25!

I know that many of you will laugh at me, but I can't believe I am a quarter of a century old! 

When did this even happen?! 

And let's just say after Saturday's events, I'm feeling even older! hahaha I had a super special day though, or rather, the whole weekend was pretty awesome. 

Saturday after the mud run we met up with the couple that I nanny for, we have become really good friends with them! We went out to dinner downtown and had a great time hanging out after playing cards. Our table was right next to the window facing the street and we hadn't been there long when we realized this weighted group of balloons had somehow fallen out of a vehicle or wandered down the street - I don't know how or where or when, but nonetheless, they were blowing in the wind, in the middle of the street right there in front of us. So I turned to Jeremy and said "those balloons are totally sitting there for my birthday, I think you should go get them for me!" And you know what he did....

(P.S. This is the only picture I took for my birthday LOL) 

I had a really great day though. Feeling totally blessed between all the cards and packages I got in the mail, phone calls, facebook posts, texts.....and I just have to brag on my awesome husband. He knows how to spoil me in the simplest of ways. We had a very low key day (which we both needed after the previous days events!) but it still included many of my favorite things and it was just perfect. I wouldn't have had it any other way, except - a big old hug from my far away family would have topped it off. 

Here's to another year! 

What fun adventures can I have this time? : ) 

Mega Mud Run Challenge

My good friend Melissa, who I met through the Toybox Daycare (I had her youngest in the infant room and then taught her oldest in the two's classroom) and her husband signed up to do the Mega Mud Run Challenge on Saturday. She asked me if we wanted to join them or if we wanted to babysit the boys for them. I immediately laughed and said we would totally just watch the boys hahaha Well, a little time went by and we were all talking about it and I was like, you know what, I totally want to do this! So, we signed ourselves up and on Saturday we all piled in and headed off to our first Mega Mud Run! 

It was a complete blast. Definitely something I have never done before, but something that I would totally do again. On the link that was posted above (click where I wrote Mega Mud Run Challenge) you can see videos and pictures of pretty much all we did, but there were 32 challenges and I was able to complete all but 5 of them and out of those 5 I did a whole lot better than I thought I would or could! 

We had our photo snapped a few times during the day, but only a few showed up on the website (and they weren't action shots - just posing) and I had to pay to get them so, that kind of stunk. Here is one that Melissa's father in law captured though! 

Pretty self explanatory but you were stepping on a rope in the water and hanging on to one in the air balancing yourself across...Melissa is the first one and Jeremy is in the middle! 

So the second to last obstacle we literally swam in what looked like melted chocolate, underneath a cargo net. Therefore we could not walk through or around it - thankfully we were able to keep our heads up! Let's just say it did NOT smell like chocolate! I really wish that someone was there after that one to snap a photo because I would have loved to see what we looked like and well, lets face it, it was a MUD run! But, the last obstacle before we ran to the finish line was an obstacle in the water, so we got "clean". 

I was pretty proud to cross that finish line, even though I literally fell over. Jeremy had to pick me off the ground and make me keep breathing! hahaha It was a very cool and special thing to do with my husband by my side and was even more awesome to have a great "team" with the 4 of us! I am so glad that we all did it together and i'm holding all of them to it next year! 

This is one of Jeremy's battle wounds! Pretty nasty rope burn from having to hang upside down on a rope by your hands and legs and shimmy across a creek to the other side! 

Yesterday was a whole 'nother story however! I didn't even know I have muscles in the places that I am aching. I am still finding bruises that I can't quite figure out where they came from and if I'm being completely honest I probably just feel like I got hit by a truck! But, I'd still do it all over again : ) 

Countdown!

If you're reading this right now you obviously know me and hopefully love me, therefore you can't be mad at me for this...

Aaaaaaaand only 59 days until I get to see my family!

Whoooooo-hooooooo! 

Fall cleaning!

This weekend I got in a slightly mad cleaning mode. I warned Jeremy ahead of time that nothing was wrong, I just had a vision and goal in my sights and I was bound to achieve them! I think 3 garbage bags, boxes and a bunch of miscellaneous items went to the dumpster last night! And thanks to the dollar tree and only $15 later, I have some pretty cute organization going on! 

Kitchen: 

A cute little container for my cooking utensils - normally there is a fruit bowl in the middle as well...

