Oh {c}Happy Day!

Lessons Learned

2011-06-22T23:41:00.003-06:00

A few things I've realized about myself or come to believe in the last year:

- Ability, not size, is what matters most to me when it comes to my own fitness. I will probably never be a size 4, but I'm happy being a healthy 8 or 10. After all, I was an 8/10 who ran a half-marathon and a triathlon (and have more in my future, Lord willing).

- Likewise, I have picked up on several of Chef Carolyn's beliefs about food. Shredded cheese tastes best freshly grated from the block. Pasta is a food group. And artificial stuff - sweeteners and other calorie-cutters - are just that, artificial, unnatural. Why would I want to put unnatural stuff into my body? Especially the body that created my darling son and feeds him directly? Give me the butter, the sugar, and the like. I'd rather eat it in moderation than eat the fake stuff.

- Breasts were not created to sell wings at Hooters or copies of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. They were created for feeding babies. I'll be discreet about my nursing, but don't you dare look at me like I'm being indecent.

- I like bread. There's a story here, but it's one I will keep quiet for now. I'll just say that I'll never make everyone happy - oh well! :)

Here comes Chappy with a baby carriage

2011-05-11T19:35:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning for some time to sit down and write the story of Little C's birth, so I don't lose details with time. So here goes, and then I'll transfer it to his journal at some point in the future...you know, once I'm feeling less like a sleep-deprived dairy cow. :)

Little C's due date was April 19th. I was absolutely convinced he would be early (as I was, as Mr. Chappy was, since we live at high altitude, etc.) but as the 18th arrived, I started to give up hope. In fact, I felt so good and he seemed so content to stay inside for another week or two, that I spent the day cleaning all the bathrooms, taking a 3 mile walk, and raking the back yard's thatch. Mr. Chappy and I had long debated with our family when the big day would be and we had several guesses. April's a sad month for our family, in some respects - my late grandmother's birthday is the 11th, the anniversary of my late father-in-law's death is the 15th, and my late grandfather passed away on the 18th several years ago. We suspected that baby would come on one of those days to honor our loved ones and, regardless of date, would turn April into a happy month. My husband wryly said that, as an Army baby, our kiddo would probably come right on time. Anyone who's been in the Army knows that "if you're on time, you're late" - you must show up 15 minutes early - so we jokingly said that he'd arrive at 11:45 pm on the 18th instead of right on his due date.

So the 18th came and nearly left, and I went to bed expecting another week or two of pregnancy. But I never fell asleep, since I started having contractions at...you guessed it...11:45. I tried waiting them out. I'd had similar contractions at bedtime before and they always went away, but these were more stubborn. I got out of bed and went to the nursery to read a little of my Dr. Sears book to see if I was having any more labor symptoms. Sometime after, my mom came into the room and we decided to start measuring the contractions. I quickly realized I'd better wake my husband up, so around 1am he started packing his bag as I was dealing with increasingly stronger and more frequent contractions.

We got to the hospital (about a 5 minute's drive away, thankfully) and were admitted immediately, around 2:30am. The nurse strapped me to a fetal monitor and the doctor checked me out - I was so grateful to hear I was at 7cm, as I'd been hanging out at about 75% effaced but only a few centimeters for several weeks at that point. They were going to move me from the triage room to a labor room, and I asked to sit down to handle a contraction. As soon as it was over my water broke - what a crazy feeling. It was like a water balloon exploded inside me. From then on, everything happened fast. I didn't even have time to take off my sports bra and tank top.

We moved to the other room and I was asked to use the bathroom. Then I got into the bed (since my contractions were coming pretty quickly and it was easier for me to sit - so much for attempting to squat during labor!). The doctor and nurse were hooking me up to the monitor when they asked me if I felt the need to push during contractions, and I replied, "No"...and then another contraction came and I felt the need to push...so all I could manage to say was "PUSH!". My mother and I laughed about this later. My labor wasn't too long, although I felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. I distinctly remember feeling like any moment they'd give up on me and send me to get a C-section. Eventually, though, I was able to see Little C's head crowning, via a mirror, and after a few more contractions and pushes he was out! What an awesome feeling. 4:15am on April 19, 2011, he made his arrival. He weighed in at 8 lbs, 4 oz, and 20.5" long.

My first glimpses of my little man - and so many prayers of praise going up at that moment.

They put him on my belly and started cleaning us both up. I ripped pretty badly (3rd degree perineal tear) so they spent about as much time stitching me up as I'd spent in the delivery room (actually they took longer!). Mr. Chappy and my mother took this time to help with bathing, weighing, diapering, etc, and I so enjoyed watching my husband in this new role. I expected to feel possessive, like I would need to have my son in my arms, but I had no such feeling. Seeing him in his daddy's arms was perfect - and after 9 months, I was happy to share.

I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience, overall. I had a birth plan, and the doctors and nurses were great about helping me achieve it. For example, I wanted a natural birth, and they never pushed me to get an epidural or pitocin. I wanted a squat bar, and although I couldn't use it for the intended purpose, I used it to brace my feet against. My doctor was amenable to it being on the bed, even though it meant she had to move her angle/position and it was likely less comfortable for her. While I was being stitched up afterwards, the nurse kept telling me positive things about how she healed - that it would hurt for awhile, but that it wouldn't last forever. Her calming influence was super. The quality of the hospital staff and facilities was outstanding.

On a more personal note, I felt right at home with some of the attending caregivers. The doctor graduated from the University of Virginia's Medical School - I was happy to be under the care of a fellow Wahoo! What a small world! My two favorite nurses (one from Labor & Delivery, and one from Mother-Baby Unit) attended Georgetown and James Madison University, respectively, so I felt like I was around friends. Pretty cool.

Other random tidbits I learned:

- The lamaze class was very helpful in the end - I didn't use the breathing techniques, and I was NOT comfortable with being touched (even though Mr. Chappy had learned some great massage techniques and my mother attempted to be helpful) - they mentioned in class that I might not want to be touched at all, and they were right. I needed all my attention on pushing and breathing. I had told Mr. Chappy during class that the thing I'd need the most help with would be a reminder to breathe and to be positive, and he was awesome at walking me through it. In fact, he would tell me, based on the external monitor, when my contractions were peaking. This was so helpful, since it gave me hope that I was over the worst of each contraction and that they'd be tapering down from that point on.

- My mother being in the room was likewise an enormous help. During delivery I felt so bossy/pushy, asking her to fan me (I went from being extremely hot to extremely cold and back again, constantly) or move the mirror so I could see it (and to quickly turn it away - once I saw baby's head crowning, I was motivated, but seeing it longer felt like an enormous distraction from the job at hand, and I cried out for her to turn it around so I wouldn't see him!) She also took videos and pictures that I could have only dreamed of having otherwise, like our first moments with Little C. I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch that video without crying my eyes out.

- We brought tons of things with us, in case I was laboring for a long time, and I needed almost none of it. So much for the iPod and speakers, meditative music mix from Military One Source, pictures of happy things in my world, etc. But I'm glad I had my own pillow to prop me up a bit more! We also brought containers of snack mix that I'd made for the nurses and doctors (as well as a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies) that seemed well-received. And one of my favorite things was an 8x8 stretched canvas that we put Little C's footprints on. I've long planned on doing similar with his handprints, but it's neat to have the footprints from his first moments of life, in an artsy way. For his first birthday I plan on painting a canvas black and putting his handprints in white ink/paint on it, for some contrast.

There are so many other little details, but I doubt that I'll be able to do them justice right now. So I'm off to watch the blessings of my life, my husband and son, as they play and wind down before bedtime.

Oh, as a final note, my kiddo's kidneys turned out to be perfectly healthy. We had been concerned, based on an ultrasound, about whether he'd have trouble or not, but a post-delivery ultrasound showed him to be just fine. Everything about him has been healthy, in fact. He was slightly jaundiced but didn't have any major issues with it (and apparently all babies born in Colorado are jaundiced to some extent due to the altitude/red blood cell count), his weight gain hasn't been great but hasn't been too little either, and he's taken to breastfeeding very well, despite an initial hiccup where we needed to use a nipple shield for the first week. Overall, he's wonderful. I add all this to say how grateful I am for the prayers I've received on his behalf. I am absolutely convinced that his health is due to the petitions of so many loved ones. I have years and years of praying for this little one ahead of me, so I'm grateful for the good start and assistance we've received thus far. There is no greater gift we can give or receive in life than the prayers and love of friends. :) Have a cHappy week...from all three of us!

Fun Surprises

2011-02-20T19:49:00.006-07:00

I recently became a consultant for Thirty-One products and I have been pleasant surprised at almost every turn I've taken in the last two weeks with the company.

- It's a Christian company, named after Proverbs 31's virtuous woman - they aim to celebrate, encourage, and reward hard-working women. From what I can tell, their commitment to values extends strongly to their product line and their customer support, and I couldn't be more impressed. I had some tech-support issues at first (half of my starter didn't come embroidered as I requested due to some IT problems when I signed up) but the company was happy to replace these items for free. Way to go, Thirty-One! Likewise, when I had trouble placing an order, the Home Office was able to quickly fix it - no questions asked. I'm also impressed that they immediately adjust items if there are complaints about them - for example, they're removing the PVC lining of some of the thermal totes since they had results in the last month (they've only been out for a month or so) of being released. Ok, so these are silly details, but they have impressed me so far.

- In the consultant kit I purchased, there were a lot of things I didn't expect to use. Joke's on me. Backing up, the reason I joined Thirty-One is because there are a few items that I *adore* and love to share with friends. But those 3-4 items were small potatoes compared to what they offered. I've tried out a few things since then and here are my happy results:

The stuff I already loved:

- The Skirt Purse

I love that I can quickly and inexpensively change the look of my purse - and I love that I can personalize it! Having a unique name means I didn't have a lot of things with my name on it while growing up...I'm totally taking advantage of these things now!

- The Fold-n-Go Organizer

Oh goodness...this is my "mommy's dream item". I'm not a mom yet, but I can see a bunch of options for this. A few ideas:

(1) Diapers, travel wipes, disposable changing pad for a small and easy-to-grab option instead of a big diaper bag

(2) A Nintendo DS or PSP would fit great in here (and probably most e-readers) along with a stash of games.

(3) A notepad (which now comes with the Organizer!) fits great in the middle, as would kids' coloring/activity books (like you can find at the dollar store) - add a few crayons and pencils and you have a great way to keep the kids occupied on the go...or at church...or while waiting for dinner...etc.

(4) On the adult side, this is a great size to toss coupons, receipts, and a calculator, for shopping lists.

And while it's not waterproof, it's water-resistant and easily wipeable - perfect to toss in your purse or with your kids.

- The Organizing Utility Tote, Magazine Baskets, and About Town Blanket

These items have so many uses and are such a perfect size...the possibilities are endless. I need to purchase about 10 Organizing Utility Totes :)

Stuff I didn't realize I would love so much:

- Large Utility Tote

We have filled this to the brim on a few occasions - with gear for a photo shoot (blankets, pillows, dog treats, bubbles, kite, makeup bag, ...), with supplies for a youth group activity, with picnic/fundraising supplies and food...and I plan on leaving one in my car to keep grocery bags from floating around my trunk. It's big enough to hold pretty much anything imaginable, but easy to carry around.

- Wristlet

I didn't think I'd like this, honestly. I ended up liking it enough to carry it around for over a week now instead of a purse, though! Compared with other brands (like my much-loved Vera Bradley), it is actually big enough to hold my Blackberry...plus all the necessities (a few cards - like ID, driver's license, debit card; cash; chapstick) and I even am able to put a granola bar in the outer pocket for when I need a quick pick-me-up. I have to remember to undo the strap and put my keychain through it, so I don't have to carry my keys separately or in my pocket, but that's a quick issue. I love not having the weight of something on my shoulder (since I have a belly-full-of-growing-baby on my front anyway) and I love only carrying the things I need. I have a feeling that I'll love using this when bebe arrives too - to toss in his diaper bag instead of lugging around two bags. Cool!

Ok, shameless plugs for a company I love...but that's what we gals do. We share things that work great and hope that others can save time, effort, or money too.

Next up: back to cleaning house. I think I'll tackle the downstairs (a.k.a. "junk") closet. :) Have a happy week!

For now...

2011-01-06T20:43:00.004-07:00

I've been avoiding the blog. I am not so in love with it any more, but I still have some random ideas floating around my noggin. Here are a few for tonight...mostly because I don't want to forget them next time I'm pregnant (if we're so blessed, Lord willing) Things that I've learned (and appreciated, big time) while pregnant:

Pregnancy stuff I love:

- Hollywood Beaty Cocoa Butter (see it here) - this is the same stuff I used at my mom's house and eventually found in the Post Exchange. My mom preferred Vitamin E oil, but I love how thick this is and that I feel like it's not soaking into my clothes. (my mom has zero stretch marks on her belly...it might just be genetic, but I'll take whatever I can get!)

- Bella Bands. I bought mine at the factory/outlet (e.g. they were tried on once…totally unnoticeable to me!) at doulashop.com. They come in tons of colors and you can even get them with lace. They look like a camisole sneaking out from your top, but they served me with a few great purposes. Early on, it covered my unbuttoned pants, so that I could delay buying maternity clothes. Later, it helped hold up maternity clothes that were way too big. As I continue to grow, it's nice to feel supported all over. I almost never use my white one, but my black one is vital. If I'm blessed with another baby in the future, I'll get a brown one to round out my wardrobe.

- Happiest Baby on the Block. I just watched this (at about the 6 month mark) and am amazed. It's not a long video, and I've seen a lot of the info before (Oprah?) but Netflix hooked me up with the film. Dr. Harvey Karp gives several great tips on calming fussy babies. I feel more confident knowing this is in my "kit bag" (to use an Army term)

- Ginger gum or chews. The Army hospital I frequent provided the gum, and I ordered spicy ginger apple chews from doulashop.com - and they were fantastic at calming my morning sickness! I never threw up from the nausea (although I did once or twice from migraines) since I immediately popped one of these in my mouth. (It also helped for me to take my vitamins immediately before bed intend of during the day)

- Clementines, peaches, apples; fruit strips, granola bars - e.g. anything portable, yummy, relatively healthy, and filling! I was already eating mini-meals or snacks during the day when I trained for my triathlon, but this definitely helped keep me energized.

- An online baby growth site. I use babycenter.com but there are plenty of them. It is fun to see how big Colin grows each week.

- Dr. Sears books - specifically the ones on Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Birth. My friend Karla shared these with me and I was thrilled! Actually, at first I was skeptical (maybe I was thinking of Dr. Spock?). I intend to go pretty natural, though (no epidural, exclusively breast-feeding for the first six months, cloth diapers) and these books gave me some great tools. A few takeaways I gleaned: go into labor and breastfeeding with a positive, can-do attitude. Don't feel like you can't do those things - you're made to do it! I also feel okay with changing the plan if I have to. If labor's not as smooth as I expect, I won't beat myself up about taking an epidural. (although, on the flip side, I intend to keep attempting to breastfeed unless a doctor tells me that it's useless - I don't want to give up too early!) These methods may not work for everyone, but I'm excited about them.

- Coupons from Old Navy and Gap. These folks have sales all the time via their email lists, and their maternity clothes aren't too expensive. It also helped for me to network with my other pregnant friends - I was clued into free slings and breastfeeding covers (only paid shipping - Seven Slings and Udder Covers, by the way), clothes sales, and LOTS of reviews of what was working and what wasn't.

Let's see…other things that were vital for me…

- I ran until I was about 18 weeks. I would've probably continued for longer if I wasn't working late hours and it hadn't gotten so dark and cold by the time I was off work. I completed a sprint triathlon at 6 weeks. This isn't be for everyone, but working out kept me sane. I did slow down considerably once I found out I was pregnant (for example, 10 minute miles instead of 8:45, no more biking on trails, etc.) but I felt healthy and baby continues to do well.

- I am learning to nap. It comes in waves for me - some weeks I need a nap (or two) every day, and some weeks I can press through without any. I used to be very averse to naps, as they gave me headaches, but I recognize now that I need them. Now that I'm not working, I anticipate many more Chappy Nappies. :)

- I'm getting ideas of what *I* want (or what Mr. Chappy and I want). For example, we're not big on "stuff" - and I firmly believe that babies don't require a lot. I never have liked the idea of an infant carseat and carrier, for example. I may later change my mind, but for now, I don't intend to use those strollers/travel systems but on using a sling instead. It's a personal choice, but it's something I've thought about for years. Same with cloth diapers - I want to use those instead of disposable ones. It's a personal decision but one I want to do. People are quick about nay-saying these decisions, because parenting involves not only a ton of big personal decisions, but also because every parent thinks his or her way is best. I'm working on letting these negative comments roll off my back :)

- I continue to make lists. Granted, I've made lists my whole life, but if I didn't make them while pregnant, I'd forget to screw my head on in the morning, as my high school calculus teacher used to say. For groceries my husband and I use the Blackberry application OurGroceries - it's free, and we can both update the list via our smartphones and it updates the other person's list automatically. This is great, for example, when I'm at the story and he remembers that we need Tostitos. I also desperately need lists to remember what questions I have for my doctor. Good thing I learned that one early!

- Drinking water. A lot. I think this is self-explanatory (and I'm glad I learned it earlier through running races) but still a good reminder. I had trouble drinking just water, but I was pretty tight on myself - I have pretty much entirely avoided caffeine (not that I consumed much before) and I didn't want to consume too many artificial sweeteners (again, I didn't use them much before - I'd rather stick to nature's goodness) but it still got old drinking water all the time. A splash of lemon juice helped, or I brought small bottles of juice to the office to keep myself drinking. It's not necessary to be as crazy as me, haha, but it's totally doable.

Ok, I'm finish with my rambling. Hopefully I'll remember this stuff next time around, thanks to jotting it down here, and maybe it'll help someone else. Happy 2011!

