Seriously??

Remember how I complained yesterday? Today's "true" high is 93- heat index of 103. Sheesh.

Mon, September 15

Time

Condition

Feels Like

Chance Precip

Dew Point

Humid.

11am

Mostly Sunny 87°F

95°F

20%

74°F

65%

12pm

Mostly Sunny 89°F

98°F

20%

74°F

61%

1pm

Mostly Sunny 90°F

99°F

20%

73°F

57%

2pm

Mostly Sunny 91°F

100°F

20%

73°F

55%

3pm

Mostly Sunny 92°F

102°F

20%

73°F

54%

Evening Commute

4pm

Sunny 93°F

103°F

20%

73°F

52%

5pm

Sunny 92°F

102°F

20%

73°F

54%

6pm

Sunny 89°F

98°F

20%

74°F

61%

7pm

Partly Cloudy 86°F

94°F

20%

74°F

67%

At least I have a pumpkin candle.

Fall is finally here!

Though you wouldn't know it. Yesterday the high was 93, with a heat index of 97. *sigh*

On the upside, fall being here also means that everything is kicking back into gear... most groups on post take the summer off, so now I have a life again! :-) You know, OTHER than being a wife and mother and college student...

Tuesday evening we had a Chaplain Spouse Coffee. I really enjoyed being a part of this group last year, and I think I will even more so this year. The new Installation Chaplain's wife is dedicated to creating more of a group atmosphere, so it is already more organized. There were 21 ladies there Tuesday night, when last year we averaged around 10. It seemed like a reunion in a lot of ways- several women from Stewart were there whom I haven't seen since we moved- but SO MANY of them are brand new! Two of them had only been on post for a few days. I look forward to getting to know them!

Actually, one of them came up to me and said she's been reading my blog for a couple years! I'm so glad I've been able to be an encouragement to her as she and her husband have begun their journey. The internet really does bring people together! :-)

PWOC is going great. We have our Kick-Off next week, but we've spent the last 6 weeks getting ready for it! We have had three new women just in that time who have kept coming. We're going to spend the few weeks after Kick-Off doing a survey of the Bible, then we'll start our study on marriage (as soon as the books come in...)

I missed the Hunter Spouses Club Super Sign-Up last week because of Sophie's fever (don't you love how everything has such exciting names? Kick-Off, Super Sign-Up... does that somehow make it more fun? Still not sure...)- the monthly meetings for that start up soon.

Add to that Classical Social Theory (MUCH more interesting than it sounds, trust me!) and chasing Sophie around (how is it they make a b-line for anything they're NOT supposed to get into?), and I stay pretty busy!

So, though it's not quite hoodie weather yet (and won't be until, oh, Christmas or so...), I'm glad "fall" is upon us. Apple crisp, here I come!! :-)

The Undelivered Address

"Oh yes, they will agree, war is horrible. War is hell.

And yet, in the pale anemic minds, there is a kind of worship of this same horror of war...

Now, you and I don’t stand in such awe and adoration. We don’t think war deserves it."

April 12, 1945. America had faced economic depression and all-encompassing war. Franklin Roosevelt was in the midst of his fourth term as president and was to give a speech in honor of Jefferson Day the following morning. He was posing for a painting in Warm Springs, Georgia, when he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and passed away.

Jon & I saw this speech at the FDR museum a few weeks ago. Struck by it, I came home and promptly Googled it... what I found was several versions of it, but not this one. I called the museum about the inconsistency. Apparently no one knows what version was the last, but they do know that the one that follows had his handwritten notes on it, so it was definitely a draft he was considering.

This blog is not a political one. I have ventured more into that arena in the past couple weeks than I usually do. And I post this not as a political statement, but as a realistic one. War is hell.

As a Christian- and a realist- I know that "the end to the beginnings of all wars" will not happen until Christ returns. I am fully aware of that. Yet, I applaud the sentiment in this speech. I, too, think that war gets romanticized, glorified. I personally believe there is a line between supporting the troops and glorifying war- and that line gets all too often blurred.

For now, I will let the speech speak for itself.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Undelivered Address:

My friends:

Knowing that you are gathered tonight in cities, in towns, from one end of the country to the other, to give expression of your loyalty, I wish that I had the power, just for an evening, of being a thousand places at once.

I, too, feel the old need of a homecoming, the old urge to show up among the folks, and to take pride with you in the fact that we are Democrats.

I have spoken to my doctor about my inability to be in more than one spot at a time, but he tells me the condition is chronic. There is nothing he can do about it.

But, I am with you in heart. And in these times of trial, this greatest of all tests of men and the leaders of men, of nations, and the community of nations – up to this decisive hour, I know that you have stood, and you stand now, most loyally side by side with me.

Let me tell you that I am strengthened by that knowledge. Let me assure you that my hand is the steadier for the work that is to be done, that I move more firmly into the task, knowing that you – millions and millions of you – are joined with me in the resolve to make this work endure.

The work, my friends, is peace. More than an end of the war – an end to the beginnings of all wars. Yes, an end, forever, to this impractical, unrealistic settlement of the differences between governments by the mass killing of people.

Even as I speak these words, I can hear, in my mind’s ear, an old, old chorus. You have heard it, too. You will hear more of it as we go forward with the work at hand.

It is the chorus of the defeatists, the cynics, the perfectionists – all the world’s sad aggregation of timid souls who tell us, for one reason or another, it can’t be done.

They have been afraid to come along with us as we approached this task of destiny. And they will shrink, they will pull back and try to pull us back with them, as we get further into it.

Oh yes, they will agree, war is horrible. War is hell.

And yet, in the pale anemic minds, there is a kind of worship of this same horror of war. They tell us there can be no end to it. They endow it with immortality. They certify it to us as the ultimate fate of mankind on earth.

Now, you and I don’t stand in such awe and adoration. We don’t think war deserves it.

You and I are not willing to concede that we were put here on earth for no better purpose. And from here on, the wars that would come if we let them would leave precious few of us to argue to the contrary!

You and I call war stupidity – not plain stupidity, but enormous, brutal stupidity, a crime that makes no more sense to its perpetrator than it does to its victims.

Well, today that cult of the faint-hearted, the credo of those cringing adorers of a criminal precedent, is on its way out. And in a span of time as far back as history goes, there is something new under the sun.

To me there is not greater hope for humanity, there is no better sign in the world of our time, than the fact that this abject worship of war has become – for the first time – a minority belief. We have struck boldly forward in the inner world of our thinking, in the world that we project for our kind, and we have discovered that the world is not flat.

True, if there are new corporals who will want to become rulers of the earth, we can not legislate wild fancies out of their minds. If there are other impractical dreamers who must indulge themselves in their private nightmares – the pipe dream that war is inevitable – we cannot pass laws abridging the freedom to dream.

