Graduation

Eight months ago, I was accepted into the surgical technology program at a local school. Six months ago I began the core program in the main instructors classroom. Two months ago I started practical labs to learn the functional purpose of a tech. And two days ago I had my last day in class. It really has gone so quickly.

Tuesday begins a new season. I will be doing my clinical externship for the next three months. I will actually be in the operating room helping the surgical staff care for the patient. It is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Surgical technologist isn't a very well known position, but the role techs play is actually quite significant.

Assuming I make it out of clinicals alive, this will the first time I will have a graduation of any sort. I went to Germany before the end of my senior year. Being homeschooled, I wouldn't have walked in the highschool graduation anyway, but I might have had a graduation party. I thought maybe when I got home I would do a belated one, but it just felt odd to have a party at that point. I had already started college online (while in Germany) and knew I would continue going online after arriving home. So, I just moved to the Windy City where my sister lived, and that was that.

I continued college online for a short time before making the decision to discontinue. I am very proud of myself for making that decision. I knew it made the most sense for me to wait to invest my money, time, and stress until I knew what I actually wanted to do. So, I didn't graduate college.

For six years I waited, wondered, debated, and resigned myself that I would never have the "typical" college experience. Then last June I came across this program for the first time (though I'd been on the website countless times debating whether I could enjoy doing any of the programs they offered). It was the first time that I could consider as many aspects of the career that I could think of, and I still couldn't convince myself not to do it. There were things I knew I wouldn't particularly appreciate about the field, but the excitement I felt far outweighed any of the negative things.

I didn't realize how low my confidence was until I had to apply and be part of a very select group to be accepted. I was so nervous, and I could barely believe how everything worked out on time for my application. Receiving the acceptance letter in the mail was one of the most amazing things.

For the first time in my life, I physically attended school. Every day was a new adventure of feeling like a 'real' student. My school doesn't function like a typical university, but it was the perfect combination of my homeschooling experience with being in a classroom with a bunch of people. I was able to prove myself early on that I could actually handle the workload of school. Every class I took was one step closer to finally completing continuing education.

Preparing for my clinical externship required some paperwork to be filled out. My teacher did her part and handed it to me. For the first time ever I saw the word graduation be used in reference to me. "Expected graduation: July 2017" Those four words fill me with such pride and satisfaction. For once I feel confident that I truly am capable of doing what I set my mind to.

While I will finish my program in July, I will still have to take my certification exam. That will most likely happen in August. And the school's graduation will most likely be held in August/September. Whatever day they pick, I will be there to walk in that ceremony. It doesn't matter that I will be getting a certication rather than a degree. It doesn't matter that the school is relatively small. And it doesn't matter to me that most of my classmates will choose not to walk. This is my chance to experience something that I have longed for for so long. The chance to feel that I truly have accomplished something. The opportunity to be proud of myself and the effort I put forth to be in this position. It is easy for me to still struggle with the fact that so many other people do so much more schooling and do so much more with their lives, but not this time. This time I am just going to appreciate that I have done more than I thought I could. I have pushed myself to borders beyond my comfort zone. It may seem small to others, but it is so significant to me.

I think I might even have the graduation party I never had. I certainly don't need the presents that come with a typical party, but I do think I want the chance to celebrate with others an achievement I'm proud of. Besides! Who doesn't like a good party! =P I am going to choose to enjoy this season, though it is scary and overwhelming. I am going to choose to continue doing my best and push myself to do even better. I am so grateful for everyone who has been encouraging me along the way. What a journey it has been and will continue to be!

Wishes

I'm not a great journaler. I have spurts where I write frequently, and then I'll go months without a word. This has resulted in having my biggest life experiences all in one journal. I started this journal right after I got home from Germany in April of 2010. I'm about half way through the book now. So, yeah. I should work on that.

Tonight I was thinking about how I can look back on certain times of my life and realize how little I knew about life, love, loss, everything. It made me want to read back from the beginning of the journal. I definitely skimmed, but as I moved to the Windy City, and met MMM, each entry got more and more interesting. I remember writing the entry the night that he asked me to be his girlfriend and how my excitement was making my hands shake.
And then the next day this is part of what I wrote:

"Day two of having boyfriend and it's amazing. I had a hard time falling asleep because I was so excited, so I'm a bit tired, but it's all good...Whenever I think about what he said yesterday, I still get butterflies...This is such an odd feeling. I'm so excited about this!"

