Saturday, December 1, 2012

Since you been gone


I seem to always find myself blogging while sitting in the airport waiting for a flight somewhere. I composed 3 of my previous masterpieces while waiting to board a plane, and this one carries on that glorious tradition. I am at Chicago-Midway waiting to fly to Norfolk, VA, on my way to a baby shower for one of my best friends from elementary and high school. For some reason, I must find airports inspirational. I can bust them out like nobodies business in an airport, but when I am home or at a hotel...nothing. Actually, I do my best thinking while driving and in the shower, but obviously I can’t blog in either of those.  Maybe it is all the excellent people watching; it makes me wonder about the people’s lives and what they may be traveling for...and why that woman chose to wear stilettos to the airport. I ALWAYS ask that question. It sometimes makes me feel insignificant because we all seem to be doing the same thing. But then I remember that God made us each individual and there is NO ONE in this world like me or you. Therefore, what I am doing with my life and what you are doing with your life are unique and significant in their own ways. Never forget your own importance!!!

Michael and I returned from Israel and had about 3 days at home to get settled before traveling to northern VA for Thanksgiving with my parents. We always say we are soooo excited for the long off-season of rest and relaxation from traveling, and then promptly fill up our schedule with small trips and activities. But it’s only our 2nd year on tour...I’m sure we will figure it out eventually.

Thanksgiving in VA involved myself and Michael, my parents, my brother and sister, and my cousin who is a major in the Marine Corp and his wife and 2 kids ages 5 and 2. Add to that 4 cats, including Bubbles our cat who has been visiting her cousins for about a month as we move into our new house, and you have a madhouse. Most of the cats made themselves scarce during the mayhem, but Bubbles, curious as always, observed the kids from a safe distance. She made quite a study of them as she has never seen tiny humans before and was no doubt curious as to how miniaturization affects the human persona. Plus she is from New York City and therefore well versed in highly stressful situations. 

Everyone at the airport, travelers and workers alike, are always amazed when they see me traveling with Bubbles. It’s the endless questioning about whether or not she is drugged, and how I keep her so calm. Do I look like someone who would drug my baby?? Fact is, she has been traveling on planes since she was a few months old. I think she actually likes going under the seat in front of me. TSA agents seem to think that I have somehow turned her into a bomb. In recent months, whenever I travel with her, I always get my hands swabbed for bomb residue. So there I am, holding an animal removed from the safe haven of her carrier to go through the metal detector, and digging her nails deeper and deeper into my flesh while they calmly take samples from my hands. Come to think of it, she does have a calculating glare in her eyes...I can see how all that orange and stripped cuteness could be mistaken for a dangerous weapon.

We returned home from Thanksgiving to the excitement of having more furniture delivered to our new house. We now have two full dining room sets and a coffee table and 2 chairs in the living room, along with the furniture we brought from our apartment. It is really starting to look like a home now and should be completely furnished sometime next year...I hope. Bubbles spent 2 days exploring every corner, finding her favorite spots to sleep, determining the new locations of her feeding and toileting facilities, testing the surfaces and fabrics for their claw sharpening ability, and ascertaining that there were no other felines present to debase. We also had our landscaper come and put in flowers, which was really cool because I have never worked with a landscaper before. Our front garden is now full of many different shades of purple and white pansies, hombre style. I hope I don’t kill all her hard work...

Michael has spent the last 2 days taking his online hunter safety course so he doesn’t kill himself or anyone else when he goes hunting (except helpless innocent deer, ducks, and turkeys that I will have to learn how to cook). Oh, and growing a beard...I guess that is so he blends in more with the surrounding foliage as he hunts. I’ve been updating our finances to make sure we can actually afford everything we are doing with our lives, and making a list of all the people we need to get Christmas gifts for (it turns out, the older you get, the more people you have to shop for...who knew? Being an adult is tough) Michael will spend this weekend watching Alabama play Georgia in the SEC championship game, hopefully en route to the BCS national championship game where they will then promptly beat up on Notre Dame. I am kind of glad I’m not there to watch it with him, because if they lose, then that will make for a very unhappy husband...best not to be there if that happens.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed the company of family and friends. Below are some of my favorite bible verses about being thankful for the things and people in your life. I hope you carry that over as we enter the Christmas season and always remember that no matter what is going on in your life, there is always someone who has it harder. Instead of dwelling on your problems, look for ways to help others around you. I’m not belittling what you are going through, but I know it always helps we face my difficulties when I stop thinking about myself and start thinking about others. I promise it will make you feel better! God Bless you all!

1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Psalm 107:1
Oh give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Psalm 20:4 
May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the  gift of God

Romans 10:9
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved

Be thankful for Jesus sacrifice and the great gift of salvation from our Lord!

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