Well, as you've seen, I'm not good about keeping up with this blog. So at least for the foreseeable future, I'm putting it aside. Feel free to follow the blog of my lovely wife, as she is much better about posting updates than I am.
Thanks.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Friday, December 21, 2012
End of the World?
Well, today there are many posts on Facebook about how the world did not come to an end today. You may be wondering if it did, since I'm updating my blog. Yeah - it's been awhile again.
These last couple months have been busy, but good. I went to Ohio again a couple times to finish up my initial training. I have now been signed off so I can sign for all of my own work - I don't have to have another mechanic watching and signing the logbook for my work anymore. This is both nice, and scary at the same time - I know longer have the constant "safety net" of having someone else checking all of my work.
The weekend before Thanksgiving my schedule in Ohio gave me a 5 day weekend, so I got back from Ohio and flew straight to Roanoke, VA where Becky picked me up and we drove up to Vermont. A few days later, I helped Tim and Beth drive down to Virginia with Annette and Evan. I had them drop me off in Roanoke so I could fly back to Charlotte and get my car, then return home for work Thanksgiving week. The following week I was back in Ohio, then I got to make a trip out to Texas on the 5 day weekend I got after my second week in Ohio.
While I was in Texas I got to go visit some friends at LeTourneau, then hang out for an afternoon and evening with some of my closest friends from LeTourneau who live between Longview and Dallas. I then was able to spend a few days with my grandparents and my mom, who was also visiting Texas. At the end of the long weekend I flew back to North Carolina and returned to work.
Last week I made a day trip to West Virginia for premarital counseling and helped Becky move her stuff from the dorm to the apartment where she'll be living next semester. I finished another week of work after that, and last Saturday evening Becky drove down, getting to Charlotte about the same time I got off work, so we left her car at my work and drove down to Waxhaw. We got to go to church together last Sunday, then enjoyed going around Charlotte for the day, and Monday we did some apartment shopping then went to Virginia to spend a couple days with my parents and grandparents. My sister Sarah came up to Virginia for family Christmas this past Tuesday, and on Wednesday I took Becky to the airport in Charlotte for her to fly home, then I went to work.
It's been a busy last couple of months, but it has also been very good. Sunday I will head back up to Virginia to spend a four day weekend with my family and do some hunting. I only have a week and a half of second shift left before the new schedule kicks into effect, so I will then be switching back to working Friday-Monday, 5:30 AM to 3:30 PM. My first weekend on that schedule, which starts December 31, I will be headed up to Vermont for a few days.
Let me know how you're doing and what's going on in your life - I'd love to hear from you!
These last couple months have been busy, but good. I went to Ohio again a couple times to finish up my initial training. I have now been signed off so I can sign for all of my own work - I don't have to have another mechanic watching and signing the logbook for my work anymore. This is both nice, and scary at the same time - I know longer have the constant "safety net" of having someone else checking all of my work.
The weekend before Thanksgiving my schedule in Ohio gave me a 5 day weekend, so I got back from Ohio and flew straight to Roanoke, VA where Becky picked me up and we drove up to Vermont. A few days later, I helped Tim and Beth drive down to Virginia with Annette and Evan. I had them drop me off in Roanoke so I could fly back to Charlotte and get my car, then return home for work Thanksgiving week. The following week I was back in Ohio, then I got to make a trip out to Texas on the 5 day weekend I got after my second week in Ohio.
While I was in Texas I got to go visit some friends at LeTourneau, then hang out for an afternoon and evening with some of my closest friends from LeTourneau who live between Longview and Dallas. I then was able to spend a few days with my grandparents and my mom, who was also visiting Texas. At the end of the long weekend I flew back to North Carolina and returned to work.
Last week I made a day trip to West Virginia for premarital counseling and helped Becky move her stuff from the dorm to the apartment where she'll be living next semester. I finished another week of work after that, and last Saturday evening Becky drove down, getting to Charlotte about the same time I got off work, so we left her car at my work and drove down to Waxhaw. We got to go to church together last Sunday, then enjoyed going around Charlotte for the day, and Monday we did some apartment shopping then went to Virginia to spend a couple days with my parents and grandparents. My sister Sarah came up to Virginia for family Christmas this past Tuesday, and on Wednesday I took Becky to the airport in Charlotte for her to fly home, then I went to work.
