I should be getting in bed, but I'm wide awake.
This semester has flown by. Where did the last 3 months go? I have 4 more classes before I am done with my EMT-Basic work. Tomorrow morning is my final clinical on the ambulance.
I have learned so much in such a short time. I've also realized I have a lot to learn! I'm pretty comfortable with vital signs and patient assessment, but make me backboard someone, and I'm still a little floundery. I love what I'm learning. I cannot wait to get out there and do this! But I'm approaching the future with a bit of a wait-and-see attitude. I'm not sure where I want to be. I have really enjoyed my clinicals with the fire department. If you follow me on Twitter or are my friend on Facebook, you've probably seen my updates. The guys have been amazing! I've learned a lot. Whether I'd like to be a firefighter....we'll see. That would require some dedication and weight lifting. haha
Thanks for all of your support and prayers. :)
The name of my blog is still true: "Let's Take a Journey." And what a great one. :)
Christen
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What I'm learning...
I'm learning a lot...
A lot about muscle, connective, epithelial, and nervous tissue.
A lot about assessing a scene and establishing an airway.
A lot about selling chicken and spinning a milkshake.
And a lot about how having a good attitude makes everything better.
My life is crazy busy. I run from one thing to the next. If it weren't for the fact that softball season took a week off, I wouldn't be sitting here now typing this blog. My mornings are work or school; my evenings are studying, softball, youth....or more work.
For the first couple of weeks of this new life, I was probably one of the worst people to be around. I was grumpy and tired and just plain ticked. But I found a new attitude.
My life is crazy, but it's my life. It's the only one I have. And I'm really enjoying it. I've made new friends at work, I'm leading a high school small group of precious young people, and I'm learning about information that really interests me. I'm learning about a subject that I've longed to know most of my life.
It doesn't hurt that I got pulled over for speeding this morning while in my uniform, and after seeing it, the cop asked if everything was okay, asked where I was hoping to get a job, glanced at my license, told me "Nice picture," and sent me on my way. haha
Chase the life you really want. Don't settle for what you have because it's easy.
A lot about muscle, connective, epithelial, and nervous tissue.
A lot about assessing a scene and establishing an airway.
A lot about selling chicken and spinning a milkshake.
And a lot about how having a good attitude makes everything better.
My life is crazy busy. I run from one thing to the next. If it weren't for the fact that softball season took a week off, I wouldn't be sitting here now typing this blog. My mornings are work or school; my evenings are studying, softball, youth....or more work.
For the first couple of weeks of this new life, I was probably one of the worst people to be around. I was grumpy and tired and just plain ticked. But I found a new attitude.
My life is crazy, but it's my life. It's the only one I have. And I'm really enjoying it. I've made new friends at work, I'm leading a high school small group of precious young people, and I'm learning about information that really interests me. I'm learning about a subject that I've longed to know most of my life.
It doesn't hurt that I got pulled over for speeding this morning while in my uniform, and after seeing it, the cop asked if everything was okay, asked where I was hoping to get a job, glanced at my license, told me "Nice picture," and sent me on my way. haha
Chase the life you really want. Don't settle for what you have because it's easy.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Happiness vs. Joy
There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness occurs when good events transpire in your life and a smile and laughter grace your face. Joy is more deepseated. Joy comes from deep down; it's the gladness in the midst of the mourning. Joy is optimism when everything looks impossible. Joy is Christ's love bubbling up in our spirit. Joy is one of the fruit's of the spirit that you (and I) should strive to have on a daily basis.
Lately, I haven't felt a lot of joy. In the moment, I'm happy. When Eli's wanting to play, I'm smiling. When my family is gathered around and singing happy birthday, I'm laughing and having a great time. But it's the quiet moments...when I'm driving alone, laying in bed at night, or running errands that I don't feel that joy. Lately, all I've felt is overwhelmed and frustrated...by school, work, finances, responsibilities. And I think I've lost that joy.
