Water Logged

So...Tuesday I babysat the daughter of some friends. Their nanny was sick, and I was their only hope. They dropped her off at 6:45am, so it was a good thing she took a 2 1/2-hr nap, because I snoozed right along with her. She's 2 and oh-so-cute. Later in the afternoon, my sister Meghan came over and brought a bathing suit of my niece's for the little girl to wear, and we all went swimming at the apartment complex we just moved to (pictures to follow...as soon as we finally get the last room completed!)

Things had gone well that day...almost too well. We swam for a while and were about to leave when the little girl ran over to the steps of the pool again and got in. She can't swim and didn't have water wings. We were leaving, so we told her not to get in, but...2-year-olds will be 2-year-olds, so she got in anyway. I walked over to help her out when she tumbled down into the water. I was right beside her, so I reached in to grab her arm, but I couldn't get ahold of it for a second, and Meghan panicked and yelled "Get her!" So, phone in hand and Vera Bradley purse on shoulder, I jumped in and grabbed her out. When I pulled her up (it had been a total of about 4 seconds, so don't worry), she was smiling and just said "Sorry!"...Sorry...as if she could see my Chocolate phone sinking beneath the water...sorry...as if watching the chlorine water stealing the color from my new Java Blue tote. I also skinned my knee pretty badly on the steps when I heaved my body in. I emerged from the pool fully clothed, dripping wet, bleeding, and getting a blank white screen from my non-responsive cell phone. I was not a happy camper. Could have been much worse...or a whole lot better. I'm hoping her parents don't read this, because I didn't happen to mention it to them when they picked her up later.

I am happy to report, however, that the water has officially evaporated from my cell phone and it is almost completely functional again. My knee is looking less like that of an 8-year-old's, and my Vera looks fine.

To the parents of that little girl: I reserve the right to create fictional stories portrayed as reality for my blog. To all other readers: This is a not one of those times.

What's new with us? Well, since you asked...

Life's good. Zack got hired at Gulf High School as a math teacher and assistant track coach about 6 weeks ago, so we're finally able to pay some bills and stop living on credit cards (I know!). He's been pretty busy with that, especially since assistant coach apparently means "he who does all the leg and brain work but gets no credit or paycheck." We were unaware of the definition 6 weeks ago. Here are some pics of him coaching at a track meet. (Those little blurrs are runners!)

We bought a small business from some friends that involves immobilizing the vehicles of DUI offenders. We officially took over at the beginning of February. Zack's been working for the company for over a year now. I'm officially the president, so I always tease Zack about how I'm his boss. He seems to have already known that. We're still living with my parents for now, but are looking into buying a house. We found one in New Port Richey we really like, so we may put a bid on it soon. I've been keeping busy working on getting all the logistics of the business set up, and making sure things run smoothly.

We like our new church a lot. It didn't take long for us to get sucked into ministry there (if that sounded cynical, I apologize, I'm working on that). Zack plays acoustic guitar and bass, and I sing on the praise team. Zack's heading up the altar ministry. I really like the people there--they are super nice and genuine. I also like the fact that there are a lot of young couples and families. The pastor and his wife have 2 small children they adopted from China. The church has a heart for missions, which suits us well. We still feel called to missions, so we just take things one day at a time, praying that doors will be opened and closed, and following our hearts. We don't know at what point God will call us to another country, but we think He will. We do know that we don't want to get ahead of Him or force something to happen--we just have to place our trust in Him and learn to lean on Him day by day. He must know how much we struggle with not knowing. He's always teaching us something. We're constantly praying, "Lord, let us learn it now, so we don't have to go through it again later." Zack is really enjoying working with teenagers again, though we miss our youth in Spring Hill. I got really sad thinking about them the other day, and all the memories. God knows.

Zack ran his first marathon last month, and his dad flew down to be there. We are all so proud of him. It seems like he can do anything. I envy his discipline and drive.

I got my hair cut about a month ago. It's the shortest I've ever cut it, and probably ever will again. I like it better now that it's growing out a bit. I don't have the face or the hair texture for short hair.

