Well hi everyone! So sorry it has been a while since I have last updated this... Things have been crazy since i found out Tyler was moving here. I have also been busy busy with wedding stuff. I feel like nothing was going on for a while and now all of a sudden everything went in fast forward. We are working on getting our invitations together to send out...finishing up little details that need to be done...planning times and events for all these different occasions...its just been crazy! But like my mom wrote to me in an e-mail...things are only crazy for a short time before the wedding and I should enjoy all of it now while I can and not let it get me stressed out. And I can honestly say, I am not too stressed out...actually I'm not really at all. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is helping me now to stay calm.
Things are also busy right now because it is memorial day weekend!! Living in a tourist town, I guess I should start getting used to it, but it is so annoying to even go to the grocery store! There are people everywhere and it takes 10Xs longer to do my normal things than it normally does. It also means there are a bunch of grouchy, needy people at the hotel who demand you to wait on them hand and foot. I swear from now on when I travel, I am going to be so nice to the front desk staff at the hotel....and you all should be too! It is hard to be in this business and is it really worth complaining about??
A third reason I haven't had time to update this is because I have been buckling down on running or walking every night. I am really trying to start whipping into shape here as it is crunch time before my wedding. And more importantly, Amy Dowker's wedding is only in less than 3 weeks away and I need to be looking my best for her wedding also! I have also been going to the beach on my days off to work on my tan lines :) I have so many different ones from work...T-shirt lines, shorts line, one piece bathing suite lines...the list goes on and on.
Lastly the reason I haven't updated this is because my laptop wouldn't turn on. I went to turn it on and it kept making these series of beeps. I spoke with the lenovo people and luckily my computer was under warranty so my computer is off getting fixed. Apparently it had a motherboard failure, which sounds intense. So I am now using the computer at the hotel. Yes, I'm supposed to be working but luckily, not much is going on right now.
So now that you have heard all my excuses on why I haven't updated, I knew none of them were sufficient, so that is why I decided to write this :) I miss writing on here and keeping everyone in the loop. Sorry I have no pictures because i am on the hotel's computer and none of my pictures are on here, but I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!! Also please keep Kara Forester in your prayers this week as she is in Guatemala doing mission work!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Tyler's Last Visit!!
Well for those of you who don't know, Tyler came in to visit me on May 2 and then left to go back home May 11. The main purpose of this trip was for him to job search. We thought it would be smart if he went around to a couple of places and introduced himself...saw what the shops were like...and maybe leave a last impression for when he moves in July. Much to our surprise, the visit did not go as planned!
Here is the whole story....Back in Feb. I needed to get my oil changed. I randomly (or so I thought) picked this place called Star Motors to go to. The men there were so nice and honest and they just seemed like really nice people. While I was there...I told them about Tyler and asked if they ever needed any extra help. He shot me down by saying "were not busy enough to hire anyone else." I was kind of bummed but knew it was a while before Tyler moved so it didn't bother me too much. Well then 2 days before Tyler was coming to visit, I got a call on my cell phone from a number I didn't recognize. The number left a message and much to my surprise it was the owner of Star Motors wanting more information about Tyler. I quickly called him back and explained the situation. Norman, who is the owner, told me he needed someone sooner than the end of July and if Tyler couldn't make it down any sooner, he would have to put an ad in the paper. My heart sank! I thought what a perfect opportunity that is going to waste. I told him I had no idea what Tyler would be interested in but that he was coming into town on Monday if they wanted to meet. Well, sure enough Tuesday morning Tyler and I sat in Start Motors at 8 in the morning. As I was sitting there, Norman offered Tyler the job and said how soon can you get down here. Tyler had thought a lot about it and what was one month earlier?! He told him he wanted to give his 2 weeks and then have an extra week to pack, and Norman said, "Deal!"
I think it is so cool to just sit back and take a look at what has happened. The thing we were worried about most, God has taken control of and put opportunities in our path to take. We had no idea that Tyler would actually get a job while down here and him move down here earlier than expected but I just see God's fingerprints all over the situation. He has been at work this whole time, even back in Feb. when I got my oil changed there! It is so cool to see his plan (once again) unfold before my eyes. It is a huge blessing and we are just so excited about everything that is to come. It was a huge lesson in God's timing vs. my own timing. I can make plans until I'm blue in the face, and don't worry I do, but they mean nothing compared to God's plan. His timing may not have been what we were thinking, but I know it wouldn't be happening if it wasn't suppose to. To all in all....Tyler has a good, decent job and he is moving here on June 3!!!!! What a crazy time in life this is.
So needless to say we had a wonderful time together. It was a lot to take in at first, but after processing everything and having time together, we both are really excited about the future. It is also crazy to think about that this was our last "visit" to see each other. Tyler and I have been doing long distance for 4 years and "visiting each other" had become a regular. However, now that Tyler is moving here....LONG DISTANCE IS OVER!!! Finally, what we have been waiting for! I am so happy that this was his last "visit to see me." Here are a couple pictures from his trip...
BEAR Update: Bear loved his dad being in town!! He was a little shy at first, but after the first night, Bear would not leave him alone! It was so cute to see them interacting and Tyler and I would just sit there and watch Bear and laugh. It really was a lot of fun.
