A Look Back at 2008

As I look back on 2008, I am filled with a lot of emotions. I am definitely going into 2009 a different person. I feel that in one year I have grown a lot, learned a lot about myself, life, and others, and experienced a lot of things, many for the first time. I laughed, cried (a lot), struggled, rejoiced, traveled, regretted things, conquered fears, and crossed things off my 2008 “To do list”. I made new friends, and made memories that will last a lifetime. I do know that this time last year if you would have told me I would have done, and been through half the things I did I would not have believed you. This year has been good in many ways but also has been very hard.

One thing I learned a lot about in this crazy year is trust. There were many things that I felt I had control over but I didn’t. God ultimately has control over everything and I had to learn in some hard ways that I was being very controlling and I had to give that up and trust that He had things under control and that I have to trust Him especially in dark times. After a rollercoaster of a year, I am anticipating 2009 and greeting it with open arms. I am still unsure of a lot of things, but what I have learned from this past year is to take things one day at a time, and enjoy each and every moment of every day! I am so thankful for the life God has given me, and I am praying that 2009 allows me to: travel a lot, find my dream, be where God wants me to be, change the world, serve others, buy a car, meet more people, and continue to trust wholeheartedly in the Lord!

I do have to give a shout out to Danilee and Tommy Smith. Without them in my life, and their friendship I would not have been able to experience half of the things in did in 2008. Thank you guys so much for investing in my life, being there for me, pushing me, and allowing me into your lives. I love you both so much and will forever cherish the memories I have had this past year!

Just for fun, here are some of the many “Firsts” I experienced this year :) Enjoy.

My “Firsts” of 2008

My first time on a plane
My first trip to AK/west coast
My first car (bought w/ my own money and then sold in less than 2 months :) )
My first “real” date
My first time witnessing a birth
My first (and last) Masters degree
My first trip to TX (in a truck with 3 other adults and a newborn)
My first time working in the food/coffee industry and my first time being a manager
My first time leading a small group
My first year maintaining my weight loss
My first time going two steppin (with real cowboys even :) )
My first real rodeo (sorry Lynchburg peeps….bull bucking in Boonsboro is not a “real” rodeo)
My first time on a cruise boat
My first time seeing the beautiful breathtaking Mt. McKinley (from land and air!) and the Rockies
My first time swimming in a natural hot springs
My first time trying and enjoying sushi
My first time being a wedding photographer
My first time shooting a gun :)

My first time hiking a glacier
My first time eating fresh caught AK salmon (amazing!)
My first time taking communion w/ tortillas (at a church in TX, not bread or crackers…tortillas..gotta love TX) :)

My first time seeing a nonstop sunset for 5 +hours (and numerous "sunsets" at 12 midnight)
My first time being in daylight 24/7 for 2 ½ months and seeing no darkness
My first time living w/ boys
My first time sleeping on a cot (for 2 ½ months)
My first time experiencing 40 degrees below 0
My first time seeing a moose in the wild and a whale in the ocean
My first time witnessing a cow branding
My first time riding a horse (I rode one before at “snow camp” and didn’t really ride, just got on and got off).
My first time as an official VA resident (no longer a PA resident!)

Christmas Time is Here

So it’s been a couple weeks since I last updated. Life is getting busy again: lots of gatherings, lots of activities, and committments but I thrive on busyness.....sometimes it gets to be too much to handle but I would rather be busy than bored with nothing to do. Christmas is next week and it’s hard to believe it’s here. It seems like yesterday I landed in the August heat and humidity at the Philadelphia airport coming back from Alaska.

I know a lot of people are affected by the economy this Christmas, and me being a giving person, this Christmas is very different. I do not have the funds to buy a lot of gifts like I normally do. I love the act of giving but this Christmas I believe will be special for many because a lot of people don’t have the finances to do so. I think this year is a time to reflect on what Christmas is really all about. It gives families the ability to be creative in making homemade gifts, or give nothing at all, just to spend that time with each other and forget all the “commercial” aspects of Christmas time and embrace the birth of Christ and enjoy the time to get together with family and friends you do not see often. I know for me, it has allowed me to take a step back and instead of worrying about what to get everyone on my huge gift list and going in and out of tons of stores to get the “perfect” gift for everyone, I have had time to really enjoy spending time with friends and soon family and just enjoy their company in this season. I think the bad economy has allowed at least me to find simple happiness and joy this holiday season instead of worry, anxiety, and spending tons of money. I am thankful for where I am at, even if I don’t want to be here. This year has been humbling and I am excited to see where the Lord takes me in 2009 :)

Being Thankful in Everything!

Thanksgiving is one week away exactly, and last night I went to The Gathering at Brentwood and through the message, the video, the songs, and the communion I was really challenged to be Thankful even when it’s hard to be Thankful! There is so much to complain about and look at as negative, but I have air to breath, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, a family, good health….etc. I can be Thankful in everything, and this time of year is a good reminder to do that. As I reflected on this past year, 2008, it has been hard and challenging, but at the same time there are so many things I can look back on and be soooo thankful for. Here are a few things:

I am thankful for forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation. The Lord has shown me that He can work in mysterious ways, and that true authentic relationships can be formed if the body of Christ functions as it should! After 5 years of so many negative emotions, a true, real, authentic, loving friendship has formed with someone that I can’t imagine my life without! You know who you are and I pray for you daily and am so thankful that God has brought you into my life and has given me a real, true friend. I am thankful that the Lord spoke to you last year at this time and that you obeyed Him and contacted me to heal those deep wounds together! Thank you God it was all you!