But we can and we will stop these murderous hallucinations from reaching us. We can and we will keep them confined to the dream-world of would-be conquerors and of the defeatists who are their accessories before the fact. We can stop them from wrecking the lives of sane, sound, peace-loving, practical humanity. This we can do. And this we will do.

I say “we,” for I know that I am only one in many millions who share this belief and are so resolved. We have had it proved abundantly to us in America that our people, whether Democrats or Republicans, want to strike boldly against the threat of war. They have demanded a sane, practical end to it. And they have their feet on the ground.

To this I can add – for I have seen it just as abundantly in my recent travels – that the other peoples of the world will be with us every step of the way. The thin-blooded timid souls who are now in a minority in our country are also a minority in the world.

I remember saying, once upon a time in the long, long ago when I was a freshman in college that all men had to fear was fear itself. We were in fear and economic collapse. We have struck back boldly against that fear. And we overcame it.

Today, as we move against terrible scourge, and as we go forward towards the greatest contribution that any generation of human beings can make in this world – the contribution of lasting peace, I ask you to keep your faith.

I measure the sound, solid achievements that can be made at this time by the straight-edge of your own confidence and your resolve. And to you, and to all Americans who dedicate themselves with us to the making of an abiding peace, I say:

The only limit of our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.

Sophie update

We went to the doctor today! She is 17 lbs 2 oz, 26.5" long, and, uh, I don't remember her head circumference... but she is around the 25th percentile for all three. For those of you who saw her over the summer- I don't think she's gained much weight since then, but she sure has grown longer! Her cute little fat rolls are disappearing!

She's also cutting two teeth on the top (I think they'll be through tomorrow- you can see the white bumps pushing their way out!) and has had a bit of a rough day after the shots this morning. She just wants to be held and sleep. Not eat, not drink.

She officially started crawling this week! Well, it's more of a schooch still, but definite forward movement! It's actually quite cute- she doesn't lift her belly off the ground, but she reaches one arm up at a time to pull herself forward while she balances on the other arm, pushing off with her feet. It looks like she's climbing a rock wall on the floor! I didn't think she could be any happier of a baby... until she gained independent mobility! She loves it!

If this post was too boring for you, I have more semi-political thoughts for later in the week. Something for everyone- I aim to please! ;-)

In the news... maybe...

In the midst of the Olympics, the DNC, McCain's VP choice, and tropical storms, sometimes other news stories get lost.

Like this one.

I'm not blaming the Soldiers- they were given a bad tip, and there is a multitude of other factors that can be analyzed. I guess that's what gets me- we'll analyze the path of every tropical storm and every possible VEEP choice all day long, but not look at a tragedy that killed 90 civilians- 60 of them children...

KABUL, Afghanistan — A United Nations human rights team has found “convincing evidence” that 90 civilians — among them 60 children — were killed in airstrikes on a village in western Afghanistan on Friday, according to the United Nations mission in Kabul.

Residents of Azizabad, Afghanistan, on Saturday walked around a home that was destroyed in an American airstrike on Friday.

If the assertion proves to be correct, this would almost certainly be the deadliest case of civilian casualties caused by any United States military operation in Afghanistan since 2001.

The United Nations statement adds pressure to the United States military, which maintains that 25 militants and 5 civilians were killed in the airstrikes, but has ordered an investigation after Afghan officials reported the higher civilian death toll.

Keep reading the story here.

Remix: Supporting the Troops

Last Saturday we spent some time with two couples, the husbands of which were deployed with Jon in 05-06. We had an incredibly fascinating conversation (gotta love those 2am solving-the-world's-problems discussions! :-) precipitated by a question posed from Jon.

First, let me give some background- Shawn has been in the Army in one fashion or another for 16 years. Active Duty Enlisted, then later as a National Guard Officer. They have a 12-year-old, an 8-year-old, and a 1-year-old.

Andrew (aka "Mac") has been in for... uh... a little help here, Lori? I don't know. I think longer than I have been alive! He was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and has led a fascinating life. He also spent time Active Duty and National Guard, Enlisted and Officer. He has deployed with the Army 3 times (I think?) and last year went back to Iraq with Blackwater working security.

I tell you that just to say- this group is as "Armified" as any. Experiences are broad and varied.

So when the question was posed: "What does supporting the troops mean?" - the answers were equally as broad and varied.

I think that's what was most interesting to me. For each of the three Soldiers and each of the three spouses, it meant something different. It meant different things to each of us both on the giving and receiving end.

What we agreed on was that it is different for everybody, and that basically, if a person FEELS like they're supporting the troops, they are. Or, if a Soldier (or any other person in uniform) FEELS supported, then someone is doing the supporting. We agreed that it is an attitude above all, but that actions must follow.

Lori made a great point that love languages play into it- which is why how Mac feels "supported" and how Shawn does and how Jon does is different.

Some thought that the yellow stickers on cars were a great sign, others thought it was a futile showing. Some thought packages and letters were great, others wanted to be left alone. The guys (and spouses) appreciate being thanked by people, though most admitted that was more because they know it really meant something to the person saying it than that they wanted to be recognized. The idea was also thrown out that getting involved in the political process- even just understanding the war- is the best way to support our troops.

I think it's easy to find ways living in a place like Savannah, Georgia, where every other person you see is military. But what about someone living in Cedar Springs, Michigan, who possibly NEVER sees or is exposed to the military?

I have a lot of other thoughts on this. Our conversation the other night was well over an hour long...

But, before I rant too much, I'm going to ask again, whether you're a member of the military, a spouse, or a civilian- What does "Supporting the Troops" look like to you? You can read people's comments the last time I posed this question here.

Just curious.

Pumpkin Pasta!!

In my opinion, dinner is not dinner unless it has a starch. Be it rice, barley, pasta, bread, or sometimes potatoes (I view potatoes as the "Y" of starches- sure, "y" is sometimes a vowel, but you wouldn't want to depend on its vowelness too much...).

Of those, however, pasta is my favorite. I could probably eat pasta for lunch and dinner every day and wouldn't tire of it. I love it.

So in an attempt to creatively serve pasta (we already have red sauce about once a week, and creamy white sauces don't fit well with an Army-fit lifestyle...), I stumbled upon Rachel Ray's "Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta." Well, actually I saw her make it on her show last fall and have made it a couple times since.

As a disclaimer: I don't like pumpkin. I'll have a wee slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but that's really more because I have a ridiculous obsession with the holidays than because I actually like it. But this doesn't taste like pumpkin! I'm sure the flavor is in there... come to think of it, maybe it's just nutmeg and cloves I don't like...

