May - Thankful Month

     So (yes, I realize just about every blog I write begins with 'so', but really, how else am I just spontaneously going to burst into written one-sided conversation with yall?) this month has been a pretty regular month on all counts. I'm kind of excited that I now have a 'regular' lifestyle. Believe it or not, I had actually missed that so so much! Get up at the same time every day, go to work the five same days every week, get that paycheck every two weeks (best part, hands down. Filling out that deposit slip isn't gonna get old for a loooong time). It's amazing to me how about a week of getting up at the same time, and early at that, can iron out years of a crazy erratic college sleep cycle, even for this committed night-owl. I'm actually now usually getting ready for bed around 10:30, 11:00. Compared to my previous bedtime of 3 or 4 a.m., that's sort of a miracle.

     Church activities have bloomed - my college/career group friends decided our youth were getting bored and distant without any of the fun extra activities like we all used to do. So, we did something about it.  We've been playing Ultimate and softball, going bowling, attempting to put the local fast food places out of business, just having fun. You know it's fun when Alyssa gets her tail out and actually plays Ultimate - she who until last week didn't even know what Ultimate was. Anyhow, it's an amazing thing to see how much fun these kids are having. Things like that are where your youth group bonds. Somehow it's easier to love each other after you've all just got hot and sweaty together running around like crazy people trying to fight over who has possession of a Frisbee.
     It ended up being a really good thing we started this up. Last Sunday our youth minister Bro. Glen Reeder announced that God had told him it was time to move on, and that he had taken a music and youth minister position at another church. They've been with us for eight and a half years, since I was just in high school, so it's a big change for our kids. Understandably, they're all like little lost puppies, no idea what's coming next for them and who's going to be there to lead them through it. So it's great we had this activity schedule already going, and are planning to keep on with it. Until we get a new youth minister, and even afterwards, our kids are gonna need some TLC. Good thing we're pro's at that!

     Off subject here, but I'm just wondering if any of you other bloggers are just not in love with this new Blogger layout? I am not a fan. For one, I don't run Google Chrome, and it doesn't work well with most of the other websites I run. And the new dashboard layout is just not friendly to the way my brain works. The developers must be friends with the Facebook Timeline people.

MAY

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Adjustment Bureau - Phillip K. Dick

The Nanny Diaries - Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Dark Road to Darjeeling - Deanna Raybourn

Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
Home to Holly Springs - Jan Karon
A Journey of Desire - John Eldredge
The Dead Travel Fast - Deanna Raybourn
A Dance with Dragons - George R. R. Martin

     Only ten this month. Less free time, less book reading (not complaining though!). But there were some really good new books in there I'd never read, and ten books brings me to 59 for the year. I've topped 50 books, so if I was following the real Centurion Challenge rules, I'd be over halfway there!
   

     To end on a really really good note, big big thing coming up - mission trip with the Sunday school class to Dinosaur, CO, in only 15 days! I'm so so glad my boss is amazing and agreed to let me go. That was a big worry of mine finding a job at the time of year I did, but my boss happens to be very mission minded (He's actually involved with Global!), and our work environment is pretty laid back in the summer. I didn't even have to use my pitiful face once haha!
     I've been looking forward to our trip for forever it seems like. I've stayed behind on the other trips my family has taken this year to be able to go, so it's going to be nice to get out and finally not be the one stuck at home with two needy dogs haha. I'm only too glad to use my vacation days up on a mission trip, especially when I know the trip is going to be awesome. Anybody who's ever been off on a Debo trip before can attest to that! Is it ridiculous that I kind of already want to start packing? Anyway, expect large amounts of blogging, with pictures that are actually mine for once! I'm so glad I bought a good camera for Ecuador, even though it's ended up being used for a myriad of other things. I'm hoping to sneak away with one of our mi-fi's, in hopes that Dinosaur has decent AT&T coverage (I seriously doubt where we're going has free wifi). So maybe y'all can get semi-live updates, and I won't have to catch everything from two whole weeks of tripping once I get home!

Getting to add a TON of states to my list - even going out as far as Utah! I haven't been to any states between Arkansas and Nevada, so I'm excited! Even to drive through boring old Kansas :)