I passed my freakin' test!

Okay, so I should have posted this weeks ago...oops. How was I to know anyone read this thing anyway?

Oh, and mystery guest, how dare you suggest that I categorize certain people in my life as privileged. I consider no one privileged, as I am far superior to all! Ha!

I love sarcasm, but am so bad at it.

And so I wait for the grades to come in for my final three classes. I won't be attending graduation, so will know I've got my degree when they mail it to me, I guess.

But, essentially, I am done with school FOREVER!

Oh, gracious God, THANK YOU!

In our time spent in Stephenville when first married, Daniel and I discovered that it is, in fact, always raining in Meridian. We took many trips to visit family and friends, and whenever passing through Meridian, it always seemed to be raining. This weekend was no exception. We ventured back to the good ol' town of S'ville after being apart from it for nearly 2.5 years. It was time for the dreaded HRM Comp Exam for my Master's degree, and I had to go to S'ville to take it at the wonderful hour of 8:00 AM. The irony here is that I managed to go my entire undergrad and graduate career without ever having an 8:00 AM class, but oh how they got me! I know I promised to post a lot of whining and complaining about my last semester of grad school and having to take the comp exam, and I have failed you. But, believe me, there have been many, many whines and cries and complaints had this semester - so, really, I've spared you. Please, don't let my flare for dramatics mislead you - this was truly the worst semester of my life, and it has yet to conclude. Full of stresses and frustrations the like of which I've never experienced before, I have vowed to never again return to a formal system of education. I ask that anyone who discovers in the future any interest that I express of doing so please promptly obtain a weapon of your choice and administer the punishment for which I am begging for. I still must wait a maximum of two weeks to hear news about how poorly I have failed the evil test and will not receive my degree. Many say such thinking is pish-posh, but I beg to differ.

In other news, my beautiful niece has turned 1 and my torrential nephew has grown up even further without my permission. As always, I will include pictures of these precious gifts of God for your viewing pleasure.

Many of our friends are getting married or having children, so we have been bombarded with showers of many kind. They've all been fun and one still awaits. Congratulations to all on the many amazing gifts God is bringing to you!

Also, I got new hair. I hated it at first, became accustomed to it shortly, but am now again displeased. This, of course, is in contrast to every other living person's opinion of my hair.

And finally, not much progress is being made on weight lost. I am still holding at a solid 40ish pound loss. I've gotten into a pattern of regularly eating poorly again and stopped exercising altogether. Why must it be so difficult?

And now, ( the promised pics ).

Please, pray for her. I can't say who or what or why, but there is a woman I know who I just found out is going through a tremendously difficult, heartbreaking situation and is in desperate need of prayer. It seems she is not listening to God and His Truth on the matter, and hearing the Truth from the many that love her is turning her away.
Pray that she would see the Truth.
Pray that her hardened heart would be softened.
Pray that she would forgive.
Pray that she would obey.
Please, pray for her. She needs you. She needs God.

Holey moley, it's 2007. I'm 25. I've lost 33 pounds.

I just realized on Wednesday that my last semester of grad school begins on Monday. YIKES! I thought it didn't start until the very last week of January. In all the many years I have attended this university, not once has the Spring semester started so early. It was only by God's grace that I came to find out in time! So now I am entering what should be my last semester of grad school...or any school! I am terrified beyond belief at the course load I have and the upcoming comprehensive test I must pass in order to get my degree. Ahhhhh! I need so much prayer.

Not too much else is happening. I had a fun birthday party at Dave & Buster's here in Austin. I was so thankful for everyone who joined in. The holidays were hectic, what with travelling and such.

I got a new cookbook during the holidays, so I've been making a whole new batch of healthy things for Daniel and I. I'm glad that I married someone who didn't have much of a cultured taste because he seems to love every last ghetto thing that I make. Awww.

And that's it folks. Be prepared for the following months' posts to contain a lot of griping and crying about grad school. Until then!

...It was this day in 1998 that I was baptized in Waco, TX at the Fellowship Bible Church.

I have lost 25 pounds!!! Holey guacomole! 5 more before my birthday and I'll have reached my short-term goal! Woohoo!

And guess what else...

Daniel and I both got new jobs!!! Daniel's is essentially the same thing with a different company and higher pay. Mine, however, is actually in HR (FINALLY!) and slightly higher pay with a wondermous chance for learning, development, and promotion within HR. WOOHOO! Daniel starts the 14th, and I start the 20th!

