It's official: I love flying! So much fun! I'm getting ahead of myself though. I was planning on posting updates every night, but it was $10 a day for wifi in the hotel room and I wasn't about to pay that. So, you get it all in one big post! 4:45am I awoke and started my adventure. Our trip started out with a total God thing. For those who haven't flown before, you're not allowed to bring liquids past security. Because of my health conditions I can't just get water willy-nilly, so I was planning on locating Aquafina as soon as we got through. It's a safe brand and it's one that can be found beyond just the midwest. Wouldn't you know it, there wasn't any to be found. Anywhere. I also happened to forget to bring water with me for the ride to the airport in the morning. Brilliant. My boss went off to search some more (I couldn't because of open restaurants) and he came back with a woman. Apparently she was a stewardess who also had serious Celiac Disease (usually when I meet others with Celiac it's not nearly as serious), and not only was she on our flight, but she also had a safe source of water with her and offered me some. I had just enough time to call my mum and get information on whether it was safe or not. And it seemed to be! So I was able to get some on the flight with peace of mind that it would be okay to at least try. And by golly, the bottle was HUGE. How neat is it how God orchestrated that? I've only met one other person other than my family who is super sensitive/really takes it seriously, and there happens to be one on my flight who knew about the different bottled waters. God.Is.Faithful. That's a theme that has been coming up more and more lately, so it was really neat to have that happen. I also had the chance to talk to a dude who drills wells in Georgia about it and explain it a bit. A man who, apparently, has family members with Celiac (though not as sensitive). How crazy is that? I think I've watched The Terminal (with Tom Hanks) too many times, because I kept on envisioning security taking my supplements out of my bag and I would have to convince them with a goat.But everything went quite smoothly. I got the window seat, which I was totally stoked for! And of course, with any big adventure, I had Gerald up my sleeve, and was holding onto him as we departed. Until we actually took off, then I threw my hands up in the air. 33,000 feet up in the air, to be precise. The flight itself was wonderful, full of coloring, music, and I got to write an encouragement letter to the stewardess' =D Other than the screaming, tantrum-throwing child that wouldn't shut up for the first 1/2 hour, and the numbness that eventually took over my rear end, it was an absolute joy! ^.^ As soon as we landed in Georgia they started playing Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles. Which was great, cause it was raining.All else went smoothly. I had to wear my mask walking through the terminal because of all the open restaurants and bagel shops. I can't even tell you how many stares I got . . . and not the good kind of stares. The hotel. I realized that day that I'm definitely a small town girl. One who was in the big city. A big, super nice, swank hotel to me is the Shiloh Inn: This is where I was staying: Just slightly bigger. They also had two faucets. How fancy is that?! It confused the heck out of me until my bosses wife told me that one was for drinking water. Which really explained why sometimes the water smelled funky and sometimes it didn't . . . Also, they folded the toilet paper all fancy-like. How swank is that?! Almost every female I saw in that hotel was casually dressed in heels with their hair all done up nice, dressed to the nines as they call it. Then I walked in, in my man-sweats and mens Star Wars T-shirt, all wide-eyed like. That place was HUGE. And not just the hotel, but the city. I felt like I was going to get stepped on or stolen any minute there. But it left me with a greater sense of dependency on God, which is wonderful. I gotta say something about my own hotel room though, cause that was definitely one of the main highlights of the trip for me. All my life I've wanted a hotel room to myself. And now, not only did I have a hotel room to myself, but it was a two room suite. I didn't realize there was no wifi in the rooms without paying until I got there, but I decided to call that a blessing. While I wasn't able to watch Jurassic Park II or Thor: The Dark World, I got more uninterrupted time with God, which is really what I needed. I was pretty excited about that, guys. Just in case any of you were wondering, let me give you a brief look at what it's like for a traveling Celiac once arrived at the hotel. 1) Quickly unpacked all of my food from my suitcase and loaded up the fridge 2) Wiped down every counter top surface with Clorox wipes 3) Because these Clorox wipes are citrus, I took a wet paper towel and wiped down every surface again afterwards 4) I took my pants off (cause lets be real, being alone in a hotel room is significantly better in boxer shorts - with freshly shaved legs ^.^) 5) I remade the bed with sheets and pillowcases that were washed in safe detergent (while watching Johnny English) And, well, yeah. Y'all know how to unpack.I may or may not watch too many crime shows, and therefore checked underneath the beds for dead bodies upon arrival. No dead bodies, but I found a sock! I had another crazy (and sketchy) adventure, and then it was off to bed. That bed = crazy comfy. Day one: complete. Also, I've decided that as a token of my future significant others affection, he should give me a yellow crayon. Because I don't have one (not a Crayola one at least), and I want one. Day 2: SundayI . . . didn't sleep fabulously. But I got to spend the morning in a glorious, peaceful state, with the sun softly beaming through my window as I laid on the (super comfy) bed and spent some time in 1 John. Registration for the convention happened later in the morning (and by later, I mean 8:30), and let me tell you, that building was HUGE. It's the Georgia World Congress Center, and it’s so big that it's separated into building A, B, and C - but it's all one BIG building. It’s the 4th largest convention center in the U.S. at 3.9 million square feet. The convention itself remained in just one of the three buildings, but still, it was huge. (that's just part of one section above) Afterwards, my boss and his wife went sight-seeing while I stayed back at the hotel. I'm not much of a museum person. And after all, it's not every day you get a hotel suite to yourself! I sorted through and filled out some papers for the next few days while watching RED, then sat down at the desk to get some real work done - in my coloring book; while watching some old Scooby Doo then spending time in quiet with Jesus. 3:00pm was the opening ceremony for the convention, and oh my gosh . . . There's no way I could possibly put into words how happy my heart was. Right beforehand I got to meet & shake hands with Torry Martin, who voices Wooton, one of my all-time favorite characters in Adventures in Odyssey. When I introduced myself he was like, "I'm gonna call you Big Lew". And he did, for the entire rest of the week. He emceed throughout the night, and when he was giving away free product, he asked what Wooton’s favorite food is. So I yelled licorice (obviously) and he called me by name up to the stage and gave me some free Adventures In Odyssey! ^.