Just because

2010-08-18T14:12:00.002-06:00

I think...

...it's incredible how much more work I can accomplish from home than from the office some days.

...ColdStone's Birthday Cake Remix is the best ice cream, hands-down. Apparently it saves well in the freezer too. :)

...Fig Newtons really do taste like dried figs. Until I ate dried figs (growing up I only ate them fresh off the tree) I didn't really understand where Newton got off calling his cookies fig cookies, but now I understand.

...I'm ready for the IronGirl triathlon to be over. It's time for a new goal! This one's exhausting! *laugh* I do believe yoga is the next activity in the chute.

...today in Colorado feels like most of the country apparently has felt all summer. Way too hot. (hence the ice cream, that did survive the freezer, but did not survive my spoon's reach)

...it's great that one of my security questions that pops up from the Army has to do with my childhood best friend. It always makes me smile to think of her. We have directly opposite political views, but otherwise if we were to meet today for the first time, I think we'd still become as great of friends as we did at 6 years old.

...my Reserve training makes me miss my stay-at-home days. Just a few months left in my current job and then back to that. My dad refers to that as my "eating bonbons and watching soap operas" gig (but I really do neither, believe me)

...I'm ready for some travels. Andileigh, get ready!

Men vs. Women

2010-08-13T11:22:00.003-06:00

Gals...am I alone on this one?

My husband (and my temporary roommate - one of our close pals is staying with us before moving into his new house) has a remarkable way of forgetting things in the fridge and pantry, or simply not noticing them.

I cleaned things out when I returned from Chicago and found the following:

- two separate containers of cut-up limes (these boys are fond of Coronas)

- at least three items that had turned moldy and were in full view when the door was first opened

- the food that I'd left them, expecting them to eat? Still waiting to be cooked. (this one always baffles me...what does my husband eat when I'm not here?? I'm pretty sure it's all pizza and hot wings......please don't tell his mother!)

- leftovers from three weeks ago. I thought he said he "loved it" the first time. Hmm.

- four different bags of chips, opened (and some mostly ignored from a past camping trip...I chucked 'em)

Remarkable. :) What would they do without us women keeping them on track?

I do love my husband, and I wouldn't trade my friend George, either, but this one really made me laugh.

Also, we don't drink very often, but occasionally we do...so I decided it was time to take out the tequila and margarita mix that has been sitting completely untouched for 6 months and move it to a cabinet. The multiple bottles of wine? (because honestly we usually just want to taste it to see if we like it) Those are still lining the back of the fridge - I'll need to use them in a recipe soon...risotto? Anyway, it drove me a little crazy.

I'm ready for a clean fridge!

While I'm at it, I think I'm ready to move again, just so I can clear my whole house of things we don't really need.... :) The spring cleaning bug apparently caught up with me, finally!

[in retrospect, my husband probably wonders why I have 3 different types of shampoo, 2 facial lotions, 4 perfumes, and soooo many shoes and purses... Guess I should cut him some slack] ;)

Oh, that's right

2010-08-12T19:39:00.002-06:00

Just a short thought from me...mostly because I have so many buzzing around in my head that it's hard to nail any of them down for long.

I've been bad this week - I have become so caught up in my thoughts and emotions and life that I've forgotten a few really big things. Like my prayer partner! I have a sticky on my desk at work, so usually I pray for her throughout the day, but not working (playing Reservist instead) I've been delinquent. I have a lot of built up prayers for her :)

I also have been anxious about a lot of things in my life. I am not so much a worry-wort as I am someone who overthinks a lot of things. This week has taken the cake.

I got a rush of calm today, though, when I remembered two of my favorite old verses.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

- 2 Timothy 1:7

(Some other translations use "fear" instead of "timidity".)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

- Romans 8:28

As always, God knew just what I needed. Now let's see if I can commit these verses to my thoughts and actions!

Hope you're having the sort of week where God shows you He's in control too. I know I needed the reminder big time!

Daughters of the King

2010-07-17T07:27:00.003-06:00

Last weekend I was blessed to participate in a Lock-In with the teen girls from the church youth group. A Lock-In is basically an organized slumber party, with food, activities, devotionals, etc.

Now, it's been 9 years since I graduated high school...being surrounded by teen girls was a surprising change of pace for me! First, these girls are loud. Not in a bad way, just that their chatter and laughter filled whatever room they were in. Second, these girls are insightful. Getting a glimpse at their hearts was such a blessing to me!

The focus of our devotional was purity. The two other adult planners, Brittney and Jen, and I offered a few different parts to this. I started with a devo that MY mom used when I was in the youth group. She had a vase full of roses and pulled one out. She touched its petals, smelled it, admired it thoroughly, and passed it around the room for each of us girls to do. After its trip around the room, she replaced it and asked each gal to pick their own rose. No one chose that sad rose that had been admired by everyone for its beauty and scent and soft feel. The girls in my group appreciated this too. Brittney then talked about outer purity - clothes and flirting and so forth, and Jen brought it home with inner purity - thinking of the young men in their lives as their brothers/Christian brothers and modesty as a source of power. We don't have any real issues with this topic that I know of - it was not a "targeted" lesson - but something we and the elders agreed was a pretty important topic for the age group.

Our next activity had to do with sharing kind things about each other. Each of us (even we "big kids") had an index card that we wrote our name on and then passed around the room for others to write nice things on. On the back we wrote, "I am a Daughter of the King" and then detailed in sentences things that had been written on the front. This exercise was so touching to me! The girls were so perceptive and loving towards each other and us. Some of the comments were downright funny, but others were really heartfelt. For someone who hasn't worked with this age of youth in awhile, it literally made me get teary-eyed to realize how much of a role model I could be (and had developed into through a course of getting to know these gals)

Lastly, we talked about prayer partners. Each teen girl is now paired with an adult woman in the congregation as a prayer partner - they pray for each other, get together when they can, and hopefully develop some good friendships and resources through it all! I'm excited about committing my gal's Christian walk to prayer. Her name is Tara - and I'd be happy if you said a prayer for her too! She's a beautiful young woman. One of the reasons I requested her is that she often is helping with the 2-3 year old Sunday School class or helping in the nursery or VBS. I remember always being involved with the little children growing up - and it grew into a love of babysitting and helping children. I think she has a similar heart.

I unfortunately had to leave our Lock-In early since I had Reserve drill early the next morning, but I wanted to share one of the recent happiest highlights of my week. I hope you have had a similarly wonderful week!

And on the topic of prayer partners - I'd love to know who you're praying for and join you in petitioning our Lord!

Religious Preference

2010-07-12T19:50:00.002-06:00

I've been entering a lot of family data lately, and there's a sad trend I've noticed. One of the questions on the family data sheet asks what the Soldier and spouse's religious preferences are, and it then proceeds to ask what church they attend and who the minister is. This is all optional info, but it's helpful in case of an emergency (serious illness or death) to have the right folks available.

I have noticed time and time again how families will list something on the religious preference (Christian, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, you name it) and then the next part is filled in with a "N/A" or "none" or something similar.

It breaks my heart, every time.

On the flip side, each time I see a sheet with both parts filled out, I jump with joy a little inside, regardless of the "flavor" of their faith. As I see it, they HAVE faith, and they PRACTICE it! Amen!

I hope I always can show the world that I love the Lord and am eternally grateful for the sacrifice of His Son.

I want my heavenly Father to jump with joy a little to know that His daughter down here is sticking with Him. :) Have a very happy week, friends.

Milestones

2010-06-29T21:57:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow I mark another milestone on the calendar. It seems that the more I see these milestones, the more acutely aware I am of how I have changed and grown since the last passing. In general, I am happy to say, those changes have been positive and the growth significant.

This week I celebrated with simple pleasures - watching Jane Austen stories on film, running in the park, and realizing how important several of my closest friends have been, especially in the wake of people who have left me disappointed. Team Chappy headed to the mountains to surround ourselves with a bit of God's glory...I can think of few things more glorious to celebrate!

Tonight, I am less interested in celebrating than I am in praying. I have so many prayers on my heart. As a gift for this next milestone, perhaps you could send a prayer up as well.

- One of my dear friends is traveling across the country this week to reunite her children and her husband before he heads off to yet another deployment. She is incredibly strong - I pray that she realizes her own abilities but especially remembers the strength she's always found in God.

- Another sisterly friend is embarking soon on one of earth's greatest joys - marriage. I pray for health and happiness and faith for her and her beloved as they prepare for this. I pray for her beau's safety as he heads back to war, and for her brother as he likewise returns to combat.

- An old Army pal and his wife will welcome a bundle of joy tomorrow, starting a new set of milestones for their family. With this, their 4th daughter, they will certainly find new challenges and joys. I pray for their health and joy.

- Another friend we know from the past is struggling with a great deal of pain from the nature of the Army and war. This deployment isn't her first, but isn't easy, either. I pray that the time flies for these close friends of ours, so that they may be reunited. In the meantime, I pray for her to be surrounded by friends and happiness and God's love, to help ease the burdens she faces. She does so much for others, it's hard to see her hurting.

- Several family members (both naturally and practically family) are ill. Mr. Chappy's grandfather has been declining for years and is hardly himself. I saw my own grandfather, whom I was extremely close to, decline to the point I barely recognized him - so I know how hard this is on Mr. Chappy's mom and family. I pray for comfort.

- Likewise, one of the few men still alive who knew my mother's father is dying. 93-year-old Floyd attends church with us here in Colorado, and I was stunned when I found out he knew my grandfather's family back in the '20s...he and my great-aunt remembered going to school together. My mother's father died when she was 6 - so I have a hard time knowing that a man so faithful to God who has close ties to my family is ready to leave this world. It almost seems unfair...but with such a rich life, I simply pray for his peace. He's ready to join that angel band.

- A friend of Mr. Chappy's mom has been seriously ill this week with no known cause. I pray for his health and the wisdom of the doctors attending to him.

- Another friend of mine confided in me today that she thinks she has cancer. The doctors are continuing with a battery of tests, but the preliminary symptoms are honestly scary. She is a wonderful, truly giving woman, and her family is one of my favorites - her husband is one of the best people I've ever worked with. I pray for her to remain calm as the doctors examine these issues, and I pray that they swiftly and securely deal with whatever it is that's causing her so much pain.

- I pray for those who have recently miscarried - the sweet young couple back home, and the daughter of a church friend - who was 5 months along when she lost her child.

- I pray for my brother and his wife as they embark upon their first move with the Navy. I rejoice with the selection - I think they'll do great things in their next duty station and grow exponentially in their marriage...I pray that I'm right about all this :)

There are so many other prayers on my heart, but those are the big ones.

Thanks for your time, and your prayers. I'd better head to bed so I can get my beauty sleep! Have a very happy week, friends.

Mostly Happy Things

2010-06-05T19:49:00.003-06:00

I started this blog primarily to register some of the simple happy things occurring around me, and I seem to have strayed a little with time. Today I have lots of little happy things to bring up on the interwebs...

1. Grateful people. It's been a stressful week in the Casa de Chappy, with my work unit returning from Afghanistan, and Mr. Chappy preparing his unit to leave for Afghanistan (he's not going, he's the guy who will run things from back here and deal with all the broken Soldiers, Soldiers with legal problems, and family members at every spot on the spectrum). Last night at one of the Welcome Home ceremonies for my guys, I was greeted with so so so much warmth by many family members. What a welcome break, after having angry wives and mothers and fathers griping at me over the phone about their Soldiers being delayed. But last night I received hugs and smiles (and one family from PA even brought me a lunchbag full of goodies like candy and yogurt pretzels and Bath&BodyWorks stuff!)...they were so grateful to have had information, even if it wasn't always easy-to-digest information. I don't make a lot of money in my job (I wasn't looking for a hefty paycheck this time around) but I wanted to help people. Last night made me so thankful to work with military families...and so thankful for people who were grateful for the help!

2. Friends who are like family. This is bittersweet, honestly. I love my family and Mr. Chappy's family, but sometimes our friends are much better to us and take more time to keep the relationships strong. I think this is the curse and blessing of military life. Regardless of the bitter, the sweet is oh-so sweet...we have been blessed with some amazing friends. I will forever be grateful for the dinners and phone calls and encouragement and time together with these close friends we have developed over the years - the friends we will probably remain close to for our entire lives.

3. A/C. I don't think this one needs an explanation. It's suddenly so nice - and warm - in Colorado, that when our A/C was busted last week, I realized how much I appreciate it. Thank goodness the maintenance guys got it up and running yesterday! Happy Anniversary to us!

4. Bright blue/green/yellow tablecloth (as seen previously in my anniversary post) - it just makes the whole dining area so happy!

5. My garden. I've never been able to grow a garden before, thanks to being in Iraq or training to go to Iraq (I know, sounds like my constant sob story...really just the truth of the matter). Living in central Texas, if I was in the field for a week and not watering my plants, they would fry to a crisp. Here, however, we have lovely weather and I have the ability to water my little plants. I planted bulbs a couple months back and they're starting to sprout! I'm so excited! My mother will be thrilled to see them in their glory - she's got a green thumb to the marrow.

6. Welcome Home ceremonies. Oh.my.goodness. There is NOTHING like welcoming home folks who have served in war for a year. Yesterday's ceremony was my favorite yet, with a rowdy crowd (someone even brought a foghorn!) and Patriot Guard riders and VFW members...and...

7. Volunteers. In particular are the volunteers who helped with our Gold Star Families. "Gold Star Families" refers to those whose Soldiers have been killed in the line of duty/action or died of battlefield wounds - the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Last night we had several Gold Star Families in attendance. It's a little uncomfortable, but a lot of these families feel the need to attend to get some closure, understandably. We had several volunteers - who were also Gold Star Family members from other units/years - who joined our unit's families to make things easier. One of these incredible women told me earlier in the day that she would be there any time of day or night, to do what she could to help these families in any way. I was so humbled to be around these volunteers. I cannot imagine facing such an awful situation alone...those volunteers are angels, as far as I'm concerned. (for more information on a great resource, check out TAPS.

8. Feel-good songs. I have had the same group of songs on for a week or two now. [my poor husband...] My short list, in reverse order of downloading: Cornflake Girl (Tori Amos), Heard the World (O.A.R.), Satellite (Guster), and I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) (Stevie Wonder). [beginning to hum now...]

9. Wearing skirts. I have had a few different skirts on this week that simply make me feel like twirling around the room. What a wonderful feeling. :)

10. Candy jars. This was a ploy of mine as a Resident Assistant in college. I left candy jars in my room near the door and left my door open to encourage folks to come by. The gal who was most fond of the Starbursts I left in there became a dear friend of mine, and many other folks were more apt to stop in to "just get some candy" and end up chatting. I used this tactic as an Army officer, too. My desk always had something on it to share. When my NCO was interviewed in Iraq for an Oprah show, my mom was able to point out my desk immediately by the candy jar. In my current job as an Army civilian, my candy jar continues to serve me well. As one of the only females in the Infantry unit I work with, the guys sometimes don't have much to say to me. Many of them have no idea that I was in the Army, either, which probably makes me seem even more alien. The candy jars (lollipops mostly for the kids, but CowTails and chocolates for the big kids) have been a hit...hooray! Some days it's the simple victories that count. And a few more Soldiers that recognize me as a human being is a HUGE victory for this girl!

I'm off to bed...have a wonderful weekend and week, friends. Hope you have tons of random happy things coming your way - I'd love to know what those little things are!

Woohoo!

2010-06-03T22:49:00.006-06:00

I am AWFUL at keeping my mouth shut about happy surprises, especially gifts. So I'm going to cheat tonight, only 70 minutes before our 5th anniversary, and share what Mr. Chappy will be receiving in the morning. It's my present to myself for keeping it quiet for weeks and not giving in early and telling him!

A couple notes, though, before I divulge:

1. We're not gift people. Rather, I *love* giving gifts and wrapping them beautifully for my friends and family...but it's usually about the thought, the feeling, the laughter in a gift than it is about how much time or money I spent. I don't honestly remember the last real gifts we gave each other. At Christmas I received two shirts like Mr. Chappy's Brigade Commander PT shirts (they're moisture wicking and I was doing lots of running) and he received (from me and Santa) a new massaging shower head, a loofah, and a mini Operation game keychain (since he was Operation for Halloween). Santa happened to drop off some lovely kitchen serving utensils for me, too... Practical to the max, we Chappies.

2. For our anniversaries, we've attempted to stick to the various media of a particular year. For example, I think the first year was paper....and of course we were in Iraq. I set up a bank account to save our "fun money", and we've used it for traveling to Hawaii and Israel, buying our land in Powhatan, and other not-so-necessary but pleasant purchases. For the cotton year, I made Team Chappy t-shirts:

The leather year again found us in Iraq and had me very worried. The line of questioning over the phone went something like this:

"Is it something one of us can use, or both of us?"

"Um, both of us"

"At the same time or separately?"

"At the same time"

"Are they, um, butt-less chaps?!"

"No"

"Are you sure?"

[laughter]

"Are they handcuffs?"

Ok, I'll keep this PG-13...but we were apart for another year and my mind was definitely wandering to what he was thinking about for us getting back to the same zip code. Innocently enough, he bought me a gorgeous leather-bound book to write our story in. It's full of empty calendar dates, so we can fill in the year and what happened on that date. Such a sweetheart! The best part of this year was that we managed to be together for the 4th...my boss decided to send me to his base to do an investigation, and it just so happened that they couldn't send me back on the same day. I had to spend the night! Time together is the best gift, hands down.

(this picture is from the day he left on his second/my first deployment...)

The 4th is flowers, and, well, we had just bought the land...which will bring us plenty of flowers (and a number of payments until we live on it) so we didn't plan anything big. This anniversary we were surprisingly together but called to Army duties - dinner with his incoming battalion commander - so our planned trip to the rodeo was cancelled. Eating ice cream in the back of his truck and people watching in the park made it a perfect evening, though.

