Almost There!!

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I am SOOO excited!! (As you can tell from the very obvious picture above) I have only 9 days until I get to see Zach!!! It's so crazy that it's almost only one week left.

I hope everyone had a great memorial day! I went with my parents to a ceremony they had in downtown Madison. That afternoon, we went to a pool party for my dad's ROTC cadets. I am so thankful for the men and women who serve this country and those who have given their lives so that we have the privilege to celebrate a day like yesterday.

Not much has been going on with me. (as usual) I have gone shopping and got a few new outfits since I have been losing weight and just making sure that I have everything for our trip next week. It seems like I am in the calm before the storm. I'm not too busy this week, but I know that I will be VERY busy next week. To show you, here is next week's schedule:

Monday- Pack up mostly everything except the essentials and make sure there is nothing else I need for our trip

Tuesday- Hair and nail appointments in the morning and packing up the rest of my things that afternoon

Wednesday- Leave for Virginia and stop in North Carolina

Thursday- Go to Kill Devil Hills, NC and look around (It's the area where the Wright Brother's took their first flight). That night I will be going on a date with Zach :)

Friday- Zach's graduation

So, as you can tell, there is a lot to do next week. I am also excited to see family next week and I am glad that everyone that is able to is coming to his graduation. I know he is thankful for the support everyone is showing him.

As for Zach, he is still doing well in school. They have been given a break from tests these past couple of weeks. Last week, they tore down a boat engine and this week they are going to be building it back up and starting it. Please keep him in your prayers Monday. He will be taking his final then. He had a good memorial day, too. He went to the beach and hung out with his fellow classmates for the majority of the day. He is itching to get out of there and cannot wait to see everyone next week.

That's about it for us. I will probably make one more post before we head out next week, so be on the lookout for that. Please keep us and other family members in your prayers as everyone travels to Virginia. Have a great week!

Something I Want To Share

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I have decided to do a post that is a little different than what I usually do.  This year I have set a goal to read through the entire bible. I'm not sure if I will get through it within this year, but I will try. While doing this, I came across a chapter that I feel like I need to share with you all.

The passage is Numbers 11. I encourage you to read this chapter before you continue

Here is a summary about what has happened up to this chapter. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt. God sent Moses, and many plagues, into Egypt to free them. Moses is traveling with them to the promised land. God is leading them there by a pillar of clouds in the day and a pillar of fire at night. He provides them with food by giving them manna from heaven. He takes care of their needs.

Numbers 11:4-9 - The Israelites remember all the meat, cucumbers, melons, etc. that they got to eat in Egypt and they are complaining because the only thing they are given to eat is manna. They want to be given "better" food.

Numbers 11:10-15 - The Lord heard the people complaining and grew angry. Moses hears them, as well, and seems to get overwhelmed. He asks God why He has given him this burden. He is basically responsible for all these people that, as he put it, he hasn't even given birth to. He is saying that these people aren't even family members, or his children, so he doesn't understand why he alone has to be responsible for all of their troubles. He even tells God that if He isn't going to relieve him of this burden then he wants God to put him to death so that he doesn't have to struggle with it any longer.

Numbers 11:16-17 - God tells Moses to gather seventy of the Israelite elders and bring them to the Tent of Meeting so he can put the Spirit on them so they can help Moses with the people.

Numbers 11:18-20 - The Lord tells Moses to explain to all the people that He will provide meat for them, but that is all they will eat for one full month. The Lord was angry that they said they were better off in Egypt,  where they were slaves, so He is making them eat it until they loathe it.

Numbers 11:21-23 - Moses tells God that he is among six hundred thousand men and asks how meat is going to be provided for all of them for an entire month. God asks him "Is the Lord's arm to short?" Basically, asking him if he doesn't think God can do it and tells him that he will see if what God says will come true.

Numbers 11:24-25 - Moses gathers together the seventy elders and the Lord comes down in the cloud and speaks to them and puts the Spirit on they elders so that they would be able to help Moses.

Numbers 11:26-30 - Two elders, Eldad and Medad, had not gone to the Tent, but the Spirit was still put on them and they prophesied in the camp. Moses was told to stop them by Joshua, but he said that he wished that all of God's people had the Spirit on them.

Numbers 11:31-35 - The Lord sent a wind that brought the quail from the sea to the camp. They were three feet deep and covered the ground as far as a days walk in any direction. The Israelites gathered them all day and night. Then the Lord sent a plague to show them that He was angry with what they did.