Here is the whole story....Back in Feb. I needed to get my oil changed. I randomly (or so I thought) picked this place called Star Motors to go to. The men there were so nice and honest and they just seemed like really nice people. While I was there...I told them about Tyler and asked if they ever needed any extra help. He shot me down by saying "were not busy enough to hire anyone else." I was kind of bummed but knew it was a while before Tyler moved so it didn't bother me too much. Well then 2 days before Tyler was coming to visit, I got a call on my cell phone from a number I didn't recognize. The number left a message and much to my surprise it was the owner of Star Motors wanting more information about Tyler. I quickly called him back and explained the situation. Norman, who is the owner, told me he needed someone sooner than the end of July and if Tyler couldn't make it down any sooner, he would have to put an ad in the paper. My heart sank! I thought what a perfect opportunity that is going to waste. I told him I had no idea what Tyler would be interested in but that he was coming into town on Monday if they wanted to meet. Well, sure enough Tuesday morning Tyler and I sat in Start Motors at 8 in the morning. As I was sitting there, Norman offered Tyler the job and said how soon can you get down here. Tyler had thought a lot about it and what was one month earlier?! He told him he wanted to give his 2 weeks and then have an extra week to pack, and Norman said, "Deal!"
I think it is so cool to just sit back and take a look at what has happened. The thing we were worried about most, God has taken control of and put opportunities in our path to take. We had no idea that Tyler would actually get a job while down here and him move down here earlier than expected but I just see God's fingerprints all over the situation. He has been at work this whole time, even back in Feb. when I got my oil changed there! It is so cool to see his plan (once again) unfold before my eyes. It is a huge blessing and we are just so excited about everything that is to come. It was a huge lesson in God's timing vs. my own timing. I can make plans until I'm blue in the face, and don't worry I do, but they mean nothing compared to God's plan. His timing may not have been what we were thinking, but I know it wouldn't be happening if it wasn't suppose to. To all in all....Tyler has a good, decent job and he is moving here on June 3!!!!! What a crazy time in life this is.
So needless to say we had a wonderful time together. It was a lot to take in at first, but after processing everything and having time together, we both are really excited about the future. It is also crazy to think about that this was our last "visit" to see each other. Tyler and I have been doing long distance for 4 years and "visiting each other" had become a regular. However, now that Tyler is moving here....LONG DISTANCE IS OVER!!! Finally, what we have been waiting for! I am so happy that this was his last "visit to see me." Here are a couple pictures from his trip...
BEAR Update: Bear loved his dad being in town!! He was a little shy at first, but after the first night, Bear would not leave him alone! It was so cute to see them interacting and Tyler and I would just sit there and watch Bear and laugh. It really was a lot of fun.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Happy Birthday Sadie!!
Happy Birthday to Sadie!!!! The best dog in the whole wide world! Sadie is my golden retriever who I got on my 10th birthday. She has been there for every major event in my life and is truly the best dog in the whole world. Unfortunately, she can't come live in the keys with me so she stays at my parents house with her brother and sisters, Leo, Hershey, and Cayo. Today, Sadie turns 11 years old. I miss her so much and I'm so sad I can't be there on her birthday :( I'm sure she will get lots of love from the rest of the family though!
Well Sadie, sorry I can't be there for your birthday, but I am thinking of you! Miss you and love you! Maybe mom and dad will take you on a car ride for your birthday present!
In her honor...I thought I would post some of my favorite times with Sadie.
This is Tyler and Sadie on the night before I left for the keys for my internship....how sweet!
Spending Christmas with Sadie is always fun too! She loves her Christmas attire
Poor thing! Tyler likes to abuse her...but shes a good sport
This is one of my most brilliant ideas ever! I decided I wanted to paint with Sadie so I could have some artwork by her. Well it ended up raining that day, but I was so determined to do it, I tried anyway. It ended up taking my entire family and it was much more work than I thought, but the end results were def. worth it! haha...So here she is getting some green on her feet to start.
I then walked her down the tarp with paper lined up on it....she missed most of the paper :)
But after some time and effort, the hard work paid off...it's pretty cool how it turned out!
And these are my favorite pictures of us! Shes so sweet!
Well Sadie, sorry I can't be there for your birthday, but I am thinking of you! Miss you and love you! Maybe mom and dad will take you on a car ride for your birthday present!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sweet Theresa :)
I love my job. Most people think my job is wonderful and happy all the time. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. We do work with animals that have shorter life spans than us humans so we have to deal with the circle of life. As happy as it is when we get new animals in or have new little ones born into the family, it is extremely sad when one of our family members passes away. On Wednesday morning, May 4, 2011, Theresa, DRC's oldest dolphin, passed away due to complications of old age. Theresa was amazing. We don't know her exact age (yet) since she was not born here at DRC, but we believe she is in her mid 50's. Dolphin's natural life expectancy is only about 25 so she has more than doubled that.
Theresa was wild caught back in the mid 50's. She spent 8 years with the Navy down in Key West. She broke out of her habitat there and swam up to Milton Santini's Flipper Sea School (which is now DRC) twice! On the second time she did this, the navy decided that she clearly wanted to be here in Marathon, so Milton Santini took her in. She has lived there ever since. This means she was there when this facility opened, there when it was sold to a researcher wanting to study cognition, and then when the facility was passed on to Mandy and his wife Jayne who are the current Presidents of DRC. Theresa has been there longer than any other dolphin and person at DRC. She is the true "founder" of our facility. She has taught all the trainers so much over the years. She had a wonderful spirit, loved to interact with the guests and her trainers, and always knew how to put a smile on your face. One of my good friends Jill, who comes to visit DRC often wrote this about Theresa and I thought it was so sweet I asked her permission to post it here on my blog...
Things I learned from Theresa:
1. Be silly every day.
2. Treat everyone like a friend
3. steal kisses whenever possible
4. don't always do what is expected of you
5. treat life like a game
6. be lighthearted
7. laughter is a great way to solve any problem
8. stop taking yourself so serious
9. love your friends and family with fierce protectiveness
10. be grateful for the little things
As you can tell Theresa was an amazing dolphin and will always have a special place in my heart. Her spirit will never be forgotten and will continue to shine at the Dolphin Research Center! 
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)