My nephew Aiden is getting chubbier than ever. The girls (Peyton and Jordan) are spending the night tonight. And our plan has been to take them to "Movies at the Park" up the street to watch the Bee Movie, but it's been raining, so I don't know if they'll cancel it. Peyton turned 7 last Sunday and had a little party Saturday. Zack and I took Peyton and Jordan to the Strawberry Festival last Wednesday, where Jordan learned she doesn't much like rides, and Peyton got picked out of the audience TWICE to represent a section for the pig races (there were hundreds of people there both times, and we sat in different sections each time!), and her pig won BOTH times! She got a ribbon that says "I picked a winner!" We had a good time, but didn't stay to hear Tom Jones perform that night. I didn't think the girls would be fans.

Business has picked up this week, which is good. I went with Peyton's class to the zoo a couple weeks ago and discovered I don't hate animals as much as I thought (don't get any ideas, I'm not getting a pet!) I'll post the video of the girls feeding the giraffe.

I've been exercising with Rebekah the past few weeks, though we've started slacking. Yesterday I decided to run, and today I can hardly walk. It seems to take so long to get in shape, and so little time to get out of it. But my goal is to be buff by Micah's wedding in May. That may be part of my problem--unrealistic goals. Maybe.

Well, Zack's Spring break is coming up in a couple of weeks, so we're going to Georgia to visit our friends Chad and Rhonda. They are 2 of the sweetest people alive, and I think Chad may be my husband's soul twin.

We recently had an experience in which a giant screwdriver flew off a semi-truck and hit the hood of our car. The hilarious part is that a year ago, the same thing happened to us on the interstate, when a flagpole flew off a semi and smashed our windshield. Anyway, I got the check in the mail from the insurance company for the damage last week just about the same time I got the bill for Zack's little ER visit in December. Seems God let our car get smashed so we could afford to pay for Zack's face getting smashed. The Lord works in mysterious ways =).

Well, I should go exercise, I've procrastinated long enough...only a month and a half to get in shape! I love you all, and hope to talk to you soon. Send me a comment so I know you're still alive!

Ketchup from the past few months...

So much has happened since last I blogged. Let's catch up. Peyton and Jordan were a flamingo and an elephant for the Jesus Loves You Party, and they were too adorable! Zack was John the Baptist's head on a platter for our church costume contest (I made the costume). Zack gave his notice at the church, and they announced to the church that we were leaving about the middle of November. Zack and I celebrated our 2-year anniversary and stayed at a hotel on the beach in Tampa. So pretty=). Zack fell playing basketball and busted his chin open, badly sprained his wrist, bruised his jaw and skinned his knees, because of which we spent a night and a pretty penny at the Emergency Room getting stitches, tetnis shot, x-rays, and a good healthy slice of humble pie.

I purposely failed the Postal Battery Exam with flying colors (long story that involves me seeing a sign which promises to pay $20/hr to postal workers, me paying $100 for a study guide which promises to refund your $$ if you fail the test, and me realizing I can't work for the postal service--I mean, come on! People who work there kill themselves and their co-workers!) But Zack and I did pass the Florida Teacher's Subject Exam after 2 straight days of studying. With lots of help from Peggy, Lenny and Omar, Zack and I packed up all our stuff and moved to Oldsmar.

There was a sad farewell party for us at the church, and we cried along with all the youth as we said our goodbye's after 4 1/2 years as the youth pastors there. The kids made us t shirts. Our last night there was our youth Christmas party, which was fun, as usual, with our crazy white elephant gift exchange.

Living with my parents again has been a bit of an adjustment--mainly because I didn't realize that I had accumulated enough stuff to fill a small country, and it was so stressful trying to fit all we have into a 15' x 10' storage unit and the room we now live in. It was kind-of crazy moving just before Christmas too. Christmas was sort-of strange this year, but spending it with the kids made it fun.

Oh, I almost forgot about Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving night, my 3 cousins, aunt, sister and I piled into Aunt Melonie's Tahoe and headed to the outlet mall in Orange Park for their sales that started at midnight. It was sheer madness. By the time we got back to Palatka, it was 3am, just enough time for me and Zack to go get in line at Walmart for their sale that started at 5am. We bought a laptop on sale, which was our big Christmas present to each other, but what we saved in money, we paid for in sleep deprivation. Zack and I ran the Gator Gallup, a 5k in Gainesville for their homecoming, which was pretty fun.

