horrible weather and elisabeth is going to astrocamp....

and this is what the mountains look like right now!!!

anywho, chris drove me to work this morning. it was kinda creepy. it rained all night, so the was water everywhere... i think we were going between 50 and 55 mhp. the car hydroplaned once or twice, but we made it to CHLA safely.

i spoke to chris when he got home from dropping me off... he said that he had to get of the freeway and take the streets the rest of the way because they were so bad. he said the 710 is flooded already, and that a ton of streets are flooded. nice. the best part, the pool at our complex is over flowing... which means some of our downstairs neighbors might get flooded... lame.

anywho, we needs rain, but this is kinda ridiculous!

*besos*

I Heart Disneyland!!!!

thank you astrid and heather for working at place that gets us in for so little!!! that's all.... such a happy place!!!

oh my beefy beefiness...

chris is going today to sign papers... AND TO GET THE KEYS!

holy mother... i'm really getting married in 3 weeks. i'm really going to be a wife to chris o'roark.

*nervous laughter*

!!!!!!HOW EXCITING!!!!!

in three weeks, about 200 people will be getting ready for my wedding...

HOLY MOSES!!!!

*besos*

ps...

it's raining again...

*besos*

i love winter time!!!

except when it's tre buhu cold!!!

sure, it's only, like, 50 degrees, and our friends out on the east coast are really suffering... but we usually have sun!!

although, i must say... i like the rain. don't like driving in it too much, but i still like it.

all i ask is that the clouds get all the rain out of their system by mid-january. really, once the 27th, 28th start rolling around, feel free to rain again. but, from the 20th to the 26th, i want sunshine!!

*besos*

i love the smell of smoke...

there are 3 things in you can count on for sure in la... traffic, earthquakes, and fires in the call. everything else in la is a perk. really.

there are about a ton of things burning up in the greater los angeles area (this covers most of san bernadino and orange county.. why? because.). yesterday was really bad around home. diamond bar is about 15-20 minutes from my house, and it was burning up. so, there was tons of ash on the cars and smoke everywhere. it smelled great! really, it made me crave a hot dog and a hamburger or two.

but in all honesty, it really sucked. on friday, 200 homes were lost in montecito. then on saturday, about 500 mobile homes were lost in sylmar. there were other countless homes lost in corona and in places i don't even know the names of. it's really sad...

but, it's really just this huge reminder of how fleeting everything is. of how everything we have, want, work for... its all essentially nothing. it can be taken away in an instant, and sometimes there is really nothing we can do about it. except trust God. but really, that's all we can do anyway.

at GAP last night we were going over what we learned from 2nd Timothy... and everything came back to the charge Paul gave to Timothy... to never back down, to never be ashamed, to live a life the exudes Christ and His death on the cross, to be ready to fight for Christ, to be willing to loose it all for His sake.

how does this have anything to do with the fires in la... our treasure is not here! we are here to reach other for Christ! that is is our work. all we have, everything, is a gift that He has given us because of His grace.

so, pray for those who lost everything. but pray even harder for those who will loose more if we don't reach them! and pray for our hearts and our minds so that we will always focus on The Truth. pray for our courage and our willingness!!

why to i love the smell of smoke? because it means we're fanning the flames!!

*besos*

it's election day.. and i'm tired..

of people opposing Prop 8, that is...

i'm just really annoyed with the arguments and the tv ads... it has nothing to do with civil rights people!!

we all know how i feel about homosexual relationships in general; it's sinful. and that's that. but, being someone who studied the science of politics and studied civil rights laws.. i am particularly annoyed by Prop 8.

it's just... it's not a civil rights issue. for them to say that it's just like when blacks and whites couldn't marry.. it so isn't!! as far as i know (and i know a lot of random information), homosexuality is neither a race nor a gender. it is not something you are born with, it is a choice you make. there is no other way to look at it. now, if there was some sort of legal citing saying that homosexuality was a race or a gender, i would say that , yes, they are being discriminated against and it is a civil rights issue. would i join their camp, no.

but, that being said... you can't really discriminate someone on their lifestyle choice. now, i like pink.. i love pink. the store across the street only sells green items. will i go shopping there? probably not. will i sue them because they don't sell pink? no. it's my choice. the day i chose to like pink, i limited my options on other things.

