Trippin' Out!

So I'm in the middle of getting ready for my big trip to Oregon in the next week (I've even bought a couple of new outfits!) It's my first real trip that's completely solo - and I have to say I'm SO excited! I'm usually planning trips around what other folks are wanting to do and places they're wanting to see, but THIS time....It's all about what I want to do!! That might sound a little selfish, but sometimes you just need some time to yourself for refocusing! I've rented a car and am staying at the most beautiful place (if the pictures on the internet are any indication!) http://www.thecoholodge.com I've decided that I'm going to try things I've never tried (which means no McDonald's for the WHOLE trip!) and I'm going to do things I've never done (no TV for the whole trip!). Hopefully I'll have time to sit down and share some of my NEW experiences with you! :) (But don't count on it 'til you see it!)

A Little Trip and A Big Lesson

A friend of mine is getting married tomorrow in Florida, so my sister and I have packed up all our stuff and headed to the SUNSHINE state on a road trip! We had originally started planning that we would drive down on Thursday and just make a really big day of it, but Nathan (the groom's brother) asked if we would come a little earlier to make the young adult ministry that he's become a part of since moving down earlier this summer. So, after work on Wednesday Laura and I got in the car and drove for about 4.5 hours and made it to Tupelo, MS. Our hotel beds were really comfortable, but that may just have been because we were SO tired! After our complementary breakfast (Laura had a waffle, I had Rice Krispy's!) we headed out for the last 11.5 hours of our trip! We made it in last night just in time to go to FORWARD with Nathan and the rest of the Forsyth crew!

The series they are starting is about made ordinary people Extraordinary in their time and last night's message was about Job. After all of the desolation that came (his children, his possessions, his health) he's really wondering what God is up to and why all of this has befallen him. It's not that he's angry or giving God what for...it's just that he's questioning the WHY of the situation. God comes down to him and says..."Where were you when I formed the earth and told the sea it could only come so far? Where were you when I flung the stars out into the sky and named them? Were you there??"

After going through the last couple of months in dealing with my health, I have to admit I've been asking the WHY question of God alot. Why me? Why now? Why do I have to go through this? Last night He brought it all home for me (and 1,000 miles from home I might add)...It's not for me to ask why, but to say that no matter what happens, God is still God. He's still in control and He's soveriegn. I started thinking last night, Do I have the faith of Job-to know that whatever has or will happen He will still remain true who He is.

When life comes at us hard (and seemingly from somewhere out in left field) our initial human response is to try to find some kind of understanding or cause so we can put the brakes on it. But maybe, just maybe the lesson is to see how much you trust in, rely on and have faith in your Maker.

A Fantastic Weekend

This weekend my sister and I went on a little adventure to my parents house in Lowell. On the way we stopped at CJ's Butcher Boy Burgers. The burgers were so big Laura and I could hardley get them in our mouths! We finally finished and continued on our merry little way. We made a pit stop in Altus to buy some wine at the Post Winery. I'd never bought wine before, so it took us FOREVER to figure out which kind to buy. Some friends of ours are getting married in Florida in a couple of weeks, but they used to live in Ozark so we thought a little touch of home might be fun! I think I was more excited about finally buying a bottle of wine than actually giving the gift! We also picked up some muscadine and grape jellies for Dad!

Mom had gotten tickets for the Natural's game on Friday. We had such a good time and the weather could NOT have been more beautiful. We were a little worried through the 4th inning, but at the very last moment, the Naturals did end up pulling out an amazing victory. (Score 1 for the home team!) After the game was over they turned out all the lights in the stadium and had the most amazing fireworks show! There is just something about the smell of fireworks that makes me happy (and think of watermelon!).

After the game we went to Braums (love these, but we don't have any in central Arkansas!) for some ice cream to top off our day. On Saturday we cleaned around the house a bit because Mom and Dad are thinking of putting their house on the market. Who knew there were so many odds and ends to getting a house ready to leave it? That evening we went to Smokin' Joes Ribhouse in Rogers. So completely yummy!! Dad ALWAYS gets brisket when we have BBQ and the rest of us usually get pulled pork! Both were immensely tasty! After dinner we followed the crowds to the Frisco Festival in downtown Rogers. Lots of fried foods, vendors galore and some pretty cool music by Sarah Brown and the Neighborhood. All in all it was one of the best weekends I've had in a while! :)

Movie Night

So last night my sis and another friend of ours went to to dinner (at Burger King!!) and to see G.I. Joe. I've really been anticipating seeing it because I remember watching the cartoons (vaguely) when I was little. But with all the new technology, gadgets and gizmos I could hardly find the cartoon characters in there anywhere! I have to also mention that the last time I saw the cartoons was over 20 years ago (did I really just say that??) so I might not be remembering very clearly! I am excited to see what the sequels will bring because that's always the tell of a really good movie. Did the follow-up sequel get you just as much as the original or was it better? Like the Bourne trilogy and Transformers, we'll just have to wait and see if G.I. Joe can hold it together for another round!! In any case we had a great time out. I always love spending time with my girls whenever we go anywhere!

KRIS ALLEN IS IN THE FINALS!

So, Kris Allen has made it to the finals of American Idol! I'm SO excited I can hardly stand it! I'm so proud of how far he has come and how much Central Arkansas has gotten behind him! The radio stations and tv channel personalities have really made an effort to "Come Together" and vote for him!
Kris has made such a lasting impression on the people around here! Everywhere you go people are wanting to talk about him and what they've heard other people say. I've even heard one person say that he's our generation's Elvis! Elvis?? He's great, but it will be years before we'll know if he's made that big of an impression, but wouldn't it be something?? :)

A Weekend with the Ladies!

So, I'm in the middle of packing my bags for a little getaway with the ladies from church! We're headed to a little cabin in Jasper, AR for a Women's Treat. (Notice: "Treat" vs. "Retreat"). Jasper is right along the Buffalo River and we've gotten ourselves a little spot that overlooks the river. What a way to wake up in the morning! We always have such a fun time together and with us being out in the middle of no-where I can only imagine the kind of shinanigins we're going to get ourselves into!

I think I might be more excited about the chance to get away from work and all the craziness that's been going on. Have you ever felt like you were the thrid wheel in somebody else's story? I SO get that all the time. It's almost like high school all over again! I had to remind myself over and over yesterday that I was an adult and had to act like one - but let me tell you...it was HARD! I'd like to be able to say that it was the easiest thing in the world to shrug off their whispers and uninclusiveness, but instead I pouted while sitting at my desk. (Not that anyone else saw, of course, but deep inside of me the little kid was at least partially satisfied.) I keep wishing the somehow I'd win the million and not have to go to work at all! I think I could make the half million I'd come away with after taxes last for at least 5-10 years!

Rrrrrr!

Work is not going so well today. Having a bit of a RRRRRrrrrr moment. Wish that I could *ZAP* my way out of it, but it doesn't appear like that's going to work. Gotta love these kinda days! :(