I had today off from work in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. I watched a special on Martin and then the phone rang. It was my best friend, Tanya from Indiana. She said, Your home! I was hoping you would be.
Tanya's husband gave her a neat Christmas gift. She could go wherever she wanted for a weekend away from her three children. She chose to come see me! Out of all the places she could have gone, I am very honored she wants to spend time with me in cold Michigan. We are going to have so much fun. We are going to get facials and Tanya is going to make dinner for us at my home. Isn't that cool? It will be like having Rachel Ray at my house. I think maybe I'm the one on a vacation. (Tanya does know that I do not cook and she probably doesn't want some processed food I would heat up. :))
This afternoon, I was able to hang out at the mall with my sister and this evening, I will have quality time with my husband.
I'm so excited. This has been a splendid day! The real world will be back tomorrow.
-Vicki
Monday, January 15, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
I Have So Much
I put away more Christmas stuff today. I am now finally done. As I was cleaning, I thought to myself, why do I have so much Christmas stuff?
Rick and I went to Calvin College this week and watched a film about Poverty. On Saturday, we went to a convention in Grandville which also focused on Poverty. Ok, so I don't feel so good when I think about all the things I have. I have a lot. I have a lot I do not need. There are people in this world who have nothing - literally nothing. I saw people in the film, digging in a garbage dump for things! No human being should have to dig in the garbage to live. It made me feel so sad and so guilty at the same time.
I do nothing to help those in need except give them money. Giving money is nice but I think God is calling me to do more than that. I need to start giving my time. I need to come along side those in need and develop relationships with them.
Rick and I are listening to see where God would lead us in this endeavor.
-Vicki
Rick and I went to Calvin College this week and watched a film about Poverty. On Saturday, we went to a convention in Grandville which also focused on Poverty. Ok, so I don't feel so good when I think about all the things I have. I have a lot. I have a lot I do not need. There are people in this world who have nothing - literally nothing. I saw people in the film, digging in a garbage dump for things! No human being should have to dig in the garbage to live. It made me feel so sad and so guilty at the same time.
I do nothing to help those in need except give them money. Giving money is nice but I think God is calling me to do more than that. I need to start giving my time. I need to come along side those in need and develop relationships with them.
Rick and I are listening to see where God would lead us in this endeavor.
-Vicki
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Rick and Vic's 2006 in Review
My brother in law, Jerome, teased me that I was a typical blogger - two to three posts and then nothing! Then, my friend, Charity gave me a hard time too. Well, I don't want to be typical blogger, so one of my New Year's resolutions is to be faithful at blogging! Here's for you, Jerome and Charity! (Ok, so I still have not mastered how to easily put pictures from my camera onto my blog, so I'll add some later)
I decided to start off 2007 by giving a quick review of 2006. I like to talk, but I will try to be brief in listing our ups and downs of 2006 on our Pulaski Life Adventure.
January-February 2006 - Rick and I spent the time recovering emotionally and financially. Emotionally, we found out our adoption was going to be delayed. We want to hold our baby girl in our arms so bad. Financially, we had to make a big payment for the adoption and then my Audi A6 decided to break down on us. Not a normal break down, the engine took a poop on us! Many dollars later, a new engine was put in, the car ran like new, and we traded it in!
March-April 2006 - We received an awesome deal on a condo on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina. The condo had 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a full kitchen, living room and huge balcony. We were able to stay in it for a week for $300.00! We brought our super good friends, John and Carole with us, so really it only costs us $150.00. It was a terrific vacation. There is nothing like waking up to the sound of the ocean and looking at it while sitting on a balcony eating peanut butter toast and drinking diet coke. That's the life!!
Rick and I bought two newer cars! First of all, Rick bought me a Toyota Prius, a hybrid car, to save on gas. He liked my car so much, that one night he surprised me and came home with a Prius for himself too! When he drove in with his new car I said, you need to take me out for dinner so we can discuss how we can afford two newer cars and so I can't get upset since we will be in public! Rick had a good explanation on how we were good financially and how we would even save more money by not buying as much gas. We enjoyed our dinner and we both were happy.