 

 

Reading this, all I could do was smile. I remember those feelings. I remember the butterflies. I remember jumping around the apartment because I was so excited that he had finally asked me to be his girlfriend.

 

Then I had a thought. I remember wishing I could know what would happen with MMM. I wondered if we would get married. I thought it would make it easier to go through each disagreement, and day of learning who each of us was, if we knew in the end we would get married. But I'm realizing that as much as I wanted to know how it would turn out, knowing wouldn't have allowed me to grow as a person. I wouldn't have the excitement of this new relationship. I wouldn't have had to try to really get to know him. It would have taken any need for effort out of the equation.

 

Now, four years later, I'm still wishing I knew how things would turn out. I wish I knew if I would get a diagnosis for why I keep miscarrying. I wish I knew if we would ever have biological or adopted children. I wish I knew if I would ever go through another miscarriage. I wish for so many things. But if I actually knew the future, would I be willing to wait for it? Would I have the courage to take each day in stride when I knew a particular heartache was coming toward me? Would I be able to enjoy the small moments of joy? I honestly don't think so. I think knowing my future would ruin my present.

 

This is where I think God is amazing. While we might wish and wish to know what's coming next, or when God's going to answer our cries; He knows that we are so weak that we can only handle our today. He knows that we will experience more joy by not knowing the moment of a proposal, or the first time you'll hear "I love you". There would be no excitement about life if you knew everything that was coming.  

 

I want to work on being more focused on the present. I have the tendency to get stuck in the past and ponder the future far more often than I actually enjoy the moment. I don't think that's very healthy. I want to be able to look back on my journal in six months and notice that I'm in the moment experiencing life and allowing myself to go through any and all emotions. I want to live authentically, and I want to trust my future to God.

 

I'm definitely in a season of uncertainty, but I know that God is going to use it in a special way to give Him glory. So I'm going to try to just walk faithfully through each day.

 



A Whole New Adventure

Before we left for Germany, MMM saw a position open up for his job at the base in Salt Lake City. We discussed it and saw SLC as a good place to move if God opened the door. So, he applied and we waited...and waited. MMM had one conversation with them before our trip and didn't feel like they were giving him very much hope, so we resigned ourselves that he wouldn't get the job. We were alright with that, as we both still loved the Windy City; but over all, we just wanted God's best for us.
All during our trip, we didn't think about or talk about SLC that much, and we just enjoyed ourselves. Then MMM arrived back earlier from Germany and continued to wait and didn't hear anything. Then I arrived back and the very next day he got a call for an interview that was set up for two weeks later. We both were surprised and thrilled by that outcome.
THEN! The very next day, he received another call. This time they said, scratch the interview, just come work here! Imagine our complete shock at that! When he called to let me know I was literally speechless. I absolutely couldn't believe that the wait was over. It was so very unexpected.
Anyway, so he accepted the job and arranged to have his first day be December 1st. That left us just six weeks to get ready to move half way across the country.
Of course, it was sad to tell all of our family and friends, but we were pleased to have so many of them show excitement for us! We both saw the ways that God was working to open the doors. I mean, even down to the timing, it was totally a God thing! And we were both excited to see what God had for us.
We got everything figured out with our house and belongings and made long drive over. It was definitely stressful. Things with our planned living arrangements were complicated. Our car was struggling. The road conditions weren't great. We had an extremely close call that could have killed us. And we both were exhausted. But in the end, we made it here alive and well. We had a place to live, and our car is still running. God truly provided for us in that first trip.
We have been working on getting to know people here and getting involved in a new church. And we are still excited to see what God has for us here! There are a lot of opportunities, and a lot of wonderful things to offer here. We are especially enjoying the beautiful weather. It really is a whole new adventure for us, and we hope to see God moving in big ways!

A lesson in Patience

Oh the horribly long lesson in patience. :P I think I've always struggled with patience (who doesn't really?). But it has been in the last 6 months or so that patience has been my constant argument with God. He has been patient with me, but I'm afraid I was never very patient with Him. I heard once that if you ask God for something, instead of just giving it to you, He'll give you the opportunity to grow in it. So, while I continued to ask for patience, He continually gave me situations I had no choice but to be patient in.

