Top Ten Tuesday: My Plans While We Are HOME!

I am home for my sister's wedding and some much needed time with family and friends, most of whom I have not seen in 2+ years!! So while I plan to be checking in occasionally and maybe blogging a little, Jon and I have a lot of things we want to cram into a 3 week window while we are home. We aren't planning another visit to the states until our return home in mid 2012! Here are some of the many things we hope to do during the 3 weeks:

1. Obviously, I will be doing all the wonderful duties of not only sister to the bride, but a bridesmaid. Including throwing a bridal shower myself, attending another pajama party and a ladies luncheon in my sister's honor- complete with getting my nails done at the salon with the ladies before the luncheon, the rehearsal and dinner, then the actual wedding itself!

2. At my sister's request, we will be having either a double date with our men, or just some sister bonding time. I believe we will be going to Seattle!

3. At my insistence, Jon and I will be getting a date night of our own. If finances and timing permit, it will be a dinner cruise that we have both longed to go on. In fact, it the same one he had hoped to propose on if I hadn't been so impatient!

4. This is not only a trip to go for the wedding, but also our own family vacation. We haven't been on one of those in a long time!! So we are hoping to take the kids up to the Woodland Park Zoo in the Seattle area, which I have never been too. As well as the Aquarium which is in downtown Seattle- though they will probably need to be separate trips, because we will take the ferry on foot for the Aquarium. Though Jon was disappointed I had taken Natalie on her first ferry ride the last time just us girl visited, this time it will be Zachary's 1st time and we will all go!

5. Family pictures!! I already found and bought coordinating outfits for all of us, to do some in studio pictures at JCPenny. This is were we used to do all our pictures of the kids and family, but there isn't one in Guam! I have this framed print from them in our hall from right before we left, but it is missing our newest member- so we really hope to get something similar to add beside the earlier one when we get home! (Though I am still hoping to also do family pictures on the beach in Guam before Jon leaves for 3 months next year, I don't think you can ever have too many pictures!!)

6. A girls night, or day, with my best friend, Shannah!! We have been best friends for over 10 years, and I miss her a whole lot!! I plan on spending as much time with her as I can between all the wedding stuff and other plans, as well as have Natalie spend some time with Shannah's 3 girls!

7. We will be celebrating Christmas on Thanksgiving with my family! I am looking forward to it, even if there won't be a tree or many decorations up yet, we will still have the big meal surrounded by our family, and exchange gifts all together instead of through the mail!

8. A tradition my mom started when I was young, was that every year we would go see Zoolights at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. In general I spent a lot of time there growing up with my mom and sisters, so it will be a great blessing to now share that with my kids. Zoolights is a lot of fun, it opens the weekend after Thanksgiving and the whole zoo is decked out with Christmas lights! We bundle up, go buy hot chocolate and walk through the maze of displays lighting up the night! I have missed that, I haven't been to it in about 6 years!

9. I will be getting my craft on! I am looking forward to not only trying to creatively and inexpensively decorating for my sister's bridal shower, but also picking up the stuff I want/need in order to decorate Zachary's toddler bedroom- monkey themed! I almost all of the decor in my daughter's ladybug themed bedroom when we switched her to her toddler bed and took out the old nursery decor, and I can't wait to do the same for my son as he approaches 2 years old! And also I will be finishing up last minute touches on the homemade Christmas gifts for my family. We don't have a very great craft store here on Guam- there is one, but the selection isn't great and it is seriously expensive, so this is a big priority for me, I miss running to Michael's (or even Walmart sometimes) for all my crafting needs!!

10. I will also be trying to visit with many other friends I haven't seen in a while, including my friends Chris, Victoria, and Bethany. As well as family, my brother Daniel and my niece Miranda, and all the family attending my sister's wedding.

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The Gift of Hospitality

So this week I am going to focus on some dear friends of ours, whom we miss dearly, but even that is so broad because we have many friends we wish could be closer to us! I will never forget Mikayla and Jason's wonderful hospitality towards us as we prepared to move from our East Coast home, to Guam.