aside from the sin that is homosexuality... choosing to be homosexual and choosing to live that lifestyle is much like my dilemma of shopping at that darn green store. you know the law says you can't get married. but, that's what you chose! you all make decisions that affect things we want. i'm getting married knowing that i'm in no position to buy a house. i can wait 'til a house is within my reach... but i want to get married now. who am i to complain that there is no way for me to buy a house! it's ridiculous!

i just don't get it... it isn't a civil rights issue! it's a choice! you choose to be gay or lesbian, deal with the fact that you can't be legally married.

there... i've said my piece. and, if you have any questions... i have a few books about the constitution of this country. marriage isn't a right.. it's a privilege... homosexuality isn't a gender or race... it's a lifestyle.

that's it. i couls say more... but i won't...

*besos*

apartment hunting...

did you know... it's hard to find a nice place for a good price in a decent area of los angeles? yeah, it is. especially when you take into consideration that the people living in the house will have to travel to hollywood and long beach. those aren't exactly down the street from each other!

pray that we'll find a place to live. a place where chris will be comfortable leaving me alone, a place where i'll be comfortable sleeping, that won't make our commutes longer, and that will be affordable. hey, God wants us to be specific in our prayers!

*besos*

sad

so... my car.. the one i'm still driving *not the super fabulous fantastical car that chris is still making perfect for me* lost a part of itself today... the heater/ac.

okay, it didn't really work to begin with. it always had to be on full blast, which is okay it it's really cold or really hot... but it's kinda loud. for the last couple of weeks i've been using the defroster for my windshield. granted, i had to open the windows too to make the process a little more quick... but it was something!

this morning, i went to turn on the defroster for my windshield... and nothing. and said to myself, "self, maybe you didn't turn the nob to full blast." so, i turned the nob to full blast. nothing. so i fiddled with it a little bit, and still. nothing.

it's kinda sad. my poor little car. i love my little car!

anywho, i'm in the process of finding it a new home. i think it may have one in east la with one of my former high school students (former... he just started collage!). he knows all about the falling apart-ness that is my little car. but i guess, there is time in every males life where he has to tinker with a car and be able to say 'I made this work!'... so, i think we'll let him do that!

but, i hope it isn't really hot on my way home!

*besos*

i have a new caaaar!!!

tee-hee... i like it.

if i could post pictures of things.. you'd totally see a picture of my car right now. but alas, i'm lame. actually, i should probably get a picture of it first...

anywho, it's a mini mini van. really. the kids at church are like, "leilani, it's like a young mom car." and astrid says, "you're like a soccer mom.... without the kids!" ps.. pray for astrid. we now need to get her a new car too!

but it's cool. it totally goes with chris' married man car. no, not girl car. responsible married man car. thank you. and, we're a family of little silver bullets.

but, God really is great. i needed a new car. but He gave me even more than that. He made sure chris would be concerned about my well being and safety, so He gave us a good car. but He also spoils me... i now have a wagon-y car; something i've always wanted. it has a radio (!!), a cd player, a heater (super !!!), and an ac (super duper !!!). it's amazing when you see how God gives you not only what you need, but He likes to bless you with even more.

i'm so happy!!! i'm super grateful for my car. i'm sad to let go of my little car. and this other one seems really grown up... but i'm excited!

*besos*

oh the traffic... oh the drivers...

i left my house early this morning so i could get to work early enough to leave early for pre-martial counseling (go pastor stef!).... and... traffic.

not the freeway kind. worse. the surface street kind. it sucked because 3 intersections didn't have working lights. so it was like stop signs at major intersections.

normally i'm good with traffic. i really don't mind it too much. but, when i have a mission... i get a little upset. however, i was really okay with it this morning. i mean, what can you do? it's not like i can fix the lights myself and make the cars go faster.

but, the worst part was the drivers. these desperate people with complete disregard for traffic rules, lane lines, and other people. the were actually honking for other to get out of their way... when they were the one's ho could have used driving school!

anywho, that's my rant for this morning...

*leilani*

farewell my friend...