I could tell you of pretty much every situation in my most recent past that has heavily required my patience. Oh how many things I have waited for, and am still waiting on. But, that's not the point of this post. A verse that has come up in various conversations lately is Jeremiah 29:11 -

 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"

Oh the many times I've recited that verse and never really looked at what it said. Did you read it more carefully than I have in the past? It says right there that God has a plan for our lives. Our individual lives are not to complicated or too overwhelming for God to have control in every situation. But not only does He have plans... He has good plans for us. Better plans than we could ever bring about. But so often I like to steal the reigns out of God's hands and try to drive the buggy myself! Let's just say..that never goes very well. And yet He shows His magnificent character even more by being patient with me, and bringing me to a place where I am happy to give the reigns back to Him.

So, one of the biggest issues has been my unemployment. It has been stressful personally, and in pretty much every other major situation in my life.  I had the three months in Ohio where I half-heartedly looked for a temporary job, but then coming back to the Windy City, I thought for sure, I could get a job right away. In my all-knowing wisdom, it was quite apparent that everyone would be anxious to hire me as soon as I crossed the state border. *cough* That didn't go so well either. To be honest, I knew I didn't have much to recommend myself to a new employer, but I did feel I wouldn't have any issues.

Then with having the miscarriage I kinda put looking for a job on hold. I was grateful for a little time to adjust to being back home and allow my body the chance to get back to normal. But that didn't last too long. So the job hunt began. I looked and submitted applications time and time again. I had personal connections that seemed like I'd be a shoe-in for the job, and nothing happened. So many times I just knew that was the job for me...but I never got the job. This was very discouraging.

All this time, I had something against working with a temp agency. I just would not do it! I had no reason to dislike them, but I felt no peace in contacting them. Until one day I saw an ad for a bank position that I had to apply through an agency to even be considered! This was an agency I'd never heard of before (or so I thought), but for the first time I actually felt excited about working with them. ( I later found out that they were the same temp agency that two of my good friends have worked with and had told me about. whoops! :P)

So I put my application in with them, and they thought I'd be a perfect fit for that bank job. I even had two interviews for it, but again, I didn't get the job. I feel it was at this point that I just gave up any control I had over this situation. Apparently nothing I was doing was really helping. So I just let go of the reigns and waited to see what would happen with the agency (which I really like, btw).

It was maybe the next day or two that I got a call from them about a temp job working in an office as a receptionist while the full-time worker was on medical leave. I agreed immediately to do it with the understanding it would last about 3 weeks. My first week I was pretty nervous because it was something I'd never done before. It didn't take long to get to know the ladies in the office and to get comfortable in my situation. My only concern was that it would only last those 3 weeks, because I didn't know what I would do when they were done.

Well, I'm still working in that office, and now it's my fifth week with them. I'm so incredibly thankful to be working here because I have learned so much, and my confidence has grown incredibly. And I had to learn to be flexible because I've never known how long I would be here for sure.

Well, just about a week ago, I went to the bank to cash a check and saw a posting that they were hiring. (btw, a bank job has been my primary goal) I was actually able to speak with the branch manager while I was there and essentially gave him my verbal cover letter, and it went really well. And the thought came to me, wouldn't it just be something if I got the one job I just stumbled across?

I went back for an official interview a few days later and it was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed my time with them, and I felt (for the first time) that I nailed the interview! And the next morning they confirmed it by actually offering me the job! I cannot express how excited I was to get that call! It was amazing. For a long time I'd been in a place where I couldn't even imagine getting that phone call from anyone. But here it was, the phone call I'd been waiting for...a job at a bank..the bank I've used for years...close to my husband's job...in a smaller branch...with medical benefits..30 hours a week...and a flexible schedule. Basically, in every word - perfect. I couldn't have picked a better position if I'd be actively looking for it. Granted, I haven't started there yet, so there's still that hurdle to cross, but I am so excited! I already feel comfortable with the people I know there, and I am confident that I will fit in.

And to top it all off, I just got word today that the receptionist is going to try coming back next week for a few hours each day, and then completely the next week. And what do you know, that fits exactly to when I'll be starting at the bank. I'm just amazed at how God has worked everything out to the most minute detail. And here I was complaining to Him about my frustration, but He truly did have the best plan worked out. I am grateful for the job I've had here, and I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity I now have to work at a bank. Obviously, I could keep talking about this because I'm just that excited, but I'll leave this as a "short" story...rather than a real novel. :P

A Trip Gone Wrong

Today has been very interesting! We had scheduled a trip to the vet to get poor Thor fixed. Whether or not little Thor had anything to do with our adventures or not I'm unsure, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have subjected himself to that either. We got on the road and were about half way there when we noticed the car seemed to be skidding and not accelerating.