May-June 2006 - Rick and I celebrated 10 wonderful years of marriage. I am so blessed to have such a great husband. He loves and spoils me so much. He has been telling me lately, you won't be jealous when I spend time with our daughter and you don't get as much attention anymore will you? :) Of course I say, No!
We celebrated our anniversary by staying in our time share in Tennesee. The weather was beautiful and we got to do one of our favorite things - white water rafting! Well, for the first time ever in 7 years of rafting ( we consider ourselves to be experts - no guide. Guides are for babies) we took a drink! It was bad! I thought it was all over! Once I was in the balmy 42 degree water, I immediately knew what it felt like to be in a washing machine! After being spun around and then shot out to swim a half mile down river in an eight mile a hour current, bumping rocks like crazy along the way, I had a respect for the river like never before! When I washed up on a huge boulder, I looked for Rick who was shot out of the rapid in the opposite direction of me. He was swimming towards me. I noticed the force of the water had taken his sunglasses, his paddle and his pants!! After noticing Rick would be alright, our raft came floating by me. It's pretty scary to think how my human body went down river faster than my raft! To make a long story, short - I have now retired from rafting. I will teach our daughter how to paddle, and she can go on these adventures with her dad.
Another highlight in June, was I was able to visit my best friend, Tanya, in Indiana. We always have so much fun together. She has a wonderful husband and three beautiful children. We were roommates in college and I am so glad we have stayed so close.
June also meant it was time to go garage saling with my sister every Friday! We love it! It was the highlight of our week. I am blessed to have a sister who is also my best friend.
July-August 2006 - Our good friends, James and Charity had a baby girl. Her name is Adeline and she is gorgeous. We are so happy for them.
Rick and I had another exchange student spend the summer with us. Her name was Christina. She was from Spain. Christina loved to laugh and tease. She would always hide things from me or lock me out of the house. She was like a daughter to me. She went to a summer school where she would practice English. Everyday, when I picked her up she would talk to me for about a hour telling me about her day. It was neat. Students we have had in the past usually just said , fine, when I asked them how school was. Not Christina! She told me about what she learned and all the social problems or good things that were happening with her friends. I think she was a mini Vicki!
A not so fun part of August was I had three wisdom teeth pulled and braces put on. The only good part about all of this is I should have straight teeth in 12 months. :)
September-October 2006 - School started for me. Pretty much we just worked and spent time with friends and family on the weekends.
November 2006 - Vicki turned 35. This was hard for me. I was encouraged by the amount of cards, phone calls and gifts I received from family and friends wishing me a Happy Birthday. As one friend said, be glad you are alive! After that, I decided to get over it and enjoy life. A number doesn't mean anything (except on the scale!).
Rick's parents bought a home in North Carolina and moved there this month. We are happy for them and greatly miss them at the same time. We look forward to visiting them in person next June. In the meantime, we are thankful for phones and e-mail.
December 2006 - We met with some good friends of ours who are excited to start a home church with us. Yeah! We are praying that all goes well. We had a beautiful Christmas with both sides of our families.
We are looking forward to picking up our baby girl in 2007. Everything looks good for April.
-Vicki
I decided to start off 2007 by giving a quick review of 2006. I like to talk, but I will try to be brief in listing our ups and downs of 2006 on our Pulaski Life Adventure.
January-February 2006 - Rick and I spent the time recovering emotionally and financially. Emotionally, we found out our adoption was going to be delayed. We want to hold our baby girl in our arms so bad. Financially, we had to make a big payment for the adoption and then my Audi A6 decided to break down on us. Not a normal break down, the engine took a poop on us! Many dollars later, a new engine was put in, the car ran like new, and we traded it in!
