Update on Life

I was doing better with blogging for a while, but I have been MIA for a while. I am sitting upstairs currently, in my "office". Right now, though, it looks kinda like a tornado hit it. Due to our renovation project right now, everything for the living room and dining room (or, almost everything) is either in the kitchen or upstairs. Ahhhh! It makes life a little challenging, but I know it'll be worth it. We actually have bought sheetrock to start putting up in the dining room. We still have to tear out the sheetrock in the living room from the outside walls, which hopefully will happen this weekend.

Other than the chaos that has been created by the renvoations, there's been lots of other stuff going on. On Saturday night, I drove to Portland to pick up my sister from Portland. She is visiting for the week, so that is lots of fun. Sunday we went to church, then we had a dinner afterwards with missionaries visiting our church. After this, we went home and relaxed for the afternoon. Then back to church for the evening service.

Monday I spent most of the day working my business, and then also made dinner for Naomi and Rich. Then we went to youth group as always. Naomi joined me for that while Rich went to do a college fair at UMaine. After youth group, I had a training call and then finally went to bed after that.

Today was not too eventful - back to work, went to my regular Tuesday Forum group for lunch, and then home around 5pm. My stomach was doing something funny this evening but it is feeling better now. I have gotten a lot done tonight, so that is good. Overall, things are going well although I am so excited to get the house project done so that we can put furniture back where we want it! We may even buy a new kitchen table and/or living room set now that we'll have a remodeled living room and dining room.

Well I guess this wasn't too exciting, just a basic update. I will try to post something more interesting next time...

Urgh!

Moxie is driving me crazy! I played with him, threw the stick, fed him, played with him, and so on. He rewards me by stealing my Teva Sandals (one of the pairs he hasn't ruined yet), barking at me, getting tangled around the trees outside, ripping stuffing out of the dog bed, and trying to steal trash out of the trash can.

Yup, I'm going crazy!

It's My Birthday...

Ok, so yesterday was my birthday. So I figured I should share my thoughts about that day. First off, if you haven't figured it out, my birthday is September 11th, which is also the anniversary of a tragic event in the U.S. It was a horrible day for our country, and I don't ever want to forget what happened 6 years ago. I hope that we all continue to honor and remember those who sacrificed on that day as well as those who were murdered by terrorists.

So, on to more upbeat topics. I started my birthday waking up to my amazing husband, and that was great. Then I showered, and realized that I was feeling much better than the previous few days. After that, I went back upstairs and received my birthday gifts from Scott, nicely wrapped in a New York & Co bag... OK, so I picked out my birthday gifts, but I did have to wait to open them. So I wore my new pants to work and felt quite stylish. Work went well, and I realized how happy I am to have this new job and the freedom to work part time.

After work, I headed home and played with the dogs. I also made a few calls for my business while waiting for Scott to get home. Once he was home, he shaved and got dressed up (!) to go out. I still didn't know what we were doing. We drove into Bangor and by the direction we were headed, I figured we must be going to Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, or Applebees. I thought we probably wouldn't go to the Roadhouse cause we went there recently, and I thought that if we were going to Applebee's, I'd have to kill him because that's his favorite restaurant, not mine.

It turned out that we were going to the Olive Garden. We had some scrumptious food (I tried a new dish - a shrimp and asparagus dish but I traded the shrimp for scallops) and great conversation. Then we went shopping at Target where we bought some great throw pillows (my choice) and a couple movies (Scott's choice).

Finally, I ended my birthday night by watching Big Brother - a very shallow but entertaining show!

So, thank you to everyone who called, emailed, or said Happy Birthday yesterday OR today (Jess and Steve). And, thank God for my wonderful husband, family, pets, friends, business, job, and so much more!

Attack of the Killer Bee

Today we had another "work day", and this time we had help! Kevin, Mary, and Pete came to help us. Pete fixed our lawnmower (yay!) and Kevin and Mary helped us tear out the sheetrock in our dining room. Very wonderful! It was pretty messy, but now it's all down from the entire dining room. Scott and I even got the insulation started after the others left.