MMM pulled off to the side of the road and there we ascertained that there really was something wrong. Out of the way of traffic, he found out that it was definitely our transmission. We had to hang out in that parking lot while we waited for the tow.

Naturally, our car had to break down on such a bitterly cold day. We hung out in the car while I was holding shivering Thor in my lap wrapped in his blanket. I was grateful to have Thor to help me stay warm and MMM was smart enough to put some extra blankets in my car once winter hit. So we did our best to stay warm. It only took a few minutes before it was cold enough to see our breath. It was an interesting time.

The tow truck came and Thor and I went to warm up in his truck. Thankfully the auto shop was just a couple blocks away. Almost as soon as we drove there, a friend made it there to pick Thor and me up. She brought us home so that I could take our other car and go pick Hubby up. It was such a blessing to get my friend's help.

So, my brilliant plan of leaving the blizzard's snow on that car so that MMM could scrape it off..well, it back-fired. I literally had to shovel the snow of his car! There was so much snow on it. :P Unfortunately, after all that work, the car wouldn't start. I tried to ask our neighbors to help my jump it, but they weren't at home. :( So, I made several calls to friends to figure out the new plan, and with no luck. Why do all my friends have to be normal and have a job? :P

The one good friend we had who could have picked MMM up wasn't able to because HIS car wasn't starting! :P So MMM just waited for the car to be fixed (which went faster than expected). He then picked me up, went to buy a jump starter, and then picked up our friend. Lunch was consumed at a yummy buffet. And then we went to get his car started.

After we made it home, he got our other car started and then worked to clear out our driveway some more. My poor guy must have been so cold. But now, we are all inside (including Thor) and dry. The cars are working, and the driveway has been shoveled. I guess it is not such a bad day after all.

Winter White

It is quite the winter land outside! We have icicles all around our house. They keep growing again after I knock them off. I have to be careful when opening the doors as I've already been hit in the head by a few of them. :P

We had quite of bit of shoveling to do after our blizzard on Sunday. It's not as much as the NE I know, but it's still a lot. Our blizzard even had a name! I'd say that's a big enough deal.

This picture just makes me smile. It looks like all the chairs have booster seats on them. 

A Year in Review

The Christmas letter we should have sent out. =P

Dear Friends and Family,

                It has been quite the year! We decided that for our first year together, we would like to start a good habit and write a Christmas letter every year! (Hopefully.)  The year began very well with a deepening relationship with each other which eventually led to a proposal in February! The day after MMM proposed, he left for a two week trip for his job. That gave me the great opportunity to get a start on wedding planning. 

                A short three months later came our wedding day. It was a perfect day in June and we are both so thankful for that! It was so much fun to have that day with so many friends and family to celebrate with us.  The day went perfectly and that was largely due to all the wonderful help we received. Thank you so much to all of you who helped us.

                We had a few shorts days after the wedding off before MMM had to go back to work full time and I went back to work part time.  Life continued on for about two months where we had to learn how to be married and how to live with someone new.  And then at the end of those two months, we packed up and headed to Ohio for a three month training.

                Dayton, Ohio was an amazing experience for us both. Having the opportunity to spend those months relatively alone really gave us the time to get used to being married, and learn how to work through issues as they came along. It was a time of great growth for both of us.  We were extremely blessed in our church family there, and learned a lot from them about how to be a blessing to others.

                Coming back to the Windy City was quite the ‘adventure’ (read as ‘stressful’) because we still hadn’t found a place to live. But, we learned again and again how important it is to trust the Lord for our next step. As we trusted Him He provided us with a place to live at the very last second!  We are so grateful we were able to move in just a few short days after arriving in the city.

                It has been so much fun making our little house into a home! We are enjoying the area and the convenient distance from MMM’s job.  We had just a short time to settle in before heading down to Arizona for our belated honeymoon. It was a great time just getting away from the stresses of moving and being back at his job. We had a wonderful time there and were able to visit with some great friends and family.

                Immediately from Arizona, we went to Iowa for our biggest family Thanksgiving ever!  What a joy it was to have the opportunity to be with family. In all likelihood, we won’t have everyone back  together again. Our family is spreading out and growing, so that makes it so much harder to coordinate!

