Saturday, February 23, 2008

6 more days!

Only 6 more days until I get to see my beautiful husband! These past few days have been a little hard, since Mark's in his last week of training and they've turned up the heat, he doesn't have the free time like he had before, so we haven't been able to talk daily. I'm still getting over this flu that hit me like a ton a bricks, too. And the weather's been interesting, to say the least. All in all, I'm totally ready for March to be here.

But I have to tell you that there's so much to be thankful for, through all of these trials.
* I have a wonderful husband to miss.
* The ice on the trees is gorgeous when the sun is shining through the branches.
* We haven't lost power through all of the weird February weather, so it's been nice and toasty at home.
* There are plenty of books to read.
* I love my job!!!
* School is challenging, but totally awesome!!!
* I get to see Mark in 6 days!!!!!!!!

So, life is good!
Take a moment to smile at someone today! Give 'em a great big grin! It'll brighten even the darkest day!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Intensity in Ten Cities

Little did I know when I said that this next 5 weeks of classes would be intense that it would be INTENSE. I'm coming across some challenges that seem insurmountable, but that I know will be overcome with prayer, persistence, and patience.

Last week started with a snow/ice storm that moved in Monday afternoon and school was closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The program I'm in is based on contact hours, not credit hours, so we have to make up the hours that the school was closed. I thought that we would be doing this as a class on Fridays to make up the time, like we did when the school was closed for Martin Luther King, Jr Day, but quickly found out that we are responsible to make up these hours on our own during the afternoon or night classes. I was not happy for a few hours, but soon accepted it and figured out how I was going to go about doing that. You see, this 5 weeks of classes, I'm already going to be missing 3 days of class when I go down to Georgia to visit Mark on his 4 day pass before they head overseas, so now I was responsible for 5 days to make up.

Yesterday afternoon I made up one of the snow days! Yay! Yesterday morning I woke up after an incredible weekend at a CRHP retreat at church with some drainage down my throat and a slight cough. This increased in intensity throughout the day yesterday and by the time I got home I was running a low grade fever. So, I called in to work, took some medicine and went to bed. But that didn't seem to do the trick, because this morning I woke up with that low grade fever lingering, feeling achy, and sneezing in addition to coughing. Fun, fun! Guess what? Another day of school missed (and this one was a double whammy because it was going to be a make up day for the other snow day). I'm trying not to despair, but it's very tempting. I have to keep reminding myself that it's worth the extra effort! Today, I've been sleeping and drinking lots of water! Tomorrow is another day!

I've also over-extended myself with responsibilities at church, and I'm not going to be able to facilitate a Why Catholic? group like I wanted. It's hard to ask for help when I do this to myself, but I have actually asked a couple of people in the group to see if they are felt led to take over this responsibility for me. I simply cannot be two places at once, and that is what is happening. It's a humbling position to be in.

The good thing is that it's getting closer to the time when Mark and I get to see each other! 10 days! Woohoo!

I want to thank those of you who read this blog and leave a comment. It is reassuring and helps more than you can ever know! Just to know that people are there knowing what I'm going through and encouraging me to keep going is an incredible help! I know that I'm not a super-blogger, and that is not the intent. But this is my way to talk about my thoughts and feelings in having Mark mobilized and my way to share with more people than I have time to e-mail individually. So when you leave a comment, it makes it a two way street, rather than a one way one. Thanks!!!

Friday, February 8, 2008

Free Day!

Lookie here! I'm posting! Still not used to this blogging gig, but I'm doing it for ya'll who are reading. (Ya'll is a southern term meaning you guys). I don't believe I'm sounding like a Kentuckian yet, but let me tell you, it's real tempting!

Finished my first five weeks of classes with all A's! WOOHOO! So I'm celebrating today by doing absolutely nothing! Ok, not absolutely nothing, but nothing scheduled or mandatory or responsible. I slept in late and finished a book I came across at the library called Dragonspell by Donita K Paul. (Sis, you were right about being able to find LOTS of books at the library! I've checked out more since I've been working than I have since I've lived in E-ville!) I e-mailed Mark and now I'm posting. Later I'll start another book Ratking by Michael Dibdin and maybe watch a little CSI: Miami. These days don't come along so often anymore, so I'm taking full advantage when they do.

It's so nice to be content with my life choices for a change! I think this time of change in my life came at just the right time - or I was in danger of becoming an ole curmudgeon. Just ask Mark, I was getting pretty close there for a while!

My next five weeks of classes are going to be a bit more intense. We learned 8 muscle sets this first five weeks and we're going to be learning 20 new muscle sets this next five weeks! The good news is that we're going to be learning how to massage the back! I'm looking forward to that a lot since that's where my stress seems to settle. So after this set of classes I'll be able to do the whole backside of the body - WooHoo! And I'll need to practice, too, so don't be shy!

Peace and Joy!

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Happy Groundhog Day!!!

Today is Groundhog Day, isn't it? And I believe Mr. Austrohoosier has a birthday today, too!! Happy B-day to you!!!

I'm home today loving life! Laundry is going full tilt and the house is shaping back together into a habitable domain after a week of happily running to and fro. Next week is the last week of my first set of massage therapy classes! Wow, that went fast! The good thing about 5 week classes is that you see immediate results. That's also what I like about my new job in the library. I'm learning something new everyday and I feel like I can walk on the moon if I want! (Fortunately, I don't want.) And the BEST part of life is that I get to talk to Mark almost everyday!!! Woohoo!!!

Most of the time I bemoan the fact that life goes by too fast for my taste, but I'm relishing in the speed now. Faster, time, faster! Cause the faster it goes, the closer it is to being with my beloved again! That's when I'll want life to s .. l .. o .. w w .. a .. y d .. o .. w .. n .

Reading "Eat, Pray, Love" right now thanks to Kelly (I bet you didn't know that, did you?) Only on the "Eat" part right now, but I'm loving every minute of it. And I know it's going to keep getting better. (No, I didn't read the last page, I'm just psychic that way!)

Did yoga this afternoon! I really need to do that more often, but I rejoice every time I do make time for it. Feel my body toning up with doing massage, now I just have to get some of these pounds off and I'll be doing fine. And I will, I just know I will! There's a healthy, fit person underneath this accumulated stress that I'm shedding, and she's a beauty, let me tell ya!

Namaste