^ Day = made. And it just kept getting better! That night was amazing. The Peter Furler Band performed live, as well as For KING And COUNTRY (who were AMAZING. And super hard to get a good picture of because they were constantly moving), and Alan Powell from Anthem Lights!! A few others spoke and performed as well, making it an incredible night. I was privileged enough to hear Kyle Idleman speak that night as well. He talked about our "Aha!" moments. The moments we realize that we're struggling and what we're struggling with. He also talked about confession and how important it is - it makes it real for us. He asked us what it is we're struggling with and to confess it to somebody, and not just to put it off. God spoke pretty clearly to me what it is that I struggle with and He really convicted me that I need to confess it publicly (pretty sure that's an indication of how tightly I'm holding onto it). So here they are, He actually pointed out three main things that I'm struggling with: Selfishness, pride, and control. It's not easy for me to admit those things. It's also hard to admit that I've noticed that my pride has affected some of my posts. Saying or leaving certain things out to seem cooler (even though I'm pretty sure most of the things I find cool about myself are . . . not that cool haha). And even as I wrote these confessions down, I kept on wanting to add in, "I struggle with pride in some areas, but am humble in others" . . . . I have BEEN HUMBLED in areas of my life that had already been corrupted by pride that aren't as much of a prevalent issue anymore. But I still struggle with it. And it's hard, because it's so subtle that I barely recognize it. And if I do, I deem it as not that big of a deal - I can take care of it. . . . . But pride is pride. And its subtlety is what makes it so dangerous and harmful, both to ourselves and to those around us. And I believe it's from that pride that my struggle for control comes into play. God's really been convicting me of this lately. Kyle admitted what he struggles with, and he said it in summation like this: "I acknowledge what I'm struggling with, but I skip over the confession and being broken over it part and go right to the, "Okay, let’s fix this! Let’s take action. I'm gonna do this, this, and this". I've really been struggling with that lately. I've been trying to take things into my own hands - trying to take control - and fix things myself; more specifically things in my own walk. And while it's DEFINITELY not wrong to take action, I've been doing it with the wrong heart, mindset, and attitude. I can't fix myself. I can't humble myself. I can't change my heart, mindsets, or attitude. Only God can. I need to submit things to Him. Ask HIM to humble my heart and show me the actions that I can take. He's the only one that can set me free and heal me, working in me HIS character and heart for people. And as for selfishness . . . this is a big one for me. And in a way, it's also connected with being in control, which stems from pride (which, P.S., Galatians 3:3 is the verse that God has been laying on my heart: "How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian life in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human efforts?" Convicting to the core. How many of us REALLY do that on some level?). My selfishness also partially stems from some of my fear issues. My actions may not always be selfish, but my heart and attitude behind them aren't always where they should be. God has worked in me so much when it comes to selfishness. He's really been changing my heart and mindset to glorify Him more inwardly, and He gets all the credit for that growth. But I still struggle with it, and He's got a long way to go. I would love your prayer on those things, guys. I was really excited for the rest of this trip - even more so than before. I knew God was going to do crazy awesome things on this trip, and to be honest, I had kinda been trying to force those things. Not so much in the events, but trying to *cough take control cough* make myself grow in certain areas, or be how I think I should be. Honestly, probably the best parts of the trip so far were the moments when I surrendered myself to God and asked/allowed Him to do the shaping & molding of me. And after that night - after my Aha! moment and confession, and my time spent away from the convention to seek God and talk and process with Him, and write my heart out (I left for the last 2 hours and found the PERFECT little secluded spot. God is good and He knows me well) - I felt like those moments will be much more abundant. My heart and mind were in a better place. A place where God can really get to work in me - without me getting in the way. And it kept getting better throughout the remainder of the week. I was excited to see what the next day held. I got to meet one of my favorite characters, hear one of my favorite singers live, worship with great bands, and win free stuff. But the best thing about that day had been that little hour & a half with God, being real, and being lifted. "Why should I have pride in my good attitude and resilience when it is YOU who have given them to me? And how can I share you with others - how can I show you to others - when my heart and mind are focused on me and what I'M doing?" Day 3: MondayThat day we got down to business. That Monday was when the showroom doors opened and made hundreds of companies and vendors available. Before the doors opened, however, we started off with a moment of worship with one of my favorite songs (Our God Is Greater), followed by an opening word from Alan Robertson (from Duck Commander, Phil Robertson's oldest son) and an opening prayer from Phil Robertson himself! After the ribbon was cut, we entered into the massive showroom and I was able to meet Alan and Phil and Miss Kay at a book signing! Due to time constrictions, we were told no pictures with them, no selfies, just keep the line moving so that everyone could have a chance to get their books signed. Phil was really quiet throughout the signing, but when he got to me he looked up at me and said, "You've got a look about you, girl". I still don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But he didn't say I looked yuppy, so I'm counting it as a compliment! Haha. Maybe it was the Batman hat. From there we went through the showroom, collecting free product as we went. I got to connect with the guys from the JJ Weeks band again, this time getting a signed CD. My boss and I ended up walking out of the convention last night with them and it was great just chatting. They're super chill guys, and apparently, unbeknownst to me at the time, they sing a song that I LOVE. "Let Them See You" { https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgho0_JRetk&feature=kp }. Go check it out! I was also beyond blessed enough to meet Alan Powell and thank him for what God has done through their (Anthem Lights) music. So wonderful to shake his hand and thank him in person! Awesome guy. I continued on my quest for free products after that while scoping out merchandise to purchase for the store, until joining my boss at a vendor to help decide on what to purchase and learn more about the industry and how the ordering process works. After that I attended a Children's Product Trends seminar with my boss & his wife, followed by more free-product searching. After helping choose apparel for an order, and having my boss try to fix me up with the