Other than that, it's the same ol', same ol'. School, which I should hopefully be done with by next semester. The holidays are coming up, and I'm super excited. I haven't seen family in quite some time because we've been busy. I'm planning to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving when I go back home to see my folks. I remember when I was little, I made pumpkin pie and my parents liked it so much that they asked me to make several so they could give them to their friends. Awwww.

I've had a bizarre weekend. On Friday, we went over to someone's house with our church group to help with renovations. It was a surprise for a couple at church because the husband's been quite ill. Anyway, for some reason, I got extremely nauseous about an hour and a half into the work. I didn't feel tired or anything like that, so it wasn't about being lazy. I ended up going out to Laura's car for several hours. Then, I went back inside because I heard we were almost done, but they kept putting our crew to more work. Anywho, we didn't get home until 11:30, and we were covered in junk. I went to bed about midnight, only to wake up at 5:00 AM still feeling quite ill. I went into the living room and watched television the rest of the morning.

Later that same morning, I went to meet the gals at 9:00 for brunch at La Madeline's. Yum. Then we all went to Barton Creek Mall for mega shopping. Five hours later, I had only purchased a necklace and cookies for Daniel. Man, was that a lot of shopping, though! It was fun.

I got home at 4:00 and was exhausted. Daniel and I decided to go have dinner at La Margarita. What a disaster. They got my meal wrong, so I sent it back. After waiting and watching Daniel eat his entire meal, they brought the second attempt, which was even more wrong. We hadn't gotten an apology and had to wait a ridiculous amount of time, so I said we weren't paying for any of it. So the manager comes over, takes both plates away and says he'll take care of our check. So I'm sitting there wondering if they expect me to leave without having eaten anything and shocked at the lack of apologies. So he comes back with our zero balance check, and I ask if he expected me to leave without eating. He said he'd bring the third attempt right out and it'd be taken care of, as well. He brought it, but it was still wrong! I gave up at that point and took it to go. Meanwhile, he also gave us a card for a free dinner for two at our convenience and apologized about everything. So 2 free dinners, but a heck of a lot of hassle! As we were walking out, this lady at the bar stopped me and said, "Did you fly today?" My mind was spinning. Trying to make sense out of what was happening after all the chaos that just occurred, I assumed she was trying to make fun of me. I thought maybe she heard what happened and thought I was a jerk or something. I assumed what she said was some sort of insult that would have a punch line coming. So I said, "Is that a line? No, I didn't fly today, so what are you gonna say next?" She laughed and said that no it was not a line. Apparently, she flew into DFW that morning and spoke with a lady who looked exactly like me. She said the lady was nice and I had a twin! I think she was a little snockered. Anyway, I finally made it out of there alive.

How do I get myself into these bizarre situations?

So, I have officially lost 20 pounds. Okay, so I'm excited about that. My short-term goal is to lose 30 by my birthday, but I'm really hoping I blow that number out of the water. Of course, my long term goal is so massive that I dare not put it in print here. But yay for 20 pounds. Meanwhile, Daniel has lost 12 pounds. Show off! But I am proud of him. His long-term goal is to lose 30 pounds, so he's nearly halfway there!

Work has still been quite busy, and homework still deserves a massive "SUCK!" I can't wait until this semester is over with! It's been the worst one yet, I do believe.

I haven't seen family in quite a long time, and it looks as though I won't be able to see them until the holidays. :-( Stupid school!

Not much else is going on that I can think of, really. I just felt the need to provide an actual update.

I'm not seeing it. Are you?





Daniel's just excited about Mark Hamill. I'm getting deja vu' of something White N Nerdy. Oh, how I love him!

...I don't know what is. Teehee. He loves me anyway.

That's all I'm writing these days in class. Ugh, how I have come to hate it so. I am ever so excited about achieving a Master's, but I am darned tired of class! In the past semesters, I have been weeks and weeks ahead in the work. This semester...psssssshhhhh! I am not behind in the sense that I am not turning in work on time. But I am certainly nowhere near ahead of the game. That means each day I have to stress about working on writing blasted papers. Furthermore, the work that I have been producing is pure poo. It is only by a miracle of God that I am making good grades. Next semester, God-willing, is my last. This is contingent on many factors that are requiring a miracle. The first of which is that I pass everything. But that is at least in my control, according to what effort I put into things. What isn't in my control is whether or not the school will offer next semester the three remaining courses needed for my degree. Ahhhhh!

This week at work was dreadfully busy! It was nice because I felt I was actually a contribution. However, it only reminded me how very little I am paid and how much homework I was going to have as a result! Pathetic, huh?