Peyton was so cute in the school Christmas play this year. She sang a solo. Zack and I are now just applying for teaching positions in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. He wants to teach 6-12 grade math, and I'm looking to teach k-6th grade. We will be attending the church a friend of Zack's pastors called "The Dwelling Place" in Lutz, starting tomorrow. Oh, and Rachel gave birth to chunky little Aiden Lawrence, and I got an up-close view of an episiotomy. The first boy in our family. He is too cute to behold. And, yes, we did shamelessly dress him in Gator attire for the last game.

In other news, Micah (Zack's brother) got engaged to his girlfriend Amy. Right now, we're just taking things one day at a time...looking for work...adjusting to not living on our own...praying our last paychecks last as long as possible. What next? I'll keep you posted.

Date Night from Hell

Zack decided to take me out on a date tonight. He's been talking about it for a couple of days now. He has this thing about date night-- he feels the need to leave the house, drive back, ring the doorbell, and give me flowers when I answer the door.Then we do this awkward thing where we really pretend like we're on a first date...until it creeps me out and I tell us to stop. And tonight was no exception. We got ready and drove to Arigato's in Clearwater for dinner. It was fun and the food there is really good (although for $20+ per plate, I always think they should throw in a movie, or at least some extra rice). Afterwards we had decided we would go to the Melting Pot for dessert, but since we were still pretty full from dinner, we wanted to kill some time. None of the movies playing looked any good (why the heck is EVERYTHING rated R these days anyway?).

To give a little background, we had spent the day taking the Jetta (which we have come to quite literally loathe) to the mechanic once again, and once again being told that we will have to take it into the dealership where they will inevitably take 2 days longer to fix it than they say they will, charge us 17x's the actual cost to fix the car, then be totally and completely rude to us, all because they sold us a lemon, they know they sold us a lemon, and there's absolutely nothing anybody can do about it!!!!(...sorry, there's baggage there. Last total cost to fix the SPEEDOMETER: $1600. No, I'm not kidding, and, yes, I did get 2 tickets in the same week before we realized we had no other choice--true story).

Anyway, we had spent the afternoon discussing our hatred for the German vehicle, that our next car will have to be a Toyota or a Honda, and possible options on how to get rid of it. So, after dinner, Zack casually says, to kill time, we should go look at cars. Sounds fun to me. But... wow--you need more background. Okay, it should just suffice to say that Zack has a specific hatred for salespeople. No, I mean, he HATES being pressured to buy things. I remember 3 years ago when he bought the Jetta (this was before we were married). He got so mad at the salesman that I remember thinking "He isn't violent, is he? " I had never seen that side of Zack before. So, as we pull into the Toyota dealership, just as the salesmen start rushing to our car, Zack says maybe this is a bad idea. I tell him not to worry and that I'll do all the talking. We are just LOOKING. We stressed this to Kevin--the concept that we were just LOOKING. We weren't going to buy a car tonight, and he seemed to understand at first. We really liked the Toyota Matrix. Kevin asked if we wanted to test drive it. It started to rain. I said yes. We take it for a little spin. It's cute, and it drives good, and it has a LIFETIME warranty. Sounds good. Still, Kevin, remember? We aren't going to make any decisions tonight. He seems to understand. So, he starts asking financial information--just so he can give us some information to take home with us. No pressure, just paperwork. I feel my stomach start to rumble and I know I'm going to have to go to the bathroom. But I can't leave Zack all alone with Kevin. Kevin is a salesman, and up to this point, I'm sure he's picked out Zack as the weak one being that I've been the ONLY one to say a word thus far in the evening. He'll turn on Zack. And Zack may kill him. My stomach really starts to hurt now, and I know I'm going to have to make for the bathroom.

"I need to use the restroom." Zack looks at me with horror. When I return, Zack is almost finished with the paperwork, and his foot is tapping rapidly.

"Is everything Okay?" I ask. He doesn't answer, and Kevin comes back to the table with a folder. And, then, all at once, it happens. Before my very eyes, Kevin morphs into this creature--a creature who feeds on car sales and hasn't eaten in days. I can hear Zack's foot tapping faster, and I know we need to leave before things get ugly.

"No," I say politely, smiling, "we can't make a decision tonight. We don't even have any money to put down tonight." Kevin isn't looking at me anymore, though. He's staring straight at Zack.

"So, how much could you put down?" Zack's foot is tapping faster.

"We just can't make any major decisions tonight," I try again.