Which brings you up to speed to tomorrow, our 5th.

3. I wanted to get us something fun and memorable...I think I did pretty well. 5th is wood, and paper's made of wood...

Can you guess what Team Chappy will be doing this summer? :)

Here it is!

ILY, babe...thanks for a wonderful half-decade...so many more fun memories ahead!

If at first you don't succeed, tri tri again

2010-05-22T10:26:00.004-06:00

I've got a new fitness goal - I'm training for the IronGirl sprint triathlon!

I'm thrilled for so many reasons. I stay much more focused when I have a goal race in mind, I can tailor an actual workout plan (vs. my old run-every-other-day method of staying in shape...round is a shape...), and several gal pals from Mr Chappy's unit are planning on doing this race together!

This week I've swam (not much), biked (burned those thighs!), and ran (plenty)...14 weeks to go!

I also am pretty delinquent in posting my goals, so it's time to be held accountable. Here we go...

OLD GOALS NOT ATTAINED YET (AUG 2008-2011):

- Finish Russian Rosetta Stone classes as a refresher

- Travel (Alaska or Montana/Wyoming camping, Europe) {did go to Israel and South Padre Island...so really just need one more of the three}

- Start a forum/lobbying group for dual Army couples

- Lead women's Bible study for a season

- Start college funds for kids

NEW GOALS:

- Bring weight down ~10 lbs (and maintain it +/- 3 lbs for at least a month)

- Read more - 1 book a month! (this goal was a good idea before I got a job...ugh)

- Complete the Pikes Peak Challenge 2010 (soon after the triathlon...if I can get out of Reserve drill that weekend!)

- Prepare for having children

- daily vitamins

- declutter house

- crochet extra toys and clothes for Team Chappy instead of just gifts for others

- Have a "date night" with Mr Chappy at least every 2 weeks (best idea ever. One of the families I used to babysit for growing up swear by this - especially after having kids)

- Sign up for 1 (or more) fun class at the community college or Fine Arts Center (again, great idea if I wasn't working, will need to check schedules otherwise)

So far I'm doing pretty well on the health goals. Eating breakfast daily has been key! Speaking of which, one of my friends from my childhood youth group is competing for a blog award... Hop over to Stonyfield Farms and click on Branappetit to vote for her. She's been blogging about food and weight loss for years - she's got a great spirit and willingness to help others.

Have a great weekend!

Sunny Day

2010-05-20T07:47:00.003-06:00

I don't have anything particularly inspiring (do I ever?) to say today, but I felt like sharing.

- Today is the birthday of a very special friend of mine, Andileigh. 10 years ago my mom and I threw her a surprise birthday party. It's hard to believe it's been that long since we've celebrated in person together! We've had more ups and downs than most rollercoasters can claim, but she's a friend I would want with me through just about anything now. AE - enjoy today and celebrate you! This next year will bring its own challenges and you will arrive at the next milestone even more accomplished, frazzled (just being honest), beautiful, and understanding than this one. Thanks for sharing your gifts with the world.

- In just over a week I'll be heading to Cali to see one of my dearest friends, Slapshot, for wedding preparations! I'm thrilled to join her and some family and friends in looking at dresses and just sharing time together...which means some running by Mission Bay and her culinary arts and LOTS of laughs. I can't wait!

- It has been 5 years (tomorrow) since I was commissioned into the Army. Holy cow! Sometimes it feels MUCH longer, but mostly it feels much shorter. I am so grateful today, and every day, that my peers from that group are all still alive. Such a simple thing but considering what we've all gone through (war) it's a true blessing. I pray that the next decade will bring them and their families health and happiness.

- My pictures made it onto thediyshowoff.com today! Click here (and scroll down) to see it.

Mr Chappy is awake early, so I'm off to some extra smoochies before work. THAT five year anniversary is coming up soon too...I'm excited about a special gift for him even if we won't have much time to celebrate the day. Waking up next to him for over 6 months in a row is gift enough! :) Have a {c}happy, sunny day!

...but who is it for?

2010-05-18T19:35:00.005-06:00

Tonight I'm feeling pretty burned out. I feel like I've stretched myself so thin between volunteering and work and keeping myself in shape and my family that I have nothing left to give.

I have struggled most of my life feeling like an outsider. I've honestly never felt like I belonged anywhere. I moved often enough as a kid to never feel like I settled into the teams and groups that others did; friends, even recently, have disappointed me, as people are apt to do; groups and cliques form and disintegrate and leave me behind; and the Army...goodness...I rarely felt like I met the standards that were important to others (mostly involving peeing standing up or that sort of silliness, haha), and it's very hard to live a Christian life in an environment like the Army. In my new job...you got it - I don't feel like I fit in. I love the folks I work with, but I don't know if I am doing a good job or if they like me, or so on. Typical inner demons.

This week has been frustrating for me and Mr Chappy. It started at church services, ironically. One of the notes in the bulletin had to do with some of the members feeling like it was disrespectful for others to be drinking (coffee, water) during services. Mr Chappy and I felt immediately singled out. After being in Iraq a couple times apiece (4.5 years total) we are accustomed to having a water bottle with us all the time. All. The. Time. We get frequent headaches and we're on the go so much that a supply of water literally keeps us going!

I mentioned this tonight at frustrating event Part Two...the unit steering committee meeting. [Basically, this is where the commanders and volunteer leaders get together to discuss the big events and issues they're facing. I'm no longer attached to a smaller group in the unit - I help deal with big issues at the big unit level. It's a little hard to see my purpose sometimes in this forum, as well] Anyway, before the meeting I was chatting with the chaplain, a friend of mine (he's my age and we both grew up in similar areas and we love God - of course we're pals!). I mentioned the issue at church and we talked for a moment about Sunday School and running the nursery and volunteering with VBS and sending out World Bible School lessons and the personal evangelism ministry, as well as the nay-sayers (don't get me started on the people who disagree with the nursery or fellowship halls!) before he said something really poignant..."who is this all for?" It was like ringing a bell to me.

There will always be those who don't agree. There are LOTS of those who like to give opinions but don't want to sign up to help. Ultimately, they're not my concern - the work of the Lord is! The nursery has been a big help to some moms, Sunday School is making progress in several 2-3 year olds' lives, etc. When Chippy-Chappy (my nickname for our chaplain) quoted one of my favorite verses - Romans 8:28 - it locked it down for me.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Chippy-Chappy - thanks for the reminder.

As to feeling left out, lyrics to one of my favorite hymns are entirely appropriate...

Though often tempted, tormented, and tested
And like the prophet my pillow's a stone
And though I find here no permanent dwelling
I know He'll give me a mansion my own

(Mansion Over the Hilltop, by Ira Stanphill)

I've loved that song since I was a little girl...it's starting to make sense why!

I don't know what your personal burdens are, but I hope you notice the encouragement sent to you this week...that's my fervent prayer! Have a {c}happy day!

Go figure...

2010-05-02T22:18:00.004-06:00

I bought new _-*SPRING*-_ clothes for work on Friday afternoon...cleaned the local Target out! Yesterday's weather was so-so (nondescript?)...but today...in very un-spring-like fashion, it snowed!

Argh. I'm ready for warmer temps and pretty flowers, but I do love the Colorado vista, despite its crazy weather patterns (or lack thereof). :)

In happier news, one of my sisters-in-law has an opportunity to come work in CO (at least for a month or so) with her company! I'm so excited to have her come back. She's the only one of Mr. Chappy's family to visit us at home (here or in TX) and she and I have a lot of similar interests (cooking, crafting, giving) so I'd love having her nearby again for a bit! Please keep it in your prayers...not that she comes out here, but that she does what's best for her and proceeds with strength no matter what happens...she's a great gal.

I could ramble on and on, as per usual, but I'm heading to bed.

I will add one quick note - God is working visibly in a lot of lives these days...in yours too? He used me this week to put two people together (one who needed childcare, and one who was offering childcare, interestingly enough...although I didn't know it when I called to see if she knew of any places the first girl could contact!), He gave me a few opportunities to minister (a dear gal pal mentioned recently that she didn't have a Bible anymore. She's such a positive, inspiring person, and she's really done great things for herself and her family despite big challenges. When I came across a "bugs" Bible - with a dragonfly on the front - I knew God meant it for her...she calls her daughters her "bugs"!), and He inspired my dear husband to vacuum, do dishes, and fold clothes (I assume it was divine intervention, at least...........) since I had several late nights my first week of work. Add some awesome encouragement from some steadfast friends, and all I can say is...GOD IS GOOD!

Hope you have an inspired week of strength, whatever your challenges...and you can hope, for my sake, that the snow is replaced by sunshine here on the Rocky Mountains :) Thanks in advance from a happy Chappy!

Strong Enough

2010-04-25T21:25:00.003-06:00

Tonight I am wondering if I'll make it through the week!

Apparently I don't wear all of my heart on my sleeve as clearly as I thought I did. When I told Mr. Chappy today what an introvert I am, and how hard I have to push myself to talk to people, he laughed outright at me! "You mean," he said, " that we close down the church building every week because I am flitting around talking to people? Yeah right!" I swallowed a little and tried to explain - but he won't buy it.

Tomorrow I'm starting a new job and I'm a little nervous. More than nervous, I'm excited and apprehensive and anxious and...ready to buy new clothes! :) One of my anxieties? That I'm not enough of a people person! And that I'm not strong enough or experienced enough to handle some of the things that are going to be thrown at me - like setting up memorial ceremonies for fallen Soldiers, and helping families who I won't necessarily find pleasant (although I know some amazing women in this unit, we've all dealt with crazies in the military community), and that I will embarrass myself walking in heels one of these days. You know, the regular stuff.

I'd have no problem talking a friend through issues like these, but I'm awful at remembering and taking my own advice! Tonight I'm writing/typing it so I can sneak it through my thick skull. One of my favorite quotes is totally applicable for moments like this:

God doesn't call the qualified,

He qualifies the called!

Time and again, God proves in our lives that although maybe WE aren't enough for a challenge, He completely is! We've been reading about David in our Daily Chronological Bible passages, and I'm amazed at how distinctly God worked in his life...and how clearly David called for His help...and how lovingly he praised his Lord, whether he was "up" or "down" in life.

This week I had the privilege of doing a team building day with members of our church youth group. After one iteration of a challenge, the facilitator called us adults out to do the same challenge against the whole group of teens and tweens. We completed it literally before the other team was off the ground. The moral of the story? As adults, it simply wasn't as difficult for us to figure it out. Get your advice from those who have been around. My personal takeaway, besides that? Pick a great group of folks to surround yourself with!

I'm pretty convinced of God working this job out for me from the beginning (the mere details of how I came to find out about and apply for this job are pretty extraordinary), so why should I doubt that He won't be there from Day One on to the end? (I shouldn't) :) Besides His ever-present hand guiding me, He's blessed me with an unmatched team.

Switching gears a little, I'd like to reflect on a couple of those teammates.

- One of those women is someone I never expected to be close to again. This long distance friend has become a close confidant - and honestly I find myself thinking of her during some really random (and sometimes downright hilarious) times in my life. More than that, she's become a huge source of strength to me. We have gone through (and ARE going through) very similar struggles, although we have very different situations. Fancy that, God putting people together to make them stronger! I don't know how I would have remained sane during the last couple months without her keeping me laughing and thinking and praying.

- Similarly, one of the gals here at church is an amazing influence on me - and I'm almost positive that she has no clue how much she's impacted me! She almost effortlessly brings people together and encourages teamwork and growth. Besides her smile and easy-going ways, I appreciate having someone to look up to (even though she's barely 5' tall, physically).

- Some of my neighbors are the types people dream about meeting and having nearby. I have fantastic folks who are always doing things for others - baking goodies at holidays, sending thank you and welcome notes, hollering "hellos" from down the street, introducing and networking, and most of all, living everyday Christian lives. They're not going to be highlighted in People or Time, but they're always serving others, even while their personal lives are upside down with sick kids and dogs and their own health problems, deployed husbands, and trying to figure out how to make on-post housing more of a home. They're my everyday heroes, honestly.

I love that God has surrounded me with such wonderful women, both physically and essentially.

And to be honest, thinking of these inspiring folks really makes me feel better. I hope your week is filled with encouraging people and events this week, and I hope God works His wonders in your world. Praying for a {c}happy week!

(and you inspiring gals out there...thank you...from the bottom of my heart...I hope we can all repay you by showing this light to others out there this week!)

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing...

2010-04-18T21:19:00.003-06:00

I sang that song in middle school chorus class, and sometimes it just pops into my head. I'd like some peace in the world around me.

Today, I'd like to take away the pain that many people experience due to the unkind (or unthinking) actions of the few. I have some particulars in mind, but it's not important to expound on the details.

Today I pray that children grow in spirit and in truth and learn to stand on their own without manipulation. I pray that adults learn to let go and let God. I pray that those waiting on answers find them and are strong enough to act on them.

I pray that families learn what it means to help each other and that people stop inflicting pain on others under the guise of loving them.

I pray that those who push away eventually learn to open up. And I pray that I say and do the right things to those I am most sensitive about, as well as those who are most sensitive about me.

I pray for someone in particular who brings a lot of pain to others without knowing it, but whom I believe is in a lot of pain of their own. I could ramble on and on, but ultimately, I pray that this person stops hurting on the inside, stops hurting others, and learns to function without codependence or manipulation. But honestly, that's a huge change of heart, so I'll pray for the short-term issues too...I think they've grown in the past decade in little ways, and for that I'm grateful.

Those are my prayers for today.

Put your hand in my hand
Let's begin today
Put your hand in my hand
Help me find a way

Staying Afloat

2010-04-16T14:37:00.003-06:00

(multi-day post...although the grey nasty day thing seems to be sticking around)

Today is a tired day. It's grey and chilly and spring seems to have shrunk back into the bushes as big brother winter picks on it.

I spent this week dealing with healing and caregiving efforts. Suicide intervention and prevention training and family readiness issues with Mr. Chappy's unit...including the CARE Team. I hadn't heard about CARE teams until I moved here, and it's an extremely useful albeit heartbreaking venture. Basically, when a Soldier is killed or seriously injured, CARE teams (made of spouses of the Soldier's unit) mobilize to support the affected family with meals, cleaning, childcare, answering phone calls, etc, for the first two weeks or so. The idea is to support the family (usually in some remote military location) until their own family members can arrive to help.

I love being a part of these things, and the logical part of me knows that my involvement has boosted the unit at least a little. Honestly, though, I'm tired of being the helper. I'm tired of being the knower and the doer and the volunteer. I cannot imagine, however, not being involved. There are so many military spouses who don't get involved - but I can't imagine being one of them. (I also feel the same way about church activities...I'm tired of being one of the people who makes things happen but I know those things, like the nursery or classes, must go on, and if I'm the one to drive the train, then I guess I'd better grab a RipIt or RedBull and go!)

Today, therefore, I am looking to recharge! I am curious what the best method of "staying afloat" is for the caregivers of the world. The women who support their husbands through ridiculous pain and suffering (i.e. the military, ha!), and the mothers who deal nonstop with crying and pooping and hungry kids, and the adult children who watch their parents dissolve into children again and require cleaning and feeding assistance. I don't know how my husband plans to stay afloat in the next year and a half, as last night was literally the only night in the past several weeks that he got a full night of sleep, instead of being woken by a unit-related phone call.

My friend A gave me the best advice I've had in awhile. Not only was it solid advice, but she understood what I needed to hear/remember without me explaining much of what was on my heart...

"To answer your question, I start by venting it out. I have had more than my fair share of freakouts in the last couple months... It's insane what has to be done and the stress no one else caring brings upon you. So....VENT! STEW! BE NEGATIVE! And then...

...go out and search for a story about a family who was saved by what you do. Once your venting is over, you need to fill yourself back up with the promise and hope that our job brings to folks who appear carefree but are, in fact, petrified.

I regularly need someone to remind me of these things. I get it. ;)

My only other thing that has helped is this:

I was consistently frustrated by the fact that we would start projects in various work stations/churches and wouldn't get to see the benefits...only work the hard ground until it was time to go and someone else got the cushy part. It felt wrong and unfair. I personally had a time where I was very angry with God about it. Seemed like all my hard work was for someone else's payoff. Then I realized something that has made my life (and military work) much easier:

God gave some of us the talent to be transitional people. We're not meant to be the ones that get the glory, but the ones that put in the tough work that no one else is willing to do. The ones that care past their breaking point, serve tirelessly when exhausted and love like crazy. The ones who don't have to brag about what they're doing to feel pride in their work and gratitude in opportunity, because we know God chose us for it. "

I know a lot of wonderful ladies who are in danger of burning out this month. Gals, you're in my prayers. I don't know your individual heartaches, but I know a lot of it revolves around the unpredictability and loneliness that surrounds Uncle Sam and his work. It's okay to be the transitional...and it's okay to wish you had the glory. I hope you know how much your work is helping others around you. I needed A to remind me of it this week, so maybe you just need your reminder too.

We're in this together, and I love you!

The Windy City

2010-04-12T21:31:00.004-06:00

Quick post from...Chicago!

I'm here for some schooling on helping folks not commit suicide. Yes, the Army Reserves flew me and a coworker out here to do ASIST training. I've been through suicide prevention/intervention classes before (in college as an RA, etc), but I really like this model for teaching. There are a lot of things I haven't been thrilled about but I won't waste time on those.

I would like to say, however, for any Army readers, that PTs are NOT a "casual" alternative to ACUs the way Class B's (greens without the jacket) are to Class A's. *sigh*

Moving on.

Tonight I visited with a dear friend from college! It's been at least 6 years since we've seen each other. We lived in the same house for a year and a half and studied in the same department, although she was a grad student and I was pursuing my undergraduate degree. I counted her as one of my closest friends from school. It was great to be able to catch up with her!