My very dear friend has been on a few dates with this nice fella that I have yet to meet. I am so very happy for her! She deserves to find a wonderful, Godly man, and I have prayed for the past 7 years that this would happen for her. I can't wait to wear a lovely green dress at her wedding! :-)

Which only reminds me about how much freaking weight I need to lose! Oh good grief. You know what's sad? I am not at all proud about having lost 13 pounds thus far. It's nothing to me because I need to lose so much more. And this week I lost a lot of motivation and drive. I need to gain it back and quick! But I am still working out, though not with as much zeal, and still eating right, though slightly more prone to fall into temptation. So much prayer is needed.

I'm sick. I hate being sick. I get all miserable and pathetic and become a big fat baby when I'm sick. It all started yesterday in the middle of the day where the miraculous Texas weather changed from stormy to bright and sunny in an instant. I started feeling funky, but just assumed it was allergies due to the weather change. Uh, no. I have a cold. So I didn't get up this morning to work out and I haven't worked out all day. This makes me sad. Meanwhile, I was at work all day sounding and looking and feeling ridiculous. I hope this passes soon, but my body doesn't seem to like to rid itself of ickiness all that quickly. Boo.

Well, not for me, but a lot of other people are turning to face some pretty big changes. Friends of ours just got engaged the other weekend. CONGRATS! Another couple we know just bought their first house (and I'm TOTALLY jealous). CONGRATS! Two people at work are in the middle of their divorces (it makes me SO sad). And I just found out tonight that our other friends are PREGNANT! WOOHOO and CONGRATS!

Daniel and I? Well, we're just flat out boring. We never have anything to report. I wish we did. I wish we had raises and fabulous promotions and careers. I wish we were buying a house and were financially stable. But, ah well. We're poor, with plain ol' jobs instead of careers.

Today, two of my co-workers were discussing retirement planning and their lack thereof. They reassured themselves with thoughts of their children taking care of them when the time came. It made me sad to think that Daniel and I won't have that option (well, barring any surprises). We won't have anyone who is obligated to take care of us, visit us, make sure we're taken care of. It's quite a sad thing, actually. But once again, ah well. That's my brain. Ultimately, God will take care of us and I know that good and well. Unfortunately, I have yet to train my brain to think eternally instead of earthly.

In other news, Daniel and I bought Halloween costumes (I do not celebrate that day as a day of anything evil or unGodly. I merely think it's a fun day to dress up and get free candy, and believe most Americans feel the same. I do not wish to offend anyone who believes otherwise, and I deeply respect your views and choices). I've been wanting to dress up for YEARS now. We really don't have anywhere to go or anything to do. But we bought the costumes anyway. Mine was only $5 and Daniel's was $10!!! Now we'll have to plan something fun! Anyone wanna join us?

Our church does this thing called ReaLife Groups, where people in close proximity of one another form groups and meet once a week at someone's home to do a study, fellowship, and whatnot. Our group meets on Wednesday nights at 7:00. Tonight was a Pot Luck, where everyone brings food and we EAT! Woohoo! But also tonight, one of my classes required a conference call starting at 7:00. BOO! It was said that the call wouldn't last longer than an hour. At first, I intended to just stay home and mope that I didn't get to go. At the last minute, however, I decided I would do the conference call at the group and then when it was over, go join the fun. The conference call was completely (well, for the most part) pointless and a big waste of my time! AND the silly thing ran past 8:00. Grrr! I still got to enjoy some of the evening with the group, though, but missed all the yummy food. I guess that's a good thing, given this whole healthy lifestyle I'm adapting.

Saturday, us gals from church had "a day with the girls" (props to those who know what movie that's from). It was so much fun! I love those gals! We had brunch at a super yummy place called 620 Cafe & Bakery. Then we went to the new Round Rock outlet malls. We shopped for nearly 4 hours, and I was surprisingly not pooped. I got a new pair of nice shoes to wear to work. I wore them today and they kind of hurt towards the end. It's the highest heel I've ever worn, outside of one-time things like prom. Of course, at prom I was able to ditch the heels all night. I can't exactly do that at work...without severe consequences.

I bought a new scale and some weights. Yippee. My work has a program that will reimburse up to $50 of stuff related to wellness, so that's super happiness.

I've recently reacquainted with an old friend or two. It's odd reminiscing about the past - it seems unreal sometimes. Some memories make me miss the past, some make me never want to go back, others make me happy, and a lot make me sad. I also feel like I am a totally different person, but then I wonder if I really am. Weird. Of course, there's a million different things I'd tell the old me not to do, but then again, it's all a part of growing up, being stupid, and learning how weird you really are.