"So, zero?" Kevin asks Zack as if I'm not talking. At that point, everything gets kinda hazy. I remember Zack shouting, I remember him standing up and pointing his finger in Kevin's face, I remember him yelling "We told you from the beginning we couldn't buy a car tonight and you said you wouldn't pressure us and now you're changing your tune!" I remember everyone in the dealership looking at us, I remember the manager coming over and asking if everything was all right and trying to calm Zack down, and I remember Kevin leaving the table and walking away. But it was about that time that the manager starts haggling with us, asking what he can do to get us in the car tonight, and I have to literally push Zack out the door apologizing as we leave.

Few words were spoken on the way home. Only the ones where I told Zack to forget the Melting Pot. We drove 45 minutes home without saying a word. We didn't stay mad. But date night was officially a bust.

The Mean Time

I haven't blogged about my life at present in a while because there is so much going on that I can't really talk about and also because Zack and I seem to be stuck in limbo right now. Lots of decisions to be made, a lot to think about. And we are thinkers. I don't mean we're smart (that goes w/out saying), but we have to think and discuss and hash over every minute decision we make until we ultimately drive ourselves crazy with it. We don't want to make the wrong decision, we don't want to be out of God's will, we don't want to be impetuous, we're scared. For whatever reason, we always like to take our time, work things through, and wait. And I don't think it's a bad thing necessarily, but lately it's starting to kill me. Lately I'm starting to think that sometimes faith is just stepping out and saying "I don't know, but I'll try." Dr. Mark Rutland preaches a sermon about when God told him to "Go to Ghana." He (God) didn't say how, He didn't say when, He just said Go. Dr. Rutland didn't even know what he would do once he got there--he had no contacts in Ghana. But God told him to go, and he just went, And God provided for Him every step of the way. That sounds so crazy in this day and age of technology--everything can be organized, planned, detailed, confirmed, all with minimal effort and leaving no room for the uncertain and unplanned. And often leaving no room for God to just be in control and for us to just depend on Him. And why should we? We can handle things ourselves.

Zack and I were recently hit hard with the news of a friend's death. He had cancer, but we had been praying and fasting for him for a while. His cancer had gone into remission. Things were looking good for him. The chemotherapy had weakened his body's defenses, and when an infection set into his lungs, he wasn't able to fight it. We are devastated. And as I get ready to attend his viewing this evening and funeral tomorrow, I'm struck by the realization that any thoughts of control over our own lives are not only arrogant but naive. We only control what God allows us to. The rest is in His hands. As a bit of a control freak myself, that's a realization that's both terrifying and freeing. I'm not responsible for Tim's death. I prayed, I fasted, I quoted scripture, I did everything I knew how to do, and in the end, God did what He wanted to do anyway. I've always fought the urge to think But, I could've done more... The truth is that I don't want that kind of responsibility. At some point, God has to see my humanness and do His will in spite of my best efforts.

I want God to do His will in my life. Maybe this blog is more of a prayer than anything else. God, do what You want to do in my life, and don't let me get in the way with my selfish plans. Only, do it quickly, do it now. I'm growing weary of the meantime.

The rantings of a sleep-deprived white woman

When will this torment be over?? School, that is. I feel like I've been in school my whole life...wait, I almost have. I just finished taking 3 tests in my online Jazz class. I love Jazz, though, so at least it's interesting. What I really like is the Big Band/Swing Era--reverse that order for accurate chronology. I have always wished I'd been born in the 20's or 30's. I love that era. I would have loved to swing dance all night, curl my hair in that 20's style and wear twirly skirts. I love movies set in that era with all the gangsters and swingers and war heroes. I'm sure I'm romanticizing it all, but it sounds so adventurous and fun. I wonder if that time had a different "feel" to it than we have today. No, I guess people just went about their lives in the same way we do--taking things for granted or getting caught up in the menial. I want to start making an effort to live my life like that--like no one will ever get to live in the early 2000's after our generation passes. And one day, people will say, "Wouldn't it be cool to live in that time? When people had to type on computers, or liked to listen to screamo music or during the time when the twin towers fell?" Maybe they won't say that. But maybe they will. I've been thinking a lot lately about how it will all end (and not just b/c school is making me want to kill myself either). I don't want to take things for granted. It's such a cliche, but I really do want to live my life, not looking back or ahead, but just appreciating the now. It will never be here again. I can't ever get it back. And more and more, I realize that that doesn't mean "living life to the fullest" in the way the world would say, by having fun or making myself happy. It means that life is fleating. Why even bother living for myself when it will all be gone in an instant? Whoa. How did I get here? Din't I start out talking about hating school? Do you see where sleep deprivation will eventually lead? To the end of all things, that's where.