I am thankful for friends, the true friends that “do life” with me, and will not judge me or leave me and accept all of me even the messy stuff! I love you all, and you truly are Jesus to me!

I am thankful for good health. Going 6 months without insurance was/is scary especially having health issues, but God has been good in allowing me to stay healthy and safe; what a blessing!

I am thankful for a place to live. While my apartment has its perks and downfalls, and was truly humbling moving from a luxury apartment to a place out in the country, it is a true blessing at this time of my life and I am thankful for it (chickens and all!).

I am thankful for the dark times I have gone through this year. Numerous scary health problems, relationship problems, Alaska, unemployment, lack of direction, school….all of these situations sucked big time, but in the end and down the road I grew stronger, wiser, and healthier . Without having to go through the rough times, I may not be the woman I am today. I cannot say that when I was going through them I was thankful, in fact most of the time I was very mad and distant from God and others, but I see now that I had to let Him lead me through those times to shape me, mold me, and grow me. Thank you for the dark times Lord! (Isaiah 42:16)

I am thankful for unanswered prayers. Again, looking back on my life when I would pray consistently everyday for things, I cannot say that I was thankful for God saying “wait” or “no” but I am thankful that all of those things He said no to because it is now that I see it was not what He wanted, it was what I wanted and He kept me from a lot of pain, heartache and hurt that I couldn’t see at the time.

I am thankful for a job. While working at LU again is not what I wanted (I said I would NEVER go back….haha jokes on me!) I am thankful for the opportunity to learn new things, meet new people, and wait patiently until the Lord reveals where He wants to use me next and hopefully reveals my dream to me. I took a pay cut leaving LU, going to AK, and coming back here to another position but I have to remind myself daily that I am here for a reason and the Lord will provide for all of my needs.

I am thankful for provisions. There have been so many times the past 6 month that I did not know if I could pay bills, buy food, etc., but the Lord always worked it out that I would get just what I needed, I just need to trust that it will happen like that.

I am thankful for my singleness. I never thought I would be saying that, especially as I approach 25 (I know thats not old, but hear me out) but the Lord has shown me that I just have to keep waiting for the one He has for me. I have done so much, seen so much, and have developed as an individual and I would not trade these 24 years of singleness for anything because I may not have been able to experience those things if not single. I desire so much to be married, to meet that man that is perfect for me, to be a good and loving wife, and to have what my pastors, my friends, and my mentors have in their marriage, but I also know that in I Corinthians 13 is says that “Love is Patient” so why would I want to rush anything, or do things on my terms. Maybe 2009 is the year I will actually date, and meet my soul mate...that smoking hot, godly man made just for me :), but if it is not I will be ok, and I will continue to wait! Thank you Lord for this season of singleness that I have to grow with you, fall more in love with YOU and continue to grow into the woman of God you want me to be! One thing I have learned this year as well is that I am worth waiting for!

I am thankful for the gifts and talents the Lord has given me. I am thankful for my desire to serve, to be hospitable, to give, to love, to encourage. I have seen how the Lord has used me to things for others and how He has been glorified in all of these things. I am so glad that the Lord has made me the way He did, and even though many days I don’t always like me…..I know that I was created this way for a purpose and am willing to be used in any way to glorify Him!

I am thankful for a WONDERFUL church that I call home...Brentwood Church. I am thankful for a godly pastor and staff, I am thankful for small groups and the privilege to lead one at this time, I am thankful for the challenge I get every Sunday, for the realness of the church, for its authenticity, for the people that love the Lord and love others, for the worship I can experience with God each week, and for the ability to serve each week on host teams. It is truly an important part of my life, and has shown me what a local church should look like! I really missed it when I was in AK, and am honord to be a part of this amazing group of believers!

I could go on, but these are some of the big things I have been thankful for this year! I look forward to another year of new excitements, challenges, and growth and am challenged to find thankfulness even in those dark, lonely hours when I think there is nothing to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I love you all dearly and pray that you can reflect back on your own life, your 2008, and see God’s grace, provision, and love in your story as well! :) Here is the video we watched, enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wQo_eYSc2Y

It's Getting Cold

The beautiful colored leaves have fallen off the trees and the erie bare branches are exposed to the cold air that has moved in preparing for snowfall. I love fall. I love all the colors, the festivities, the food, and the ambiance it gives when you walk out the front door, but I do not anticipate the cold weather and snow. Despite the chilly air and the layers you must wear to go outside, the advantage to the winter months is that I also love when the holidays are approaching. I like to go shopping and browse the stores looking for bargains, and gifts for friends and family. I love Christmas music, Christmas decorations, the smell and taste of holiday food, making cookies and wrapping presents. Most of the time its seems like people are in better moods, and its seems as if the holidays create a sense of bonding and togetherness.

