Short vist in NYC

So my sister-in-law Kara and her husband Kurt went to NYC with his job this past Wednesday-Sunday. Before leaving, Kara happened to get a phone call (last Monday) from a woman at Regis and Kelly, offering her two tickets to the show. Well that was a no-brainer! Come to find out, Kurt couldn't go to the show with her due to a conference with his work. Kara mentioned it to me and asked me if I could go. I decided that you only live once so I decided it was a YES (plus I had always wanted to go to NYC)! I made some phone calls and ended up getting a buddy pass from a friend.

Wednesday:

• Arrive mid-morning
• Kurt goes to work and we go to play
• Hard Rock cafe for lunch
• 86th floor of the Empire State building
• Rockafeller
  
• Sight see / shops
• Eat an overpriced dinner at a French restaurant that only takes American Express---LAME!

Thursday:

• Get to Regis and Kelly at 7:30, wait in line, sit third row up to the left (facing Regis and Kelly), watch the show with Michael Kors, talk to Regis and Kelly during commercial break!
  
• Decided Kelly doesn't eat/she works out a ton.
  
• Eat at PJ Clarke's for lunch
• Mackenzie Childs to shop
• Naked Cowboy
  
• Go to airport at 4:30, wait for flight on standby, forget that it's freakin' Columbus Day weekend, leave airport at 10:00pm to go back and stay with Kurt and Kara because there are no more flights

Friday:

• Wake up at 4am to be at airport at 5am. Finally able to get on 6am flight...Hallelujah, thank ya Jesus.
  
• Arrive in Atlanta at 9am and go straight to school to teach.
  

It was a fun time but I learned my lesson....NEVER FLY STANDBY UNLESS YOU HAVE NO WHERE TO BE AND ARE FLEXIBLE.


Yes, I posed with the
crazy Naked Cowboy
(please don't judge)

Me and the Naked Cowby

Mackenzie Childs

Mackenzie Childs
Christmas tree

MacKenzie Childs (I have
a lot of their black and white
checked dishes/decorations)

Kara and I (blurry) after the show

Skinny-minny Kelly talking to
audience

Getting a gift from a guest
(which I think is weird)

The studio

Pre-Regis and Kelly show


View from Empire State building
(you can see the Statue of Liberty
if you look closely)

View looking down from Empire
State Building

Rockefeller Center

NBC studios

Radio City

Saw Scaled Viper

I talked to Josh yesterday and he shared with me one of the most bizarre stories that I have heard in a while. One of his buddies was taking a shower in the compound and suddenly he felt something fall on his head. His initial thought was that his friends were throwing something on him and playing a joke so he yelled back at them. Well, when the "thing" that fell on his head landed on the ground, he looked down only to discover that it was a Saw Scaled Viper. Apparently this is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. I have heard that this snake runs a close second in the leading cause of deaths in Afghanistan...other than terrorism of course. Scary!

Apparently Saw Scale Vipers rub their scales against each other to make a hissing noise. Josh's buddy said that it "hissed" at him. He went running of course and they got a bucket, caught him, and killed the sucker! I don't think I would have been able to function after that!

Crazy. Just crazy. Can you imagine?

Also, I saw this article when I was looking for pictures of the viper if anyone is bored and wants some reading material. :-) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/11/tech/main6471742.shtml

God is Good

I moved to Atlanta in faith, without a job to lean on while Josh is away. I applied to a million different places and even had two interviews at the same school and was pretty certain I was going to get the job. When I got the call from the assistant principal letting me know that it didn't work out I was really okay with it and just knew that God would work something out. So, three days a later I got a phone call from my old school, Greater Atlanta Christian School, where I taught my first year and they needed a high school Spanish teacher immediately. Boy was I thrilled! I had been praying to teach there all along. I know all of the people there, my mother-in-law teaches there, and I love the students.

So, three weeks into the school year I started. (They had already started and their current teacher resigned.) The school has changed so much since I have been there and God has really been doing some really cool things among the student body...He is working on their hearts. I am excited to see what all God has in store this year at GAC!