March-April 2006 - We received an awesome deal on a condo on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina. The condo had 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a full kitchen, living room and huge balcony. We were able to stay in it for a week for $300.00! We brought our super good friends, John and Carole with us, so really it only costs us $150.00. It was a terrific vacation. There is nothing like waking up to the sound of the ocean and looking at it while sitting on a balcony eating peanut butter toast and drinking diet coke. That's the life!!
Rick and I bought two newer cars! First of all, Rick bought me a Toyota Prius, a hybrid car, to save on gas. He liked my car so much, that one night he surprised me and came home with a Prius for himself too! When he drove in with his new car I said, you need to take me out for dinner so we can discuss how we can afford two newer cars and so I can't get upset since we will be in public! Rick had a good explanation on how we were good financially and how we would even save more money by not buying as much gas. We enjoyed our dinner and we both were happy.
May-June 2006 - Rick and I celebrated 10 wonderful years of marriage. I am so blessed to have such a great husband. He loves and spoils me so much. He has been telling me lately, you won't be jealous when I spend time with our daughter and you don't get as much attention anymore will you? :) Of course I say, No!
We celebrated our anniversary by staying in our time share in Tennesee. The weather was beautiful and we got to do one of our favorite things - white water rafting! Well, for the first time ever in 7 years of rafting ( we consider ourselves to be experts - no guide. Guides are for babies) we took a drink! It was bad! I thought it was all over! Once I was in the balmy 42 degree water, I immediately knew what it felt like to be in a washing machine! After being spun around and then shot out to swim a half mile down river in an eight mile a hour current, bumping rocks like crazy along the way, I had a respect for the river like never before! When I washed up on a huge boulder, I looked for Rick who was shot out of the rapid in the opposite direction of me. He was swimming towards me. I noticed the force of the water had taken his sunglasses, his paddle and his pants!! After noticing Rick would be alright, our raft came floating by me. It's pretty scary to think how my human body went down river faster than my raft! To make a long story, short - I have now retired from rafting. I will teach our daughter how to paddle, and she can go on these adventures with her dad.
Another highlight in June, was I was able to visit my best friend, Tanya, in Indiana. We always have so much fun together. She has a wonderful husband and three beautiful children. We were roommates in college and I am so glad we have stayed so close.
June also meant it was time to go garage saling with my sister every Friday! We love it! It was the highlight of our week. I am blessed to have a sister who is also my best friend.
July-August 2006 - Our good friends, James and Charity had a baby girl. Her name is Adeline and she is gorgeous. We are so happy for them.
Rick and I had another exchange student spend the summer with us. Her name was Christina. She was from Spain. Christina loved to laugh and tease. She would always hide things from me or lock me out of the house. She was like a daughter to me. She went to a summer school where she would practice English. Everyday, when I picked her up she would talk to me for about a hour telling me about her day. It was neat. Students we have had in the past usually just said , fine, when I asked them how school was. Not Christina! She told me about what she learned and all the social problems or good things that were happening with her friends. I think she was a mini Vicki!
A not so fun part of August was I had three wisdom teeth pulled and braces put on. The only good part about all of this is I should have straight teeth in 12 months. :)
September-October 2006 - School started for me. Pretty much we just worked and spent time with friends and family on the weekends.
November 2006 - Vicki turned 35. This was hard for me. I was encouraged by the amount of cards, phone calls and gifts I received from family and friends wishing me a Happy Birthday. As one friend said, be glad you are alive! After that, I decided to get over it and enjoy life. A number doesn't mean anything (except on the scale!).
Rick's parents bought a home in North Carolina and moved there this month. We are happy for them and greatly miss them at the same time. We look forward to visiting them in person next June. In the meantime, we are thankful for phones and e-mail.
December 2006 - We met with some good friends of ours who are excited to start a home church with us. Yeah! We are praying that all goes well. We had a beautiful Christmas with both sides of our families.
We are looking forward to picking up our baby girl in 2007. Everything looks good for April.
-Vicki
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