WAY too long since the last post...

Well, I will let Jenell post to fill you all in on her news (as if you haven't already heard!), but I can fill you in on my boring life! I thankfully got finished with the school year without quitting, walking out of my classroom full of kids or hitting and students (just kidding!). I am SOOOOOO glad to be on summer break, even though I am directing PCC's Day Camp again. Next year, it looks like I am going to be teaching 7th and 8th grade math...I am going to become my father!!!

The biggest news in the apartment (well, at least MY biggest news) is the arrival of our new kitten Zoey! I have been wanting a kitten for three years now and Jenell finally said I could get one! Of course, I wanted to get two, but she said no, and now she is telling me to get another kitten so Zoey has someone to play with when we are not home! Here is a picture of the little fuzz-ball: she is a wild, hyper, running-into-the-wall and clotheslining-herself-on-cords kitty! Her baby fur makes her look like she got electrocuted! =) But she is also super sweet and a big purr machine! Let's hope the new kitty will calm her down some!

Much Needed Update...

Update from 1654 Union Ave:
-Nikki is no longer a third roommate, as she moved in with her brother only 2 blocks away. (She has yet to come visit again)
-Jenell's class pet "Hopper" was with us over Christmas break, but unfortunately met an untimely death much too early.
-Our apartment goes from being VERY clean to being VERY messy, sometimes in a matter of only 1 or 2 days. The clean apartment usually has to do with the arrival of...
-...Jenell's new boyfriend!!! Yes, Jenell has a new boyfriend, Dave. He is a cop and Jenell hates when he brings his gun into the house. On the other hand, Chelsea is looking forward to having the opportunity to go shooting again!
-Hot guy from apartment #1 moved out (much to Chelsea's disappointment!) and new neighbors moved in downstairs (who yelled at Chelsea their first day here!)
-Our dryer broke and now we have to (hold your breath)...walk ALL the way downstairs to use the other dryer. (This is actually a huge inconvenience, since it takes twice as long to dry clothes!)
-Chelsea has become a book worm again...so far, the tally of books read since the first of the year: 11!
-Both Chelsea and Jenell have come to dislike "vision boards" and "psycho stalkers" from this season of The Bachelor! Okay, we have come to hate most of the girls on the show because watching it is actually causing us physical pain because of how CRAZY they are!!!
-Chelsea has yet to make a pot of coffee in the apartment. In fact, she still doesn't even know HOW to make a pot of coffee thanks to her wonderful roommate who does it for her!
-Jenell and Chelsea are both excited about the new season of Lost, although Jenell is thinking it is a little too far-fetched. COME ON JENELL!!!

Those are some of the biggest updates from our apartment! More to come soon...well, seeing how we are not very good at blogging, we can only hope that it is sooner than later!

Pray for Westmont College

So, our college was hit with the fires in Santa Barbara last night and today. There were 4 units in Clark dorm that were lost (about 40-50 students), the physics building, psychology building, and two quonset huts that were being used as storage for the alumni and parent relations office. The most disappointing was that 14 faculty houses were lost including the Tro's who I used to nanny for. Such a sad day. Here are a couple pictures, but there are some good ones on this website: http://homepage.westmont.edu/belliott/Westmont/.

Please keep the Westmont community in your prayers: students, faculty and staff and all their families, as well as the alumni. Thank you!

-Chelsea

The Unpredictable in the Predictable

As fall has quietly descended upon us, I have been reminded of how predictable certain things are. The changing of seasons are an example. Every year we know summer will change into fall and with it glorious colors of orange, yellow, and red. Pumpkin patches pop up and we put the patio furniture away. I wait all summer for the first rainfall and even snuck out this last Friday night to enjoy it! Today I escaped over to the beach where I currently sit writing.

I have to be honest, my life has been anything but predictable lately. Yes, school started as planned and BSF has started, running as smoothly as expected. I guess the less than predictable circumstances are those within the predictable ones. Within a well planned school day, I am finding myself in circumstances that I was not prepared for. Yet, I feel that all 20 children have been hand picked for me as well as the circumstances I find myself in. I am more organized than any other year in BSF, yet experiencing situations new to me that were impossible to plan for. As He often does, I know God is teaching me increased dependence on him. Beyond that, I feel as if I am being called to have an attitude of "whatever". I remember using this word with my parents as a 16 year old. Back then it was not used in a way I would characterize as respectful. The whatever I am referring to here is absolute surrender to whatever God wants to do to me, in me, or through me. Any of you who know me know that this type of attitude goes against my want to control situations. How I laugh at how my God calls me to emulate attributes of Him that are so against my human nature. So I will wait. I will wait for "whatever" in the circumstances I find myself in. Why? Because God has done what I thought was impossible in my life and in my heart. He truly has been faithful. I remember just recently being at this same beach and walking through what I thought was a valley. I was wondering when I was going to get back on the mountain top. I was so sick being in the low lands. Looking back, I see now that what appeared to be a valley was actually a truly magnificent hike. Yes, there were moments when the path dipped, much like a valley. What I see now is that there were also moments where the view was indescribable, much like a mountain top. I even wish I could go back to some of those moments and appreciate them more than I did. How I might have done things differently. But, I am learning that God works best when He is able to surprise me, when I am not so focused on what is wrong, but focused on His faithfulness. When simply knowing Him brings such peace. So, back to Fall and back to the current path I am on.