                Speaking of growing families, we do have an addition! His name is Thor, and he is the most cuddly puppy I’ve ever known. He also has been the source of much frustration, laughter, and joy. MMM and I have been learning more and more how much work it is to have a dog, but the rewards are more than worth it. We both love him so much already, and he’s only been here a short while.

                This year was probably the craziest year in both of our lives, but it has also been the happiest and most fulfilling. We have been very blessed. And now I sign off with a very Merry Christmas to all of you! Wishing you all the best.

Our New House!

It's been a few days since I posted, and so much has happened! We stayed Monday night with our aunt and uncle and then I got to spend Tuesday hanging out with our aunt. MMM and I went to lunch at Josie's and it was great to go back there! I'd had so many dreams about the shop while we were gone that it was great to finally see it again and see that it hasn't changed much at all.

My aunt and I worked on looking at houses and then we took a little drive to the park MMM and I got married in. I knew there were going to be so changes to the park so I wanted to check it out and see how different it was. They put in a very nice playground exactly in the spot we had the ceremony. We knew that would happen which is one of the reasons we chose it. We know that we are the only people who will ever get married right there.

We spent two nights with some good friends and really enjoyed the chance to catch up with them. Thank you guys again so much!

On Thursday we got to move into our new house! I'm really excited about living here! We have been crazy busy trying to move all our things inside. Yesterday we even had the help of our friend and MMM's old roommate. We took all three cars and loaded them to the brim! Right as we were loading up it started to snow! It is our first snow this winter, and the first time it's snowed after being married. It was just an unfortunate time for it to snow! Oh well. We got tons of stuff moved in, and now I just have to start unpacking all of them! But for now I am going to relax and stay warm in our cozy bed. It is so nice to have our bed back! Hurray for a new house! I'll try to post pictures soon!

The End and a New Beginning

Friday was our last day in Dayton. It is almost surreal now that we spent three months in Dayton! The time went so quickly. So many things happened. We both have learned so much about ourselves individually and as a couple. We had the opportunity to be blessed by a community of believers. I don't think I could ever forget them! We are so grateful for how God provided that church for us in that season of our marriage.

Saturday was a long day of driving until we finally made it to MMM's parent's house. The only interesting that happened while driving is that a semi pushed me off the road. Of course! I was the one driving when that happened. It shook me up a bit, but I'm proud of how quickly I did get over it.

The night was spent hanging out with his family. Unfortunately, I haven't been feeling well, so that made everything a bit less fun for me. Yesterday was a similar story. We did go out to eat for breakfast at this really quaint restaurant, and my food was perfect! Last night, we were watching tv together and I was messing around on my laptop. I decided to check out Craigslist once again, even though I've had very little luck finding us a place to live. I hadn't check on there for a couple weeks maybe. But I noticed one post right away! It sounded great, and it even had a phone number attached! So I sent them a text and began chatting back and forth with the girl who posted it.

Today was the culmination of our journey. We did the last few hours of our drive back to the Windy City. On our way I got a call from the girl from Craigslist and we chatted about her place and figured out a lot of details. We worked it out that we went straight to her duplex right when we got into town.


Checking out the duplex was really exciting! It was the first time MMM and I got to look at a place together!  It is a quaint little place, and we decided that it is the place that God has for us. It was just too divinely appointed to be otherwise. I already love it and am excited to make it into our home. It even has some of the quirky things I wanted but didn't need. I love how God does that.

We went to pick up hubbies car and had unending problems with it. It kept dying, and we kept having to jump it. We finally made it to our aunt and uncle's place. Now it is time for bed, as I'm still not feeling the best. Looking forward to moving into our new place and getting used to being home again.

Dayton - Day Eighty-Five

Tonight is our last night in Dayton. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. And so much has happened! The day was very busy for me with all the packing. We brought stuff to Dayton that we knew we'd use regularly, and that being the case, I couldn't pack it up until we wouldn't have time to use it again. 

For a while I just blasted some music and got to packing, and then I took a break to chat with one of the greatest friends! It was absolutely the best being able to chat with her. *waves* I steadily continued on with the packing until another chat with a different friend, which was also fantastic! 

MMM got home a bit early (just when I laid down to take a nap, of course) and got busy packing up his things. The afternoon flew by with all the last minute things. We packed up the car and so far it's looking pretty good. Hopefully the last things that go in tomorrow will fit well. 

We walked to the store for the last time to grab some munchies for the road. It is just so strange to be leaving this place. At first it seemed so foreign, but we've both gotten so comfortable here now. It is sad to be leaving our new friends too. 

