Back to SB...for a few days...

Well it's been really great being back home and being able to hang out with my friends a few more times before my classes start up. I was able to surprise a few friends, which was really awesome! Their reactions were priceless! I wish I could have video taped them! Church was really great on Sat. and it was really wonderful to be back there.

Sunday I hung out with some friends from high school, which hasn't happened in a long time, so we got to catch up with each other and just enjoy each others company. I ended up staying up until almost 1am talking with two of my girlfriends about life and where it's taking each of us, and looking back at the past year. Wow how things seem to be changing so quickly! Ah, but we, the five of us, decided to adopt a little Chinese girl...which we will name her, Helen of Troy asparagus Ulga Taco Pong. It's a mouth full, so we'll shorten it to Taco Pong when we're just hanging with her. So, we'll each have her for two months, and we'll of course have to home school her because it would be too difficult to transfer schools every couple months. So far none of our parents seem to back the idea....I can't figure out why!? Ha!

Monday I made lunch for a friend of mine, then took my new puppy (okay, so she's about 5, but she's new to me!) around to see a few people. Because of the inclement weather I decided to stay in and watch Teenwolf with my parents, and Scruffy. Then I was out to find a few things that I needed to pick up for school. After getting back I made pasta sauce! Yep, home grown tomatoes, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, etc.! It was so much fun!

Tuesday (today), I went with my former co-workers up to a camp to help get things spruced up. So I got to trim hedges, move rocks, mulch, more rocks, etc. After our long day of working we went and got some amazing ice cream! I couldn't believe how much I ate! I literally was eating ice cream for about 45 minutes! That's a lot of ice cream! Then it was home to clean up, then I took my pasta sauce to a friends house to have dinner and hang out, which was really wonderful...yum!

So, I'm home now, and about to turn in because I'm beat! Tomorrow I get to hang out with a few people that I haven't even really seen in a couple months, so that is very exciting! Well, I better check out before I fall asleep here! Over and out!

Lo!

Running & Realizations...

Well today I decided to go for a run! There is this trail just a little bit from my apartment complex that I figured I would check out. It goes all the way in to Kansas (Okay, so that really isn't all that far from me, but apparently it goes pretty far both directions!)! Anyway, I thought it would be good to get out and start running again. Also it's always been an amazing thing for my spiritual life to work out, but especially running. I ran about a mile and a half, and walked some...I haven't gone running in a while so I need to work back up to a solid mileage count. So literally the entire time (yes, the ENTIRE time) I was running, I was also praying. While I was running and praying I had a light bulb go off! I wasn't sure at first, but then I knew it! So here goes...

I was praying that I would find a church out here that I could consider my home church.

Then it hit me!

BAM!

Even though I miss my church back home, it's just a church!

(I know what you're thinking...Hello! Of course it's only a church!)

It's just bricks, windows, wood, mortar, nails, steal and bolts.

That's not all that it is to me though...its so much more:

An extended family that I dearly miss...it's hard leaving a place you love to work at!

I have grown so much in my relationship with God, as well as friendships and relationships with my family.

This was the first place I really felt connected, that I really felt like I mattered to God and the people around me. I made a difference! WOW!

But then it it me again!

BLAM!

It's just a church...

God is still with you, wherever you go!

Your friends will be your friends because you're to stubborn to let that dissipate.

Your family....well, you're stuck with them...and I'm glad I am!

It's just a building...

that I will remember has made some amazing things happen in my life.

It's just a community...

that has touched many lives...mine being one!

It's just...that's just it...it's only these things...

God is very present in my home church, and in my relationships, but He won't let go of me now, and I couldn't be more thankful for His promise to hold me tight to Him.

So there you go...that was my realization as I was running/praying. I'm hoping that I stay diligent to running...not only to physically get back in shape, but also to spiritually get back in S.H.A.P.E.! (For you Granger people you know what I mean there.) Well I need to go replenish my body & soul...so off for some lunch and Jesus time! Over and out!

Lo!

Here goes nothing...or is it something...

So I'm sitting here not doing too much really...Okay, I'm totally starting to freak out. Okay, let me rephrase...I'm not freaking out, but I'm really starting to realize that I'll be in classes soon and that I'm really getting into a lot real fast. I'm scared of what's to come.....studying is a very scary thing for me, I was never good at it, and I'm honestly afraid of what is going to come with it. I'm scared that I'm going to commit to too much and then something will have to go on the back burner....and I'm afraid of what it will end up there. I'm scared to be so far from home, the people I love, the church I love and feel at home at. I know that by being so far from home, and back in school, this is a HUGE leap of faith. I just rememeber the past times that I was in school, Bethel, WTA&M, IUSB, and now here. I was never a good student...okay other than art...and that is a huge fear of mine. I'm going to have to be very diligent about studying. I'm rambling, sorry. I just need to get this out, even if it only makes sense to me...and I don't know that it even does that. In all this though, I know how blessed I am that I can even go to school. I'm blessed that I have parents, family and friends that support me through this. I just need to keep those things in mind and keep chugging away. Over and out!

Lo!

Hello again!

Yes, I know it's been, well forever since I've posted anything on here, but I figured I'd write some on here. That and that I'm not using xanga so much anymore. So I'm now out in KC, and getting ready for massage therapy classes to start up, but that wont happen for almost two weeks! I've been here in KC for a week now and well...I'm bored. See it's not that the city doesn't have some fun stuff to do, its just that I'm also broke, so that creates a little bit more of a problem. I did however go out to dinner with Melissa and her family, which was amazing! If you're in the KC area, and you aren't a vegetarian, check out Jack Stack! It's pretty much the most amazing barbecue you will ever have.

This is Melissa and I at Jack Stack before dinner....We were a little slap happy because we were really hungry and you could practically taste the delicious food just from the smell coming out side! YUM!!!

Yes, I know I have a ton of pictures with her, but hello, she's my best friend! I would think anyone would have a ton of pictures with their best friend....Well that, and we're hott, so hey! Sorry, I'm making myself laugh at the moment!


Anywho...After a week of not having internet access at my apartment, I finally am able to stay here and check my e-mail, blog, etc.! Makes me very happy, especially because it makes it much easier on the gas tank too!

Well I should make a HUGE shout out to my momma today though! See today, August 22nd, is her birthday! You are welcome to guess her age, because I'm sure you won't get it! I'm waiting to get pictures of her wearing her new chef's jacket that I got her for her b-day, but it won't get to her for at least another 2 weeks! That's what happens when you make a special order! I was a good daughter though, and made sure to give her a call to wish her a happy birthday! Okay, well I guess that's all for now! I hope you've had as much fun with this as I have! Over and Out!

Lo!