When I read this, my first reaction was, "These people are so ungrateful! How can they complain when they were delivered from Egypt, are clearly being guided to where they need to go, and they are given everything they need. How could they ask for anything more?" Then certain things started to occur to me:

- How many times do we do that today? God provides us, not necessarily with everything we WANT, but with everything we NEED. Yet, we still complain to Him because we want more. We are unhappy with the "manna" He is giving us and we want "meat" instead. For instance, my husband and I aren't rich by any means, but God provides us with money we need to pay bills, buy groceries, etc. I cannot tell you how many times I have complained about the amount of money we make so we can get a better tv, more clothes, or anything else. We should be thankful that our NEEDS are being met and feel even more blessed whenever He fulfills our wants.

-I am thankful that God hears us when we come to Him with our problems and He helps us when a burden is too heavy for us to bear, just like He helped Moses when he told God that being responsible for all these people was too much for him.

- Many times we act just like Moses did in Numbers 11:21-23. God tells us that he will do something and we worry about how it is going to happen. That is like asking God how He is going to do it, and sometimes we LITERALLY ask Him that. And how many times does God say to US, "Is the Lord's arm too short?" He reminds us that He is GOD, He can do anything! We shouldn't worry or doubt what He is capable of. Just like the question He asks Moses seems kind of silly, when you stop and REALLY think about it, It does seem quite silly to know all the miracles that God has done and everything He has accomplished and doubt that He can't accomplish something in our lives. 

- Moses expresses how he wishes everyone could have the Spirit within them. Today, people who are saved have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit living within them. We can pray and speak to God ourselves, we don't have to go through someone else to do so. We don't realize how much of a privilege that is. Imagine everytime you wanted to pray, you had to go through someone else, or not being able to pray anytime or anywhere you wanted. We are lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a personal relationship with Christ.  

- God has a will, or path, for our lives that He wants us to follow. While He doesn't lead us quite as clearly as a cloud or fire in front of us showing us where to go, we can pray and ask Him to show us the path we should take. God knows what is best for us and, if we follow His path, we can fully experience the blessings He has in store for us. Everything that happens is for our good and His glory, EVERYTHING!!

I just felt that I should share that with you all. If you have anything else that needs to be added or shared, please do so! I think it helps to share because different people can get a different message from the same passage. Have a great day everyone!

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock

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Zach's graduation cannot get here fast enough!! Granted, time seems to go by fast most of the time. There are 3 weeks and 4 days left.....or 25 days.

As far as an update on me, not much is going on. I finally hit my 10 pound loss mark (since January, not since the beginning of the 10 lb/ 6 week challenge) My mantra is "It will NOT take me that long to lose the next 10 pounds!!!" I started off at the beginning of the year at 143 and I am now at 132.4. I am hoping to be at the weight I was when I got married by the time graduation gets here. It's possible, I'm just going to have to work my tail off.

Zach and I get to skype now. We did last night, in fact. It's so nice to actually see him when I talk to him! I got to "meet" his roommates while I was on there, too. Let me just say, they are a goofy group of guys.

Anyway, I got to see a lot of family members this past weekend. We all got together for Nanny's birthday. It was so nice to see everyone! Other than that, it's been business as usual. I work out andhelp my mom volunteer at the high school everyday. I also LOVE to watch American Idol. (Scotty all the way!!!!!) My parents and I will probably be going to St. Marys sometime soon to look at places for rent. Zach and I really want to find somewhere to live before we actually move. I can't wait to see where we will be calling home for the next few years!

Zach is doing well, as usual. He is getting excited because things are starting to wind down at school. His class will be the "seniors" of the MK school when the class before them graduates next friday. Other than that, he has just been hanging out with his buddys. They went to a local country concert last friday and he had a good time. Continue to pray for him in these last few weeks!

Hopefully time will start to go by really fast, We'll see! I hope everyone has a great week!

Final 6 wk/10lb Challenge Update

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We have finally come to the "finish line" of the 6 week/ 10 pound challenge. If you haven't been following along with me, this challenge is basically self explanatory. I, along with a few other ladys, have challenged myself to lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks. As I promised, here are my results:

Total Weight loss- 5 pounds

Total Inches lost- 6 inches

At first glance, my results can seem a bit discouraging. I only lost half the weight the challenge called for! But, I am actually happy with my results. Yes, I wish I would've lost all 10 pounds, but I have learned a lot about weight loss throughout this journey. So, here are a few tips from me on losing weight:

- DON'T GET DISCOURAGED: I know this is easier said than done, but in my opinion it is one of the most important things to have successful weight loss. It is easy to give up when you step on the scale and don't see any results. However, what you should keep in mind is that if you give up you are not doing yourself any favors. As long as you are eating healthy and excercising, then there is a really good chance you won't GAIN weight. That is what I tell myself when I don't see any results. You are helping yourself and your body by keeping up your eating and excercising habits.

- TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS- There have been a couple of weeks where I would weigh myself and wouldn't see any loss, but measure myself and realize that I have lost a few inches. There are several reasons why this could happen including: you can gain muscle as you lose fat so it will look like you haven't lost anything, and as women especially, our body weight fluctuates throughout the month. So, if you don't see any weight loss, then you can stay motivated by looking at the amount of inches you have lost. I would take measurements of my upper arm, waist, stomach, hips, and thighs. I think this combination gives you a good look at where you lose the most. I decided on those based on where my "trouble areas" were. So, if you are unhappy with your calves, lower arms, etc.you should add those into your measurements as well. Seeing results from your problem areas will better encourage you! 

- ESTABLISH A WORKOUT ROUTINE- Obviously, excercising is key to losing weight. It is also healthier for you because it gets your heart rate up and helps to tone muscle. Choose a routine based on what you enjoy. If you like going to the gym, dancing, swimming, or dvds at home, choose accordingly. If you are enjoying the workout, you will be more likely to actually do it. Also, if it helps, you can find a workout buddy to help you along the way. It is important to find a workout that you are comfortable with, but not so comfortable that it doesn't challenge you. For instance, if you don't break a sweat, then it's probably not the workout for you. On the other hand, if you are having to rest every 2 minutes because it's just too hard, it's probably not for you either. Don't think you have to workout for hours a day from the start. Remember, you have to build up a habit of working out just like anything else. Take baby steps and increase the difficulty at your speed.

- EAT HEALTHY- This is also very important for weight loss. What you put into your body affects every aspect of your life. You can't just expect to work out and not change your eating habits. You might lose weight, yes, but there is a good chance you will gain it back when you stop working out. It's about WHAT you eat more than how much. A big bowl a fruit salad that will fill you up is still healthier than a small piece of pizza that won't. You should choose healthy foods that you like to eat. It will be so easy to get off track if you don't like the taste of what you are eating. Remember, you can "splurge" every now and then, but keep your quantities in check. If you want a cookie, have a cookie, but only have one instead of the whole batch. You will be surprised how much changing your eating habits will affect your weight.

The key to losing weight is that it needs to be a lifestyle change. You have to fully commit to excercising and eating healthy in order to see results. For those of you who have a more than 5-10 pounds to lose, set small goals. If you weigh 156, instead of just wanting to get down to 126, say "My ultimate goal is to get down to 126, but my first goal is to get to 153, then 150, then 145" and so on. I have set small goals like that and it has helped me to stay encouraged. It's easy to get overwhelmed when you are looking at 20 or more pounds you need to lose, but it's easier if you concentrate on 3-5 at a time.

If you have been participating in this challenge along with me, or you have tips of your own to add, I would love to hear from you!! If you still have more weight to lose, like me, please keep going!! You will hit your goal in no time!!

Over Halfway There!!

Hey everyone!

Well, just like my title says, we are over the halfway mark for when Zach graduates. There are 35 more days left!!!! We have had a pretty interesting week. So, here are updates on each of us.

Me :)  I have been continually trying to keep up with my workout routine and I think I'm doing pretty well. On my Jillian 30 Day Shred DVD, I have moved up to level 2. Let me just say, I am NOT looking forward to what level three has to offer. I am still doing the 6 wk/ 10 lb challenge (although I don't know how well I am doing) and I will be adding the final post on Monday with my results.

My sister and I woke up early this morning and hit the road for my parents house. We arrived here around 11 or so and I am glad that we will be able to spend Mother's Day here. I will be staying here for the remaining weeks. I received my outfit for the graduation. If you know how different my style is from Zach's then you know how difficult a task it was to actually find a dress we both liked. I had sent him links to a few that I liked, but he didn't like a single one. :( So, he sent me a few that he liked and I picked from there. He still doesn't know which one I picked, so it'll be a surprise.

As you know, my parents and I are going to Zach's graduation and I found out earlier this week that his mom, sister, and neices will be able to come, as well. I am SUPER excited to see them again. Also, I know Zach is excited and is glad to have his family there to support him. It will really mean a lot to him. 

Zach- He is doing well as always. He took his midterm this past Monday and he made a 76. This is actually an EXCELLENT grade for the midterm because the absolute highest was an 86 and the average was around 71-72. He also took his EPME (a test which determines whether or not he will actually be able to graduate as a petty officer......needless to say it is a pretty big deal) on Wednesday. This was the first of two chances they get to take and pass it before they graduate. He passed......and not only did he pass.....he made a 90!!!!!!!!! He is doing so well with his grades and I know I say this everytime I post but, I am SOOOO proud of him!!!
Anyway, he found out where we are going to move next. Our next home will be in.............