Using pumpkin as an alternative is quite healthy- it has a goodly amount of fiber and protein, and many fewer calories than other sauces. I added some sausage (RR doesn't)- in my opinion it adds a lot of great flavor. However, it would be much less fat if it were meatless. I also put in some chopped tomatoes & mushrooms because I had them on hand- whatever you want to add works.

A tip: We always keep fat-free plain yogurt on hand, and it is fabulous for those times that I make food that is as spicy as Jon prefers! (which makes my nose run...) The yogurt really helps counter the spicy heat, and makes it even creamier- Win-Win!!

Anyway- you can click the link above to see the original recipe. Here's my version. All spices are to taste... I don't measure...

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 sweet Italian sausage link, taken out of casing

1 bay leaf
sage
crushed red pepper
1 chicken boullion cube
salt/pepper
2 cups water
1 can pumpkin- make sure you get pumpkin puree- NOT pumpkin pie filling!!!!
1/2 cup milk

plain yogurt

Saute onions, garlic, and sausage until sausage is cooked.

Add 2nd set of ingredients, bring to a boil, then cook on medium about 15 minutes. Or 5. Or 20. Whatever.

Add yogurt (either to the sauce itself or let each person spoon it on his own serving according to taste)- DO NOT BOIL after yogurt is added!

Serve over pasta (I prefer ruffles :-) with Parmesan cheese!!

Vacation!

You know how when you know you need to do something, the longer you put it off, the harder it is to ever come back and actually do it?

Welcome to my blog. Sorry for the silence.

We've been busy! I am stewing some actual real thoughts for later this week; for now, it's bullet points:

~ We went to a cabin in Pine Mountain, GA last week for a few days. Full kitchen, cable, fireplace, jacuzzi- that's my idea of camping! :-) (Jon swears that's not real camping... whatever... close enough for me!)

~ While there, we visited the Little White House in Warm Springs. FDR went to Warm Springs to help his polio before and during his presidency. In a time where heated bath tubs had yet to be invented, natural springs that flow warm (an average of 88 degrees year-round) were very helpful for sore muscles. He had a house built there that later earned the nickname Little White House. I would highly recommend this site- it is fascinating. I really appreciated that, instead of using it all for himself, he donated much of his own money- and raised more- to open a center there that other people could come to- especially kids. There were pictures and videos of him playing in the pool with these kids who would otherwise never be able to swim- very cool.

~ We also went to the Naval Civil War Museum in Columbus. It was pretty interesting. I don't know. I don't really like war. I don't like people dying. I don't particularly enjoy seeing it and reading about it. The only thing I hate worse than the thought of people dying is the thought of people dying in water. I hate open expanses of water. I wouldn't have married Jon if he were in the Navy instead of the Army.

I joke.

Maybe.

But- Jon really enjoys boats and history, and he went to the Tea Room with me the day before...

~ On the way home we stopped at a big peach farm for some homemade cobbler and ice cream! They had some big tractors at a playground- Great-Grandpa Nave would be proud...

~ We went to our friend Mac's birthday party on Saturday! It was supposed to be a surprise... alas and alack, such things rarely work out. Mac and Jon became good friends on their first deployment, and it was so good to get together with them. We talked about how we all (Mac & Lori, and Shawn & Tracy) got together at their house just days after they got back from Iraq... little did we know what would happen! Two babies, Jon went back to Iraq, Mac went to Iraq through Blackwater, Mac & Shawn are gearing up to go to Afghanistan next year... things have come full circle, it seems...

Ok, I suppose that was more paragraphs than bullets. Ah well, whatareyagonnado.

Anyway, here's some pics of vacation!

Getting ready for about 15 years from now...

As you can see, Sophie loved the FDR Museum... btw- that little "Moses" is in her hand pretty much all the time- she'll throw down a teething ring after about 10 seconds but has been chomping on him for weeks!

She must take after her dad- she's a little water baby!

Sophie striking a Vana pose- notice the title on the wall...

signing in to sign off

Sorry for the silence... we've been busy relaxing! :-) Well... Jon has been doing a lot of unpacking since he came home.

Sophie is doing great! She has gotten so much more interactive. She signs "All done!" when she's done eating, and her face lights up every time she sees Dad.

PWOC is going well. We have some pretty significant challenges, but we're already on our way to overcoming them! I can't say enough good things about these women... they have really taken off!!

Ok, that's it for now. I'm still half asleep, and we're leaving in an hour for vacation... just wanted to check in! We'll have vacation pics soon!! :-)

Deja Vu (All Over Again)

Today was an exciting day! We had our first organizational meeting at the Hunter Army Airfield PWOC. This group has had a retired POC (Point of Contact- another oft-used acronym in the military) for many years but never a real board. It has been a small and struggling group but is to the point that there are several ladies who are excited about being involved. Most of them, however, have never attended a PWOC anywhere and really don't know where to start.

That's where I come in. I'm, um... the new president...

Not that I have a whole lot of experience- just one other chapter- but I do understand this Installation (Ft. Stewart and Hunter are like separate campuses of the same post), the way the budget here works, etc. So, they asked me to be the president.

We had 12 ladies there this morning- a great turnout! They all took at least one role. Actually, most of them are doubling up- like, each person took a couple roles, and each role has a couple people in it. It's really a great way to help them learn where their gifts & strengths lie, as well as to help each other out. Many of them have really never done anything like this at all and are quite apprehensive- but willing to work and learn- what more could you ask?

We'll be doing a short Bible study these next few weeks, then our official Fall Kick-Off will be September 18. There is A LOT of organizational work to be done... and I am so excited to get started!

Special Day!

She has two teeth! This morning she was whiny and clingy, but not hungry or tired- when Jon said, "Do you think her gums are bothering her?"

I felt, and sure enough, after 5 months of perpetual drooling and chewing on her fists, they popped through! She's such a little trooper- I'd take whiny and clingy over screaming and crying any day!

Here are some more homecoming pics! By the way, I have to give credit to my father-in-law for his comment to us on this post- "Sure, you see eye to eye now... just wait until she's a teenager!"

I stand corrected.

Thanks, Andrea- yep, I accidentally uploaded the wrong video. That one does give you a good idea of the energy in the room! Keep in mind, too, that, though WE were very fortunate, most of these Soldiers had been gone 15 months...

Here is the right one:

Welcome Home!

7:15 Sunday evening. That was the plan. There is this website that updates the ceremony time for the Soldiers coming home (they land a couple hours earlier to turn in weapons, do some administrative things, etc).

Early in the afternoon, they changed it to 11:30pm. I cried.

It ended up saying 10:50, and it worked out just fine. I laid Sophie down for bed like usual- except in her new outfit for Daddy- and got her up about 10:15.

