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I am constantly finding out that people are reading my blog, and I had no idea. Make your presence known, people! Leave a comment:-) Especially you people in Cali- communicating with you is the reason I made this blog in the first place. Hope to hear from you soon!

Super fun day:-)

Today was just a fabulous day, and I felt the need to blog about it. I went to CRAH, and worked on waterproofing the block again. I pretty much spent the whole day with two sisters that are becoming my good friends- Amy Archuleta and Cassie Hirmer. It is so refreshing to hang out with them, because they are both single pioneer sisters, and we have a lot in common. (I should have taken a pic of us. Darn!) We spent the whole day talking while we worked, and spent a good two hours singing kingdom melodies. Amy has this amazing memory, where you can say, "What is Song 88?" and she'll say "oh, thats Prayer of Jehovah's Servant" and be able to sing it and know most of the words. So we tested her knowledge and sang a ton of songs:-) Fun!
I worked until dinner, which I never get to do, because normally I have to drive home and do my secular work. But I had today off. After dinner, the brothers brought out a ping pong table and we played- one of these days I will beat Jerry! Amy used to be a hairdresser, and she brought her tools today and gave Cassie a haircut. During the haircut, Cassie and I were practicing harmonizing. We sang "You are my sunshine" and after a few failed attempts, we got it down! We are next going to try to figure out how to harmonize "More than words." Its a work in progress:-)
I have been trying to get more people from my hall to come work at CRAH. It is so hard to describe the amazing feeling you get after working there. I dont think people can really "get it" until they've worked there. It is literally like spending a day in the new world. Working shoulder to shoulder with all types of brothers and sisters, where everyone is so excited and happy to be there, and everyone swaps stories and helps each other out. You meet so many people- people who have similar goals and have done amazing things in Jehovah's service. These people really are the "cream of the crop"! Some of my favorite parts are morning worship and experiences at lunch. We do the text in the morning like they do at Bethel, and at lunch they will have a new experience shared each day. Some of them have been amazing, touching stories involving people that are right there at CRAH! Whenever I work there, I completely forget about any problems or stresses I have going on in my life, and just enjoy the experience. Its like you get to escape from normal life for a while. I think the best thing is that everyone there knows that we are right in the middle of one of those life changing experiences we will never forget for the rest of our lives. We have made new friendships that we will keep forever, have learned new things and attained new skills that will only give us more opportunities to reach out in the future. And we will have awesome memories from the 2 years where we devoted so much time to help build a place of worship for Jehovah.

Ok, I know that was a little wordy- but I just felt inspired:-)

Service Schedule

A few people have asked me what my service schedule is. Well, lately I haven't had a regular one- I've just gone out when I'm not at CRAH. Well, good news- I am now going to have a set schedule! YAY! I will be going to CRAH every mon,wed, and fri every week. (They put me on the "regulars" list.) So my service days will now be tues, thurs, and sat. Lets make plans!

I'm a scarecrow!

Today at CRAH I helped with Masonry again, and we were waterproofing the brick we laid a few days ago. We used this really sticky adhesive, and later we used this stuff that was like tar- so you can imagine how filthy, sticky, and grimy I was. I got a ton of that sticky stuff all over my clothes, and then I would kneel down to work some more and get hay stuck to myself (the ground where we were working was covered in it.) I decided to take a pic of myself looking like a scarecrow since I was already halfway there:-) I just had to stuff some in my sleeves and hat. For some reason, after a long days work, I am always the messiest one on the crew...

Something kind of cool: I learned how to operate a scissor lift today!

Masonry in the snow!

So today I worked at CRAH again and helped out with masonry- back breaking work, but really fun. It was FREEZING today. On and off it would start snowing, during which I would get very excited and do a little "its snowing" dance. (yes, I know, I am a dork:-) Pretty soon every time it would start snowing the people working with me would say "um, Kelsi, its snowing, aren't you forgetting something?" and then would expect me to dance. I guess we all get a little goofy when it is so cold. Leah, if you are reading this- I was like the performing seal;-) Here are a few pics of us working, including a shot of the steel that recently went up! Wow, it is actually a structure now! Also a pic of me doing one of my snow dances.

"The Stare"

I love period movies. Something about the polite manners, very subtle innuendo, and romance of it all is so intriguing to me. I love how in those movies it is all about what is not said. So much is said with a look. However, sometimes I think they go a little overboard with the looks. Tami and I were talking about this movie she saw on TV which was a period film set in Russia, and it was about this girl who was madly in love with this guy who didn't give her the time of day. Typical unrequited love story: I love them. But she said the entire movie she was waiting and waiting for something to happen, but the girl basically stared at him longingly for the entire movie! She said they finally talked towards the end of the movie, but nothing happened! No dramatic kiss, tears, maybe some good yelling or something, nothing! I mean, come on! Wasting two hours of you life watching people stare at each other? I decided that I would be very good at acting in one of those movies. I can stare pretty well, don't you think?

Visitors!

