Remember your name. Do not lose hope — what you seek will be found.

Hello February! When did you arrive and how did you get here so soon?? Wasn't it just last week that Hubby was graduating, it was Christmas, and things were slowing down? Apparently not. I do believe you are laughing at me, evilly. Ah well. Welcome!

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We are moved in. Except for boxes in the garage we need to go through. However, I don't count them as not being moved in because we have been living easily and comfortably in our new place. Besides, unpacking all our books will take time and love and care. Weekend project! I want to try to go through a box a day but that hasn't happened quite yet, mostly because this week has been crazy.

We finished moving all of our stuff over on Sunday (whee!). Slept for a couple hours, then it was up and time to head to work. The commute was surprisingly not bad at all. We're trying to figure out the right routes to take to miss traffic, and I think we finally settled on one. It takes about a half hour or so, but with the freeway time and driving and actually being able to sleep comfortably, we don't mind at all. I then had my first class that night which went very well. I love the teacher, and it's only an hour long. Which is...very odd. I haven't been in that short of a class since Freshman year. Tuesday was the same routine but more sleep this time (yay!), and then my ASL class which I'll talk more about later!! Wednesday was a relatively normal day, fell asleep on the bed while reading. Today started well, got plenty of sleep, brought breakfast and lunch! And I have my ASL class tonight.

Well, since I've brought it up so much...

My ASL class is amazing!!! It's one of the best decisions I made to take for class this semester! I'm going to hopefully be around to take ASL 2 next semester and hopefully hopefully (crossing fingers!!) be around to finish it out with ASL 3 next spring. I'm not sure how that all will work out, but I'm really hoping it does. My prof is deaf, showed up with an interpreter the first night. Basically said that this is the first/last night with an interpreter. After that first class, we will be on our own. So we as students will have to figure out how to communicate with our teacher, and he will...probably be laughing as we try to talk to him. He said there will be a lot of charades for a while and writing on the white board. We are not allowed to speak at all. We always have to be looking at him to understand what he's saying, to see the signs and read body language. I am going to love it, and the class is small (only about 15 people), which will make it fun and close-knit too. Tonight is my 2nd one, and I am absolutely thrilled to be going! Good thing I'm a visual learner and can read body language very well too!

We are settling in beautifully at our new place. We love going home every night and feeling like it really is our home. There's a wonderful sense of being away from everything (school and work). Instead of feeling like we are just an extension of Biola's campus or something like that. We actually have a cute small "house" if you will (as my friend put it!). It's amazing to feel not cramped. That I can stand in the kitchen or sit at the dining room table and not feel like I'm overlapping into the living room. We have a queen-sized bed! That's glorious. Especially when we both spread out as we sleep, not feeling like I'm going to roll over and fall off the bed. (Hehe. I didn't that once. It wasn't fun.) And Hubby is absolutely ecstatic about the 2 car garage and workbench. I, for one, love our dishwasher, stove, and washer and dryer. They all perform amazingly and quickly! There's almost more space than I know what to do with. (Almost) I still have to unpack boxes upon boxes of books, but I do believe I'll be able to find a place to put them up. All of them! I cannot wait! The nice one is with our garage, we have boxes piled up (not many though, which is nice) and we can take our time going through them. Most of them will probably stay out in the garage in a corner. I was able to get most of my pictures up and some books. I have two shelves in the kitchen dedicated to my Old Books collection! They face the front door, so it'll be one of the first things you get to see as you walk in! Along with my adorable Willow Tree figurines.

Overall, we're both ecstatic over our new home. We absolutely love it and the area is beautiful. We've been having fun driving around, figuring out where everything is. How far away, and all that. Oh! We also got a Costco membership! So we stocked up on things for a good while. It's so nice being just five minutes down the freeway from shopping centers, food courts, and basically anywhere. Instead of having to drive at least fifteen minutes just to get to a shopping center.

Life has been good and interesting. I've been thinking alot about things (nothing I want to post here), and my spiritual walk has been getting stronger. I've started trying to do some devotions at night when I can...and praying through some Celtic prayers out of a Celtic Spirituality book right now. It has definitely helped. I find that reading prayers is much easier for me lately than attempting to figure out what to say.

Life is good. God is good. And things are settling in a very Good way. Can't wait to see what kind of changes are going to happen!

I'm also posting an amazing poem by Neil Gaiman. It really hits me in specific parts, and although it's written for how to interact if you find yourself in a faerie tale, a lot can be applied to Life itself. Which seems like a faerie tale at times (in a very original sense...that things aren't normal and straight-forward. They rarely are). Mostly because I'm incredibly sad I wont' be able to make it UCLA tonight where he's speaking. I saw his post about it a while back (like October), went, "OH my gosh, I have to go!!" and totally forgot till today. Which means only the most expensive tickets are left. I have so many questions for him and would love to just hear him speak on writing, how to write, why, how to tell good stories. Hopefully he shall return soon, and I will be able to go! With a Signing!

So without further ado,

Instructions

by Neil Gaiman

Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never

saw before.

Say "please" before you open the latch,

go through,

walk down the path.

A red metal imp hangs from the green-painted

front door,

as a knocker,

do not touch it; it will bite your fingers.

Walk through the house. Take nothing. Eat

nothing.

However, if any creature tells you that it hungers,

feed it.

If it tells you that it is dirty,

clean it.

If it cries to you that it hurts,

if you can,

ease its pain.

From the back garden you will be able to see the

wild wood.

The deep well you walk past leads to Winter's

realm;

there is another land at the bottom of it.

If you turn around here,

you can walk back, safely;

you will lose no face. I will think no less of you.

Once through the garden you will be in the

wood.

The trees are old. Eyes peer from the under-

growth.

Beneath a twisted oak sits an old woman. She

may ask for something;

give it to her. She

will point the way to the castle.

Inside it are three princesses.

Do not trust the youngest. Walk on.

In the clearing beyond the castle the twelve

months sit about a fire,

warming their feet, exchanging tales.

They may do favors for you, if you are polite.

You may pick strawberries in December's frost.

Trust the wolves, but do not tell them where

you are going.

The river can be crossed by the ferry. The ferry-

man will take you.

(The answer to his question is this:

If he hands the oar to his passenger, he will be free to

leave the boat.

Only tell him this from a safe distance.)

If an eagle gives you a feather, keep it safe.

Remember: that giants sleep too soundly; that

witches are often betrayed by their appetites;

dragons have one soft spot, somewhere, always;

hearts can be well-hidden,

and you betray them with your tongue.

Do not be jealous of your sister.

Know that diamonds and roses

are as uncomfortable when they tumble from

one's lips as toads and frogs:

colder, too, and sharper, and they cut.

Remember your name.

Do not lose hope — what you seek will be found.

Trust ghosts. Trust those that you have helped

to help you in their turn.

Trust dreams.

Trust your heart, and trust your story.

When you come back, return the way you came.

Favors will be returned, debts will be repaid.

Do not forget your manners.

Do not look back.

Ride the wise eagle (you shall not fall).

Ride the silver fish (you will not drown).

Ride the grey wolf (hold tightly to his fur).

There is a worm at the heart of the tower; that is

why it will not stand.

When you reach the little house, the place your

journey started,

you will recognize it, although it will seem

much smaller than you remember.

Walk up the path, and through the garden gate

you never saw before but once.

And then go home. Or make a home.

And rest.