Tonight, I was driving home from my grandparents'. I had a fantastic weekend. I spent quality time with my family, got a pedicure, saw a movie, celebrated my birthday. And yet, all I felt was anxiety.
My spirit was checked. Why do I not feel joy? Where is my normal, everyday optimism? Truth be told, I've let it slide. I've felt sorry for myself a little too much and not thanked God for the blessings in my life quite enough.
So, I went digging for a scripture that would fit and challenge me. I found Psalm 51:12. "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." I need that joy of my salvation in Jesus. And I need a willing spirit to be joyful!
This week, despite what frustrations I may face, I will be thankful for what I have and remember the joy of my salvation. :)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Random Thoughts from People 25-35 Years Old
I got an email from my cousin Karen this past week and laughed so hard that I had to share! These are not my original thoughts, just a good ol' fashion forward. My thoughts are in parentheses. (These are parentheses.)
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
-That's enough, Nickelback. (No joke.)
-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with? (Haha!! I would say 90%!)
-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
-There is a great need for a sarcasm font.
-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the crap was going on when I first saw it. (Oh my goodness, true.)
-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it. (haha!! True!! I'm that way with Sweet Home Alabama and The Holiday.)
-How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? (Agreed.)
-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in. (This is me!)
- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. (Or confiscate all your journals.)
-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text. (Yep.)
- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say". (Wow, true)
- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying. (Oh, so true!)
- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said? (I do this.)
- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a punk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart. (hahaha!!)
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died. (This is true.)
- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired. (True.)
- Bad decisions make good stories (Sad yet true.)
-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year? (I had this exact thought in the last week.)
-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem... (This totally happened this past week during my first EMT class! UGH!)
-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection. (Yes, please.)
-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to. (So, so true!)
- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV.. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?' (I feel this way!! Especially when it's a Discovery Health show that I love.)
-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Crap!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste. (True.)
-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes. (haha! Agreed. I have great music, but on shuffle, not so much.)
-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is. (I do this.)
-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood. (Sad but true.)
-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. (And some times I add the words "Do not answer" so I really don't forget.)
-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, Pinning the Tail on the Donkey, or finding a ringing phone in a purse - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?
-It really ticks me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text. (So true!)
-I wonder if cops ever get ticked off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit. (Haha, I think this.)
-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel fat before dinner.
Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did! :)
Christen
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.
-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?
-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
-That's enough, Nickelback. (No joke.)
-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with? (Haha!! I would say 90%!)
-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
-There is a great need for a sarcasm font.
-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the crap was going on when I first saw it. (Oh my goodness, true.)
-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it. (haha!! True!! I'm that way with Sweet Home Alabama and The Holiday.)
-How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? (Agreed.)
-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in. (This is me!)
- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. (Or confiscate all your journals.)
-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text. (Yep.)
- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say". (Wow, true)
- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying. (Oh, so true!)
- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said? (I do this.)
- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a punk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"
-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?
- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart. (hahaha!!)
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died. (This is true.)
- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired. (True.)
- Bad decisions make good stories (Sad yet true.)
-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year? (I had this exact thought in the last week.)
-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem... (This totally happened this past week during my first EMT class! UGH!)
-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection. (Yes, please.)
-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to. (So, so true!)
- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV.. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?' (I feel this way!! Especially when it's a Discovery Health show that I love.)
-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Crap!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste. (True.)
-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes. (haha! Agreed. I have great music, but on shuffle, not so much.)
-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is. (I do this.)
-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood. (Sad but true.)
-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. (And some times I add the words "Do not answer" so I really don't forget.)
-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, Pinning the Tail on the Donkey, or finding a ringing phone in a purse - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?
-It really ticks me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text. (So true!)
-I wonder if cops ever get ticked off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit. (Haha, I think this.)
-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel fat before dinner.
Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did! :)
Christen
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
500 Days of Summer
No, I'm not talking about the movie...though I did see it, and it's fantastic. This summer has honestly seemed 500 days long. I've been home for two months without a job, without school, and without being able to go out of town for more than a day or two because I was hoping for job interviews. I've had a lot of boring days, and yet, I've been through 8 weeks of boot camp, gotten involved at church, and lost a lot of softball games. :)
A couple of weeks ago, I got an exciting phone call. One of the temp agencies I had applied to found a job for me at a country club. It was perfect-- I could set my own hours, the pay was good, and it would be clerical-type work. Last Tuesday, I was up and getting ready for work. About 30 minutes before I was to leave, my phone rang. It was the temp agency. They had received an email from the country club, and my position had been "eliminated." It was quite a blow. I knew my money was quickly running out, and here I was back at square one. It was a low point.
The same day a friend of mine called. He had found out about my job situation and told me he thought he could get me a job. It was a huge blessing, and yet not something I really wanted. He's the former manager at the Chick-fil-a in Longview, and he and the new manager are good friends. If you don't know, I worked at CFA for 2 1/2 years in high school. It was a great job...when I was 16. Going back is a blow to my ego. But I sat myself down and really weighed the pros and cons. They're flexible, I'll make the money I need, they're closed on Sundays, and it's a great environment. The cons: it was my high school job. So, I sucked it up, applied, interviewed, and got the job. I trained this past Monday, and I start next week.
I'm a 25 year old, bachelor degree holding, single, fast food worker who lives with her parents. And that's okay. I'm so thankful to the Lord for providing this opportunity. After 25 or more applications and 2 useless interviews, I have a means of income. And that's all I can really ask. I'm going back to school to pursue a career that I really want, and I'm saving money by not paying rent.
Maybe this isn't the life I imagined for myself when I was younger. But it's my life. And I'm living it the best way I know how.
Christen
A couple of weeks ago, I got an exciting phone call. One of the temp agencies I had applied to found a job for me at a country club. It was perfect-- I could set my own hours, the pay was good, and it would be clerical-type work. Last Tuesday, I was up and getting ready for work. About 30 minutes before I was to leave, my phone rang. It was the temp agency. They had received an email from the country club, and my position had been "eliminated." It was quite a blow. I knew my money was quickly running out, and here I was back at square one. It was a low point.
The same day a friend of mine called. He had found out about my job situation and told me he thought he could get me a job. It was a huge blessing, and yet not something I really wanted. He's the former manager at the Chick-fil-a in Longview, and he and the new manager are good friends. If you don't know, I worked at CFA for 2 1/2 years in high school. It was a great job...when I was 16. Going back is a blow to my ego. But I sat myself down and really weighed the pros and cons. They're flexible, I'll make the money I need, they're closed on Sundays, and it's a great environment. The cons: it was my high school job. So, I sucked it up, applied, interviewed, and got the job. I trained this past Monday, and I start next week.
I'm a 25 year old, bachelor degree holding, single, fast food worker who lives with her parents. And that's okay. I'm so thankful to the Lord for providing this opportunity. After 25 or more applications and 2 useless interviews, I have a means of income. And that's all I can really ask. I'm going back to school to pursue a career that I really want, and I'm saving money by not paying rent.
Maybe this isn't the life I imagined for myself when I was younger. But it's my life. And I'm living it the best way I know how.
Christen
Sunday, August 9, 2009
My Mini-vacation
July 30, 9:00 a.m.
Woke up way too late this morning. Still need to shower, pack, and drive to Tyler by noon. That's what I get for staying up so late. But I needed to watch So You Think You Can Dance.
12:13 p.m.
Alesha and I are on the road. I wish we were riding together, but it's okay. I've got a lot of music to catch up on. Can't wait to get to Houston! Glad to have a Diet Coke.
7:46 p.m.
Made it to Julie's. I love her new house!! Headed to dinner now with her and Daniel. I forget how nostalgic I get in Houston. I wish I had time to sit outside and watch the planes come in to IAH. It's still one of my favorite things.