Being at an Army Airfield (Jon is now working not at Ft. Stewart but at Hunter Army Airfield), the ceremony was held in an airplane hanger- it was really pretty cool! There were already hundreds of people there when we arrived (I talked to a few who had not seen the time change and were there at 6:30...), but we got a great seat- well, Sophie was in her stroller- and we waited.

There were big doors for the planes that were open when we first got there- about 10 minutes before the ceremony they closed them. Finally... everyone standing and cheering (as you can see in the video, the bleacher I was standing on was shaking so much from people jumping that I had to move down...), then, they opened them. The Soldiers walk in in formation, which is pretty awesome. Jon and I had already decided on a general area where I would sit, and he was very close to me! I saw him right away, and we just smiled the whole ceremony.

So, without further ado, here's the video. I recorded it in several small segments, but this is by far the coolest one, because you can see them coming in. I'll write more about our week later, but basically we have had a great time, and Sophie and Daddy are getting along famously! :-)

A thousand words...

Cousins...

So I just saw this on Jon's sister's Facebook and HAD to share. This is Alice, Jon's sister's baby (6 weeks younger than Sophie), and Eliza, his other sister's daughter (7 months older than Sophie). Alice pretty much just did her own thing the whole photo shoot, but Soph and Eliza were all about... let's say... "interacting"... with each other!

Sarah's caption: Wow. I hope they like each other when they grow up.

Hilarious!
If you don't remember, here's another one I posted a few weeks ago, taken right after this one:


Nice.

Caption Contest!

Inspired by a family email (thanks, Dave) I am opening this picture up for captions-

Amy took a ton of great pics that I'll post soon, but for now, here is my favorite:


To get us going, I'll share a few of Dave's suggestions:

"Look, I can tell they're knees now!"

"At least I only have to wear one layer of diapers!" (a reference to the 3 layers she wears at night- we use cloth at home...)

"Mom, is polyeurethane foam toddler seating environmentally responsible?"

He had others that he probably liked better, but those were MY favorites! :-)

If enough people post captions, I'll post a poll to pick the best!

Wedding pics

First of all- she got it! My friend will be flying to China tomorrow! Please continue to keep her in your prayer as she begins this new ministry!

Well, we're down to single digits! I have everything I need to do broken down into days so the few days before Jon gets home I can pretty much relax. I just have a little more to do tonight then I can cross today off! I have realized that, since having a baby, I have had to be MUCH more organized with my time. This week has been especially hard, as Jon has essentially nothing to do... except chat online with me! I LOVE it- don't get me wrong- it's just hard to get my to-do list done! :-) So, my most productive hours of late have been between about 9pm and 1am. Oh well, I tend to be a night owl anyway!

Here are some more pics from the wedding, from my sister-

my brother Matt and sister Andrea

The whole fam, minus Jon. Gotta love those semi-posed shots where 4 different people are holding up cameras and no one knows where to look or when to smile...

the happy couple...

Update on my friend

I was able to chat with "A" tonight! (If you haven't read my previous post, you can do it here.) I'm sure that by the time most of you read this the story will have changed again... but I'm equally as confident she will need your prayer in whatever stage the "story" is in!

Here's the latest:

I went to the consulate this morning (I got there about 5 minutes before it closed) and tried to apply for a tourist visa. The woman at the service desk told me that in order to apply for this type of visa, I needed to have a flight leaving China as well as certified hotel reservations. After leaving the consulate I got in touch with a friend (a classmate from Moody) who gave me access to his computer all afternoon to try and get all of the paper work together.

I now have a plane ticket to Thailand in September, as well as a hotel reservation - BUT I am having trouble getting the hotel reservations emailed to me, with the "certified" red stamp. Please press into prayer particularly that the ALL OF THE PAPERWORK would be done by tomorrow morning and that it would be sufficient for the consulate tomorrow morning. The woman at the consulate this morning was helpful, but extremely firm that visa restrictions are very tight and increasingly difficult to obtain.

I am also having difficulties with my domestic flight within China - I've had to change it several times now, through a travel agency in China, and will have to change it again, but have to wait for the travel agency to open in a few hours before I can contact them.

From chatting with her tonight, she is *fairly* confident this will all work out... IF her paperwork is in order. If not, well, she'll go back to her parents' and try to figure out what her next move is. Please keep her in your prayer as she is physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted at this point. The trip was brief and emotionally difficult, she is anxious about her new ministry, and needs His peace to get her through this. Thanks so much- I'll keep you posted!

Please pray...

A dear friend of mine has been a missionary in China. She came home this month to see her aunt (recently given only a few months to live) one last time... and is having problems getting back into China. When she gets back she will be working with prostitutes in a creative access country... obviously a dangerous and intense ministry...

Here is an email I received earlier today- I got a brief update a couple hours ago that she is still stuck and it's not looking good... (I am leaving out her name because of the sensitivity of her ministry)

As you know, "A" was supposed to fly back to Beijing today. I just got a call from one of her friends who was at the airport this morning to see her off. She said that there is a problem with A's visa. Her visa doesn't expire until the end of the month, which should have been fine. But, apparently, she had to be in country by July 11th. They would not let her fly all the way to Beijing on that visa. They did let her fly to Chicago, and once there, A will go to the consulate and try to get a new visa. She has a flight booked from Chicago to Beijing tomorrow. This is an urgent prayer request as she will need to get her visa by then - which would be unusually fast. But, we know that God can do this if He wants her on that flight! For today, please pray that she could make it to the consulate before it closes, that she would talk with someone who can help her, and that she could get her visa before her flight leaves tomorrow.

a wedding, a baby, and a homecoming

This time last week, I was exhausted.

I had spent the week in Mishawaka, Indiana, with my extended family. It culminated with my cousin's beautiful wedding last Saturday! I was honored to be the Mistress of Ceremonies, and it was so great to have a part. Kelly is only a year younger than me, but because we only saw each other a couple times a year growing up, we haven't really been close. I got to know her in a new way through her wedding and am so excited to see the life that she and Tim build together!

After going to my grandparents' church in the morning and hanging out with the family in the afternoon, I decided to stay an extra night. I took the opportunity to visit two stores we don't have in Savannah- Meijer and Kohl's.

Sophie stayed with my grandparents while I went. It was odd not being with her.

As I walked through Meijer, I was overcome with a familiar yet unidentifiable feeling.

It welled up within me, entranced me, made my heart race and my mouth go dry.

That's when I identified it.

It was the same feeling I had the day I found out I was pregnant.

(ETA: This is not an announcement.)

