It would seem that now is a good time to be thinking about what we're going to do when we get back to Lake City. (Just over 3 weeks!) Andy is pretty well set, he'll be going back to work with Lake Fork Home Builders, while getting in some training and work as a deputy on the side. But what am I going back to?
Well, as it happens, I got a phone call the other day about possibly taking an administrative assistant position. It's pretty much right up my alley. It would be in a wonderful workplace. I think I could potentially be a great benefit to the organization. I would definitely be in my little element of ORGANIZING! I don't know why I get so excited about it, but I'm ridiculous.
After my Yoga X this morning, I cleaned up and headed out. I've been enjoying a cozy little local coffee shop and filling out an application. The irony of the situation is probably lost on you since I'm not sharing too much information yet....but I find these circumstances to be absolutely filled with irony. So, here I sit thinking about the future and anxious to be moving on to the next thing.
I'm enjoying the atmosphere and the music....and the view of course; a view of home. I must admit one of the things I will miss from here is the anonymity. Sitting in a coffee shop where noone knows me, bothers me, and just enjoying. Yet I look forward to being home, home where everyone knows me. What can I say? I like both worlds. Is that so wrong?
So what's next for me? I haven't got a clue! But there are options; there are always options. This is just the most recent development. Lots of prayer, thought, and time will be going into any decisions made. I'm not really in a hurry, after all I still have 3 weeks here in Montrose. 3 more weeks! 3 more weeks! 3 more weeks!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Future Endeavors
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
More from the Credit Bureaus
I put in another call to Equifax this afternoon. Apart from being on hold for an eternity it went quite smoothly. Wait....what?! Yes, it went smoothly. I couldn't believe it. I stated my case, the person I spoke with was courteous, she put me on hold while she reviewed Andys credit report and the Power of Attorney form, then asked how she could help me.
Simple as that. I was given a dispute confirmation number...and I was even asked how I would prefer to be notified of dispute results; mail or e-mail. It's been awhile since anyone in that realm of the world has catered to any of my preferences. Actually, I'm pretty sure this is the first time. Now we just wait for 30 days to see what happens.
This is it! If the results come back accurately then we'll be free and clear with the credit bureaus! Wouldn't that be nice?! I just hope we get this solved....and that next year when we get our credit reports we won't have to do this all over again.
*Note to the Reader: If you are reading this and you have NOT requested your credit report this year...or ever...get it! You are entitled to one FREE copy of your credit report from EACH of the three major credit bureaus every year. If you don't know what's on there, find out. No one should find out the way that we did. Get your reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. And I recommend you protect yourself from identity theft and fraud: LifeLock. *COUPLES: Get Power of Attorney forms! You have very little ability to do anything for your spouse without one. Don't wait until it happens. If it can happen to us, it can happen to you.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Dreaming of Firearms, P90X and Lake City
Ahhhh, Monday. The beginning of P90X week 2. The beginning of my hunting career (well, sort of). And 4 weeks until we're back in Lake City!
I have filled out my applications and will be dropping them in the mail later today; my applications for my first ever hunting licenses! I applied for a buck license and a cow elk license. I would have preferred a doe instead of buck or elk, but the DOW isn't allowing hunting for doe within the hunting units around Hinsdale County; I'm guessing this is still the result of the hard winter we had 2 or 3 years ago where many animals died due to lack of food.
We'll see what happens. Chances are I won't draw for buck, but I might for elk. Licenses hit the post sometime in June....so I'll keep you posted. In the meantime I'll be trying to find time to get out shooting.
I did get in the Legs & Back on Friday...though I skipped the Ab Ripper X because my tummy was hurting from dinner the previous evening (tacos)...I did X Stretch on Sunday and it was beautiful. I'm definitely already increasing in flexibilty and balance. It's nice to be accomplishing goals so soon, it's helping keep me motivated.
Today was back to Core Synergistics and I made it through! I didn't feel like I was going to throw up and I completed the workout! A definite step in the right direction in contrast with Monday last week when I thought I was going to die. Next week I'll add the "bonus round" to my day....I figured I wouldn't push my luck just yet.
Just four more weeks of school for Andy! They're getting back into the classroom this week...though I don't know for sure what the material is. The work load is likely to increase again...but good news: only one more spelling test after the test today! That'll be quite the relief for Andy...he'll be able to focus on more important items, like how to be a good officer, instead of wasting so much time on spelling.
