Fundraiser

Words cannot express how grateful I am and how blown my mind is. I have grown up in the same church since day one of my life.I was practically born in the pew. Not only did my parents raise me but so did the  pastors, elders, leaders, school teachers and every one else in the church. I love my church and the older I get the more I realised how good I had it while growing up in this generous, spirit filled, crazy, loving church family! I have seen it go through so many changes and shift and it has only gotten better over the years. 

Sundays fundraiser left me speechless. Trying to find the words to express how appreciative and thankful I am is difficult because nothing seems to fit how thankful I really am. I have only felt everyone back me up on joining the African Children's choir since day one of the dream. From the standing ovations and the seed given to me the previous Sunday when I tried to give a speech about the ACC to the actual fundraiser this last Sunday my mouth has been left open...unable to actually process what is happening.

I am so grateful for my church family. There generosity and kindness has not only made me an emotional wreck but extremely grateful that God has placed me in this loving environment. Even as I write this I am tearing up. I have only been encourage to follow after my dreams and I want to do my best and make everyone proud. 

Thank you to everyone who has seeded into me. I am so humbled and grateful for your generosity and support. Thank you for trusting me and believing in me. I will never forget this...for one my love language is gifts and two you have all made a huge impact on me and I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for you and God of course. lol

Thank you so much!!!!!

Love, hugs & kisses,

                                     Auntie Mel

Doug O Lug flippin patties....

There is always a little time for goofing around!

 

My saxy beast of a friend supervising the soda!

 

 

My family rocks!!! thank you for all your guys' help. I could never have done it by myself!

One stack of pies..... there was a total of 78 pies!!!! and we got more orders!!!

 

The parents snoozing away afterwards! They soooo deserve that nap!!!

Friday...shopping day!

Anytime I can hangout with my mom I always welcome it. (especially because the countdown is coming to a close for when I leave). She has become my shopping buddy and one of my bestest friends. Little did we both know of what we were actually getting ourselves in to when we embarked on this adventure....Fundraiser Shopping.

Never doing this before, we took all day friday bargin hunting...always ending up at Costco!

Then Winco, Cash &Carry and Safeway(who donated whip cream for the pies. Thank you Safeway!) My old boss from Safeway even bought 2 pies from me!

Trying to figure out how many pies to make, how many hot dogs and hamburgers to buy was definitely a challenge. Buy enough but not too much to where I'm left with a lot of product. Found some really good sales to make us giggle like little school girls. 

Fridays shopping trip was definitely a high light of the weekend. Roaming the isles of different stores loading up on tons of chips, soda, hamburgers, hotdogs, buns (hehe) and baking goods. People asking us why all the BBQ stuff. Obvious its not summer. Being able to share about the African Children's Choir is always something i love doing.

 

Thank you so much Marmy for another wonderful adventure and a fun shopping trip! I could have never done it on my own. Even though it was as cold as the North Pole, well maybe not that cold, but you are a trooper! I love you and appreciate you so much!

An adventure of my own

This last summer I had quite the adventure. For the first time in my 26 years I finally got to travel by myself. It wasn't very far, but a great warm up for the near future.

I traveled by train to Bellingham, WA. First, I must say traveling by train is the way to go! Comfortable and able to walk around and meet new people sitting around me or in the lounge. 

On the way up to Bellingham I had a slight "lay over" in Seattle ( first time ever in Seattle) then took the Greyhound Buss to Bellingham. Nerves and excitement filled me. I was on my way to hopefully be an Auntie with the African Children's Choir. I was in the last stage of interviews, one more than a dream could possibly come true! 

I made friends with a lady who was on her way to visit her friend in Bellingham.  A travel budy! We talked and I told her what I was up to. And she told me all about her family back home and her friend that lived in Bellingham.

When we arrived she wished me luck and we both went on our way. 

I remember as a little girl dreaming about the first time I would travel on my own. No parents, no one familiar, just new and exciting! Find adventure in the great unknown! Meet royalty, or perhaps Prince Charming( that was just a do gooder), discover a lost land (I was always a big dreamer lol).

Who would have known it would be the start of a new adventure, I had no idea about! As I reflect back to that head always in the cloud girl, I can't help but smile! Thankful that I live in a family that always backs me up, will tell me when I'm wrong, encourage me and loves me even though sometimes I am crazy and ridiculous. 

Here's to you Poppy, Marmy, Aimers, Scotchy, Doug o lug, and my minions!

Love you guys! (My minions are at the babysitters in this pic,MIA) lol!