We had met Mikayla and Jason in our young adult couple's Sunday school class at church. It was around September 2007 when we first got back to the East coast. I had spent the time Jon was in Cuba, living with my mom across the country, but it was nice to be back to the first place we had really had to establish our home as an independent couple. I admit while I loved being home and all the familiar things where I grew up, the business and wide range of city life had grown on me. I enjoyed being in a 'mega church', which was a huge change from my small town church of maybe 100 attenders on a very good day.
I don't remember exactly the how fast it all happened, but we clicked. We had finally found friends we felt comfortable with, that were at a similar point in life. We enjoyed having Mikayla and Jason over for dinner, and we spent time at their place, or out to eat as well. In fact, they introduced us to the Wii. It was New Year's Eve, we went over to their house for dinner and ended up staying until 1 am (I don't remember if that was actually the plan). For hours we played Wii Tennis, Bowling and Boxing. I felt like I was in youth group again, at one of our regular lock-ins! I had never had so much fun on New Year's Eve before! Natalie behaved quite well, even into the lateness of the night.
Fast forward to February, Mikayla was quickly approaching the due date of their first child. We had invited them over for dinner one night, and Mikayla was complaining of back pain. Well the next morning I got a call from Jason asking what was in that dinner because Mikayla was in labor!! They asked us if we could bring our camera because they didn't have theirs, you see Mikayla had been going to her morning OB appointment and the doctor was concerned about the baby's heartbeat, so she was sent to the hospital right from the clinic. So Jon stayed home with Natalie, as I went up to the hospital. Jason's sister was supposed to be there for the birth, another person to help Mikayla and the baby, but since baby Hannah arrived a few weeks early, his sister hadn't yet flown in yet (I think she was coming within a few days). I was only too happy to help when I got the the hospital, and whether it was from so much pain, Mikayla just didn't care, or because she really did want another woman there, she let me stay to help however I could. I considered it an honor. And I guess it was a help, because I was able to take pictures of there first moments as a family together! I wish someone had been at the births of my children to snap some early photos, but it just wasn't a priority for me or my husband to be taking pictures at the time!

About 4-5 months later, as we prepared for our move to Guam, leaving Mikayla, Hannah, and Jason, they were kind enough to let us stay with them. When it comes to overseas moves with the military it can take up to 2 months for our household goods to make the long journey to us, so we wanted to send it as soon as we could. What better time then right before I would be gone myself, with Natalie (2 1/2 at the time) to visit my mom for her wedding for 3 weeks the month before our overseas journey truly began. And when I returned home our apartment lease was ended, our stuff was gone, and Natalie and I stayed with Mikayla and Jason in their brand new house (which they were remodeling at the time!). Jon stayed with another friend, Eric, from his from work (who also had a young baby born the same month as Hannah), and who lived much closer to work, and he came over during the day to help with Natalie and Hannah when he wasn't babysitting Ava as a favor to Eric. Of course, I was in my 1st trimester of pregnancy with Zachary, which meant I was often nauseous, but as much as I could during the days while Mikayla was at work, and Jason was working on the remodel I played with Hannah and Natalie. It was actually a lot of fun, though it was cramped, during these few weeks. There was no one I would've rather spent so much time with before we left Virginia.
During our few weeks there we even went all together to Busch Gardens for the 4th of July. It was Natalie's first time at an amusement park and boy did she love the rides! And would you know, of all the years we spent in Virginia, so near to Busch Gardens which we could get one free pass to each year (military special), and both time we went I was in my first trimester of pregnancy!! The other time was when my mom and sister had visited us and I was 12 weeks pregnant with Natalie, and though I begged the doctor, they said I should NOT go on ANY rides at all! With my fear of miscarrying again, I did not dare to question that as much as I wanted too, and it was the same way the second time around. So though I enjoyed the shops and shows and even fireworks Busch Gardens had to offer, the closest I got to any ride was the train that ran through the park to shuttle guests from one 'country' to another.