Last night Dina and I put up our Christmas tree (yes its early but the next few weekends are busy and last night seemed appropriate). It looks so homey in our living room now, and I love to sit in the living room listening to Christmas music and drinking hot chocolate by the glow of the Christmas lights. While Thanksgiving has not arrived just yet, I am anticipating the Christmas season! I do love Thanksgiving and look forward to seeing family and partaking in some delicious food!

Small Group

Last night was the fourth meeting of my new small group. There are 5 of us, and to be honest at first I was a little scared of starting a new small group. I was in an amazing small group for 2 years with some amazing ladies, and the thought of having to share my life again with strangers and start the process over again scared me. Also I was asked to co-lead this group which was scary because I do not feel as if I am a good leader or teacher and I swore I would not lead a group....funny how God works huh? :) Last night was a sweet night. The first two weeks we played ice breaker games and had a lot of fun, and then the past two weeks we have shared our stories. Last night we all talked before we parted ways and expressed that we could all relate so well with each other, and that so many of us could relate to each others stories and how it was so nice to have a group of girls that you feel you can trust and relate to.

I love small groups. I love Brentwood and the passion they have for small groups. Not to knock Sunday School because I think that can be a good program in a church if done properly, but from my experiences, Sunday school can be so mundane, cliquey, and surface level. Its almost like something you "do" on Sunday morning because you have to, but most of the time you really don't do life with those people you do your Sunday "duty", but on a smile when you walk in the door even if your week has been horrible, bring a dessert to an occasional party, and go on with your life. For me small groups are so much more. Small groups are about being transparent with each other, being real, sharing your story, your struggles, your triumphs, and your heart with a group of people you are committed to and trusting them to help you through life. I am so blessed! I'm not going to say that doing life with others is easy because its is not! There are times when things are bad, when you want to give up, and when you don't want to be open with those people but in the end it is so worth it!

Funny

It is so funny to me how God works sometimes. As most of you know, I quit my job at LU in May and have been unemployed until last week. That period of time was very stressful, confusing, and I spent a lot of time arguing and crying with God asking why He would open the door for me to go to Alaska, then not give me a job until two weeks before I had to leave and then bring me back to Lynchburg with no employment for 3 more months. I became angry with God as I daily saw my bank account dwindle, but the other day I was reading back through my journal and I saw a bunch of posts where I was pleading with God to give me rest. I have read the verses about rest but never felt like I had that. Before I left for Alaska I was non-stop busy. I had work which I was struggling with, I had church commitments, I was taking classes with lots of work to finish up my Masters, I had stuff going on almost every night of the week and I felt burnt out. The Lord spoke to me the other night as I read back through my journal and showed me that even though I was not working and making money for 6 months, He had given me the rest I so longed for! Yes, it was stressful, but I didn't have commitments, I didn't have deadlines at work to stress about, I didn't have school work to stress over, I had time to read, pray, seek direction, and do.......nothing. Thank you God for giving me that rest that I so needed even though the past 6 months I saw it more of a curse than a blessing!

Another funny thing the Lord did (he is such comedian sometimes) is that He provided a job for me back at LU. I swore when I left for Alaska that if I returned to Lynchburg LU would be the LAST place I would look for a job. I had a couple interviews, and nothing was working out. The jobs I wanted were not available and I have no money anymore to move to another city to look for a job, and then the Lord opened the door to a job back at LU, and back in DLP Academic. I have enjoyed my job this past week, and I am so thankful for it, but I am curious to see how the Lord uses me and what He will teach me during this season of my life. So.....we will see what happens, but I am excited to see whats around the corner. :)

Long time

Well Friends, I am sorry I have not written in a while. I have no Internet so it makes it hard to write on a daily basis. Not much going on here in L-burg. I went to one of my best friends weddings last weekend and it was a blast. She was beautiful, it was a fun wedding, and I got to hang out with old friends. This weekend I am going to Atlanta for another wedding, so that should be fun! I still have no job. I've had lots of interviews but no one wants me. I hate that. I have tried to keep my spirits up but seriously, if I don't get a job soon I will have no money left. I keep praying that God brings me the right job at the right time but it is so hard feeling worthless, and feeling like no one wants you. I have the education but I have 0 experience so that sucks!!!

As for everything else.....I am co-leading a small group and we had our first meeting last night. I am excited to see where the Lord will take the 5 of us these next 8 weeks. Other than that nothing is going on. I hope you all are doing well! Thanks for reading :)

Labor Day

Last night we drove to Roanoke to go to the White's house for the holiday. We got here and played with the kids, ate dinner and then watched a movie. Today we woke up, made a good breakfast and babysat the kids while the White's went to the church to send some volunteers to Mississippi to help people in the hurricane. I think in a few hours we are going to cookout and then Dina and I are going to the mall to see if there are any really good sales at Valley View. After that I think we are heading home. Tomorrow I want to contact some places about jobs. I am really bored and tired of not working so hopefully soon I will get something! Well that is about all the excitement that is going on in my life. As you can see nothing much! I am going to try to enjoy Labor Day so talk to you all later! Have a great day!!!

