Just a Few Thinks on My Mind

1.  I am loving that I get to talk to Mike every night right now.  I know exactly what's going on with him and he knows exactly what is going on with me.  It is comforting.  I am also excited that he gets the whole upcoming weekend off.  We are going to celebrate his birthday since he will be in Alabama.  I'm baking a cake for him, it's so yummy too.  It's a turtle cake with a caramel layer in the middle.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about it, but it's also making my booty expand just thinking about all those calories.  More about that in a minute!  On Saturday, we are going to go see Avatar in IMAX 3D.  I sure hope it's good.  It didn't really interest me, but I know Mike really wants to see it.  Then, we are going to eat at Capeo's in North Little Rock.  It is Mike's all time favorite Italian restaurant, and we have tried a lot of Italian restaurants.

2.  I just talked to my personal trainer on the phone.  My first session is going to be next Monday afternoon.  We are going to do assessments (weight, body fat, etc..) :(  Then, we are going to set goals.  I'm excited and scared at the same time.  I know this will be a new way to help myself get healthier.  I need someone telling me what I should be doing.  Sore muscles, her I come!!!

3.  I am loving my daily Bible Readings. I am reading it chronologically with some other people through Facebook.  Getting the historical perspective is amazing.  The stories are so beautiful and reassuring at the same time.  I guess in my mind I thought that people are becoming more sinful than they have ever been, but that isn't necessarily true.  There has always been a lot of sin, but there has also been some amazing people who have overcome their sin and lived for God.  I am inspired to do the same in my life.  I am also excited to continue my journey through the Bible in this way that is new to me.

Reunion

Mike was able to come home last night for what I thought would be dinner only.   The first surprise was that he got here early, around 3:45.  Woo Hoo!!  Then it turned out he got to spend the night.  Well, sorta!  He had to get up at 3:30 and head back for drill weekend.  But, that's ok, I'm just so thankful we had the time together we did.  He seemed to be in much improved spirits compared to earlier in the week.  Praise the Lord that Mike was given peace for the situation at hand.  We were able to hang out, watch some TV, gather more supplies he will need in the coming weeks/months, and spend time talking face to face.  I am satisfied that he isn't being tortured or mistreated too badly.  Here are some pictures I took as soon as he got home.  

And....here's one of the two of us.

Can you tell we were happy to see each other?

Road Trip

I leaving today for a road trip.  Well, it's not really much of a road trip, but 2 1/2 hours down the road feels more like a road trip since I'm doing it by myself.  Well, not really by myself.  I'll have our cat Sadie.  I'm sure she can protect me. ;)  Since we have no school again today (Man, next week is gonna kill me having to work all five days and all!),  I am going to head to central Arkansas this morning.  I am going to go have lunch with my mom at her school and see all the people I used to work with there.  I miss them.  I worked there for five years and have known some of them since I was a kid.  I went to school there, too.  Then, I told mom I would go grocery shopping for her this afternoon.  I though I would be nice since she has had to work harder than me this week.  Not that that was too difficult to do since I haven't worked at all.  Then, Mike is coming home (our house there) for dinner!  Yay!  I'm so excited to see him.  I have really missed him just being around.  Just the opportunity to spend a few hours together will make things seem like old times.  I will will be able to pretend that things didn't change.  I don't regret the decision we made for him to go back in the military, but that doesn't mean that it's always easy to accept that decision.  This is the third day he has been in charge of their little group at Camp Robinson.  He doesn't take that responsibility lightly, either.  When we are talking on the phone at night, he is usually writing out the schedule for the next day.  I know he is a good leader and takes every assignment they give him seriously.  But, tonight he get to take the evening off and just be Mike, not soldier Mike.  I can't wait.  I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend!  I know I will!!

Do I have a job?

Ok, so I have another day off of work/school due to winter weather.  Normally, I would be ok with that, but I have almost had three weeks in a row off.  We haven't been back since Christmas vacation.  I also have something else important coming up.  I have a date with my husband tomorrow night.  This is the first week of his training to become an officer in the army.  I'm in Fayetteville, thinking I have to work.  If I had known different, I would have just stayed in Greenbrier where I could have seen him most evenings.  But, since I can't change that now, I am looking forward to seeing him tomorrow night for dinner.  And I do really need to see him.  I need to see that he is doing ok.  I know he's a grown man, but I'm a worrier.  I have been able to talk to him every night.  He's pretty much free at night.  But, talking isn't the same as seeing him in flesh so that I can inspect that he is not being harmed by the people I am pretty sure spend their whole day yelling to make them "tough."  As you can tell I don't know a whole lot about the military or the tactics they use to train people.  I do know I couldn't make it.  I'm wimpy and get my feelings hurt way too easily for that.  But, I can hear the ups and downs in Mike's voice.  I know he can do this because he can do anything he puts his mind to.  Yesterday, he seemed to be better than other days.  I guess he's getting into a routine and bonding with the guys he's with, but I think we both need to see each other tomorrow.  So, I pray that the weather will cooperate and I can make it off the "hill" tomorrow.  Please keep Mike in your prayers that God will give him the strength to endure everything that is thrown his way over the next couple months.

Mike being sworn in the Army back in October.

Mike in the barracks last night.

Another pic of Mike just because I love him!

We Made It Through....And What's Ahead

I wasn't sure how this day would go, but all in all, I made it through.  I told Mike good-bye this morning.  God was watching out for me, though.  He gave us a few extra hours together by sending some winter weather our way.  We made the trip back to Greenbrier from Memphis yesterday after freezing our booties off at the Liberty Bowl.    I was supposed to head back to Fayetteville and get reading for our in-service today.  But, I got caught behind a wreck so to kill time I checked out Facebook and to my surprise saw a post from my school saying that the in-service was cancelled :)  I will never listen to anyone that says Facebook is a waste of time ;)  I turned around and went back to spend one more night with Mike.

He left this morning for Camp Robinson and I left for Fayetteville.  We both made it safe and sound.  We might be a little sad, but I did get to talk to him for about an hour tonight.  He said today wasn't too bad.  They did lots of physical training and spent the rest of the day in orientation.  I might get to see him on Sunday when his group runs the Big Dam Bridge!

I have the next few months mostly by myself, but I plan to keep myself busy.  Here are some goals I have set for myself:
1.  Exercise, Exercise, Exercise.  I have signed up for a personal trainer through the University to keep myself motivated.
2.  Keep caught up on work for my classes.  I have no excuse to not be ahead at all times.
3.  Read.  I got some new books for Christmas that I want to read and I want to finish reading the Twilight series.  I never made the time to do it before, but I will now.
4.  Read the Bible daily!  My friend Jenny (Thanks) got a group of people on Facebook (again Facebook can't be called bad) reading through the Bible in a year.  I'm caught up so far. :)
5.  Be the best teacher for my students that I can be!

I know there are more things I want to get done, but I think I'll start with these.  I hope everyone has a blessed 2010. Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us.