So life is as busy as ever. I go to school six days a week, and I work four days a week. I have extra-curriculars on Sundays and Tuesdays. So lets just say that keeping up with homework and trying to watch the newest episodes of Heroes is hard enough of a balancing chore. Which reminds me, I have chores to do too.

Anyway, so this is my regular check in with everyone. Hope y'all are doing well. For me the new school year has brought a lot of cool things as well as a lot of new and sometimes tedious things. I am hoping to make it to Christmas, and then enjoy a nice break.

I actually updated my profile too! Where there was once a red x where my picture was supposed to be (for about an entire year), there is now actually a picture! Also I've updated my profile banner for the first time since I originally set it (I think). So all in all, the new renovations are quite the improvement and I feel proud for small achievements. Oh, and if you're wondering who the new icon person is, that is Arlene Francis. An amazingly cheerful and charming woman, she was known as the first woman of radio and television (for even though she wasn't the 'first' she was certainly big and one of the more newer and well-known and beloved women in it). Arlene paved the way for women in television and was one of the first women to host a serious tv program. Anyway, that's your history lesson for today.

Until later.....bye!

Excitement abounds as I have now become a "Red Shirted Lt." Finally, I have achieved a Star Trek title (even if it is from the Original series and I have the title of the people that always die). Nevertheless, I will momentarily bask in the light of this until a tentacled monster comes out of the computer screen and stabs a whole in my brand new red shirt.

Wow, long time, no blog.

So for part of our Christmas present my Mom, Dad, sister, and me all went to Disneyland. It was all lit up for Christmas and very beautiful at night time. We met up my my aunt, uncle, and cousins for the day. We went on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Peter Pan, It's a Small World, Buzz Lightyear, The Amazing Shrinking and Enlarging Machine show (in 3-D), Indiana Jones, Thunder Mt., and maybe some other things. We all ate an extremely overpriced lunch, and had loads of fun.

More pics are on my myspace if you want to see them. Otherwise my Christmas was great, hope yours was the same.

We think our house is ok, as some people down and across the road stayed in their house and said that the fire circled the hill that our house is on without touching it. No, Doug, I didn't think to bring my poster, but it should still be ok. Pepper is safe, I found his Petco carrier box that he came home in when we bought him (it is small and portable), and we packed up his big cage in the back of the extra truck. He is currently sleeping in his big cage in the spare room I am staying in (I am in my cousin Jason's room, as he is off to college). We were forced to leave our three cats, but we left a lot of food out for them (for thefew days we planned onbeing gone) and just hoped that the fire didn't hit our house. They should still be there, and have food (as they are outside cats, the only difference is that theyhaven't seen us).My college was closed down Monday and Tuesday (yesterday and today) and I need to check online if it will be open tomorrow. I am not sure of what they'll do, as many freewways are still shut down.

Nyssa and Adelle live in the heart of town, and away from leafy foliage, so they stayed. I don't know how they are breathing as the air quality is so poor, but they and their house are safe.

Yes, Hannah had to evacuate too. She evacuated with her family to Clairemonte (they are staying at her Grandma's house). They had enough time to pack some of their clothes and more important things. They packed up Emma too and put her in an animal carrier. She is safely with them, but grumpy.Hannah's house in on the side of town that the fires burned, so we don't know yet if it is ok. No one in town that stayed can check for us, because that side of town has been blocked off due to the fires.

Oh wait, I just I called Hannah and she said thatour friends Nyssa and Adelle drove into the fire area (they snuck in somehow) and said that her house is safe. She also said Emma is happily adjusted to her Grandma's house. She is currently sleeping on someone's bed, under their sheets.Hannah was able to grab her frogs too. Her last beta died before the evacuation, so she only had to move the frogs.

So both of our houses are safe, which is quite the miracle as they were both quite near fire zones. We don't know if our church has burned down yet, or how many members and staff have had their houses burned down. The church staff is going to have an emergency meeting to assess the damage and start helping people whose houses have burned...as soon as we are allowed back in Ramona. Both of our families have decided that as soon as they allow people to re-enter Ramona, we are going back in. We don't want to burden the people we are staying with, and we need to take care of things at home.

Doug thank you so much for your prayers, and please thank your mom and your church for me. So far, the prayers seemed to have worked because the fires have come close to both of our houses and then stopped. Houses that were just two or so streets down from Hannah's house burned, and I heard that the fire circled the back ridgeof the hill by our house. Still, there is a lot of praying to be done as a lot of people have lost their homes and the fire is still burning in Ramona and the rest of San Diego County. It was estimated yesterday that 1/4 of San Diego County had been evacuated. That is all of the news I can think of so far that is important. Thanks so much for your concern, and know that Hannah and I (and our families) are both safe.

Love,
Jessica

Ok so if you guys are watching the news, and know where I live, I thought you might be worried, so I wanted to post here really quick.

We evacuated our house as there are 8 large fires spanning all of San Diego county. The fire known as the Witch Creek Fire, has caused our entire town to be evacuated. Other whole towns have been evacuated as well. We originally evacated to my mom's friend's house in Rancho Bernardo, but were then evacuated again. Fortunately we made it out before the fire got too close and the freeway jammed up. A lot of the major freeways have been closed as the fires have jumped them. We are currently at my Aunt Monica and Uncle Steve's house in Santee. We are safe and sound and awaiting a more permanent place to evacuate to (as it is pretty full here with our cousins, Aunt and Uncle, and grandparents.)
We had enough forewarning to pack some of the more important things, and get all of the dogs loaded up. We had an extra truck, and itwas a really big blessing as Grandpa drove Dad's truck out (which was loaded with his work stuff) and Dad was able to load up a lot of important things in the back ofthe extratruck. I may not be at a place where I can update all you guys again for awhile, but just know that we're safe. Please keep us in your prayers.

Jessica