That day, we were in Columbia, South Carolina, at a Chaplain's conference. I had dropped Jon off at the conference and was going to spend the day shopping! I started my day with a trip to the drugstore... and spent the rest of it wandering around with a sort of nervous elated shock. (Jon didn't know I was even going to take a test- he told me later that when I went to pick him up that afternoon, he thought I was acting odd and emotional...)

That was the feeling. Nervous Elated Shock.

I suppose this time it's not as much shock as it is Nervous Elation.

You see, Jon is coming home next week.

All of you military spouses know exactly what I'm talking about- you can't wait to see him, and you can't quite wrap your mind around the fact that the person you have been longing for every moment will soon be sitting next to you. You try to picture it, but experience has said that there really is no telling how it will go...

Last time he came home, it was a different feeling. Then it was not so much shock... or elation, really... just nervous. We barely knew each other. We didn't know what life together would be like. Honestly, I'm not so sure we even wanted to find out. It had been a difficult year, and we would finally begin our life together. I felt like I was a part of an arranged marriage- waiting for a husband I did not know.

It was better than we could have hoped for or imagined.

Last Sunday, I pushed my cart through Meijer, reflecting-

~ on the time that I had a breakdown shopping for Christmas decorations,
~ on the clearance 4th of July items, and how, as bad as it sounds, I really don't want Americana in my house right now...
~ on the favorites of Jon's I need to stock up on for when he gets home,
~ on the first night we met, impulsively going to Meijer to buy a Christmas present for his brother- only to realize that Christmas Eve is the only night of the year the store is closed,
~ on the fact that everything seems to remind me of him somehow,
~ on the rollercoaster of the last four years,

on how I would never want to do it with anyone else,
and on how happy I am.

I will stay busy over the next week, but that won't keep my mind off it. My husband is returning. My bridegroom is coming back for me.

There's no feeling like it in the world.

I'm baaaack!

I'm home! We got home on Wednesday after a LONG three days on the road... thanks to the good people at Firestone in Louisville and a night with the Mobleys, the car has a brand-new battery and is working great! :-)

Much to update on... for now, here's the current:

Sophie can wave! Grandma Dee says she her hand gestures look like Uncle Ben... but sssh! Don't tell Dad! :-)

Speaking of Dad..... he will be home in the next couple weeks! Woohoo!!!

My class ends this week (perfect timing!), so I'm working on a 4-page book review (just read the book this weekend) and have a final exam this week. Busy busy!

And, because it's what you mostly care about- here are some pics... notice there are actually two albums you can click on at the top- Sophie 6m with Cousins and IN/MI Part 2 (I REALLY need to work on making the site look better... bear with me for now and just look at the pictures! :-) I didn't get the family site rebuilt like I wanted to, but I have at least started loading pics on the photo site, so I don't have to put them all here. Enjoy!

a few things

First off, sorry for that rant last time. Staying up late studying for an exam on vacation will do that to you. Jesse, you're right- it HAS to be academic at some point if anything will be learned- and I LOVE your idea of rewarding the kids for reading & studying during the week as well as memorizing. Making it as easy as possible for kids to love the Word is fantastic.

We spent a few days last weekend with my brother's family, then a few days this week with my sister's family. Sophie loved all her cousins and aunts & uncles! She took a nap on both Aunt Carrie and Aunt Andrea- you know they loved that!


Ok, I wrote that a few days ago. What can I say, things have been busy.

So, I'll resort to more bullets. Pictures will come soon, I promise:

~ Went to Kent City (my old church) for three weeks. The first week I thought, "It was cool to see everyone again." The second week was "Hm. I really like it here." By yesterday I didn't want to leave. I have some more thoughts on that for a later time...

~ Went to Mars Hill Bible Church last night for the first time. I really enjoyed it a lot. It was a very small service, being the evening and a holiday weekend. The songs were great (by far the coolest version of There's Power in the Blood EVER) and the sermon probably was one of the best I've heard in a long time. He (not Rob Bell- it was another pastor) preached from Luke 24 about the man walking to Emmaus and the hope that Christ brings. I left refreshed.

~ Sophie saw Poppy (Jon's dad) and her aunts and uncles for the 4th. We opted out of going to the fireworks, and I was glad! I had realized earlier in the day that I wouldn't be able to go anyway, what with a sleeping 7-month-old. Poppits and sparklers in the driveway was much more fun!

~ Sophie also met her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother on Saturday! It happened to be Jon's great-grandmother's 97th birthday, and it was great to celebrate with her! I asked her what her secret is to living to be 97... she said she didn't really have one. Actually, her exact words were "Well, I got on this roller coaster and I just haven't gotten off!"

~ Finished and submitted by far the worst paper I've ever written. It's just hard to be motivated to write an 8 page research paper on vacation.

~ We have gotten some more down time over the past few days- that has been great!

~ Sophie is getting stronger! She rolls ALL OVER the room and is starting to push up- she'll be crawling soon!

Ok, that's it for now. I really am too tired to write much, but I just wanted to get something up since I pretty much sounded like a jerk in my last post...

More later! :-)

Memorize THIS!

Let me say up front: I'm not a huge fan of AWANA.

It has its place, it has touched thousands of kids' lives over the years. Most importantly, it has instilled a love for the Word of God in their minds.

If you're not familiar, AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed- it comes from 2 Timothy 2:15- and you thought the Army's acronyms are bad! ;-) is a kids program that focuses on Bible memorization. There is game time, a lesson, and certainly friends- but the focus is the memorization.

That's my problem with it. I don't think memorizing Scripture is bad, mind you. Quite the opposite. And, I have to acknowledge that AWANA has changed since I was in it, 15-20 years ago. It has been updated and probably is a much more quality program now.

Here is the way I remember AWANA: memorizing verses from the Old King James, which had words I didn't know. Of course, they put the definitions for said words in the margins... in almost as incomprehensible language... for a 2nd grader.

My BIGGEST problem with it, though, is the rewards system. It worked great for ME! I am good at memorizing and often had my book completed well before Christmas. I was in AWANA for 10 years; by the end my leader was just giving me chapters to memorize, because I had done everything else.

But what about the kids who aren't inherently good at memorizing?

They can work at it, they can say their verses. But there was always this feeling that being a "good Christian" was synonymous with finishing your AWANA book. They probably already struggle with school; the last thing they need is to come to church and feel the same inferiority.

Do you not think that they make this comparison? By completing sections of the book, kids LITERALLY get JEWELS in their CROWNS!!! WHAT?!?!?!? You have GOT to be kidding me! These small plastic crowns and jewels (which have holes if they are not filled) adorn their uniforms. Again, I must say- I think the system and uniforms have changed since then. But, that is what I remember.