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That's right! We will be moving to Georgia!!!!!! I am so glad that we will be closer to family, including only being an hour or less drive from Zach's brother and sister-in-law!! We also have a few friends that live in and around where we are moving. We are glad that we get to see people we haven't seen in a while! I am looking forward to what God has planned for our future!!!!

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Please keep us in your prayers these next few weeks because we have a lot to plan for our move. Pray that everything goes smoothly! I hope ya'll have a wonderful weekend and an enjoyable Sunday with your Mom!!!

Long time, no see!

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I'm back!!

I'm sorry I haven't been on here in a while. My sister's computer is messed up so I currently have limited access to the internet. 

I would like to start off by expressing my deepest sympathy to everyone in Tuscaloosa and anywhere else in Alabama that has been affected by the tornadoes a few days ago. I have seen many pictures of the damage and I can't express how upsetting it is to see that devastation happen somewhere that's so close to home.

As for us, we didn't get much of the storm. I am very thankful for God's protection that night. We seemed to be one of the few places that did not get a tornado. I also want to thank everyone who has checked up on my sister and I to make sure we weren't affected. It's nice to have friends that care!

We have been pretty busy this week, or maybe it just seems that way because of the craziness of the storms. My sister, lil' man, and I went to the zoo with one of her friend's and her two boys. (One of which is a red-headed baby boy and he is TOO cute!) We had a lot of fun. I have been around a lot of babies since I have been here and it's giving me baby fever......bad! Hopefully, my husband and I will be adding a little one to our family soon.

I only have a little over a week here in Alabama. My sister and I will be heading to Georgia in a week to spend Mother's Day weekend with my parents. After that, I will be staying with my Mom and Dad until Zach graduates from school. There are only 42 days left from today until I get to see him again and I am SO excited. I already bought my dress for his graduation!! I will definitely miss my sister and her family (not to mention a certain lil' man will miss my dog, possibly more than me) but I am excited to spend some time with my parents. I am still doing the 6 week/ 10 lb challenge. Since it's been kind of hectic this past week, I haven't really had time to weigh myself. I am debating on not weighing in until the 6 weeks are over, but I will let you know.

As for Zach, he is still doing VERY well in school. He was number 18 or 19 last week due to a not-so-good grade on a final, but he has done such a good job this week that he is back up to number 7 or 8!!! I am SUPER proud of my baby and I am so glad that he is working hard! He was supposed to take his mid-term today, but something was wrong with their computers so it is rescheduled for Monday morning. He got our list of picks today, though. There are a lot in the New England area, two in Alaska and Louisiana, Washington, Hawaii, and Georgia. Zach and I are really hoping to get Kings Bay, Georgia! We have friends that already live there and it's close to family. That's only an hour away from Zach's brother and his wife, and a fellow military wife and friend. There is a really good chance we will get it. But, we are trying not to get our hopes up because the military tends to be somewhat unpredictable. As of now, our second choice will be Venice, LA and our third will be Honolulu, HI. Please keep us in your prayers that we will be placed where God wants us. We will find out exactly where we are going next week!!

That's what is going on our little piece of the world. I hope you all have a great weekend!!

Update!

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Happy Good Friday!

I have had a pretty calm week. Nothing too eventful has gone on. :) I'm going to be here with my sister for about two more weeks then I am off to my parents for the remainder of the time. Only 49 more days until Zach's graduation! (I have a countdown app on my phone.) I hope it flies by!

Zach is still doing well in school. He had another tough week this week. He had about 7-8 tests this week and made 100's on all of them except his final. He didn't make too good of a grade on it, but the good news is that neither did most of his classmates. :) He is volunteering for stuff, though, because for everything he volunteers for he gets a point added onto his class average. He is hoping to get back into at least the top 10 before he has to sign up for where we move next. They are studying trailers next week and he always worked with them at our previous station so that will be a good week for him.

We get a list of our options a week from today and we find out exactly where we are going two weeks from today. Also, he found a list of MK openings a few weeks ago but come to find out they don't even look at that list when they make their list for "A" school. There could be some of the same openings, but then again it could be totally different. So, needless to say I am getting very anxious!

Keep us in your prayers these next few weeks as we find out where we are going to move. Also, don't forget to send Zach encouragement through facebook!

Have a great weekend and a Happy Easter with family and friends!!!