It's been a busy last couple of months, but it has also been very good. Sunday I will head back up to Virginia to spend a four day weekend with my family and do some hunting. I only have a week and a half of second shift left before the new schedule kicks into effect, so I will then be switching back to working Friday-Monday, 5:30 AM to 3:30 PM. My first weekend on that schedule, which starts December 31, I will be headed up to Vermont for a few days.
Let me know how you're doing and what's going on in your life - I'd love to hear from you!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Update
Well, I'm told it's been awhile again since I've posted on here. It turns out, I'm told right.
The past month and a half has been rather busy. I've adapted to the schedule of second shift, and like some stuff better about it than first, but I do miss the sleep schedule of first shift, interestingly enough.
Over the past month and a half I've kept busy, with work, going to Virginia to visit family a couple of times, going to Texas for my best friend's wedding, and going to West Virginia to start pre-marital counseling. While they have kept me very busy, all of these things have been very good. I will actually be headed back to West Virginia for our next counseling session early next week, and on October 22 I will be headed back to Dayton, Ohio for another two weeks of training.
It has been great to see how God has provided for different things. Becky was having some issues with the car she's been driving, and so my being up there a week and a half ago worked out well, as I was able to take my tools and work on her car while she was in class. It definitely still has issues, but I think the work I did helped with some stuff, and thankfully she should be getting her car and giving this one back this week. It was also awesome to see how God provides as I have been getting information about my student loans lately. I looked at everything and was able to completely pay off one of my higher interest rate loans. Praise be to God! This was one of my smaller loans, but still, being able to pay a loan in full before the first payment was due was absolutely awesome.
As some of you may have already seen in Becky's blog post, my parents took some engagement pictures for us on one of our trips to Virginia. Becky and I also were able to start our wedding registries, celebrate the engagement by going out for lunch with my parents, and things like that. Additionally, we have published a wedding website that we will continue to update (primarily Becky, as she is better at keeping up with that type of thing than I am, but we will both do some more work with it). It can be found here if anyone is interested.
Today Becky and I are thanking God for two months of engagement! It's hard to believe in some ways that it's only been two months, but when I remember that we're getting married seven months from tomorrow, two months seems like a high percentage of our engagement.
How can I be praying for you? I'd love to hear from you and learn what's going on in your life, and just how you're doing in general.
The past month and a half has been rather busy. I've adapted to the schedule of second shift, and like some stuff better about it than first, but I do miss the sleep schedule of first shift, interestingly enough.
Over the past month and a half I've kept busy, with work, going to Virginia to visit family a couple of times, going to Texas for my best friend's wedding, and going to West Virginia to start pre-marital counseling. While they have kept me very busy, all of these things have been very good. I will actually be headed back to West Virginia for our next counseling session early next week, and on October 22 I will be headed back to Dayton, Ohio for another two weeks of training.
It has been great to see how God has provided for different things. Becky was having some issues with the car she's been driving, and so my being up there a week and a half ago worked out well, as I was able to take my tools and work on her car while she was in class. It definitely still has issues, but I think the work I did helped with some stuff, and thankfully she should be getting her car and giving this one back this week. It was also awesome to see how God provides as I have been getting information about my student loans lately. I looked at everything and was able to completely pay off one of my higher interest rate loans. Praise be to God! This was one of my smaller loans, but still, being able to pay a loan in full before the first payment was due was absolutely awesome.
As some of you may have already seen in Becky's blog post, my parents took some engagement pictures for us on one of our trips to Virginia. Becky and I also were able to start our wedding registries, celebrate the engagement by going out for lunch with my parents, and things like that. Additionally, we have published a wedding website that we will continue to update (primarily Becky, as she is better at keeping up with that type of thing than I am, but we will both do some more work with it). It can be found here if anyone is interested.
Today Becky and I are thanking God for two months of engagement! It's hard to believe in some ways that it's only been two months, but when I remember that we're getting married seven months from tomorrow, two months seems like a high percentage of our engagement.
