My final week in Hawaii is upon me and I have no idea what to think about that. About 15 months ago I would have swore to you that I would be beyond ecstatic to be getting out of here. Right now though, I'm a little bit of everything. Now don't get me wrong, I am very excited to be getting out of here. I'm ready to be back home with friends, family, and pets. I'm ready for the corn fields, the smell of fall, and even the snow. I'm ready to not miss every big event in the lives of those I love and I'm ready to be back in a place that I know by heart. At the same time though, I'm going to miss seeing the ocean and the Mountains. I'll miss being able to jump in the car and be at the beach in 10 minutes or swimming after Thanksgiving lunch haha I'll miss the beauty of this place, but that's pretty much it. There's a very small number of people here that I will miss, and I do mean VERY small. I really will miss them though, probably more than I even realize at this point. Other than those things, Hawaii has no hold on me. I don't feel at home here and I don't feel relaxed. I feel out of place for the most part. Mixed in with the excitement and the slight sadness is the stress and worry. Neither one of us have solid jobs lined up and that scares me. I know we've done a decent job of saving and we'll be ok for awhile, but it still makes me nervous.
So what's next for us? Well when we get that figured out I will let you know! haha Right now there are lots of plans and ideas. We do have a place to live and if you don't know where that is feel free to ask and I'll tell you privately. We get to experience the joy of combining ALL my stuff, his stuff, and our stuff 16 months after the wedding. haha It could get interesting! Payton wants to be a police officer and plans to use his G.I Bill to get a Criminal Justice degree. He'll be working on figuring out the best way to do all that, as well as looking for work until then. I want to do anything that lets me use my degree. I need to feel like that huge chunk of money being sent out each month for school bills isn't going to waste. Right now I honestly can't tell anyone "go to college, a degree will really benefit you" because it hasn't done a thing for me so far in this job search. I'm sure things will work out, but this girl is loosing her patience! There are kids in the future(Lord willing). It will be awhile though. It would be beyond irresponsible for us to go down that road until we have jobs and insurance. So for those of you that keep asking (or want to ask), just be patient, ok? I promise you, babies our in our plans! ;) However, there will be "fur babies" in the very near future!! lol I spent the first 22 years of my life with at least one animal around, these past 15 months without one has made me realize just how much I love them! What's our first animal of choice? A gerbil! The plan is to get two actually, because they are happier with a playmate. Their names will be Rhino and Edward. Don't judge! :-P Other than that, we just have to wait and see what God has planned. All we know is we're going to be back where we belong, surrounded by family and friends and we can't wait!
"Well, I'm going home, back to the place where I belong
And where your love has always been enough for me
I'm not running from, no, I think you got me all wrong
I don't regret this life I chose for me
But these places and these faces are getting old
So I'm going home"
(Daughtry-Home)
"I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday"
(Jason Mraz/Colbie Caillat- Lucky)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
President Bush's 9/11 Speech
I remeber watching this speech and feeling calmed. Feeling like our country was in good hands. I NEVER get that feeling from the current president's speeches. I wanted to share this because I think its an important part of our history and that day.
Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge -- huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong.
A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil -- the very worst of human nature -- and we responded with the best of America. With the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.
Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington D.C. to help with local rescue efforts. Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks. The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business as well.
The search is underway for those who were behind these evil acts. I have directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.
I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance. America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.
Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a Power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me.
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.Thank you. Good night. And God bless America.
9 Years Later
Has it really been that long?? It seems almost impossible, and it also seems like it never really happened. I can remember so many details about that day. It's unreal how easily I can recall exactly where I was when I heard the news and exactly what happened next.
I had missed school the day before and I had missed a test in my Bible class. I had gone into the school library to take the test and was a few questions into it. Suddenly, an announcement came over the intercom saying the World Trade Center had been attacked. I have to be honest, I had NO idea what or where the WTC was. My teacher quickly called me back into the room and we all sat in the class room quietly talking about what could possibly be going on, what the WTC was, who new someone near it, ect. My teacher quickly got on the phone to talk to the principle and find out what was going on. Shortly after the bell rang and I remember the hallways being so quiet. Although at that point none of us truely knew what this meant, we all knew it was bad and we all felt it. Our next class was Government and our teacher in there had the radio on. I remember watching her try to hold back the tears in her eyes as she explained what was happening. It was at that point that I knew this was BIG, this was life changing. Someday my kids would be reading about this in their history books and I would be able to tell them my experience. By now fear was hitting people, especially as the news began to tell of the second tower being hit, the pentagon, and then the crash in PA. A good friend of mine began sobbing because it seemed that the planes were getting closer and no one knew how many there were. We were all scared. I remember hearing a small plane fly overhead, a common occurance when you are down the road from a small airport, and being terrified that it was going to slam into the school. Rumors started flying around the school. Things like "Gas was up to $10 a gallon now", "So and so's relative works in one of the Twin Towers", "We won't be allowed to leave school and might have to spend the night". Typical High School rumors in situations like this. I believe we were released early that day. Terrified parents wanted their kids with them at a time like this. From the moment I got home from school and until I went to bed I watched the news. I sat there looking at these flaming buildings that I didn't even know existed before now, knowing that this was bad. Very bad.
