The reason I'm not in bed... asleep.

So I was about to sign off and head to bed but I took one glance at the guide on tv and this is what I saw...

...This scene makes me laugh every. single. time. Hard to believe this movie came out over five years ago. YIKES! I remember when it came out... I'm pretty sure I saw it three times IN the THEATER. "What? I'm just expressing myself."

Cheers to you 2010... here I come 2011...

.... as if you were waiting on me.

I suppose I should put something up here about the fact that somehow the 2000's* have passed me by in what was seemingly nothing more than a long exhale after a deep breath and that I'm ready for 2011 to give me it's best shot. And that would be true. I'm excited for 2011 and where it will take me as I put one foot in front of the other. But I need to know if I'm the only one that is in disbelief that it is ALREADY 2011?? I mean I'm still bumpin' Outkast, J-Lo (don't judge me), and Ashlee Simpson's 'Pieces of Me' when I feel like rolling back the sun roof and belting out a few songs that I know ALL the words to. I'm not sure I should've admitted that, but it's true. The point of me telling you that (other than the fact that yes, sometimes I listen to bad music if it puts me in a good mood) embarrassing fact is that time is a movin' and it's not stopping! So here are a few moments from 2010 that I have conjured together and will post on here in case my memory goes quicker than it should, I will have something to remember at least snap shots of 2010. Because honestly, if I were to try and tell you about my 2009, I'd have to look through my facebook albums to 'remember' where I was and what I did that year...

Feb 2010:

My first real vacation to Hawaii (other than a bball tourney). I got to hang with Melissa, surfed (kind of), had the best shaved ice I've ever had, laughed, ate and laughed some more, saw some whales, got to see Melissa preggers, got our toes done, saw Hawaii rainbows and laughed some more... then got to visit with some of the friends I made while over in Iraq. Decided I need to make it back there before 2012. oh and how could I forget the Blizzard of 2010?! Enjoyed a few snow days as all of the metro area closed down due to 36'' plus of snow! We had a ball!

April 2010:

Girls weekend in Miami with Hamm, J and Ashley. Relaxed, laughed a LOT, girl talk, had some fruity drinks, saw Jeremy and Sofia, romped around Miami for a night or two (I could never live in that city, we ate dinner at nearly 9 or 10pm every night), hung out at the pool, hung out at the beach, girl talk and more fun. THEN I went to San Diego for Chief and Melissa's wedding... (I'm starting to see a theme for 2010- travel, friends and beach destinations) which of course was like a mini reunion in getting to see some of my peeps from my time in Annapolis. And we all know how fun that always is... nothing but laughter and good times, especially when celebrating a marriage!

June 2010:

Surgery. um... yeah, I don't have much to say about it being that I'm still not fully recovered. Next time, I'll opt for more rehab.

Summer 2010:

Filled with lake house fun when my cousins came to visit, Megan came back from China for a short stay, almost the whole family was there and it floods my heart with sappy songs like "through the years" and "that's what friends are for."

Fall 2010

September/October:

My trip to NY....  got to celebrate wedding nuptials with one of my favorite couples, Carrie and Sean, in one of my favorite cities. I loved it so much I came back the next month to visit Janetta and JJ... met up with another friend from college and realized just how fast time has flown. Amy and David Preggers!!! - My roommie moved out. Sad. Day.

November:

More lake house and family gatherings which lent time for us to catch up, play, watch football, eat... a lot, play some more and just hang out as a family.

December 2010:

Christmas in VA! Mom and Dad's surprise 40th anniversary party. Celebration of their love and commitment with old friends! lots of cookies. Matthew growing up way too fast.

Well these are just a few things that stuck out to me... 2010, you were a fun but trying year. You exposed me in more ways than I was ready for but in that helped refine me and showed me more of who I am... Flawed and messy. Redeemed and loved. So 2011, I'm pretty sure I have not a clue what you have up your sleeve but whatever it is I'm praying it leads me to more truth and more of Him. Cheers!