sales rep (who looked just like Sean Faris), I went back to the hotel to eat while my boss and his wife went out. Here's a moment of full transparency for ya: I was really struggling with eating. Not because of image issues or anything like that. I love food far too much for that. Sometimes when I'm away from home I have a harder time eating for some reason. I don't know if it's because of my surroundings, if I'm distracted, or busy, or what; but every now and then it's just more difficult for me to eat - I don't want to eat and my body rejects it if I try. I didn't think I would have that problem, but I did. Big time. More than usual . . . And it was starting to frustrate me. I really wanted to eat, because my blood sugar was completely shot and I knew that isn't good, but I couldn't. I'm one of those people where, if you try to force yourself to eat something, it's . . . not great. I can only get so far until I gag and then, well, yeah. I was 1/2 way through our trip and I still had 27 meals/snacks left. I started out with 32. That's not okay. And honestly, I was kinda worried. My whole body was shaking, I was dizzy, hungry, tired, and I was trying - and not doing a good job. But dang, what a reminder and testament of God's strength & provision. There's no way I should have had the energy and stamina to go through those days like I did - not with my blood sugar in the crapper. And what a great reminder for me, after the previous night, that I CAN'T be in control over everything. There's really nothing I could do about that, except give it over to God and let Him take care of it and guide me in the actions that I could take. It took me an extended amount of time, and it had to be certain meals, and in moderation, but I was eating. And I was able to tackle each day as it came. And for that, I am grateful. That right there is God's strength at work, people. That night I was able to see a full-movie preview viewing of a film that's coming to theaters September 26th - a film that I heard about months ago and have been wanting to watch ever since. It's called The Song, starring Alan Powell from Anthem Lights. And it was wonderful! It was real. It wasn't cheesed-up, nor was it dumbed down. The acting was fantastic, the music was great, and the message and truth in it made my heart happy. It's inspired by the Song of Solomon, and the beginning of it really reflects that well. The rest of it I believe was inspired by Solomon's life through Ecclesiastes, which was also good, though they portrayed it more as adultery rather than idolatry. Other than that, super great movie. I'm normally not a romance kinda girl, but it was really nice to see it portrayed in a godly way on screen. I think I'm turning soft on you guys. Before the movie showing, Alan Powell and his co-star, Caitlin Nicol-Thomas, came out and played two of the songs from the movie. I may or may not have been in the very front. And I may or may not have been the only one in the front haha. It was nice to just relax and watch the film without anybody around me (there were people there, just not in my row - I don't think people wanted to sit that close haha). I had my space, and I had my stuffed mouse, Gerald. I also got a sample CD with some of the songs from the movie! Which is wonderful, cause that man has a stunning voice. And I happen to love "the" song. Yes, I like some romantic songs. And this one is wonderful. That night I came back to my room and just spent some time with God. We talked about a lie I still struggle with, and we talked about matters of the heart while listening to some music. It was truly lovely to end my day talking about love with my ultimate, true Love. Day 4: TuesdayOnce again, I got to wake up in a lovely hotel bed with soft, feather pillows and a down-comforter (which happens to be my favorite. It's like you're snuggling in a wonderful hug). The day started off in a meeting with a sales rep with my boss, seeing more of how that sort of thing works. After that we attended a Christian Fiction Trends seminar where we not only got to hear about the latest in Christian fiction, but we got to hear about that and much more from a panel of authors; some of the more well-known ones being Karen Witemeyer, Colleen Coble, Melody Carlson, Robin Jones Gunn, and Cindy Woodsmall. I was able to connect with Robin Jones Gunn beforehand, which was lovely. She knows my mum and sister, and I have a book signed by her that she gave to me when I was super little. It has a hot air balloon on the cover ^.^ Such a wonderful woman. After that things got real. We went to a jewelry vendor and discussed different jewelry options, displays, pricing, ordering, etc. We ended up going with this particular company, of which I'm very glad of. The sales rep was so great! I like her. And she likes me, too, apparently. Which is good, cause apparently I'M the one she's going to be working with. I thought I was just giving my input on the matter, but when we walked away my boss told me that I was the one who made that sale and that I'm now in charge of jewelry. . . . What? How does a 21 year old with no college or special class experience become an ACTUAL merchandiser? That evening I also went through a certain company's gift catalog (which isn't new), but this time I didn't have my boss go through and look at all of the items before going to the sales rep to order them (I did with some things, cause certain categories aren't my strong points and I'm still learning). But . . . what? I love where God has placed me. I love that I'm able to use the gifts He's given me in my work, to bless my work. I found out that night that 75% of what I ordered has sold in the past 2 1/2 months. And we're talking a BIG order. How does that even happen? I think I'm starting to realize that my gifts and abilities are valuable. I mean, I know the encouragement aspect of my gifting is valuable. And other things too. And I know that I myself have value, but it's just different when it comes to a job. When I was little (fun fact time) I wanted to do the displays in shop windows. I wanted to be creative and display things and make them aesthetically pleasing. But I never thought that I would because, well, I didn't think there was much of a job in that. Then I started working at our store and I quickly became the main person for displays (if you've gone to our store recently, PLEASE ignore what's in the front windows!). And I remember thinking, back before my boss (then manager) bought the store, "I want to help choose what we do and don't get". But I never thought I actually would, apart from a few random things here or there. And now I was on a business trip on the other side of the country, in Georgia, purchasing products for our store. What?! I love it. I love how God has shaped me through my job, and all that He's taught me through it. I am blessed beyond what I deserve, and I gotta give props to the Big Guy upstairs, cause He's definitely been the one guiding me on this. I definitely pray over things before I go through and pick stuff out, cause I still don't feel like I know what I'm doing haha. So yes, those were my thoughts for the evening. God is good, people. So, so good. Also, I got to watch old Scooby Doo cartoons while working. Pretty sure I'm living the life. On another note, I met Ted Dekker that day. I also only ate the equivalent of one meal in the span of 12 hours. Day 5: WednesdayI started the day thinking not much