Now we are preparing the last of our food for our late night supper! :D Maybe a movie too. Our last night here has arrived. Now we just hope for a good graduation, and safety driving home tomorrow! It will be a long weekend of driving for sure. 

Dayton - Day Eighty-Four

Today began normally. MMM left for work, and I wished I could sleep longer. :P I did get eventually and got going. At the meal with his classmates last night, I was asked if I could bake something for their informal class gathering tonight, and their formal gathering tomorrow. I agreed as long as they knew I'd be experimenting. They were eager to be my taste testers.

I got all ready to bake when I realized that I didn't have any eggs! And since we're leaving in just a couple days, I definitely didn't want to buy a whole dozen. So, I walked to the store and chatted with Grams. The store didn't have cartons of 6 eggs which was a big surprise. So I decided to take my experimenting one step further and bought "egg beaters".

After getting home, I got started on the baking. The egg beaters seemed to do well enough. My next experiment was how to put marshmellows into the cookies. I tried several different ways. I was never quite satisfied. The cookies definitely weren't awful, but I'm hopeful to improve them some day. So, I made one experimental batch of cookies, then I made a normal batch with my left over chocolate/peanut butter chips, and then on top of that, used all the rest of my marshmellows to make a huge batch of rice krispie bars! I was a baking machine! It was great because I got to use up a lot of my ingredients, which means there's less to pack and bring home! Woot.

After baking and eating lunch, I was pooped. So I laid on the foot of our bed, in the direct line of sunlight, and got to take a cozy nap! It was fantastic. MMM got home shortly after and we had a nice couple of hours together. We just chatted about our trip back home and what all we need to do. Then he grabbed all the goodies for tonight and headed out.

I have spent the night working on all the dishes, watching Netflix, and talking with one of my all time favorite families! It was so great to catch up with them, and I'm so excited to see them again in November. Now on to more web surfing for things to do on our honeymoon/vacation in Arizona! Toodles!

Dayton - Day Seventy-Five

Today started off normally, with my hubbie leaving before 6 and I slept til about 7:30. I got up and started with my day quickly so I'd be ready to leave whenever the cleaning lady came. It just so happened that she came just in time for me to walk to the store in the drizzle. It was a bit chilly. I got a few groceries and headed back with my weights. =P

The day continued on as normal until I got some sad news from back home. I let MMM know and chatted with him a little about it. The afternoon was somber because of that, but I did manage to finally finished one of the books I've been reading.

MMM got home and we just spent time together chatting about the news we got and discussing some of the other somber situations in our life. It was a quiet afternoon to be sure. I practiced guitar while MMM worked on the computer.

The day got increasingly better when a friend from back home arrived for a short visit! We're so happy to have him here for the night. He always has something interesting to say. :) I'm hoping we'll get a few games in yet tonight, which is why I am taking care of this post right now. Night all!

Dayton - Day Seventy-Two

MMM had a test this morning, so he didn't have to go in early like he normally would on Friday's. That was nice for me! I got up shortly after he left and got started with my day. My days have consisted mostly in doing research about places to move to once we get back home. It has been a frustrating search, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel!

I had a wonderful chat with my Grammy (*waves* Hi Grammy!) while waiting for MMM to get home for lunch. And I had the food ready to go by the time he arrived home. Lunch was good, and then a walk was very much needed. Mhmm. It was a perfect day today. The weather was gorgeous, and just chilly enough to want a light jacket. I love this weather.

MMM had to go back to school for his physical training (which today meant flag football), so I just hung out at home and worked on baking brownies and cookies!

We were seriously considering the house my friend looked at, but knew there was one thing we needed to negotiate on. We decided that would be the determining factor. So, when MMM got home, we gave the owner a call. It was a nice conversation, but ended up being a dud. Hmph. At first I was pretty frustrated because it was the only good lead we'd had for a place to live. But, in the end, I'm at peace with it. I know if God wanted us there, He would have worked it out the way we needed it. We'll find a place eventually.

We had another game night with the crew. My biggest complaint was that the building was frigid!! I was sooo cold. I'm glad to be back in our cozy room. Now, just hoping for the best in our house search tomorrow.

Dayton - Day Fifty-Five

Being Tuesday, I brought MMM to work this morning. It is super chilly now, here in Dayton! All we can think about is how much worse it'll be once we get back home to the Windy City. 