So, you're probably wondering - where does the title of my blog come into this picture? Well, I made some very yummy pizzas for lunch to thank everyone for helping us. Since the dining room in not exactly usable right now, we sat outside on our camp chairs, lawnmower, and cooler to eat lunch. We were all enjoying our food and drink while trying to ignore the whining puppy, when a bee started flying around us. It started near Pete, buzzing around his head and even flying into the pocket of his shirt!

Just as we thought it was leaving Pete alone, it came back and started flying around Scott. It quickly left Scott and then came over to me. It started buzzing around my hair, and I tried to stay still and not freak out. Then, it flew to the other side of my head and stung me in the ear!!! I jumped up and ran inside to examine my injury and escape the bee. Mary soon followed, as she did not want to get stung. The guys then tried to kill the darn thing, but they couldn't get it. Mia even participated by barking while Kevin swung his hands around trying to kill it.

Meanwhile, I was checking out my ear, which was now turning red and swollen and also hurting quite badly. I applied some ice and finished my lunch. Once things settled down outside, Mary and I made our way back outside to have a little more to eat and enjoy the fresh air. I moved my chair over next to the dogs so that they didn't have to be lonely, and about 2 seconds later, the bee came back near me! I then jumped up and went inside for good.

We really don't know what was wrong with that bee. We did nothing to antagonize it, but yet it felt the need to attack us - especially me! I don't know what it is, but bugs and bees seem to be attracted to me. Thankfully, I survived the attack of the killer bee.

Renovation

Yesterday was Labor Day, and Scott and I took that seriously. We started on a project that has been long overdue. We bought this home almost 4 years ago. At that time, we did a lot of renovations that we much needed. However, one thing we were unable to do (due to running out of time and money) was the dining room and living room walls. We discovered, after buying the home, that the walls were covered in about 5-7 layers of wallpaper, with dark blue or dark green paint over it. Ugh!

So, finally (thanks to my earnings with my business), we have the money to do this HUGE project. Yesterday we began by ripping out all the trim in the dining room and starting on tearing down the sheetrock. It is not a super-easy task but I already know it's going to be well worth it. Once we have the sheetrock ripped out, we'll have to put up new sheetrock, mud, tape, and finally paint. Then new trim will need to go up as well. Finally, after painting, we will put down new flooring - Laminate most likely. Yay!

The hardest part of all this is figuring out what to do with the furniture while we work on it. Currently we've got the buffet table in the kitchen, the desk and bookcase in the living room, and the table and china cabinet in the middle of the floor in the dining room. After the dining room is done, we'll have to figure out where to put the couch, futon, entertainment stand, and everything else that's in the living room. Hmmmmm....

Well I'm sure I'll post some photos at some point - hopefully we'll be finishing this project sometime in September. This is truly my birthday present from Scott - cause he really isn't into it too much. But he's doing it for me!

Favorite Pasttime

Today I participated in one of my favorite pasttimes: whitewater rafting! It has been a while since I've gone, and it was so great to be back out on the river! I grew up in a family that was very "outdoorsy" - camping, hiking, biking, and yes, rafting. We would do these things whenever we had a chance - to me it seems like it was every weekend of summer, but I know in reality it wasn't. It's just that those memories are some of the best of my childhood.

My dad became a whitewater rafting guide when I was probably 10 or 11, and then he got his own raft. That meant we could go rafting anytime we wanted, which is much better than paying $100 a person to go. So when my father passed away, our friend Tim bought the raft from us. Tim had gone rafting with Dad a few times, and it became one of his favorite things to do as well. Now, Tim takes us rafting anytime even though it's been over 10 years since Dad passed away.

So today, Scott and I drove up to the bridge at The Forks, where we always meet before rafting. It turned out that the other couple Tim was bringing couldn't make it, and I didn't realize that he had room for us to bring 2 friends, so it ended up just being Scott, me, Tim, Michael (Tim's son), and John (Michael's friend). That was fine though, and once I was out on the river I was reminded of how great rafting is! It's not so much the waves and getting wet and everything, but just being out in God's beautiful creation! It's so freeing to just ride the current of the river and not have to think about anything else...

So, it was a good day and I am thankful for it.