excitement would come from it. Krista, my bosses wife, and I walked around collecting more free product for the first 1 1/2 hours and then I was to have a meeting with my boss and a sales rep. As we perused through the different vendors we noticed a long line forming around the New Day booth (New Day primarily focuses on media: music, movies, Duck Commander, etc, as well as a few other things). As we walked past to see who the big commotion was about, I was thinking it would probably be some artist that I didn't really know of or care for (I found out the day before that I missed a free CD signing with Lecrae, one of my favorite artists =[ ). Nope. It was David A.R. White and Shane Harper from the new movie God's Not Dead, signing free copies of the film. Um, yes. My day was made. I was just hoping earlier that I would be able to pick up some free movies, since I'm not much of a book person. But this? Score! Super nice guys, too. Afterwards I met with my boss and a sales rep to make another order. I really had to pee after that, and as I was walking through the massive open building looking at my surroundings and thinking about what my business email would be, I think I really realized that I wasn't playing house anymore. I wasn't a little kid pretending to have a job and be an important part of a company. I'm an adult. I'm in charge of ordering gifts and jewelry for our store. I need my own work email. I went on a business trip. I went to business seminars. Met with sales reps. Am in charge of displays. I have a whole lot of real-life responsibilities in the workplace. Other than a handful of moments when I randomly decided that I felt like a woman, I still think of myself as an 18 year old kid. I still ACT like an 8 year old kid at times. It was neat to solidify that feeling of real adulthood - one with a secure job and future in it (if that be where God keeps me). After that wonderful moment with God (and that wonderful relief that comes after peeing), I headed back into the warehouse and joined my boss for a meeting with another sales rep to buy some of their product. It was kinda nerve-racking going through and being the one picking out the items to order, especially since they were bigger wall pictures and stuff. After that we headed over to another vendor (one that I was most excited for) and I did the order (asking my boss for opinions on some of it cause I'm still learning). I went through with the sales rep and told him which items I wanted, and what QUANTITY. That's something I hadn't ever really done before - not to that extent at least. I did my research though and I felt confident in my purchasing decisions. The show itself ended at 3:00pm that day, and at about that time we started packing up our booths (we partnered with another company and bought out some of the booths that were on display at the show). It took about 3 hours, though I only helped for about 2 due to a need for food in my tummy. After that the company that we were working with and my boss & his wife went out to eat at Hard Rock Cafe, while I stayed back at the hotel and started packing and unwound for a bit. They had turned off the AC in the warehouse at 3:00pm when the actual show ended, and that combined with being on my feet all day with socks and having poor circulation in my feet, my little footsies were a little swollen. So they got to dangle off the bed sock-free as I read and wrote (this, ha). Later that night we got to go on a little mini adventure. We walked across the park to the Skyview ferris wheel. 20 stories high in a glass pod looking out over Atlanta at sunset. We went at the PERFECT time. It was gorgeous. It was right next to Centennial Olympic Park, where the Olympic games were hosted 18 years ago. You can still see the Olympic rings with the torches and flags still surrounding it. Everything was just amazing. And for a girl who's afraid of heights, it wasn't bad at all. I think I'm starting to get over that little fear of mine. The plane on the way over here, the glass elevator in our hotel (we were on the 7th floor), and that 20 story tall ferris wheel - nailed it. We walked around for a little bit after we got off of the Skyview. The city was so pretty at night - the silhouettes of the giant buildings against the sky, the old buildings and shops lining the streets, the horse-drawn carriages walking past, and just all of the lights. Walking through the park to get back to the hotel was lovely. That night after we got back I began to pack up all my stuff for the trip home the next day. I really didn't want to leave. I liked the element of independence, walking about the HUGE building and the sidewalks of Atlanta, having my own hotel room, meeting sales reps, and making orders. I liked having something to do from morning 'til night that was productive, albeit rather busy, but enjoyable at the same time. Quite honestly, I didn't know what I was gonna do when I got back. I struggled a bit with not feeling productive and having real meaningful things to do for a while, and now that I've gone to Atlanta and have been working and going hard for the past week, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do now . . . But I enjoyed my last night with a hotel room well. As I packed I watched One Nation Under God (again. Even though I've watched it twice quite recently), only because in one of the scenes, when they're introducing the next city they're going to, they very enthusiastically yell multiple times about going to Atlanta, and it's been stuck in my head for the past 1-2 weeks because was/going there. I love those guys. And to cap the night off, I spent another evening without Adventures in Odyssey or other entertainment to lull me to sleep. I simply laid there and spent some time with Jesus. A lovely end to a lovely day. Day 6: ThursdayThe final day of this adventure. I woke up that morning with the light pouring through my window (a lovely way to start the day, I think). I got out of bed, peed (don't worry, I made it to the bathroom), finished packing everything up, ate & spent a little time in the Word, and then tackled getting the rest of my food in my coolers and my lunch box. Another example that I watch too many crime shows: as I was walking back & forth getting ice from the ice machine for my lunch box, I was concerned that people would think that I was getting so much ice because there was a dead body in my bathtub (which there wasn't, just to clarify). We checked out of ours rooms and left our luggage with the hotel as we headed off to take care of our last bit of business - at Americas Mart: Atlanta. Never heard of it? Me either until this trip, but it's HUGE. It’s one of the world’s largest permanent wholesale trade centers, consisting of 4 building connected by sky bridges, totaling seven MILLION square feet. That's just a small part of one of the four buildings. I got this image off the interwebs, so we weren't there for that event, but hopefully it will give you a little taste of how massive it was. I wanted to take a Segway to the halls. It’s not open to the public; only employees and registered guests of businesses are permitted. We made our way past dozens of different vendor lots (pretty much everyone was gone due to a big show in Dallas this week, so most of them were closed/in transition, and there was hardly anyone else there, which was nice) passing window display after window display. This is where my boss wants me to be. I guess the