We ate at a Thai place in...the train station! This train station was more like a mall complex, and the Thai restaurant was hip and modern and served one yummy (and strong) raspberry mojito! After dinner we walked around (it's a good thing my friend has lived in town for a few years...her tour was superb!) and caught a cab back. I wish I'd had more time...and next time I won't wait 6 years to make a visit happen. It was fun to catch up on the academic world of Slavic studies too - definitely not something I've spent lots of time on in recent years! Chicago is a beautiful city an I would love to come back soon for a longer visit.

Tomorrow is our second/last day of training, and hopefully we won't have too much more craziness. The group is an interesting mix of folks. I learned that jeans, a t-shirt, and a denim vest can mean "business casual" apparently as much as a PT uniform (*laugh* instead of a sigh at this one) and that you can indeed be in the military (reserves) for 30 years and only be an E-5. My coworker who attended too is a Ranger/infantryman - served in all sorts of secret squirrel missions and was one of the first Soldiers in Afghanistan in 2001 - so we have lots of jokes about not fitting in to this crazy crew. It's been an eye opener, but I'm excited about what I've learned. I have talked a friend down from a suicide before, and a boy I briefly dated in college killed himself last year while I was overseas. It was an awful blow to know that someone I knew so well had made that choice/action. I can think of many many other friends of friends who have taken their own lives, too. I'd like to be able to help, and I'm always open to good information.

With that...my Chappy thought for the night...think of how something simple you say (or remember) could mean the world to an acquaintance. Take the time to let someone know you care. I was shocked at how excited a coworker was a few years back when I remembered that his sister lived in Paris; and *I* can't describe how much a simple, heartfelt email from a dear friend at church (a second mother, if you will) meant to me this week. Something so small in your world can mean so much to someone else. Good luck in caring for others this week...I'm thinking of you.

Dreams

2010-04-06T21:35:00.003-06:00

I'm a pretty good dreamer, as my patient husband (who listens to my retellings almost every morning) could attest. Am I alone in this one, or do you have wild dreams too?

I still dream about my grandfather, Papa, who died two years ago this week. I don't know how it's been two years - it happened while I was on my second yearlong deployment to Iraq, and most things that happened while I was over there seem to fade into an alternate reality. [for example, my brother has graduated from college and is now married...but deep down I feel like he's still in college and just working on his new relationship, not over 5 years into a relationship with his now wife!] I think my mom and Grandmarie are a little envious that Papa still pops up to me, so sometimes I don't talk about it. My reactions are so mixed about these dreams. The other night I woke up kind of frantic - and I was bawling IN the dream, because we were throwing a birthday party for him and I thought he was dead - and it ended up he was living in a cave at the golf course - he WAS an avid golfer - in some cryogenic freeze. I got to hug him and kiss him and tell him how much I love him. That part always feels good, even if it hurts to have to say goodbye again. Although I never wasted my time with him and always went out of my way to visit, I am so grateful for the extra time I get with him in these dreams.

I had a dream about flying recently. I remember being so upset a few years ago, thinking that my dream-flight days were over. When I was little, I flew all the time in my sleep. Sometimes I was like Superman, running a few steps and taking off with my hands in front of me. More often, it was like swimming, flapping my arms to push the air under me, sort of a breaststroke in the air. I was so convinced of my flying ability that I actually remember trying to fly while awake as a child. There was nothing to compare with the view from above the world. In more recent "flights", I am often trying to run away or break into somewhere (hooah Army training, haha) or save someone, not just enjoy the view. I wonder how much of that I did as a kid!

A lot of times I dream about certain people, but they are represented by faces/bodies that I don't recognize. Or I dream about "home"...but it's the house I spent most of middle and high school in, not my current house or my parent's current house. It's always that particular house or Papa's house, always. "Home" is a tricky concept to a military kid (and military adult, too, apparently).

Do you have memorable dreams like these? I used to keep notes about my dreams - and amazingly, those that I wrote down I can recall very vividly to this day, even 15 years later. I need to go back and watch Waking Life. This is a really interesting animated film (using technology that animated the films they took of real folks) about lucid dreaming and confusion between awake time and sleep. I watched it during a college art class, and also with the honor frat at school...but it's probably been 8-9 years since I saw it. Hmm...anyone up for a movie night? :)

Things I love m-ucho today

2010-04-05T15:48:00.005-06:00

This post is purely for me (aren't they all?). Because I feel bleh. Because I would have no problem curling up on the couch today and watching New Moon or P&P or any other chick flick on DVD while the hubs is working. Because I have no motivation and need a pick-me-up!

I present to me...Things I Love M-ucho Today:

- My newly framed coasters in the kitchen. A few months ago we were out to eat, I think at Red Robin, and found these adorable coasters. They had no restaurant branding on them and had some adorable, bright illustrations. "Salsa so good is dances the salsa" (with tomato and jalapeno pepper dancing together) and "Every day we do the salsa. Chop, dice, 1-2-3, Mix, serve, 4-5-6, Now, dip!" (with old school dance step illustrations). This isn't totally random...Mr. Chappy and I make our own salsa (we swear by it, actually, and I haven't found many salsas that I like as much...even our friend Andy makes his own, but it tastes way too oniony to me, even though I'm a garlic and onion loving girl!) Anyway, it adds a little color to the room and makes me smile. And it matches my Ikea prints and Wordle art and lime green tea towel curtains and rug.

- My puppy. Okay, most of the day she's driven me crazy. But in a cute way. Mr. Chappy gave her a golf ball this week. Score! It's just the right size for her to bite and carry around, and since it moves so quickly on the floor, it keeps her running around pushing it. Hilarious. She also has figured out how to throw it up in the air a little. Bad news for those of us not wearing shoes when she decides to do it off the couch. But still cute. She's also been exceptionally affectionate this week - woohoo! That can't be beat!

- Hubs. Mr. Chappy has put up with a few emo bombs lately [break break break...an emo bomb, if I haven't defined it before, is my mister's term for when an unexpected, uncontrollable burst of emotion pops up in an otherwise calm conversation, and usually involves bawling and snot flowing out of the bomber's nose...what woman HASN'T experienced this?!] and way too many hours of crazy in-laws (yes, my parents went on the Israel trip...which turned out to be tons of fun, but I'm sure deep down it drove him crazy at least a fraction of as much as they drove me crazy!)...and he's been great. He's been snuggly and full of smoochies and all other manners of sweet. And he never reads this so I can use fluffy terms like that. :)

- Spring! Well, at least pseudo-spring. I refuse to plant my lily bulbs for fear that the frost will attack at night, but during the days in the last week we've had beautiful, sunshiney weather. Lots and lots of Rocky Mountain winds in the last couple, but in general, perfect weather. I appreciate all the bright colors and garden-related items that the locals have put out as well...although we all know another snow storm is probably in the works. That's okay, we'll enjoy the bright as well as the white, if it comes.

- Ahava lotions. I've never liked or used lotion much before I moved to Colorado. I'm convinced that this place is among the driest on earth, though! We picked up some lotion from the Dead Sea area...and this stuff rocks. Good thing I can buy it online when I run out! Another trip to Israel just for some lotion would not exactly fit in our budget.

- The DIY Showoff. I probably mentioned this blog awhile back, but oh my goodness, it's my new favorite. It's eclipsed Young House Love, for me, since the Petersiks (one of whom I knew in college) mostly deal with house renovations (and I cannot/will not do much with military housing when we never know when we'll be moving) and new baby (I love my friends with babies/kids, but I'm frankly tired of looking at everyone else's newborns and pregnant bellies) Anyway, The DIY Showoff takes in links from readers and has some fantastic and inexpensive options for almost ever style of DIY-er. Daily updates keep this Chappy happy!

- Great people. I've met some really cool new friends/acquaintances lately and am glad for it! One is the new girlfriend of one of our longtime guy friends. They may not realize how perfect a fit they are together, but the rest of the group does! She's fun and down to earth enough to drink beer and watch sports, but also sometiems really classy (sends thank you notes, etc.) and considerate (always keeping an eye out for jobs or openings or interests her friends might appreciate...like the email to me about pysanki that her mom made!) And then there's the wives of the Brigade and Battalion commanders of the unit I'm applying to work for. I haven't even been hired, but they've taken me under their wings and have fought for me and so forth. I don't know how many units that would do that! Anyway, as the saying goes, "make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold"...I'm happy to have some new friends around!

Ok, mood is lifted. I'm off to do a little spring cleaning while the mood is right!

Breathe!

2010-04-02T11:51:00.004-06:00

I just returned from an a-maz-ing trip to Israel. Admittedly, this country would never have made my Top 10 list before (due to political and social issues, for starters, but also that I've seen about as much of the "Middle East" as I desired...or so I thought) but it was the trip of a lifetime. I'm sure I'll have plenty to share. I may put my religious and political thoughts here, since everything else will probably go to Facebook.

The thing about traveling around the world is that it wears a person down! I've been home for a few days and still feel like I'm dragging. I know a lot of the concerns on my heart are causing my exhaustion, though, and that it's not just physical.

I am in the process of applying for a job and I'm just about ready to throw in the towel. Interestingly, I rocked the interview and the unit (it's a military family related job) chose me as their top pick. The federal job hiring process is painful, though. It's been a month now, and I'm no closer than before...except that now I know why people recommended copying the job description/duties into my resume (which I didn't do - it seemed wrong). By most accounts, I'm overqualified for the job (it's about half the salary I made in the Army and is essentially a clerical/organizational job) but the hiring guy says I'm not qualified. I'm going to revamp my resume online one more time before I call it a game and move on. I'd love to work with the folks involved...several of my friends' husbands are in this unit, their deployment timeline is good, and the folks I've met there are great. They've really fought hard to get me hired, too. I think I'd be a good fit for their unit, as well! It's been an ego boost, but maybe God just wanted to get me in the game and didn't want me to win this one. We'll see how it goes!

I've also been agonizing over a dear friend's wedding. Annabanana asked me to be a bridesmaid this summer, and I was thrilled - she and I have become pretty close while living in Colorado and I'd do anything to help her out. Then I found out my Reserve unit had its annual training (2 weeks) over the same time period. I won't go into all the details, but I'm trying to find a way to make it work - and I feel like I've run into brick walls at every turn. I may have found a good solution this week, but my commander needs to sign off on it. Again, we'll see how it goes. But hopefully it won't keep me up any more nights, since it's in her hands instead of mine!

A former Soldier of mine reminded me to "breathe" this morning. I needed that. I needed the reminder this week from an old FRG "battle buddy" and neighbor to not waste the beautiful day and to smile at someone. I needed reminders that everything's going fine and I'm not a total weirdo and that my life's on the right track. We all have those weeks, and I suppose this one's mine! If it's yours too, I am sending happy thoughts your way. And if, like me, you just need to eat a bunch of chocolate robin's eggs and cry a little and maybe sneak in a viewing of Pride and Prejudice or Twilight or play in your craft area a little longer than usual...just know that it's okay...and don't forget to breathe!

Eee eee eee!

2010-03-16T12:02:00.004-06:00

That's the sound I made this morning in my super excited state. My best friend's getting married! I received 4 phone calls in a row from Germany on Sunday morning during church, and I knew Slapshot must have exciting news...before call number 5, I made sure to grab my phone and run out of the auditorium. It's a gorgeous engagement ring and an amazing man...I'm so happy for my friend.

The funny thing is, every time I think about it - I break out into a huge smile and my heart beats a little faster and I get excited all over again!

Slapshot was my maid of honor (my only bridesmaid, actually...I didn't want a slew of people who'd drifted in and out of my life over the years, I just wanted someone who had stood with me through several years of fun and difficulties...and while I understand folks who choose their sisters or sisters-in-law as bridesmaids, I wanted this wedding to be about me and the mister, not about whether our siblings liked our color choices, etc., and all the problems that a larger party can entail...I'm a simple girl!) The day of my wedding, we went running around my parents' neighborhood - after all, we had gone on many many runs together up to that point, it was tradition! Every time we saw someone outside, Slapshot yelled to them, "She's getting married today!" and pointed at me. It made me giggle, and we talked about the future and apprehensions and so many things. To this day, it's the best advice I can give a bride...do something fun and relaxing the day of your wedding - don't just worry about your hair and makeup and candles and whether you'll trip on your dress.

Slapshot also introduced me to tons of things I never would have imagined appreciating. She's a California girl, raised on sailboats and sunshine, with more pins in her travel map than just about anyone I know (she's literally traveled the world). She's honestly the most loving, caring friend I know, though...not a bit snooty, despite being brought up with quite a few privileges others didn't have. She's a culinary genius, always cooking up meals for her friends and introducing us to simple pleasures. She's an artist - she literally sees beauty in the most interesting and unusual places. And most of all, she brings a vibrancy to the world around her with her infectious smile and love of laughter.

So yeah, I'm excited that she and her longtime beau are making this a permanent love. He's the only man of hers I've met who really loves her enough and has what she NEEDS, not just what she thinks she wants.

All this made me think of a simple analogy. (I swear I don't make this stuff up, it really does pop into my head during non-blog hours) It's exciting to think of how much God loves us, to think of the opportunities He gives us, to think of how much we can help others. That excitement keeps some folks going all the time...kudos to them. I want to be one of those people - excited about life. I already am pretty excitable, but I want to translate that excitement into actions and helping others.

Have a {c}Happy week, y'all...get excited!

I've been bad!

2010-03-10T09:28:00.005-07:00

Yes, I'm eating cheesecake for breakfast (shhh, don't tell my hubby...but I really wanted to, um, clean out the fridge?)...but the real naughty thing is that I've been so full of rants lately! That was never my goal for this blog. Originally I just wanted a chance to share some of the bright spots in my day and log them so I can check them out later. So I apologize for my recent frustrations (some of which I've taken the liberty to delete) and the many many more floating around in my head.

Moving on!

I took my dark blue snowflake tablecloth and penguin candle off the kitchen table yesterday. In its place is a bright orange/green/yellow striped tablecloth, and on the table I put my new ceramic bird candleholder and grater plate and the last three oranges in the house.

And since my computer is now living on the kitchen table (instead of next to the couch, which was never a good idea...I never left the couch since I was either watching TV or playing on the computer!) I am constantly brightened by the spring colors. Hopefully Colorado will get the picture and continue to warm up!

There have been a few things I've wanted to do around the house lately...this is one of them... I need a bit more time, though, since Team Chappy is heading to the Holy Lands in the next couple weeks. In our plain jane neighborhood, something to help us stand out and include some color will be fantastic! That's the great thing about spring - fresh life, new changes, and discovering beauty all over again.

I posted this note on Facebook this week, but I thought I'd share it on here too...

My hubby left a Google map zoomed into our 29 acre property in Virginia up on my computer. Thanks, babe - like I don't pine for home enough! :) But it was a great reminder of what we're heading towards, kind of like how God gives us sunny days as a reminder that the world may be gloomy but we have a better world in store...

I needed that thought this week! We've alternated between warm days filled with sunshine and grey skies spattered with snow and rain...and I'm not just talking about the weather! The end of winter always excites me - so much to look forward to - but it's bittersweet because it's not quite time to bust out the flip-flops and t-shirts. Like I said, I've let myself become overwhelmed by frustrations lately and those gloomy days seem the most prevalent...but there's so much to be excited about, especially in the Casa de Chappy! We have dove into several different ministries with our church (which I am convinced is the number one way to feel good...help others!), including World Bible School, Fishers of Men, teaching Sunday School, and various fellowship opportunities and classes with other folks. (please don't take this any of as bragging but as encouragement to you to step out into various ministries/methods of encouragement...all of those are things that the mister and I were very hesitant about due to our own human failings, but God has blessed us through the ministries as well as others around us)

I recently did something kind of out of character but very exciting - applying for a job. Now, working itself isn't out of character for me, haha, but the situation was. I received a phone call on Friday ("There's an opening! Your name came up...if you're interested, we need to know by Monday!"), called several people related to the job Friday evening (which, if you didn't know...I cannot stand talking on the phone except to my parents, hubby, and Slapshot...but I'll suck it up for this possibility), posted my resume to the appropriate folks over the weekend, and did a phone interview on Monday. I promptly rewarded myself with a Jack In The Box milkshake and cheese sticks. :) Regardless of the results, I'm glad that I did something different and new and stepped out of my comfort zone. It's almost spring - time for a few new green buds, right?

And this job is great in particular because it's working with military families. If it works out, I expect plenty of headaches, plenty of heartaches (this unit is deployed and has already lost around 14 Soldiers), but the chance to really help folks, too. Maybe this is the lightning bolt from God I've been waiting for...

Ok, time to go clean the house. While I've got your attention, go check out IAmNotAshamed.org. I keep seeing the commercials on Fox News, and I'm thrilled to see Christians standing up for their faith. I've felt for years now that Christians are being told to "sit down and shut up", basically, and that other religious preferences are getting the blank checks to do what they want. I'm cool with people doing their thing, regardless of how different it is from me, but I am tired of feeling like Christians are being silenced. So rock the t-shirt, the website, etc...but be inspired by others who are out there expressing their faith. And have a {c}happy day! (I'm praying it is good for you!)

Because my eyes hurt from crocheting...

2010-03-01T21:10:00.002-07:00

...and I'm curious if I could do this with one of my all-time favorite bands, Semisonic...

Copy this into a new note on your profile. Then, using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions, replacing my answers with yours. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think!

Are you a male or female:

Girlfriend

Describe yourself:
Delicious (sorry, couldn't resist)

How do you feel:
I'll Feel For You

Describe where you currently live:
Sunshine and Chocolate

The Gift :) The Prize :) or any other happy title!

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Gone To The Movies

Your favorite form of transportation:
She Spreads Her Wings

If I Run

Your best friend is:
California (well she's a Cali girl)

and while we're at it, she's also

Completely Pleased (to be out of the Army, loving a great man, and on her way to big things!)