I woke up feeling very stiff. I did a lot of my exercises from PT and was thrilled to see how much of a difference it made. And so I warmed up my body before actually going to PT again. It was a lot of fun, as usual. I'm so happy to see how much better I feel since the accident. I definitely have a ways still to go, but it's better.

After PT, I ran home and ate a quick lunch. Then I headed to the car shop to get some work done. They said it would take around 1.5 hours. You know that's not gonna happen, right? Well, I left our house at 11:30am and got back at 3:30pm!  It wasn't too bad. I just read my book and watched their tv. 

I was very happy to get home though. It wasn't too long after that I went to pick MMM up. We went to the other base first. I went to the library to bring back my books and find something new to read. I'm a very visual person, so it's better for me to read a scary book than to watch a scary movie. I decided to check out Schindler's List. I know it's a movie I wouldn't be able to watch, but I do want to know the story better.

Then we went to supper on base, and it was good! Next stop was the barber shop. Being in the military means my hubbie has to keep his hair short. He doesn't like that, but I do. So I was happy to see his hair cut.  And after the hair, the next stop was the grocery store! We just needed a few things, so it just took a minute. 

The night continued with MMM doing homework and my watching more Biggest Loser. I love that show. The homework tonight was a bit more frustrating for my hubbie. They asked everyone to answer questions about topics they haven't gone over. I'd say that must be very frustrating. 

Well, he's still working on homework, and I've got to go to bed! Good night all!

The end of one thing is just the start of something new.

The title of this post is the fortune cookie a friend got at lunch today and I thought it was very fitting! It is amazing how quickly the time since the wedding has past. I've been married for nearly two months now and we are just about to head out on our latest adventure! M has some training for his job that is calling us to Ohio for 3 months. The best thing about it is that I get to go along with him! It would be hard to have three months apart just after getting married. 

In preparation for our trip we had to move out of our apartment. Ah, it was hard, but good at the same time. That was the first place I ever found for myself. That was my place when M proposed and all through our engagement. It is the place we came home to after getting married! We had our first two months of married life in that little apartment, and I'm going to miss it. 

We had a lot of great memories there, and will continue to make great memories in Ohio! I am excited to get there and see where we'll be living for the next little bit. I'm excited to explore and see what the area has to offer! I'm looking forward to finding a cheap bike there that I can use every day and stay in good shape. I'm also looking forward to going back on our wheat-free diet! There are so many exciting things to expect about our trip to Ohio and I plan to write more often so I have a written record of all we've seen and done. What a wonderful adventure this will be!

It's a-coming!

Winter is striving hard to come to the windy city, and it's efforts are being rewarded! The weather has been so droll this week. Last night it actually snowed, but not enough to collect. This morning was soooo cold as I drove to work at 6:30. It's really amazing how one day we can be walking around in a light jacket and the very next day you have to wear a heavy jacket with a winter coat on top of it all! I'm anticipating that winter will be similar to winter back home with a surplus of wind and drifts. I don't understand why it is so windy here, but I definitely noticed that a long time ago. =) Which reminds me, this week was my 5 month anniversary for moving up here! How bizarre is that? I'm amazed at how much faster this year is going than my year in Germany did. Again, time is a strange phenomenon. It feels like I've been here forever and only for a day at the same time. This time of my life has been so extraordinary, and I am so excited to continue living here and growing and just...becoming more.. me. I can't stop smiling right now. God is so good to me. =D

An afternoon stroll...

Oh, Happiness!

There's a new song out by the David Crowder band called Oh, Happiness and I love it! The main phrase is "oh happiness, there's grace enough for us and the whole human race." Hearing the song, you just can't help but be happy. It's upbeat and just so....happy... =P You can listen to it here!

Well, I was thinking about that song just now, because lately I've just been feeling so happy. Sure, I've had my stressful moments and my frustrations, and I've been angry and upset; but as a lifestyle...I'm HAPPY! It's so amazing to feel such happiness. I don't remember ever being so happy. Whenever I think about my life here in the windy city,  I just get this bubbly happy feeling. I am where I'm supposed to be, there's not one doubt about that. That makes me think of another song, of course. This one is a kids song done by Psalty, and unfortunately I don't remember all the words. This is the part that is stuck in my head right now:

First you take a cup of faith and stir it all around
Add some joy and happiness 'til it makes a bubbly sound
Mix in some Agape love 'til it begins to ring!
Dah dah dah dah...(I don't remember)
And serve it to the King!