Another fun story from while we stayed at Mikayla and Jason's house was first discovering Natalie had inherited my fear of bugs. While I am really only particularly scared of spiders and any bees or wasps, Natalie couldn't tell the difference at this age. One day when I sent her to the room we were staying in because she was in trouble, almost as soon as the door closed I heard the most ear piercing scream. When I went inside, Natalie was climbing from her small toddler size air mattress onto the taller queen size one, as fast as she could move. When I asked her what was wrong, in her panic she cried "There's a bug!!!" And I looked to see a housefly on her pillow! I couldn't stop laughing as I tried (and still try today) to convince her that flies and ants won't hurt her!

This is a post to record my Young Adult years at

Six Word Saturday

CLEANING, COOKING, AND CONFUSION FOR DESSERT!

What a day! All week I have been working towards a little 'fall' cleaning. Maybe I shouldn't even call it that, since most people probably regularly mop their floors, but I don't. I just sweep and spot wash. But not this week! I have been dusting, mopping, tidying, and laundering everything I could think of!! Today was my big day of it because not only was my husband home to deal with the kids, but we had guests coming over for dinner...or so I thought!
I had talked with a friend of mine on Wednesday, but she needed to talk with her husband before confirming anything for the weekend. We have been trying to do dinner since around late June!! Something always comes up, something at church, or Jon's work, or just the craziness of life with toddlers! But she messaged me on Facebook Thursday evening to confirm, and I replied...I did reply, I swear it, I remember distinctly what I wrote and hitting reply, and feeling confident we were set, nothing was going to come up this time!!! Well Saturday is here, I made a cheesecake last night, and I made my meatballs for spaghetti and meatballs, YUM! 10 minutes to the time we had discussed Wednesday, I begin looking for my phone just in case they forgot which unit we were in. I find it in the depths of my purse...OFF. Uh-oh! I quickly plug it in and turn it on to find a message from my friend asking if we were on left at lunchtime!! I called her but didn't get through. I checked Facebook to discover my reply was not on the message she had sent me as it usually shows up! Luckily they hadn't made dinner yet or other plans and we did reach them, but what a crazy evening!! I don't know what I would've done if they hadn't come...I have a LOT of meatballs cooking for just us, even with leftovers!!
It was a great time of fellowship though as we ate dinner and watched the kids play. Well worth any 'drama' or confusion that may have come up if you ask me.

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Working with Jeff

This is the final week for session one of Mommy's Piggy Tales! YAY! I made it!

This week's post is actually during my senior year and the summer following (though this week is 'post' high school), this is what truly stood out in my mind when I sat down to write, and since it is work related not school related so much I thought it works still. But I plan on continuing on with more post high school memories on Mondays with Janna starting in October.

My first job was at a thrift store. I got the job just before I turned 16 because my mom was the manager. I will save the details of it for another day (in session two of Mommy's Piggy Tales). When I was 18, and still in school, there was a new guy at work. His name was Jeff. He was handsome, with dark brown hair, and the type of eyes that always had that sparkle in them. And yes, briefly I had a crush on him. He wasn't too much older then me, and he made me laugh. I enjoyed working even the night shift if I was closing with him. He worked hard, so I wasn't picking up someone else's slack, but he also made it fun. But as for the crush, I knew it was just that, and I didn't agree with his lifestyle choices by a long shot. Lets just say he would not have been attracted to me no matter how beautiful of a girl I was. But we were friends, not close, but work friends. Though we had never hung out after work before I had actually asked Jeff to take me to my prom before I had gotten up the courage to ask Jon (see last week's post). Jeff agreed to be my 'date' if Jon couldn't go, but luckily Jon said yes, and Jeff was genuinely excited for me when he did.

