Amazing Grace

Easter, one of the holidays which is overlooked and under rated by many. Though I believe it is the most important, not for the bunny who hops around giving out chocolate eggs and that nonsense, but for the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus gave in order to save our wretched souls. I don't attend church often but when I do I have a better mind set and am not as negative spirited. Today for a few reasons I decided to go to church, one was that this bib. class I'm taking I have already "cheated" on things in order to just get them finished, the church visit I felt I should actually do, even though I have been there a few times in the past. So with the bib. class coming up at the end of the week, today, Easter, is my last chance for my church visit, better day than any to get up and worship right?! Oh yes, well since my church going best friend is out of town and we all know my family, so I get up and go to the service by myself, awe, nope! It was the best sermon I have listened to in a LONG while! and I swear that each and every one speak directly to me! I guess that's God's way of pounding it into my head that I need him more than just in my own selfish ways! It was amazing, all the troubles myself and others have been facing lately, answers were given to today. It was really amazing and it is truly the gift given to us by God through his son is AMAZING GRACE, how sweet the sound, wow, today's sermon was amazing and I am literally in awe at God and his plans for us. In fact it was so amazing that I had to buy the dvd of the sermon today just so I can have my own constant reminder that God has his own plan and I am not to try to mess around with His will or to get ahead of Him, we all need to slow down and stay a step behind in order for Him to guide us, after all that is His intention.

Stress means Stress which means Stress for ALL

I find it weird that when I am stressed out at least one other person feels it too, which in turn means not a good thing!

Bitterness starts to occur between whoever is around which just leads to pissiness, all the while nothing good is actually being accomplished and whatever needs to get done just gets put off even more...Which is NEVER good! There are tons of factors of stress and right now the main ones seem to be life in general and of course we can't leave out school, who could forget about that?! I don't think it's possible since we haven't been given even the slightest break in god knows how long. Bitter? Nah, just stressed! and right about now I feel that my hair will only do as the cat's to the right is! See stress affects all sorts of aspects of your life and for a woman, well hair is a key priority, so lets all just calm ourselves and not freak out over everything! Yep that's right I am talking to myself about calming down about all the crap in the world, will I listen, NO, but is it good that I at least acknowledge that I have a problem? Of course! The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, good girl, step one is taken care of, now if I could only reach the next million steps!

Brandon

Now that he feels there is no other way for him to support his family after deployment, he has decided to re-enlist with the Army for another 6 years. While I do have to agree with the reasons, I am still very worried about future deployments, Danisha says that he has a plan around that, but who knows with the Army. They tend to not do what is best for their men but what they want to do for themselves... I really admire his ambition and am very proud of the man he has become. Knowing he has nothing more than highschool education and refuses to go back to work for next to nothing in the oil fields, he sees his only out in re-uping with the Army, I honestly have to say that I agree and I know that of all the things he has tried for work, he enjoys the Army the most. He hates being deployed, who wouldn't, but the other aspects of it he enjoys, so I can understand the decision in mind. What it looks like for him once he is home is 3 weeks off to spend with family, surgeries for his shoulders which seem to dislocate every other day...and then working at Camp Roberts along the coast, training other soldiers for deployment. So all in all it seems ok and all the while he will continue with going through the process for Corrections, he's half way through but was sent away, so all that will start back up and hopefully he will go into the academy soon.

Ok I feel as if I'm telling his life story, sorry, I'm a proud sister, and a worried one at that! I will do anything for him to help them out, as you can see they are a cute little family trying, as we all are, to make it through these tangled webs of life.