So I am all moved into my new apartment. It has its perks and its downfalls but it will do for now. It is 10 miles from the highway and is tucked away in the country so that is something that I am not used to. I have been used to being close to everything and now being further out is something very different. It is quiet which is good, and the landlord is nice. The carpentry of the house is horrible, and we have no dishwasher and now drawers in the kitchen. I also have mold in my closet! :( ew! But it is month to month and is really cheap so I guess I can deal with all the downfalls. I have no Internet which makes things hard in that area. I have been utilizing Panera Bread's free wi fi for the time being. I do love my queen sized bed! After sleeping on a cot for two plus months it is so nice to have all my stuff and have a nice big bed to sleep in!

Today I am babysitting again, and then tonight my friends are having a cookout at their house which will be a lot of fun. Tomorrow is church, and we may be going to Roanoke to spend the night and will be celebrating Labor day at the beautiful Smith Mt. Lake! So the weekend looks very fun, and hopefully this week I can get a full time job! Continue to pray for that! Other than moving nothing much has been going on. I will fill you in on more later.

No Internet

Hey friends, so I moved into my new apartment yesterday and we have no internet so I will have to be going to places with free wifi for a while. So if you see that I have not updated that is the reason! I will be back on soon to tell you about my new place and all that is going on. Thanks friends!

So yesterday we wanted to move into our new apartment but didn't have a truck or Uhaul, so we filled out applications, took some to places and then met with a girl that does AMAZING photography. It was sooo good to meet with her, ask her questions, and get some tips for the wedding I will be doing in a few weeks. Then I went to the mall to look at camera stuff at Ritz, then Dina and I went to our friends Tim and Colleen's house for dinner. It was a lot of fun, they had fajitas which were amazing, we caught up and then had a yummy dinner. So that was fun!

Today I babysat a 4 month old girl. She was pretty good, she is getting a tooth already and was a little cranky but did a good job. I went to lunch with my sister which was good, and then came back to MJ's till the baby's mom came to pick her up. Tonight I was going to babysit again, but it got canceled so I am not sure what the night will hold. HOPEFULLY Uhaul will call us today and we will be able to move tomorrow! I am sooooo ready to have my own place and not live out of my suitcases! Continue to pray for a job! I don't even know what to do and I know the Lord will provide for me! Well.....I am going to go for now. I have had a headache all day so I might lay down.

Nice weekend

So today I went to church. It was a good service about serving in the local church, and I have signed up to work on host teams again which I am VERY excited about! I also signed up to be in a new small group, we will have 4 "classes" and then by October I should be in a new one. I am nervous and excited all at the same time but I love Brentwood and am so glad to be back!

I spent the weekend in Roanoke which is always fun! Friday after visiting my friends in DLP I packed up and we drove to Roanoke. Dina's family is out of town but let us stay at their house for the night. We went to my favorite restaurant Carrabba's for dinner which as always was amazing, and then we went back to the house to watch movies. Saturday we got up, went downtown to the Mill Mountain Coffee shop, and then walked around the farmers market. It is always fun to do that and see all the local talent and produce. Then we headed to the mall where Old Navy was having and amazing sale, and then I went to my favorite store Charlotte Ruse where I got a couple shirts on sale! So that was fun, then we headed back to the burg where we met MJ and went back to her place to watch a movie. Overall it was a fun weekend. Hopefully tomorrow we can move into our new place. It is not the most ideal place but for now it will do. For some reason I am really nervous about everything. I hate that my life is still in limbo right now and that I do not have a plan. I like routine and I cannot wait to have one! I will hopefully be joining the gym this week, and then getting settled into the apartment and hopefully will find a job this week or next. Well I am going to go buy a paper and hopefully see some job adds in there!

Nothing much

So, since I have been back I have to say I am not motivated which is not good. My bank account is dwindling, and I NEED a job or two actually but a lot has happened the past few weeks that has emotionally drained me. Not saying I am "depressed" but I just do not feel like doing much of anything. Last night I stayed up till 1am talking and this morning felt like a truck hit me. MJ (my friend who I am staying w/ at the moment) woke up this morning and went to Wal-Mart to get stuff to make breakfast this morning so we all had a nice hearty breakfast. Then we are trying to plan her wedding and spent some time looking stuff up online about having a backyard wedding, and now I am here. I had expectations for the day but each day seems harder to care. I know the Lord has a plan and a direction for me but I just still feel lost! Well...tonight me and my friend Amber are going to one of my favorite spots Panera Bread for dinner and to catch up so that should be a lot of fun. Tomorrow I have a Dr's appointment but other than that not much else going on. I might go to Roanoke tonight and spend the night there and then to downtown tomorrow morning and take some pictures and stuff....but I'm not sure yet. Well, if you think of me in your prayers please pray for me as I do need all I can get! I will write more later. :)

Back in "The Burg"

Well my friends, my Alaskan adventure ended sooner than expected. To make a long story short, Dina and I felt that leaving early was the best thing for us and Danilee and Tommy ended up leaving early as well. Even through the hard times, I have gotten to a point where I do not regret going. There for a while I regretted it everyday, but have learned once again that "Nothing is Random" and that God used this experience to grow me, change me, take me out of my comfort zone, and have a summer of "firsts". I do miss Alaska in some ways and in other ways I am glad to be home. I will write more about what is going on but it is late and I am not alert enough to write all of what I am feeling but I wanted to let all of you know that I'm Back!!!!! :)

Peace

So today I woke up at 5:30am and went to the gym with Dina. We worked out for a 1/2 hour, got showered and ready and I dropped her off at Sam's Club. I then went to Wal-Mart at 8:30am to talk to personnel about getting a job there. They informed me that personnel was in a meeting and wouldn't be available until after 10. So I went to my favorite spot, Banres grabbed a cup of coffee, and did my devotions.