Unfortunately, I didn't in anyway realize just how much that day would affect me. I knew it meant changes for the country as a whole, but I never thought it would impact my life much more than anyone else around me. I knew that from now on September 11th would be a day of rememberance, burden, and sadness. I hurt for those that lost loved ones. I felt sad and I cried. Other than that, I figured my life would go on and not be deeply touched. I was beyond wrong. A new war started and before I knew it I had an Uncle fighting over there. Even at that point, I still didn't "get it". I knew it was dangerous, but I didn't fully understand a deployment. Then my boyfriend joined the Army and soon after became my fiance. On February 28, 2008, the 9/11 attack of 2001 finally had its biggest impact on me. Payton was off to Iraq for a year to fight this war that started 7 years before. I think it was at that point that I became the most angry at what had happened years earlier. I wanted more than ever to know why they did it, how this could have happened....all the typical questions. It was a long year full of worry and fear. I thank God often that he protected my Soldier and brought hm back to us safely. I also thank God that he protected my Uncle who has now served 3 tours of duty in Iraq. Also, various other family members who have been overseas. I thank God for my Aunt Sandy and the great support she was while Payton was deployed. He and my uncle were there at the same time, and it was amazing to have a family member who knew exactly what I was going through.
September 11, 2001 will never, ever be forgotten. It's just not possible. It taught me that life is short, we as Americans still face dangers, and things that happen in your life can impact you in ways you never imagined, even years down the road. It taught me to be thankful for what I have, and it also taught me to trust God more than I ever did before. When your "safe" country is attacked, and then people you love are in the middle of a war...well what else can you do but trust God?
Today I pray for the families of those that were lost on that day. I pray for our government, especially those in charge of making the decisions about the military and homeland security. Mostly, I pray for our troops. I pray God keeps them safe and brings them all back to their loved ones. I pray for those that have lost someone in this war, even just as recently as this past week. May God bless those families and give them the strength they need to deal with their loss!
I had missed school the day before and I had missed a test in my Bible class. I had gone into the school library to take the test and was a few questions into it. Suddenly, an announcement came over the intercom saying the World Trade Center had been attacked. I have to be honest, I had NO idea what or where the WTC was. My teacher quickly called me back into the room and we all sat in the class room quietly talking about what could possibly be going on, what the WTC was, who new someone near it, ect. My teacher quickly got on the phone to talk to the principle and find out what was going on. Shortly after the bell rang and I remember the hallways being so quiet. Although at that point none of us truely knew what this meant, we all knew it was bad and we all felt it. Our next class was Government and our teacher in there had the radio on. I remember watching her try to hold back the tears in her eyes as she explained what was happening. It was at that point that I knew this was BIG, this was life changing. Someday my kids would be reading about this in their history books and I would be able to tell them my experience. By now fear was hitting people, especially as the news began to tell of the second tower being hit, the pentagon, and then the crash in PA. A good friend of mine began sobbing because it seemed that the planes were getting closer and no one knew how many there were. We were all scared. I remember hearing a small plane fly overhead, a common occurance when you are down the road from a small airport, and being terrified that it was going to slam into the school. Rumors started flying around the school. Things like "Gas was up to $10 a gallon now", "So and so's relative works in one of the Twin Towers", "We won't be allowed to leave school and might have to spend the night". Typical High School rumors in situations like this. I believe we were released early that day. Terrified parents wanted their kids with them at a time like this. From the moment I got home from school and until I went to bed I watched the news. I sat there looking at these flaming buildings that I didn't even know existed before now, knowing that this was bad. Very bad.
Unfortunately, I didn't in anyway realize just how much that day would affect me. I knew it meant changes for the country as a whole, but I never thought it would impact my life much more than anyone else around me. I knew that from now on September 11th would be a day of rememberance, burden, and sadness. I hurt for those that lost loved ones. I felt sad and I cried. Other than that, I figured my life would go on and not be deeply touched. I was beyond wrong. A new war started and before I knew it I had an Uncle fighting over there. Even at that point, I still didn't "get it". I knew it was dangerous, but I didn't fully understand a deployment. Then my boyfriend joined the Army and soon after became my fiance. On February 28, 2008, the 9/11 attack of 2001 finally had its biggest impact on me. Payton was off to Iraq for a year to fight this war that started 7 years before. I think it was at that point that I became the most angry at what had happened years earlier. I wanted more than ever to know why they did it, how this could have happened....all the typical questions. It was a long year full of worry and fear. I thank God often that he protected my Soldier and brought hm back to us safely. I also thank God that he protected my Uncle who has now served 3 tours of duty in Iraq. Also, various other family members who have been overseas. I thank God for my Aunt Sandy and the great support she was while Payton was deployed. He and my uncle were there at the same time, and it was amazing to have a family member who knew exactly what I was going through.
September 11, 2001 will never, ever be forgotten. It's just not possible. It taught me that life is short, we as Americans still face dangers, and things that happen in your life can impact you in ways you never imagined, even years down the road. It taught me to be thankful for what I have, and it also taught me to trust God more than I ever did before. When your "safe" country is attacked, and then people you love are in the middle of a war...well what else can you do but trust God?
Today I pray for the families of those that were lost on that day. I pray for our government, especially those in charge of making the decisions about the military and homeland security. Mostly, I pray for our troops. I pray God keeps them safe and brings them all back to their loved ones. I pray for those that have lost someone in this war, even just as recently as this past week. May God bless those families and give them the strength they need to deal with their loss!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Faith...20 years later and I finally get it!