This only feeds the culture of American Christianity: spirituality is a formula. Did you pray and do your devos? Good. You get a gold star in God's book for today! Wait, what? You haven't done your devos (shortened for "devotions", aka "quiet time" for those of you who were not in a youth group in the 90s...) in THREE DAYS? Backslider!

I really react to that. Again, I think studying and reading the Word of God are great things for a Christian to do; that cannot be argued. There is also something to say for maintaining the discipline of it.

Jon and I plan to memorize passages (yes, passages- not individual verses which are so easily ripped out of context) with our kids, just as his family did.

But equating being a "good Christian" with a Pharisaical check-the-box to-do list (think they don't exist? You MUST not have been in a youth group in the 90s...) is far from the call to love to which Christ beckons.

Hm. I was not intending on going off on that rabbit trail.

The POINT of this post was actually more of a question. I'm sitting here studying for my midterm and found myself relying on some of the memorization skills I learned in AWANA. That made me wonder a "chicken-egg" kind of question- did I do well in AWANA because I'm a good memorizer, or am I a good memorizer because I did well in AWANA?

In days of old, grade school education relied MUCH more heavily on rote memorization than it does today. Is this a disservice to our kids? What do you think? Does memorization come easily for you? How do you think that is related to the amount which you had to memorize as a young child? (I don't mean high school- I'm talking about early elementary) I don't remember ever memorizing anything in school- even addition and subtraction had nifty tricks to it.

Just curious.

Anyway, back to my tangent. If you like AWANA, I certainly don't mean to offend (though, while I'm on the subject, can we all agree that the word does not have an S on the end? It is not AwanaS...) I certainly loved it as a kid- Wednesdays were the highlight of my week! I wished it wouldn't end for the summer- I wanted to do it year-round! I still remember many of those verses today (though, for some, it took until college to figure out what they meant...) I just wonder if maybe there is a better way, a way that instills in kids a love for Scripture that is not academic.

I suppose, if nothing else, it is indisputably helping me do well on my midterm this week...

The Great North Part I

I have had this post up working on it several times now... I need to just go ahead and post this and finish it later!!

Ah! Another update! Today's will be presented in bulleted form, for ease of reading...

~ I have gone to the PWOC at Hunter (where Jon is now stationed) twice now. It is a very small group- just 5 or 6 women- but I am so much looking forward to being a part of their fellowship! They are all so eager to learn more about Christ and build a community. I have felt SO welcomed there already and plan to be in leadership (of course, with a group that small, EVERYONE is in leadership :)

~ We made it to my parents' a day early! I had it all planned out... I was going to put Sophie in her bumbo on their porch, ring the doorbell, and hide... unfortunately my dad happened to walk into another room and happened to look out the window the same exact moment I was crouching and running across the yard with Sophie... oh well... they were still surprised!

~ We had a great time with them, and she loved it too! She went on a couple walks with Grandpa, and loved it when Grandma fed her her applesauce!

~ We then went to Jon's dad's on Wednesday evening. She wasn't too sure about Poppy at first, but was giggling for him by the end of the night! (I think the bananas I was trying to feed her factored into her initial displeasure...)

~ On Thursday, we all loaded up to Jon's sister Emily's for the day. Another sister, Sarah, was in town, so Sophie had a great time with all sorts of cousins! There were four new Fisher girls this past year- three of them were all there that day. Of course, we couldn't get them to all look at the camera at the same time, but it was great fun! Eliza was born last May, and Alice is about 6 weeks younger than Sophie. In every picture, one or two of them is reaching out to grab another... I think the pic below is my favorite!

~ Sunday we went to my "old" church- it was so great to reconnect with people! They recently built a new building, so in many ways it feels like a whole new church. I look forward to being able to go there a couple more times while we're here!

~ Yesterday Sophie and I are took the day "off"- we spent the whole day at an empty house by ourselves! The last two weeks have been so busy, with so many new people, (in addition to what I already mentioned, on Saturday we came to Jon's brother's house, and yesterday we went to my brother's) - Sophie really needs a couple days to settle down.

~ This morning we went to Pine Ridge Bible Camp, where I worked in various roles for 7 summers. As I walked in to talk to one of the staff, a cabin leader (what PRBC calls "counselors") was asking a question about something. Brenda said, "Why don't you ask Sara? She's a veteran!" Jon doesn't understand why I keep going back to a "closed chapter" in my life- but I spent so much time there, I just can't stay away! :-)

Ok, that's it for now... more later!!!

Cousins.

Sharing life together...

Daddy's Little Sweet Pea

Happy Father's Day, Daddy! We can't wait to see you!

Alas, it's another update...

Sorry for the silence.

I've started a couple posts, but they were more than just "updates" and, well, I just haven't had the mental energy to complete them. So, what follows is what I DO have the mental energy for- in all its updatiness.

I leave early Saturday morning for Michigan! This will be the first time Sophie will meet five of her grandparents- and many many more aunts, uncles, and cousins! (5 aunts, 8 uncles, and 6 cousins... PLUS seeing again the 2 aunts, 2 uncles, and 4 cousins she already knows!) So much fun! Our month o' family (and friends :-) will culminate with my cousin's wedding in July- then by the time we get home, Jon will be home in about 2 weeks!

In other news, tonight I made brownies with applesauce. Not bad. A little spongy, but they still taste great!

Sophie is doing really well with the spoon! She LOVES eating (like her mom!) and always laughs when we wave "all done!" at the end. She is also now rolling both ways (getting quite mobile!) and sitting up really straight. Today while we were webcamming she "talked" to Jon for probably 5 minutes straight... I have no idea what she said, but it sure seemed interesting!

The unpacking is going ok. Can anyone explain to me why they used literally 18 square feet of paper to wrap twisties, yet couldn't secure my open bags of sugar and flour that left a film on all my pantry items?? Seriously, I feel the need to plant a forest or something- they used SO MUCH paper! I appreciate the fact that none of my dishes were broken, but using 2 pieces of paper (6 sq feet each) to wrap ONE of Sophie's plastic "little people" is just obnoxious. Most of it I have actually saved since the next time we'll probably move ourselves. That makes me feel a little better about this move singlehandedly knocking out 27 ancient trees.

Gotta love Georgia...

Today the heat index is 100.

More later...

We did it!!

We both have blogged about this before, but I think today's events deserve their own post...

We're debt-free!

With the selling of the house and the paying off of Jon's student loan, that's the last of it. We first got serious about getting out of debt last September, and it is such a good feeling to know it's all gone.

I hesitate bringing it back up, because I know a lot of people aren't in our position. I really don't intend on making anyone feel any more burdened by what they may be going through. That said- if you would have told me two years ago that we would EVER be debt-free, I would have smiled politely and thought to myself, "Yeah, right..." (Actually, last summer we were on our way to see Shawn & Tracy in Florida with Mac & Lori, and we had that very conversation. They were sharing with us their story, and I remember thinking, "That's all well and great for you, but that will never be us...")

