This is Rio. Cute girl! 

This is Rio, who is currently pregnant, with her calf, Spree, the two year old terror, but is so darn cute! 

This is Semo, the best dolphin in the world! 

kissy, kissy, kissy 

This is Ayla. She is the dolphin with scoliosis. That is why she is a little crooked. 

This is Semo and I. He is a 43 year year old dolphin. And I am a 23 year old crabby intern (or so it looks that way). I'm actually concentrating really hard! 

Ryan and I after graduation. 

Sara Groves was amazing. Ryan and I ended up buying ALL of her c.d's. We said that we can spend a little bit because Ryan got a job. And more spending occured at Target's "global bazzar" thing that they are having...awesome, awesome imported stuff. So yeah...Ryan got a job. He is long-term subbing in math in Columbia Heights, MN. He is taking over classes who haven't had a "real" teacher since early December, so it's been a bit rough. One class has close to 40 kids. So take that many kids plus the fact they are used to slacking for two months. That puts Ryan in a bad place, but he is handling it wonderfully. Teacher's have even commented that he is probably in the worst place a teacher could be in and that he is handling it very well. Yeah Ryan! So back to Sara Groves. There were a couple songs that completely touched me. Lately I haven't been in the best place with God. Since leaving school, my routine of spending time with God has been out the window. I work on Sunday so there is no church, there is no Bible study here, no fellowship...excuses, excuses. Anyway, I completely felt that God was singing to me through Sara and saying exactly what I needed to hear at that time. It brought me to tears. Things seem to be looking up, but I still need a lot of prayer.

Ryan, Greg and I went outside after that last big snowfall a couple weeks ago and built snow tunnels. I hadn't done that for years. Man, I'm out of shape. How did I do that for hours and hours when I was little? I even went through the tunnels, which is a huge fear of mine. It was a beautiful night. It was so quite and peaceful. I could've sat out there forever. I remember when I was little and we lived on Calumet Street. I would be playing outside and just lay in the snow at night and look up at the sky. That night had that same feeling.

The other day at work the vets were there doing exams on three dolphins. I had Ayla for a 45 min. session. For those that don't know, a normal session is about 15 minutes. This was the same amount of fish for 45 minutes. I can't do any behaviors with her except walk her around, do rub downs (have her swim past me as I rub along her body...that sounded to sensual), and play with toys with her. Ayla is one that can get bored easy so it was a challenge. I believe I suceeded. She only left me twice, but came right back and it was right at the end. Go me! This is also funny. The supervisor asked me if I ever saw blubber measurements at Brookfield. I had so she asked me to teach one of the trainers how to do it because the vets were coming in a few days to do it. So I had to teach a trainer how to do it. Then when the vet was in yesterday he didn't know where to do it so I had to teach him too. Funny stuff.

Ryan, myself, and our friend, Chad, went to a comedy club two weeks ago in downtown Minneapolis. We saw a guy who does the dodge ram commercials and he says "that thing gotta hemi?" Anyway, he was really funny. I never saw a stand up comedian before.

Hey y'all-

I just want to inform you all that I am going to a Sara Groves concert tonight in Burnsville, MN and am super excited. She is an awesome singer/songwriter. My friend Joy absolutely adores her. I've heard some of her stuff and she is amazing. So, yeah, I just wanted to rub it in your faces.

I hate computers. I just wrote a long blog and it disappeared into cyber space. Quick recap. It snowed here on Friday and my normal 45 minutes home turned into a 3 hour ride home. On that ride home the driver's side windshield wiper broke off in my hand when I was trying to flick the snow off of it. I at least lived to tell about it. Work is good. We did a fun thing with the dolphins yesterday where they offerred up different behaviors and we threw fish at them if they did something new. I had Rio and she was darn cute.

I swear...I am still alive. I know it's been a long time. No excuses. I'm just lazy. Let's see. The zoo is still going well. I am anxious to get a paying job with marine mammals, but we'll see when that happens. Last weekend Ryan and I headed home to Hancock to have Christmas with my family up there. It was a wonderful time. I got to see my mom, dad, step-mom, grandpa, brother, and sister-in law. Michigan is covered with snow, when here in Minnesota, we just recently got our first inch. (I actually love the lack of snow cover, although it is extremely cold). I do have some pictures from the zoo that I will post on here when I have more time. It's my day off and Ryan and I have a billion places to go. I've been sick the past couple of days. I actually called in sick yesterday, which is the first time ever at any job that I've done that. I got what 4 others at the zoo where sick with...sore throat, exploding head, dizzy, upset stomach. Fun stuff. I am feeling better today, although not 100% yet. If you are reading this, I am desperate for some contact outside of this house and the zoo so PLEASE give me a call, write me a letter, send me a care package, send me a dozen roses...hee hee hee. You get the picture. Peace out.

Quick update. Smallville is on in 5 minutes! Christmas was good. It was also sad because I was away from my family, but that is one sacrifice you have to make when you get married. The Zoo has been good. I am feeding dolphins everyday and loving it. They all have thier unique personalities and it is fun to learn about them. I'll write more someday when I have more time.

Today was my first day at the Minnesota Zoo. I kinda got thrown into some stuff, but I was perfectly fine with that. It meant a lot of animal feeding on my first day. There is one dolphin, Ayla who wouldn't eat. When I was working with another trainer with her, she would station by me, so the trainer had me feed her some. Then she went weird again and wouldn't eat. Then they had me try later, trying to feed her from the front of the pool. At the last feeding they had me feed Semo, a 43 year old male (that's a really old dolphin) without anyone even looking over my shoulder. At first it just entailed feeding him fish and ice cubes and making eye contact because Semo really thrives from eye contact. During the second part they let me play catch with him also. So I would throw the football out and he would retreive it. It was cool. I also did sound for the show and loaded and unloaded about 20 SCUBA tanks. I still stink like fish!