July 31, 1:22 a.m.
What a great night! I lost miserably at Scattergories, but it's been so nice catching up.
10:00 a.m.
Getting ready to leave for the Woodlands to see little Rylee Ann Williams. I'm amazed that I can love a little baby so much who I've never met. Can't wait to see Krissie and Ryan, too.
2:27 p.m.
Grabbing some lunch with Julie and Alesha before we part ways. I love Rancheros. Yum! I got to hold Rylee for a long time and even feed her a bottle. She is the softest, most cuddly little thing with her black hair and cute little upturned nose. Love, love, love. I'm going back after lunch. :)
5:45 p.m.
Headed to Austin now. It's funny that I miss Houston as much as I do. I know it's just the people...not the traffic or job. ha The Williams' family has a precious, special place in my heart.
9:11 p.m.
Sitting at the Mellow Mushroom with Tim Ross and Colter. Who would have ever thought Caesar salad-topped pizza would be a good idea? Try it! Thinking about firing up a rowdy game of Uno, but Tim Barton's headed to the house...haven't seen that kid in years.
August 1, 12:59 a.m.
Climbing into bed. It's been a long day, but entirely worth it. Had some great laughs with the guys tonight sitting on the backporch watching YouTube videos. Curling up on my air mattress now. Tubing in the morning!!
8:48 a.m.
Tim made breakfast. Not a huge fan of eggs, but I'm really hungry, so I'm game. The bacon's fantastic. Wasn't too thrilled about wearing a swimsuit today, but thank God (literally) for boot camp! I'll be okay. :) Oh, gotta run...leaving for New Braunsfel.
2:13 p.m.
Sitting at Whataburger. Tubing was incredible! The water was cold, but it was still so relaxing. Tim lost his sunglasses, and I banged my legs pretty good on some concrete, but otherwise, we came away unscathed and totally chill. I really enjoyed our group, too...good people.
5:33 p.m.
Hanging out at Starbucks with Scott Hamilton. I really enjoy having so many friends in this city. It's been quite a few months since I've seen Scott, so it's nice catching up. Anyone else know he works for a linen company sometimes? ;) haha I think we may head to Borders in a second to look for a present for a friend of ours.
8:37 p.m.
Back at Tim's house. Looks like dinner is no where on the horizon. I just realized how much my daily routine revolves around food. Oh dear. Half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich will tide me over. Texting Scott...trying to convince him to come to the Rocketboys' show tonight. It's going to be good. Man, I'm hungry.
August 2, 2:10 a.m.
Just getting home. The Rocketboys put on an incredible show. Scott ended up coming, and it was Colter's first show. I love their new songs. I'd heard most of them, but I still love them. It's funny how much I love that band. I started going to their shows to support my cousin Josh. I love him...we're cousins. But I've continued to go, sometimes to as many as 7 or 8 a year, and my love for them only grows. I love taking people with me, showing The Rocketboys off. And some day, they're going to be huge. You just wait. :) After the show, we went to Katz's on 6th street for a bite (finally). We got invited to hang out with some friends, but we're all beat.
10:43 a.m.
Well, just got a text from Tim...looks like he overslept. Ironic, right? I'm usually the one oversleeping and making people late. It's nice to have the tables turned. I don't even care that he missed his alarm. Reading "Breaking Dawn" in a fold-out chair in their make-shift dining room. I love quiet mornings.
2:41 p.m.
Hitting the road for Dallas. So, so, so very excited to see Shelby. It's been almost 6 weeks since I've seen her. Too long, far too long. Tim and I had a great morning. We went to Thunderbird Coffee for breakfast. Bacon and egg panini with a nice skinny mocha. There's just something about drinking coffee out of a ceramic mug that makes me smile. Tim took me to some of his favorite spots. I'm really sad I didn't have my camera with me...absolutely gorgeous. Great outlook points over the Colorado River, one with a fantastic bridge. There was quite a bit of hiking involved. Again, so very thankful for boot camp. I wouldn't have made it up those trails 6 weeks ago. But today, hardly out of breath. :) I love Austin. Maybe one day I'll live there.