Ah, that song makes me happy. You know, I have some things in my life right now that could truly be stressing me out (and sometimes do), but I feel too happy to be stressed. Really, it's so bizarre how happy I feel. It's great! Man, I'm so happy that I'm happy. =P

Contemplations - Part Two

Now it is only a matter of hours until I am no longer a teenager. That is a crazy thought indeed! :P But, to continue from last night...

When I arrived back home I faced a challenge that I never expected: fitting into life at home. I had to realize that things could be normal again, but it would be a new normal. During my year in Germany, my host family and I changed each other, but my family back at home didn't have the same change as I had. So, I needed to find out where this new changed Lindsay fit it. Though it wasn't easy, I definitely feel like I found my own little spot while still living at home.

One of the best decisions I made as a 19 year old, was moving to the north. I was a bit nervous at the start, because it was such an indefinite thing. When I went to Germany, I knew I would be coming home in one year, but if I moved to the Windy City, I didn't know when or if I would ever live at home again. Still, I felt a peace about it, and here I am! My life has been so extraordinarily blessed since arriving here.

My very first night we went swing dancing at the Avalon. It was the beginning of a wonderful new passion. I cannot express how much fun dancing is! If you're ever able to sneak up on me, you'll probably find me dancing and trying to remember the right steps. I want so badly to improve so that my leads (who are mostly seasoned dancers) can have as much fun dancing with me as I am with them! :P Now, not only do I swing dance, but I also salsa, and both are simply amazing.

Within two weeks of my move, I had a wonderful new job. Never have I worked with people more encouraging and positive than when I started at Josie's Corner. I have just been blessed over and over by their patience, forgiveness, and acceptance. After the year I had in Germany, where nothing I did was ever right, I needed these people to remind me how much I really am worth. God provided for me so perfectly.

Moving here meant I had to find a home church all over again, and it was not something I really looked forward to. Again, God knew what I needed, and provided the path to get there. It didn't take long to find out that one of my main leads at the Avalon went to church here in the city. It was arranged for Laura, Edwin, and myself to attend there the next week. I knew that I loved the people from the very first day, but I still took a few weeks to decide if that was where I was going to regularly attend. I have been attending Harvest Community Church since the second week of June, and I'm so happy to be there.

And you know, it took a while, but I actually have some friends that I can go out and do things with. Even in Germany, that wasn't really the case! It's truly a nice feeling. Yet at the same time, being distant has tested and proven my relationship with Emily back in Germany, so I'm really thankful for her!

Another thing of note was that both of my grandma's got remarried this year! My whole family was just down in Arizona earlier this month for a wedding, and it was incredible! What a blessing!

You see, I can't say that this year has been the easiest, or even the best one ever; but I know that I am better because of it. I know as this new age approaches (about 1 1/2 hours now), I will continue to be stretched and tried, and God will continue to provide and restore. There were so many things, good and bad, that happened over this past year and it would take months to express it completely.

I have always tried to stay up until my "true" birthday (1:24am), but I don't know if I'm going to make it tonight. I'm already falling asleep as I type this! :P So, I think this is all it's gonna be for tonight. What will being 20 be like? I'll soon find out.

Josie's Corner

If you are ever up in my area, and you just happen to be a bit hungry, thirsty, or just have a sweet tooth; I know exactly where you should go!

With seats inside and out, there's no way you won't be satisfied.

Why don't you come with me now for a little tour? There's Josie, showing us the way.

First you will see our little window cubbie. A nice, intimate area to enjoy a friend's company. Featured here, and throughout, is artwork done locally. The artists change now and then to get more exposure.

Now we'll go into the main area of the cafe.

Here is a glimpse of the deliciousness that will greet you. We have a cookie case filled to the brim, and a complete menu of lunch and drinks for you to pick from.

You've now become an intimate friend, as you are currently behind the counter. From this angle you can see the coziness of the decorations, and also more of our seating area.

This is what Josie's is all based on. Grandma Josie who had no recipes, influenced generations after her in the art of making baked goods. Way to go, Grandma Josie! That is her original apron hanging there.

Perhaps if you are lucky, you will see my smiling face from behind the counter, ready and willing to take your order.

I will go to all lengths to make your stay a pleasant one.  :D

I hope you enjoyed your mini tour of Josie's Corner, but I hope even more that you will stop by and see us in person!