designers that put together these displays make like 100's of 1000's of dollars. Not only is it something that I would LOVE to do, but it pays well too! Bonus. We came to our vendor that we were meeting and walked through the showroom, going back through later to order the items. Again, I took point on the order, getting my boss' advice and input as we went. After that we walked through different floors of different buildings, looking at all the displays (my creativity was inspired beyond measure!). I met one of the merchandising designers and was able to talk with her about how she got into the industry and what it was like. Super helpful! And something I'm going to be praying about for the future. After walking a few blocks (uphill) there, through a handful of stories in Americas Mart, and a few blocks back to the hotel, we got a cab and finally headed to the airport to go home. I must admit, I wasn't ready to go home. Though it was nice to be able to sit down for more than a 1/2 hour at a time, I really enjoyed consistently having something to do. Though I was tired, there was a job to be done and motivation to do it. I got free stuff, learned more about the industry, had meetings, seminars, and got to meet a lot of great people. I didn't want to come home and just be sedentary again. I'm hoping that this trip with up my motivation for productivity. It's funny, when we first arrived in Atlanta, it was raining. When we left Atlanta, it was raining. I think the Oregon rain is following us. It was really funny: while walking back to the hotel from Americas Mart it started sprinkling a little. And by sprinkling, it was really more like a little bit of mist. And I look up and this lady is standing there under an umbrella. We were definitely not in Oregon, haha. We made it to the airport safely (those cab drivers make me nervous . . .) and got everything checked in alright. They actually let me bring my water with me this time! My boss explained my situation and they let it slide (after checking it of course). There was the CUTEST little boy at our gate that was playing on the floor near us. As I kept looking over at him, I realized we were wearing the same socks! Kids got class. My boss and his wife went to go get food while I waited at the gate with our stuff. When they came back, again, my boss came back with somebody. Apparently there was a waiter at the place where they were eating who really likes Batman, and he was wearing one of those thick rubber bracelets with the Bat symbol on it, as well as a really nice Batman watch. I guess my boss had told him that he's with a girl who would love that cause she loves Batman (just in case you aren't tracking, that would be me). So he came over with my boss to our gate and gave me his bracelet! ^.^ Apparently there were some women who were cheering him on to do so hahaha. I approve. The flight back was peaceful. I went through another catalog for work, read a little Harry Potter, dozed off briefly, listened to Adventures in Odyssey (nothing like listening to bombs going off and an airplane going down while experiencing turbulence), and colored while listening to some music (I discovered the .BEST airplane music!). And I finally got my pilot's wings! As we descended into the clouds for landing I felt like Hiccup riding Toothless through the fog to the dragon’s island. I think it goes without saying that that was an epic moment for me. My mum and sister picked me up from the airport (my dad was really bummed that he couldn't come too because of work) and I got to tell them about my adventures on the way home and we came up with some more great ideas for the store. Though I wasn't ready to leave Georgia when we did, I'm glad to be home now for one main reason: This girl. And it was quite the reunion!
My sister said she was moping around the house while I was gone, and my parents said she didn't like going into my room or eating while I was gone either. Fear not, little shadow! I am now home and ready to cuddle. This trip has flown by so fast. But what an adventure! I gained new independence, flew for the first time, almost got hit by a cab, met with sales reps, got free stuff, had my own 2-room hotel suite, met famous peeps, saw great bands perform live, made business purchases, traveled back in time, and hopefully blessed and encouraged a lot of people. Here's looking at Orlando, Florida next year!
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. . . When all through the house, not a creature was stirring . . . Except for Lew, who was up getting last minute things ready for tomorrow. I'm flying across the country tomorrow. What?! Such an exciting adventure! I'm officially all the way packed (minus the few things that will need to be packed up in the morning), which is one of the most satisfying feelings ever. Right up there with removing a huge booger that's been stuck at the back of your nose. Well, almost. Not much can compare with that. It takes a lot of planning and work in advance in order to travel with Celiac Disease. Thankfully, I'm a planner and a list maker, which it makes it kind of fun. Kinda. That's what our fridge looked like earlier today before we repackaged all of it for traveling. It's finally all taken care of. My food is ready, medical explanations are all printed out and where they need to be, toiletries are packed, and I shaved my legs - with a new razor. I could basically take on the world at this point. I probably won't be feeling too much like that in the morning, as I have to wake up at 4:45am. But I feel like all great adventures start out that way. Maybe not. I don't know. Regardless, I'm ready to take this one on. I'd love it if y'all would be praying for my flight - that my food will make it there and still be good to go - and for continued relief from pain. Wouldn't you know it, my pelvis/hips shifted a few days ago and have been giving me grief. But that shan't stop me! God is good, guys. All the time. He's already done some great growth stuff through this for me and I haven't even left yet. I'd tell you about it, buuuut I actually would like to get some sleep tonight. I will leave you with this though : What's In My Carry-On Bag? Now, I've never flown before, but I feel like I've pretty much covered all of the essentials when it comes to important things to have in your carry-on. - Camera
- Phone - iTouch (that looks like a cassette tape ^.^) - Wallet - Laptop - Medical card explaining my condition _ Pencil - Pen - Bible - Mask (juuuust in case I enter a gluten-esque area) - Business cards - Tissues - Crayons - Note pad - Bobby pin - Gift catalog for work - Hairband - Chapstick - Headphones - Slippers - Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets - Reading glasses - Sticky notes - Notebook And inside the notebook . . . COLORING SHEETS! =D I'm good to go! And on a completely random note, my left thumb smells like a cinnamon bagel. I am okay with this. Oh, life. If you do it right, every day can be an adventure. Sometimes I forget that when I'm busy, stressed, tired, or preoccupied (which I have been lately). I used to wake up in the morning and the first thing I would do as I lay in bed would be to surrender the day to God and ask Him to go on an adventure with me - whether it be a grand adventure or a mundane one. I wanted to take on with Him whatever He had in store for the day, rather than shrinking down in fear and avoiding the adventures we could've had together.