We don't buy totally into the Dave Ramsey approach... but I would say his common-sensical ideas definitely got us to where we are. Not even including the house, in the past 16 months we have paid off literally tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Very little was credit card- but some of it was. The rest was primarily vehicles (this time last year we were paying on 3) and his school, with a couple smaller things thrown in there.

How did we do it? Well, I had a part time job that paid off the truck. We sold the truck, which paid off the motorcycle. We sold the motorcycle, which paid off the car... and in there somewhere, the extra money we were saving by not having to give it to our lenders paid off the credit cards. The famous "envelope system" definitely helped too...

If you want to read about another incredible story still in the making, visit Joel Maxwell- he is a Soldier, and his wife is too (she's on her way to becoming a Chaplain!) They are working hard to pay off over $550,000- and have gotten rid of almost half! (Let that sink in a bit...) If you click on the "Steps to Freedom" in the left-hand sidebar, you can read their whole story.

So now, we're debt-free.

It's an awesome feeling.

Sophie's newest trick:

Sitting all by herself!

It was amazing- these pictures were taken this morning; by the time we web cammed with Jon late this afternoon, she was much straighter and steadier. I'm so proud of her!

Sophie in her Bumbo- she loves it!

"Ok, Mom, enough of the photo shoot. I'm taking a nap." (FYI- I did not arrange this pose... she did it all by herself! Also, if you notice she's a bit, uh, large in the posterior region, it is attributed to the bulky cloth diapers we use...)

I'm in love.

If you're one of those people who doesn't think you like Nutella (though you may or may not have ever tried this nectar of the gods) because you don't like hazelnuts, I have an answer to your chocolate spread deficiency:

World Market Dark Chocolate Spread.

Imagine a fudgy chocolate icing. Then imagine it creamier. And chocolatier. And not-feeling-sugar-gritting-in-your-mouth-ier.

Dark Chocolate isn't their only variety. Not sure what I'll try next...

I tried to find an image online (both on WM's site and through a Google image search) and came up with naught. That tells me it's a new product. It makes me sad that the world hasn't experienced this until now...

Dinner time!

Update!

I'm back!

We got moved in fine- it actually wasn't nearly as stressful as I was anticipating! Thanks so much to Andrew, Lori, Misty, Jenny, & Dawn for helping in various ways! Couldn't have done it without you!!

We were here for a whopping one whole day before packing up and heading to Atlanta for the weekend! We closed on the house Thursday morning and left from there. Leah & Katie, two of our students from Grace, came over to Rocky & Carolyn's house for dinner (see girls- I told you you'd make it on the blog! :-) We had a great time hanging out and catching up!

Friday morning we went to the school for the Awards Ceremony. I don't think ANYONE saw Sophie without commenting on how much she looks like Jon! I think my favorite comment was a staff member saying to Carolyn, "I saw Sara, then I looked down and saw Jon... in a dress!"

Saturday we went to Hudon & Carolene's (Sophie's "adoptive" grandparents)- Sophie loved taking her nap on Carolene!

We rushed from there to graduation! I am so happy for all these kids... hmm... maybe not "kids" anymore! :-)

It was really refreshing to hang out with Rocky & Carolyn. She even commented that she wasn't sure how it would go- we usually are together as couples! It was so great, though- it's nice to know that friends are still friends, even when circumstances pull us geographically apart.

In Sophie news, we've been doing solids for a couple weeks! She is doing so well- I am so proud of her! She's rolling over, scooting all over the place (though quite accidentally), and talking up a storm!

Reunions and Family

I know there are several spouses who read my blog but not my husband's- I wanted to point you in his direction. He has some excellent thoughts about reunion posted that I think are very beneficial!

Check it out!

Turn, Turn, Turn...

Saturday night. It's been a good day.

This morning Sophie and I sat out on the deck with books (I reading mine, she eating hers), coffee, and pancakes. It was a beautiful morning. Jon and I used to do that every Saturday... today was our last in this house. It's kinda the end of a lot of things...

Our PWOC Installation Ceremony was Wednesday. It is so incredible to think about all the things that have happened since I was installed as President at last May's Installation... and when we installed Misty as the new President in December (remember- we thought we were moving to Missouri!) I'll admit, it was a little bittersweet. Not only am I leaving (albeit only an hour away, but it will be a new PWOC), but many of my friends are as well. Who knows where I'll run into them next...

PWOC has been such a big part of my life. It is what got me connected, it's really what made me start liking the Army life. With Jon gone, they really have been my family. It is sad to me that I won't see the same faces every Wednesday morning... the first of many good-byes over these next years, I suppose...

Just as any time you leave a group in which you held a leadership role, it involves a certain level of humility. The new president won't do things the same way I did- which was different (though similar) to the way Misty did them. Next year's Ft. Stewart PWOC will have a different flair- and for the health of the organization, that's a good thing. I'm excited to see where it leads.

Yesterday we had a Farewell for our Installation Chaplain's wife as our monthly Chaplain Spouses Coffee. (It was held at the Savannah Tea room- lovely! I had a light Pomegranate White Tea and delicious Vegetable Quiche). Like PWOC, the personality of this group will change with new leadership. I have gotten to know both the outgoing and the incoming (they are both incredible women), and I look forward to seeing how the group shifts over the next few years.

I also finished my two classes this week (with an A in both!), attended the Hunter Spouses Club Installation Ceremony, and by this time on Tuesday night will (hopefully) be sitting in our new house.

As with every closing chapter in my life, along with the sadness for what is lost comes the anticipation for what is gained...

On this day...

This morning walking into church I was almost overwhelmed with the ache that today must be immeasurably difficult for so many people. It literally took my breath away, as I walked through the door to the sight of a bucketful of carnations and pink copies of "A Mother's Prayer" being passed out...

Today is happy for me.

It is not for many.

If you are one of those people, I am sincerely sorry. I am sorry for your loss- whether it was a wife, mother, grandmother, child, or a child never conceived. I am sorry for the insensitivity that can accompany this "holiday." I am sorry for the parade of pink and smiles you must endure.

A year ago today, we told our grandmothers that we were expecting Sophia. Jon was away in Mississippi for the week, and he emailed me a beautiful video he had recorded. I remember watching it, just feeling scared. I was only about 6 weeks along then, and the fear of miscarriage was almost crippling. I watched it sitting on my couch, crying, wondering if I would ever meet this baby.

I did. She is now 5 months old and beautiful.