How can I be praying for you? I'd love to hear from you and learn what's going on in your life, and just how you're doing in general.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
(Belated) Exciting News!
Well, I can't believe it's taken me this long to post - not because I'm good about posting, but because of the exciting news that will be in this post!
I came back from Dayton in mid July and went to Virginia and met up with Becky again at my grandparent's house for the weekend. After a fun weekend there I returned to work in Charlotte. I kept working for the next few weeks, with nothing standing out in my mind right off during those few weeks.
I took off my work "week" of August 10-13 so that Becky and I could go to Montana for our good friends Aron and Mandie's wedding. Wednesday, August 9 Becky flew down from Burlington, Vermont to Charlotte and we then spent the night with my sister in Charlotte. Thursday morning first thing we went to the airport to try to catch a flight to Denver, Colorado. The first flight filled up, but we were able to make it on the second flight as standby passengers. When we got to Denver, the car rental place was out of Economy and Compact cars, so we were upgraded to a Mid-Size for free, since that was the closest they had to what I had reserved - I was grateful, as the Dodge Avenger has a bit more legroom than a compact car.
We left the airport and went to Casa Bonita, a cool restaurant in Denver that my parents took me to once or twice back when we lived in Idaho. We left Casa Bonita and went to Wal-Mart to get what we needed for our time out west, then drove up to Ekalaka, MT, arriving around 11:15 Mountain time Thursday night.
Friday we got up and I picked up Becky where she was staying, and we went to camp to say hello to people, and did a bunch of work getting things ready for the end of camp and for Aron and Mandie's wedding. Friday evening we drove out to the Cliffs, one of our favorite spots near camp, and also where camp does rappelling and one of the camp out locations. We went out there and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (the supplies we bought in Denver was mainly peanut butter mixed with jelly, and bread, for meals such as this).
A while after we ate, I suggested to Becky that we go throw some rocks off the edge of the cliff. Some of our good friends from camp had mentioned that they like to go up there sometimes and write various things (or people) they want out of their lives on rocks and throw them over the cliff. So I wrote something on a rock and let Becky see it, then threw it off the cliff, and she wrote something on another rock, let me see it, and threw it off. Then I suggested that we each do a rock for something we wanted out of the other person's life, and give it to them to throw off. So she wrote on a rock for me, with me not watching, then handed it to me to read and throw it off. I read it, agreed with her on what was written, and threw the rock off the cliff. Then I walked behind her so she couldn't see me and wrote on the rock I had for her. She was positive I was writing the word "worry" because one thing we've talked about is that she does struggle with worry a lot - she was even sure she could hear me writing the two r's and everything. I stayed behind her and handed her the rock, with the writing side facing away from her so she'd have to turn it over. While she was turning it over, I moved over to being beside her, but just out of her line of sight. She turned over the rock and saw the word "singleness" and was confused, so turned towards me - by this time I was on one knee, holding out a ring, and I asked her to marry me. We talked for a minute, with her asking if this was for real, me saying yes, her asking if I'd talked with her dad, and me explaining the conversation we'd had - finally I asked "so, is that a yes?" and she said yes! I then put the ring on her finger and she looked at it, we talked briefly, and we got in the car and drove to where we had cell phone service - so excited that we completely forgot to take any pictures where we actually got engaged ( we went back and did that the next day, though.)
And that is my exciting news! As of 08/10/2012, I am engaged to the woman of my dreams, my best friend! I still can hardly believe that God has blessed me so much as to allow me to marry this amazing woman! The encouragement that she is to me in day to day life, and in my Christian walk, is absolutely incredible. I now know I must for some reason be God's favorite person, or there's no way He'd be allowing me to marry her!
(If you'd like to read her account of this story, it can be found here.)
I came back from Dayton in mid July and went to Virginia and met up with Becky again at my grandparent's house for the weekend. After a fun weekend there I returned to work in Charlotte. I kept working for the next few weeks, with nothing standing out in my mind right off during those few weeks.