11:52 p.m.
Made it to Dallas. I felt a little silly when tears brimmed in my eyes upon seeing Shelby. Isn't it nice to find such special friends? We've had a great evening of hanging out (and eating...haha). Got to talk to her boyfriend for a bit. I like him. Looks like tomorrow I'll get to hang out with him again. Okay, time for a chick flick. Woohoo :)
August 3, 1:17 p.m.
Great day so far. Stayed in bed until after 11 a.m. just talking. Had a great burger with Shelbs and Josh on Greenville Ave., and was a bit mischievious with Shelby afterwards on our drive back to Waxahachie. hehe Time to go apartment hunting...for Shelby. I promise I'm not moving again.
7:21 p.m.
Time to head home. Apartment hunting was rather unsuccessful. But I did get to see my dear friends, the Cowans, this afternoon. Malachi has got to be the most precious little boy. I had him cracking up! I tickled him and played peek-a-boo. Cute, cute!! It was good to see Nick and Jess, too. Really sad to say goodbye to Shelbs.
10:02 p.m.
Home sweet home. What a great trip! 800 miles and worth every one. Thanks for coming along for the ride. :)
Woke up way too late this morning. Still need to shower, pack, and drive to Tyler by noon. That's what I get for staying up so late. But I needed to watch So You Think You Can Dance.
12:13 p.m.
Alesha and I are on the road. I wish we were riding together, but it's okay. I've got a lot of music to catch up on. Can't wait to get to Houston! Glad to have a Diet Coke.
7:46 p.m.
Made it to Julie's. I love her new house!! Headed to dinner now with her and Daniel. I forget how nostalgic I get in Houston. I wish I had time to sit outside and watch the planes come in to IAH. It's still one of my favorite things.
July 31, 1:22 a.m.
What a great night! I lost miserably at Scattergories, but it's been so nice catching up.
10:00 a.m.
Getting ready to leave for the Woodlands to see little Rylee Ann Williams. I'm amazed that I can love a little baby so much who I've never met. Can't wait to see Krissie and Ryan, too.
2:27 p.m.
Grabbing some lunch with Julie and Alesha before we part ways. I love Rancheros. Yum! I got to hold Rylee for a long time and even feed her a bottle. She is the softest, most cuddly little thing with her black hair and cute little upturned nose. Love, love, love. I'm going back after lunch. :)
5:45 p.m.
Headed to Austin now. It's funny that I miss Houston as much as I do. I know it's just the people...not the traffic or job. ha The Williams' family has a precious, special place in my heart.
9:11 p.m.
Sitting at the Mellow Mushroom with Tim Ross and Colter. Who would have ever thought Caesar salad-topped pizza would be a good idea? Try it! Thinking about firing up a rowdy game of Uno, but Tim Barton's headed to the house...haven't seen that kid in years.
August 1, 12:59 a.m.
Climbing into bed. It's been a long day, but entirely worth it. Had some great laughs with the guys tonight sitting on the backporch watching YouTube videos. Curling up on my air mattress now. Tubing in the morning!!
8:48 a.m.
Tim made breakfast. Not a huge fan of eggs, but I'm really hungry, so I'm game. The bacon's fantastic. Wasn't too thrilled about wearing a swimsuit today, but thank God (literally) for boot camp! I'll be okay. :) Oh, gotta run...leaving for New Braunsfel.
2:13 p.m.
Sitting at Whataburger. Tubing was incredible! The water was cold, but it was still so relaxing. Tim lost his sunglasses, and I banged my legs pretty good on some concrete, but otherwise, we came away unscathed and totally chill. I really enjoyed our group, too...good people.
5:33 p.m.