It was actually an amazing time with the Lord. I am going through a book called The Intentional Woman. Last summer my church took a number of ladies on a retreat to Roanoke and we had to buy this book for a study the one day. We only went over one chapter of the book and it was good but I never had time (because of school) to do the rest. My amazing friend and hairdresser Sarah and I were talking before I left about me not knowing what my dream, purpose, and direction are in life. I was venting my frustration and she told me to read the whole book, and it may help me in my quest for all these things.

So today I read two chapters, and was really encouraged. Moving here has been fun but also a dark time for me. I always have a "plan" no matter what I do or where I go. Alaska has totally thrown that off and everything up here has been without a plan, and not what I expected. Everyone says that this is an exciting time in my life and I am doing a once in a lifetime thing, but for me I often sit and regret "leaping" and part of me wishes I could have stayed in my comfort zone for a little longer. Anyaways, So today as I got into the second chapter a number of verses were brought to my attention and I felt as if the Lord was speaking to me and whispering to me that just because I do not have everything planned out right now He does, and this time is for something greater than I know and that He is always there and will provide if I trust Him.

Here are some verses that encouraged me:
Ephesians 1:11 (msg) "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for."

Plam 138:8 "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever."

Isaiah 42:16 "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them, I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." -This made me think of my time in Alaska. It is "unfamiliar", I feel as if I am blind in the "darkness" on in a "rough place", but I know that no matter what God is with me, and he is leading me towards the "light". :)

Psalm 32:8 (nlt) "The Lord says "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." - This verse really spoke to me because I felt as if the Lord was saying "Erin I know what is best for you always and I have an amazing purpose for your life. I will always be right beside you on that path of life I carved just for you and I will protect you, encourage you, love you and guide you through it all.....you just have to give me your hand and stop trying to go it alone". This almost brought me to tears just thinking of how God does have a plan for me, and even if I don't know it now, I will in His time.

The author also said this which made me think of my time here in Alaska: "God is happy for you to slow down in order to determine where you want to go, what you want to do, and who you want to be. He wants-even expects- you to take responsibility for each area of your life." I felt as if Lynchburg was good, and my "comfort zone" but I had so much going on that I never had time to slow down, search God, and try to figure of where to go, what to do, and discover who I am. Even though Alaska has been hard for me in many ways, it has allowed me the ability to slow down and get away from all the busyness:).

So after my time with the Lord, I went back to Wal-Mart to speak to personnel and then they paged the personnel person they said that they were busy and I would have to come back. GREAT!!!! I thought, but I didn't get discouraged. I went to Sam's to eat lunch with Dina and then I updated my application there. I then went to the "mall" (if you can call it that, it is 1/8 the size of Lynchburg and Chambersburg malls...sad :) ) to ask about employment and no one is hiring. I went to Safeway, and they aren't' hiring. Then I went to Fred Meyer (its like a target and Kroger mixed) and asked about employment. They are hiring but you have to fill out an application online. I went to the Starbucks inside of there and the girl was like "YES! we are hiring now!" she told me where to go online and that I should call a lady tomorrow about an interview and gave me her number. So PLEASE pray that something works! I just REALLY need something!

Now I am back at the house. I have to go back in to Sam's to pick up Dina at 5pm and then we are gong back to the gym to do more cardio and weights and then back here for dinner. So....it has been a good day overall. I will let you know how tomorrow goes. I think I am going to go w/ some peeps to see the new Batman movie :). Talk to you all later!

Fun Day on the Town

Well today was a pretty fun day. Dina had the day off so we planned a fun day to go see Fairbanks and do all the touristy stuff we have not done yet. We got up at 8am, ate breakfast and went to the gym. Dina worked out while I had to deal with Sallie Mae on the phone for an hour and a half.....not fun at all, but after all that talking I am praying things are worked out and my anxiety over paying these dumb things back is resolved. So....I didn't get to work out, but we got changed and at about noon we headed to a place called Pioneer Park.