Waiting Games

Last night, Scott and I decided to enjoy our newfound freedom (i.e. having Friday nights off together) by going out to eat and to a movie. We hadn't had a "date night" in a while, and I was looking forward to it. We left the house around 5:40pm to head to our favorite restaurant, the Texas Roadhouse. Well, I decided to call ahead in case there was a wait. There was. A 50-60 minute wait. So we got our name on the list, and then arrived there about 10-15 minutes later.

Once we arrived, we checked in and asked how long the wait would be at that point. They told us about 40 minutes. So, we said we'd be back - we were just going to go to the stores in the plaza. We were back within 25 minutes, and then we sat down to wait. We waited, and we waited, and we waited some more. Many tables were called - 5 people, 2 people, 4 people, 7 people. I started getting a little annoyed when it had far exceeded the 60 minutes we were originally told. I thought, what's the point of calling ahead? You don't get in any faster. Finally, after the numbers had gone past ours by quite a bit, I told Scott I was going up to find out what was going on.

Well, I went up and managed to get by the throng of people standing directly in front of the counter, and asked where we were at on the list. That's when they told us - our number had already been called - several times. I asked how long ago it was called - she said 25 or 30 minutes ago! I was so perplexed because we had been told 40 minutes and we were only gone for 25, so they must have called us during the 25 minutes that we were gone. I wish that they would tell you "20-40 minutes" if it's going to be WAY less than 40! Urgh.

Anyway, they acted like it was our fault, which is why I was annoyed. But, they did give us the next available table, which is the only reason I did not walk out of there. I love the restaurant - the food is delicious and the service is usually good. I'd just have to say that they need to get a little more organized about their call ahead and waiting list because it's frustrating to be told one thing and to have an entirely different thing happen...

Oh, and by the way, because of that little fiasco, we missed our movie and ended up just going home.

New Job

I have a new job which I started last week. It's for an agency here in Bangor (FACT), and I am a "Family Advocate" - a fancy word for foster care case manager. I am working part time now, which is so great. So far the job has been good - no major surprises. Basically I've been reading policies, info about the clients I'll be working with, and touching base with the foster parents. I'm fortunate that the foster parents I'm working with are very experienced, and therefore it will make my job even easier. I know it won't be a bed of roses, but even the fact that I'm only working 20 hours makes it incredibly better!

I am now able to have more of a routine, and spend more time with Scott. I'm looking forward to having Friday nights and Saturdays together. It's gonna be so weird, but good! This new job also gives me more time in the evening. Take today for example: I left work at 4:30pm, went to the gym to work out, did groceries, and got home by 6pm! I was able to have dinner, do some work on my business for a couple hours, and still have time to relax after that. Woohoo!

Well, as you can tell, I am pretty happy with this whole thing. I have to say though, it's all God. I truly believe that God has played a part in several changes that have taken place in my life over the past months. I thank Him for leading me into each area of my life and I hope that I can honor Him with everything that I do.

Atlanta

Well Scott and I recently returned from Atlanta, GA. We were there from Wednesday through Sunday for a convention with my business. We had a fabulous time! It was quite crazy getting there, with delays starting in Portland and then having to wait for Mom and Paul's luggage in Atlanta. It didn't come until the next day...

Anyway, I had really wanted to go to the Georgia Aquarium, but with getting in late on Wednesday and the next few days being packed from start to finish, we had no time! I have decided something - next year when we go to Salt Lake City, we'll be adding a few days on to the trip so that we can enjoy the local scenery and activities.

As for the rest of the trip, I had tons of fun. I finally got to meet Kindel, one of my support team members from Oregon. It's funny how you can get to know someone so well just over the phone -but it was lots of fun to meet her in person as well. I think my favorite part of the trip was just seeing how full of integrity this company is and how glad I am to be a part of it. It has allowed me to quit my full-time job and go to part time - which is something I've worked towards for 4 and 1/2 years with another company and not been able to accomplish. In addition, it has been great to help other people improve their own physical and/or financial wellness.

I could go on and on, but I won't. I am so glad we were able to go, and I am so thankful for Steve and Jess who watched Mia for us! They took care of her for us and almost didn't give her back! Moxie went to the kennel again and that cost a pretty penny, but at least he was able to play with other dogs, etc.

I think we're done traveling so much, at least for the rest of the year. No more major trips - perhaps just a camping trip on Labor Day weekend, but nothing out of state...