Thermonex is the Spice of Life

I'm feeling melancholy today. Lot's of things on my mind. I got "told off" via myspace by a girl I haven't seen or heard from since middle school for offending her friend by deleting her as my myspace friend. Now I'm having this sick feeling in my stomach because I can't remember if I'm in one of those dreams where I'm in high school again. At least in this one, I'm not running around naked and trying to act like I'm not. I'm just at home alone today, so it doesn't really matter what I'm wearing...or not wearing=)

Man, what a day. I was awakened by a knock on my door, and, thinking it was the UPS man delivering The Office- Season 1 I ordered online, I rushed to the door. There was a package on my doorstep, but not the one I was hoping for. It was some music stuff Zack had ordered from Sam Ash. Yay. I couldn't go back to sleep then, but the last thing I had dreamed about before I woke up had been eating chocolate chip brownies, so I decided to make some. I did. But as I was waiting for them to finish baking, I started watching a healthy cooking show on the Food Network, and felt so guilty that I couldn't enjoy them. I have homework I could be doing, but I don't want to. I should clean my kitchen, but that doesn't sound so fun either. I'm tired of school, but I don't know what I'll do when I graduate. I feel in dire need of some change. I'm getting antsy.

Yesterday I took a diet pill before I left for school, and all throughout class, I felt like my skin was crawling and I couldn't sit still. Driving home from class, I was feeling really motivated about my life, thinking I really did want to be a photojournalist for a newspaper or magazine. I was going to conquer the world! Then I went and ate lunch with my dad. He was having a really bad day at work, and was feeling blue. I, on the other hand, energized by my plan to become a successful professional (and possibly by the Thermonex, which was now making my armpits sweat like a man's), hatched a big plan to change both my dad's life and mine forever. Now, I know you want to know what it is, but I can't tell you yet. All I can say is it's huge. I even typed up a detailed plan on how we could accomplish our mission, and drove all the way to Oldsmar last night to discuss it with him.

But today I've crashed from my diet pill buzz. I'm looking at my life, wondering if I really will find whatever it is I love to do and do it. Will I experience the change I crave? Will I have adventure? I wonder if the plan I schemed with my dad that would change the course of our lives will ever come to fruition...I hope so. Should I just leave it in God's hands? I know I should.

I'm going to take another diet pill.

The Fine Art of Doing Nothing

For those of you I know from class, I deleted all the class blogs so as to not bore the crap out of any non-suspecting blog passer-byers. Now I'll be blogging solely on my favorite topic in the world...me! =)

Today I did absolutley nothing...save take on a nasty colony of ants that threatened to take over my bathroom. I watched them for quite some time to see just where they were coming from but failed to find their headquarters. So, I showered them with acid rain. No, really, the bugspray I used actually sizzled their little exoskeletons. I know because I leaned down and heard them screaming for mercy. "War's hell!" I shouted back, then gave a sinister laugh that would have made Patton proud.

Zack and I got back late Monday night from our Disney vacation. 4 parks in 3 days--now that's what my husband calls a vacation...it's what I call exhausting. Zack and I differ very greatly on our ideas of free time. For instance, Zack's day off is Monday. Now when I come home from work on Monday evening, the house is usually clean, he's made a plan for dinner and is sweaty from a 6 mile jog. And, does that bother me? I think you know the answer to that. My day off, however consists of the fine art of doing nothing. No, no, you think I mean just sleeping in, but that merely scratches the surface of my laziness. I'm talking about laying on the couch in my pajamas until there's a Whitney-shaped impression in it when I leave. I speak of long hours of flipping through channels when I know good and well that there is absolutley nothing on, and when my finger tires from the flipping, yes, I will lower myself to watching things like Texas Justice, HSN and WE's special: Married to a Cross-Dresser. I will say that I have not yet sunken to the depths of watching the Tyra Banks show, however. Everyone has their limits.

Well, I have to go get ready for church tonight. Ever since the youth group got back from Branded by Fire, they have been so on fire for the Lord, and it makes services really exciting.

I'm really happy that you chose to view my blog today. As you can see, I have posted some videos I made for my USF Video Storytelling class. Let me know what you think. I'll be glad to hear from you!