Unfortunately, Andy has class this Saturday. 1/2 day of firearms, 1/2 day of review for his post test (that's the final test to determine if he can actually graduate/be a cop). So it'll be a long week. Please be praying for him!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Hunter Education
My turn! Now I get to go sit in class for hours on end. I'm taking Hunter Education this weekend! This class is required for anyone who wants to get a hunting lisence and hunt. Makes sense. So, from 8am-4pm on Saturday and 8am-12pm on Sunday I'll be sitting in class learning the laws surrounding hunting in the state of Colorado.
Still not sure if I'll actually hunt this year or not, but in the future probably. It partly depends on if I draw a tag (the hunting units is our area are limited, meaning it's on a lottery and point system). We appreciate our meat and I wouldn't mind being able to contribute so it doesn't all fall on Andy. Besides, with his bad knees he won't be able to hunt forever...it would be nice if I could pick up the slack when the time comes.
As soon as this is done I just need to learn how to shoot a rifle. My eye dominance issues could cause a problem here. I'm left eye dominant, but only slightly, and so when a look into a scope with my right eye I can't see anything...and I can't close my left eye independently. So...I have 2 options: 1) Learn to shoot left handed so I can use my strong eye (I am able to close my right eye) or 2) Purchase an eye patch for my left eye. Ha!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Y is for Yoga
Todays Yoga X time was pretty amazing. A full 90 minutes of bending, stretching, flexing, balancing. The first half was hard and they wanted me to bend in ways I didn't think a human could bend....but I did pretty well. The second half was more my style; balance and stretching for flexibility. I was surprised how well I did considering I've never done yoga before.
It was just what I needed to work out some of the excessive soreness from the last three days. Everything in my body was stretched....and not just a little. It feels so good!
So in addition to my voracious appetite, I've been absolutely exhausted by the end of each day. Last night Andy didn't get home until 9:30 or 10 from Junction and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open long enough to find out about his day. I love sleeping this hard! It's amazing! I'm guessing this means I'm doing something right?
I've also been able to connect with 2 friends who are doing the same workout and we started within days of each other. One friend started 3 days before me, so I'm getting a view of my future from her, and another started 3 days after me. It's pretty cool. Misery loves company, right?! We'll be in pain, ravenously hungry, and exhausted together for roughly the next 90 days. To bad one is in Wisconsin and the other in Nebraska. Oh well.
Tomorrow: Legs & Back, and Ab Ripper X
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
P90X Days 2 & 3
I've been about as sore as I've ever been for the last 3 days. Feeling better today and looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow is a full 90 minutes of Yoga X. It'll still be intense, but lower impact.
Day 2 was Cardio X. I really enjoyed it and I was able to keep up the whole time....without feeling like I was going to vomit! A definite step in the right direction! Cardio X is a combination of many of the other workouts, taking just a bit from each one to keep it moving. High cardio, obviously.
Day 3, today, I was priviledged to endure TWO workouts; 1) Shoulders & Arms and 2) Ab Ripper X. I really enjoyed the first one....but realized pretty quickly that I need heavier weights. I tried to still push it by doing more reps of each excercise, but I'm stronger than I gave myself credit for. Go figure. The second workout was, uh, interesting. I could hardly do a darn thing in it; but I tried. I suppose it didn't help that my abs are still sore from Monday. I'll try again next time Ab Ripper X comes up on the schedule, which I think is Friday.
Good news: I can feel my muscles getting work...and worked...and worked. I guess I was warned that I should expect to be sore for 90 days straight, and they weren't kidding. Bad news: I've never been so hungry in my life! Not sure how I can afford to eat this much for the next 90 days....maybe my appetite will chill out once my body gets used to this?
On a separate note, we're still working on getting Andys life back. I received the results back from Equifax on their "investigation" into the incorrect items on Andys credit report, namely the Collections Agencies. Unfortunately, they determined that the items DO belong to Andy. Therefore they won't be taking them off. Hmmm.... However, they didn't address all the issues which I raised with them and the major ones are still up in the air. I sure hope they didn't forget about them. I guess I'll be giving them a call.
More good news: I have no reason to deal with any credit bureau other than Equifax. The others don't have any incorrect information on them apart from what has already been addressed by Equifax (see above). For whatever reason it causes me less stress to simply be able to deal with ONE credit bureau instead of juggling information with all three. Slight sigh of relief. And Equifax already has the priviledge of having our Power of Attorney forms, so that should help things along quite a bit....assuming they didn't burn them simply to make life difficult for me.
This week is the CSI week (Crime Scene Investigation for those of you who are clueless). I'm SUPER jealous. Today they went up to Grand Junction to a privately owned CSI lab to check it out and get some practice. Andy was required to bring 5 items which he will attempt to fingerprint at some point during the day. If ever there were a week I'd like to join him, this would be at the top of the list!