I want to LIVE life with Him, not just go through it with Him. Last night I really realized that I haven't been doing that. Though I've been starting out each day quite lovely, praying one of my favorite verses to Him (usually multiple times to really remind myself of WHY it's one of my favorite verses and why I'm praying it to Him), I've forgotten to ask Him to go on daily adventures with me; to verbally surrender to Him and whatever He has in store for the day. I still aim to do so (usually), but it's not quite as intentional. I don't have the same kind of anticipative, adventurous mind & heartset when I don't intentionally start off the day in that way. I intend to be more intentional about that again. And as it happens, God has an adventure awaiting me this Saturday. A grand adventure. One that will hopefully help get me back into the swing of that mind & heartset. I'm going to Georgia! Why is Georgia such a grand adventure? Well, it's my first time there. First time on a plane. First time traveling without my family for an extended amount of time. Those last two reasons combined with my food issues. I get a whole hotel room to myself (I cannot tell you how many years I have been waiting for that!) And I'll just say this to be all-inclusive: it's [my first] business trip. Since my previous manager of the store I worked for is now the owner, and I now the merchandiser (and because I've been there the longest), I get to accompany him and his wife to ICRS (International Christian Retail Show) in Atlanta. There I'll learn all sorts of stuff for my new position at work, attend meeting, get free stuff, hopefully be able to dialogue and connect with a bunch of new people, maybe meet famous peoples, see a movie that I've really been wanting to see (before it goes to theaters), and, of course, eat ice cream in my hotel room while causing who-knows-what kinds of shenanigans. It's going to be very stretching for me, and I have a feeling I'm going to encounter some more lie and fear stuff. But I'm crazy excited (and yes, nervous) for this incredible blessing of an opportunity! I'm excited for the stretching, I'm excited for the growth, I'm excited for the knowledge, and I'm excited for the fun. For those of you who don't know my boss and his wife, they're wonderful. I can't get over how fortunate I am to have them as my employers. Kevin, my boss, is an example of an ideal boss. He listens, delegates, encourages, specifically gives us tasks that complements our strengths AND tasks that help us grow in areas that we aren't as strong in to help us grow; he prays for us, is intentional, legitimately cares how we're doing, extends his help to us, takes great care and caution with my food issues, is flexible with scheduling, etc. That's just a selection of what he does for us employees. He goes above and beyond for our customers, genuinely cares about them and wants to enable them with products that will benefit them and help them grow; he talks with them, laughs with them, remembers a ridiculous amount of their names, and I could go on. And he loves Star Wars and superheroes! And his wife is just a joy. She does all of the administrative-type stuff that's far too complicated and stressful for the rest of us to figure out. She's supported Kevin all throughout this crazy journey they've been on for the past 4 years (it's a long story), had 4 kids, works THREE jobs currently, is an absolutely amazing cook/baker, and so much more. And I get the privilege of traveling with them. And not only that, but they're going to buy me ice cream once we get there (and, you know, letting the company cover my airfare, extra luggage for food, water, and hotel room). So yes, that's my little life update for you. I'm excited for this grand adventure! And I may or may not already be partially packed . . . This is a question I often ask myself . . .My gift mix and personality fit in well where I work, but still . . . sometimes I wonder if I would have been hired if my employers knew of all the shenanigans that goes on during my shifts.
I have the best job ever, guys. It's perfect for me. The hours are wonderful, the staff is fabulous, the customers are great, I'm not around food, it's air conditioned/heated, it's stretching, my manager/owner is super careful with my health conditions (and happens to also be awesome and a huge Star Wars fan), I get to bless and encourage people, I get to clean and organize, I get to express my creativity through displays, I get to share hope and joy . . . it's just perfect. And wonderful opportunities come from it! Which I shall tell you about . . . later :) Most of you have probably figured out by now that I'm a wee bit unconventional. I think my big bro stated it well when he said, "You have a really odd balance between really mature, grounded, and practical, and very child-like, silly, and spastic." I take my job seriously, guys. I love it and I'm invested in it, and in the people who frequent it. But . . . I do have my moments. A lot of which I'm incapable of stretching for their own post, so I've decided to combine them into one! And since I haven't done a TBT post in . . . too long, I figure it's a good way to make up for the weeks that I've missed. So here you are, some of my many lovely moments that have taken place on the clock : One time when I had the store to myself - no customers, no boss, no coworkers - I was going about my job, talking aloud to myself. As I continued to engage in a lovely conversation (with myself) I rounded the corner and, mid-sentence, discovered that I DIDN'T have the store all to myself after all. I discovered this by running head-on into an elderly woman, startling not only myself, but her as well. The first time I cleaned the toilet there, I stuck the scrubber in the bowl (not hard, mind you), and what should happen? It splashes -into my mouth. The water was not exactly "clean". This awesome Cuban guy came in one day and asked about our Spanish bibles, so I showed him to where they were. As we stood there, he turns to me smiling and asked, "You know Spanish?" I opened my mouth to respond, but then realized what my response was and decided to stop. I was a split second away from telling him that I know how to say "where is the bathroom" and "I greatly desire to urinate" in Spanish. As I stood there with my mouth open he was like, "Yeah, yeah, you do!" "Only a few phrases. . ." I got called in by emergency to work the long shift one