And just to let everyone know, Josh is doing well. He is extremely tired and lonely but is making it. I ask that you please continue to pray for His safety and that God will comfort Him during this time.

Josh

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that Josh is doing well. He sure does miss home and I miss him every second, every minute, and every hour of everyday, but I am trying to hang in there.

Josh is working long hours everyday so he is exhausted all of the time. He never has a day off so I feel so sorry for him.

The other day he saw two Afghani men on a motorcycle and the one on the back of the motorcycle was carrying his own motorcycle. He said it was unbelievable.

He said he loves the grapes there and all of the other fruit is so delicious too. He said there is a really cool fruit there called a Mangosteen that he eats a lot. He also said there are 24 different kinds of mangos in Afghanistan. Yum, I would love that!

Here is a picture of Josh on skype that I took two days ago. He's sportin' that beard!

Puerto Rico, Florida, Georgia

Gosh it has been a while since I have posted. Josh and I went to Puerto Rico for five days, Florida for two days to visit my family, and Georgia for a week to visit Josh's family. Our vacation to Puerto Rico was much needed and we had a great time! We were so thankful that we were able to go alone and enjoy one another before Josh leaves for Afghanistan on July 24.

Here are some pictures of our trips! (The pictures start backwards with Georgia, Florida, and then Puerto Rico). It is now starting to really sink in that Josh is leaving. July 24 and there after will be extremely difficult for both me and him. Please keep him in your prayers that God will guard him and keep him safe.



Me and Josh in his backyard
at his going away party

My sweet niece Katie

Natalie (Josh's cousin), me,
& my sister-in-laws Nicole and Kara

Kurt (brother-in-law) and Zach (nephew)

Me and Kara

Me and Josh being silly

Sunset at The Oyster Bar

All the boats at The Oyster Bar

Oil-ugh!

So sad!

My friend Rachel's son, Eli

Me and Rachel

My sister Hannah and hubs Randy

Hannah, Mom, me

Me and Josh

Pool at our hotel

The view out of our room

The Bacardi factory

Josh and I at the Bacardi factory

Beautiful view at sunset near El Moro


Top of the church near El Moro


Cemetery by El Moro

El Moro in Old San Juan

Josh and I at El Moro

View from a small restaurant near our hotel

Moving

I am not sure if many of you know but Josh is going to Afghanistan for a year, starting July 24. This is going to be a very difficult transition for both of us and there are so many emotions/stress going through our minds right now.

One of the main stresses we had was whether or not I was going to stay here in DC or move closer to family. While living in DC can be a "cool" place to live in, it is a very difficult place to live in with busy people, crazy traffic, and one of the most important things to me...no family. At the same time, I have been teaching at the same high school for four years and have began to finally find my "way" living here in this crazy place! I did a lot of talking to God, searching, listening, crying, and waiting for God to show me what to do while Josh is gone: move closer to home or stay here alone in DC where I have my job.

Every time I tried to make a decision I got the biggest pit in my stomach. I knew I had to listen to my heart and the Spirit of the Lord. After Josh and I sat down one evening and really talked without distractions, I could see where he was coming from, in that he wanted me closer to family. We talked, cried, and at that point after talking, I knew in my heart that I had to move closer to home. I honestly felt complete peace from the Lord at that moment and it was almost as if God was just waiting for Josh and I to sit and process everything. It felt so good to say that I was moving and to have complete peace. So, it is official. I am moving to Atlanta July 26 on full faith and trust in the Lord. I do not have a job but I am confident this is God's plan and I know He will provide.

I selfishly ask that you please keep Josh in your prayers as he is preparing himself (in all aspects) to go to Afghanistan. Please pray for his complete safety and that God will comfort him as he is far away in a very dangerous place. I also ask that you pray that God comfort me while he is away. I know this is going to be very difficult for the both of us. What I have to remember is that God is in control.

National Zoo

A couple of weeks ago Josh and I went to the zoo here in DC. We enjoyed our time there and here are a couple of pics that we took!


Fierce! I love this picture of the tiger!




He was cute playing with his ball!


Beautiful animals!


Me and Josh and our friend, the elephant!

The big ole' elephant