You and your friends are:
Brand New Baby (well, that does seem accurate, since nearly everyone I know is either pregnant or has a newborn, haha)

What's the weather like:
Surprise (also accurate for out here in the mountains)

Favorite time of day:
Bed (although Good Morning Baby is a super song)

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Act Naturally

What is life to you:
Ordinary Life

Your fear:
Chemistry (hahaha)

Down In Flames

What is the best advice you have to give:
Get a Grip

Thought for the day:
This Will Be My Year

How I would like to die:
Singing In My Sleep

My soul's present condition:
In Another Life :)

All Worked Out

My motto:
Made to Last

A few things on my mind

2010-03-01T10:06:00.003-07:00

Happy March, blog world!

I'm so happy spring is on its way. Slowly, for us living in the shadow of the Rockies, but on its way nevertheless.

I am debating a few things in my head this week, so I thought I'd share with the interwebs.

(1) The base's Enlisted Spouses Charitable Organization is sponsoring a craft fair in March. I'm thinking of whipping up a bunch of fun crocheted things (I have about a million ideas in this noggin) to sell. I'm a little hesitant to sell somewhere like Etsy, but I think a craft fair would be a good start. I have a bunch of ideas for stacking toys that I've already started on, and I can make finger puppets and sell them fairly inexpensively...I know so many little ones who love those mini-puppets (or toe-socks, as one of my little buddies calls them). PLUS, the entrance fee would go to a fantastic organization that does a lot for our base and community (like the winter coat drive every fall!) I'm curious what you think, though. I am shying away from blankets and looking at more unique little toys and treasures.

(2) I want to have a tea party. I need to invite some friends with sweet little girls over for this...I have a few in mind. I even have pink hot chocolate! Have you ever been to a tea party? What was memorable about it? My new favorite Mom books are Just Mom and Me Having Tea and Tea Parties With A Purpose. I gave my copy of the first one away but I hear that CBD.com will sell me another one. ;) I always think of whimsical parties, a la Alice in Wonderland, one of my favorite Disney movies.

(3) Mr. Chappy finally figured out what the little loop-part does on our citrus peeler. This is not exactly magical or requiring a rocket scientist, but it does help in my daily orange ritual...as he put it, now they don't look like a bear has mauled them before we eat them. Heehee. I love these funky objects, though. I recently bought a really cool grater plate (kinda like this one) but in much funkier colors, and apparently made in Spain. It has this spiky middle area to grate garlic, cheese, chocolate, etc, individually! It'll be perfect for a big Italian or Greek dinner when we're eating bread with olive oil and want to put a little garlic in, but don't want to submit our guests to the amounts of garlic that Team Chappy loves. Ok, that was a purely random ramble, but after opening/eating my first non-mauled orange this morning, I'm floating a little.

I have another huge thing on my mind but I'm not sure I want to share it on here. My closest friends know my thoughts anyway, so rambling on it won't necessarily help.

And as one parting random thought...I woke up ridiculously exhausted this morning. Slept till 9am! Whew! I'm not sure if this is because (1) I took a decongestant last night that's supposed to make me sleepy, or (2) in my dreams last night I was a super-secret-squirrel type agent (FBI? CIA?) traveling the world, rescuing children, killing terrorists, and trying to get into foreign embassies with concealed weapons (to save others, of course, not to terrorize, although the lady at the front desk didn't seem to think so). I think it's the latter. :)

Healthy

2010-02-28T15:19:00.004-07:00

Every day I take the following vitamins/supplements:

- Iron, 18mg (apparently women, especially active/runner women who live at high altitudes, benefit from more iron...and anyone who has a period could use it, truthfully)

- Folic Acid, 800mcg (because I want to have babies at some point this decade)

- Magnesium, 250mg (it supposedly helps with headaches...hahaha...but I'll keep trying)

- Calcium, 600mg (I'm a magnet for stress fractures and other running injuries...I'll take whatever I can to help!)

- B-Complex Vitamins with C (because it's in my vitamin pack...?)

- Vitamin C, 250mg (hello, flu season!)

- Multivitamin/Multimineral with Lutein, high potency formula

On TV today Mr. Chappy and I watched an infomercial for P90X. Just two nights ago, his cousins were extolling the benefits of CrossFit (which Team Chappy still is convinced is a cult, heehee). On a different channel, different time, we saw a commercial for the Ab Roller ("Need a massage?! The soft foam rollers will ease your aching back, while you work out!"). My MIL is always on the lookout for the newest fitness gadget - most recently it was the Ab Circle, to add to the collection of vibrating tummy belts, stationary bikes, ellipticals, stair steppers, thigh crunchers,...

And goodness knows how much money we as a nation spend on gym memberships, diet pills and fads, and pedometers to encourage us to get fit.

Granted, we're a nation that needs to get healthy - but I'm not digging up the standard body-fat argument here. With as much as we're concerned about our physical bodies, isn't it a little surprising how little time and money we spend on our spiritual and emotional bodies?

I'm always disheartened at the excuses well-intending people have for not coming to church. I'd much rather hear a friend say, "I didn't want to go" than to give me the many other reasons why they couldn't make it.

But this post also isn't intended to bash people who don't make it into a church building every time the doors are open...I'm in no place to judge anyone for anything.

A better example, then - it makes me sad to see relatively young, attractive parents smoking around their children. Smoking is one of those trends I don't understand - everyone knows it's unhealthy, and no one REALLY seems to want it for their children (and many express not wanting it for themselves!) but it pervades us still. Why hurt our children before they have the chance to choose for themselves?

That's how I feel about spiritual lives. I was so disappointed recently to show a little girl the nativity scene...I asked her who the woman in the display was, and she paused for a moment before exclaiming, "A princess!?" Within the hour of Bible class she saw a picture of Moses, parting the Red Sea, on the wall in our classroom...she was so excited when she pointed and said it was Santa! My heart was breaking for this little one, though. She's learned quite a bit since that day, but I can't wait for the day when I see her singing our songs loudly because they're common to her, or praying her OWN prayers...and I pray that her parents will help her to learn these things before she has the choice whether to go to church on her own or not.

I wonder if we'll ever be in a society that spends as much time on pew-sitting or floor-kneeling as we do on bench-pressing or (*snicker*) preacher curls. :) We're inundated with reminders that we could be stronger, slimmer, sexier, lighter, tighter, you name it. I think that noticing this will make me think of being more prayerful, faithful, hopeful, loving, and positive every time I see a workout book or ad or diet pill, at least!

I have a lot of work to do on my own life. A good start has been our Daily Chronological Bible readings. Literally it's as easy as reading 5-7 pages every day. Even this hasn't been foolproof though - we have loved ones who simply haven't chosen to pick it up, even though they'll dish out the money on Bibles on CD or evangelical DVDs, etc. Thankfully we've gotten into the habit, and our congregation holds us to it by asking every week for a show of hands of who has kept up with their daily readings! Talk about positive peer pressure. :)

I had a much healthier prayer life earlier in life that I need to return to. It's easy to get bogged down by all the sad things in our world, and sometimes I feel like I could go on for hours with the things weighing my heart. I don't always think it's necessary to go to our Creator for prayers about material things, but the important things in my world - my family, my church family, my husband's Army unit, the multitude of friends I know serving in scary places around the world, the families left behind to support them, our Wounded Warriors and their families, our missionaries,...I have a pretty lengthy list of things always on my mind, and that's not even going into individuals dealing with pretty hefty personal issues. I'm going to try to be better about that this week, and hopefully start a habit!

I'm not all bad, though. :) One way I HAVE grown is my confidence in talking to others. I never felt comfortable talking to visitors in our church in Texas. A big reason was that I spent 2 of my 3.5 years "in Texas" actually in Iraq, so I had a hard time determining who was new and who was just new to me. It was great this morning to walk up to a young family and find out (1) he's an Army officer recently out of career course (yay! We have almost no Army, just AF, at our church, and not many officers like us, which isn't a factor to us but some people have a hard time warming up to us thinking we're part of the dark side, ha) (2) their son will be in my Sunday School class, and I'm pretty sure they'll be back since they asked about class time (and he's a cutie!) (3) they're not in a soon-to-deploy unit so maybe we'll become close (4) they said they've been looking at churches of Christ in the area...which means we come from a common background of convictions, not just mere preferences, which serves as a great base for a friendship. (as my friend Penny recently wrote, aren't our similarities the simplest basis for friendship?..."You [like/do/are] this too? Me too!")

So to sum up my ramblings, I'm going to work on my spiritual self as much as my physical body...and I do a decent job of lacing up my running shoes or heading to the gym each week, so I've got high standards to meet for my Lord! But honestly, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Off I go - have a {c}Happy week! Good luck to you on your own personal fitness plan, wherever you are in it. (now why don't they make a spiritual pedometer?) ;)

February Favorites

2010-02-22T21:09:00.007-07:00

Ahh, February. I've been awful at updating this month, thanks to a wonderful trip back east and a slew of other obligations. So without further ado, my faves for February...

1. Family time! I flew in a week early to visit with my folks, help my mom and my brother's bride, and enjoy some east coast time. My mom and I, as you can see, LOVE goofing off together. Below, showing off our "tulips" :)

I apologize to all Virginians for bringing snow from Colorado. It sure made my parents' house look beautiful, though!

2. The most perfectest wedding ever. My little bro and his wife had an absolutely gorgeous wedding. She's stunning to begin with (imagine Snow White - ivory skin, dark hair, and beautiful features, and that's just her OUTER beauty), but the wedding was just right for the two of them. She surprised him with a musical guest (see more at number 3) during the ceremony that literally had everyone in tears (the preacher was even choking up...I've NEVER seen him that touched!) and he surprised her during the reception with a few guests of his own. My dad and a few guys from church gave a barber shop quartet style performance changing the lyrics of one of the songs to my new sister-in-law's name, and my dad's classic rock band (who played for part of the reception) coordinated for Elvis (or one of the best impersonators around) to come and serenade the new couple and guests. It was a really fun day, and I'm so glad I was able to celebrate with such special folks.

3. New music. Go check out Patrick Willis... This was the special musical guest at the ceremony. Of course I was blotting away tears all during his performance, but I was pretty darn impressed later, checking out his music! I haven't been so excited about a young musician since I first heard John Mayer back in 1999 or 2000. This kid rocks, and his strong Christian upbringing shines through in his tunes. Did I mention he has an album on iTunes? :) Mr. Chappy also found an old artist that was right up my alley...Annette Hanshaw. I'm digging it!

4. Crochet. Okay, I know, this was on last month's too. But after making several things for some new little buddies (newborns of some dear friends) I'm absolutely sold. Good thing I have a few more babies I want to shower with love (friends in TX and my cousin's 3 little ones are next on the list)...then maybe I'll move up to clothing or something. Maybe. :)

5. Military wife love. One of the highlights of my trip was visiting with my HS best friend. "Best friend" kinda does a disservice, though..."family" is a little more accurate. Especially when, even 5 years after high school, I had friends ask me how my sister was doing...everyone knew us as family. Anyway, Andileigh and I haven't had much catch-up time - with me playing Army and her a very busy Navy wife and mom of twins, we've literally been on opposite sides of the country, and never ever visiting our families at the same time. The stars aligned this time, and we talked until...wait for it...2 in the morning! It's been awhile since I've done that! She's been particularly active in the PTSD and Wounded Warrior communities, and had some fantastic tips for me. She also gave me an incredible book (which I devoured the entire flight back across the country) - The Homefront Club, by Jacey Eckhart. Military wives, go buy or borrow this book. Now. It is refreshing and fun, and gives such solid, time-tested tips. It's written by a Navy wife but really applies to any of our services. Anyway, back to my rambling. Andileigh and I caught up on lots of other things, like our families and relationships and frustrations with the military and our hopes for our churches and plenty of reminiscing about some of the River Rats we went to school or church with over a decade ago. I think those are all the details I can share...some things are simply sisterly and sacred! It was a fantastic visit, and I'll have to work to make sure we visit VA at the same time somewhere in the future...

I've also had a chance to get to know a few other military wives at our church in CO and Mr. Chappy's unit a little better. I'm so so so grateful for these new friends, and looking forward to building these relationships!

6. The Dog Father! I'm not much one for gadgets and as-seen-on-tv sales, but when my mother-in-law sent us some of The Perfect Dog products, I became a quick believer. My Jack Russell puppy is pretty, er, active, and definitely has some willpower. The new collar and leashes and training have made visible improvements with little Seneca, though. Mr. Chappy can pretty much walk her without a leash now (yes, even with the distractions of vehicles, other animals, and children - her favorite). She's calmer at home, and more enjoyable for Team Chappy, most days. I'd highly recommend these products - worth checking out!

7. New-to-me crafty blogs. In particular, I have one new favorite - The DIY Show-Off. This blog highlights DIY projects around the web and brings together lots of new ideas for the creative and crafty at heart.

8. Snow days and new job. No, not for me...for Mr. Chappy! These last few weeks have been incredible because I'm not home alone for 14 hours a day; my husband has been home by 5pm almost every day! And that "family day Thursday" deal, coming home early? I hadn't seen that in months...until February! Woohoo! I know this isn't the typical Army way, so I won't get used to it, but I will certainly enjoy it!

9. Date night in. A few days ago the hubby and I made a Greek dinner and enjoyed the night in...ate by candlelight and put on some lovely music (John Mayer's new album and Patrick Willis's album, actually) and just enjoyed being together. That is the way to celebrate a snowy evening! And the food...perfect. Definitely marking that page in the cookbook...but here they are online!

10. Game night. Yahtzee and Catchphrase with some great friends from church STILL has me laughing...especially when I saw dice landing in glasses of milk, Catchphrase being thrown into others' laps like hot potatoes, and some hilarious efforts at communicating ideas. I'll have to initiate this at our own house soon!

11. My adorable kids in Sunday School. I don't remember if I've blogged about this before, so I'll say it now. I teach 2-4 year olds, and they do some really cute things sometimes. One of my favorite kids is a little boy named Kory. Kory loves to sing, and is usually unconditionally happy and sweet. He always wants to sing "the fishy song!" in class and anything else that involves little kid hand motions. I often sit right in front of or behind his family during worship services. One day I noticed a small voice during our singing...I turned around and saw that Kory was belting his heart out, making up words and the tune and repeating the last word in each line of our hymns. It melted me completely. I'm so thrilled (1) to be a part of his Christian education, and (2) that this little boy (and so many others) are being raised to love God and worship Him, even at the youngest age. I love that he sings off key and makes up the words, and feels comfortable in church. I'm looking forward to raising one just like him, Lord willing!

That's all for me for tonight...new meds have me frustrated (were supposed to help with headaches, but instead I have a headache when I usually wouldn't, along with nausea and dizziness...uncool!) and I plan on joining the Mister tomorrow for a ruck march in preparation for the Pike's Peak Challenge. If you don't feel like clicking through, this is a fundraiser hike up Pike's Peak (over 14,000 feet high!). I plan on doing this in September. Best of all - the money goes toward organizations in CO that support those with brain injuries (pretty commonly known as TBI for us military folks...and unfortunately WAY too common among our ranks). I'd love it if you considered supporting this effort - even a few bucks will help! More on that later...for now, I'm off to bed! Have a {c}Happy week, y'all!

What Might Have Been

2010-02-04T13:32:00.005-07:00

Don't worry, I'm not waxing poetic about former loves or Ivy League colleges or a life without the Army. *chuckle*

Today I was goofing off and looking at property outside of Richmond, VA. Lo and behold, I found the land that Mr. Chappy and I were FIRST in love with - back on the market again!

Pause for a moment and click over to www.moorewood.com.

Yep, that's it.

When we saw this, our vision changed big time. Before this property, we just knew we wanted 5-10 acres, with some sort of water - either a creek or river, etc, somewhere between our two families on the east coast. Moorewood (affectionately known by us as Chapwood-Moorewood for a few months) caused us to fall in love with a pond. We started daydreaming about going ice skating with kids, teaching grandkids to hunt and fish, having the church youth group over for a camp-out, and so on.

In October 2007 we took several days to look at land throughout the area. We stumbled across this one by chance (a "For Sale" sign our realtors hadn't seen before) and struggled to make the numbers work - it was way too expensive for us, but I considered selling my soul, er, life to the Army to make it happen. In spring 2008 we deployed to Iraq and made one last offer on this land. It failed, and someone else snatched it up. I was heartbroken. I literally remember my 1SG consoling me and telling me that it must have happened for a reason (which is not typical of that 1SG, and I argued with him that day about how it was perfect and I was so blue, wah wah wah, but he was right...as always)

Sure enough, in October 2008 in Iraq, Mr. Chappy was told out of the blue that he'd take command in a few weeks, and he needed to go on R&R/leave before that. I got the phone call and begged my boss to let me go (what's R&R if you can't be with your hubby?). A few days later, we were on a plane home to the US of A. We had planned on taking leave in January and going somewhere tropical (so all those clothes we left with our parents to mail would do us no good now) but fortunately a good friend took care of us and mailed us our fall clothes from Texas to Virginia. Whew.

Backing up, a few weeks BEFORE Mr. Chappy's sudden R&R announcement, I'd spent my free time looking up houses in Colorado, where I knew we'd be moving. I got a little discouraged, so I gave up and decided to switch back to "future land" in Virginia. I found an interesting write-up that sounded like everything we wanted, but no photos. A little Google mapping of the directions, and I had a rough idea of where I thought the piece of land was.

Anyway, when the R&R plans started rolling, with this new land prospect in mind, we called our old realtors as well as my parents, and they checked out this property. It was raw, to be sure, but it had a lot of promise. And instead of paying $258,000 for less than 13 acres, ours was around $160,000 for nearly 29 acres. Wow. Both had large ponds, and they were in similar parts of town.

