Blogginess, or a lack thereof

There's a few things to say. I don't have a lot of blogginess in me right now, but it's been a little while since my last post.

I've been applying for jobs. Heard back from several! Two didn't pan out. One I wasn't actually qualified for (I needed to be a notary) and the other was too far away. I've got two more I'm still going after. Prayers would be good.

Ryan and I are great. He is amazing.

Prayer requests: Jeremy Vangnes is having surgery on Wednesday. Keep the prayer up for Suja, Tabitha's grandma. Prayers for Tabby for an undisclosed reason.

That's pretty much all I want to say right now. I'm just not in a blogging mood, but hopefully I will be again soon!

Gym, Baby Shower, the 4th, and Ryan

I am waiting for Ryan and thought I should get online. I don't know if I'll actually get to talk to him. The yesterday we talked a wonderful 6 and 1/2 hours (and only stopped because Ryan would likely pass out from exhaustion if we didn't)... but when I got off the phone my mom was angry. I had been using the housephone--her phone-- because it was during the day and I didn't have nearly enough daytime minutes. So today, I am just getting online, not using the phone, because even though it still hogs the phoneline (we have dial up) it's less obnoxious to Mom.

Yesterday I also went to the gym with Tabitha. I went on the recumbent bike and did a fitness test in which I scored 'Average'. Whoo-Hoo! Last time I scored below average. Of course, last time I had already been working out before I did it, and this time it was the first thing I did. Then I went on the treadmill, which Tabby had hit first thing. Then I did the hip ab/adductors (the inner thigh one, I always forget which is which). Then I did a chest press, and then a torso twisting machine. I ran into Jacob at the gym as well. He's Grace's husband, and they're both my friends. We all go to Bible Study. Grace is pregnant and I'll tell you about her baby shower in a minute. After that we went into the pool, then the hot tub, then the underwater treadmill (which was awesome), and then the sauna-- none of which we'd tried out last time. Very cool.

Grace at baby shower.

The day before, Sunday, was the day of Grace's baby shower. It was mucho fun. It was only the second baby shower I've ever been to... I got her some bibs, a hooded towel, and a toy that was on their registry. She got pretty much all the clothes she'll need for a year, some bottles, a reclining feeding seat (which takes the place of a high chair and grows with the baby until they're four years old), some diapers, and a whole bunch of other stuff too. All she's got left to get is a mattress for her crib (she's got a bassinet for the first little bit already though, so it's not dire), a diaper genie and accessories, some little drawers for all the baby clothes, and maybe another jacket or a few pairs of pants. She's got the bassinet, crib, car seats (an up to 6 month one for one car, one that grows with the kid for the other), a stroller, bath with shower attachment, etc, etc. Awesomeness. I'm excited... though it does make me want a baby, I want the husband first. But I'm pretty sure I've found him. I'm crazy about Ryan!

Tabitha and I went to Walmart after the gym yesterday because I had to pick up some stuff for my parents. We stopped in the baby section because my mind was still on the baby shower and because Tabby always looks at the baby stuff if she can-- then she gets emotional. She's had miscarriages, and tried for a year to pregnant without success. Actually, today is her anniversary! She and Jeremy have been married for two years! It's anniversary season. Which makes sense, since it's wedding season. But yesterday was the Anthony's 36 wedding anniversary (they're Lydia's parents and my friends). Last Friday was Grace and Jacob's fourth. June 24th was my sister Beth and her husband, Daniel,'s fourth. With the exception of the Anthony's, I went to all of those weddings, so that's kind of cool.

When looking at the baby stuff, I was picturing a baby that was half Ryan, and to me, it was the most beautiful baby in the universe. I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love. He feels the same way, so I don't feel bad posting that.

I want to tell you about the Fourth (and fifth) of July. It was a Sunday, and I went to church with Tabitha. It was an okay service. Jeremy was in Florida at Daytona Beach watching a NASCAR race. Tabby was supposed to go, but they couldn't afford for both to go, so decided it was more important to him. But she was sad and needed company. They've been going to church lately, and Tabitha at least has been seeking Jesus. Makes me happy, especially since Jesus promised (and He always keeps His promises) that if you seek, you shall find.

After church, we went to Tabby's house. After a few, I got on the phone with Ryan while Tabby went and laid out in the sun. I don't purposely tan, for you know, skin damage and cancer and all that reasons. But she does, and enjoys it, so I didn't feel bad neglecting her. And she seemed totally cool with me being on the phone, so I stayed. For two and a half hours. But then he needed to sleep and I wanted to get in Tabby's pool. So I got off. But Tabitha was hungry, so we instead focused on getting dinner.