"i have good news and bad news."

that's what my dad said to me after he went to take my car to get it smogged... i told him to give them both to me at the same time, not really thinking he could.

"your going to drive a new car"

how is that an answer to both questions?, says i. the good news, i'm going to drive a new car. the bad news, i'm going to drive a new car... interesting..

you see, my car did not pass the smog test. in fact, it really didn't pass the smog test. it's a wonder i'm still alive! but now, i have to say farewell to my cute little car. so sad... i've only been driving for a little over a year, but i've become attached.

this car took me to work the first time i had to drive alone. it took me to billy and laurel's house when they needed me to watch the kids for a few days... it was my first outing on the freeway alone. i drove back in the rain; it was tre buhu scary. and just 2 months ago i drove it all the way to redlands to see jennifer.... and it takes me to carson when i need to see my other self, and my girls.. and when i need to runway, in my car i go!

but, i know God is in control of all things. so, if i have to take the bus again, He will take care of me. and, He'll make sure i get the car that's exactly way i need and can take on. go God!

so, back to the old post about chris wanting to get me a new car.

"i guess, it's always nice to make new friends"
-giselle, enchanted

*besos*

where am i when all of this happens??

i was watching 90210 last night (yes, i watch it... and, i try to catch ANTM whenever i can), and THEY TOTALLY FILMED IT AT DEL AMO!

that's fine... actually, it's not. they're trying to play the place off as Hollywood & Highland, but they were totally at the new outdoor place in Del Amo. that's isn't the real problem... they real problem is that people from Beverly Hills wouldn't go to either place! Hollywood & Highland is for all the tourists, kids from that area, and from the valley... it's not that cool a of a place. i mean, i used to interview homeless people there. and, people from Beverly Hills wouldn't go to Del Amo either... too many emo teens. they'd go to the Grove, or Farmer's Market on Fairfax... anywho, that's not the reason for this post...

when amy and i went to watch Mamma Mia!, we were wondering about the casting for the movie. there's a scene with a bunch of random women of all shapes and sizes... where was i when the open casting call was made?? and, when they needed extras at Del Amo, again, where was i?? i swear, i've been to that mall more times than i've ever been to South Coast... and we'd go there a few times a week!

i guess that's what happens in LA... 'tis fine... as long as i don't miss my curtain call on Broadway!

*besos*

i can't breathe.... achoo!

there aren't really any seasons in southern california... well, warm and warmer.. and random cold. but when warmer makes its shift to warm (summer to fall) the breeze picks up a little.. very nice...

unless you are one of those thousands of americans that suffers from fall allergies. no... it isn't fall yet. but, for as long as i can remember i've suffered from allergies for the whole beginning of the school year. ask me best friend; in high school i used to live with tissues always at the ready.

well, i woke up this morning and knew something wsy up... and it really sucked. my eyes wouldn't stop tearing and itching and burning.. then i get to my office, and i sneezed like 15 times in 2 seconds... it sucks. and all the girls in the clinic are like, "are you sick?" i'm tired of saying, "no, i have allergies."

the one thing that really scares me though, is ear infections. when my allergies get really bad my ears get plugged up, then they get infected... lame...

allergies suck.

*besos*

i hate car shopping...

frances refers to my car as "the chihuahua car"... it shakes and feels like it's always ready to go... i like my car. well, when i'm not scared that it'll die on my while driving down the 101. but, we've become a team... me and my little car.

but, the car has to be smogged every other for registration purposes. my car passed 2 years ago... by the grace of God. neither my dad, nor chris thing it'll pass again... and my registration is due september 12 (happy birthday learsi! happy wedding flor!!). chris did all sorts of manly things on it last weekend... with rubi's help. but he says there is now way....

anywho, he's convinced that we need to buy me car... with what money?!?!?! aside from that, i like my car. even if i do worry that it'll leave me stranded/explode while i drive it/kill me from the exhaust fumes...

the real thing, is that finding a new car is drama... especially since my subaru forester is way out of price range. and that all the station wagon-y cars i like have super pointy fronts that i don't like...

but i'll stop complaining. God will give me what i need. and that's the most important thing...

did i mention, i dont' mind taking the bus?

*besos*