24

Almost a week of being 24. Not much has changed but it still feels very odd to say the least.

Some things that happened this week.

• Had an amazing birthday party... with special people and missed the ones that couldn't be there.
• Went to only going to PT once a week - a HUGE time saver
• Picked catepillars off of my floor - I feel like I am living in a 3rd world country sometimes
• Froze when I walked outside because it is getting cooler here... ugh
• Watched the season premier of Amazing Race - Suz, my pick is the brother and sister
• Ate leftover Ice cream cake... yummy
• Went and got CPR/First Aid certified again (second time in 2 months... long story)
• Had a sudden urge to get out of Siloam... We'll see what happens this weekend.

Well that is basically it. Short and sweet.

The Fall Came

How many times have I heard that saying... Pride comes before a fall... Too many to count, yet I forget it all the time!

These past couple of weeks at work have been really different and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I was exhausted after being at work everyday. It was hard to get excited about things and I felt as though I was constantly advocating for myself. I realized tonight that this is not what God would have me doing right now. I know now that I have let my pride and selfishness creep back into my life to confound me to only seeing what is important to me. I am missing what is important to God.

The book that is helping to make these realizations clear to me is called "Having a Mary Spirit" by Joanne Weaver. She writes in such a realistic way that you come out of reading a few pages with more than you could ever know what to do with.

Here are just a few fun pics

Jumping in Guatemala. That was such an amazing trip!












I think this is Jesus... It was a big open market full of Guatemalan artifacts. Reminded me a lot of Indonesia...

A Rainy Weekend

We have had quite a bit of rain this weekend so it has allowed me to clean, read, and catch up on much needed sleep!

On Friday night some friends and I decided that we wanted to take advantage of the over-flowing creek through Siloam. So we went to Wal-Mart to buy an inflatable raft and raft down the creek in the middle of the night. We basically thought it was a genius idea, however rafts are a seasonal item at wally world and they were all sold out! So we came back home and ate peanut butter M&M's... Kind of a let down, but the M&M's helped a little...

Life is going really well here. I am in my second month of Physical therapy and can really begin to feel the results of it. I feel like I am getting stronger and I am having less and less pain so that is good.

Work has been incredible. I just can't really explain it. I just feel as though God has completely blessed me in the opportunity that I have had to be here for this time. I have just implemented a new database that will manage all of our customers and allow us to have a 360 view of everything we do with them. It was stressful at times, but really challenging and completely rewarding!

School has been school. I am completely ready to be done, but it has been good. I am working, well should be working, on a presentation for Tuesday right now... but I got distracted. Only 2 more classes after this one and I will have that MBA so that is what I have to keep my thoughts on.

Well that is pretty much an update on life right now. Pictures to come soon. Oh remember this is my birthday month! :)

Arkansas Hot!

It is so hot outside... it is killing everything! I need rain.

Sorry Bunch. The plants are all dying and I have tried everything I can do to keep them alive. Talk to God because it hasn't rained in days and it is way too hot.

This is my very over dramatic post about the extreme heat of Arkansas.

I've been on bed rest for the past few days... it has given me a lot of time to think that is for sure. I may have to do a second round of the injection, but I am hoping that just this one is going to be it for now. I also have amazing people that are supporting me during this time. Friends that have come and mowed the lawn, stayed with me, brought me everything that I need and just been there for me.

This week is going to be absolutely insane for me! I have a program that I have to finish everything for by Tuesday. Orientation for the new Soderquist Fellows starts on Wednesday. Bunch gets home on Wednesday and it is her birthday. Plus I still have to do all of my homework for my double load... I'm not sure when I am going to fit it all in. I know it will all get done though, cuz it has to!

~Jenn

spinal stories

For the past year I have been dealing with pain in my lower back and have not done anything about it. Yesterday I received my results back from my MRI and I found out that I have a back of a 50 year old... Great! I will be involved in physical therapy and other things to try and correct the problem. I am still in the middle of processing all of this, but I can also be thankful that it is not worse then it is. There is hope that it will get better and that there will be relief soon...

Please keep this in your prayers.

Guatemala

I just wanted to share a few quick pictures from my trip to Guatemala. It was an amazing time and I hope to write more very soon!

This little girl's name is Emily... She taught me quite a bit of spanish :)

Learning how to grind coffee by hand... who needs those fancy starbucks!