morning (the morning after a college retreat that consisted of 3 hours of sleep over the whole weekend). I walked into the back room, shut the door behind me, and when I went back to go into the store the key wasn't in the door. Fun fact : you can't get out of the back room without the key in the door. So I was like, "I'll just go out the back and come around to the front". And then I realized that since I was still opening, my keys were still in the front door, making it impossible for me to get in. I also didn't have my cell phone, containing my managers number, nor did I have my food. I was completely stuck - locked out of my own store, while IN it. My first response? I laughed. I ended up being able to pry the door open a little while later. Grand start to the day. I accidentally stabbed myself with a sword. While moving things around one day, I dropped a sword on my thumb and managed to break skin The sword was a miniature of course, but still . . . it broke skin, and how often do you get to say that you got stabbed with a sword at work? I often pretend the scanning guns & pricing guns are real guns, pretending to be a sharp-shooting cowboy or alien zapper. There may be sound effects involved. I spit - not gleeked - SPIT on the counter in front of a customer - on accident, of course. Luckily, I have uncontrollable skill, and was able to subconsciously dodge the customer’s purchases, keeping them dry & protected from my saliva. I'm also pretty sure I diverted the customer’s attention, keeping them from seeing what had just gone down. Maybe. I can’t begin to tell you all of the stories where my inevitable charm leapt burst from me in some way, shape, or form like that. I often ride down the store aisles on the book carts. One day as I was putting some bibles back on the shelves, one of them fell and smashed my finger against the shelf. I’m not talking a dainty, carry it around with you kind of bible. I’m talking a hefty, if you hit someone with this is will HURT kind of bible. You wouldn’t think smashing your finger with a bible could amount to that kind of pain. And yet, it did. And what do you do when you smash your finger (after running it under cold water to help prevent any swelling, of course)? You make sure nothing touches it. You do this by sticking it out so that it’s away from your other fingers. The finger that got smashed was my middle finger, so I went around accidently flipping things off for the next hour, trying to strategically place items over my hand so that no one would notice. Nearly every time I offer someone a bag and they accept, I quote Lord of the Rings' "Keep it secret. Keep it safe," After someone asked for the bathroom key and thanked me, I nearly replied with, "Have fun!" This has happened on multiple occasions. . . I eat behind the counter. That's really all you need to know. For those who don't know me that well, I'm that awkward eater who often misjudges the distance between her mouth & the fork. I also makes really weird facial expressions, though that applies to everything - not just eating. Sometime early this year or late last I got a wart removed on my elbow. After they cut it off they sprayed it with liquid nitrogen in order to cauterize it, to prevent it from bleeding. Later that day I went into work, and about two hours in, as I was showing an elderly gentleman different bibles, I felt a rush on my arm. I looked down to see blood POURING down my arm. I was right in the middle of answering a question about a particular bible, so I just stood there trying to maneuver my arm so that the blood wouldn’t pool on the carpet and that the man wouldn’t notice what was going on. Thankfully, I managed to get to the bathroom in time without dripping everywhere. I tried using a bandaid, but the blood kept gushing through it. I ended up taping a paper towel on my elbow while elevating it above my heart (to help decrease the blood flow) and inadvertently looking like a male model posing and trying to flex (without the muscle part). This is not the first incident I’ve had because of that wart. One day while at work, before I got it removed, it decided that it was going to start bleeding – and drip all over the carpet. Luckily, you can’t see it unless you’re looking for it. And I’m not about to go pointing it out to people. I've been really bad about writing lately. My apologies for that. To make up for it, let me tell you about my glorious week I had. My parents decided last year, after their 25th anniversary trip, that they should go on a getaway trip once every year - which is great for me, cause while they're off doing their thing, I get to stay at home with the house all to myself. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my parents, but if you know me at all you'll know that I loooove having the house to myself - especially for long periods of time, knowing that nobody is going to disturb you at any given point. I kinda forgot when they were leaving, so I didn't really have anything planned this time. But nonetheless, it was an excellent week. I started out my glorious week alone
Friday morning a guy came to install our new dishwasher, as our old one had broke the week before. It took a little extra time due to some complications, but it was time well spent. I was originally going to watch Boy Meets World while he was here, but instead I spent the majority of that time reading about pornography and learning more of it's harmful effects. I already knew it was harmful and dangerous, but it was nice (and also excruciatingly heart breaking) to really learn and understand more about it. There were definitely tears though . . . http://www.fightthenewdrug.org/get-the-facts#brain/porn-is-like-a-drug <--------- It's so shiny, guys! After the installing of the dishwasher was complete and the dude left, I ended up watching more Boy Meets World haha. In the evening I decided to watch Sherlock Holmes 2: Game of Shadows. Which was lovely, cause I had only seen it once prior to that, and there were subtitles, so I tried not to pay attention, hoping not to ruin it haha. I accidentally ended up falling asleep shortly after it ended (which was no help to my sleep schedule), only to wake up 1/2 an hour later feeling . . . not great. The wonderful thing about sleep apnea is that as you go down into the different levels of sleep, it can often cause anxiety - which is why I woke up. I spent the next 1/2 hour or so trying to calm myself down. Solution?