Monday, March 15, 2010
P90X Day 1
Intense! My first day of the P90X workout and I am fully convinced that this is going to work me over....and then some. Yet in a strange, twisted way I enjoyed it.
P90X, for those who don't know, is an intense at home workout. There are 12 discs each with a different workout, and a calendar which walks you through the entire 90 days and which workout(s) you should be doing each day. The whole system is built around the idea of muscle confusion; in other words you are constantly mixing it up so your muscles never get used to doing one particular exercise. This avoids hitting a plateau, where your muscles no longer respond or grow stronger. I guess we'll soon see.
I've chosen to go with the "lean" workout instead of the "classic" or "doubles." The biggest difference are: more cardio and less upper body muscle building. My goal is to tone muscle while gaining in endurance, balance and flexibility. I don't want to build muscle mass....I'd look funny as a body builder.
So I started the schedule with the Core Synergistics workout. It is a workout focusing on exactly what you would assume....the core of the body; basically everything below the pecs and above the quads. I found myself able to keep up for the most part....and about 15 minutes before the end (out of 1 hour) I couldn't do it anymore. My muscles refused to go any farther....plus I was feeling a little nauseous. I can't be too hard on myself, after all it was just the first day. Tomorrow: Cardio X.
On a different note today was lovely. It started out foggy but soon cleared up. Here is my choice of footwear for the day:
I love spring-time. It's so full of hope! A word of encouragement for my life which gives me hope:
"A man once stood on a high peak of the Rocky Mountains watching a raging storm below. As he watched, an eagle came up through the clouds and soared away toward the sun. The water on its wings glistened in the sunlight like diamonds. If not for the storm, the eagle might have remained in the valley. In the same way, the sorrows of life cause us to rise toward God." ~unknown
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Counting Down....5 More Weeks
After getting "stuck" in Lake City for almost 2 weeks I made it back to Montrose, and to my husband, on Friday afternoon. It was the most beautiful day I've had in a long time. I woke up to a phone call from my husband! After the call I got up, finished packing up my stuff, shutting off the apartment and loading the truck. About 10:30am I finally drove out of town after 12 days!
I spent the afternoon enjoying the warm weather. I sat outside, rolled up my jeans wearing my chacos, payed bills, addressed mail, and typed an e-mail; then headed into town to hit the bank and post office. Surprisingly, when I got back to the house Andy was home! At 3pm on a Friday! Wow! So we enjoyed a dinner out at a yummy Chinese restaurant and went out to see a movie (Green Zone....very interesting).
Yesterday Andy and I went over to the shooting range for a USPSA competition. It's been awhile since Andy has had the opportunity to spend time with friends just having fun. On top of that we didn't have to drive our usual 2+ hours to make it to the match....it only took us about 15 minutes! He did well and had fun. One of the other guys from his academy class came out to shoot too....so I've finally met one of his classmates! Took long enough.
Well, tomorrow I'm starting the P90X workout. It's supposed to be phenomenal....and really challenging. So for the next 90 days I expect to be sore and exhausted. But I'm excited for something to keep me motivated and get me back into better shape. I'm noticing recently that I'm not 18 or 21 or even 25 anymore....as I approach my 28th birthday early next month....and my body doesn't bounce back quite like it used to. I'll keep you updated on how it goes and what my thoughts on it are. Excited!
P.S. The truck is fixed, or at least it seems to be working fine, and it got me back to Montrose just in time to enjoy a beautiful, sunny, warm week; a week full of sandals, sunshine, and walks by the river....yippee!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Feelings vs. Faith
I came across yet more words of encouragement today. Thought I would continue to share.
"Often our feelings and emotions are mistakenly subsituted for faith. Pleasurable emotions and deep, satisfying experiences are part of the Christian life, but they are not the essence of it. Trials, conficts, battles, and testings lie along the way and are to be counted not as misfortunes but rather as part of our necessary discipline.
In all of these various experiences, we are to rely on the indwelling of Christ in our hearts, regardless of our feelings, as we walk obediently before Him. And this is where many Christians get into trouble. They try to walk by feelings rather than by faith.
Be sure to distinguish between the fact of God's presence and the feeling of the fact. It is actually a wonderful thing when our soul feels lonely and deserted, as long as our faith can say, 'I do not see you, Lord, nor do I feel Your presence, but I know for certain You are graciously here--exactly where I am and aware of my circumstances.' Remind yourself again and again with these words: 'Lord, You are here. And though the bush before me does not seem to burn, it does burn. I will take the shoes from my feet, 'for the place where [I am] standing is holy ground'" (Exodus 3:5). ~London Christian
This short devotion is based on Hebrews 10:38a
"My righteous one will live by faith."I also came across this quote:
"When I cannot feel the faith of assurance, I live by the fact of God's faithfulness." ~Matthew Henry
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
His Tempering Process
I just came across this story today. It really hit home for me right now. I am encouraged to withstand the trials.