Hanging out at Starbucks with Scott Hamilton. I really enjoy having so many friends in this city. It's been quite a few months since I've seen Scott, so it's nice catching up. Anyone else know he works for a linen company sometimes? ;) haha I think we may head to Borders in a second to look for a present for a friend of ours.
8:37 p.m.
Back at Tim's house. Looks like dinner is no where on the horizon. I just realized how much my daily routine revolves around food. Oh dear. Half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich will tide me over. Texting Scott...trying to convince him to come to the Rocketboys' show tonight. It's going to be good. Man, I'm hungry.
August 2, 2:10 a.m.
Just getting home. The Rocketboys put on an incredible show. Scott ended up coming, and it was Colter's first show. I love their new songs. I'd heard most of them, but I still love them. It's funny how much I love that band. I started going to their shows to support my cousin Josh. I love him...we're cousins. But I've continued to go, sometimes to as many as 7 or 8 a year, and my love for them only grows. I love taking people with me, showing The Rocketboys off. And some day, they're going to be huge. You just wait. :) After the show, we went to Katz's on 6th street for a bite (finally). We got invited to hang out with some friends, but we're all beat.
10:43 a.m.
Well, just got a text from Tim...looks like he overslept. Ironic, right? I'm usually the one oversleeping and making people late. It's nice to have the tables turned. I don't even care that he missed his alarm. Reading "Breaking Dawn" in a fold-out chair in their make-shift dining room. I love quiet mornings.
2:41 p.m.
Hitting the road for Dallas. So, so, so very excited to see Shelby. It's been almost 6 weeks since I've seen her. Too long, far too long. Tim and I had a great morning. We went to Thunderbird Coffee for breakfast. Bacon and egg panini with a nice skinny mocha. There's just something about drinking coffee out of a ceramic mug that makes me smile. Tim took me to some of his favorite spots. I'm really sad I didn't have my camera with me...absolutely gorgeous. Great outlook points over the Colorado River, one with a fantastic bridge. There was quite a bit of hiking involved. Again, so very thankful for boot camp. I wouldn't have made it up those trails 6 weeks ago. But today, hardly out of breath. :) I love Austin. Maybe one day I'll live there.
11:52 p.m.
Made it to Dallas. I felt a little silly when tears brimmed in my eyes upon seeing Shelby. Isn't it nice to find such special friends? We've had a great evening of hanging out (and eating...haha). Got to talk to her boyfriend for a bit. I like him. Looks like tomorrow I'll get to hang out with him again. Okay, time for a chick flick. Woohoo :)
August 3, 1:17 p.m.
Great day so far. Stayed in bed until after 11 a.m. just talking. Had a great burger with Shelbs and Josh on Greenville Ave., and was a bit mischievious with Shelby afterwards on our drive back to Waxahachie. hehe Time to go apartment hunting...for Shelby. I promise I'm not moving again.
7:21 p.m.
Time to head home. Apartment hunting was rather unsuccessful. But I did get to see my dear friends, the Cowans, this afternoon. Malachi has got to be the most precious little boy. I had him cracking up! I tickled him and played peek-a-boo. Cute, cute!! It was good to see Nick and Jess, too. Really sad to say goodbye to Shelbs.
10:02 p.m.
Home sweet home. What a great trip! 800 miles and worth every one. Thanks for coming along for the ride. :)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
I've had a pretty great day.
I woke up to an email from my trainer. As you probably know, I went to a fitness boot camp for the last 5 weeks. It was supposed to be 6 weeks, but I didn't move to Longview until the 2nd week. I didn't even care that I was missing a week...I needed to work out! Yesterday after our final workout, I got reweighed and remeasured. Talk about good results!
I lost 11 pounds.
Down 6.83% in body fat.
Lost 25.75 inches overall.
Gained almost 8 pounds of muscle and lost 19 pounds of fat.
But more than anything else, I feel great! I can tell I'm stronger, which is great. If you're interested in joining me, the next session starts Aug. 3. There's an informational meeting this week. Feel free!! I'd love some company (and competition). ;)
So after a great email, I went to Project Longview. We helped repair and repaint a lady's house in South Longview. I don't pride myself in being that great at home repair, but I really enjoyed helping this nice older lady. The guys replaced some rotted wood paneling on the outside, and the ladies caulked and painted the new boards. We were able to replace her front and back doors so she could have deadbolt locks, and we cleaned up some broken bricks and concrete from her yard. By the end of the day, I had almost as much paint and caulk on me as I put on the house, but I knew it was for a good reason. We had a chance to pray for the homeowner and share with her a little about the church. I'm so proud to be a part of LFA.
Now, I'm babysitting my precious nephews. I am so in love with them. :)
Christen
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
A little life update
Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement for my cousin. I heard from him this morning, and he said the surgery went great. He said he's feeling pretty good, too. I am so thankful for God's healing power and for great doctors. Thank you all again.
Job search is still going slow. I'll keep you informed. :)
I have 2 more days of boot camp!! Raise your hand if you didn't think I'd survive 5 weeks? Yeah, my hand is up. It really has been so much better than I could have ever hoped or expected. I realized this week that I don't dread it at all. And, I can do so much more than the first week. I'm stronger and I feel better. Woohoo! I'll give you an update on Friday once I get re-weighed and measured. I'm SO curious to see the results.
Much love,
Christen
Job search is still going slow. I'll keep you informed. :)
I have 2 more days of boot camp!! Raise your hand if you didn't think I'd survive 5 weeks? Yeah, my hand is up. It really has been so much better than I could have ever hoped or expected. I realized this week that I don't dread it at all. And, I can do so much more than the first week. I'm stronger and I feel better. Woohoo! I'll give you an update on Friday once I get re-weighed and measured. I'm SO curious to see the results.
Much love,
Christen
Friday, July 17, 2009
I'm back :)
I have been a terrible blogger. I swore I'd write more when I started this thing. I finally got back into blogging on Facebook and figured I could swing by here, too. :)
I moved back to Longview about 3 weeks ago to live with my family. The last few years have been crazy. College, flight attending, registrar/secretary/school nurse. Wow. It's been really nice being with my family, having some time to relax, and reconnecting with a lot of great people. I haven't found a job quite yet, but something will open up.
I have also decided to go to EMT school in the fall. I mean, why not, right? My life has been this crazy hodge podge of experiences, so what's one more? I've given it serious thought and consideration, and I'm very, very excited. I have always loved all things medical. I like blood...yes, I'm crazy. I start school August 25th. Woohoo!
While I have you...please, please, please pray for my cousin, Cody. On Tuesday, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The doctors are very optimistic about it, but it's still scary. He is due for surgery this coming Tuesday. They caught it early. Please pray for peace for his family. And please pray that the surgery will go better than expected. Thanks.
Christen
I moved back to Longview about 3 weeks ago to live with my family. The last few years have been crazy. College, flight attending, registrar/secretary/school nurse. Wow. It's been really nice being with my family, having some time to relax, and reconnecting with a lot of great people. I haven't found a job quite yet, but something will open up.
I have also decided to go to EMT school in the fall. I mean, why not, right? My life has been this crazy hodge podge of experiences, so what's one more? I've given it serious thought and consideration, and I'm very, very excited. I have always loved all things medical. I like blood...yes, I'm crazy. I start school August 25th. Woohoo!
While I have you...please, please, please pray for my cousin, Cody. On Tuesday, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. The doctors are very optimistic about it, but it's still scary. He is due for surgery this coming Tuesday. They caught it early. Please pray for peace for his family. And please pray that the surgery will go better than expected. Thanks.
Christen
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Still listening?
So, who's still on Xanga? I switched over a long time ago to MySpace,
and now Facebook. But I recently heard someone say they were still on
Xanga. Are you there?
Christen
and now Facebook. But I recently heard someone say they were still on
Xanga. Are you there?
Christen
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