One night Jeff and I were scheduled to work the closing shift with our supervisor Shawn. These were my favorite nights because Shawn was pretty laid back and one of the nicer supervisors. She didn't get mad or irritated when you needed help, she just helped you. And she wouldn't give into the customers who were being ridiculous asking for things to be marked down, at least not as much as some of the other supervisors did.
My night started right after school around 3, but Jeff wasn't supposed to show until 5, which is also when our second supervisor Sharon would leave for the night, and only the 3 of us would be left. it was shortly before 5 and the phone rang. I happened to be at the registers beside the phone, so I answered it. It was Jeff, he sounded...different. His emotionless voice told me he wasn't coming in again, ever. I was so confused, the way he was talking scared me. I don't remember who ended up taking the phone from me, Shawn or Sharon, but one of them did.
Later Sharon pulled me in the back, I was upset because something was obviously wrong. Though Jeff and I weren't very close, I still cared enough about him to want him to be okay. I don't remember exactly how much Sharon told me, but basically that Jeff wouldn't be coming back to work, but that he needed help. It was decided since it wasn't very busy, that Shawn and I could close just the two of us, though Sharon stayed later then planned. Once she left Shawn made more phone calls to Jeff to see how he was. Shawn and Jeff were close, at least for how close they could be as a supervisor and employee, they hung out after work sometimes with some other co-workers, doing things I would never have even if I had been old enough. I was always the naive and innocent manager's daughter, but I was okay with that- I knew I didn't want to know anything about that other life.
Shawn was getting very worried about Jeff, and told me she decided to go check on him after we closed (9 pm). Though she fought me at first, I told her I wanted to help him too, and if she didn't agree to it I would just follow her there anyway, so she caved. We rushed through all the after hours tasks, preparing for the next day, and were out the door pretty quickly. Jeff's place was actually right on my way home, though we had to park on a different road since it was only street parking in that part of town. I was glad Shawn had agreed to take me since I probably would've chickened out just realizing how dark that area was and parking a whole street away to walk wouldn't have seemed safe alone. We got to Jeff's house, his parents were across the country visiting family and this was actually one of the rare times he didn't go with them. He let us inside. I was shocked at how he looked, I don't think I had ever seen someone look that pale before. Like all the life had drained from his face, and the sparkle in his eyes was gone, in fact he didn't really seem to 'see' anything, just stared. He moved so slowly and steadily, as if just on auto pilot. Shawn told him to get his things, she didn't want to leave him alone, so he would go home with her. I don't remember what his reasoning had been, but he had locked the basement and thrown his house key down the laundry shoot, so we had to find a way to get to it before we left. The whole time I don't remember saying much. I cried, I hugged him, and just watched in shock at how different this person was to me. Like night and day. I helped Shawn eventually get him to the car and I got in my own and went home. I don't think I slept much that night.
Jeff never came back to work, though he stayed with Shawn and her family until his own came home. I wrote him a letter, which Shawn gave to him. His parents had decided to move him back to the East Coast where they were originally from and he had more family and friends. I hoped to keep in touch, and continue trying to witness to him. I had always snuck it into our conversations at work, inviting him and anyone who would come to church with me.
Sometime the summer after my graduation, Jeff came into the store. I can't remember if they had decided not to move, or just hadn't yet, but he found me in the men's department cleaning up and stopped to say hi. I remember showing off my engagement ring, and telling him more about Jon and prom. He promised to keep in touch (doesn't everyone- I know I do sometime realizing it may not happen!). I still think about him sometimes and pray for him. I know now what was going on that night. Jeff is bi-polar, and was having one of the lows because he had stopped taking his medication. Bi-polar is a form of depression, characterized by exactly what I saw in him, extreme highs and loads of energy, and then falling so low you don't even want to live anymore. This was the first time I truly witnessed that face to face with someone I knew and cared for and I will never forget it. It isn't just one of those things you read about, and this was just one more step for me in realizing how much I still someday hope to become a psychologist, to help others, to help more people like Jeff.

This is my 15th of 15 posts in a series to record my youth with other woman at
. Would you like to record your youth for your children and grandchildren to read about someday? Janna is beginning a second session on Oct. 7th for those who would like to join! I know I will be there sharing many more of my memories!!