To My Brother

Brandon is 26 years old, has a wife, Danisha 24, and a son Brison, who is 2 1/2 years old. Brandon has been in the Army National Guard for 8 years, his time was up when he was deployed for Iraq but they sent him anyways. He has been through three different deployments, luckly not all to Iraq. His first one 3 1/2 years ago was to Cuba for 10 months, during a visit in the middle of his deployment was when him and his wife, who were already living together, had gotten married and pregnant. After he was home from Cuba for good he had a couple months with his family and newborn son, he then went to the boarder where he was able to come home on the weekends, he was there for a year, he was then pulled from the boarder to go train for Iraq, he was gone for 4 months before being deployed to Bagdad. He has been there since August and will be coming home in about a month and a half, his service and time in the Army will be complete and he will be finally able to focus on his wife and child, and learn who they have become during this long absence.
You would think that knowing he will be home in less than 2 months they would be nothing but thrilled, well they are just balls of stress at this point. He is the sole bread winner for the family and his job for almost 4 years has been with the Army, coming home he's not going to have that. This should be a joyous occasion, the stressful part should be over! You'd think that after all the years he has put in serving his country and sacraficing what most won't, would be rewarded with some type of support from the army until he has had the time to gain footing in this world that is foreign to him. He has served well and has given more than most are willing, and it has all been for his family, and now once things seem to be looking up for the family to be whole, work in the regular world seems non exsistant. Our country is the best in this crazy world, but at times it seems as if they have their priorities ass backwards!
Thank you Brandon for all that you have done and have given for your family! You are an amazing brother, son, father, and husband to all those you have touched during your service and everything outside of that as well, I love you and I am more proud of you than words could ever describe!

Getting Started

Life seems to come at us all at once, not one thing at a time, which by the way would be so much easier to handle! I'm not complaining because things are great with everything right now, but for once I would just love to tackle one thing then move onto another instead of having 5 diff. things facing me and basically laughing in my face and taunting "how you gonna do this? you need to do this, this, and this, and all at the same time!" I guess thats why it's women you see working, going to school, and keeping a handle on the house, we seem to be able to multi-task, even when we don't want to. And men, well they are just a one track mind, dont ask them to atempt something when they are already doing one thing... I have recently been told, and unfortunately I have to agree, that women have pretty much screwed themselves over by wanting to get into the work world and be educated because we still have the responsibility of raising kids, holding down the fort, taking care of our husband's (who are like kids), and still do an flippin fantastic job at our careers. Not that I don't like working, I thoroughly enjoy what I do, hate going to school, but love the career path that I am headed down, and yes I want lots of little bundles of joy along the way. Think life's crazy now just wait until the babies start coming!

Anyways, I am completely loving the path ahead of me, sometimes it feels as if I am standing still until one day, bam, everything has changed and you feel like you don't even know who you are or how far you have come, that has pretty much been the past 4 years of college!

Enjoyments of Life

Love

Laughter

Companionship

Simplicity

Organization

A good book

A favorite movie

Good conversation with a friend

Luxurious walks

Play time at the park with Brison

Cuddling with Matt

Babies

Security

Memories

Faith

Hope

Piece of mind

Strength

Rest (under rated but so important!)

Innocence

Life as of Now

Even though there has been numerous complaints about school quite recently, today has been on of the best days since I have started this phase of college in over a year. That in itself is pretty darned amazing! Aside from meeting a few absolutely awesome people and gaining the best friend a girl can have, school has been basically hoops I've been jumping through while trying to get to the other side. Today was a break through! Even though I discovered I will be in school MUCH longer than I expected, I am absolutley thrilled about what lies ahead, the best part being I don't have to jump into Special Ed before I am ready! Actually the BEST part is being able to do all of my student teaching during summer school AND doing it through the BEST district ever!!! So all in all today I am thrilled about school (amazing isn't it?!) and I have the most amazing friend that has been there every step of the way, through all my doubts and concerns!
Aside from meeting a best friend and having a great support system there, I have had the most amazing support from the one person in my life who hasn't faded in and out on me over the years, my best friend and boyfriend, he has been the one pillar of light in my life that has never faded nor burnt out on me. Everything I do and have done he has been by my side 100% cheering me along and supporting me when no one else was. I love those few people who have been there and always will be there for me! Thank you guys, you know who you are.