I took off my work "week" of August 10-13 so that Becky and I could go to Montana for our good friends Aron and Mandie's wedding. Wednesday, August 9 Becky flew down from Burlington, Vermont to Charlotte and we then spent the night with my sister in Charlotte. Thursday morning first thing we went to the airport to try to catch a flight to Denver, Colorado. The first flight filled up, but we were able to make it on the second flight as standby passengers. When we got to Denver, the car rental place was out of Economy and Compact cars, so we were upgraded to a Mid-Size for free, since that was the closest they had to what I had reserved - I was grateful, as the Dodge Avenger has a bit more legroom than a compact car.
We left the airport and went to Casa Bonita, a cool restaurant in Denver that my parents took me to once or twice back when we lived in Idaho. We left Casa Bonita and went to Wal-Mart to get what we needed for our time out west, then drove up to Ekalaka, MT, arriving around 11:15 Mountain time Thursday night.
Friday we got up and I picked up Becky where she was staying, and we went to camp to say hello to people, and did a bunch of work getting things ready for the end of camp and for Aron and Mandie's wedding. Friday evening we drove out to the Cliffs, one of our favorite spots near camp, and also where camp does rappelling and one of the camp out locations. We went out there and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (the supplies we bought in Denver was mainly peanut butter mixed with jelly, and bread, for meals such as this).
A while after we ate, I suggested to Becky that we go throw some rocks off the edge of the cliff. Some of our good friends from camp had mentioned that they like to go up there sometimes and write various things (or people) they want out of their lives on rocks and throw them over the cliff. So I wrote something on a rock and let Becky see it, then threw it off the cliff, and she wrote something on another rock, let me see it, and threw it off. Then I suggested that we each do a rock for something we wanted out of the other person's life, and give it to them to throw off. So she wrote on a rock for me, with me not watching, then handed it to me to read and throw it off. I read it, agreed with her on what was written, and threw the rock off the cliff. Then I walked behind her so she couldn't see me and wrote on the rock I had for her. She was positive I was writing the word "worry" because one thing we've talked about is that she does struggle with worry a lot - she was even sure she could hear me writing the two r's and everything. I stayed behind her and handed her the rock, with the writing side facing away from her so she'd have to turn it over. While she was turning it over, I moved over to being beside her, but just out of her line of sight. She turned over the rock and saw the word "singleness" and was confused, so turned towards me - by this time I was on one knee, holding out a ring, and I asked her to marry me. We talked for a minute, with her asking if this was for real, me saying yes, her asking if I'd talked with her dad, and me explaining the conversation we'd had - finally I asked "so, is that a yes?" and she said yes! I then put the ring on her finger and she looked at it, we talked briefly, and we got in the car and drove to where we had cell phone service - so excited that we completely forgot to take any pictures where we actually got engaged ( we went back and did that the next day, though.)
And that is my exciting news! As of 08/10/2012, I am engaged to the woman of my dreams, my best friend! I still can hardly believe that God has blessed me so much as to allow me to marry this amazing woman! The encouragement that she is to me in day to day life, and in my Christian walk, is absolutely incredible. I now know I must for some reason be God's favorite person, or there's no way He'd be allowing me to marry her!
(If you'd like to read her account of this story, it can be found here.)
Friday, July 13, 2012
In Dayton
Well, once again, it's been awhile.
It's been a busy month. After my last post I flew to Dayton and spent Monday evening through Friday afternoon here, then went back to NC, worked a day, and went up to VA and visited my parents and grandparents, and Becky came down that weekend, too. I spent a little under 24 hours in VA then went back to NC, stayed with Sarah and worked a day, then resumed my usual schedule of working Friday-Monday.
When I started my weekend on Monday, July 2 I left work and drove up to West Virginia. I was able to sleep on the couch at some friends of Becky's, and was able to spend a lot of time with her that Monday evening through Thursday morning. We went to a few different state parks, went and saw fireworks, and just enjoyed some good time together. You can read more about that and see a few pictures on her blog. Thursday, July 5 I headed back to NC, where a couple of LeTourneau students, including my old roommate, David, were staying at the house where I live while they were doing some flying. I worked Friday and Saturday (the LeTourneau guys flew out while I was at work on Saturday), then Sunday was able to attend a small church in Waxhaw. I had Sunday off from work because I was scheduled to fly out to Dayton again on Sunday.