Life has not been on my side lately.....honestly, life has beaten me down to the ground countless times over the last 13 months or so. Recently, things have come up that at the moment I can't talk about,and there are other issues that have been around for awhile.. As of this moment there are SO many things up in the air, I can't even list them all. So as I sit on our couch with my iPod playing I find myself staring at a plaque my parents gave us for Christmas. It's a pretty, but simple little thing: "'Faith is being sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you do not see.' Hebrews 11:1" Growing up in a strong Christian family and being in church everytime the doors were open means this is not a new verse to me. Its one I have known most of my life. Yet it's not until I'm 23 years old, 4,000+ miles from my family and friends, and facing an abundant amount of uncertainties that I finally "get" it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dumb. I knew what it was saying, but its like finally that light bubble came on! I know I need to have Faith. I have been told that time and time again by my family and friends. But until now I just had this word "faith". What I really need to have though is the attitude that I can "...be certain of what I do not see". I don't see a job for me, I don't see how certain things will work out, I don't see why on earth God put us on this rock for our first year of marriage. There is SO much that I just do not see. Faith tells me that I don't have to see it, I just have to believe its there! Faith isn't walking around with the idea of "yeah, God has a plan. Yeah He'll work it out" No, Faith is saying "There is a job there, I just dont see it YET. We can figure this out, I just don't know the answer YET. There is a purpose here, it's just not obvious YET." Gah...why on Earth did it take me so long to figure this out???
Now, I'm not saying I'm all good now and stress free and all that. I'm far from it, but now I know how to fix it. I finally get this whole Faith thing and being a Christian of 20 years I feel so stupid for taking this long. So from this point on, this woman will be one of Faith....at least to the best of my ability. There will be relapses, there will be meltdowns, and there will be worry. Thats just in my sinful nature, but now I have my weapon to fight it. I have never missed my church as much as I do at this moment. Yes, we have a church here but its not the same. I don't learn here like I did there. I don't have the sense of a "church family" here like I did back home. I am so thankful for Twin City and I know walking back in those doors will be a breath of fresh air!! So pray for me and Payton both. Pray that we will practice faith, patience, and that we will give it all up to God!
Lord, thank you for opening my eyes. Thank you for showing me what Faith really is. Thank you for parents who through a simple decoration for our home helped me in a time that I really needed it. Thank you for a strong Christian support system to go home to, and for a husband who also wants to grow and change in his spiritual life. Give me the strength to fight this worry with Faith and help us to trust that You WILL provide! Amen!
Now, I'm not saying I'm all good now and stress free and all that. I'm far from it, but now I know how to fix it. I finally get this whole Faith thing and being a Christian of 20 years I feel so stupid for taking this long. So from this point on, this woman will be one of Faith....at least to the best of my ability. There will be relapses, there will be meltdowns, and there will be worry. Thats just in my sinful nature, but now I have my weapon to fight it. I have never missed my church as much as I do at this moment. Yes, we have a church here but its not the same. I don't learn here like I did there. I don't have the sense of a "church family" here like I did back home. I am so thankful for Twin City and I know walking back in those doors will be a breath of fresh air!! So pray for me and Payton both. Pray that we will practice faith, patience, and that we will give it all up to God!
Lord, thank you for opening my eyes. Thank you for showing me what Faith really is. Thank you for parents who through a simple decoration for our home helped me in a time that I really needed it. Thank you for a strong Christian support system to go home to, and for a husband who also wants to grow and change in his spiritual life. Give me the strength to fight this worry with Faith and help us to trust that You WILL provide! Amen!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
I can almost smell it...
Home is all of 82 days away! WOW! Life in Hawaii is almost over for good and I can't believe it. I was telling Payton yesterday that there really will be a few things I miss about Hawaii. Yeah I know, I always say how much I hate it and I do, but there are a few things that are pretty nice.
1. The pool. We have a really nice pool here in our apartment complex and I will miss that. I have wanted a pool my entire life and so now I feel like I finally have one lol Even if I do get one in Indiana someday I won't be able to use it after Thanksgiving dinner like we did this year :-P
2. The beach. I am starting to get brave and actually get in the water a little bit. I am falling in love with the ocean and I will miss it. I love how perfectly blue and clear the water is here. I've never seen colors like this before. The cruise we took last weekend was amazing and I will never forget it. Yes, there are lakes and beaches in Indiana, but they dont even begin to compare. I'm not too sure how well I will be able to adapt to getting back into the greenness that is Salamonie after all this time in the clear blue of Hawaii. lol We may be making some extra trips up to the Dunes to satisfy my need for clear water :-P
3. The Weather...kind of. Ok I miss my change of seasons, I really do. I LOVE fall and the coolness of the air combined with the smell of the leaves. I'm not gonna lie though, it's kinda nice knowing that pretty much all year round I can throw on some shorts and a t-shirt and be just fine. I miss the snow, but at the same time as I write this I am kinda dreading it lol I've been here too long I think!
4. The landscape. I love love love mountains and Palm trees. Combine that with the Ocean and wow. This place (in most parts) is just gorgeous and I will miss seeing the mountains.
Now, all that said I do not want to stay here. I don't want to come back, and I don't want to be here any longer than I have to! Those things I like do not begin to take the place of my family, friends, and church. I feel like our life is on hold right now. We're going through each day just getting by until we can get to where we're supposed to be. I want to get settled in at home surrounded by those we love and start the life we're meant to live. Don't get me wrong, I know we're supposed to be where we are right now. Payton was supposed to join the Army and I don't resent that one bit. What I'm saying is that's not what he/we are meant to do with our lives. That's a chapter in our story, but it's more like the "Preface" and Chapter one is waiting at home.