That's right, I said "brrrrrr" in the middle of a Texas summer. Last Sunday, we went to Barton Springs with Allison. I had never gone before, but she said it would be tons of fun. She was right! But Barton Springs must be a miracle of God because it stays the same cold temperature of 68 degrees year-round...in Texas! It was over 100 degrees that day, and the water was FREEZING! But it was still fun hanging out in the sun and splashing around in the water. Daniel wanted so badly to dunk me, but the rocks and danger made me be a party pooper and not let him. Of course, I burned, but not too bad. It's a tan now! Woohoo! Then we played cards in the park. Daniel and I are such old fuddy-duddy people, and we're spreading it to our friends! Anyway, later that day Allison came over and we had dinner. Mmmmm.

I've been working out and eating right consistently for 1.5 weeks now. Oh, how I wish that I could be proud, but I know that I've gone months before giving up on stuff like this.

Okay, well I have to get ready for work right now. It's FRIDAY! WOOHOO!

We just got back from Justin's 30th birthday party. It was fun!!! A lot of people showed up! I was surprised to find out from Rebekah that it was his first party EVER! I hope he really enjoyed it. Rebekah had everyone write something about Justin on a piece of paper and then gathered them all together. Then, she had various people pick one at random and read them out loud. It was sweet! There was so much yummy food there, too! They did a raffle for gift cards to various places. Daniel and I won the last drawing! We got gift cards to Ben & Jerry's. Mmmmmmm.

Speaking of food, I have once again decided to be healthy. I've made this decision about a million different times in my life, but I really need to stick with it this time. My health has gone down the drain, and there really isn't much room for me to let it go any longer without drastic consequences. So, instead of fad diets and nonsense like that, we're just trying to choose healthier items and make working out a routine in our lives. Get this...and the people who TRULY know me might have an accident in their drawers...I have decided to wake up earlier in the morning and exercise. Okay, take a few minutes to clean up that mess and change clothes. Done? Okay. The reason I decided to greet the evil morning with evil exercise is because, as much as I hate mornings and waking up period, I am even more jealous of my time at night. I hate having to give up my evenings to do a horrid chore. So, that was the conclusion I made. If I put off working out until the evenings, then I make excuse after excuse because I'm lazy and want to do other things. Getting it over with in the morning helps avoid that and not have something to dread all day. So there you have it. Also, I have a co-worker who utilizes the two 15 minute paid breaks we get to walk. So I've been doing the same. Essentially, that means I'll be working out 3 times a day! Now, don't misunderstand. These workouts are not big, massive ordeals. They consist of a little time on the elliptical in the morning and two short walks during the day. No biggie. So pray as much as you can about it because I'll need it!

You know, I have become a slave to MySpace, but still choose to journal here. Even though I've included this as a link on my MySpace, I wonder how many people actually read it. Oh well.

I really have nothing to say. I'm just bored and decided to post something. We're going to see Daniel's family this weekend. I haven't seen the kiddos in forever! I can't wait!

That's all.

You won't believe it, but after having Daniel's car fixed again after my last update, it broke again! This time, it was something entirely different and was gonna cost a lot more to fix. He and I spent all this past week commuting together to work on opposite sides of town. It was horrible. Both of us were exhausted all week, having much less time to do anything. So, this past weekend we got a new car! Well, a used new car. I'm freaked out of my mind because I really don't think we have enough to afford it, but oh well. Plus, I've never had a car payment before. Freaky!

Also, we went to NY for our anniversary for a week the week before last. It was fun but exhausting! It was really hot and involved a lot of walking. When we went to Planet Hollywood, they sat us near a stage where they were promoting Monster House. So some celebrity voice from the movie was supposed to show up. It ended up being Nick Cannon, who neither of us care anything about. I snapped a picture anyway. One of the days, Daniel's best friend and his girlfriend came up from Philly and hung out. Here are some ( grand ol' pics ) of our adventures in NY.

So, lots of changes, lots of stress, and lots of need for more money!

After spending way too much money on Daniel's car last month to have it fixed, it's broken again. The mechanic speculates it might be a bad part, but we won't know until tomorrow. Daniel and I spent two hours out in traffic today after work because it couldn't even make it to the mechanic. The tow truck finally came, and then nearly wasn't able to even tow it! Ugh. And, of course, it cost an arm and a leg. But, it is at the mechanic's, so that's good. I am so tired of being poor and so financially insecure. We can't afford a car payment right now, but we also can't afford to have our cars breaking down. What are we supposed to do?