Unfortunately, I made a stupid mistake figuring times on Sunday, and I ended up running up to my gate for my flight out of Charlotte literally 1 minute or less after they gave up my seat on the flight, and all the remaining flights to Dayton were either booked full, or overbooked. I ended up finding a company retiree who was flying standby to Dayton, so he wasn't going to be able to make it, either, and we both switched and flew into Indianapolis, where we split the cost of a rental car and he dropped me off in Dayton on his way to Cincinnati. My trip was definitely not as planned, but I got to my hotel and checked in around midnight Sunday night, and was at the training center in time for class at 8:00 Monday morning. The first week of the two week training I am in Ohio for is now over, and a week from tonight I'll be flying back to NC, with plans to drive up to Virginia again when I land in Charlotte.
Let me know how I can be praying for you, and what's been going on in your life lately!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Mid-weekend update
What? You mean your weekend isn't Tuesday-Thursday? That's weird.
Well, a lot has happened since I last posted. The day after my last post I flew from Dallas to Dayton, OH to do a couple hours worth of paperwork and such, then flew back to Dallas. Wednesday May 23 I left Dallas to drive to Tennessee, and the following day I drove from Tennessee to Virginia. I caught up on rest, sorted through what I wanted to leave in Virginia and what I should bring with me to Waxhaw, NC where I am living, and drove down here to meet Uncle Doug, the man whose house I am staying in.
Friday, June 1 I flew from Raleigh Durham, NC to Charlotte to Albany, NY, where Becky picked me up from the airport and took me to Tim and Beth's house in Vermont. I spent the weekend there with Tim and Beth and Annette, then on Tuesday of last week, the 5th of June, Becky and I drove down to Virginia. On Wednesday she drove to West Virginia and I drove down to Waxhaw to get settled in. Thursday my parents met me in Charlotte with my tool box, since it doesn't fit in my car, and we went out to supper with Sarah. Friday the 8th I started work at 5:30 AM. I currently work first shift, (5:30 AM-3:30 PM) Friday-Monday. It will be several months before I am able to sign things off as the work being done, but I am very much enjoying my job. Since I'm doing line maintenance, there is a lot of sitting around and doing nothing but studying manuals and visiting with my co-workers, but that's okay, because when everybody's sitting around it means that everything is good with the planes. I'm continuing to learn a lot, but very much enjoying learning at work instead of at school.
Friday I go back to work, and will work through Sunday, but then I will be flying to Dayton, OH for more company training - I'll be spending the week up there and returning next weekend in time to work the last few days of my shift.
Let me know how I can be praying for you, and have a wonderful day!
Well, a lot has happened since I last posted. The day after my last post I flew from Dallas to Dayton, OH to do a couple hours worth of paperwork and such, then flew back to Dallas. Wednesday May 23 I left Dallas to drive to Tennessee, and the following day I drove from Tennessee to Virginia. I caught up on rest, sorted through what I wanted to leave in Virginia and what I should bring with me to Waxhaw, NC where I am living, and drove down here to meet Uncle Doug, the man whose house I am staying in.
Friday, June 1 I flew from Raleigh Durham, NC to Charlotte to Albany, NY, where Becky picked me up from the airport and took me to Tim and Beth's house in Vermont. I spent the weekend there with Tim and Beth and Annette, then on Tuesday of last week, the 5th of June, Becky and I drove down to Virginia. On Wednesday she drove to West Virginia and I drove down to Waxhaw to get settled in. Thursday my parents met me in Charlotte with my tool box, since it doesn't fit in my car, and we went out to supper with Sarah. Friday the 8th I started work at 5:30 AM. I currently work first shift, (5:30 AM-3:30 PM) Friday-Monday. It will be several months before I am able to sign things off as the work being done, but I am very much enjoying my job. Since I'm doing line maintenance, there is a lot of sitting around and doing nothing but studying manuals and visiting with my co-workers, but that's okay, because when everybody's sitting around it means that everything is good with the planes. I'm continuing to learn a lot, but very much enjoying learning at work instead of at school.
Friday I go back to work, and will work through Sunday, but then I will be flying to Dayton, OH for more company training - I'll be spending the week up there and returning next weekend in time to work the last few days of my shift.