We started the purchasing process with our realtors before we even left Baghdad, sight unseen. It was one of the best decisions we've made! By the time we left Virginia to go back to Iraq, we were the owners of a gorgeous piece of property (see previous post here) It doesn't have the polish that Moorewood has, but we like that we'll be able to make it what we want with our own hands. We also have no limitations on our property, and Moorewood was riddled with restrictions about size of house to be built (yes, it had to have at least X number of square feet...ugh! and we couldn't have pulled an RV onto it, based on other restrictions, etc. How could we enjoy it before we started building?)

I love telling this story because (1) it has a happy ending - Team Chappy found a place to hang their proverbial hats, eventually, and (2) God totally came through with a better deal than we could have ever expected.

I love the reminder that there's a future out there for us that we may not be able to envision yet...but it may be more beautiful than we can wrap our minds around for the time being, too! I need reminders like that sometimes. :)

Fickle

2010-02-02T22:10:00.002-07:00

I am so fickle. I feel bad for my husband some days (like I do tonight) because I fluctuate on so many things.

The big one? A job. Here's the story...when I decided to get out of the Army, I didn't have anything lined up. We were about to move to a new state, and I was burned out from a high-stress job. Mr. Chappy was fine with me taking time off, so that's what I did. When people asked, I told them I was considering graduate school...but truthfully I had no idea what I would want to study. I was a Russian major in college, a Logistics officer in the Army, and I preferred a family friendly next course of action, like becoming a school librarian or counselor. With none of those options available in town, and being averse to online school, I put this on the back burner...

In Colorado, I dove into a new world of Army FRGs (Family Readiness Groups) and became active in our church family, which had plenty of opportunities to serve.

And now...I have no idea. I used to tell folks that I was waiting for God to strike me with lightning and make it clear to me what I was supposed to do next. I'm in no rush to have children, although I'm very excited about having them eventually. I have a few jobs I'm somewhat interested in - jobs with a Christian focus, specifically. But I haven't finished a resume yet, so those are on hold.

I have a few opportunities to travel in a big way this year. I am leaving this week for the east coast to help my family and my brother's fiancee before their wedding. I am going to Israel with a group from church. My best friend is in Germany for the next few months and I have the opportunity to go over and trip around Europe with her. Another dear friend is getting married this summer and I'll be a bridesmaid for her wedding, in Wisconsin. Add to that a cousin getting married in New Jersey this summer (if I can make it!) and a few other opportunities (like another half marathon somewhere in the world, visiting my bro/new sis-in-law/several friends and family in FL), I'm hesitant to put down roots in a job. Then again, it would be great to have some more play money - the Army Reserves don't exactly make for a big income.

I wish life was more clear on all these things. I crave creative time - to scrapbook, to create cards, to crochet, to make gifts for everyone I know...that would be hampered big time by a job or school or children. I stay pretty active physically, and sometimes I feel rushed enough to make sure I get a run in or go to spin class or the gym. And the volunteering...well...I expect my responsibilities in Mr. Chappy's unit to expand significantly this summer due to a deployment.

So why isn't there a simple answer? Have kids at ___ years old. Work for ___ years or until you've saved $___. I feel a little like a bum that I'm focusing on my husband and home, even though I've certainly had a busy last few years...when is it okay to just be a homemaker?

And honestly, I loved that my mom didn't work while I was growing up. She kept a clean house, cooked dinner every night (where we sat around the table 95% of the time and communicated as a family), and was involved in nearly every volunteer possibility imaginable (church, school, sports, fundraising, even politics!). I loved that she made it to my tennis matches and my brother's cross country meets, that she could pick me up if I was sick, and that she never let me leave the house without eating breakfast (or at least without griping at me to eat breakfast...) I want to be able to do that for MY kids some day, if our financial situation allows. My parents made it work, mostly because we weren't extravagant. We didn't go out to dinner much except for celebrations (birthdays and school report cards), we didn't own any name brand clothes (and not wearing Airwalks in 7th grade amazingly DIDN'T kill me!), and we didn't buy a whole lot of toys (not surprisingly, my favorite things were books and art supplies...)

But I digress... I hope I can be as good of a mom and volunteer as I was raised with. In the meantime, though, I hope I can figure out if what I am and what I am doing is ENOUGH.

I have found heaven on earth...

2010-01-31T22:01:00.002-07:00

...and it's a place called Archiver's.

It's a scrapbook/stamp/photo paradise. My friends at church had mentioned it to me with some distinct awe in their voices, but I didn't check it out until this weekend. My friend Katie and I had a hard time not walking out with more than we did...so many fun things!

I will post pics soon - but if there's a location near you and you're a crafty chica like me, I'd highly recommend this place.

In other news, I am turning over a lot of my unit duties tomorrow as Mr. Chappy changes jobs in his battalion. Woohoo! Tonight I cleared out my binders and prepared a bunch of stuff to hand over to the new girl. Feels so good to declutter!

Team Chappy has a few big challenges in coming months, and not the type we expected a year ago. Looking forward to doing what we can for God in a new capacity...

Have a wonderful week!

I'm going to pay for this at spin class this week...

2010-01-30T22:19:00.003-07:00

...that is, eating movie theater popcorn for lunch, and a salad and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory toffee/chocolate/caramel covered apple for dinner. Whoops. In my defense, (1) I ran two miles this morning (2) I STARTED to eat a real dinner, but the reheated steak wasn't particularly yummy (3) I've been all kinds of emotional today...isn't vitamin cocoa good for that sort of thing? *grin*

I've had an Erin McCarley song in my head the last couple days. First, due to its inclusion in the When in Rome movie advertisements. Second, because it's on the iPod playlist that's been rolling in my car this week. Here are the parts I like best (slightly edited to delete the repeated parts), especially the chorus:

It's time for you to prove
Within your ruby shoes
You deserve a smile when no regret
I look at you
Kickin' off your shoes,
Dancin' for the world to see,
You got the power to believe
And open up and sing
And go and be free and fly away

Go on, the stars are watching,
Just say what you’re feeling,
You know you gotta take a bow and do it your way,
It’s okay.

I love that chorus...so empowering!

Which is ironic, because I broke down a little tonight to Mr. Chappy. I confessed amidst a torrent of tears that it's hard to be strong and to be something to so many people for an extended period. We each need our own supporters too! (no worries on this end, by the way, it's just been hard having him gone with training, but I know there are so many other wives who are going through much worse with deployments...needless to say, hearing people complain about one or two nights apart is insulting when you deal with much more on a regular basis!...and I've heard those complaints recently! Ugh!)

For most of us, it's easy to turn to our spouse or significant other for that extra dose of strength. We military gals know that isn't always possible. It's great to have a military wife support system! But those can sometimes get catty, and honestly some of those folks just are on a different wavelength, as far as how they live and what's important to them, etc.

I'm happy to have a wide-reaching system of support - my family, my friends in town and away, my church family (and the several church families I've been a part of in the past), my Army buddies, and even the folks I only communicate through here on the interwebs ;) It's nice to have that kind word or encouragement from someone...thank you!

I'm excited about my own opportunities to encourage this week. Mr. Chappy is changing out of command (hooray!) and hopefully I'll get to know a few other women through this change of responsibility. Two of them that I have in mind are new to the area and have young kids - hopefully I can hook them up with some great, similar folks. One of the other ladies has a husband far away in the warzone, and she does such a good job keeping others motivated. In other areas, there's a mother from church whose son is in my Sunday School class and who has become a friend of mine. Her husband is also an Army guy, and has been gone plenty for training...oh and did I mention they have a newborn too? Yowzers. There are a few other folks I have in mind, but these are the ones I plan on focusing on.

I wonder who YOU have in mind to encourage this week. I'm perfectly happy with being one of your folks. ;) Seriously, have a happy week. This Chappy plans on making it a priority!

Abortion

2010-01-26T18:40:00.003-07:00

This topic is one that riles up folks on all sides of the argument. Whee! So of course it comes up in my head and on my blog...

I used to support "a woman's right to choose". It kept me pretty moderate politically, for starters, instead of creeping further to the right. I also held (still do hold) the view that folks shouldn't start (or continue) having sex if they are not ready to take care of a child PHYSICALLY (house, food, clothes), MENTALLY (educate them and raise them, not just drop them at daycare), and SPIRITUALLY (yes, God's a big part of my life, and I expect folks to instill some basic morals in their li'l chirruns). I reasoned that if children weren't going to be raised with these three things (or any one of them) then it would be better for them not to grow up deprived...not to grow up at all.

I don't feel this way anymore. I fully believe that if people don't want children, it is way too easy to NOT have children. Birth control pills, condoms, vaginal contraceptive films, diaphragms, the list goes on and on and on...oh, and there's that whole not having sex part, too. ;)

Besides that, like one of my last posts intimated, I believe there's a purpose to everything, even if it doesn't seem to fit with OUR human plans. I know of plenty of families who have adopted or who plan to adopt - their lives would be so different and lacking if those birth mothers had aborted the children. It makes me sad to think of some of those beautiful souls.

I worry about the prevalence of abortion in our society. It's one more way that we try to control the world around us by not taking responsibility for our actions and pushing God further away, in my opinion. Don't we have enough of that?

Yes, this post was inspired by the recent news that Tim Tebow would be in a pro-life commercial. Obviously it's still a pretty heated issue, even after 30+ years of debate (and death). It's interesting to hear different sides of the issue...but honestly, hearing groups complain about "anti-abortion violence" who are okay with killing fetuses makes me kinda laugh in its absurdity. I wonder how common an operation this will become in our world. I pray it becomes a rarity instead. But this is the way things work...and there's a purpose to everything, I'm convinced.

Stuff I love (January)

2010-01-26T13:16:00.005-07:00

This month I'm digging out a few things I've dreamed of getting for awhile but keep putting off (or don't have the budget for...)

Isn't this gorgeous? I'd love to have a patriotic-themed family room some day. This is so detailed and unique - it's top on my list!

Found here by Tugboat Print Shop

I'll probably buy this soon if it's still in my size...how kitschy and cool is this?! Rock on, America.

Found here by Sundance Catalogue

Easily my new favorite clothing store. Too bad I can't buy everything. Here are a few favorites...

I love how they make bright, feminine twists to the classics! My Boden USA catalog is almost completely dogeared...

I'm also enjoying watching Dr. Zhivago again (Lara is my namesake!) - always nice to check out a classic old movie every now and then.

I have been eating much more chocolate than I ought to...oops. My favorite continues to be the simple favorite...Hershey's Kisses! I love Dove too, though...have you heard about their sell-at-home (Avon style) business? I'm curious about it, for sure!

On the tube, I've gotten hooked on White Collar...check out those eyes! It's a cute premise for a series, though - the FBI hires a criminal to work with them to find white collar criminals. I was disappointed recently to hear that Eli Stone was cancelled. My friend Anna let me borrow the first season DVDs and I was instantly addicted. It seemed almost like a male Ally McBeal at first...a high profile lawyer with hallucinations, singing and dancing. But then we realized it tied to a "higher calling", as Eli, the main character, stopped focusing on making money and started working on helping people. I need to find the second season :)

And how could I forget...CROCHET! I've wanted to learn for awhile, so I picked up the Klutz book on it. I was making granny squares and cloche hats in no time. My next projects: finger puppets for my little buddy Christopher, and a pond stacking toy like this one...

Found here by Lion Brand.

I think that's about it for now. Wonder what goodies February will bring!

The $50 Lesson

2010-01-25T14:56:00.001-07:00

This was a forward I've received a few times...but it sums up my own feelings pretty adeptly. Enjoy, or hate it...but here it is either way!

I recently asked my friends' little girl what she wanted to be when she
grows up. She said she wanted to be President of the United States.

Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there. So I asked her,

"If you were President, what would be the first thing you would do?"
She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."

Her parents beamed.

"Wow...what a worthy goal," I told her. "But you don't have to wait until

you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn,

pull weeds, and sweep my driveway, and I'll pay you $50.

Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out,

and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in
the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over
and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"

I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party."
Her parents still aren't speaking to me.

Calling

2010-01-24T21:57:00.003-07:00

Talk about a rollercoaster of a year. I haven't even been back from Iraq 12 months yet! I've had a nagging feeling for awhile that I'm not doing enough, though. I think this is a problem that plagues women of all ages and all walks of life.

When I graduated high school 9 years ago, I thought I had the world in my hands. I was salutatorian of my class (I'm not bragging, just trying to explain the situation) and a natural in my Russian courses. I was heading to a decent university with aspirations of graduating and working for the government, after honing my Slavic language skills, of course.

God had different plans. I met a guy (the start of all great stories or great problems) who inspired me to join ROTC, commissioned as an Army officer after graduation, married a different great guy, and was off to the real world. At least, the real world according to the US Army, involving multiple yearlong deployments to Iraq, little time with my husband, and seeing the troubles that the world faces upfront. People do some awful things, and I've unfortunately been clued into that more than I ever expected, many in our own country or ranks.

Looking back, kicking myself is easy - why didn't I stay on the NSA/DIA/State Department track? Why did I make this choice over that one? And so on.

Shortly after that thought, a dear friend of mine came to mind. David is literally the smartest person I know. He's not only intelligent, he's humble and a godly man through and through. After finishing his Fulbright Scholar time, he headed to the ministry field to bring Christ's light to others. He could be in any of the top schools in the world, studying on someone else's dime, or politicking and rubbing elbows with big names, or really anything else he could think up. He's not. He's teaching the gospel in foreign countries (in South America, in Africa, in Eastern Europe, in southeast Virginia,...) What a timely inspiration.

Which brings me to this week in Ladies Bible Class. We were discussing our fears (nope, not sharing that with the world wide web, but my fabulous lady friends were a great sounding board) and one of the things I talked about keyed me in to a big deal in my life. I may not feel comfortable teaching adults...it's not in my personality, in a lot of ways...but I have no problem dressing up like a shepherd, or hopping up and down like a frog, or singing my heart out - with little kids, that is. But God doesn't need everyone to be an adult teacher. Someone needs to teach the 2-4 year olds! I can be that person. That's just an example. I can't be everything. But I can do my part. This may be that I'm the pinky fingernail in the body of Christ ;) but by golly I'll be the best pinky fingernail I can be.

Sorry for the long post tonight. I guess my simple point is that God doesn't always call us to be who we think we want to be. Sometimes His plan is much more adventurous, heartbreaking, and fulfilling. I'm not translating secret Russian documents, but every Sunday I have the opportunity to teach little kids about God's love for us. That's a pretty cool deal. And I know God has more in store for me. I have no clue where He'll put me - but I'll try to stay focused on HIS will (instead of my own idea of "plans") and do what He needs the best that I can.

I hope finding your calling in life isn't as fraught with frustration as mine has been - but I pray that you find your ways to contribute this week. God needs us crazy folks too! :)

Stealing My Joy

2010-01-24T21:50:00.002-07:00

Today (and for a few weeks, really), I've had a hard situation distracting me. I feel like I've lost a best friend - even though this friend has no clue. The simple truth is that the situation wasn't what I thought it was...and I was really hurt by this friend's complaining, selfishness and lack of social graces.

I have a hard time being happy for folks when I feel hurt by them - my joy is stolen from me. But not by that person, right? That person doesn't have a clue how much his/her actions impacted our relationship. He/she didn't steal a thing; just disappointed me as humans are apt to do.

Satan creeps in to do his work...and he does it well. He has stolen too much of my joy lately.

I want to be happy for people - even if they've hurt me. I want to get over issues from the past. I want Satan to back off and let God heal my heart. Today I taught my Sunday School class (2-4 year olds, whee!) about Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness. The simple saying we adopted? "Get away, Satan!"

So in the words of my favorite little kids...get away, Satan...it's time to heal...it's time for joy.

More rambles

2010-01-23T22:31:00.003-07:00

...Since I have had a headache just about every day this week, my posts are much more random ramblings than usual. Hard to do, I know. ;)

I was so amused earlier this week by something kinda cute my husband did. He was grumpy all day long. I knew it had been a long day, but some of his other days recently had been much longer, and much less pleasant. Finally he confessed what was eating him...he hadn't gotten to shower the night before, and due to some changes early that morning, he missed showering then too. He was grumpy because he felt dirty all day. This made me just want to hug him - I would have never guessed that my manly soldier of a husband would be frustrated about a shower like I would be. Goodness knows how many days he's had to go without one in a combat zone, and when he has had them, how many cold ones he's suffered through. It made him so much more human to me (yes, sometimes hubby does seem perfect...) and adorable. Needless to say, I sent him on his way to shower and he was happy by the time I had dinner ready. Whew. Crisis averted!

Yesterday I visited a new friend of mine from church. She has a 2 year old and a newborn, both boys. The older one is in my Sunday school class, and I've babysat for him before. I know parents tend to brag, but this kid's not related at all so I think I'm unbiased in my assessment...he is such a smart kid! I loved playing the other day and chatting with his mom. We looked through his "I Spy" book (fantastic idea) - and he could verbalize things like windmill and blueberry and magnet and peacock. We were both wearing green, so we stopped to play pretend...first we were frogs, hopping up and down (I'm a great hopper, let me tell you) and ribbiting...then we were caterpillars, wiggling along the floor...then crocodiles...it was fun. He later made us some imaginary food. "What are you eating, Christopher?" "Frosting." "What are you making, Christopher?" "Soup." "Frosting soup?" "YES!" "What kind of frosting soup?" "CHOCOLATE!" I was even more amused a few minutes later when he brought me a doughnut...but I swear I heard him describe it as a "fattening doughnut"...his mom translated that there was clearly no such thing and he said "frosting doughnut"...so we munched away on our invisible snacks. :)

I think that's good for a cHappy moment for today. Hope you've had plenty of laughs this week, too!

"But you could distinguish Miles from Coltrane"...

