A few random thoughts... in alphabetical order.

No, really... it's in alphabetical order.

Calebbbb

We have now received 3 letters from Caleb. While I look forward to getting letters (this let's me know he is still alive and that the awful Drill Instructors haven't in fact killed him) it is very hard to read the letters from him. Basically, what he is going through is very difficult. In his letters he expresses frustration over "not being able to do anything right". Yikes. What an awful feeling... everything you do is wrong. I am praying he has endurance through this all and that the Lord protects his heart.

Since we got his address this weekend, I put my first letter in the mail on Monday. It was 16 pages. Ok, so it wasn't just one letter, but rather about 10 that I had typed the first 2 weeks he was gone. Tomorrow, my second envelope goes out to him. This time, I will just be sending him pictures of the family.

Hair

I have decided that I do not prefer my hair to be the length it currently is. Project grow hair out commences now.

Math

Ruthie is currently taking an online math class. It is very simple math (think algebra type problems). I really like looking at her problems and seeing how fast I can solve them. It reminds me of 3rd grade and when we would play around the world and Mark M. and Ryan S. would always win. (side note: Ryan S. picked his nose in the third grade. alot.) So, I think I am going to by a math problems book.

New CD

Do you remember how I told you I was changing my view on country music? I bought Lady Antebellum's new cd... on the day it came out, nonetheless. I really like it and have listened to it for two days straight now.

Sunshine

I need more sunshine in my life. I wake up and it is dark outside. I drive to work right after the sun has risen, spend my day at work, and as I am pulling off of the interstate to go home, the sun is going down. I think work days should be shortened to 10 to 4. Or maybe 11 to 3. This is not because I don't like working, but because I need VITAMIN D!

Wedding Music

I heard a song yesterday. The first thing I thought when I heard this song? I want this to be my first dance song at my wedding. There is a problem with this thought. I am currently as single as they come. How can I possibly picking out wedding music when I do not even know who God has for me to marry? What if *God forbid* he doesn't dance? Ah... the thoughts of a single girl. helllllppppp meeeee.

Work/World

As I was walking through the halls at work this week I was reminded of something that I certainly needed to be reminded of. This life is temporary. Most people live 70 or 80 years and although that seems like a long time, the reality is, once we do all the things "we have to do", like work, activities, commitments, etc., time passes quickly. I want to make good use of the time I am given.

changin'

I realized something the other day.

As I am becoming older (you should know that I'm only 1 year, 8 months and 27 days from being 25) and having more life experiences to look back on, my view on something is changing. Or should I say, changin', emphasis on the long A sound... that's right, say it with me, chaaaaaangin'.

Ok so here it is:

I am beginning to LOVE country music.

I know, I know.

What started out as just Faith Hill has grown to Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Allison Krause, Nickelcreek, Zach Brown Band, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and some Sugarland (when they are not singing about cheating on your spouse). Ahh... I can't believe the list is even that long!

And another confession, I created a Pandora station for my country music obsession and listened to it every morning while getting ready last week.

But don't worry, "Yeah" by Usher will always still be one of my favorite songs.

Take that and rewind it back!

tonight, I'm eating...

Ramen.

Not the cup-o-noodles kind; RAMEN noodles. The kind that you have to break up while it's still in the bag before you put in the microwave and then boil it in the microwave so that it burns your mouth at first bite.

Yes. Ramen.

So, why I am I telling you what I am eating at 10:13 at night?

Well, I'm eating them in honor of someone. It's funny, I actually don't remember the last time I had Ramen noodles. I never once bought them in college though many people talk about it likes it's a staple. So back to who I'm eating in honor of.

I can picture it in my mind right now: he gets his boiling bowl of Ramen noodles out of the microwave, walks slllllooowllly from the kitchen to the living room, puts them on the carpet and proceeds to lay down on his stomach while eating Ramen and watching ESPN. This was something that happened many times.

But tonight I can't watch him do his "Ramen Ritual". You see, a few months back, Caleb told us that he was joining the Marines. It is something I wasn't too surprised about, but the reality of it was not something I like/liked to think about.

So the departure date drew closer and I pushed the reality away even more. And then his recruiter decided to change his leave date for boot camp, oh, about 20 times. Every time they changed it, it gave us more time. Then they changed it to January 11 and this time he really had to leave.

I've been thinking about him since I said goodbye to him on Sunday. He'll come to mind or I'll get ready to send him a text to tell him something and then I'll remember that he is at boot camp. And then I pray. It's hard not knowing how he's handling it all and it makes me mad to think about someone yelling at him (that's the big sister in me). But, then I think about how this is something that the Lord led him to do, so really, all is right.

So Caleb, while you are running your butt off, taking freezing cold showers, getting yelled at and doing more push-ups than you can count, I am thinking and praying for you. And so are many more people.

I am proud of you and I love you.

Now, "get da' peanuut butta oudda ya eahhs. Heauuuuuuuuh!"

sweet dreams...

happy 2010!

A new year has already arrived! Time seems to be going by so quickly, especially this last year and a half. It seems so easy, almost unavoidable, the way that time gets away from me. As I was thinking about this today it reminded me of some verses in James that I've been thinking on:

James 4 says:

⁷Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

¹³Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." ¹⁴Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Like James said, I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. I do know that if my focus is where it needs to be, on the Lord, then He will be there. What better place is there to be in 2010? I look forward to seeing what He has planned for 201o.

As for New Year's Resolutions: I am resolving to be more determined and dedicated. This is a blanket resolution that applies to many areas of my life.

Determination. Dedication. This is going to be a great year!