Well, it is finished. I am a college graduate, a CMU alumnus. I don't think it has really hit me. Even walking in the ceremony...it went by so fast and then it was over. Yesterday we moved to Minnesota. I am SOOOOO grateful for my mom and Ryan's parents for helping us pack, move, and clean. It was a bigger project then we expected. Even driving to Minnesota, I kept saying, "On the way home..." Then I would remember it was a one way trip and there won't be a trip home. Currently Ryan is cleaning out his old bedroom and throwing stuff away, giving some to goodwill, and organizing other stuff. As you can tell, I am working hard sitting at the computer. Just a minute ago I had a cute kitty sitting with me here. I should probably get some stuff done now. It'll be another long and hard day moving and unpacking.

Today was an emotional day. I took my last exam and turned in my last paper. So, I am done with college. I am really excited to be done. But, I also had to say goodbye to all of my friends here which of course was sad. There were so many people that meant a lot to me, so it sucks saying goodbye. Many of us ate a La Senoritas tonight which was fun. I almost didn't want to say goodbye. I wanted to sneak out...it would have been easier that way. It was cute; when I cried saying goodbye, my mom cried too. She is so empathetic. We were driving away from La's and I was just thanking God how grateful I am to have such an amazing group of friends. I will miss them dearly. To any of you reading this...I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY TIME AT CMU UNFORGETTABLE.

P.S. If you want to check out where I will be the website is www.mnzoo.org. AND one of the dolphins is pregnant so maybe I can see another dolphin baby.

I am a blessed woman. I was just offered the internship at the Minnesota Zoo. It isn't paid and I have to commute about an hour, but I get to work with the most amazing animals again. Jenny from the block, I mean zoo, called me today and basically said, "We want to offer you the internship." It was the easiest job I ever got. No interview or anything. She was recently at Brookfield Zoo for a week acclimating a new dolphin so she knows how hectic it is there. She said MN Zoo wasn't nearly as hectic. There is a lot more time to hang around the pool and play with the dolphins. You won't see me complaining. I will be working 5 days a week for 8 hours a day. I am starting either Dec. 22 or the 28th. I will find out on Wednesday. Thank you all for your prayers. It's nice to know we finally have a concrete destination.

This is a time of "lasts". Yesterday was my last InterVarsity Bible study. Today is my last day of college classes. Tomorrow will be my last IV Open House, meaning it will be the last day I see a lot of people that mean a great deal to me. I guess this is what happens when you graduate.

This weekend Ryan and I went to Chicago with Allyn, her boyfriend Paul, Paul's sister Anna, and her husband Curtis. We looked at all the beautiful decorations and went into some stores, but nobody really bought much. We wanted to go ice skating at Mellinium Park, but the line to get skates was INSANE! It was a nice time, having my last horrah with Allyn before I leave.

Tomorrow I have my last mouth surgery before I can actually get my tooth back in. It's about time. Amy Brewster is driving me down at like 6:30 in the morning. It's like a 2 hour drive for a 15 min. surgery. Dumb. Then at Open House for IV I have to give my senior sendoff speech, where I instill my "wisdom" on others. Yeah right. What wisdom?

I did hear from Minnesota Zoo. That is for the internship, so it's the last one I want, but I will still be happy to take it if nothing else comes along. I have to talk to the woman again tomorrow so I'll keep you updated.

Well, I should probably go to class now. Last Psych. class ever! Woot woot!

I have officially been diagnosed with Senioritis. At least I only have a week and a half weeks of classes left. At least it didn't kick in weeks ago. I just don't want to do ANYTHING school related. I did finish one book and I am about 30 pages away from finishing Harry Potter 3 and I got some Christmas presents completed. So I'm not being a complete bum. Just a bum about my school work.

Let's see if I still remember what has been going on in my life...
1. Got my first A on a Dr. Gillingham exam. It took me 1 1/2 semesters, but hey, I finally got one.
2. For Thanksgiving, Ryan and I went up to the Traverse City area to visit Josh, Amy, and Amy's family. It was a relaxing time and it was really nice to see them.
3. The first snow fell on Wednesday. I guess 200 cars went in the ditch. My friend, James, was in a really bad car accident, but I haven't heard how he is doing. I know the girl he was driving got killed. Keep him and the girl's family in your prayers, even though I don't know the details.
4. Still no job.
5. Packing sucks. I feel like I've packed a zillion boxes, but the apartment doesn't look any more empty.
6. O.k. There is the movie "Andre" about a girl and a sea lion. However, in the whole movie they call it a seal. It irked me the WHOLE movie, but at the end it showed clips of the real Andre, who was in fact a Harbor Seal, not a Sea Lion. But, they should have put a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie saying "We are using a sea lion to film, but calling it a seal in the movie to show respect to the real Andre. But be aware that there is a difference." But, of course they didn't, leading everyone to call sea lions, seals. FYI: Sea lions can rotate their hind legs forward and walk on all fours and have external ear flaps. Seals can't rotate their hind legs forward so they move like an inch worm and they don't have external ear flaps. They have holes in thier head that look like ears. NOW...don't call a sea lion a seal infront of me. It's almost as bad as calling a dolphin a fish. (getting off my pulpit now)