I planted daffodil bulbs yesterday. My truly favorite flower. It is very predictable that they will come up in the early spring. Though it is predictable, I don't know the exact day when such a lovely sight will warm my heart. So may it be with my current life circumstances. I am tempted to try to control how they will all turn out. However, I know I have to wait. Let God open and shut doors, let God carve out the valleys and the mountain tops, let God do "whatever". I hope to appreciate it all much more than I have. For bringing glory to God whatever the future brings has and will bring me peace. Nothing is unpredictable to Him, but He is still the God of surprises. How I thank Him for that! -Jenell-

Good Friends!

How blessed I was this last weekend to see good friends. With states or busy lives separating us, it is rare that I get genuine face to face time with one of my closest friends. Within 48 hours this weekend, I got to spend this type of time with three of them. Two of the meetings were totally unexpected. I am once again amazed at how God shows his concern for us by providing us with friends at the exact time we need them. I was also reminded me how important it is to involve others in the twists and turns of life. How easy it is to navigate the trails alone. It takes work and vulnerability to ask someone else along for the hike. Seeing my friends this weekend did not straighten out the current path I am on. Claiming Proverbs 3:5-6, I know that is God's job. Ultimately, the time I spent this weekend did cause me to pause and enjoy the view from where I am at.



Kate finally meeting Keira



Jenell, Mel, and Keira



Jenell, Kate, and Mel



Fun pushing Keira in the box

Happy 60th Birthday Dad!

This blog post is in honor of my Dad who turned 60 on Friday, September 19th. He asked me on Friday on the way to dinner what a blog was and I thought the best way to show him was to send him the link to my own blog. Hopefully he will be honored by this post. I thought in honor of his birthday I would post the top ten reasons why I have been blessed having him as my father!

1. He introduced me to Jesus and was there when I accepted him into my heart as a child outside the Steinhart Aquarium. I remember that I was eating a push pop and could not wait to tell people that Jesus was in my heart.
2. After Mike was born he took me on what he called "special days" once a week until I started kindergarten. These days included trips to the zoo, Santa Cruz, park, and many more places.
3. When dad drove Mike and I to school he would always stop and let us get donut holes for breakfast
4. My father loves my mother and has for 30+ years. This has given me such a great pictures of marriage!
5. My dad introduced me to hymns as a child and I love them to this day. My favorites are "He Lives" and "Trust and Obey".
6. My dad has moved me to multiple apartments and is always available with his truck when I need him.
7. My dad taught me to always look for the best in people. I am not always good at this, but even when people have hurt me, he encourages me to extend forgiveness and grace.
8. When I go to my parent's house to visit, my dad is always offering me food.
9. My dad calls me to just say hello. I know I give him a hard time about this because he calls when I work, but it means a lot to me that he checks in.
10 My dad is a man of prayer. I know he has prayed for me since I was born and I know he still does. This reality gives me such hope and peace when things are hard.

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!
-Jenell


Outside Macaroni Grill

The 1st Mr. and Mrs. Nunan


The 2nd Mr. and Mrs. Nunan

Summer Vacations

Alright, so I realized that I never blogged about my trip to San Diego! I spent 5 days at my mom's beach house in Oceanside, just relaxing and reading and laying out to get rid of my uneven tan lines for Sheena's wedding! It was good to finally have some down-time from Day Camp (and thanks to Kelsey for running camp that last week while I was gone). Then, Nikki came down for the weekend and we spent some time with my mom, and then with all my sisters and my dad. Sunday we went to the Padres-Giants game, which (miraculously) the Padres won! Nikki even go to hear Hells Bells when Trevor Hoffman came out!

Mom and I at the beach house

Nikki and I at Petco Park, after the Padres beat the Giants!

Stacy, Taylor, me, Ethan and Dad

My nephew Ethan and I doing our spiderman poses!

Then, after San Diego (and Sheena and Slim's wedding, of course!), I went out to Boston to visit Kassie for 5 days. I spent lots of time with her and her three girls: Thia is 28 months, Sophia is 17 months, and Tirzah is 6 months. Yes, I know they are close in age! Kinda crazy!

Thia and I

Tirzah and I

Kassie with Thia and Sophia

After spending some time with Kassie and my east coast family, I went back into Boston and spent the night with Dawn and her husband Brian and their 5 month old daughter Olivia. Dawn and I went out to Giacomo's, the best restaurant EVER! I always get the pumpkin tortellini and it is to die for! Afterwards, we went to Mike's Pastry for cannolis...I had to get two because it is only once a year that I get them! The next morning, Dawn and Brian's friends helped them pack up the moving van and then that afternoon, the three of us (well, four including Olivia!), left Boston to drive cross-country. We stopped in these places: Albany, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Bloomington, Indiana; Eudora, Kansas; Littleton, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Reno, Nevada. The only sightseeing we did was to stop by and see Niagara Falls, which was AMAZING! It was a long week, but it was great spending time with Dawn and Brian and getting to bond with little Olivia!


Niagara Falls!

Olivia and I...she is such a doll!

Dawn, Olivia and I...finally an In N Out!

This girl has such a great smile!

So, after all my wonderful vacations, it is time to start back to school (yuck!). Jenell starts classes tomorrow, and I start the day after Labor Day. Where did the summer go!?!?
-Chelsea