Monday, January 31, 2011

a celebration

so today . . . i fear a bug is trying to get me. i have a sore throat, a deep, scratchy voice, and now my nose is starting to run. you can thank my mom for my blog today, because i was sitting here on the couch, in a zombie-like state, thinking i should probably just go to bed, when i remembered the comment she left on yesterday's blog--she is planning to stay up tonight until my blog posts. that's how excited she is to read it.

perhaps i should not have made it sound quite so exciting...

but apparently i did, so now i guess i had better deliver.

so yesterday, after the whole camera fiasco at church, we went into the gym for our farewell dinner. i started to walk through the door, but suddenly i stopped. i thought maybe i was really asleep and was having a nightmare. because there in front of me was a sea of purple and gold. yes, purple and gold, as in laker's colors. the tables had yellow and purple tablecloths. the centerpieces were commemorative laker's water bottles with purple and yellow balloons attached.
there were bowls of purple jelly beans and yellow lemonheads on each table. my brain screamed "RUN!!" and i started thinking jack-in-the-box thoughts...

i was quickly reassured that they had set two special places, just for diandra and me. i was sort of hoping it was out on the patio, where we would be surrounded by fresh air instead of purple and gold. but as it turned out, we were right in the center of the room, in our own tiny little piece of trailblazer heaven.
and when i say tiny, i am not exaggerating. we had exactly one quarter of one table. of course, we were probably the only laker-haters in the room...
i mean, even the giant tollhouse cookie was decorated with the evil purple and gold. (they call it gold, but it looks like plain, old yellow to me!)

there were gifts. i like gifts. mine was especially nice. even the card was jeweled. and golden. with purple sparkly stones. yes, they managed to sneak those colors in yet again!
and then it was finally time for the big moment--rollie's gift. there was a lot of excitement surrounding the presentation. and when the cover was finally removed...
TA-DA!! yes, rollie is now the proud owner of a kobe bryant signed jersey from his rookie season (kobe's rookie season, not rollies.) he is ecstatic! (rollie, not kobe.) he is over the moon. he says it is the best gift EVER. he can hardly wait to hang it.

i think there is not a house big enough in the los angeles metropolitan area big enough for both of us (me and the jersey.) but i don't think today is the day to make him choose, because the way he was looking at it...

(it's a good thing he has an office.)

it is never easy to say good bye. but our church did an awesome job today of showing us how much they love and appreciate us. they are an amazing group of people, and their next pastor is going to be one very lucky guy...

...unless he happens to be a trailblazer fan.

3 comments:

Carroll said...

Not purple and gold! What were they thinking. However, you must admit there was lots of thought and care put into it. I'm so happy for you. But what was your gift Julie? Got my curiosity working!
Love you!

mom said...

What a great day! Somebody or bodies in that church has a sense of humor. At your expense I might say.. I did check before I turned off my computer last night but you hadn't posted yet. Maybe you are going to have to warm up to those Lakers if you continue to live there. You wouldn't be proud of the Blazers at this moment. Couldn't see, what was your gift?
I'm sure the church realizes that they have big shoes to fill. Just glad for Rollie. Didn't realize there were so many churches in that district. He will be a busy guy.

Diandra Ann said...

The gift was a necklace and a bracelet. Just thought I'd answer since mom didnt. :)