Spice of life

Nerves, jitters, acid reflex or as a good friend of my family would say "the spice of life" has been a huge factor for my week. Butterflies seem to be not only existing in my tummy but havin a flat out party! Today I got to meet some of the aunties and uncles for choir 41. I enjoyed the half hour meeting that turned into a two hour meeting. They come from all over the world! Africa, UK and USA!

As we talked online I had the realization that this was actually happening and this dream that I have thought about continuously for 5 years was actually finally happening! It's no longer "someday" but now it is "in two months-ish!"  Excuse me please as I squeal like a little school girl. Ha ha! 

Though I was full of many emotions that started from super excited to extremely nervous it was a blast. This was one of the nervous moments this morning before the meeting ! But the nerves have finally faded and it's all rays of sunshine... Though outside is raining (literally).

Once apon a Halloween night

Since Halloween is in two days I thought I would share a story of one of my experiences with Halloween. It all started at the Harvest Party I worked at about 6 years ago. I was apart of a team of 8 or 10 janitors and we were busy cleaning offices and classrooms while the Harvest Party was bustling on the main floor of the church. As we cleaned I was ordered to go down to the basement floor and clean the grade school classrooms. So I excepted my orders and walked to the stairs that led down to the classrooms. I should have heard the scary music escalating in my head... It would sound like the Jaws theme song. 

I walked down the stairs and when I got to the bottom ( I was focused on my footing, I trip a lot) I looked up and It was as if Jaws had finally struck and I was a gonner. There standing before me in their own little world was a young high school couple making out quite passionately. Instantly I turn red and look down. 

My mind went blank and I was frozen stiff of pure embarrassment for me... not for them. I finally came back to myself and just walked away and entered into the janitor closet just around the corner. Chicken? Yes I am. I stared at the wall of cleaner and paper supply, trying to calm my nerves. I had to go back out and break it up... Why me!? 

I took a rugged deep breath and straightened my shirt "I can do this, I'm the adult!" I stepped slowly out of my safety zone and walked slowly around the corner and to the young couple. As I saw them there still... Uh... I cleared my throat sheepishly. They looked over at me and I felt all shades of red cover me. All I could muster out was "I think you need to go back to the harvest party." 

They looked at me as if I was an ignorant child and walked up the stairs to join in the festivities. 

I quickly retreated back to the janitor closet in desperate need of a paper bag to help me breath. 

Ya'll be safe out there! And please spare the janitor out there. Ha!

Falling for Fall

Fall has to be my favorite season. Crisp mornings, semi-warm afternoons and chilly enough nights to bundle up in a blanket, sweats and drink a warm cup of tea before I go to bed.

Embracing pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple cider, apple cider donuts, while avoiding the dark maze at all cost ( do to a misfortunate accident last time of getting stuck in a corner of the maze without a flashlight. And then smacking hard, face first into a wall made out of hay). These are just a few things I get to be apart of while being a janitor at my church/the school. 

Once again I was asked to be a chaperone for a school event. Bauman Farms is one of my favorite things to chaperone. It marks the start of my favorite part of the year... Fall than straight on to Christmas season (yay!) 

I always enjoy the kids (even as intersting as some are). They are all so unique and different. Some more hyper than others and carry an energy that I could only wish I had and some are quieter and gentler. Each one I have gotten to know to an extent ( do to it being a small private school). And will continue to enjoy till I leave in January. I have often heard that "the kids are our future." I agree, duh. So to get to know them and talk with them is important. Show them you care and notice them goes far. To compliment them, buy them a candy from the cafeteria lunch ladies, to encourage them is so important. They are our future, legacy. So I consider it an honor to be able to chaperone these events, to do kids church, dream girls and just be a janitor cleaning around them. They have help me get through some stinky, yes stinky situations... Though some may have caused those problems. 

Sanitair Engineer

That's me.. The Sanitair Engineer..aka the Janitor. I have been a janitor for 6 years now (1 year in college and 5 at my church) and have seen many things that I wish I could forget. Yet those memories are burned forever in my mind. The smells, sights, and yes... tastes that I wish to never speak of are still in memory.

Though i thought I would never be a janitor and even hesitated to accepting the job, I am so glad I did. The experiences and people I work with have 

definitely help me grow and my gag reflex is so much more stronger now. 

"Flooded toilet? have no fear I am here!" Is a sentence I thought I would never say.

My daily routine consists of vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, windows, mopping, sweeping, carrying out endless bags of trash and then dealing with the random stuff that comes with the job.

But i do find my ways of entertainment..

Even though Hollywood kills us off first in the movies or makes us the 

creepy bad guy, i am still okay about my job. Stereotype or no stereotype, 

I am the Janitor.

 

Happy Janitor Appreciation Day!!!!!