Saturday was wonderful. After accidentally taking a nap in the morning, I rushed over to the seasonal clothing exchange that a friend of mine always puts on. Basically, you clean out your closet/dresser and bring all the clothes that you don't want or wear anymore and you lay them out for others while others do the same. It's pretty much free shopping + great fellowship. What fun! I scored a Batman shirt, and it made me happy ^.^ I actually made out of there with a garbage bag full of stuff. And I got to spend time with some awesome girls in the process. What a blessing! Also, I got to be a beast with my friend, Laura, and we carried a big washing machine boox full of stuff from my friends truck around the corner to the house. Yep. We're basically beasts. Before I even made it to the door though - actually, I didn't even make it to the curb - I full-on tripped and flew over the curb. It was actually quite graceful, if I do say so myself. I like to make an impression in front of people I don't know. After that, I rushed home and headed to work. After 3 1/2 hours of work I came home, showered, made my hair unannoying, ate food, and then went DANCING (WCS dancing, to be precise). Ohhhh, the happiness ^.^ I got to spend 4 1/2 hours doing something that delights my heart, and I got to do so with awesome people that I love. Also got some sweet fear-facing done in the process. Saturday night was just a night of encouragement for me (despite the fact that I did awfully in the J&J). The interactions and dialoguing I had with certain people were just uplifting. Not to mention my girl, Madi, was in full-on blessing-through-words mode that night, so I got an abundance of encouragement from her specifically. Not only did I get to dance the night away, spend time with awesome people, and be lifted up by an abundance of encouragement, but I got to end the night in a very special way as well. I got home probably around 1:30am or so, fried me up some lamb, and I unwinded from my day by watching Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (while eating delicious fried lamb and more chocolate ice cream). This movie is what started it all for me, guys. I remember seeing previews for it when I was like 6, and I remember thinking, "This movie looks so awesome! Batman looks super cool!". And it was on the top of my list of things I wanted to see. And though my true love for Batman didn't take flight for sometime after watching it, that's where it was born. I fell asleep on the couch towards the very end of it. It was a very content feeling, falling asleep to such a special movie, tummy satisfied with delicious food, dog at my feet, and house to myself . . . Then I woke up at 3:00am in a panic, moved to my bed, fell back asleep, woke up again at 5:00am, and then fell back asleep. SUNDAY morning officially came, and I had slept through most of my alarm. I woke up with enough time to get ready super fast and get to church, but I decided to spend my morning one-on-one with God, instead of rushing around and losing my focus. So I listened to my favorite sermon podcast instead ( http://www.redrockschurch.com/media/watch-messages/ ) while I ate breakfast and prepared myself for the day. When I got to church later, I got to meet and hang out with an awesome middle school girl for the whole service. It was really refreshing to sit and talk and just get to know each other, no one person doing all the talking. Afterwards her mum asked me if I would like to be her mentor, and I said YES. I'm crazy excited to be able to get to know this girl more and just do life with her, and encourage her, and speak truth to her, and just be there for her. Crazy excited. What a blessing and wonderful opportunity! ^.^ After church our college group had Lunch 4 A Buck (pretty self explanatory, I think), then Mad Dawg (Madi) and I went to coffee with one of her friends, and then I came home and made more meatballs (after rocking out to One Direction LOUDLY in the car with Madi on the way home). I decided making meatballs and waiting for them to bake would be much better with a movie, so I watched A Smile As Big As The Moon. I love that movie. John Corbett is one of my favorite actors I think. I then readied myself to watch a movie that I've been wanting to watch for well over a year: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. I got my food, I got my chocolate ice cream, I got my bedding and blankies, I turned out the lights, and I enjoyed a wonderful movie. Totes worth the wait. So freaking good! The catch phrase, if you will, of it really stuck out to me, especially when they say it towards the end of the film. I won't give what happens away, but one of the characters says, "Remember who the enemy is". I feel like a lot of times we make ourselves or others out to be the enemy. And while we and others are responsible for our words and actions, we can't forget where things stem from - our true enemy - Satan. MONDAY was an excellent day as well, started off with watching The Lion King, then on to watching most of Avatar (with cooking spurts in between), and then Madi came over in the evening. It was our last night of small groups (her and I are co-leaders for a college girls bible study together, P.S.), and we were covering a topic that weighed heavy on both of our hearts : spiritual warfare. We'd been trying to do this subject for 3 weeks and we were finally able to do so, and I think it went pretty well. It was definitely a heavy time, though, as Madi & I ended up spontaneously telling a little of both of our personal experiences with the demonic aspect of spiritual warfare. God is good, guys.
WEDNESDAY was a grand day. It started off with, of course, more Boy Meets World. While I was watching it I was like, "I really feel like watching something just super cheesy and ridiculous. I should have a Mary-Kate & Ashley marathon!" So I popped in Holiday In The Sun and laughed and cringed at how funny/ridiculous/embarrassing it was. It was great. As I mentioned, I was planning on having a full-on marathon, but . . . after the first one, I couldn't really take anymore. So I watched Clash Of The Titans instead. Afterwards I decided to embark on an in-home adventure - one that hadn't been taken since 1 year prior to that day (almost exactly, actually). It was ninja time. I assembled my playlist of epic theme music, dawned all black apparel, assessed my obstacle course *cough* strung red yarn across the house, and then I proceeded to embark on this epic adventure to get from my parents room to the kitchen without touching the yar-lasers. It took a few tries, and I would most likely be dead if they were real, but I did it! Very few things are as satisfying as crossing the house while avoiding red yarn and listening to epic theme music that makes you feel super cool. It was an accomplishing night. Unfortunately, I was slightly late to my middle school leaders staff meeting because of this. But I felt like it was an acceptable excuse. I think this shall become a tradition whenever my parents leave for their week-long vacations. After my staff meeting I went home, cleaned a bit, and got ready for WCS hour at our local college. I got to end my day with an hour of dancing and spending time with wonderful people that I love. So much win. I then went home and cleaned some more (there really wasn't much cleaning that needed to be done. One of my favorite parts of being home alone is that I get to establish my own routines for my own things, thus meaning the house stays nice and tidy - that, and there's only one person at home to make things messy), and after that, went to bed for the last time being home alone. THURSDAY I worked from 10:30-1:30 and got to finish up the Willow Tree Angel displays. When I came home and finished tidying up a few more things, then sat and finished watching Avatar with a plate of tacos and a nice little helping of home-grown strawberries. And then my parents came home. And there you have it. A detailed account of how I spend my time while my parents are out of town for an extended period of time. You could pretty much just sum it up to work, food, movies, time with Jesus, and shenanigans, but what fun would that be?
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