Apparently its a historical theme park and no visitor to Fairbanks should miss it. It was ok. Not what I expected. We walked around to these cute little cabins that had handmade crafts and gifts, we ate at a little place where we ordered salmon salad sandwiches. After that we went and viewed a native museum, an old steamboat, an art gallery, and took lots of pictures along the way. The best part of Pioneer park was -40 Fairbanks experience. You pay to get dressed up in big heavy parkas and gloves and go into a big "freezer" that is set at -40 degrees. Once inside they let you take in a cup of boiling water and toss it up in the air and immediately it evaporates into steam....amazing. The girl took a picture of me and Dina, and then left us there for as long as we wanted. We got pictures by the thermostat, in an ice chair and we got to pound a nail in a board with a frozen banana. Sounds kinda silly but it was VERY COLD!!!!! I have never felt anything like that and am very glad I will not be here when it is that cold outside. We bought t-shirts that say "I survived -40 degrees in Fairbanks AK". Cheesy, but fun :). We got lots of pics and it was quite the experience.

After Pioneer Park we went to the Visitors Center downtown and took pictures at the "End of the Alaskan Highway" post, and took pictures of the famous Eskimo family statue fountain. We walked over to a place called the Fudge Pot. We got soft serve blueberry ice cream (yum!! it was made with real Alaskan wild blueberries) and then got a small sliver of blueberry chocolate fudge. Both were amazing! We sat and talked a bit and then walked downtown to all the shops.

After that we headed over to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Botanical gardens. Again, it was not what we expected but it was neat. Because it is light 24/7 during the summer their fruits and veggies grow HUGE. We saw some giant sized cabbage, broccoli, corn, and squash, and then a variety of beautiful flowers. Some were even flown in from Africa and other parts of the world. It was fun, and very pretty.

We then headed over to Barnes and Noble (our new hang out spot as you can tell), and read some magazines, then we were getting hungry so we headed home. All in all it was a great day. I am going to go talk to Wal-Mart personally tomorrow so please keep me in your prayers that they will be open to hiring me temporarily, and I can start soon. I want to enjoy AK w/o the stress of having no money. Well it is time for bed, I will talk to you all later! Have a great day.

Update

Ok so it has been a couple days since i have blogged, so i will fill you in on what is going on.

Saturday me, Danilee, Ryley, Trent and Tommy went to Chena Lake. It is very small but they have a little sand beach to lay out, and Tommy got a small boat and took that a long. I laid out (at 7pm :) ) and played with Ryley in the sand and water, and went out on the water with Tommy for a spin on the boat. It was a fun day, and I got a little bit of color to my pasty white skin :).

Sunday we tried a new church called Friends Community Church. It is the only church I have been to up here that is even remotely like Brentwood, and for the first time in over a month I felt like I was at Brentwood again. They had a coffee shop, the people were soooo friendly, the music was contemporary, the crowd was younger, and the teaching was similar (nothing compared to Jon Dupin's but for the first time in a while I felt that I learned something and had the intimacy with God during worship that I have Sundays at Brentwood). We went to the introduction class after church to learn more. There were somethings I didn't agree with, but doctrinally they are on point so I am excited to start going there on Sundays. They have small groups and singles meetings during the week and I would love to get connected into something so I can meet more people. After that Dina and went to Barnes and relaxed and then went out for some frozen Alaskan custard, then went home to find that two guys Garrett and Lee were at the house with the rest of the gang. We ordered pizza, talked and then had a Bible study on Philippians. It was good discussion and I enjoyed their company.

Monday I took Dina to work, went to the gym where I worked out and went swimming, then me, Danilee, Trent, and Ryley went to Subway for lunch, we dropped Dina off at work and went to Wal-Mart and then went home.

Today I dropped Dina off, went to work out, then came home, uploaded some pictures and wrote some emails, ate dinner and went to pick Dina up. It was a beautiful day, about 80 degrees so I enjoyed the time in the car and outside.

Tomorrow Dina is off, and it is supposed to be a beautiful day again so I think we are going to get up early and go do a bunch of touristy Fairbanks things. There is a place called Pioneer Park which is a place that they say everyone has to go that visits Fairbanks. I am excited to spend the day there and we might go do some other fun stuff while we can. So, I am really looking forward to tomorrow.

Well its about 10pm here so I am going to get some stuff together and get ready for bed. I will update you all on how my adventures are tomorrow. :)

Lazy Day

So today was Dina's first day at work (Sam's Club). I got up and drove her there and then went to talk to the manager of American Eagle to see if I could get an interview set up. She told me what everyone told me.....i am too late to apply for the summer and they are looking for people to commit to staying through the holidays.....so still no job and its July 11. Sad day! After that I drove over to Barnes and Noble, ordered my first Starbucks coffee since I have been here (Yes, I was going through w/drawl) sat in a comfy chair by the fireplace, did my devos and read a lot of magazines. It was nice to be out of the house, away from people and by myself for once in a long time. Danilee called around noon and wanted to meet up w/ me so we could go to the gym. I met up w/ her and we spend a while in Wal Mart and then went to Sams club. Dina had gotten off for lunch so she met up w/ us for 30 mins. By that time it was 2:30pm and we had to go back to pick her up at 5:30. So me, Danilee and the baby went to the bank and then Danilee and I sat in the parking lot and talked for a while.