Freedom

I have been told recently that I don't post on my blog enough, so I'm going to try to do a better job. So here's my update:

I am FREE!!! I am no longer working full time - my last day was Friday. I am so excited! And God is good, because last week I got the call that I got the new job I wanted! It's part-time, foster care case management, and the schedule is flexible. Basically it means that I no longer have to work nights or weekends, plus I have an extra 20 hours a week to spend with Scottie and/or doing my business and youth group stuff. Woohoo!

So, in celebration, Scott and I went to Acadia National Park on Saturday along with Steve and Jess. Here's a couple pics from that trip:

Headaches

I have been having headaches lately, and they are very painful. I've seen my doctor on and off about this, as no tylenol, ibuprofen, or even prescription stuff seems to touch these headaches. I actually started to get one yesterday, had a difficult night's sleep, and when I woke up I was nauseous. I tried to go to work but felt as though I would throw up as soon as I got into the car. Urgh! I hate feeling this way. I don't want to miss work over a headache, but when the only thing I can do without throwing up is lay completely still on the couch, I don't really have a choice.

Anyway, as I said, I've seen my doctor about this and we finally decided that I'm going to have an MRI to make sure it's nothing serious. So next Monday I get to go into a giant magnet. So if you think of it, you can pray for me... currently I'd just like to be not in constant pain. And I'd like to find out that this is nothing serious, but also I'd like to know what is causing them.

Moxie

We have had Moxie now for quite a while. He is a handful, but super-cute and lovable! Here are some fun pics of our new little bundle of spunkiness:

Change

This is a time for change. I have been thinking about working part-time for quite a while. There are lots of reasons - being able to spend more time with youth group kids, have more time to do my business, more evenings with Scott, etc. While I have enjoyed my full-time job quite a bit, and I've learned a lot too, I have finally made the decision. I gave my notice on Friday. I will be getting done there at the beginning of August. I don't exactly have another job lined up yet, but I've got some potentials. And I'm trusting God that He will provide exactly what we need. Thankfully, I've been able to earn quite a bit with my home-based business, and that has been the catalyst for this decision. So, who knows what will be next? I'm excited to find out...

One adventure ends, a new one begins

Scott and I went to Pennsylvania this past weekend to visit my sister and her husband. It was great fun. We left Friday afternoon around 5pm and arrived at about 5am at their apartment. It was a long night, and Scott did most of the driving. We were so glad when we finally arrived. We only had one slight detour at the very end of the trip, but it worked out fine.

We had a fun time with Rich and Naomi after getting a few hours of sleep. We played Settlers of Catan because we all enjoy that game a lot. After Mom and Paul finally arrived, we hung out, went food shopping, and then had dinner. We then rented "Night at the Museum." I was so tired that I ended up falling asleep at the end, but it was a good movie. I watched the end of it the next day. Anyway, Sunday was spent at their church, followed by a great lunch at a Chinese buffet. After returning to their apartment, we had fun swimming at the pool in their apartment complex.

Later that night, we played another round of Settlers, but a little while into it, the power went out due to thunderstorms. So we continued to play in the candlelight. Finally we all hit the hay after a full day and fell soundly asleep.

Monday morning we slept in and then hung out for a while. Mom and Paul headed back to Maine around 10:30 or so. Scott and I left around 11:15 for Kev and Amy's. It was not too long of a drive to their place, and we arrived at noon. We went to eat lunch at my favorite pizza place, Bertucci's. Then we just hung out in the afternoon, Amy and I looking at photos and catching up on life, and Scott and Kev going to a guitar store. Later we hung out with all the other couples in the complex for a Memorial Day BBQ. It was fun to have this time with them and all their friends. It was especially fun to watch Kaden who is such a big boy now! And soon he's going to have a baby sister (at least I'm hoping for a girl... we'll find out soon enough).

Scott and I left Kev and Ame's at around 7pm and we headed to Connecticut. We decided to break up the trip home so it wasn't too long of a drive. We arrived at our hotel around 11pm, which was perfect. It was not the greatest hotel, but it was just one night. We left the next morning at 8am and headed back to Maine. Once in Maine, our next adventure began...