Let me know how I can be praying for you, and have a wonderful day!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Update on My Life
Hello,
Well, I don't know who's even reading this thing - probably nobody that doesn't already know what's going on, but just in case, here goes:
Saturday, May 5, I graduated from LeTourneau University. It was great to have my sister Sarah, my grandparents, my parents, my Uncle Doug and Aunt Jody, and Becky all there with me. After graduation we finished packing up and emptying my apartment. Sunday morning I went to Hope Fellowship, my church in Longview my whole time at LeTourneau, with my parents and Becky. After church we had a quick lunch, then went back to campus where I met up with three of my best friends from LeTourneau, and said goodbye to my parents and Becky. My friends Andy, Amaris, Bonnie, and I then hit the road for Florida at 2:00 Sunday afternoon. We took turns driving, with one person driving for about four hours, another person sitting up front to help them stay awake, and the other two people sleeping in the back seat. We got to the condo we had in St. Cloud, Florida at about 8:00 Monday morning, and promptly all of us went to bed until we got up and ate lunch, then bought groceries and went around the town.
Tuesday after graduation the four of us went to Sea World Orlando. Wow. The dolphin and orca shows were absolutely incredible. I also discovered that I now like roller coasters. We got to Sea World at 10:00 in the morning, and several times throughout the afternoon we talked about leaving - we were going to leave about 4:00. We ended up staying until 10 minutes before closing time, which was at 7:00. Sea World was definitely an awesome experience, and I'm glad we made it part of our trip.
Wednesday we went camping in a state park about an hour from our condo. It rained before we bought our firewood, so the wood got soaked, but with work we did have a fire that night - it only took 2 road flares, a cardboard box, and about 30 minutes to get the fire going. It was great, though, because that let me and Andy cook our main course of supper - steaks. We figured out we'd forgotten to take the paper plates we bought with us on our camping trip, and we also didn't have any good grilling utensils. So, Andy had two kitchen knives and I had a kitchen knife and my pocket knife, and we would run water over our hands then go flip and check steaks over the fire, then go re-drench our hands. While we were (literally) running around doing that, Bonnie and Amaris were cooking up the potatoes for us to have with supper, and we ended up with the best camping meal I have ever eaten.
Thursday after we left the campsite we went to Cocoa Beach - another very fun part of the trip. We were early enough in the season that although there were plenty of people, the beach was by no means crowded, which made the time at the beach even better. During one of our trips back to the car while we were at the beach my phone rang - it was Kacey, the HR rep I've been working with from PSA Airlines. She called to offer me the job I interviewed for in Charlotte! I called her back on Friday and accepted the job.
Friday we all slept in, stayed in the Kissimmee/St. Cloud area and visited various music shops, antique shops, and a flea market, before going back to the condo and taking naps. For supper we cleaned out our left overs, we packed the car, and hit the road at 10:00 Friday night to drive back to Texas. We got to Longview at 1:00 Saturday afternoon where we went to the Olson's house for Andy and Amaris to pick up Andy's car and dog, then Andy and Amaris headed to Amaris' home and I went with Bonnie to her house halfway between Dallas and Longview, where my car had been parked while we were in Florida. I was too tired to drive to Dallas without someone to keep me awake, so I spent the afternoon and evening at the Daniels' house, spent the night at my friends Alden and Rebekah's house, then got back with the Daniels for church and lunch on Sunday, then I drove to Dallas.
I've been relaxing and taking care of various small things while I've been in Dallas. Tomorrow (Friday) I have to catch a flight out of Dallas at 6:25 in the morning to go to Dayton, Ohio for my new hire orientation with PSA. I will be arriving in Dayton at 1:00 in the afternoon, and leaving Dayton at 6:09 to land in Dallas at 10:12 tomorrow night.
Next week I plan to drive to Virginia, and probably down to North Carolina, depending on when I start work. God has provided a place for me to live with a JAARS guy in Waxhaw, NC. I will have about an hour commute to work, but the deal I am getting on housing will make it worth while, at least for a while.
Let me know how I can be praying for you. Also, let me know via email or whatever if you're actually reading my blog posts - I'm trying to figure out if people who don't already know what's going on in my life are still reading my blog, so I can decide whether or not it's worth continuing to post.