Surviving the First Year of High School

High school at last! But it wasn't all it was cracked up to be I soon discovered.

My electives this year were Women's Ensemble and French 1. Both were year long electives, so all my other classes were the usual required ones, engligh- though I took college prep english for each year in high school, a math class, I went as high as algebra 2 before quitting all math classes in high school- I despised math, biology, and of course physical education- this was the last year I would be required to take any classes involving sweat and locker rooms, I took 1 trimester each of fitness, swim, and health class (which I opted out of weights to take!). I did actually end up taking AM swim for part of my junior year because I actually enjoyed that class, but it was not required, it was a class that was held before the school day officially began.

I liked most of my teachers and I believe most of them liked me. But then there was my French 1 teacher, Mr. J. Before I had been in his class a week, I began hearing rumors that this was his first year back after spending time away for throwing books at students. And honestly, it was hard not to believe by the end of the year. He was the only French 1 teacher, so I couldn't transfer out of his class unless I wanted to take a different language, which I didn't because I thought French was such a romantic language. If I ever visited a foreign country during that time in my life, it would have been France, to go see the Eiffel Tower and the Louve. I loved everything I thought to be French!
Of course, its hard to tell for sure if it was Mr. J, himself, or the students who had all heard the rumors, but he was an odd teacher. I often felt bad for him as most of the students lacked even an ounce of respect for him or his teaching. I had always been a goody-two-shoes, so I was never one to show disrespect to anyone, let alone my teacher. Though the other students regularly tried to push his buttons, and on occasion he did snap. He would throw a book or an empty desk even, at the wall and yell at us all. Then sometimes we would have substitute teachers for a few days, though I doubt any of his students ever let his outbursts slip, they genuinely seemed to get a kick out of being cruel to this poor teacher who had a short temper.
Mr. J only ever gave the simplest work to top it off. I retained very little from his class, and was completely unprepared for French 2 with a teacher who was quite the opposite of Mr. J, and expected much more from her students then we had learned previously. I remember on one particular occasion when Mr. J had us gather old assignments that had already been graded, to turn in this big packet. I hadn't been able to find most of mine in my mess of a room, so when he asked for them I told him I had forgotten it at home. Much to my astonishment he said, "I am sure you got an A," and told me not to worry about it!! Of course now I think that was horrible for a teacher to play favorites like that, but then I was just happy to not have to admit I didn't actually have half the papers (why turn back in ALREADY graded assignments anyway? He wasn't the only teacher who did this and I still don't understand why).

This was also the year I made a lifelong friend. One of the first guys I could really call a best friend. His name is Chris. We actually met through one of my friends who was his girlfriend of a couple of years at this point in school. He was a senior, and that's why I only met him this year. I remember the first time I met him, I thought he was weird and I was right! It was spirit week at school, and each day we had a theme and everyone came dressed up to match it. This particular day was 'mondo bizzaro' day, everyone came dressed in just the craziest stuff, and Chris was no exception. While I think I either turned my clothes inside out or had them on backwards or something like that (Chris probably remembers better then I do!), he was wearing his girlfriend's homecoming dress (though he did have a shirt on underneath)!
Not to far into that year, his girlfriend broke up with him. And though I was originally friends with her, Chris and I had clicked. So as one friendship (we weren't that close to begin with) dissolved, another one blossomed. Chris and I both had the same lunch all year, at least one day (we had 'A' days and 'B' days, 3, 2-hour classes each day). We often spent them just walking around the hallways at school talking about everything and anything. Chris was upset and still missed his girlfriend. I was pining for a boy who didn't like me romantically, and had been for going on 3 years at this point. So we encouraged each other in our circumstance, we were there for each other. Chris always referred to me as his 'little sophomore friend', even after that year ended and I became a junior and Chris graduated.
Over the years we have still been there for each other. He even was kind enough to help me make a move across the country when Jon got sent to Cuba on 10 days notice! Chris flew to the East coast and helped me pack stuff into a trailer and then drove back to the west coast with me, Natalie and our dog Diamond. There aren't many friends who would use their time off and money to reach out and help someone like that, but that is just Chris. He is a loyal and faithful friend through and through. Anytime I go home for a visit, I still make time to get together with Chris too, though we don't talk as often as we once did. While I have many friends back home, there aren't many I truly miss, and he is definitely among my top 3. Chris made my sophomore year infinitely more bearable!!

