onboard the Disney Wonder.

A few of us are talking about snorkeling while at Castaway Cay...Disney's private island in the Bahamas. I've never snorkeled before, but I love the water so it should be fun. We also get to spend a day in Nassau.

Well, if I don't check in before I go...I will be home on the 13th (late that night). So happy July...enjoy all the sun we've been getting. I hope everyone had a great fourth of July! I was going to out to the Lake, but changed my mind and just stayed home. We saw some fireworks from the house. We barbequed steaks, addressed wedding invitations for my friend Holly and played cards...a nice relaxing night at home.