Well, I don't know who's even reading this thing - probably nobody that doesn't already know what's going on, but just in case, here goes:
Saturday, May 5, I graduated from LeTourneau University. It was great to have my sister Sarah, my grandparents, my parents, my Uncle Doug and Aunt Jody, and Becky all there with me. After graduation we finished packing up and emptying my apartment. Sunday morning I went to Hope Fellowship, my church in Longview my whole time at LeTourneau, with my parents and Becky. After church we had a quick lunch, then went back to campus where I met up with three of my best friends from LeTourneau, and said goodbye to my parents and Becky. My friends Andy, Amaris, Bonnie, and I then hit the road for Florida at 2:00 Sunday afternoon. We took turns driving, with one person driving for about four hours, another person sitting up front to help them stay awake, and the other two people sleeping in the back seat. We got to the condo we had in St. Cloud, Florida at about 8:00 Monday morning, and promptly all of us went to bed until we got up and ate lunch, then bought groceries and went around the town.
Tuesday after graduation the four of us went to Sea World Orlando. Wow. The dolphin and orca shows were absolutely incredible. I also discovered that I now like roller coasters. We got to Sea World at 10:00 in the morning, and several times throughout the afternoon we talked about leaving - we were going to leave about 4:00. We ended up staying until 10 minutes before closing time, which was at 7:00. Sea World was definitely an awesome experience, and I'm glad we made it part of our trip.
Wednesday we went camping in a state park about an hour from our condo. It rained before we bought our firewood, so the wood got soaked, but with work we did have a fire that night - it only took 2 road flares, a cardboard box, and about 30 minutes to get the fire going. It was great, though, because that let me and Andy cook our main course of supper - steaks. We figured out we'd forgotten to take the paper plates we bought with us on our camping trip, and we also didn't have any good grilling utensils. So, Andy had two kitchen knives and I had a kitchen knife and my pocket knife, and we would run water over our hands then go flip and check steaks over the fire, then go re-drench our hands. While we were (literally) running around doing that, Bonnie and Amaris were cooking up the potatoes for us to have with supper, and we ended up with the best camping meal I have ever eaten.
Thursday after we left the campsite we went to Cocoa Beach - another very fun part of the trip. We were early enough in the season that although there were plenty of people, the beach was by no means crowded, which made the time at the beach even better. During one of our trips back to the car while we were at the beach my phone rang - it was Kacey, the HR rep I've been working with from PSA Airlines. She called to offer me the job I interviewed for in Charlotte! I called her back on Friday and accepted the job.
Friday we all slept in, stayed in the Kissimmee/St. Cloud area and visited various music shops, antique shops, and a flea market, before going back to the condo and taking naps. For supper we cleaned out our left overs, we packed the car, and hit the road at 10:00 Friday night to drive back to Texas. We got to Longview at 1:00 Saturday afternoon where we went to the Olson's house for Andy and Amaris to pick up Andy's car and dog, then Andy and Amaris headed to Amaris' home and I went with Bonnie to her house halfway between Dallas and Longview, where my car had been parked while we were in Florida. I was too tired to drive to Dallas without someone to keep me awake, so I spent the afternoon and evening at the Daniels' house, spent the night at my friends Alden and Rebekah's house, then got back with the Daniels for church and lunch on Sunday, then I drove to Dallas.
I've been relaxing and taking care of various small things while I've been in Dallas. Tomorrow (Friday) I have to catch a flight out of Dallas at 6:25 in the morning to go to Dayton, Ohio for my new hire orientation with PSA. I will be arriving in Dayton at 1:00 in the afternoon, and leaving Dayton at 6:09 to land in Dallas at 10:12 tomorrow night.
Next week I plan to drive to Virginia, and probably down to North Carolina, depending on when I start work. God has provided a place for me to live with a JAARS guy in Waxhaw, NC. I will have about an hour commute to work, but the deal I am getting on housing will make it worth while, at least for a while.
Let me know how I can be praying for you. Also, let me know via email or whatever if you're actually reading my blog posts - I'm trying to figure out if people who don't already know what's going on in my life are still reading my blog, so I can decide whether or not it's worth continuing to post.
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