A much needed update . . .

As many of you may or may not have heard, my summer plans have changed quite a lot. Many of you know that I had been selected for Cascade's singing group, Witness. Traveling and doing that was the plan for five weeks. After, oh - about a week, we hit some turbulence and some things had to change and to make a long complicated story far too short - it was decided that we were going to end tour. (I'll write the long version when I can articulate it better and have more time). Sometimes I think we shoudln't have called it off, but more of me sees that God had a better plan for my summer.

I should let you know that Witness was something I had put on the back burners earlier in the school year and I was thinking about doing what I am doing now - PUMP internship [more about this later]. But I had a chance to get on the Witness bandwagon and so I did, which meant I would not be able to do the PUMP internship because the two overlapped.

Well, as it turned out, as we were ending our tour, the day we would be getting back to Portland was the day before the PUMP internship began. God's timing or what? I think so. The last few days of tour were spent making phone calls and finding out if this could be something I would still have the opportunity to do. I soon found out that it was a go!

I was very confused with what God was telling me through all this but I think I figured it out [for the most part]. Witness was something I wanted to be a part of for a long while now and it had appeared that my chances of that were gone. I had tried out three times and struck out each time. So that was the end of that - I had come to terms with it. I then had my eyes set out on this PUMP internship. Then what do you know, a place in Wintess opened up and I had the chance to be in it. It took a bit of persuading but I chose that over PUMP because I knew, if anything, I could do PUMP next summer. However, as you can see, God had other plans. I think I was in Witness the short amount of time that I was to show me that this could be something I would want to do and just shouldn't give up with (in regaurds to trying out in future years) but this was not THE year. Things would not have been the best, or even close to the best, that they could have been had we stayed on tour. God did, however, end the whole Witness hoorah just in time for be to still be able to do the internship. Fate? I think not. I have complete faith that He had a plan and it is still being revealed to me. I love it.

So... now to bring you up to date...

This is about the third week of PSP (Pump Summer Program) and the fourth of being an intern. It's crazy and hectic but oh so fun at the same time. The intern and coordinators get along so well and we all are here for a reason that is for sure. If you're not sure what PUMP is I encourage you to check out their website http://pumpchurch.org/. Basically, PUMP is a mission church, ministering to the children and families of Northeast Portland, Or. Along with serving in the church family, I am working with the summer program (PSP), which is a 6-week program for community children. It focuses on strenthening children's minds, as well as their spiritual life with a daily reading program and Bible-based mentoring and education.

In order to minister at PUMP this summer, I was encouraged to rasie $3000 dollars. These funds are to basically replace the money I would be making if I had a summer job. The intership does give a stipend but not really enough for me to save any for this upcoming school year. Seeing as I didn't really have time to fund raise, this is why you are hearing about it so late.

If you could help me out on this endeavor, it would be much appreciated.
You can make all tax-deductible checks to PUMP Church of Christ and mail them to:

PUMP Church of Christ
C/O Heather Bird Internship
PO Box 15510
Portland, OR 97211

Your prayers would also me much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope God is blessing your hot summer days! :)

Donkey.

Ass. It's one of my favorite words to say, not the best choice of words but nobody's perfect. I'm so sick of people right now. Mostly just certain ones, not necessarily the whole lot of them. I think I have found a label for these types of "friends". I say it in quotes because that is how we classify them but they do not act as they should in the least. This new term I have come to know is called "Silence of Critique". Basically, it's when you accept your friends. For instance, you don't just critique your friends, you let them speak - even if you don't agree with them (gasp!) or you don't really like what they are saying (bigger gasp!). It means you don't have to call out your friends. With this, you have more incentive to keep their mouth shut. Some can turn this around and be like, well you should be able to tell your friends everything even the bad things. But it's different, the way I see it. It's different. I can't explain it. Yes, you should tell your friends what you think and your opinions, but there is a time and a place, and that time and place shouldn't be one where they feel belittled or attacked. It's about respect, for me. I hope I am making some sense.

True friends don't do this, and I know it's just some research, but I really like the idea.
Anyways, I have realized that that is what is happening to me. Some "friends" totally do not do this. It's the complete opposite. Like, all the effing time. And I can't stand it. And I want to scream. And then the anger overflows to nearby friends - real friends - and then I feel like an ass for treating them like that. I have also come to the realization that I am pretty good at this "silence of critique" thing. (I'm ever so glad there is now a title for it) I can think of one case in particular, but that need not be shared. I don't always agree with what some of my friends say, but who am I to critique and discourage what they say to other people - in front of other people? Knowing that I try to practice this makes me feel good though, because it is what I see as a quality of a good friend and it's something I do. If you're saying, "yeah right, Heather," or you're wanting to call me a hypocrite, I am not clarifying myself about how I see this. And I'm sorry for that.

Oh, and why, please tell me why, there are those people who have to discharge to oppose every ferping thing that you say? Why is it that they choose the "opposing" side, if you will, with every topic under the sun?? Why? Please. I would like to know.

But yeah, that's the stress and new revelations in my life.