1. The pool. We have a really nice pool here in our apartment complex and I will miss that. I have wanted a pool my entire life and so now I feel like I finally have one lol Even if I do get one in Indiana someday I won't be able to use it after Thanksgiving dinner like we did this year :-P
2. The beach. I am starting to get brave and actually get in the water a little bit. I am falling in love with the ocean and I will miss it. I love how perfectly blue and clear the water is here. I've never seen colors like this before. The cruise we took last weekend was amazing and I will never forget it. Yes, there are lakes and beaches in Indiana, but they dont even begin to compare. I'm not too sure how well I will be able to adapt to getting back into the greenness that is Salamonie after all this time in the clear blue of Hawaii. lol We may be making some extra trips up to the Dunes to satisfy my need for clear water :-P
3. The Weather...kind of. Ok I miss my change of seasons, I really do. I LOVE fall and the coolness of the air combined with the smell of the leaves. I'm not gonna lie though, it's kinda nice knowing that pretty much all year round I can throw on some shorts and a t-shirt and be just fine. I miss the snow, but at the same time as I write this I am kinda dreading it lol I've been here too long I think!
4. The landscape. I love love love mountains and Palm trees. Combine that with the Ocean and wow. This place (in most parts) is just gorgeous and I will miss seeing the mountains.
Now, all that said I do not want to stay here. I don't want to come back, and I don't want to be here any longer than I have to! Those things I like do not begin to take the place of my family, friends, and church. I feel like our life is on hold right now. We're going through each day just getting by until we can get to where we're supposed to be. I want to get settled in at home surrounded by those we love and start the life we're meant to live. Don't get me wrong, I know we're supposed to be where we are right now. Payton was supposed to join the Army and I don't resent that one bit. What I'm saying is that's not what he/we are meant to do with our lives. That's a chapter in our story, but it's more like the "Preface" and Chapter one is waiting at home.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
"When life hands you lemons...."
"...make lemonade!" Well sorry but I think with the lemons I've been handed that would be some sour lemonade! I guess I shouldn't say that. Things could be a whole lot worse...
Payton and I were in a wreck a couple days ago. Thankfully we weren't injured, but our car was :( It's drivable and seems to have no mechanical damage, but it will have to have repairs done for sure. Even though it was fairly minor, I had never been in an accident before so I was pretty shaken up for the rest of the day/night. I called my Dad to get some advice about what exactly we needed to do and I was hit with some more bad news. First, he told me that some family down in Mississippi had also been in an accident. Fortunately, they were not seriously hurt but their car was totaled. Then came the worst news. My Mamaw was not doing well and she may not make it even a few more days. It was just a BAD day all around. Needless to say I spent the rest of that evening in a daze. Sometimes crying, sometimes angry, and sometimes just spaced out.
There are some fairly good updates to report though. Although we have great insurance, we'd still have to pay the $500 deductible and also for a rental while our car gets fixed. Well our insurance company believes 100% that the other guy was at fault (and he was) so they are doing all they can to get his insurance to pay for our damages. If that all works out we will only have to pay for a rental for a few days! Yay!
Also, my Mamaw is still hanging on. The new Pacemaker was supposed to be put in today, but her blood is still too thin. They will be checking again tomorrow morning so hopefully by then she will be good to go. She seems to be doing a little better, but her oxygen level is still very low.
Thats about it for now. Life is just a little to stressful at this point for my taste....but home is just around the corner :)
Payton and I were in a wreck a couple days ago. Thankfully we weren't injured, but our car was :( It's drivable and seems to have no mechanical damage, but it will have to have repairs done for sure. Even though it was fairly minor, I had never been in an accident before so I was pretty shaken up for the rest of the day/night. I called my Dad to get some advice about what exactly we needed to do and I was hit with some more bad news. First, he told me that some family down in Mississippi had also been in an accident. Fortunately, they were not seriously hurt but their car was totaled. Then came the worst news. My Mamaw was not doing well and she may not make it even a few more days. It was just a BAD day all around. Needless to say I spent the rest of that evening in a daze. Sometimes crying, sometimes angry, and sometimes just spaced out.
There are some fairly good updates to report though. Although we have great insurance, we'd still have to pay the $500 deductible and also for a rental while our car gets fixed. Well our insurance company believes 100% that the other guy was at fault (and he was) so they are doing all they can to get his insurance to pay for our damages. If that all works out we will only have to pay for a rental for a few days! Yay!
Also, my Mamaw is still hanging on. The new Pacemaker was supposed to be put in today, but her blood is still too thin. They will be checking again tomorrow morning so hopefully by then she will be good to go. She seems to be doing a little better, but her oxygen level is still very low.
Thats about it for now. Life is just a little to stressful at this point for my taste....but home is just around the corner :)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Our Story, Part 2
Now on to the best part of our story...well at least so far :)
April 2009. A few days into April Payton returned to Hawaii and once again a countdown started to when I would see him again. Right now I had one thing to really focus on, graduation. It was hard to stay focused. In just a couple months I would be getting married and moving to Hawaii. Who wants to study instead of plan their wedding?? Oh and forgot to mention in my last post that just a day before Payton came home for R & R one of my very best friends, Jodi, got engaged. Yes, we were planning our weddings at the same time! :) Again, who wants to study??? lol I am very happy to say that I did study, I did pass, and on April 24, 2009 I graduated from college with a B.S. in Accounting. Wow, I was officially done with school for every. Now it was time to fully focus on wedding planning! YAY!!!!!