We picked up our new little puppy, Moxie! He is so sweet... a bit whiney right now, but I'm sure he'll get over that. Mia doesn't know what to do - she's jealous and excited all at once. I hope that they get adjusted soon enough. Kira, our cat, is NOT impressed. Her saving grace is that she has access to the upstairs and the basement, so she can escape to those areas. We'll see how it goes. I'm sure I'll have some updates soon about how things are going!

Am I Crazy?

You might think so. I've been told I am for wanting one of these.













But who can blame me? They are soooo cute! But really, that's not the reason I want one. The reason is because my dog needs a friend! She is so fun and full of energy, and I really want her to have a playmate. I think she would have so much fun and I know the new puppy would too. So anyway, after much discussion, I think we're gonna be getting one. This one, in fact.

Isn't he a sweetie?












Lastly, I just have to show off a cool photo that I took sort of by accident. It's my friend's daughter holding the puppy I have picked out...

Looooooooong Week

I don't know why, but this week has felt really long. I just feel exhausted, yet I don't want to go to bed yet. I'm just enjoying some tv and computer time. I'm also trying to keep Mia company since I was gone most of the day today and Scott's gone this weekend.

Well anyway, I am excited for April to be over. April has always been a weird month for me. I'm not particularly superstitious, but it seems a lot of bad things happen in April. For starters, it was the month in which my dad passed away. And then it just seems that other negative things happen during this month every year. So now I'm excited that we're almost to May! May is a good month, full of spring weather and flowers and sunshine. I'm looking forward to what May has to bring.

Currently, though, I'm looking forward to what my head will feel like on my pillow. Yay!

Learning to Slow Down

Sometimes God teaches us lessons that we don't want to learn. One of my recurring lessons is my need to slow down. And it seems that right now is one of those times. And the way God is teaching me this lesson is through sickness. Apparently I have a sinus infection, along with no energy, extreme sore throat, and overall ickiness. So now, I am being forced to slow down and not do all the things I need to be doing. I didn't go to work today - went to the doctor's office instead, then back home to rest. And I realize some people love having a day off from work, but honestly I would love to be back to work if I could just feel better.

Well I guess that's all for today. I'm just trying to figure out how to apply this "slowing down" lesson to my everyday life... when I start feeling better, I still want to take time to enjoy life and family and friends.

Weekend

We spent this past weekend in Boston for a youth group leaders conference. All went well, except that I apparently came down with something on Friday and it hasn't left me yet. I haven't been sick in quite some time, so having the headaches last week and then this cough/throat thing this week is not very fun. I am just praying that this will be short-lived and not last all week.

So, if you think of it, pray for me... And to youth group kids, sorry I've been MIA two weeks in a row. I really wanted to be there tonight!

Oh, and I'll be posting more about Boston sometime soon. I've got a GREAT video that I want to post. It's so funny!

Amy's Research Questions

Well a few weeks ago, my dear friend Amy posted a blog requesting that people respond to the following questions. I am finally getting around to doing it. Sorry for the delay, Ame!