Sorry if that doesn't make much sense, I really just wanted to vent and share this new thing I learned about. Well, it's not new, but now I have a name for it.

Well, here goes.

So, I have become one of those people I said I'd never be. Those who talk all this talk but walk no walk. . . yeah. My whole plan of living off campus and going to PCC has kind of flopped. I think it's what God wanted though. Like. . . I prayed for signs of what to do and they were given. First, Micah backed out for a reason I won't go into, and then something else happened I also don't need to go into, but it was enough to really make me stop and say, "hey, I think God's telling me something". With different things just coming up, and still doing so, I feel pretty confident in the decisions I am making.


Something else that happened that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do if I went to PCC, was become the new member to Witness. Yep. It just happened that a spot opened up and they had closed auditions. . . and well, as they say it, the rest was history. Crazy. I'm really excited about it and at the same time, scared out of my mind - seeing as I have never even had a solo or anything like that - and we have a performance in like, two weeks. Dear Lord, I am so scared. I'll live though. . . I suppose. But yeah, between that, and my yearbook scholarship and other ones I have, I should have around $8500 without government money so that's exciting.


But yeah, I really should be writing a paper right now for friendship comm. but here I am, talking to you. I really should be in the JC "running" the Superbowl party, but I'm in my room. Meh. Oh, and Tom Petty is pretty cool. Just thought you should know that. I better go, I just wanted to catch you up with the story of my oh so amazing life.

Oh! And Across the Universe comes out Tuesday. . . and my birthday is Saturday. Fate? I think so. If people just donate a dollar to the cause, I could have my very own copy :)



SO this is me and some ponies. Their names are Spencer and Sean. There are reasons.....there is also no reason for this photo. You're welcome.

varsheentun: part II

Sorry for the photos being all wacky. I'm still new to this so shut your face.

This was our day in the snow! I can't remember which day it was exactly, I must be losing my mind - it was last week! Oh well. We went to Billie Jo's dad's best friend's house. (That's a lot of ownership right there) Anywho, it was real fun. We played in the snow, ate a lot of now, went sledding, saw some elk. I think it was elk. Meh, some big animal thing. . . sorry I don't have pictures of it all, I need to get some from Billie Jo's dad.
(Who's really cute and little - that's for you, Swheeler)

Big Pimpin'




Self timers. . .

. . .don't really work out too well :)

The gals, reunited (and it feels so good) haha.



What's a trip without getting preggers ;)


The best dog. . .EVER, Heidi.



This is the people's house. Not even right. . .right?



Goodbye snow :(

varsheentun.

Well, here I sit at my desk. . . back at school. Bah. Since there is not much to do, with both roommates gone for the time being, I figure I should make this good ol' Washington blog while I can.

Christmas break is rearing towards its end and my it has gone fast! The first week I was pleasantly surprised with a random wireless connection. But that got a bit redundant after, oh, 5 days. :) I did the whole Christmas thing and by the time I was home for like, a week, I was ready to get the heck out of there. So, I rode up with Jeff [Edmonds] to Kent, Washington to stay at Billie Jo's house for the remaining break. Jack was staying with her too and Sarah lives in Kent as well so it was just a big ol' reunion of sorts!

I'm really just going to talk about four days:

- Seattle
- Canada
- Snow
- New Years

So, the day after I got there we decided to go to Seattle.

Our main goal was to go to the Seattle Public Library. Billie Jo and Jeff had never been there and boy, it is an architect's dream. I love it. It's one of the most beautiful buildings I've seen, let alone, been in. It's crazy big, has super skinny neon escalators, a super cool kids room, a red. . . basement? Whatever it is, it's just really swell. Here are some pictures even though I could not do it justice.

This is the red basement type place. For fellow red lovers, like myself, it's lovely. These are the stairs leading into the redness. . .

Cool, yea? I must warn you, I was going picture crazy. . .

This thing was real weird. It's a window and on the other side is the neon escalator. But inside the window are eggs with moving pictures. It's interesting, but the fun part is that you can spy on people and creep them out. Not like we do that or anything. . .

I was super parched after climbing the mountains, er, hills that Seattle is so infamous for. Luckily, Jack was there with her water bottle to save the day.

this is the crazy neon escalator. . .



Whoever designed this library is a Saint in the math world, or something like that.



This is what you can see from the highest point you can go. . .



We thought it would be funny if Jeff were to lay down in the carpet grass.



This is us waiting for Jeff to hurry down. . .

There he is lying down chilaxin'. Then they lady came and asked him if was okay. Haha.

Next onto the Children's part of the library. I really liked the ceiling. . .

Come on, who doesn't love a tree growing out of the wall?



Jeff and the Hat.



They had crazy squishy ottoman things to sit on. . . or play games on.






Basically, I just really love this library. If ever you are in Seattle, you must go and venture on in. Also, the outside is just as amazing, seen here in the latter of the two photos.

Also, while in Seattle, I hit rock bottom.

I am far too funny.

After the library, we went walkin'. . . because that's what you do.

We couldn't help ourselves. . . [this is my nutcracker face]



This concludes the Seattle portion of this blog. Thank you for reading, you should comment so I know you did :)