May 16, 2009. Ok this isn't part of our story, but I had to throw this in. On this day I had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid in Jodi & Shane's wedding! It was a beautiful wedding and the bride was glowing. I can not even begin to tell you how much I miss her and our other best friend, Laura. Life is just not the same without them.
June 26, 2009. Rehersal day! And what a busy day it was. just 3 weeks before the wedding Payton got approval to come home. However, it was only for a weekend pass which meant he would be in at 11am Friday and we had to head back to Hawaii Monday morning! On top of this quick little visit, we had yet to get our marriage license! So I picked Payton up from the airport and we went straight to the court house. Thankfully things went quickly and easily. We were officially ready to be married the next day. Off to the church we went :) The rehersal went well and afterwards Payton's parents had a big dinner for all of us at the Sirloin Stockade. The decorations in our party room were adorable!! My mother-in-law did such a great job with them and we all had a great time! Afterwards, the guys went off to a movie and us girls went to Laura's and played the Wii. Guys at the movies, girls playing video games....kinda backwards, huh? :)
June 27, 2009. THE BIG DAY WAS HERE!!! After 18 long months, the countdown was over. In just a few hours I would be Mrs. Payton Johnson! There is not a single bad memory that comes with this day. I heard so many wedding horror stories of hair going wild, dresses being messed up, someone being late, rings getting lost....yikes! None of that happened, or at least if it did no one told me haha Everything was perfect! The decorations were gorgeous and exactly what I wanted. The cake was amazing and the best tasting cake I have ever had! My dress was....wow! Seriously, if I can ever find reason to wear it again I would do it in an instant. And it would never have been as beautiful without my Grandma's help! She added lots and lots of extra beading that gave it that perfect amount of sparkle. She also made my matching veil! I felt more beautiful than I ever have in my life! My bridesmaids looked perfect, I loved their dresses! The guys looked so handsome! Then there was my groom. :) To be honest he could have been wearing anything and he would have looked amazing. Just having him there was incredible. We were engaged 18 months and spent 40 days total together during that entire time. But there he was standing tall and proud in his Class A's! The church was PACKED! I couldn't believe how many people there were! The ceremony itself went off with out a hitch. Well almost...haha I put Payton's ring on his right hand, but he nicely takes the blame for that because it's the hand he held out to me. I was a little embarrassed, but it makes for a fun memory :-P
As I look back I can honestly say it was the best day of my life. I wouldn't have changed a single thing. Even looking back a year later I am so happy with our wedding!!
So what did we do for our first anniversary? We went on a Train Ride the took us down a small portion of the west coast. Then we went to church and afterwards went out to Outback for dinner. Now we are watching TV and eating giant Chocolate Chip Cookies :) On Saturday we will be taking a Dolphin Watching/Snorkeling/Sunset cruise. That's our big Anniversary celebration and the reason we didn't buy gifts for each other. I am so very excited to see Dolphins! That is the one and only thing on my "Must do before leaving Hawaii" list haha I can't wait!
Well thanks to everyone who cared enough to read this. I sure enjoyed writing it!
April 2009. A few days into April Payton returned to Hawaii and once again a countdown started to when I would see him again. Right now I had one thing to really focus on, graduation. It was hard to stay focused. In just a couple months I would be getting married and moving to Hawaii. Who wants to study instead of plan their wedding?? Oh and forgot to mention in my last post that just a day before Payton came home for R & R one of my very best friends, Jodi, got engaged. Yes, we were planning our weddings at the same time! :) Again, who wants to study??? lol I am very happy to say that I did study, I did pass, and on April 24, 2009 I graduated from college with a B.S. in Accounting. Wow, I was officially done with school for every. Now it was time to fully focus on wedding planning! YAY!!!!!
May 16, 2009. Ok this isn't part of our story, but I had to throw this in. On this day I had the pleasure of being a bridesmaid in Jodi & Shane's wedding! It was a beautiful wedding and the bride was glowing. I can not even begin to tell you how much I miss her and our other best friend, Laura. Life is just not the same without them.
June 26, 2009. Rehersal day! And what a busy day it was. just 3 weeks before the wedding Payton got approval to come home. However, it was only for a weekend pass which meant he would be in at 11am Friday and we had to head back to Hawaii Monday morning! On top of this quick little visit, we had yet to get our marriage license! So I picked Payton up from the airport and we went straight to the court house. Thankfully things went quickly and easily. We were officially ready to be married the next day. Off to the church we went :) The rehersal went well and afterwards Payton's parents had a big dinner for all of us at the Sirloin Stockade. The decorations in our party room were adorable!! My mother-in-law did such a great job with them and we all had a great time! Afterwards, the guys went off to a movie and us girls went to Laura's and played the Wii. Guys at the movies, girls playing video games....kinda backwards, huh? :)
June 27, 2009. THE BIG DAY WAS HERE!!! After 18 long months, the countdown was over. In just a few hours I would be Mrs. Payton Johnson! There is not a single bad memory that comes with this day. I heard so many wedding horror stories of hair going wild, dresses being messed up, someone being late, rings getting lost....yikes! None of that happened, or at least if it did no one told me haha Everything was perfect! The decorations were gorgeous and exactly what I wanted. The cake was amazing and the best tasting cake I have ever had! My dress was....wow! Seriously, if I can ever find reason to wear it again I would do it in an instant. And it would never have been as beautiful without my Grandma's help! She added lots and lots of extra beading that gave it that perfect amount of sparkle. She also made my matching veil! I felt more beautiful than I ever have in my life! My bridesmaids looked perfect, I loved their dresses! The guys looked so handsome! Then there was my groom. :) To be honest he could have been wearing anything and he would have looked amazing. Just having him there was incredible. We were engaged 18 months and spent 40 days total together during that entire time. But there he was standing tall and proud in his Class A's! The church was PACKED! I couldn't believe how many people there were! The ceremony itself went off with out a hitch. Well almost...haha I put Payton's ring on his right hand, but he nicely takes the blame for that because it's the hand he held out to me. I was a little embarrassed, but it makes for a fun memory :-P
As I look back I can honestly say it was the best day of my life. I wouldn't have changed a single thing. Even looking back a year later I am so happy with our wedding!!