2010-01-22T11:54:00.004-07:00

That title is from "Comfortable", a John Mayer song. John Mayer is one of my very favorite musicians. The other night, driving back from Denver, I had my iPod stuck on old John Mayer songs. What a trip down memory lane! Mostly it makes me think of college..the numerous shows I saw JM play...the guy I was crazy about who broke my heart and didn't realize it (apparently I broke his too, according to a mutual friend...but some of these songs bring back him saying he didn't want a long distance relationship...and the very next week he had a girlfriend in California...a lot further away than our two colleges in Virginia...*sigh*)...it makes me think of my college boyfriend and the ups and downs and lessons we learned...but mostly the pain of breaking up...7 years later it still feels like I'm wrestling with that decision, when I listen to John Mayer. And his later album, I think of sitting in Iraq my first tour, living in a warehouse with 100 other folks, waiting to finish our job and go home. I'm ready for this next album - I wonder what I will remember off it in 5 years from now!

I have all sorts of other rambles in my head today.

- I painted my toenails today. I think there have only been about 2 weeks since I was 12 years old that I haven't had my toenails painted. This was due to the fact that my folks wouldn't let me paint my fingernails in middle/high school - but it became my ultimate show of girliness. Underneath combat boots in the desert, my toes were pink or red :) No one can take that away!

- I wish I had better feeling about the President and the government. I don't really trust them, though. I still feel like we're in a campaign when I listen to the President speak - and even when he talks with humility it seems more like an act to boost himself. He's a celebrity, in my mind, not a Commander in Chief. I've got another 3 years to keep trying, though. And hopefully I won't see the advent of abortions paid for by taxes, and ridiculous government intrusion in our lives. I'm looking forward to living on my little piece of land away from troubles one day...even if it means I have to teach my kids at home instead of sending them to public school, etc. I hope our country stays true to its roots, though.

- I am watching Dr Zhivago this week. I love love love this movie. I prefer the book, though. My parents named me after Pasternak's Lara, and my dad used to play the theme song on the piano for my mother. My dad walked me down the aisle to that song, 5 years ago. And since I studied Russian in high school and college, it sure is nice to revisit some of that.

- I've been eating a lot of oranges lately. I never really ate them growing up - I didn't like the bitter white stuff overpowering the sweet insides. And I hated getting things under my fingernails. Yuck. But I love them now. I've also been eating lots of chocolate, but I'll try to ignore that publicly. :-D

- When my parents were at the same point in their marriage as me and the mister are, they had two kids in preschool and owned three homes. Wow. I'm in no rush for children - I'm enjoying the time with my hubby while I have it - but it's hard to imagine being in that position! We do okay on the financial side - we do own a house and a piece of land, and haven't had any debt for years - but we're not quite the landlords that they were. I do really respect the hard work they put into their plan though. My parents bought a house every time they moved with the Navy, and when they moved away they rented it out. It took over 20 years, but now that the houses are paid off, my parents have a great investment. It had serious heartaches and headaches and lots of budgeting, but I'm so proud that they put in the effort.

- Is it weird that I miss Iraq sometimes? I have been pretty good about working out at the gym, but it always meant so much more over there. It was my only release during 14-18 hour days! I miss the simplicity of it all.

- I'm working on my Christmas gifts already. I'm so excited! I would post all my ideas/pictures, but on the offchance that my family/in-laws find my blog, I want to keep it a secret. I'm so so so excited, though, about my ideas. Are you like me and start early in the year?

- I found some great shoes to pack for my Israel trip this year. I'm thrilled to have found them at a good price! Besides Israel, I'll be home for my brother's wedding in Virginia, New Jersey for my cousin Rachel's wedding, and Wisconsin for a lakeside wedding for my friend Anna...and I'm trying to make a trip to Germany work to travel around with my friend-like-a-sister Carolyn. What a super year to see friends and family. I'm happy that I gave my hubby the idea to go home early to visit his family before they all drive down to my bro's wedding...it's nice to spend a little extra time while we're on the right side of the country!

I need to go eat lunch. Time for some reheated lasagna. Have a cHappy day! I hope to have some pictures from my walk with Rachel and her two little boys this afternoon at Garden of the Gods...it's a gorgeous day and I'm looking forward to the company!

Homework procrastination

2010-01-21T00:52:00.003-07:00

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..." 1 John 4:18

"You have heard that it was said,'eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Matthew 5:38-41

I'm doing my Ladies Bible class homework late. Really late, it's almost 1am. I didn't want to do it - I don't entirely want to go, but I know I'll gain something from it if I do!

Anyway, the two verses above really stood out to me. I hadn't heard the 1 John verse before. What a beautiful thought! The things I fear are usually "silly" to other people. At the deepest, I fear rejection and failure. I fear not having the money to raise children or buy the necessities...to the point of tears, when I'm most anxious. I fear my husband dying in combat in a foreign land - God and I both know how close he's come many many times before. I fear not being a good mother some day...or never having the opportunity to raise children. The verse was a little bit of a slap in the face...in a good way...more like a cold splash of water in the morning. If I love God enough - I will have NO NEED for fear - God loves me enough to insure my life's success. I need to work on that relationship. I love God, but maybe I don't trust him enough in my actions.

The second is an old Sunday School favorite. I know it by heart. But I haven't thought about it in years. It really stuck out to me about my problems with hanging on to issues. Like I've said, I tend to want revenge...or at least for the "offender" to know what they've put me through. But God calls us to deal with anything that comes our way. And at the root of MY problem is this simple issue - I'm the only one suffering from past frustrations! The people who drive me nuts have no clue how much they drive me nuts. The issues from years past only plague MY mind. Going over them again and again only hurts me! And...honestly...as much as the big ones frustrate me, I should be able to deal with much more from them. I have no need to squabble over these things. That verse was a nice reminder to not just "let it go" but to "suck it up, Cupcake" and deal with whatever else comes. God's got my back, afterall, if I remember that first verse...

Thanks for reading the rambling. I'm off to bed - so I can make it to class in the morning! Have a cHappy night...

Gooooo Mountaineers!

2010-01-15T08:19:00.003-07:00

I had the cutest thing happen to me yesterday at the store.

I was minding my own business debating between different chewing gums, when a man and his little boy, about 5 years old, walked down the aisle. I moved to give them more space, and the boy stopped in his track. I turned to smile, and he had the biggest smile I've ever seen. He alternated grinning at me and hiding a little behind his dad, and then he pointed a little at me.

At first, I was nervous. Booger on my face? Hair sticking straight up? And then flattered. "Man, this kid must have a crush on me! And I didn't think I really looked special today." But then his dad cleared it up.

I was wearing a WVU Mountaineers shirt (Mr Chappy and family are from West By-God Virginia, so I show my support sometimes...and I love love love this particular warm comfy shirt). Anyway, this boy's mom went to WVU, and their family's from there. This boy KNOWS the Mountaineers! He was excited to see my shirt! His dad and I chatted for a minute - Mr Chappy has family in the same town as this fellow, etc - while the boy remained shy/adorable. As they walked away I just laughed and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "It's all good, kiddo, GOOO MOUNTAINEERS!"

What a sweet kid.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Blizzard

2010-01-13T20:55:00.002-07:00

Is it just a little bit ironic that the very same day that I researched various diet, exercise, and diet pill options was the day that my dear husband asked me to go out to get ice cream?

This is a pretty big rarity - he almost never goes for desserts...he has something called, what is it? Oh, that's right, self control!

But I had a headache all evening through church, and he thought it would help.

Diet schmiet. That was a delicious Dairy Queen Blizzard. And wouldn'tchaknow...my head's feeling better already. ;)

Lesson Learned

2010-01-12T08:57:00.003-07:00

People are full of surprises. Some folks are much better on second try than the first (thank goodness for second chances) and some simply aren't how we expect, but in a negative, disappointing way. I think surprises like those make you cherish the tried-and-true loved ones in your life.

I wrote awhile back of my struggle with letting things go. Yes, the lifelong, constant struggle I've prayed about daily. One of my problems with letting things go is that I want people to know when they've hurt me. I have imagined countless Facebook statuses or blog posts or conversations that would let folks know when they've done something unkind, whether intentionally or unintentionally. On the surface I say that it's so they wouldn't do it again, but underneath, honestly, the biggest piece is simply that I want them to know that they've hurt ME, and I want them to have some understanding when the relationship between us changes or disintegrates or simply weakens time and time again.

I'm doing better at letting some things go - but new things pop up every day.

I really have learned lately that the best friends are the ones who are like family to me, and the ones who stick with me (and I with them) through the happy and sad. I have avoided the term "best friend" for years - I overused it in elementary, middle and high school and was crushed to lose some of those close friends to various issues. Besides, I have so many wonderful friends who have been with me through so many different kinds of ordeals, how could I label one as better than another? But a few folks have really shown their importance in the last couple years, and the term is creeping up on me again.

What's this have to do with letting go? These friends have reminded me time and time again that even when others disappoint me (wah), when people hurt my feelings (woe is me), and when life gets kinda confused, that they are constant sources of love and strength. I was able to turn around some of those recent feelings of frustration and disappointment into feelings of appreciation for two dear friends (Slapshot and Annabanana, you rock my world) who really do manage to always say or do the right thing and make life feel fine and dandy again. And my husband? Oh Lord, You gave me the most patient, humble, and loving sweetheart I could ask for. He really is my BEST friend.

So today's cHappy thought is simply this - God has given me a wealth of experiences, good and bad, and He's teaching me to learn from them for the best. I'll keep fighting the desire to let others know when they've done me wrong, because ultimately it's easier for me to just be a bigger person and let it go. And if the friendship isn't meant to be, maybe God just has another better friend waiting for me to meet...

Don't you love it when...

2010-01-04T10:31:00.005-07:00

...the morning sun hits the new powdery snow and makes the whole world look glittered?

...you make it to the gym in time for your class, and it's an amazing workout that energizes your whole body?

...sleeping in is perfectly acceptable?

...you find out someone great that you work with is a Christian too? (imagine if you saw your boss walk into your church Sunday morning...and then find out their family was raised with the same faith too!)

...you share something incredibly happy with someone you love?

I sure do. Those things happened to our Team in the last day or two! Hope you have plenty of happy moments this week, too. I'm heading east to visit a dear friend before her baby is born - and to celebrate little Karlie at a baby shower - so I'll be back with plenty of pictures (here or on Facebook) and hopefully some reports of warmer weather! :)

My "Go To" Recipes

2010-01-02T09:39:00.002-07:00

Since I've made these approximately a hundred times this year (or it sure feels like it, after the big holiday/get-together season stretching from OCT-JAN), I thought I'd share a few of my favorites...the ones I usually bring to potlucks, that folks often ask how to make. Maybe you'll try them and enjoy them...

Carrot "Souffle"

3 1/2 lbs of carrots

1 TBS baking powder

1 TBS vanilla

1/4 Cup flour

6 eggs

1/2 lb of margarine

Peel and boil/steam carrots until soft. Put carrots into blender (if you have a monstrous blender) or stand mixer (much easier), add sugar, baking powder, and vanilla, and continue to mix. Add flour. Add eggs. Add margarine (easier if soft). Pour into 9x13 pan, bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Thoughts:

- So your tastebuds are prepared (if you didn't see the quantity of sugar above) - this is a sweet dish...

- I've had several folks who don't even like carrots love this dish

- You could probably cut down on the margarine and the sugar - but I'd make it to the recipe first to see how much you want to cut

Grandmother's Broccoli Casserole

2 pkg. chopped broccoli (or, these days, I use a standard bag of frozen florets and cut them once they're thawed)

1 can cream of celery soup

1 Cup mayo

2 eggs

1 Cup sharp cheddar cheese

Cheese Nips crackers

Cook broccoli according to directions. Spread in casserole. Mix together soup, mayo, and eggs. Pour over broccoli. Grate cheese and sprinkle on top. Roll Cheese Nips and sprinkle crumbs on top of cheese. Bake for 30 min at 400 degrees.

Thoughts:

- This turns out to be a yummy, cheesy dish

- My grandmother ("Mimi") made this every Christmas...I still make it during the holidays, but I love it so much I could eat it yearround!

Cranberry Mousse

1 Cup cranberry juice

1 pkg (3 oz) raspberry Jell-o

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 Cup heavy cream, whipped

In a saucepan, heat juice to boiling; stir in gelatin. Stir in cranberry sauce. Chill until thickened. Fold in whipped cream and pour into serving dishes (if serving that day, otherwise just leave it in the larger bowl). Chill until firm. Garnish with additional whipped cream. Makes 6-8 servings.

Thoughts:

- My absolute favorite Thanksgiving/Christmas dessert. If you're not a huge cranberry lover, this may be sweet enough for you to enjoy. Cran fans will adore this, though.

- Buy enough to make two batches...you'll want more after you lick the first bowl clean. :)

Hopefully in 2010 I'll find a few new family favorites...in the meantime, these are delicious standbys!

I've had it...

2010-01-01T16:11:00.003-07:00

...with negative people. I've mentioned it time and time again, but one of my biggest problems is that I hold onto things that happened a long time ago. So here it is, I'm going to get some of these frustrations out and try my darndest to never worry over them again.

- Modern day Pharisees. People who claim to be strong Christians in one way or another but who don't take care of others, who don't worship God with their actions, who are self-seeking and materialistic. The fact that they claim to be something they don't follow up with their actions isn't my problem anymore. Too bad for them that they're self-seeking. I'll pray for them that they get their priorities straight!

- Big kid bullies. I don't need so-called "friends" who put me or my friends down. Negative people drive me nuts - and I refuse to hang out with them. I've pared them down significantly in the last year, but there are a few hangers-on that I don't need anymore. If they stop making mean jokes, etc, then we'll reconsider the friendship deal. But in the meantime - meanies, be gone. And get the picture - if you haven't heard from me much lately - maybe there's a reason?

- The me-me-mes. Ok, this kinda goes with the first one. But the people I spend time and effort on and who don't take the time to say thanks - uncool. The people who are too "busy" to write to their family/friends while deployed, or call on a birthday, or who are disappointed when others get a gift they wanted (yes, I've seen 20-somethings pitch a fit) - please grow up. I'm sorry to say I know a few of these, and I wish and hope and pray and EARNESTLY BEG GOD that they learn what's important...because their actions don't show it, and they're losing credit with their friends.

- People who vent too much...oops.

And with that, I'm off. :)

Daydreaming

2009-12-31T13:42:00.008-07:00

Last year, Mr. Chappy and I bought a great piece of land, midway between our families on the east coast. Thanks to visiting some friends here in Colorado (who built their homes on gorgeous pieces of property), we've been stuck in daydream mode for the last few weeks.

Here are some pictures of our future home (Lord willing).

Entering our daydream...

This is it! Team Chappy - proud new landowners, October 2008.

Pond - about an acre in size. There's going to be plenty of fishing, canoeing, and maybe ice skating on this water some day!

This is actually one tree that splits right down by the ground - isn't it gorgeous?

One of the traces of wildlife that Mr. Chappy found on our first walk around the land.

It's ours!

Mr. Chappy taking down trees and shrubs on the back side of the dam, by the little pond and stream.

The area that I cleared - future "yard"...of course our kids will need a place to play soccer and football!

Foggy morning...

When I found the dogwood trees I knew this was perfect. Dogwoods are my mother's and my favorite, and were my grandmother's too. This place is special.

While camping out in April 2009, we enjoyed a yummy dinner of chili dogs and s'mores...and daydreamed about fancier fare (maybe a hamburger?) on a deck someday! :)

Pond, overgrown with all sorts of brush, August 2009.

Part of sharing these daydreams now is that a year ago, we were ringing in 2009 in Baghdad, Iraq. With a combined total of 5 combat deployments, it's great to (1) be together and safe (2) have a "home" in mind for when we do settle down. I'm so grateful that Team Chappy is home (and for the first time ever, expecting a full year or more of living together!) and so many of our friends have made it through the tough stuff safely in the last 12 months.

I also reflect upon the many wonderful souls who have left this earth to meet with God, and I pray for the many friends I have who will embark on even more dangerous missions this year. This is the life we have chosen, and I'm proud to be a part of it, but full of prayers because of what I know about this life.

Someday, I hope to invite the friends we've met all over the world (and all over the Army) to celebrate on our property. We'll have so much to share and laugh about...

Lovely

2009-12-22T16:01:00.005-07:00

Fishing and offroading trip, 21 DEC 2009...Merry Christmastime!

Elk crossing the road

Beautiful lake that we couldn't drive around

Coming down toward our part of the river, past Metberry Gulch

Mr. Chappy found a little bit of water and a lot of ice...

The snow and bare-tree covered mountain looks like a chin that needs to be shaved!

Cool, large rock formation

This area suffered a huge wildfire several years back

Oh deer.

Hope you're having a great winter!

Upward and onward

2009-12-17T22:42:00.003-07:00

Many-a-time I've talked to friends about the importance of goal-setting. My dear friend Zandra prodded me to read David Bach's book, Smart Women Finish Rich. While I did learn a few things from the financial side of the book (make sure you open and max a retirement account, like a ROTH; save a little of what you make every month, etc.), the much more striking part of his book for me was the value-based finances and the goal-setting. In short, putting your money where your values are, and achieving your goals.

Here are some of the tips Bach has (from what I remember):

- Write down your goals, and place them somewhere you see daily...bathroom mirror, office desk, fridge, whatever

- Make your goals measurable (i.e. instead of "I want a vacation home", define where you want it (like Pensacola, FL), what you want it to have (must be next to the beach or across the street from the beach, must have a garage, etc.), what you want to pay for it (realistically, that is), and how you'll pay for it ("I'm going to put away $200 each month for the next 3 years for a down-payment", etc)...you get the idea.

- If applicable, make subgoals to start early...take action on those goals...i.e. start contacting a realtor, start a bank account just for that goal, look into requirements for a goal,...

- Share your goal list with others, so they can help you achieve them!