*and yes, I realize that TECHNICALLY the 2000's passed me by last year... EXACTLY MY POINT.

The Smallest Decisions...

Most of you know that I sleep VERY well. I normally don't like to brag, but I am really REALLY good at it. I mean, yes, I sleep with ear plugs because I like complete silence when I drift off into my peaceful dreamworld. "Horizontal narcolepsy," is what my brother-in-law has named it. As soon as I am in a full horizontal position, I. Am. Out. That is, unless I have something on my mind.... not just something though, it takes more than just tomorrow's "to-do" list (I am not a mom yet, remember? my to-do list can change with the wind if I so desire... for the most part) or "did I remember to lock the door," to keep me from slumbering. You know, something like a boy, or in this case, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE COME THIS SEPTEMBER.

This is a BIG decision... and I'm not particularly stressed about the actual decision itself, it's just my mind WILL NOT shut off when thinking about the endless possibilities. And it is SO annoying. I am trying not to rush into this decision as to carefully AND prayerfully start turning the page in this next chapter. But a few more nights of tossing and turning, may turn ugly for me. And nobody wants that. Trust me. A good friend of mine use to always say "CHALT" when making a decision.... And by that she meant never make a decision when you are Crazy (aka pms'ing and emotional), Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. I think she stole that acronym from AA and added her own twist to it... I think it's supposed to be HALT when making decisions. The C is sooooo crucial. I like her version better. But I digress.... point is, if I don't start sleeping again, I'm going to be TIRED, CRANKY and ANGRY... probably lonely too because people generally don't like to be around people who are tired, cranky and angry.

All that being said, I am excited about what's up next! Even though I am not sure what that is going to entail. It could be anything from moving to Texas (I'm not buying my boots quite yet), to going back to school and starting a new career... there's a lot of middle ground there and it's a bit daunting at times. When I think about making the decision to "at least go interview" (with some prodding from Dad) for an asst coaching position at the Naval Academy and how taking that job altered my life's course, and the way it is STILL effecting it now, I am amazed. Saying yes to an interview seemed like such a miniscule decision at the time. But it wasn't. It was life changing. For so many different reasons. And all because I went to an interview for a job that I really didn't think I wanted. This post could easily morph into a "freedom of choice" vs "predestined" debate, but that would require way more time and brain cells than I can expend right now. So I'll save that for another day (maybe). If you're reading this post and are the praying type, I would not be opposed to you asking God to give me clarity, patience, diligence (there is lots to be done) and guidance, as I walk through this process. Oh and some SLEEP would be fab! Thanks everyone!

"Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever."

--Keri Russell

THINGS.I.LIKE.

Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium 1-3/4 Inch Flat Iron Straightener

I got this for Christmas (yes, this year...don't judge me) and it is incredible. It cuts the time it takes me to straighten my hair in half AND my hair actually gets straight and stays straight. It's unlike any other straightener that I've used where I have to go inch by inch, over and over every piece (that doesn't get pulled out as it rips through my hair) to get it semi-straight and then if any type of humidity hits it... forget about it. This thing is awe-some. I love it... and yes, I will be wrapping it up and opening it (from my parents) on Christmas morning. Thanks Mom and Dad! :)

Quote_To_Ponder: Q-TP #1

Words. They can so easily effect (or is it affect, I never know) me. They can encourage and they can destruct... They can ease my spirit after a day full of mishaps. Or hurt my feelings worse than being sucker punched in the gut. Who ever said "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me," was FULL OF IT. Who were they kidding?? It can be the way words are strung together that strike something in me. As they roll off the tongue they can sound so good together (in a song, poem etc) or the meaning of those words may pierce my heart with an unforgettable mark. Which ever the case may be, words carry weight in my world. In my effort to record my daily musings and remember things that move me I am NOT starting a Quote of the Day, for the simple fact that a "quote of the day" SOUNDS overwhelming to me. To think about posting a quote or words that strike my fancy daily is just. too. much. Instead I will just post a quote to ponder. A Q-TP, if you will!