So what did we do for our first anniversary? We went on a Train Ride the took us down a small portion of the west coast. Then we went to church and afterwards went out to Outback for dinner. Now we are watching TV and eating giant Chocolate Chip Cookies :) On Saturday we will be taking a Dolphin Watching/Snorkeling/Sunset cruise. That's our big Anniversary celebration and the reason we didn't buy gifts for each other. I am so very excited to see Dolphins! That is the one and only thing on my "Must do before leaving Hawaii" list haha I can't wait!
Well thanks to everyone who cared enough to read this. I sure enjoyed writing it!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Our Story, Part 1
Well it's our first anniversary! So in honor of that I thought I should tell our story. This will take a few posts, so come back later today for part 2 :) Let's start at the very beginning.....
Payton and I met at the age of 13/14 when he and his mom started attending our church. It was NOT love at first sight....far from it haha I can still remember a youth group trip ending in me yelling at Payton to "SHUT UP!" and he had his own opinion of me at the time. Yikes....not good lol However, somewhere along the line something changed. It was a God thing for sure because neither of us ever saw it coming. My senior year of High School(2005) he started calling me for no reason at all. We started hanging out at church and youth functions. Soon after he started coming along to some of my family things. We were "just friends" for awhile, but eventually we both wanted more. Things were kinda rocky those first couple years because of some situations...but we'll fast forward.
September 20, 2007. I can honestly say this was one of the worst days of my entire life. I cried more that day (and the days following) than I had my entire life. For two years now Payton had been a big part of my life and had become my best friend. But on this day I had to let the Army take him away to basic training. I knew in my heart this was God's plan for him and that he needed to do it. That's the only thing that kept me from being upset with him for joining. I have never to this day wished he didn't or resented him for it. It was the right thing for him to do. I had people come to me and say "talk him out of it. He'll listen to you." I couldn't talk him out of something that I knew God wanted. I would have never forgiven myself.
December 15, 2007. Payton got to come home from basic on Christmas Exodus!! To say I was the happiest girl in the world would be an understatement! The first time I saw him I didn't recognize him. Shaved head and about 30 pounds lighter, he looked like a different person. It was so great to see him again and in my heart I knew he had something special planned during these two weeks home....
December 27, 2007. It was the one year anniversary since our first kiss. Have I mentioned yet how blessed I have been with Payton? He was my first boyfriend and I had never been kissed. He waited SO very patiently for me to be ready. Never once pressured me and even got upset when he went to kiss me on the cheek and I turned at the wrong time and he slightly hit my lips. He felt HORRIBLE because He really wanted ME to be ready and I am so greatful for that. So anyways, one year later we planned a special date. We were going to Texas Road House and the Walkway of Lights like we did the year before. Payton's plan was to make our trip to the Walkway just like it had been a year ago. We'd see the lights, then go to the little shop and get a brownie and hot chocolate. Unfortunately, we got to the shop too late and it was closed. So there we stood outside on a rainy, foggy night freezing to death haha Despite foiled plans, Payton proposed right there in his ACU's and I guess I didn't say yes, I said "I'd love to!" haha The ring was PERFECT and I was so proud of him because he picked it out all on his own!
Januay 12, 2008. I drove down to Ft Benning, GA with Paytons mom and brother to see him graduate from Basic Training. I couldn't have been more proud of him!! It was so exciting to know that he had accomplished this and it was great to have a few hours with him again. He was to be stationed in Hawaii and as exciting as it sounded to one day live there, it was so far away :( This goodbye was probably the hardest though, because he knew that in a matter of weeks he was deploying to Iraq. This would be the last time we'd see each other before he went over there. I was scared. So very scared....
February 28, 2008. I think this day probably is a tye with the day he left for basic. This was the day Payton deployed. To make matters worse, this was also the day we buried a dear friend of the family and church. In fact his funeral had just ended when I got the phone call from Payton saying he was leaving for the airport. Talk about a rough day....The deployment was hard. Lots of tears were shed over that year. I was stressed to the max with college, a job, and wedding plans. I was scared, a lot. I always wondered if that last phone call or Facebook message would be it. I am so thankful that in May he was able to get his R & R and was home for his birthday. Unfortunately that meant 10 solid months apart as he finished the rest of his deployment. There were many break downs during those 10 months. I was so blessed with great family and friends that were there for me during those times. I was also able to go down to GA and visit my Aunt Sandy and her kids for a few days. My uncle was also in Iraq at the time so it was nice to be with someone who knew EXACTLY what I was going through!