Bathroom:

Bedroom: 

Our walk-in closet can be walked in again ;) 

I can't show you the bottom part because there are Christmas presents hidden! : ) 

Come Tuesday, fall will officially be upon us and I think South Carolina is getting the memo - the weather was beautiful this weekend! 

Bring on hoodie weather! 

Prayer

Some of you may get sick of me writing about pretty much the same thing every post, but this is what it boils down to for the next month of my life and this class followed by my test...

Prayer:

a devout (earnest or sincere; hearty) petition (a request made for something desired) to God

I have shared my college and career journey with you all before and most of you know that my desire to become an RN has been a long and exhausting path. Before I decided to take this prep class and even after I made that decision I have battled with whether or not this is the right thing for me to do. Maybe it's just time to let this whole thing go. I have been battling with those same thoughts recently and it's getting harder and harder to press on with the long list of medications I face every day in this dreary book. I have found myself feeling various emotions. Nobody likes studying, but this week especially has been incredibly hard for me to stay focused on what I need to be doing. I should actually be doing just that right now instead of writing you. I am not sure why, after I had decided to let this career be in the past, I then had a complete meltdown. Knowing deep down that I wasn't ready for that. I am not sure why I chose to take this class. I am not sure why I am yet again spending money on this test. Part of me thinks that I'm just being completely crazy. Part of me thinks that I need to prove to myself that I can get through this dumb test. Part of me thinks that I need to prove to the world that I can get through this dumb test. Part of me believes, hopes and is desperately holding on to the still small Voice that nudged me along this path. I made this decision for a reason. I'm in this class for a reason. I'm taking this test again for a reason. And that reason might not be a passing grade. It doesn't have to be a passing grade. Honestly, maybe I need to fail it again. Maybe now that I'm exhausting every option I can think of to get me through this test, if I still get a failing grade, I will be able to move on and see what career is out there for me. 

So while I am praying and begging the Lord that this time will finally be my time, I'm also asking Him to show me His way, His will for me. My life will not end if I see that 'fail' on my computer screen again and I don't want to feel like it has. In that moment I want to be able to rest and hold on to His plan for me and know that it will be far better than anything I could ever dream for myself. 

"People can plan what they want to do, but it is the Lord who guides their steps." -Proverbs 16:9

P.S. Thank you to all of my dear friends and family members who have sent the encouraging thoughts and prayers my way lately. You are all loved and appreciated. 

Time's tickin'...

Less than a month left already!

Pray for me to keep my eye on the goal & to keep my focus.

Pray that this is my time.

And if it's not, pray that the Lord would start preparing my heart now for what He has in store for me...

Happy Monday!

Last week was a 4 day week and it was marvelous. There is just something about Mondays being Mondays. Tuesday was a perfect first day of the work week last week, even though it was still "Monday". But when Monday is Monday...blah. I really should give it a chance, especially since it is still Sunday as I write this, but no matter what good things await me on a Monday, it's still Monday.

I am connecting with you all today with a deep prayer in my heart.

Although I do not have a date for my RN boards (yet), my class has started and things are rolling. It's getting harder each day and i'm feeling the heat. But I am excited and determined. When I first started this class I was excited, but I wasn't feeling any pressure. I couldn't figure out what the difference was exactly. Either I am at a different point in my life now (being married, etc) and I don't NEED this career to survive in the world. Or, this time is different and without the normal pressure and stress may mean that I just might pass this bad boy. I was already prepared for the worst, getting that awful 'F' again, not knowing how well or terrible I did, just that my hopes had fallen yet again. But I was already okay with that. It is what it is. I have other plans, other hopes, other dreams. If this one falls through, so be it. I'll move on. 

But as this class progresses and I see that finish line getting closer and closer, I still don't feel the pressure, but that desire is growing deeper and deeper inside. I want this. Oh I want this bad. I don't just want to pass to prove to the world that I could do it. I will care if I get that awful 'F' on my screen again. My dream is just as alive now as it was 4 years ago. It will still hurt, just as bad as it did back then when I had no other plan to fall back on. 

So I ask you, friends and family, to pray with me. 

Pray that this be it. 

That this time will be the one. 

That this time will finally be my time. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   -Jeremiah 29:11