Nothing special happened today, but I enjoyed the time to myself, my starbucks coffee, the beautiful warm weather, and time to sit one on one w/ Danilee and talk about life, girl stuff, and just laugh. Now I am back to the house to eat dinner. I think I will go on a walk after that. I get scared walking here b/c we live on the top of a mountain and the neighbors have spotted bears a few times in the past, so I get nervous walking on the road b/c I am always looking for moose or bears, but I might do it anyway :) After all its AK right. I am discouraged w/ not finding a job. I can't wait to be in a place where I can look for a career and not a three month job that I am "overqualified" for or that they don't want me b/c of the length of time I will be there. Well I am going to eat my Boca burger :) We will see what tomorrow holds. Talk to you then

Visited Santa

So yesterday was a lazy day but for the first time since being here I was ok with it. I woke up, ate breakfast and then Dina and I finished the Bachelorette via ABC.com. We had watched the first two episodes before we left and were way behind, so we watched all 10 or so episodes in 2 days. It was fun, and we both enjoyed it. We then went to workout yesterday and then came back to the house, made dinner, chilled and then went to bed. Not much, but still fun and relaxing.

Today was really fun. Me, Dina, Danilee, the kids and our friend Kneely woke up early and went to the gym. After that we ate lunch and then headed to the North Pole (about 15 mins from the gym) to go to the Santa Claus House. It was not what I expected but it was fun. It was an old looking building and the whole place is basically a gift shop but they have a lot of fun stuff and it feels like Christmas time. They had letters to Santa from all kinds of children all over the building which was cute. We got to meet the "real" Santa and Mrs. Claus and got pictures on his lap. He was sweet and knew where Lynchburg was and had even visited there in the 70's. We shopped a little more, went outside and took pictures and saw the reindeer. After the Santa House, we headed about 15 more minutes southeast to a place called the Knotty Shop. It's a funny name but it is a shop make out of the knotty wood found in AK and most of their gifts are from locals that carve, and make pottery. It was really neat and we got to have some yummy ice cream too. Then Dina and I headed back to the house to eat dinner and enjoy some time before the rest of our roommates came home. They like to eat out a lot but it gets expensive especially up here w/ the prices being a lot higher, so now that we have a car we are going to try to eat in more. Dina starts her job tomorrow and hopefully I can find one soon as well.

Hopefully we will get to go to Denali Park this weekend, but we will have to see how the weather is, and if Tommy can get off of work. Well....that is about all for now, nothing too exciting. Talk to you all later!

How things are going

I know I have said that things have been rough, but here is an update on how things are going. Dina and my car over heated and the guys think we need a new thermostat. It wont be a lot of work but hopefully when we get it, we will have no more problems with it. Dina got a job at Sams Club working at the photo lab, and I am still unemployed. I have to get ahold of the manager at American Eagle so pray that I can get that job! Dina and I joined the local gym The Alaska Club. We went for the first time on Monday and did cardio and weights and they also have a huge pool, hot tub and steam room we can use as well as a variety of classes. This will give us an outlet to get away and do something fun. I have missed the gym. I was used to working out 5 days a week for an hour +, and the past month I havent really gotten to do much physical activity. I have felt down about myself and feel so much better when I work out. The people we live with like to eat out and I find it so hard to eat healthy here because many places do not have health foods. Hopefully this will give me a boost and allow me to get away and do something I love.

I thought about leaving last week, but if the car is ok then I will try to stick it out till September. I really miss my church Brentwood. I miss Pastor Jon's teaching, and I miss all the amazing people there. I cannot wait to go back and be a part of it again. The churches here are hard to sit in. The people do not seem freindly and welcoming, the teaching is not my style, and the worship is not either. Every Sunday I get home sick for my church and cannot wait to get back and be a part of Brentwood again.

Well, it is raining again here and I think we are going to go workout in a bit, so I will post some more later.

A fun weekend

Well, even though things have looked down for me the past month, this weekend was worth my trip here. Me, Dina, Danilee, Tommy their kids Trent and Ryley and our new friends Sterling and Kneely went to Anchorage for the fourth of July weekend. The drive there was 6 hours but was breathtaking. I have never in my life seen mountains as big as those! They were beautiful. The water was an amazing color blue and most mountains still had some snow on them. I saw on moose cross the road, and got to drive through Denali. I have seen a little bit of Mt. McKinley one day here in Fairbanks but unfortunately it was too cloudy to see McKinley this weekend.

We got a late start on Friday (as usual), and I got an amazing deal on priceline negotiator for our hotels. We were all excited and headed off on our journey. We got to Anchorage at around 6pm and settled into our hotel rooms. The hotel was really nice, it was an extended stay deluxe suite and for the first time in a month I got to sleep on a bed! I know that sounds silly but Dina and I do not have beds here at the house and have been sleeping on cots for the past month so neither of us wanted to get up on Saturday or Sunday.

Friday night we freshened up and went downtown Anchorage to a really cute outdoor restaurant. I got to eat fresh Alaskan Red Salmon.....and it was AMAZING! The best salmon I have ever had. After that the girls went walking downtown and did some shopping until the fireworks show at midnight. At 11:30 we met up with the guys and headed over to the baseball field. It was weird because the sun was setting at that time, so it was still pretty light outside. I have always watched fireworks when it is pitch black so this was different but pretty. It got a little darker in Anchorage because it's further south, so by 1am it was weird to see the sky get dark because I have been used to constant light. When the fireworks were done we headed back to the hotel and crashed for the night.