I know this has been very long, but I don't want to end on such a sad note so here is one more thing.....
March 2008. Payton was finally back in Hawaii and out of Iraq!!! It was like a huge rock was lifted off my chest and I could breath again. He was safe, unharmed and we had made it! In just a few short weeks he was back home for leave, AND he was able to be home for my birthday :) I still to this day thank God for keeping him safe over there!
Ok that's enough for now. I'm sure you are all bored and have read enough :) Later today I'll post the wedding details and the months leading up to it. Hope you are all having a wonderful day!
Payton and I met at the age of 13/14 when he and his mom started attending our church. It was NOT love at first sight....far from it haha I can still remember a youth group trip ending in me yelling at Payton to "SHUT UP!" and he had his own opinion of me at the time. Yikes....not good lol However, somewhere along the line something changed. It was a God thing for sure because neither of us ever saw it coming. My senior year of High School(2005) he started calling me for no reason at all. We started hanging out at church and youth functions. Soon after he started coming along to some of my family things. We were "just friends" for awhile, but eventually we both wanted more. Things were kinda rocky those first couple years because of some situations...but we'll fast forward.
September 20, 2007. I can honestly say this was one of the worst days of my entire life. I cried more that day (and the days following) than I had my entire life. For two years now Payton had been a big part of my life and had become my best friend. But on this day I had to let the Army take him away to basic training. I knew in my heart this was God's plan for him and that he needed to do it. That's the only thing that kept me from being upset with him for joining. I have never to this day wished he didn't or resented him for it. It was the right thing for him to do. I had people come to me and say "talk him out of it. He'll listen to you." I couldn't talk him out of something that I knew God wanted. I would have never forgiven myself.
December 15, 2007. Payton got to come home from basic on Christmas Exodus!! To say I was the happiest girl in the world would be an understatement! The first time I saw him I didn't recognize him. Shaved head and about 30 pounds lighter, he looked like a different person. It was so great to see him again and in my heart I knew he had something special planned during these two weeks home....
December 27, 2007. It was the one year anniversary since our first kiss. Have I mentioned yet how blessed I have been with Payton? He was my first boyfriend and I had never been kissed. He waited SO very patiently for me to be ready. Never once pressured me and even got upset when he went to kiss me on the cheek and I turned at the wrong time and he slightly hit my lips. He felt HORRIBLE because He really wanted ME to be ready and I am so greatful for that. So anyways, one year later we planned a special date. We were going to Texas Road House and the Walkway of Lights like we did the year before. Payton's plan was to make our trip to the Walkway just like it had been a year ago. We'd see the lights, then go to the little shop and get a brownie and hot chocolate. Unfortunately, we got to the shop too late and it was closed. So there we stood outside on a rainy, foggy night freezing to death haha Despite foiled plans, Payton proposed right there in his ACU's and I guess I didn't say yes, I said "I'd love to!" haha The ring was PERFECT and I was so proud of him because he picked it out all on his own!
Januay 12, 2008. I drove down to Ft Benning, GA with Paytons mom and brother to see him graduate from Basic Training. I couldn't have been more proud of him!! It was so exciting to know that he had accomplished this and it was great to have a few hours with him again. He was to be stationed in Hawaii and as exciting as it sounded to one day live there, it was so far away :( This goodbye was probably the hardest though, because he knew that in a matter of weeks he was deploying to Iraq. This would be the last time we'd see each other before he went over there. I was scared. So very scared....
February 28, 2008. I think this day probably is a tye with the day he left for basic. This was the day Payton deployed. To make matters worse, this was also the day we buried a dear friend of the family and church. In fact his funeral had just ended when I got the phone call from Payton saying he was leaving for the airport. Talk about a rough day....The deployment was hard. Lots of tears were shed over that year. I was stressed to the max with college, a job, and wedding plans. I was scared, a lot. I always wondered if that last phone call or Facebook message would be it. I am so thankful that in May he was able to get his R & R and was home for his birthday. Unfortunately that meant 10 solid months apart as he finished the rest of his deployment. There were many break downs during those 10 months. I was so blessed with great family and friends that were there for me during those times. I was also able to go down to GA and visit my Aunt Sandy and her kids for a few days. My uncle was also in Iraq at the time so it was nice to be with someone who knew EXACTLY what I was going through!
I know this has been very long, but I don't want to end on such a sad note so here is one more thing.....
March 2008. Payton was finally back in Hawaii and out of Iraq!!! It was like a huge rock was lifted off my chest and I could breath again. He was safe, unharmed and we had made it! In just a few short weeks he was back home for leave, AND he was able to be home for my birthday :) I still to this day thank God for keeping him safe over there!
Ok that's enough for now. I'm sure you are all bored and have read enough :) Later today I'll post the wedding details and the months leading up to it. Hope you are all having a wonderful day!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Life Right Now
Second post in a matter of minutes...haha sorry. I just felt like my first post needed to be said so now it's on to simply filling you in on life :)
As hard as it is to believe, Payton and I will be celebrating our 1st Anniversary on Sunday!! Which also means two days later marks one year since I have been in Hawaii! Where did the time go? Everything in my life changed in such a short amount of time. I left the town, the church, the people that I had been with for 22 years of my life and moved clear across the country with my new husband. Talk about an adjustment! It wasn't easy at first. I was miserable in Hawaii. I missed everything about home, hated the Army and Hawaii, and wasn't enjoying the trials that came with living on our own and paying bills. The only good thing going for me was the amazing husband that I had by my side (well when the Army allowed him to be there lol) Now nearly a year later everything is different once again. We have a wonderful apartment, a GREAT car, money to pay the bills, and I even have some friends. I've adjusted (somewhat) to the differences between Hawaii and Indiana....and I will actually miss one or two things about Hawaii. Seriously though, not enough things to make me want to come back. :) EVER.