How long have you been married?
Almost 5 years! Technically 4 years and 9 months.
How long did you and your spouse really know each other before you married?
We dated for 4 and 1/2 years before we got married. We were friends for almost a year before we started dating.
Looking back, how prepared do you feel you were for marriage?
I would say we were somewhat prepared. We knew each other quite well, and we had done some pre-marital counseling. There was, however, quite a lot of adjusting to do once we were married.
If you have kids, how long did you wait before starting your family?
N/A.
How many children do you have and what are their ages?
N/A.
What challenges have you faced at this stage in your marriage?
We have faced several challenges - 1. Adjusting to being married and sharing a home together, 2. Buying our first home and renovating - can create stress :), 3. Dealing with job changes and learning to balance our marriage vs. our work, 4. Deciding what to do regarding further education, and 5. The societal and family pressures regarding having vs. not having kids and trying to make the decision based on our own thoughts and feelings, not those around us.
If you have kids, has your relationship changed since you've added them to your family?
N/A.
If so, in what way(s)?
N/A.
What resources or support systems do you have that benefit your marriage?
1. Our families - both my family and Scott's family are very supportive of our marriage and I feel that we are very blessed that way.
2. Our friends - having several friends who have strong marriages encourages us and gives us someone to turn to for advice/support.
3. Our church - they are beginning to implement more marriage related studies and programs which I feel is very beneficial. We haven't been able to participate in any of them yet, but just the fact that it is happening is encouraging.
What advice do you have for young couples contemplating marriage and starting a family?
1. Get premarital counseling - I think this is a key that really needs to happen before people jump into marriage. You can be as in love as you can imagine, and the marriage could still fall apart if you don't have the right tools and skills to keep your marriage alive. I believe that looking at where each person came from is important, including your views on marriage in general, gender roles, household responsibilities, sex, etc, in order to better prepare for your own marriage. That doesn't mean you have to agree on everything, but just being aware of where your future spouse stands on these issues can eliminate a lot of heartache.
2. Recognize that you are God's gift to each other - This point hit home at a marriage conference Scott and I went to last year. I recognized that there were lots of times that I ignored this fact and treated Scott as my enemy instead of God's gift to me. When you view your spouse as a gift from God, it changes how you speak to them and treat them. Still working on this one myself...
3. Don't be afraid to ask for help! Many people think that going to a marriage retreat or conference (which Scott and I do every year) means that your marriage is falling apart. NO! It's kind of like a car - if you never get a tune up, you are bound to have some major problems. But if you do tune ups every once in a while, the problems will still come, but you'll be more prepared and they won't be nearly as expensive! It's the same with marriage - when you take time to specifically focus on your marriage, you and your spouse will be so much more ready to deal with the inevitable problems that arise. Along with that, I feel that going to marriage counseling or even just talking with close friends about issues is not a bad thing - God created us to live in community and to share our strengths and experiences with each other.

AND THE BIGGY......
What is/are the biggest need(s) that you have as a husband/wife at this stage in your marriage?
The biggest need I would say that I have right now is just to be loved and supported (which Scott does wonderfully!). As we are currently deciding about me getting my Master's degree, I appreciate that Scott takes the time to really talk about this with me and pray about it too. He doesn't immediately shoot down my ideas, even when they may be a bit crazy. He loves me and supports me in all of my ventures. And that makes it easier for me to accept feedback from him about these types of decisions. Being an independent person, I know that I sometimes do not have the most submissive nature. However, I do desire to respect Scott and value his perspective immensely.

Do you feel there is a need for this kind of ministry in your church, and if so, would you attend such a ministry program - either as a mentor couple or as a couple who would like to be mentored?
Yes, there is a need for this type of ministry in every church. Thankfully, our church has started a few different things for marriages. One is an Alpha Marriage Course that is 8 weeks long and is for couples at any stage in their marriage. The other is that we have Bible Studies on Sunday evenings and there are a few studies being offered throughout the year that focus on marriage. I would like to see possibly a marriage retreat or weekend that our church hosts or sponsors, since there are currently those types of options for men or women, but not married couples.

Well, Amy, I hope this helps! Sorry for my delay, but I finally did it.

Recovery Day

After a long week and lots going on, I decided to take a "recovery day". I ended up not going to work partly because I was just exhausted and partly because of the crazy snowstorm this morning. So instead I slept in later than usual, then spent most of the day completely relaxing. Scott and I read together, I sat on the couch and watched tv, and more along those lines... we did actually clean up the kitchen was great, and we had a real meal for dinner!

Well anyway, as for other news. I have been accepted to the Master of Arts in International Development Program at Eastern University. If I choose to participate in this program, I would go to South Africa in July for 3 weeks, and then the rest of the year will be correspondence. Then I would go again next summer as well, followed by another year of correspondence. I am really undecided about this, but God answered one of my prayers. I spoke with my contact at Eastern and got something cleared up. I had thought that the complete payment was due by March 15th, but it was only a deposit. The payment is not due until April 15th, which gives me more time to decide. Plus, I found out I was awared a pretty significant scholarship to go towards the tuition. Scott and I are having our taxes done on Tuesday, so then I can fill out the FASFA and find out what other aid I am eligible for.

Otherwise I just had a long week with work because there are a lot of staff issues going on. Plus I'm currently doing 2 businesses from home, so between everything I was just needing a day to myself. It was really nice to have that today, as I know this next week promises to be just as busy. I hope to keep everything in balance and to keep my priorities straight.