We went to Bilo and got the fixings for spaghetti. We got Del Monte Garlic and Onion spaghetti sauce, and just thinking about it, I'm craving it. I wish I could buy it more often, but my mom can't really stand the smell of garlic. It gives her a migraine. Personally, I'd love to have a generous daily dose of it. It's really like the best for you of all plants or something. If you look in my younger sister's herb book (she actually controls her migraines-- which are severe and she once had a 60 day migraine, so nothing mild about them--with herbal supplements). Anyway, the herb that has the most like medicinal, beneficial stuff is garlic. And to me, it's DELICIOUS. I know some people don't like the smell. I can see it's not a great perfume-- and unfortunately if you eat it, it is a perfume. lol. But as far as food goes, I smell garlic and my mouth just salivates with eagerness. I adore garlic, including its smell.

Anyway, after absolutely delicious spaghetti, we got into the pool for an hour or so. Then it was time to leave to go to Poplar Springs Fire Department for the fireworks. My dad's a volunteer firefighter with them, has been for like sixteen years. Every 4th of July, they set off fireworks at Station 3. It used to be, it's last pretty much all night, and be a huge amount of mediocre fireworks. It begins with sparklers and roman candles for the kids and then the other stuff is done by the firefighters-- who are just big boys who like to make things go boom anyway. :) But each year they've decided to increase the quality, even at the decrease of quantity. This year Switzer First Baptist, which is like maybe a football length away, advertised their evening Sunday service saying 'afterwards stay for the Poplar Springs Fire Department Fireworks Show'. That's the first time it's ever been advertised. So the pressure was on, and it really was fancier this year then it's been. They serve watermelon and ice cream before hand. Then Tabby had the idea to lie in the grass so the fireworks are above our heads. It was lovely.

At the end of the show, I met up with a guy named Gary, and gave him my guitar. I had two. I gave him the full sized one I'd had forever, and never learned to play. Now I have a brand new parlor sized one that I hope to learn to play someday. lol. He apparently already plays, and had to sell his guitar (I guess for financial trouble reasons) and was bummed about it and mentioned it to me through facebook chat, and I said 'do you want a guitar?' and he did so we arranged it. It's not whole, it's got a missing peg at the top, but I was told it'd be 30 dollars to fix, which is far less then a new guitar. It's a pretty good brand, for one that no one ever heard of, and I am very fond of it. I just never learned to play it and promised myself I'd find a new home for it. So now I have. Gary's a guy who used to go to Bible Study with me. He moved to GA a while ago, and was just up for a visit.

I was introducing Tabby to people, since as a firefighter's daughter, I grew up at the fire department. I was expecting people to ask me 'what's new'. I think they would have, except Tabby's shy, so I only talked to a few people to spare her. It's not that she's like bashful, just that she has mild anxiety when meeting new people. When anticipating my answer to 'what's new', I wanted to be able to say 'I've got a boyfriend'. But at this time, it wasn't true. Ryan and I had been talking like maniacs daily, and liked each other very much, but hadn't officially talked about being in a relationship.

So on July 5th, I tell Ryan that there something I want him to bring up. Now, I wasn't sure it wasn't too soon to be a couple. But I was sure Ryan really did like me, so I didn't think that bringing the subject up would scare him off. Just maybe he'd say 'it's too soon, let's wait at least so long' or something. But I felt he should bring it up, because the guy should pursue the girl. After all, if I asked him, maybe he'd say yes just to spare my feelings, and not really be as into me as I was into him. So it takes a while for him to guess, but finally he does. And we become a couple, or a trio with Jesus.

And then came the serious talk. Facebook officialness. :) Ryan's got a lot of people very interested in that kind of stuff who are his facebook friends, so he thinks we should put up 'in a relationship' for a few weeks, then put 'in a relationship with Ryan/Pamela Last Names', so as to minimize gossip. So I'm not that excited about that, but I agree. Well, then the next day, I talked to Lydia and said 'I've got a boyfriend'. She says 'uh huh' like that's old news or not a big deal and my brow furrows because that's not like her. So I say 'His name is Ryan' and she goes 'WHAT?!'.

Remember Stephen? I went on a few dates with him a month or so ago. I was hoping something would develop, because we got along really well. But there was no real chemistry, and we mutually realized we were really just friends, not interested in each other romantically. We were never an official couple.

However, Keiko from Bible Study had had a cookout and he'd come with me. So the Bible Study people, including Lydia's family (Lydia was still in CA) had been there. And so when I put in a relationship, with no name, they assumed it was Stephen. Admittedly, I'd told Jane (Lydia's mom) that I'd stopped seeing Stephen. But apparently she just assumed we'd 'made up' (there was no fight, it was just a mutual agreement we wouldn't suit, and let's still be friends kind of thing). So I went on facebook and put Ryan as my boyfriend, told him the story, and he confirmed it. So we were facebook official.

Unfortunately, it's still not understood. My friends just don't facebook stalk enough, lol. Just yesterday when I ran into Jacob, I told him 'I have a boyfriend now' and he assumed I meant Stephen. Sigh.

But no, my boyfriend is Ryan and I'm crazy about him. Of course, the only people who read this blog are Ryan and Tabitha, who both are aware of this, so this won't help clear up the muddle. And Bible Study just isn't the kind of place where you just up and announce, 'I have a boyfriend' to the group. Instead, I'll have to introduce Ryan into the conversation of people individually, or in small groups, before or after.