This is post 12 of 15 in a series I am doing to record my youth with other women at
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Friends Forever

A song I learned as a girl in brownies. I could sing this over and over with all my closest friends as we made wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

A circle is round,

It has no end,

Thats how long I want to be YOUR friend!

And now as an adult, I am still amazed when God blesses me with new friends. You never lose your true friends, they will always remain in your thoughts and heart. Even when they must travel on, start a new adventure somewhere else. Meet new people and make new friends. But the old ones will always be treasured.

It isn't easy leaving your friends. I should know, we have had to pick up and move twice as God through the Navy directs our path. But today I am sad because of friends who will be leaving us bright and early on their last morning in this tropical paradise. All through the ups and downs they were there for me and I hope I was always there for them, I tried to be. And their friendship is as gold to me. They will forever be in my heart, whether we meet again on this earth, or one day in our eternal heavenly home.

I will always praise God for giving me the gift of their friendship, and all the wonderful friends we have made and will make during our time spent here on Guam!

Remember another song, this one I learned at church, by Michael W. Smith...

Friends are friends forever,

If the Lord's the Lord of them.

And a friend will not say never,

'Cause the welcome will not end.

Though it's hard to let you go,

In the Father's hands we know,

That a lifetime's not to long,

To live as friends.

God's Will in My Life: Big Decision

Jon and I are approaching a big decision: leave Guam on our already scheduled time frame (July 2011) or to extend for one more year (July 2012).
Guam had apparently been in God's ultimate plan for us from the beginning, no matter how much I wanted to fight it. Jon and I met when he was stationed aboard the USS Houston. We got married and about a year later the boat was scheduled to change ports, from Washington state to Guam. At that time the pictures that popped up in my mind about Guam, were sleeping with netting over the bed, constantly finding snakes, and huge spiders and other insects inside my home, near my future (at the time) children. I imagined sweltering, unbearable heat that would keep me inside almost constantly; very limited shopping (oh wait, that one I got right!); and no one that spoke English except of course the other Navy families. I never thought I would be able to find a church I could fit into, I imagined only Catholic churches on this teeny tiny island. I even thought I would develop claustrophobia from being confined to such a small, speck of island in the middle of the ocean. So in my ignorance we decided we would be better off taking orders to a shore duty command in Virginia. While in Virginia we had a good time, made many wonderful friends and then it came time all too soon for us to leave. Jon and I had been really praying that we would be able to get back home to Washington state, but in God's answer to our prayers, He has given us a detour. We were informed the only way, at that time at least, for us to return to the West coast would be to go overseas first. And as luck would have it the only thing Jon was offered at that point was Guam. By then, a few things had changed to ease us into this transition.
First of all, I had grown used to being away from home for a long extended time, and when I really thought about it, there wasn't much difference between Virginia and Guam distance wise. Now yes there are thousands of miles more between Guam and Washington verse Virginia and Washington, but in either situation I would not be in a location that I could just pick up and go visit my family anytime I wanted. And most of all, during our time in Virginia, God had placed in my path a friend who had been there and had eased most of my fears about what island life would be like. I completely believe God placed us in Virginia first for those exact reasons, so that we could go to Guam with a more open heart to the island itself.
Now that we are in Guam, we are having a hard time with the thought of leaving. Jon and I would both like to experience a little more of the island life as it offers many activities we will not be able to do in the Northwest. Snorkeling, scuba diving, as well as many other water sports and activities, but also traveling and seeing some places of the world we otherwise will probably never see. Another reason we have grown so attached to this island are our friends. We have met some of the most wonderful people here on Guam. We still love and miss our friends from Washington as well as Virginia, but at least for me it seems that the longer I am away from my comfortable home in Washington were a lot of old friends that I grew up with are, the more I open up to new people and new friendships. In Virginia it took me a long time to realize I could make great friends anywhere I go and I am not just limited to only friends I have known since school. (Though I still treasure those friendships very dearly!)
Most of all though during our time on Guam, I have had the chance to grow closer to God then I have ever been. While there are some minor things I do not agree with within our church here, I do find myself constantly challenged like never before to reexamine parts of my life, so that I can have a better relationship with my Heavenly Father. And honestly that is hard to give up. On the one hand, I don't want to leave the environment when I feel I am constantly in check and held more accountable, but on the other, does God want me to go somewhere else for new adventures and my biggest challenge in that being to not fall back into the trap of being content to not move forward in my walk with God, or worse to backslide into old habits. This is what has been on my heart for the last few months as we try to decide which course of action to take. To stay or to go, that is my question to God!
So please pray for us as we need to make the decision by this coming July. They need a year in advance for both of the following- requesting a years extension or requesting to go back to the West coast (Washington not a guarantee, but I would be fine with California as well, we have a few friends and family there also). Another big factor in our decision making process will be if Jon makes first class from this last exam he took in March. We should know around May, and if he doesn't make it we feel it would be best to extend so we can ensure he will have made it before he moves to a new command. If he does make it, we will have to look at other factors on how to proceed, we may still extend we just aren't sure yet.
Any prayers or advice are most welcome.