The other day I was reading something by Beth Moore and her words hit me hard.
"If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we'll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner."

How many times have I settled with bearable rather than beauty? How often am I impatient and unwilling to stay attentive or open to what God is trying to do because it hurts? PUKE. More often than I'd like to admit. I don't like being uncomfortable or pain, whether physical or emotional. Who does? But sometimes I think I fear it more than I trust God and His (greater) plan. I long for redemption and when I don't get it at my first cry for relief, I settle for "bearable" rather than sitting in that tension of my soul aching and trusting that God is good and His glory is being revealed in some way or another. Maybe not in the way that I envisioned it to unfold but in a beautifully surprising, katie-is-not-the-center-of-the-universe type of way. I too easily forget that choosing God in a broken world means that I constantly must remind myself that my comfort is not the priority. That I am not the priority. God's glory being revealed IS the priority, and THAT is a beautiful thing when we are open and given the opportunity to witness it. I'm hoping to grasp and put to action the heart of that thought consistently before the end of this lifetime. But until then, I'm thankful God gives me more than my fair share of chances of choosing more of Him and less of me. Over and over and over again. Even if it hurts sometimes.

Random Thought

Just for the heck of it, I checked to see when I started my 10 Day Blog Challenge (for the life of me I can't decide if "Day Blog Challenge" needs to be capitalized or not.. but I digress)..... Nov 8th was when I began. NOVEMBER 8th, people!!!

Realization numero uno - it took me almost 30 days to finish a 10 D.B.C.

Is there any wonder as to why my blog has less than a meager following?? A friend of mine today asked a group of people I was with, if anyone blogged... I said "I do!" She responded, "you do? oh wait, that's right, I think I follow you... but you don't really ever post right?" LOL... Touché, my friend.

Day 10 - Challenge Complete!

This is supposed to be the post were I finish my 10 Day Blog Challenge and get a nice big pat on the back from the blog world (or not) and then continue posting to this blog with some kind of consistency. Right? ... right. I started this blog almost as a means of communication with my family because now that we are all adults, we are kind of spread out (China to the US, so maybe "kind of" is an understatement) and I thought it was a great way to stay up on the goings on of each other's lives. And it was. I jumped on the blogging bandwagon with ideas of grandeur... the only problem was, I don't always FEEL like writing. Some days it's because I'm being lazy and other days its because to write about what's going on in my life means I actually have to think, and process. And sometimes that's just not fun.... The thinking or the processing.

I want to be better at this blogging thing. I really do. Sometimes I feel like if I had a switch that could just shut my mind off, I'd be better off because I think a lot. I analyze things that don't need to be analyzed, worry about things that can't be controlled and think of ways to control those said things. All to no avail. BUT there are days that something happens or someone's words dig their way into my heart and I find myself, my perspective changed. Then a month later, I can't exactly remember why... More often than not it seems the things that I want to remember are fleeting and hard for me to recall because I may have the world's worst memory. When I do remember some thing, a lot of times the details are foggy at best and it's like sorting through a bunch of muck. Out of necessity and a longing to grow, I NEED to get better at this... I like the idea that this is kind of turning into more than just an update for my family but somewhere I can process and record my thoughts. A place I can look back and have some sort of stream of conciseness and order to my thoughts, heart and life happenings. Like I said in my last post, I feel transition knocking at my door. I want to be able to look back on it and recall what I was feeling, how God was moving, what He was teaching me, how He was changing me, and just a record of where this escapade called life has taken me. As for the Challenge....

DAY 10: ONE confession.....

(drum roll please)

I have not shaved my legs in over two weeks. gah! It's starting to get to me.... tomorrow is a new day. I will be baby buttery smooth in the morning. Look out world, here I come!