I am so excited, because starting in January some people will be coming to visit me here in Maryland! In January, Kaitlin is coming. Then in February, Melanie will be here. Then in March, Jenny will stop by before she goes to Ireland! It will be so nice to have some long time peeps here. Ahhh... to be around people who think like me. Nothing against you Marylanders, of course;-) Here are some old pics of the girls that are coming:

Amos Lee

Monday night Natalia and I went to an Amos Lee concert at 930 club in D.C. He is such a talented musician! We met up with Aaron Stapley there and his sister Summer and her husband. The guy that opened for Amos is named Mutlu- he was pretty good. He sang a funny song about board games, and it was very "Justin Timberlake" in style. Amos has a soulful voice. I tried to attach a video- but it was taking FOREVER! And all my pictures came out blurry, because there was no flash photography allowed. So here is a link to his video for "Shout Out Loud."
Also, here is the board games song being sung by Mutlu (also from the internet)

good quote

I love this quote. I don't know who originally said it, but it is a great one for all of my fellow single sisters out there!

"Girls are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. The boys don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they just get the rotten apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy. So the apples at the top think that something is wrong with them, when in reality, they're amazing. They just have to wait for the right boy to come along, the one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree."

A visitor

So Justin Moreno flew over from Visalia, CA to MD to help at Crownsville- he is one of the engineers on the project. He was there to inspect all the work we've been doing. Our schedules didn't mesh to hang out, but we had fun eating lunch together and catching up on site. It was great to see an old family friend!

View from my balcony

I took a couple pics of the sunset. Gorgeous!

Crownsville and my famous art

Last week was a crazy Crownsville week! I worked three days in a row, thurs, fri and sat. Jaclyn came with me on Thurs and Sat. I am so happy because they are no longer assigning me to work in food service! Woohoo! The pics of the two burns on my arm is from the huge grill in the kitchen. They are grease splatter burns. At least now I wont be getting any more:-) On thursday they had a huge cement pour- about 23 cement trucks came. I wore my new knee high cement boots and learned how to finish the cement. Then friday and saturday I helped with carpentry and also learned how to tie rebar. I also did some landscaping again.
So my cute hard hat is sort of a sensation now, so I have sisters asking me to decorate their hats also. I now have a waiting list of hats to do. Here are some I did- one with butterflies, another with orchids. Another sister wants a jungle scene with monkeys. I should start charging or something:-)

Strange (but cool) encounters

So today I worked at Crownsville again, and it was a pretty normal day- get up at 3:30am, leave my house at 4:15, get to the site at 5:30 and work till 2. At breakfast, I noticed a brother across the dining hut and did a double take. Could that be Byron Deitrich? It was!!!!! I walked over and said hi, and Byron freaked out, he was so surprised and excited. He is a brother who was in my congregation when we lived in Visalia when I was 7yrs old! His daughter Amy and I were best friends when we were little! I have not seen him in probably 10-12 years at least. That was so cool and strange! I guess assembly hall builds attract people from all over. He was updating me on how his family is doing- Amy is doing good, his son Hans is doing good. Hans in in Germany right now helping out an English group. I thought, wow, that is so weird that a nerdy kid who used to play barbies with us is now an adult and living in Germany! He fits right in, I bet- I mean, his name is Hans:-)
Anyway, I just thought that encounter was kind of cool. It is such a small world in Jehovah's organization.

Visit from the Parental Units

My mom and dad flew over to visit for the weekend- it was mostly for work stuff, but we went to Baltmore on Sunday and had some fun. We walked around the harbor and did some shopping, and we went to the aquarium. Here are some pics! Love you mom & dad, your visit was way too short!

1yr anniversary

So last Tuesday was my one year being in Maryland anniversary. Jaclyn and Jen came over and dropped of a present for me- they are so sweet! They got me a cake and The Office DVD board game! Woohoo! Now I need to have an Office party.

Assembly Hall Build

So since late March/Early April I have been working on an Assembly hall build in Crownsville Maryland. They basically bulldozed the old one and are building an entirely new one! I have been working at least one day a week in the Food service dept, but I have also helped out with landscaping, insulation and carpentry. It is so much fun, and I have met a ton of people! A few weeks ago I took some pictures, so here are some of the brothers putting the roof on the residence building they are making for the C.O. and D.O to live. The 2nd pic is the dining room. Also, my beautiful hard hat that I decorated myself:-)

Congregation dance party

So a couple of weeks ago our congregation had a dance party. It was pretty fun! Here are a few pics. John Nelson was surrounded by a group of teenage girls the whole time- probably because he dances like a "cool black guy" :-) A group of little girls did a routine that they put together. Natalia and I arrived in style- we rode in her dad's convertable. And this is a pic of me and Erica Ross- she is in my bookstudy and one of the only other single girls my age in our hall!

Some Yummy Recipes

So my roommate moved out exactly one week ago:-) I did get a few good recipes from her, so I thought I would post them. They are very easy and fast to make!

Chicken TNT

1-1.5lb chicken skinless boneless thights/breasts
Dice up and cook in pot with oil.
Add:
5 cans mexican Rotel tomates
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet dry onion soup mix
fresh cilantro

Let simmer low to medium heat for 20-30 mins. Serve over rice. Serve with cheese and sour cream. (I like to wrap mine inside a tortilla for a Chicken TNT burrito!)

Red Beans and Rice

1/2 onion chopped
1 can kidney beans
1 cup rice
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup cheddar cheese

Drain beans and reserve juice- add water to make 2.5 cups liquid. Combine beans, rice, onions, garlic salt, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes covered. Remove from heat until liquid is absorbed and then put cheese on it till it melts.

Hello!

Well, this is my official first try at this whole blog thing. There is a sister in my hall that does this, and she says it is a great way to keep in touch with friends that live far away. She posts updates of what she is up to, and has lots of pictures of her new baby. People can leave comments if they want, or just read it when they are bored. So I guess that is what I am going to try to do. Enjoy!