Though, admittedly, maybe I could make the announcement. I don't know. See, now that Lydia lives in CA (admittedly, she's home, but she's only spending 3 Fridays here this break anyway, so it doesn't really count much anyway, it's just a visit), I'm the only young, single woman going. And all the older single women are divorced or widowed, and are mothers. Gosh, it was a BAM moment when I realized that with Grace pregnant, I was the only regular attendee, aside from David who's a 21 year old guy, who is not a parent. And he wasn't there the Friday this hit me, so I didn't think about him. He's Jane and Darryl's son (there's multiple Janes, so this isn't Lydia's mom), so he's attending with his family anyway. I attend by myself. And aside from Bible Study the only local person I hang out with is Tabitha... who is married.

Admittedly, I have other single friends. But they live all over the US now, not locally. So I'm surrounded by people with spouses or kids. Makes sense then why I think about that stuff a lot, huh? haha Admittedly, I've always wanted a husband and kids, so it's not like I'm one of those women who just wakes up one day and realizes she wants that.

Lydia's not allowed to date while she'd in the training. But of course, she's also 21, so her 'biological clock' is behind mine anyway. But disregarding her, almost all my other friends in other states are in relationships. I don't think Tiffany or Christine are in a relationship. But Adela and Sarah are married (within the past year), and Jennifer, Ashley, and Madison have boyfriends.

Hmm. I don't want to appear I'm obsessive about this stuff. I tend to blog by having a slight idea of what I want to cover in an entry (for this one, I wanted to talk about the gym, the baby shower, the fourth of July, and Ryan). And then I just kind of go from there, and write about whatever my mind wanders to gracefully. In this case, it was my friend's relationships. Well, considering I was going on about mine, and talking about anniversaries, that makes sense.

Yay Jesus!

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6

I love the Lord!!! I just looked at my blog to view my post and this was the daily Bible verse in the corner. But you know what? I was thinking about this verse this morning and thinking I needed to find out what the reference was, because I wanted to share it.

I love the Lord! He provides us with everything!

Ryan

So my friend from India, Ryan, is now my boyfriend. And I adore him. And I call him Cookie-man.

:)

I know he's going to read this because I'm giving him my blog details, so I don't want to embarass him. But I also thought he deserved a post. I'm really crazy about him. And he's crazy about me. And we're both positively wild about Jesus. So it's awesome, it really is.

Behold Bless the Lord

I noticed this is the 134th post on my blog, which reminded me of Psalm 134:

Behold, bless the LORD,
All you servants of the LORD,
Who by night stand in the house of the LORD!
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the LORD.

The LORD who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!


It's the fourth of July!

And I'm excited. I went to bed really early yesterday so I'm up ridiculously early. Hoping to get to talk to Ryan, the guy who lives in India. Who I really, really like. There's something there, but that's all I'm going to say right now on such a public forum as a blog.

Later this morning, Tabby's picking me up and we're going to church together. Then I don't know what, but in the evening we're going together to the Poplar Spring Fire Department for the annual July 4th bash. My dad's a volunteer fire fighter there, so I've grown up going and really enjoy it. This year the pressure is on, because the church down the street, Switzer First Baptist, advertised in the paper they were having some July fourth thing at the church 'and stay afterwards to watch the Poplar Springs Fire Department Fireworks show'.

Blog Training India Friend Prayers lol

Wow, I need to blog more because July is coming.

I know that sounds funny, but I get on my blog and I look on the side where it says how many times per month I blogged and I like that number to be respectable. So far February and May are tied for the lowest at 3, and that is shaming. At least February is the shortest month of the year, so I tell myself that's why it's not four. But May? But now June is tied for biggest at 7... and that is also shameful because last year I had five months that were 11 and up! Admittedly, I didn't actually blog every single month last year and I have so far this year, so that counts for something...

Not that you really care. I just tend to think, towards the end of the month, 'did I blog enough this month?' Well that is, if my mind's on blogging at all.

My friend Lydia is coming back next week. Yay! She wants me to come with her to a week long Christian training in GA the next week.. and I'm all for that! But she told me to register Monday for the first time... and apparently registration ended Saturday. So we're hoping the guys in charge will make an exception for me, but we don't know. I'd have registered earlier if I'd known.

I've made friends with a guy named Ryan online. We've been having fun talking. He's in India. Well, he's Indian. But he lived in America for 7 years. We both seem to be friendly, forthright people which is good. I put my foot in my mouth easily with the less forthright.

I miss Tabitha. I cannot find my phone charger. Last I remember it was in my pants pocket. I took it out because I was doing laundry-- I distinctly remember that. And that's the last I remember. Apparently Jeremy, her husband, is going out of town for a week starting tomorrow. I'm hoping she and I will get to hang out during that time.

Here's some prayer requests in case whoever is reading this will pray: pray for Suja, Tabby's grandma, who is still in the hospital. Pray for Hannah, a girl I went to college with, and her husband who are both unemployed and homeless. And pray for the Vangsnes family.