Wow

Wow... It's been quite a week and a half for me.
It took me a little while to recoup from D-Now. Sometimes, I still don't think I have. Anyway, I have really had to find myself trusting God in some areas this week. I can't share what they are right now, but I would really appreciate it if you (whoever- if anyone- reads this) would pray for me and my situation. I know God will show Himself mighty in this. Ok, that being said, I woke up Thursday morning at 3am with severe pains in my stomach. I thought it was appendicitis. I was actually crawling on the ground in pain. Then, I suddenly found myself feverish and had the worst chills... I was wearing flannel pj pants, a sweatshirt, had flannel sheets, a quilt and a fleece blanket on top of me and could NOT get warm. Now, I hate doctors (except Dr. Patty) and hospitals, so I opted to lay there and pray really, really hard that God would take the pain away. It subsided enough to go to sleep. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me, but I knew I needed to take the day and rest. I never felt the pain again, but the feverish symptoms continued. It was so not fun. We believe it was a symptom of anxiety. *sigh*
We spent the weekend in Indiana with my grandparents. My step-cousin got married on Saturday. It was a really nice wedding. The reception was held at the old courthouse. It was the snootiest room I think I have ever been in. Pink marble about half way up the wall with shamrock green colored walls trimmed in white and gold. The chandeliers were to die for! It was AMAZING! I had a blast. We learned a lot about my dad's high school years. haha... I even pulled out old family photo albums. I always get made fun of because I cry looking at them. This time I just laughed till I cried to cover up the tears. For some reason, pictures get to me every time. I honestly think this is one of the best trips to Indy I have had in a long time. I think I just needed to get away for awhile. I told maybe 3 people I was leaving- only those who needed to know. I still feel like I am lacking on sleep.
We went and saw the movie Taken last night. It was very intense! My body physically still hurt this morning from tensing up. I can always feel the pain when I see it. It was a great movie though. I still enjoyed it. After that we went to Buffalo Wild Wings. I love spending time with friends.
So, I am hardcore into couponing and sale shopping. I have always been a bargain hunter, but I am finding myself more and more into it. I love watching the numbers drop off my price. Kroger has been my best bargaining thus far. I am still working on Publix and CVS. There is more information posted on my facebook about those deals.
I guess I need to finish my taxes and head off to bed.

Middle School D-Now

God put an amazing opportunity in my lap this past week. One of the leaders for our Middle School D-Now (at church) got sick and they needed a replacement. After getting a facebook message late Wed. night from my friend Katie C (who had heard from the youth pastor) and responding with a "Sure I'll do it." I never heard anything. Then Thursday around 2:15, I got a call from the Associate Youth Pastor at Whitesburg saying he had run into my friend Katy F and she had suggested me as the replacement. At this point I was like "Ok God, I get it." Miraculously, my schedule was free this weekend. The only complication was that I had less than 24 hours to look over the material. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a jam packed schedule as it is. In that 24 hours, I had a dr's appt, small groups and I had to work 8 hours then head straight over to my host family's house. God was going to have to work through my lack of preparation.
I met my host family on Friday- The Yates. They were awesome. We had so much in common it almost got freaky. We had lived in Orlando at the same time, moved to Huntsville the same year, went to CCA, etc... We even discovered that Mr. Yates sits two rows behind me in the balcony every Sunday. I ended up with 9 amazing girls. 6 of which are exactly like April Johnson (and anyone who knows her understands what that means) and the other 3 were stark opposite- quiet and serious. They grilled me the moment they arrived. The first session they had a hard time concentrating, but then all of the sudden it was like they had questions and wanted to have a serious discussion about the Holy Spirit and Heaven vs. Hell. It lasted 6 hours! It was 2 am before we finished! We got up and had another session where the girls wrote the sin that was dragging them down on a piece of paper and then burned it. After that, it was time for "The Amazing Race", where we got clues to go all over Huntsville- starting at the Recycling Center and ending at the Space and Rocket Center. We spent 2 hours goofing off at the Space and Rocket Center. I rode Space Shot 4 times. It wasn't till after we left that I realized my stomach couldn't take it anymore. I never threw up, but I felt terrible. I'm too old. That night we had a group session at the church with amazing worship and a challenge to take Huntsville for Christ. The girls were broken. We spent that evening discussing how they felt about it. Then I had one on ones with each of them. We had a blast, but they learned something too. I think I only got 6 hours of sleep the whole weekend, but it was so worth it. I think every teenager should go through D-Now. I am so thankful that God gave me the opportunity to work with them.

After the final rose...

I'm just going to go ahead and write about what everyone is talking about anyway. The final episode of The Bachelor was on last night. I generally watch the show, but never have I been so hooked on a season of it. It started because I felt awful for the way Jason was treated by Deanna, and then because of Stephanie who was from Huntsville. Granted I don't know her, have never met her, but sometimes you just have to pull for the girl from your city. Well by the time Stephanie got booted, I was so hooked, I couldn't miss an episode. I was so pulling for Melissa to win it last night. I had many friends texting, calling and facebooking through the whole thing. We were all stoked when Jason proposed. I think many of us cried. It was beautiful. Then on the "After the Rose Special", Jason comes on the screen looking like someone had died. Then he just popped up with "Things changed after the show. I don't love her. I don't want to be with her." How in the world can you claim to be "in love" with someone, then propose to them and then "not be in love" anymore? He also claimed Melissa knew it was coming. Judging by her reaction and what she said, I DON'T THINK SO!!! Melissa said to him what he needed to hear. It didn't matter. I think she's better off any way. He also claimed to still be in love with Molly, which he then got the opportunity to tell her. She should have said no way, but that's not the way it works. She is taken aback, but gives him the opportunity! I can be a little understanding about the fact that it didn't work out, but what flabbergasted me was that he had the audacity to break up with her on national television. Seriously, do it in private. UUUUHHHHH!!! Then 7 minutes later he's planting a nice kiss on Molly.
I'm currently watch the third part of After the Rose and am listening to Jason drone on. Melissa couldn't make the show. Could you blame her? I'm interested to see what Molly has to say. Apparently, hers and Jason's relationship is going well. If they are truly meant to be together, then good for them. I just feel bad for Mel. I'm looking forward to hearing who the next Bachelorette will be.
I recently watched the movie "He's just not that into you". I came out disappointed in the fact that they really made girls looked psychotic. Never do they point out that guys actually do things to make girls think that they like them. I found it funny that they turned it around and completely blamed us. Now I'm not by any means saying that some girls don't take it the wrong way or that girls aren't stupid about things. I'm just saying its not completely our fault.
I'm not a male-basher. I have a lot of really great guy friends that I am really thankful for. I just wonder sometimes what has made society the way it is?