GREAT NEWS! okay good news, great would be a new job......

During my last semester here at central I put together a marketing plan/event cordination for Big Brothers Big Sisters and wrote up a grant request for the American Marketing Association to try to get money to aid with the cost. It was approved! WAHOO! And is under way. And to top it all off I was just sent this link http://www.marketingpower.com/content2835555.php, if you go to it and read it it mentions our school chapter (University of Central Missouri) and also says that we are providing an exceptional plan. AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was all me :D No one else in the chapter wanted to take the time to do it. I did and God is good and gave the Big Brothers Big Sisters money enough to do a year of outreach and two big events. AHA!
Okay sorry if you cant tell I am really excited. :D

Valentine's Day

So I did not know this till this year but the saint that this day is named after has an interesting story to him. I thought I would share my wealth of knowledge with you. Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day. I love you all. MUAH!

St. Valentine
Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270.

Although it is a tragic story, his love was so great he was willing to die for his beliefs and his God. So on this day I remeber and show love to Saint Valentine, one of the millions of martyr's who love with all their heart.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE OF TONI"S ACCIDENT

Snow a factor in auto crashes for Warrensburg, surrounding areas
Feb 1, 2008, 11:29

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The blinding snow and icy roads resulted in numerous accidents in Johnson County Thursday afternoon and evening.The Missouri Highway Patrol closed 13 Highway between Warrensburg and Higginsville for about an hour, after accidents blocked the roadway.Three people were injured in a three-vehicle accident on 13, just north of NW 625 at 4 p.m. Martha S. Fiene, 49, of Blackburn, Mo., and Toni L. Runyon, 26, of Centerview, Mo., were transported to Western Missouri Medical Center for treatment of moderate injuries. The third driver, Mehrdad Haghighat-Jou, 44, of Braymer, Mo., refused medical treatment for minor injuries, the highway patrol reported.
Investigators said Haghighat-Jou lost control of his southbound vehicle, which crossed the centerline, and struck the driver’s side of Fiene’s northbound car, then ran head-on into the car driven by Runyon.Haghighat-Jou’s car sustained extensive damage and the other two vehicles were demolished. Johnson County Sheriff’s deputies assisted three highway patrolmen with the investigation, which is continuing.About the same time, another head-on collision on Route D, a mile south of U.S. 50 highway, injured five people.According to the highway patrol, a car driven by Susan J. Vongretzinger, 33, of Knob Noster, slid across the centerline and collided with a car driven by Kimberly A. Melching, 36, of Knob Noster.Vongretzinger and her passenger, Luke K. Vongretzinger, 3, of Knob Noster, were taken to Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg for treatment. The investigator said the child was not wearing a seat belt.Melching and two children, Jordan Melching, 10, and Bryce Melching, 6, were transported to Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia. All three sustained moderate injuries, the MSHP reported. Knob Noster police assisted with the investigation.Warrensburg police investigated 14 accidents, mostly fender-benders, during and after the snow storm.

Snow is EVIL!

So I know everyone is wondering about toni. She is doing fine. The medicine is definitely kicking in and the bruises have started showing up. She will be taking pics and I will post them when I get them.

The story is that the guy wsa in a dulley (s/p) Dodge. The police report said he had minor damage to his vehicle. Ha ha. He was coming into town on 13 HWY. North of town. Toni was headed out of town to pick up baby e from the baby sister. No she was not with her yet. THANK GOD! But anyway the guy lost control because of the snow, hit the lady in front of toni. Bounced off and tried dodging the ditch on the other side of teh highway swerving back into oncoming traffic and hitting toni. The other lady and toni's vehicles are both completely totalled. It is sad.

Anyway, I assure you toni is fine. No worries. Just say an extra prayer tonight that God was there for her and the other lady that they both were released from the hospital with minor bruising and no major injuries!

Here are pics of her truck, or whats lef tof it. It really looks bad in person.

Head on shot

drivers side where he hit her and then went down the side of the door. The Mo-Dot guy (bobby) that was putting salt and sand on the road stopped when he saw the accident pulled toni's door opened and got her out. She calls him her hercules because a normal man should not have been able to pull the door open that way.

Inside.

The hood was open and half way up the window. The tow truck guys had to pull it down and wire it shut so it wouldnt fly off when they were bringing the truck back in.

Okay well that is all I have for now on that.

For my friends, I am still looking for a job. No hopeful leads yet but still putting apps out everywhere. Hopefully God will bless me with a job soon. :D

Here is the latest pic of baby e I have. She is getting so big, so funny and has such a personality! I love her.

Painting

Here is a painting I did for a friends B-day. It is of Paris. Not really what it looks like there but ti is Paris which made her happy. This is my passion and if I could make enopugh to pay bills doing just this I would. Hope you enjoy :D

Baby E

Okay well the video hates me, I can load it or email it or anything. So grandpa O'Rear has it on disk to show you guys. For the Gerdes side I will mail you a copy.

Here are pics of baby E. First snow and sledding and all that stuff. Fun times.

Grandpa and me before our first venture

Oh yeah baby we sledding!

This is my christmas dress. Dont I look too cute.

I was a bunny for my grandpa runyon's church christmas pageant.

THEY WONT LET ME OUT!!!!! So what you in for?

Here is some of the snow. This is after it was cleaned off the first time. Then it snowed more.

The birds are freaking out about the fresh food we put out. The men were the first to come running. Imagine that. :D

From all of us to all of you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Graduation and the surprises that came along with it

This is the multi where grad is held

This is all the professors that have to do graduation. With the snow storm they looked just as happy to be there as everybody else. We got 10 inches of snow yesterday, in the beginning of the day it was a mix of sleet and snow. It turned to just snow during graduation.

This is when we were standing before al the wonderful speeches. :D

This is after I walked across the stage and it is official. I am graduated! Hello world.

This is the whole family. from left to right- Edith, Grnadpa Orear, Grandma Orear, Jake, Me, Steve and Baby E, Toni and Dale.
And then the surprise.......

My parents gave me a lap top! I about died as you can see in the video. It is slick. I am using it right now to type this. My dad got wireless in the house so that when I am here I can use it to do whatever. He told me not to be in it all the time. Uh huh. Who used it mostly last night. Oh that was my dad. :D He likes it too. Ha ha.

Like the surprise at the end. Baby E started walking. She is practically walking now! It is crazy. Enjoy.

I am going to send thank you 's to everyone but I really want to say how much I appreciate everyone's support throughtout my college career. It relaly means a lot to have the backing of my family and friends. And thank you to everyone that gave me presents and money fro graduation you have no idea how much I appreciate it and how much it meant to me to see your kind words of support.

The next blog will be of Baby E and the snow