So what are we doing now? Well we are in the beginning stages of moving back home!! We have exactly 3 months and 6 days left here in Hawaii, then we will be on our way back to where our hearts and minds have been this whole time! No more Hawaii. No more Army. No more missing big events and holidays back home. No more having to ask my parents to send me the bagels I love because they don't sell them here. lol BUT that also means no more guaranteed pay check from the Army...yikes. So needless to say the job hunt for me has begun. Any of you back home who hear of something (Accounting related preferably) please let me know! Right now there doesn't seem to be much open, at least not that I can find on the internet. Payton practically has a job lined up for when we get home thanks to a friend of his and we thank God for that! Otherwise we might be a little bit panicky. We are blessed to be able to live in my Mamaw's empty house when we move back, so again we thank God for providing that as well!
The big question with newlyweds (especially when you hit that first year mark) is when are we having babies?? haha The plan is to wait until we are settled in back home and have at least one pay check coming in. Now, God may have other plans but we pray that isn't the case :) Although we will be getting some type of "fur-baby" when we get back because I miss my animals SO much!!
I think that's all for now. I'm sure I have bored you enough already :) Hope you are all having a wonderful day!
As hard as it is to believe, Payton and I will be celebrating our 1st Anniversary on Sunday!! Which also means two days later marks one year since I have been in Hawaii! Where did the time go? Everything in my life changed in such a short amount of time. I left the town, the church, the people that I had been with for 22 years of my life and moved clear across the country with my new husband. Talk about an adjustment! It wasn't easy at first. I was miserable in Hawaii. I missed everything about home, hated the Army and Hawaii, and wasn't enjoying the trials that came with living on our own and paying bills. The only good thing going for me was the amazing husband that I had by my side (well when the Army allowed him to be there lol) Now nearly a year later everything is different once again. We have a wonderful apartment, a GREAT car, money to pay the bills, and I even have some friends. I've adjusted (somewhat) to the differences between Hawaii and Indiana....and I will actually miss one or two things about Hawaii. Seriously though, not enough things to make me want to come back. :) EVER.
So what are we doing now? Well we are in the beginning stages of moving back home!! We have exactly 3 months and 6 days left here in Hawaii, then we will be on our way back to where our hearts and minds have been this whole time! No more Hawaii. No more Army. No more missing big events and holidays back home. No more having to ask my parents to send me the bagels I love because they don't sell them here. lol BUT that also means no more guaranteed pay check from the Army...yikes. So needless to say the job hunt for me has begun. Any of you back home who hear of something (Accounting related preferably) please let me know! Right now there doesn't seem to be much open, at least not that I can find on the internet. Payton practically has a job lined up for when we get home thanks to a friend of his and we thank God for that! Otherwise we might be a little bit panicky. We are blessed to be able to live in my Mamaw's empty house when we move back, so again we thank God for providing that as well!
The big question with newlyweds (especially when you hit that first year mark) is when are we having babies?? haha The plan is to wait until we are settled in back home and have at least one pay check coming in. Now, God may have other plans but we pray that isn't the case :) Although we will be getting some type of "fur-baby" when we get back because I miss my animals SO much!!
I think that's all for now. I'm sure I have bored you enough already :) Hope you are all having a wonderful day!
I'm back
A few months back I started this blog with the idea that I could keep family and friends up-to-date on Payton and I's lives. I also thought it would be a great way to give me something to do and keep busy since I spend most of my time at home all day. I typed out a fairly long blog giving details about our first few months in Hawaii, our apartment, car, and church. It was just a plain and simple blog telling friends and family what was going on in our life. Harmless, right? Yeah not so much. Someone took offense to me saying that God provided something for us simply because that person had a hand in helping us and they believed we owed ALL the credit to them. According to them, God had NOTHING to do with it. Drama just exploded from there and I made the decision to not blog anymore because I didn't want to deal with the drama. Now, months later I've done some thinking. Why because of issues from one person should I have to stop my blog? And also, why should I not be able to give God the credit he deserves? Doesn't he tell us in the Bible that we will face persecution because of our Faith and that our Faith will be tested? He also tells us that if we deny Him to others, He will deny us. Even though I didn't deny God, I began to think that stopping my blog because of that comment was in a way saying that I won't publicly thank God just because drama may start. Well I am not OK with that. All that to say, I will be blogging and chances are many of them will in some way make reference to God. If God deserves my praise (and He does) then I'll say it. If I see Him working in my life, I'll say that too. If I have a verse on my mind, I'll put it in my blog. That's just how it's going to be. I'm not saying this will be a preachy devotional that's going to make everyone feel like crap about themselves. I plan to write about anything and everything. I'll write about funny things that happen, our progress on moving home and getting settled in when we get there. What I am saying is that this blog will be about Payton and I's lives and God is a big part of that. So anyways, when I update I'll let you know!:)
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