I am blessed that my mother and both of my grandmothers are still alive. I am blessed that I have a godly heritage in them. I am blessed that both of Jon's grandmothers and one of his great-grandmothers are still with us- and I am saddened that I never got to know his mom. I am saddened that Sophie will never know her.

So whether today is a happy day for you or a difficult one, I hope you know that you are loved and cherished. Christ promises us that.

(And to my mom- Happy Mother's Day- I love you!)

You might be from Cedar Springs if...

Finding red long underwear for your child at Goodwill is the highlight of your day.

If you're not from Cedar Springs, you might need an explanation.

Or maybe not. If not, you can stop reading.

Still here? Ok. See, my home town is the, uh, the Red Flannel Underwear Capital of the World. Not even kidding.

Remember my good friend Beth, who came to visit me last month? She was the Red Flannel Queen when we were seniors. There is a Red Flannel Festival which attracts thousands of people- but if you're caught not wearing red, the Keystone Cops will arrest you and throw you in "jail" until you pay them a dollar.

If that weren't enough, wooden red flannels adorn the lamp posts on main street...

So, suffice it to say that when I saw a 12-month pair of red underwear, complete with the "dropseater" feature, I couldn't resist...

The Beach Ball

In the military, we regularly have Balls... you know, get all decked out, eat a catered dinner, make toasts, etc.

Well, in commemoration for when our Soldiers were *supposed* to be home (according to the original 12-month deployment), our Brigade hosted a Ball tonight... a Beach Ball! Instead of wearing formals, we dressed like we were going to the beach! It was a lot of fun- I met several people for the first time and hung out with some of the wives in Jon's unit.

The top pic is of me, Jenny (Jon's roommate's wife) in the middle, and... um... hm... Jessie? I think? I just met her tonight...

The bottom pic is all the wives from Jon's Battalion who were there (and a few are actually Soldiers themselves).

If you're wondering, the pink things are flip-flop shaped name tags.

Hmm...

So, is it weird that I'm planning my upcoming (in June) trip route to the Great North based on where Chipotle is? There are locations near my parents & grandparents, so maybe we'll have to make a trip...

If you live near one and have never been, seriously. Go now. You won't regret it. You will never want Taco Bell again (What? Did I just say that? Now you KNOW it's serious...)

As of today...

I am officially at my pre-pregnancy weight!

As I say this, quite coincidentally, I'm eating a warm chocolate chip cookie with RediWhip. Hm...

I have enjoyed reading everyone's comments on my "rings" post- the ones in the comment section and the ones emailed to me. If you haven't replied yet, please do! It is so interesting to me to see how different people have such varied perspectives on rings and what they mean.

Anyway- have a cookie today, on me! :-)

A question..

I have a question for all y'all married folk...

Do you keep your wedding ring on ALL the time? (Or, if the answer is "Of course I do- it won't come off!"- DID you keep it on all the time in your former years?)

Here's why I ask: Jon doesn't.

Which doesn't bother me, because, well, I don't either.

Neither of us leaves the house without them, but we take them off when we get home, or at least before going to bed. Many times, one or both of us is running out the door, late, and can't find our ring...

I never really thought much of it, until yesterday when I was reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I was helping Jon prepare for some classes he's teaching by making PowerPoint presentations for a couple of the chapters (who ever said I wouldn't use my church secretarial skills...)

If you're not familiar with the premise, Chapman maintains that there are 5 basic love "languages"- Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.

Jon and I are both Words people, with QT being our second. It works out well.

But, by far, both of our LEAST felt languages is Gifts.

Which leads me to why I ask this question- Chapman mentions that, for people for whom Receiving Gifts is their primary Love Language, the visual symbol of keeping the ring on every waking and sleeping moment- and having their spouse do the same- is of utmost importance. For people who don't value gifts as much (obviously this doesn't mean you don't ENJOY gifts- but this is just not how you feel most loved), things like rings- while a nice symbol and something to be treasured- aren't absolutely necessary.

Do you find this to be true? Do you wear your ring all the time? Expect your spouse to wear his/hers? Where do you think Gifts would fall in your Languages?

Just curious...

Movin' on Up

How about some GOOD news?

We sold the house! We thought we had an offer last week, but they backed out before they signed the contract. My Realtor told me about it on Thursday afternoon, and between Thursday evening and Saturday morning it showed five times... by Monday, we had two offers!

That means my life is ramping up now! I spent all day Tuesday driving around Savannah looking for "For Rent" signs and am going to look at a few tomorrow. We have it narrowed down to 2... we'll see...

I think the best news about this whole thing is that, in the Army, they actually hire professional packers & movers! Ohmygoodness... I can't imagine having to do all that work without Jon here... but, I don't have to! Barring any hiccups, I will be moving in about two weeks...

You know, I'm actually getting really excited to move. I'm sure not having to do it myself factors in. I'm equally as sure being less than 10 minutes away from Target for the first time in my life has something to do with it...

If you're not familiar with the area, where we live now (in Hinesville) has a Walmart and a Lowes... and the next closest ANYTHING is said Target, 50 minutes from here... we are, however, moving to the heart of Savannah, which has everything you could imagine. I'm not much of a city girl, but I have to admit I'm looking forward to having Thai places nearby...

There is a part of me that is sad to leave this house. I haven't really dwelt on it too much, but I'm sure it will come. That said, talking with Jon about how we'll arrange the new house and such is exciting! I suppose I need to get used to leaving houses- this is certainly not the last I'll leave...

But, enough sadness for now... we're moving! :-)

thinking through it...

So, it's been a while since I posted.

The last week has been... well... up and down...

A couple things have happened that I'll write about in separate posts.

Jon & I have been reading a book together while he's deployed. It helps us have something to talk about other than just "catching up." When this book was published, I only heard bad things about it; it's funny- now that I'm actually reading it for myself, I realize how much it had been misconstrued. Weird how that happens. I have to wonder how many people I heard criticize it- or criticize the author himself- ever took the time to read it. I think they would be amazed, as was I, how much they actually agree with. I keep finding phrases and ideas that I remember being quite controversial... and, when taken out of context, they sound heretical- but, when you look at the whole, it actually makes a lot of sense. Oddly, the author exhorts readers to approach Scripture the same way- in its entirety.

It has really stretched me. Though, I will admit, it's hard- it's hard for someone like me to admit that maybe, just maybe, I don't have all the answers... or that someone else's answers might, just might, be true.

I have realized, more than anything, that spirituality is a journey. It's a process. It's not like learning addition, where mastery is possible, let alone simple. Where is my journey leading? Not sure yet. I do know that I have the Bible, and Spirit-led wisdom. I also know that there are a lot of people with that same Bible and that same Spirit-led wisdom who are in an entirely different place than me. And that's ok.