Not to sound like a hokey motivational speaker, but this stuff works! I admittedly lost track of my list in the last 6 months. Rather, I knew roughly where it was but refused to dig it out...until this week.

I was so excited to look it over. I was even more excited to cross off so much of my list! Here are the basics of what I wrote, in August 2008, from Baghdad, Iraq, as well as their progress reports.

1) Decide whether to stay in or get out of the Army [check! made that decision, acted on it, and am pleased with it]

2) Finish Russian Rosetta Stone course before coming back to the States [negative, Ghostrider...but I did brush up on it quite a bit...my job took away almost all my non-sleeping time the last few months, so I'm calling it a draw]

3) Run a 10-miler within 6 months of returning to the States [check! I ran a 10k in October and a half-marathon in November...within 7 months, at least...not bad! And starting to train while overseas proved to be my saving grace during some very stressful times]

4) Find land (I had lots of specifics, but I'll leave those out) and purchase it. [big check! Team Chappy purchased nearly 30 acres last fall. That's over twice what we were looking for. But if I hadn't actively been pursuing this seemingly far-off goal, I never would have found the great deal (and hopefully our future home...we're psyched about moving there one day!) that I did]

5) Travel to at least these 3 places: camping at South Padre Island (where Mr. Chappy proposed 5 years ago), Alaska or camping in a national park (Montana, Wyoming, etc), visit Europe [in progress. We camped at South Padre, and it was as gorgeous as I remember the first visit. The second hasn't happened, but with our newly western location, this is much more realistic. Actually, there's been quite a bit of talk about going with Mr. Chappy's cousin's family to Yellowstone in the next year...yay! And the third...yeah I'll keep dreaming. BUT, our church family is going to Israel in the spring, and I managed to persuade Mr. Chappy to go. I'll count that. Plus my best friend from college is dating a great guy who's moving over there, so I'll hopefully have some good excuses to head to Germany, at least]

6) Start forum or lobbying group for dual Army couples [very much unchecked. I feel passionate about this, considering all the trouble the mister and I had while both in the Army, but I don't have the interest/drive to fight with military systems quite yet. Maybe in a few months. I think it's probably harder to be dual military than to be a civilian woman married to a military man, as if that's not difficult enough!]

7) Lead women's Bible study or fellowship group [iffy. I am very involved in the current Ladies Bible Class, and I teach a kids' Sunday School class (cutest 2-4 year olds around!), but I haven't started my own study yet. I remember reading about the Chocolate Boutique once and being so excited about possibly doing that with some of my friends and church pals. Maybe I still will...anyway, this one is a partially-complete]

8) Take golfing lessons and take a "golf trip" with Mr. Chappy [check! Well, the first part. Getting the mister away from work long enough is more like fantasy, not goal, so I'll count it. The MWR here had fantastic deals...$35 for 6, 1 hour-long lessons (versus $35/hour regularly!). What a deal! I had a super time and learned a lot...and became more confident in something my hubby loves - totally worth the time and money!

9) Start college education funds for children? [nope. And yes, my original list had the question mark in there, denoting my only theoretical future offspring. But cutting Team Chappy's income in half meant some things were pushed to the end of the list, and this was definitely one of them. We'll get to it.]

So there you have it, the 9 things that I thought were most manageable to accomplish, a year and a half ago. Roughly 6 things down! I can't play devil's advocate and guess at how many I would've accomplished without this list, but I know that it helped with a lot. When I did get the rare bit of free time overseas, I would see "Russian studies" on my goal list, and instead of reading a blog or going shopping online, I'd take a computer into the conference room and do some studying. And yes, I guess it's time to sit down again and figure out what's important next...I was shooting for three years out, but accomplished a lot more than I expected in one!

I share all this in the hope that you'll write your own goals down! I am so excited about what is possible in our lives, if we put our minds to it and ask God for His help. When it came to whether to get out of the Army, one of my subgoals was literally: "Pray...and ask others to pray..."

If you do make your list, I hope you'll share it with me! I'd love to know how to encourage you better!

Just Mint to Be

2009-12-15T22:07:00.002-07:00

Ever get on a kick and not even realize it?

...and this is NOT taking into account the mint Hershey's kisses (quickly disappearing from the bowl in my foyer) or the candy cane reindeer (my favorite holiday craft, 5 years running, just ask my old dorm hall residents, several FRGs, current Reserve unit, and church friends). :)

I also have come to accept myself better this week, although not without a little heartache. I've always (always.) thought of myself as not fitting in. I was the smart/nerdy kid when it would've been convenient to be the popular/funny/pretty kid. I was the girl among boys (Army, anyone?). I was the student who didn't drink in college...seriously (not a cool feeling among social drinkers like the honor frat I was in for years). I was one of the first folks in my college group to marry...come to think of it, probably in my whole college class. Et cetera, et cetera.

More than that, I've never FELT like I belonged anywhere. Some analyst would probably credit the military family I grew up in, moving every three years of my early childhood. Anyway, moving on. The hard part the last few months has been more pronounced in my world. I'm one of the few of my friends who is married (most of my pals are single) and who doesn't have kids (the non-single ones almost all are pregnant or already parents). In church, the place where I generally am most at ease, I am one of the youngest, and again, one of the only halves of a couple who does not have children. Even with my husband's unit, I'm the oddball - the one who is new to the Family side, since the last two deployments I was over there too. In my own family, I'm the child who always wanted to prove herself...the individual. So I've set off on my own, sometimes wishing I had the ease of relying on my parents like my younger brother seems to. I feel out of place a lot.

I appreciated my liminal state this week, though. I realized that I can be the surrogate granddaughter to my old lady friends (I'll HAVE to tell you about these beautiful ladies some time), and I can be the babysitter, kids' Sunday School teacher and confidante to some of the young mothers. I enjoy chatting with the teens - it wasn't so long ago that I was in a youth group. And I've deployed enough to be able to hold my own with the military personnel and understand what many of them are going through.

I have found some kindred spirits, and I have come to appreciate that we're not exactly alike (although I'll be thrilled when I find a Christian, married, military couple who's happy to be together and isn't in a rush to have kids!) My new spinning class partner is a vibrant soul...someone who's dealt with adversity and pushed through...and succeeded. She and I come from different backgrounds, but we have FUN...and we both give tirelessly of ourselves to our husbands' respective units. My best gal pal in town is far more tactful than I am, but spunkier (tenacious?) too...but I appreciate that I can have a heart to heart with her about some of the more hairier parts of life, and then turn around and go shoe or coat shopping with her and spend another afternoon baking cookies...even though she's not yet married (for another few months, at least) and she's still fighting the good fight for Uncle Sam. The list could go on, but my point is made. Not fitting in has its perks.

And honestly, some of the times when I wished I'd fit in really made me a stronger (and dare I say it, better?) person. I don't know how many people read this, but you probably came across it because we're somewhat close. There's a pretty good chance we're not just alike...but you've probably taught me something, either directly or indirectly. So thank you! And go grab a peppermint reception stick - there are still a few hiding on the bookshelf.

Titles to blog posts I would've written this week...

2009-12-09T20:26:00.004-07:00

...if I'd had the time, energy, OR the feeling that you would've found any mild interest in them:

- Why yes, my car thermometer DOES go below zero!

- Ways to keep a cabin-fever-ridden Jack Russell puppy amused, and other incredible feats

- You mean we're allowed to have Christmas together? In our own home? This is new!

- Huh? I'm not automatically enrolled in Tricare Dental?

- Pierogi - check. Gnocchi - check. Now what other delicious potato-and-pasta cuisine is out there in the world?

- Tips for self-control, otherwise known as not cracking open Breaking Dawn until the husband's at a field exercise and all visiting family members are out of town

- The fastest, easiest way to clog the pipe from your garbage disposal - and a delicious carrot souffle, to boot!

- If you want something done right, you ought to do it yourself...of course, you cannot do EVERYTHING...it's impossible...yes, even for you.

- Does absolutely everyone (a little hyperbole here, I know) have to be pregnant right now? And talking about nothing but their little bundle of joy? Is there no one who is with me on waiting a little longer? Will I be a lonely pregnant woman with no one to share experiences with? Where are my non-single, non-pregnant friends?

- Learning to drive in the snow, the down and dirty way

- Things I never wanted to explain to my mother (explicit!)

- Advent Conspiracy - an attempt at getting my family/friends to focus on the important stuff and put their pocketbooks away when it comes to "gifts" this year...and feeling like I'm getting nowhere with a few of those people. Guess they'll be disappointed when they only get handmade (and very heartfelt) gifts this year.

- Happiest Christmas songs on my playlist

Fa la la la la, la la la la....

Good Advice

2009-12-08T15:10:00.002-07:00

I am a collector of...junk. I hold on to papers, especially, for much longer than I ought to.

I found a gem this week, though - a few notes from a 2007 message at Westside Church of Christ in Killeen, TX, from one of Mike Walls' sermons:

- Quit WORRYING (looking around)

- Quit FEELING GUILTY (looking back)

- Quit BEING DISCOURAGED (looking down)

- Quit BEING CONCEITED (looking inward)

- Look to JESUS, regardless of what happens around us.

I like that one. And now that it's typed up, I can throw the scrap of paper away. :) Hope you're having a blessed day!

Things that make me happy - November

2009-12-04T15:55:00.004-07:00

Ok, I'm a few days late. But I promise, these are all things I loved last month too :)

1 - Visits from family and friends! November was full of them in the Casa de Chappy - my sister-in-law came into town for a business trip, then I visited my childhood best friend for a week, then my mom came for a few weeks, and my brother made it out for Thanksgiving, too! I haven't had such a busy month in, well, many moons. :)

2 - My crock pot. Seriously, if you don't have one, get one. If you're unmarried, make sure you put it on your wedding registry - a big one! I cooked our Thanksgiving turkey breast in one...simply mixed some olive oil with two packets of Lipton's Onion Soup mix, and put it all under the skin, and over the skin, and then poured whatever remained inside the cavity. I put a little water and chicken broth in, slow-cooked it for 8-10 hours, and it turned out perfectly moist! I also cooked the mashed potatoes the night before thanksgiving...just chopped up some red potatoes, added some chopped onion (about 1/4 - 1/2 of an onion), and added some garlic, water, milk, salt and butter, and when they were done cooking, I mashed them. Sometimes a little more milk and water is necessary to keep it the right consistency. This week, I cooked a leg of lamb! It was a random thing I found in the commissary. I cooked it like a pot roast, on top of some cut carrots, potatoes, and celery. I mixed melted butter with rosemary, garlic, oregano, and ground cloves, and covered the lamb with this mix, then placed some fresh mint leaves all over the meat. 6 hours later, this made the whole house smell incredible. If I can ever find inexpensive today, I will certainly be making this again!

3 - Mince meat cookies. My mom made them while I was working on something else, and they are perfect...even with whole wheat flour (the only type I had in the house)

4 - 30 degree temps. Ok, this is sort of a joke, but since we've been down in the single digits (and negative numbers, at night!), 30 degrees really feels warm some days! It's the little things :)

5 - Puppy bandanas. Pretty cute, and not annoying enough for Seneca to try to pull it off. And only a buck at the Dollar Tree!

6 - Jane Austen films. My mom and I watched every one I had (except for the Keira Knightley version of P&P, since we watched that in August)...Mansfield Park, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and the long (Colin Firth!) version of Pride and Prejudice...what a fun couple of evenings we had! We did toss in Vanity Fair and Twilight for a little variety, but in general we focused on Miss Austen. Now I really need to get Northanger Abbey...and maybe the Bridget Jones DVDs...

7 - The Twilight series of books. I'm a little embarrassed to admit to being hooked on teenage lit, but the books improve with each part of the series. It's been awhile since I've delved into any sort of steady reading (who has time for it in college or the Army?) but these have kept me interested...and it's a great escape from the real world. And I can't deny - the love story aspect is sweet - especially to an old married woman like me. (ha)

That'll do it for today...I'm exhausted after the last few weeks! And...I just picked up Breaking Dawn from the store, so maybe I'll just, you know, peek at it... ;)

Pushing toward the goal...

2009-11-18T15:08:00.003-07:00

Today I'm having a hard time staying cheery, so I thought I'd force myself into a happy thought. Seriously.

I'm running my first half marathon on Sunday! To some, this is no big deal...you amazon-legged people... But after four years of running injuries and illnesses in the Army (stress fractures, shin splints, asthma symptoms, and way too many sinus infections to remember), this is a cool thing to me. I finished my last long run on Sunday - just under 10 miles. (I don't think the full 10 would've been so awful if the sun hadn't dropped behind the mountains - the temperature decreased really rapidly and everything in my body started shutting down then.) Running has been my major stress reliever, and setting this goal has kept me motivated in so many ways. I never had the time (or energy) for this sort of goal while I was on active duty, so...YAY.

Anyway, I'm running the Route 66 Half-Marathon in Tulsa, OK. This is special, too, because I'm visiting my childhood best friend. We grew up down the street from each other in Pittsburgh...our moms were our Girl Scout troop leaders...we spent countless nights at each others' houses (even school nights!)...holidays were spent goofing off together (I vividly remember going to mass with her one Christmas Eve and being completely convinced that I saw Santa in the sky)...and even when my family moved away we kept in touch for years as pen pals. I haven't seen "St Nds" (the second half of the necklace, to my "Be Frie") in probably 17 years, though, so it should be a fun visit.

On a public service announcement sort of note...write down your goals! This is one of the best pieces of advice my dear friend Zandra told me, reiterating it from the book Smart Women Finish Rich. Writing down your goals, making them specific (with measurable steps), posting your list where you see it daily, and sharing it with others will make it even more likely that you'll succeed. I need to go update my list. But one of my very top goals was to purchase land in Virginia - and very shortly after writing my list (and making steps toward achieving that particular goal) - Team Chappy bought our land. Similarly, running a half-marathon or 10-miler was pretty important on my list too. I increased my mileage slowly, followed a training plan online, and ran 5 and 10k races to build up...Lord willing, I'll finish the Route 66 1/2 on Sunday. :)

Hope you're having a good day...find your happy and write down your goals!

Dear President Obama...

2009-11-10T13:34:00.004-07:00

Thank you for your speech today at FT Hood. I'm not generally a big fan of yours (we have pretty different political and social beliefs), but your words today were very appropriate and seemed heartfelt. I haven't felt like the military was particularly important to you in your career thus far, but your words today gave me the impression that maybe you do have at least an idea of what life is like for those who serve every day.

As a Soldier and an Army wife (and a former FT Hood tenant) - this event hit close to home. Thanks for giving me a reason to finally be proud of you for your own words, and not just of the position you hold.

Sincerely,

Someone who still cries at "Taps", has been to too many memorial ceremonies, and is proud to be an American, today and always

Pitching In

2009-11-03T20:12:00.002-07:00

I don't mean to cause trouble (i.e. why I won't post this on facebook, ha), but I'm astounded by some of the political-social connections I see. Today was a big day for Virginia - my "home" state - electing Republican leaders.

Some of the news commentators made note of the fact that younger and more liberal voters didn't come out in as high of numbers as they did when President Obama was elected. I'm surprised about this - I'm no politico, but I would assume that state and local offices have a lot more to do with folks' daily lives than the President of the United States. So why don't more liberals vote in the local/state elections? Is it that they don't think it's important? Or is it that there's no incentive (a la ACORN accusations...)

Also on my mind lately is the breakdown of folks who give back. It's not much surprise that most of the military is more conservative politically (not universally, but there is a bit of a majority). I am more surprised than anything by my liberal friends who have jobs that serve others (i.e. FEMA, doctors, teachers, etc) - because overwhelmingly my liberal friends are the least willing to get out there and serve. They're great for rhetoric, but so many of them just aren't willing to put themselves on the line for their beliefs.

I'm bothered by this on the larger spectrum. I lean toward the conservative side largely because of my upbringing, but also because I have served. I have fought for this country and lost many good friends who wore the American flag on their sleeves. I know that my Soldiers and I worked hard but we were taken care of (health care, housing, food, etc). I am bothered by the folks who expect handouts and aren't willing to take responsibility for themselves. And honestly, I have a hard time voting for anyone who hasn't served this great nation. I expect my leader to have been ready to give his or her life for America!

I'm rambling, but the bigger issue is this...stand up for what you believe in. Liberals - get out there and fight for what you believe in deep down (especially when it comes to helping people out!) The biggest difference between me and my liberal friends when it comes to helping others is that I'd rather give on my own (church offering, CFC charities, etc) and not have the government dole it out. But bottom line is that we're helping folks...get out there and do it. And think about serving in our military. Goodness knows we've kept you safe to be able to gripe about everything under the sun. And if you don't believe me, think for a moment about how many attacks COULD have occurred since September 11, 2001, and didn't. :)

(getting off my soapbox now...have a [c]happy evening!)

Visitor

2009-11-03T16:46:00.002-07:00

My sister-in-law is coming to visit next week! Well, more accurately, she has a business trip bringing her within an hour of us, and she is able to stay a few days after to visit. This is huge for me - she's the first of Mr. Chappy's family to visit us in the nearly 5 years we've been married!

I'm trying to decide what to line up for when she's here. She and I are probably the most similar of the gals in her family - we both like crafts and cooking and are homebodies.

I'd love to take her up to Pike's Peak - if the snow isn't bad. I prefer taking the Cog Railway so everyone can see the sights, versus driving up there. When Slapshot visited, we also went to Garden of the Gods and whitewater rafting...the latter is too cold (and closed for the season) but the former might be a good start before dinner. Maybe we should go off-roading too - she'd probably get a kick out of that.

There's a pottery painting place in Old Colorado City that might be fun, too, and I've been meaning to go by there for awhile. That might be perfect for the day that the hubby's at work.

I'm still working on ideas, but hopefully I can make it memorable for her...and entice the rest of the family to come out. I know my MIL doesn't like flying, but it's a shame to miss out on time and great new locations. We'll see how it goes... :)