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. ~Colossians 1:9

I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart. ~Psalm 40:8

The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord. ~Proverbs 16:33

Blessed by Your Friendship

In high school making friends was just a part of life. You are surrounded everyday by these people, you are bound to connect with someone sometime, its inevitable. Some may be single serving friendships, people who you enjoy while they are there but it fades quickly when you no longer see them regularly. Then some are life lasting, people you really make a connection with and it just sticks, no matter the distance between you. Both are wonderful friends and serve to bless you in some way. Now just out of high school I had my group of friends, people who all lived nearby who I had been friends with from school or church, but soon after getting married to my sailor it came time for our first move.

Best Friends from Washington

I am not a 'people person' or a 'social butterfly', as my husband is. It can take some time for me to open up and make friends, especially when I am not constantly surrounded by them as in high school or at work. I was terrified about having to move and make new friends. I didn't think it was possible for me to find anyone who could truly be my friend other then the people who I left behind in Washington as we traveled across the country to Virginia.

It didn't take us long to find a church in Virginia and we knew right away that it was where God wanted us. I was amazed at how fast we made friends! Though I never had realized it before, apparently I had been thinking subconsciously that outside of my circle of friends in Washington there were no good people who could like me! But here across the country in Virginia we met some wonderful, salt of the earth, good Christian friends. And I can't say I feel we had enough time together, I miss them all dearly.

'Salt of the Earth' friends in Virginia

When the time came to move again, my mind went back to the same line of thought as before, I won't possibly be able to find as good friends in Guam as I have in Washington and Virginia. You see how stubborn I am? Sometimes I just don't learn the first time. Not surprisingly, God has blessed us so graciously again. Now I can't imagine never having met such wonderful, encouraging and caring friends as we now have here on Guam. I just stand amazed at God's faithful blessings that pour out on us through others. And hopefully I will be able to remember that the next time we have to move; there are good and wonderful people God will bring into our lives no matter where we go. And sometimes He will only bless us with them for a short time before one of us moves on to bless someone else, somewhere else, but how amazing it was to know them for even the shortest time!

Encouraging friends on Guam

Thank you to all the people I have been blessed to call friend. God has poured so many blessings on me through the friends He has brought into my life. I look forward to all the new friends I will make in the future as we continue to move as the Navy needs, but while I am here I will savor those I have right now for as long as I can!

What are some of your best memories with friends old & new? Who has God blessed you with in your life?