Saturday we woke up, ate breakfast at Sterling and Kneely's room and then headed out to the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation. The drive there was AMAZING and something I will never forget. That whole stretch of road is beside the sound and all you see is beautiful grayish water, huge snow covered mountains shooting out from the sound, and beautiful clouds. The whole time I was saying "whoa", "look at that", and then I had to pause and thank God for creating such incredible beauty. I felt so close to the Lord driving along something so beautiful! I cannot understand how someone could see something like that and deny that there is a wonderful creator that formed that with His own hands. We stopped to take occasional pictures and after getting lost we made it to the conservation. There were bears, moose, bison, elk, reindeer, fox, eagles, and linx all within an amazing backdrop of the mountains. It was really cool to see the Alaskan wildlife up close because I have never seen some of those animals before. After that we went to a town called Whittier. To get there you have to pay to go through a tunnel carved out in the middle of a huge mountain. Trains go through there to take tourists to and from the town, but after the trains go trough they let cars and buses drive on the train tracks to get to the town. It was kinda weird but very cool too. We popped open the sunroof and saw all the rocks and little waterfalls. It was 2 1/2 miles and when we got to the other side it was sooooo pretty! It is a little fishing town and as soon as we got out we saw a HUGE princess cruise line ship docked. There were boats, trains, and once again amazing snow covered mountains. we drove around, and then ate at this beautiful restaurant that overlooked the sound. I couldn't stop staring out the window at God's beauty! After we were done we headed back to the hotel, and watched for wales the whole way back but did not see any. We then went to a place called Alaskan Wildberry Farms. They have a lot of chocolate and jelly that they sell and ship all over the world. They had the "Worlds Largest Chocolate Waterfall", it was kinda stupid but....it smelled soooooo good and I had to get a picture by it, b/c I am a chocoholic! :) We tasted a variety of chocolates, and walked around the gift shop. We then went to a sports bar where the guys played pool and the girls split a huge piece of chocolate cake. It was 1am till we got back to the hotel and went to bed after an exciting day.

Sunday we went to a local church, then went out to lunch at this place called the Peanut Farm. It was good, and the weather was beautiful. After that we met up with Sterling and Kneely and headed back to Fairbanks. Along the way we stopped to take more pictures, and stopped in Denali to eat dinner at the famous Alaskan Salmon Bake. Again, another good meal. The Denali area is sooooo pretty. It has beautiful resorts, amazing mountains, a huge roaring river that people go rafting down, and cute little shops. After that we continued home and arrived back here at like 9pm.

All in all this trip was amazing. There were times of frustration, and impatience on my part, but I got time to myself away from the others (which I needed) and saw things I will never forget. It was the best 4th of July ever!

I am trying to get better at blogging everyday, and will try to be more consistent to fill you all in! Miss you all!

We got Internet!!!

Ok friends, so we FINALLY got internet at the house!!!! There is no such thing as "Free Wi Fi" in Alaska so you have to pay for it by the hour which can get very expensive, but.....after a month we finally got wireless at the house so i will be posting more and more everyday! Yay! You do not realize how much internet affects your daily life until you go w/o it for a month :). Sad but true.

Well...so i have been here for a month, and things are not what i thought they would be. I still have no job because people either think I am "overqualified" b/c i have a Master's degree or they dont like turnaround and are not willing to hire someone for three months. so that has been very frustrating, and not working for two months really does put a hole in your bank account. Last weekend we got a car at a police auction for $350. It seemed like a steal and a blessing but we have had nothing but issues w/ it since we drove it away and now we feel like idiots becuase we feel like we wasted money when we were trying to save it. So yet again we are relying on other people to drive us around and fix out car. I hate having to rely on others to do something all the time. I am so used to doing my own thing and being independent that to ask to do any and everything is not something I like or want to do.

I have seen some beautiful things, but at times have felt like a burden to these people and have often felt very lonely. I keep wondering if I made a bad decision, and have cried more each night here than i have for a very long time, but I know God lead me here for a reason it is just hard to know what that reason is. I will post some pictures and update you all more on what is happening but right now i have a lot of stuff to do because we are planning on going to Anchorage for the 4th of July weekend. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, they are appreciated! I miss you all.

Erin

Here i go

So the Alaskan adventure begins! Dina and I were supposed to fly out yesterday, but our flight was cancelled and we are ending up flying out today. For me, it has been a blessing. Yes it has been a hassle at the same time, but the weather was REALLY bad yesterday and we were going to be flying to and from JFK in New York. This made me nervous, and I had prayed that the Lord would allow something to make us fly to and from somewhere else. Well....even though we had to fly out 24 hours later and pay to stay in a semi-ghetto hotel, I feel a lot better today. We now are flying from Phili to Salt Lake City and then Salt Lake to Fairbanks. We should arrive in Fairbanks at 11:54 their time. So...needless to say it has been an interesting journey so far, I am still very anxious about flying but feel better today than yesterday. I will update everyone when I get to Alaska. :)