An old village blacksmith once said, "There is only one thing I fear: being thrown onto the scrap heap. You see, in order to strengthen a piece of steel, I must first temper it. I heat it, hammer it, and then quickly plunge it into a bucket of cold water. Very soon I know whether it will accept the tempering process or simply fall to pieces. If, after one or two tests, I see it will not allow itself to be tempered, I throw it onto the scrap heap, only to later sell it to the junkman for a few cents per pound.
I am reminded of the refining which my God is putting me through. I am honored, as I feel the heat increased once again, that He has clearly not thrown me onto the scrap heap. He continues to put me through the tempering process to refine me and mold me into what He desires me to be.
"I realize that the Lord tests me in the same way: through fire, water, and heavy blows of His hammer. If I am unwilling to withstand the test, or prove to be unfit for His tempering process, I am afraid He may throw me onto the scrap heap."
Finished Product
It took a little longer than planned (I temporarily ran out of supplies) but I was able to finish up graduation invitations. It was so fun! Here is the finished product:
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Turkey Dinner
It's obviously not Thanksgiving or Christmas or any other holiday during which you might find yourself sitting down to a traditional turkey dinner, but I find myself experiencing the sentiments which commonly accompany these holidays and meals; I am thankful and blessed. Yet I also find myself burdened.
This morning at church we were taught from Acts 4 & 5. What stuck out to me was the way the people in the early church were living. They lived in unity. Whatever any one person had it was shared, and no one was in need. No one was in need!
I find myself living at the end of myself most days; on the verge of tears if anyone really asks how I'm doing....and even sometimes when no one asks anything at all. I'm at a loss when it comes to Andys identity issues, I don't know what to do about the truck, my husband is sick and I'm not there, I have friends struggling with countless trials, I feel powerless and un-useable with the group of eighth graders at camp. Yet as I continue to give faithfully even when I perceive that I have nothing, I find that I am not being left in need.
I am so thankful for those who have given in my time of need. I am thankful for those who have cared. I am thankful for those who have prayed; and are praying. I am reminded that I will never be left in need and I am blessed.
I am blessed to be able to see how I was used to influence eighth graders.
I am blessed to spend time fellowshipping with other young women on a Saturday night.
I am blessed to help a friend with a school project.
I am blessed to have lunch with my amazing in-laws.
I am blessed by the opportunity to pray for a young couple that recently lost their son.
I am blessed by a friend willing to put work into our truck...even after replacing 3 power steering pumps.
I am blessed by friends who are willing to fight for us.
I am blessed by a husband who finds time for me even in the midst of the long demanding days of school.
I am blessed by the opportunity to share life experience with friends.
I am blessed by the way God uses me even when I'm a complete wreck.
I am blessed.
Tonight I was blessed by a couple in my church; a couple I don't know very well. They invited me to dinner so that I wouldn't have to be home alone and cook for myself. They invited me to dinner so they could hear about me and Andy during our time away. They invited me so that I would not be in need. They invited me to a delicious turkey dinner. They invited me to be thankful.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Top Shooter!
Although I'm currently in Lake City I still hear from my husband about what's going on at school. Unfortunately, this week he's been sick; sore throat, stuffy head, not sleeping well, cough, and he lost his voice. Thankfully this week was spent at the shooting range. Shooting doesn't require much thought or studying for Andy. It's just one of those things that comes naturally. So, in spite of getting made fun of a bit for his lost voice, he's had fun.
Today I got an e-mail from my amazing husband informing me that he is Top Shooter in his class! And to top that, he scored 100% on all of his shooting qualifiers! I can't say that I'm terribly surprised, but I can say that I'm really proud of him! Go Andy! Great news to end a great day.
Grace Week
This week has been exhausting. On Monday a group of teenagers from a Christian school in Texas (Grace Community School) arrived at Redcloud. After the chaos of unloading buses (after 22 hours of travel) and moving into cabins, they were divided into 6 activity groups and headed out to activities.
Over the last 3 days I've had the opportunity to lead each group through 2 1/2 hours of team building initiatives. It has been challenging, thought-provoking, exhausting, cold & wet. Mostly it's been fun and I'm glad to have the opportunity to share a little bit of life with these students.
Here are a few pictures of my adventures with eighth graders:
