Tales of a GypsyCollege Kid

A night of REFLECTION...

2011-05-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight marks the end of the first week I have been back in Mesa, AZ. After spending the last 3 months in Eagar, AZ, working on my internship so I can graduate (May 13, 2011!!) and the 3 months prior to that worried about finishing my internship, I finally completed it and turned in all documents needed in order to say, "I, Sara Ray, am done with ANOTHER degree!"

As my time at the White Mountain Regional Medical Center (WMRMC) Physical Therapy clinic came to an end I found myself a mess of emotions. I was excited to be moving on with my life. I was sad to say goodbye to some really amazing and talented people. I was eager to see where life's journey would take me next. Most of all, however, I found myself anticipating that the next few months of my life were going to bring something truly amazing and I was excited for that next step.

As I arrived in the valley the week did not go as planned. The man who I was talking to as a reference for jobs has seemingly disappeared and the amount of jobs I was promised would be out there was highly dramatized. Ok, yes, I did land a job interview the second day I was in the valley but I am still waiting for so much still to come!

Coming down to the valley I knew I had to change things. I could not continue to live as I had. I have changed so much in the last 6 months and I wanted to continue with that progress. I am changing my social life, I have changed what I want in life and I am working on changing how I work towards certain goals.

Tonight I had a night of no plans. I laid in the house watching movies and TV then realized it'd be a great night to go to the temple. So, off I went...

It was such a lovely night. The sun was still setting and so the colors of the valley sky mirrored those of the reflection pool. Whenever I go to the temple I always sit on the same bench as I ponder certain things of life. Tonight was no different.

I went tonight to discover answers of questions I've had now for some time. What should I do to find work?... Am I headed in the right direction with choices I am making?... What do I need to do for the next year or five?... Will I have the patience to endure the wait?... Will I have the strength to overcome the trials at hand?... What all is required of me?

I will not lie, a large part of why I went to the temple tonight was because what young single female would like to be at home alone on a Saturday night? As I was driving to Mesa I will admit that I was hoping I could sit on the bench and something amazing would happen and all my problems could be solved. I am sad to say that did NOT happen.

I did not receive all the answers I was wanting. I do not know where I should go to find work. I hope that I am making the right choices. I can only imagine that I know what I need to do for the next year or five. I doubt I will have the patience to endure the wait. I am hopeful to have the strength to overcome all trials I have to face and only time will show all the Lord will require of me.

I wanted so badly to shed tears of pain and sorrow. To pour out my heart to the Lord of my sadness of loneliness, seclusion and uncertainty, yet no tears would escape my eyes. I tried to plead with God to grant me solace in my many trials hoping that every tear shed would somehow take away a little piece of the anxiety I feel for my life at times.

I did, however, feel accomplished for the night as I walked back to my car at the end of the night. I sat on "my" bench and watched as people walked in and out of the temple doors. I saw men and women of all ages. I can only assume that some were married, some were dating the person they were with and some were single at this moment of their life much like myself. I saw children and parents walk the temple ground and talk about reverence and the temple.

I miss having the temple present in my life. I have decided that although I do not have a way to regularly attend the temple, I will continue to visit the temple grounds. I want to walk the grounds with people I care about. I hope one day to walk out of the temple doors dressed in white, surrounded by family and donning a new name. I pray that I will continue the temple tradition and maintain a regularity of seeing the temple.

I wish the night could have ended with more revelation about my concerns, however, I do still hold the hope of greatness to come and cannot wait until everything I am working towards is nigh and mine for the taking.

So much to say...

2010-07-15T00:25:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I know it's been a few months since last I posted on here, but in all honesty, what else do you expect from a college kid?

Plans HAVE changed. In the last few months my internship has been pushed back to the spring because I didn't get to take my summer classes like I had hoped for. I am NOT moving this summer, I will still be in good-ole Gilbert, Arizona, leaving me close to family and school. Graduation has been moved to MAY of 2011... BOOOO, HISS BOOO!!!

I lost my job at the pool I was working at because there was a mis-communication between the old supervisor and the new one. I've been trying to make sure my health is up-to-date so I can not be paying for it HUGELY after I loose my health benefits in October.

I'm not sure still what is going on with my chest-pain but I think it has been ruled out that I do not have costachondritis or if I do it's very mild. Now they are looking more at if it's a heart issue; which I'm hoping it is NOT but we never know.

This summer I came home to spend time with my family and so far we've actually had a good summer. We've had the opportunity to have all SEVEN kids under one roof numerous times and have the opportunity to continue that for the next few weeks.

I have started working at the pool here and doing well with that. I'm volunteering at the Health Center here hoping to get some good word-of-mouth for my internship (HOPEFULLY).

I'm trying to do better with blogging. With me not writing emails a lot I feel it's the only way anyone is able to see I am in fact still alive. I do exist though you may not see me. And hopefully I'll get better at making it a regular thing. Sometimes I just feel like nobody cares what a 22-year old college kid has to say anyhow.

Ah well, I think that's all I have to update anyone on as of yet but I promise, cross-my-heart and hope to faint that I will do better at blogging.

Update on life... NOT FOOD

2010-03-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

So someone asked me last week if my blog had turned into a food blog. Sadly no, it's just a hobby I know have and figure it's nice to post the recipes online to share them and so that I don't have to physically make a book for my favorite recipes; instead I can just go online and look up whatever dinner I want to make that night. Plus I hope it helps others who might be wanting to try something new, either as a dessert or main course.

Over the last few months a few things have come to light. No, plans have not changed too drastically, I still plan to move this summer to be closer to my internship which I finally DID get pre-approved for which made me ecstatic to say the least, my graduation is still set for December 2010! and I'm still not enjoying life here.

Some things that have changed are as follows and I'm trying to not be too sad about this but I went into the doctor the other day to talk about some health issues I had been having which I always associated with bronchitis or asthma. Turns out it's a disease called costachondritis; basically the muscles between my rib cage and the cartilage that attaches the ribs to the sternum are inflamed and causes the pain. Ok, so not a big deal; I'm getting over it just means pain and managing that pain.

The doctor sent me out for a few tests and x-rays. Results came back and apparently I have scoliosis. GREAT! Is there anything that I won't have before I die or am I about to keel over? Scoliosis is still a little bit of a schock but at least it's not the fibromyalgia they WERE talking about; that would be worse!

Moving on, nothing else has been going on. I still throw myself in school and some say I will regret that later but I honestly don't think I will. It's not that I pass up opportunities to hang out or go out; the chance just never presents itself. Therefore I am looking forward to December and January where I can begin to work full-time and not worry about homework, papers and tests. Is it bad that I want to go back to work?

I'm sure some people will tell me, yes and that I'm crazy. But really I worked full time for a year and I thought I would love being in school but I'm finding that I really just want to go back to working full-time; even if it meant going back to my old office. Maybe these thoughts only come because I am taking 18 credit hours a semester with 6 courses and 2 labs. I don't know, but I really just want to get done.

That's about all I have to update on me thus far. I will do better to keep the updates more regular and look for more blogs on my travel blog as I go to Georgia in 2 weeks; I'm really trying to have it all updated BEFORE I go.

Chipotle Steak Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Peach Cobbler

2010-02-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

Ah, another Friday! I find more reasons to look forward to the weekends now!

This week I was emailed a recipe for Chipotle Steak Tacos with a Pineapple Salsa and thought, 'hmm, this might be interesting'... Oh, it was VERY interesting and delicious!

Ingredients:
-12 Soft Corn Tortillas
-1 Tsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
-1 Tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
-1 Tsp Kosher Salt
-1 Lb Flank Steak beef
-1 Pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch rings
-1 Red bell pepper, finely diced
-1/2 cup Red Onion
-1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Preheat a grill to medium heat. Combine oil, Chipotle powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a small dish. Rub the mixture on both sides of the steak.

Grill the steak 4-6 mins per side or until desired doneness. Grill pineapple rings until moderately charred, 1-2 mins per side (I did just until they were light brown). Remove grill and pineapple from grill and let steak cool for 5 mins before slicing into thin strips.

Dice the pineapple and transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, onion, cilantro and a pinch of chipotle powder and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Toss to combine.
Serve the sliced steak in warm tortillas with the pineapple salsa.
And of course, everyone's FAVORITE time of day, DESSERT!!

This week I wanted to make the EASIEST dessert I know of. When you read this blog you might think it's too good to be true, but I promise you, it is not and I love the dessert.

Ingredients:
-2 (16 oz) cans of sliced peaches with juice
-1 Dry Yellow Cake Mix
-1 Stick of butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay peaches in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with the cake mix and melt the butter then drizzle it on the cake mix. (I know the picture doesn't depict that but now I know for next time!)

Place in oven and cook for 45 mins or until golden brown. That's all, enjoy! Told you it was the easiest thing huh?

*Note: Not all of the cake mix will be moist or baked, but it will still be delicious!*

Until Next week, ENJOY!

Mexibake and Blueberry muffins

2010-02-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! Dinner time again! So, let's get started since I had to wait an extra day to make this beauty of a meal!!
Mexibake! it's a Mexican styled Casserole.

Needed:
-1 Lb Ground Beef or Turkey
-1 Can Diced Tomatos (~14 Oz.)
-1 Can Mexicorn (~12 Oz)
-Taco Seasoning
-Corn Bread (enough for an 8X8 pan)

Brown the meat and add the taco seasoning following the directions per the instructions on the pack. Add in diced tomatos and mexicorn allowing it to simmer for 5-10 mins or until heated.

Prepare the Corn Bread while the meat is simmering. Once the meat is thoroughly heated place it in an 8x8 pan and spread the cornbread on top. I found it helpful to make the cornbread thicker around the edges so that it will cook all the way through.

Cook according to the corn bread recipe. Usually 20-25 mins. And enjoy!

Ok, so after dinner I didn't make dessert because the next morning I had a breakfast to go to. So, instead, I made blueberry muffins with fresh ingredients and they were GOOD!!

Ingredients:

-4 Cups Flour

-2 Cups Sugar

-2 Tsps Baking Powder

-1 Tsp Baking Soda

-1 Tsp Salt

-3 Cups (24 Oz) Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

-4 Eggs--Lightly Beaten

-2 Cups (16 Oz) Sour Cream... I HATE Sour Cream; but this was good

-1 Cup Vegetable Oil

-1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.

In a large bowl combine the Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt; Add berries and toss GENTLY! (If using FROZEN berries they do NOT have to be thawed.)

Combine Eggs, Sour Cream, Oil and Vanilla and mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.

Line Muffin Tin with muffin papers or spray with cooking spray and fill 3/4 full. If you want a full muffin I would fill it just slightly more than 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden.

Delicious!!!! Hope you enjoy! Until next week...

Beef Chili and Valentines' dessert

2010-02-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

I've done Chicken meals so much this past month of blogging about dinners that I figured it was time for a change; yes Chicken is healthier, but c'mon. There is such a thing as TOO much Chicken.

So, Beef Chili was actually pretty good for something so simple and all just me going, 'I think this would be good... ' or 'yummy, lime juice!'

(Once again I'm mad at blogger for flipping my picture!!)

Ingredients:

-Vegetable Oil

-1 lb Ground Beef

-1/4 Medium Red Onion

-3 Cloves chopped/pressed Garlic

-1 Medium Red Pepper

-1 Medium Yellow Pepper

-3 Jalapenos

-14 oz diced tomatos (I did diced tomatos with green chilis)

-14 oz light red (or dark red) Kidney Beans

-1 Lime's juice

Begin by cooking the ground beef, you can season it with black pepper or chili powder; I actually did neither (Next time I will try to simmer the meat in the Lime juice).

Remove the beef, sepearating the fat from it and discarding. Allow the meat to sit off of heat but you do not need to refrigerate it.

Put about a tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a large skillet or wok sized pan and heat until it has the consistency of water or until it pops when water is flicked in it (a trick I mentioned in the second post when I made stir-fry).

Add the diced Onions and garlic to the wok until they become translucent. Add in ALL of the peppers allow them to cook for 2-3 mins followed by undrained diced tomatos. Finally add the meat and Kidney beans.

If you would like to add Lime juice to set off the spice of the peppers I would recommend it (again, I'll try next time to cook the meat with lime-juice and let you know how that goes).

Allow the whole wok to simmer for a few minutes, serve hot and with a side of cornbread for best experience.

Smoothies were pretty good too and rather healthy I believe.

Ingredients:

-3/4 Cup Skim Milk

-1/2 Cup berries (Combining raspberries, strawberries, blue berries)

-1/4 Cup Nonfat yogurt

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 1-2 mins adding more milk to improve on the consistency.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries were presented to me for two reasons; 1-It's actually a semi-healthy dessert, only 70 calories from the chocolate and it's fresh fruit, and 2-It's Valentines day. What says Valentines like Chocolate and Strawberries?

Things you'll need:

-15-20 Strawberries (I was lucky enough to find long stemmed strawberries which I would recommend if you can find too)

-5-6 oz semi-sweet bakers chocolate (You can also use white chocolate if that tickles your fancy)

Place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl (I cut them into smaller chunks to make it a faster melt).

Wash the strawberries and pat them dry. Lay out a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet for easier transportation to the fridge when you are done.

Put 1-2 inches of water in a small sauce pan that the bowl will be able to act as a top for and bring the water to a boil. Remove the water from heat and place the bowl of chocolate on top to simmer.

Stir the chocolate until you get a smooth chocolate completely melted. Leave the bowl on the pan to make sure it does not turn hard.

Take the dry Strawberries and dip them in the chocolate making sure to cover them to your heart's content.

Place on the wax paper and store in the refrigerator to harden. Eat after about 10 mins of cooling or until chocolate has hardened.

There you have it. A relatively easy dinner and dessert idea for anyone.

Until next week, Enjoy!

Schnitzel, Lime-ade and Cookies you don't BAKE!

2010-02-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Is it FRIDAY already? I guess so...

So, last week I thought I'd be making Chili this week but looking in my fridge I realized that I had Chicken Breast I needed to use before it went bad so the final decision was.... SCHNITZEL!!

That's right, I just got back from Germany about 3 weeks ago and already I'm making one of the most popular meals from there. I can't help it. It is so good! (As long as you don't fry it in a half gallon of Crisco)

You will need:
-Meat Tenderizer
-3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
-2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
-1/3 Cup Flour
-2 Large Eggs
-1/2 Cup Plain Bread Crumbs
-1 Large Lemon

Begin by 'tenderizing' or POUNDING the chicken breast unti the thickness is about 1/2 INCH.

Heat the OIL in a WOK sized pan (If you want a CRISPIER Schnitzel use LESS OIL) on MEDIUM HEAT.

In THREE SEPERATE bowls place the FLOUR, EGGS and BREAD CRUMBS. After the CHICKEN is the right thickness coat the CHICKEN with FLOUR and THEN place the FLOURED CHICKEN in the EGGS followed by the BREAD CRUMBS.

Place the CHICKEN in the OIL and allow to cook about 7 MINUTES each side or until GOLDEN BROWN or the right CRISP-NESS.

Remove from the OIL and allow to cool. SERVE with a LEMON-WEDGE (Allows for GREAT flavor) and SHOE-STRING FRIES.

And of course I had to have something to DRINK!!! It was LIME-ADE night!

You will need:
-1/3 Cup SUGAR
-6 Small/Medium Limes
-8 Oz. Water

Begin by softening the LIMES; roll them on a hard surface, squeeze them by hand; just get them soft for an easier time.

Cut the LIMES into WEDGES and then squeeze the JUICE into a small PITCHER.

Add 8 Oz of WATER and start with 1/3 Cup SUGAR; add more SUGAR as needed.

Serve COLD! Good, easy, delicious!

Onto DESSERT!

Standing in front of OIL all night what is better than NO-BAKE COOKIES?
You will need:
-2 Cups Sugar
-5 TBS Cocoa
-1/2 Cup Milk
-1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick)
-1 tsp Vanilla
-1 Cup Coconut
-3 Cups Oatmeal
-Wax Paper

Put SUGAR, COCOA, MILK AND BUTTER in a large pot. Bring to a BOIL; add VANILLA.

Remove from heat and add COCONUT and OATMEAL; MIX well.

Lay WAX PAPER on a flat surface and drop them COOKIE-SIZED onto the WAX PAPER.

Place in the FRIDGE to cool for BEST results and ENJOY!

Until Next week...

Lemon-Chicken Stir Fry and MORE!

2010-01-29T20:38:00.001-08:00

Another week, another day of food, drinks and dessert! I know to some I seem like I'm alienating myself by making dinner for myself and not really being social but I'm not too sorry for that. The way I see it is I could do one of two things; I could either not go out on the weekends and wimp and whine about it because I seem to have zero social life or I could make yummy foods and enjoy myself and alone time. I choose the latter.

So, tonight's feat: Lemon-Chicken Stir Fry, Homemade Raspberry Lemonade and Magic Cookie Bars for dessert. Yes, of course recipes and tips are to follow!
*STUPID BLOGGER WON'T POST THIS PICTURE RIGHT SO I'VE POSTED IT AS IS...*

This was the end result of Lemon-Chicken Stir Fry. Are you ready for this? Let me just say that it was delectible and I could not believe it actually turned out well.

Ingredients (produces 3 Servings):
-1 tsp Oil
-1/4 tsp Soy Sauce
-1 tsp Rice Vinegar
-Cilantro Flakes
-1 Chicken Breast
-1 Lemon

-1/4 Medium Sized Red Onion

-1 Clove Garlic

-10-12 Brocoli Florets

-1/2 Green Bell Pepper

-1 Large Red Pepper

-1/2 Cup Snow Peas

Begin by cutting the chicken breast into small strips and placing it into a large gallon-sized ziploc bag. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bag of chicken (the juice should cover the chicken generously). Sprinkle the chicken with Cilantro flakes until an even coat has covered the chicken. Mix the bag and place in the fridge to marinate; leave it to sit for at least a few hours. The more lemon-tasting you want it the longer you should leave it but I left mine in the fridge for about 12 hours and it had a good taste to it.

Prepare all vegetables:

-Onions: Sliced OR Diced

-Garlic: Minced

-Brocoli Florets: Remove the Stalks, leave the florets whole

-Peppers: Sliced and cut into half

-Snow Peas: Left whole

Heat the oil in a medium-sized wok and add the GARLIC and ONIONS. Continue to cook the onions and garlic until they are lightly brown or caramel looking.

Add in the CHICKEN leaving the EXCESS LEMON JUICE in the bag (You can add the juice later for more flavor or if you want to add a little now that'd be fine too). Let the CHICKEN cook for 2-3 mins continuing to stir it occasionally. *I cannot say to cook until tan or white because the lemon juice will begin to turn the chicken white while marinating*

Add in the BROCOLLI FLORETS and allow to cook until they begin to soften.

Throw in the PEPPERS and SNOW PEAS.

Allow all this to simmer to trap in the flavors. Then add in the SOY SAUCE and RICE VINEGAR. **I am NOT a SOY SAUCE fan, but I added only a small amount to really set off the Lemon**

Allow the whole concoction to simmer on LOW HEIGHT until chicken is THOROUGHLY COOKED and the BROCOLLI is at the texture you want.

**Also, next time I will NOT add SNOW PEAS; I felt it just did not absorb the flavors at all, so why waste time?**

Serve with a side of ride and WALLAH! Party in your mouth!

Not a lot of work for a GREAT result!! I can't wait until I can have the left overs for lunch!!!

So, what about some Lemonade? This is a relatively simple recipe; the procedure may seem difficult but really, it wasn't. I did it all by myself in about 5 mins.

Ingredients:

-1 Cup Lemon Juice (Fresh Lemons it came out to about 5 Lemons)

-2 Cups Water

-6 oz. FRESH or FROZEN Raspberries

-2/3 Cups Sugar

Rinse the Raspberries and sprinkle with sugar. Then, using a Potato Masher or spoon mash the RASPBERRIES and let stand for 5-10 mins.

Using a FINE Strainer (The one I used is actually a sink strainer but I promise I bought it NEW!!) press the RASPBERRIES through the strainer to separate the seeds and extract the juice. This took most of the time; I used my fingers, a measuring cup whatever really works. You do NOT have to extract ALL of the juice but there should be a good amount of juice when you are finished.

Then add the Lemon Juice and Water and mix. Taste and add more sugar if too bitter.

**SIDE NOTE: I did NOT let the RASPBERRIES sit in sugar. I decided that I would add the sugar at the end to taste because I like MORE of a bitter taste...**

Now, what about DESSERT?

MAGIC COOKIE BARS--Recipe with step by step pictures

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 to 2 PACKS of SMASHED HONEY Graham Crackers

-1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Butter MELTED

-1 or 2 Cans Sweetened Condensed Milk

-Chocolate Chips

-Diced Almonds

-Shredded Coconut

-Preheat oven to 375 F.

Melt the butter and, in the cookie sheet, add to the crackers. Mix until most, if not all, of the graham grackers are moist. Press into the pan. **If you have a METAL Cookie sheet; I'd recommend using one of those. Disposable pans are GREAT, but they bend a LOT!**

Coat the crackers with the Condensed Milk spreading to make sure a even coat is applied. Usually about 1.5 cans will be enough for this.

Layer to your liking chips, nuts and coconut. Again, I do NOT like Coconut, but it helps you know when it's done in the oven so it's helpful...

Place it in the oven for 5 mins or until coconut begins to golden. Remove from the oven and place in the fridge to cool.

**THE ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO EAT THIS IS BY PUTTING A FORK IN THE FRIDGE WITH THE DESSERT AND TAKING A BITE AT A TIME**

It is soooooo good and might not be any left after tonight.

Looking ahead I have a few options for next week, I'm thinking either GERMAN SCHNITZEL, TUNA CASSEROLE or MEXICAN CASSEROLE... I'm up for any SUGGESTIONS though...

Love cooking!!!

2010-01-27T15:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I started something and I think it's a great new thing; weekly cooking of bigger meals!

Now, why is this a good thing, I have a couple reasons for that. First of all, just because I'm a college student doesn't mean I have to eat like one EVERY day of the week. I can get tired of chicken quesadillas, pasta, ramen, mac and cheese and yes, I can even get tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For this reason I justify spending time in front of the stove to make a good meal usually with more vegetables and fruit servings than I'd normally get throughout the week.

Second, because I've not been living away from my parents for long I do not have a lot of 'kitchenware'. Instead of just going out and buying EVERY dish I THINK I might need I've put it off until I cook a meal that needs something I don't have. I figure it'll save me spending hundreds of dollars all at once :)

Needless to say I'm a little excited to keep cooking and blogging. I'll continue to let you know how it goes.

Up this week: Lemon-Chicken Stir Fry with Raspberry Lemonade and Magic cookie bars for dessert.

Single Awareness Day!!!

2010-01-25T16:21:00.000-08:00

I need an idea or IDEAS! Every year February 14th comes around and I look for ways to spend it since I tend NOT to be with anyone romantically. Last year I hung out with a few friends, the year before I went to Brugges, Belgium.

So, WHAT do I do THIS YEAR????

A night of good food and good times

2010-01-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

So, I've discovered a new hobby of mine, cooking. When I went home for the holidays I found that I actually enjoy being in the kitchen and if I'm in the kitchen it forces me to clean; because honestly, who likes to cook in a dirty kitchen?

So, coming home on Monday already I've spent two nights cooking rather good meals if I can say so myself; Steph might back me up for the pizza though :) So, I thought it might be fun to share the good recipes I find.

Tonight's feat: Pizza. I know, simple enough, but NO, this was DELICIOUS pizza.

This pizza was a Lime-Chicken, onion, jalepeno and bell pepper pizza.

So, I started with a breast and a half of chicken, weight wise I believe it was about 2/3 lbs. I cut those UNCOOKED into cubes or just smaller pieces that would be perfect-sized for pizza. **Now, just as a little disclaimer, know that I'm not much for MEASURING things out, but just add until it looks good**

I then take the chicken and throw it in a medium-sized bowl. I then take a lime and cut it into half and using half of the lime I squeeze the juice over the chicken and sprinkle with Cilantro leaves. Then, mix the chicken with the juice and leaves to make sure the juice marinates all of the chicken. Allow that to stand for at least 20 mins.

In a medium-frying pan lightly coat the bottom with olive oil (Vegetable will work as well) and allow to warm to frying-temperature (to make sure you have reached this point wet your fingers and flick the water into the oil; the oil should POP then you know it's ready). Leaving the excess juice in the bowl place the chicken into the pan and fry until lightly golden; all pink should be gone but the chicken will continue to brown in the oven when it's cooked. Remove from heat and let sit until the pizza is about to go in the oven.

I then started on the pizza dough; using the pizza dough you can find at your local grocery store in the package follow the directions on the pouch (This size of pizza took 3 pouches), I know, defeats the purpose of home made anything if you don't make your own crust but I am still a college kid; I can't make EVERYTHING from scratch.

I then did the typical sauce, cheese, whatever, used a fresh jalapeno, 1/8 red onion and half a red and green pepper to finish for the toppings. I recommend NOT sauteeing the onion because again they will cook IN the oven ;). I then de-seeded the jalepenos because this is NOT suppose to be a spicy pizza, just a DELICIOUS one.

Ten minutes later this beauty comes out:

It really was delicious, the thing about it was that the chicken gave it a sweet-tangy kick to the otherwise spicy veggies.

Add a side of fruit, who wants salad when you already have a few veggies on the pizza? We then added an Orange Julius to drink and wah-lah! Delicious, somewhat nutritious meal... RIGHT? I think so :)

Recipe for Orange Julius:

6 Oz of frozen orange juice concentrate

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

12 Ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until fully mixed; if you want to save your motor you could add in ice cubes one at a time.

I hope you enjoy, I can't wait to do this again, maybe next I'll do my spicy chicken burittos :)

New Year, New Blog... SORTA

2010-01-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

Alright, so it's a new year which means it's time to re-vamp the blog a little.

So, change #1: As you can see I have once again changed my picture at the top of my page. I'm going to continue to change that picture once a month and hopefully they'll be good pictures that I've taken from my trips or daily life.

And change #2: I'm changing my posts for blogs. My travel blog has turned into a blog of little things that I do daily almost. From here on out, the travel blog will be for things that were planned out and took me more than 30 mins to travel to. Such things like the zoo, Germany, Las Vegas, California. Things I don't always do. Hopefully this will make for more posts and pictures for this blog.

I'm really trying to blog more regularly this year and to get caught up soon. So stay tuned and you can venture with me on this life of a gypsy college kid.

Work + Hard X (2 SemestersX Short Semester)=Graduating by December 2010

2010-01-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

It might be a bad sign that after the second class of my first day I've already gone in to talk to my advisor about what I can do to lessen the amount of time I have to spend here at school.

I walked into her office, announced that I am bored and tired of school then demanded she tell me what it is I have to do so I can be done with school by December. Ok, so I might not have demanded, but I did ask and this is the consensus:

Spring 2010-18 Credit Hours. NO I'm NOT trying to kill myself but last semester I was bored with 15 hours so I stepped it up a little bit.

Summer Session #1 2010-7 Credit Hours. Finish the pre-reqs for my internship and do them in 5 weeks at the beginning of the summer making for another LONG break... just like I like them!

Fall 2010-12 Credit Hours. 6 of those will be my internship and hopefully I can get the other 6 to be on Tues/Thurs so I can intern M/W/F.

Now, internships. I was planning on going to Germany for 6 months while doing my internship there but it presented 2 major problems as I've mentioned before: 1-Pushes my date of graduation back to May 2011 and 2-No longer has me as a full time student starting next semester which means I have to start paying back student loans. NOT wanting either of those I've opted to stay here in AZ somewhere and intern with a local company though it'd be preferred if they had gov't ties.

Yep, day #1 of school isn't even half over yet and already I'm plotting for the next two semesters. HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Life, an ever changing variable

2010-01-13T04:39:00.000-08:00

So, I know it's been almost 3 months since I posted ANYTHING on this blog but I thought it's time for an update.

These past few months have been full of some ups with a lot of downs. I found out the job that I want does NOT require a degree and have been placed in the position to decide if I would or would not finish out school. In the end the decision was to finish it. The final decision was just to finish it. I've got only a year left and why quit when so close right?

So the thought of internship came about; where am I going to do it? I got an opportunity to go back to Germany and do my internship at one of the biggest military hospitals in the world and the largest outside of the US. It would be an amazing opportunity and line me up perfectly for the career I want to get into once I finish school.

If I took the internship however it poses one small issue, it would push back my graduation by six months and I'd have to start paying off loans come this fall. So, plan B comes about; if I can graduate by December I'm going to do my internship in the states and push for graduation within the year.

The past few months I've been trying to get adjusted into full time school work instead of full time work work. I've done ok, but needless to say I'm a little over school. The work just doesn't seem like it's worth it.

The next semester will be one of the most crucial ones yet. If I do well with this one I'll be ready to wrap it up.

Now comes to plans for AFTER school. I'm still looking at going with the military doing the whole civilian thing. I've already started looking into jobs around the country and have found openings in Georgia (the state), the DC area, California, a couple in Arizona; the opportunities are out there, but hopefully they continue to come about for the next year so I can jump right into it.

Life is an ever changing thing isn't it? One minute you are riding high and the next minute you are picking up the pieces trying to figure out where to go next.

More blogging to come as I continue to figure this out...

Stages of Life (with Regards to Relationships)

2009-10-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

So, I have a friend (YES, I have a friend) who has a rather interesting outlook on the stages of relationship desires as it pertains to both men and women. I thought I might share them with everyone.

Age 18-22, you either want to play someone or be played. At this stage of life most people are just wanting to get some action and don't really care who it comes from or who they hurt to get it. A lot of times you will see the girls going for the bad boys and the men going for the skanky girls.

Age 23-26, that PERFECT somebody is so close! At this stage women know who Mr. PERFECT is and men know who Ms. PERFECT is; but neither of them know WHERE they are. A lot of times this can cause for the guy or girl to not really want to date anyone they see NOT as their PERFECT somebody.

Age 27-30, take whatever you can get. This is the time when you are starting to reach the top of the hill so whatever you can get is probably all you can get. So take whatever it is you can get.

Now these stages are rather controversial and based mainly on level of maturity. They are not all set in stone, you can fudge a year or two (it is said that men are to be given 2 years since they tend not to mature as fast) but there are VERY FEW exceptions.

Where do I land in this? I don't know.

I don't think any of these and this is why I see this model as somewhat controversial. What about the guy or girl who is just looking to find who they like, I'm not sure what I want in a man anymore but I know I'm not looking to be played and I know I don't have a Mr. PERFECT out there, but I'm not willing to take whatever I can get.

So where do I fall?

Applying Ancient Scripture to our Daily Life: Ammon, Rejoice but be not Boastful in your Gifts and Talents

2009-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

So this week I decided to study in the book of Alma and once again found something that I think can be applied to our modern lives.

How many times have you been told to share your talents and gifts with others but sometimes you might feel that it's being egotistical or overly boastful of yourself. Well in Alma we find the same thing with the Sons of Mosiah.

A little background here, the Sons of Mosiah had gone out to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. Their mission lasted about 14 years and during that time they served mainly without each other for companions.

When reunited with his brothers after being apart for a time, Ammon began to rejoice in the fact that they had preached the gospel and been received tremendously by those they taught. He proclaimed his ecstacy of so many rejoicing and being brought back to the fold of God (Alma 26: 1-9)

After hearing the words spoken by Ammon his brother, Aaron, rebuked and chastized him for such boastings saying, "Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting." (Alma 26: 10)

Ammon told Aaron that he was not boasting in his strength, nor his wisdom, but rather his God. "Therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things." (Alma 26: 11-12)

A gift was given to Ammon and his brothers, they used this gift and shared the gospel with others. Ammon's joy was for being given the gift and not for how great a missionary he was without God.

Is it wrong to be grateful for the gifts given to us by the Lord? I beleive we need to share these gifts. If I have the gift of providing comfort to others would it not be wise to try and give comfort to all? Yes, tact does need to be used, but to not share and rejoice in our gifts is not desired by the Lord. Developing upon one gift can cause for our receiving and developing more gifts.

Honor for America: Losing Significance?

2009-10-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

I was walking to my biology class this afternoon when I looked over to the administration building and noticed the American flag being flown at half-staff today. Whenever I see this I imediately think, "What day is it?" After that question is answered I start to wonder, what is significant about today to don this honor?

So, today is 16 October and as far as I am not sure what happened today to warrant a flag at half-staff. This is NOT to disrespect anyone, but I really don't know why. I know at times people will lower the flag in honor of fallen soldiers from their base or post but ASU, why did you lower the flag?

I would not ponder this question so much if I hadn't already seen the flag at half-staff 5 times already this year when I didn't know why. They did lower it on 11 September, but I know why they did that. Why the other days?

This question is only being posed because quite honestly I feel that if this honor is sometimes mis-understood. I just want to know why before it looses the significance and people no longer reflect on WHY the flag is not at full-staff.

What a week (and it's only Wednesday)

2009-10-15T00:05:00.000-07:00

So wow! It's been one crazy roller-coaster of a week and yes, I know this is a little premature and it is only Wednesday, but seriously, it's been crazy!

I got to go to Six Flags, Magic Mountain, in California on Saturday to celebrate a friend's birthday (that post will come shortly on my other blog...) but what a weekend. We drove all night Friday to get there Saturday, spent the day in the park and yup, Saturday night we were driving home. We had a BLAST, well I did anyhow. But yeah, not a lot of sleep was had that weekend.

Emotions have been set lose this week as well as I've lost my best friend recently and hopefully some day he can forgive me. Ever since then it's been up and down and all around and CRAZY!

Missed a couple classes on Monday, little sleep Monday night, even less Tuesday night as I finished up some homework, woke up with 4 hours of sleep to meet a client and she never showed. Hung out all day with my aunt and cousins (I'm still hoping I don't get sick); went to play volleyball, I'm not feeling too good, I should really go see my doc and now I'm thinking about sleep at midnight... yeah, it might be a good idea.

Week isn't even over yet! I have work tomorrow, institute and meeting, Friday is training for volunteer work, Saturday I'm volunteering at a Health promotion event from 0630-1130, corn maze that night, bonfire and studying for a test I have on Monday. MAN! Yeah, it's going to be a LONG week!

Applying Ancient Scriptures to our Daily Life: Nephi, Setting the Standard for Receiving Answers

2009-09-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

At Institute the other night our topic was on honesty and some how that got turned to Nephi and him being commanded to get the Brass Plates from Laban. If you don't know the story it goes a little something like this (short version of course).

Nephi's family had left Jerusalem and were many days travel away from there when he was asked to go with his 2 older brothers Laman and Lemuel as well as Samuel his younger brother back to Jerusalem and get the plates from Laban who was a wicked ruler of Jerusalem.

Nephi and his brothers tried first by asking, nicely, for the plates. Next they presented him with their families riches that were left when they had to flee Jerusalem. In both attempts Laban cast them out from before them and sent his guards after them.

It was at this point that Laman and Lemuel began to get extremely upset with Nephi and Samuel and began to beat them. At this time an angel appeared to Laman and Lemuel rebuking them and commanding them to go back to Jerusalem and that Laban would be given to them in a way that they would be able to get the plates from him.

Yet Laman and Lemuel did not want to and once again began to complain about how hard a task it might be. So, Nephi decided he would go by himself to receive the plates (who needs older brothers? KIDDING) telling them that when promised of the Lord he will provide a way.

Once again Nephi returned to the city of Jerusalem, this time alone, and before long he came upon a drunken Laban too far gone to even stand without assistance, but he was alone. Seeing this event and his sword by his side he was prompted to kill him by his own sword. He questioned that prompting never having been commanded to do something this intense before.

So that is the story, here are the thoughts I gained from this: Nephi did question the commandement, but does that mean it was a BAD thing to do? I think not for one of two reasons.

1-Nephi wanted to make sure this was a prompting of the Lord and not a prompting coming from Satan. Satan's powers are real and while the feeling we get can be different imagine how he would have felt later had he not ensured it was the right thing to do. Perhaps Satan would have come back to him later saying that he was unworthy of many things because he killed a man and the Lord never would have wanted that. He got the reassurance up front ensuring it was the right thing to do.

2-Nephi paved the way for the rest of us to know what we need to do to receive answers from the Lord. Nephi was given a commandment and while he knew that the Lord would provide a way, he did not know how that would come. When presented with a drunken Laban and prompted to kill him he probably felt that this was the answer to his prayers on HOW he would get the plates. He then asked for a confirmation from the Lord and after receiving his answer he then carried out the task.

Just like Nephi of old we are often faced with hard tasks that we know need to be overcome. We will ponder and meditate on different possibilities we can use to overcome our trials. When we have come to a decision about which way we see best to handle our situation we present that decision to the Lord, just as Nephi did before killing Laban. We then receive an answer and are expected to either act upon this decision or re-think the possibilities if we received a negative answer.

Done, Tired and Spent

2009-09-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I've had it, I'm tired of school, done with stupid people and their lack of integrity and I've spent my last minute wasted on them!

I never thought I'd be saying this but I'm tired of school. I don't care anymore; my dream job is mine to have with or without this stupid degree, why waste the money when I don't need it???

I've got 87 days left before I fly out back to Germany, I want to go home, turn off the lights and not wake up until that day comes.

Setting the Standards for ASU Students

2009-09-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first football game for ASU of the season and of course I had to make Steph experience it with me!!! After all, we did buy season tickets!!!

So in we went at about 6:30 and we sat on the upper most deck, it was fun, it was really breezy up there but in a good way because of the humidity. At 6:30 there was NOBODY there, by 7 the place was packed and people were standing in every nook and cranny they could find! That was slightly annoying when you were wanting to sit down but there were people standing that close to you.

So the game started a little late; about 15 mins, but as I stood there looking around this stadium that I hadn't seen for 3 years it amazed me; really it did. First of all, the stadium was EMPTY. What else is to be expected with ASU playing ISU? But what I was more amazed by is that Kush stadium STILL has the number 42 plastered on a banner in EVERY corner of the field. The number 42 was retired after Pat Tillman died while serving with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan.

**Unfortunately I didn't take a camera and I can't find pictures of it online**

So this got me to thinking, Tillman had a lot of values I respect; he was honest, he was sometimes blunt, I would say he was patriotic, courageous, sincere, hard working, respectful, loving and loyal. Can you imagine what would happen if ASU adopted these charecteristics as their own and tried to make ASU more like Pat. His number is the corner of the field. Why not make his personality and values the corner stone for ASU standards?

The time came for the national anthem to be played, I know I go to a liberal school, but the last time I checked it was still in the US. So why are we having people sitting throughout the anthem, talking and even screaming profanities. Towards the end of the song people started singing, but in a way that I found to still be disrespectful.

Alright, so I just moved from a military base where at the beginning of a movie you are to stand for the playing of the national anthem; maybe that's why I'm a bit biased and maybe that's why I'm expecting people to shut up, stand up and listen. You dont' have to put your hand on your heart, but whether you are from my country or not, be respectful nit-wits!

Can you imagine what would happen to ASU if they began taking the above characteristics serious. If they had a school FULL of Tillmans! Our school would NOT be the party school, school known for kids getting drunk the night before just to see if they can pass a test hung over. No longer known for our student body president being kicked out for making pornos and no longer being known for the most disrespectful fans.

Yes, there were some shadda calls made last night by the stripes, but does that still give you a right to start screaming profanities at the top of your lungs about what you want to do to that one ref? I don't think it does.

A group of students we were standing in front of were actually kind of cool they were all just laughing and what not, until the scandelous girls showed up and the first couple sentences out of their mouth included, when are we going to leave so I can get drunk? Or I want a shot!!! Seriously guys? why come to the game then? Sit at home and watch it, drink yourself silly, gain that beer belly, get alcohol poisoning and if we're lucky, get caught for underage drinking!!!

The game was good, Sparky had a LOT of pushups to do last night as we beat ISU 50-3. Congrats to us, we beat a not even ranked school that is nowhere near being in our conference. But, if we play like we did last night against our conference teams we will get beat! PUMMELED!!

Our QB was running around with nowhere to go, maybe the Oline's fault, but be smart with the ball, know when you need to throw it away!

We had one receiver who was dropping passes left and right, WILLIAMS! That cannot happen, against better schools they will exploit that, pick on you and cause turn overs.

But it was a good first game, boring at times but still good. After each TD or FG Sparky got up on his board and crank out pushups. Poor Sparky! You need to do it like the students do in the stands; grab a girl and throw her in the air the number of times representing the score. Until the cop comes up screaming PUT THE GIRL DOWN! Oh what a line for the night!

So yes, it was a good game, sure do wish I could fix the problems of ASU but I can't, that's up to Crow!!

I probably will be going to a lot more games this year after buying the season tickets I will get my moneys worth, Steph and I are going to pretty much camp out for the UofA game to make sure we get down near the 30 yard line and right on the front.

Oh yeah, ASU has these two guys who go to every game, they are maroon and gold man, dress in maroon and gold spandex, can't see their faces, well, Steph and I decided they look lonely and need some women in their lives... now we just have to figure out HOW to do it ;)

Gamer, finally a movie that is real to our lives today

2009-09-04T00:20:00.000-07:00

So I feel compelled to comment on this new release movie I just heard about, "Gamer". The movie stars Gerard Butler, Ludacris and Michael Hall.

This movie is set in the future and from what I can read up on it is about obviously a gaming system that puts human on human playing to another level. The thing that is relevant I think is that much like the ways of today and entertainment at our finger tips it IS controlling; so how fitting is it that in this movie once you begin playing you are not allowed to leave until you essentially BEAT the game...

The game is addicting, you enjoy the game again until they rope you in so that you can't leave.

SERIOUSLY??? Has there ever been a more desperate cry for help when it comes to how much we can no longer find suitable forms of entertainment outside of gaming? How much we've allowed society to deem it OK when we come across 'gamers' who essentially live their life through games whether on the computer or through gaming consoles; either of which can access the internet allowing them to converse with others hundreds of miles away. Is it any wonder why the children of today are obese or are unable to socialize in a respectable manner?

Entertainment, slowly but surely taking over our lives and our ability to live as HUMANE humans, instead of hethans...

You may think you ain't country...

2009-09-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Alright, so, I joined my sister on Monday night for a little FHE at Tempe which included free pizza... FREE FOOD? What? I'm there!

Well, oops, it was also a dance thingy; whatever. So here's my thing with Arizona and mainly East valley girls and guys. The little time I've spent around them, so many of them hate claiming their country roots. Oh no, they want to be urbanized and they want to reject the country music for Lil' Wayne (who by the way is ugly, have you ever seen him?) or some other Hip Hop/RnB artist... seriously guys???

Let me tell you why I have a problem with this... Why is it then that I went to this dance on Monday night to hear them playing country music galore... Ok, so it was a church dance, little music outside of country has a harmony that is within church standards for dance. But please believe for EVERY song that was played (other than slow songs) I saw EVERYONE on the dance floor doing a line dance for it... And you think you ain't country!
At first I was thinking, oh wow, are they doing the electric slide to a country song? No, they weren't, it was heel toe, dosey doe, c'mon baby let's go, kinda stuff. hop hop hop backwards, kick kick kick kick kick and turn. Clap step two three, clap step two three; shuffle forward with the hand doing a roping movement... WHAT?

I was baffled. So go ahead, tell me, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler girls, that you ain't country; I'll play a song and if you can do the line dance to it, I don't want to hear that you ain't! Embrace it, there is nothing wrong with it.

That's right, I've got my country roots too, but I can't do any other line dances out of the Cha-cha slide and the Electric...

Updating the life and times of Sara

2009-08-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

So it's been a long time since I've blogged and yes for the few people who actually follow my travel blog and this one I know it's been forever and I am still trying to get my travel blog up to date. I'm still trying to catch my breath from this summer as well as hit the ground running with school.

So let's see, real quick things that have been going on, I finally left Germany (the place I called home for three long years) and returned to America! When I first got here I flew straight into Las Vegas spent a few weeks there, went and got my car, chilled in California for a while and just relaxed. I needed a break before starting school and boy did I enjoy it.

I was still getting used to American driving when I got Thailer back and still find it crazy the way we all drive here... what I find more crazy is that if I go the recognized speed limit for any SMALL autobahn I am speeding by 15 MPH! CA-WAZY!

I started classes last week and needless to say I cannot wait for it to be over for a variety of different reasons. I want to be done. I want to move on with my life, I want to begin working with my degree HOPEFULLY as I am dreaming of it all working, mostly I want to see if there is anyway I can start working with the military again; that would be the life!

Classes are not as hard as I was imagining them to be but I am finding I need to be slightly more organized; I've been running around like crazy this past week trying to get a ton of things figured out, getting Steph ready and have completely forgotten about getting organized.

Yeah, it's been a doosie! But I'm still standing and that much closer to finishing!

Reunited Love

2009-08-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

So, I have him back, finally, I love my car, that's all I can say.

Thursday I went to California to pick up my car, got there around 1030ish and was expecting to show all sorts of ID in order to get my car, you know, first ID, then license, then POA maybe even a blood test, I dunno but it wasn't like that at all.

So I get there, directions were a little weird, the company gave me the address to the berth but we couldn't just drive into the port, so I had to call the company find out where they were, drive there, grab some paperwork, fax it, walk back to the port, sign one document, get in my car and drive off, easy peasy! I was shocked!!!

But my car is in great condition, I'm taking it today to go get some much needed TLC so he can be in tip-top shape!

Hopefully it won't take all day!

Nightmare of a Flight to the US

2009-07-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

So I know I've been in Vegas for more than a week now, but whatever, I'll start blogging more, I promise...

So let's start with my flight, specifically from FRA to ORD; I only slept 2 HOURS!!!! I was so mad, I fell asleep before the plane even took off, I woke up not sure where we were or how much longer, but they showed the map thingy and it said, "time since departure: 2:34" I was NOT HAPPY!!! I had 6 hours to go!!!

So I started flipping through the movie channels and radio stations, I ended up falling asleep on my tray table and man I woke up in some hurting!!

So about midway over the Atlantic, we hit some pretty crazy turbulence, we had head wind like nothing else. So it doesn't make me feel good to hear, "flight attendants pleas take your seats..." about 5 times... NO WAY! I seriously thought I was going to die... Ok, maybe not, but still.

Sad thing is, that wasn't the worst of it.

So we got to O'hare alright, grabbed my bags, rechecked them, and started looking for the USO, I was doing alright. I hopped on an elevator and took it back up to the main level, doors opened and walah, there is the USO on it's own level.... now, how do I get there....
So I hung out at the USO for a while but finally had to leave to go make my connection, I figured O'hare is notorious for being slammed with people so I might want to make it through a little early.

So I get up there and realize that O'hare is the same airport I flew through last time I went to the good ole US of A. But here comes the worst part of my story...

So I get up to the gate, it's about 1345 and we are to board at 1425, I notice that there is no plane outside; eh, I figured it is just taxiing in and we'll be good to go... about 1410 comes around, still no plane. Tell me why the counter guy comes on the PA and says, no joke: Sorry for the delay folks, but as you can see our plane is not yet here, it is in the hangar being worked on for mechanical issues. (Sara starts worrying) We're not sure how much longer it should take but be patient with us and we should have an update for you in about 15 mins. But since it's coming from the hangar we'll be able to get right on it and not have to worry about cleaning and people exiting as it will be empty."

Ok, so hello, don't tell me the plane you are going to be sending me on is being worked on for mechanical issues 15 mins before I'm supposed to get on it!!!

20 (1430) mins later, "eh, sorry folks, they are still working on it and it looks to be about 30 mins before we can have it finished. If you would like to go on a walk-about before the plane gets here feel free, just check the flight monitors for updates."

So that was funny because everyone then is like, forget this, I'm going to go get food, I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Over the PA we hear not two seconds after that one was made "And just like that folks it looks like they've fixed the problem, but it will still take them about 15 mins to taxi the bird over here, so if you still need to go on a walk-about feel free, just please be back here as we are looking at a 1500 departure." (HAHA, what are you kidding me? 1500? I don't think so!)

So we wait... and wait... finally our bird shows up at 1500, but I thought we were supposed to leave at 1500... Oh well... So the flight crew boards and we are told we'll be boarding any moment, the flight crew just needs to do safety checks, finally about 1520 we get the OK to start boarding. I have NEVER been on a flight where they board FRONT to BACK! because it's dumb! So about 40 mins later I finally get to board, I'm on the back of the plane and it takes me about 10 mins to get on just because we're having to push through people who have already boarded! DUMB

so here comes the good part, it's about 1600, we were supposed to leave at 1456 and actually arrive early. Now we are leaving about the time we should be landing, ok, not really, but still. So we're all chillin on the plane, listening to the safety instructions and no joke, over the intercom... "Sorry for the delay folks but it looks like we're going to have another one. They are finishing up some paperwork and we cannot shove off until that is done. I've been told it will be about 30 mins; so you are free to leave the plane, but I'm being told that if you do we want you to take all of your items, because if we get a quick go ahead we are going to be closing the door and leaving. Again sorry for the delay but (begin chessiness) Safety is always number one with United!"

So we chill, hang out on the plane, and finally we get the "Ok" to take off, about 1620 local time now. We sit at the gate for another 20 mins it seems just waiting for whatever reason... Take off was finally at 1640; nearly two hours behind schedule.

I didn't call them to let them know I was going to be late, I figured they'd check, which they did, but when they checked it showed a 30 min delay, so they showed up at 1730 Vegas time (originally I was to land at 1645) and realized I was not going to be there for another 45 mins. So they hung out I guess. When we landed because I was at the back I got off at the end, ran to the bathroom, I hate plane lavatories, then hopped on the sky line. FYI, in Vegas when they say NEXT stop from Concourse D to Terminal 1, there is ONLY one stop!!!! So I stayed on at Terminal 1 because I thought for sure they'd announce if that was the baggage claim, oh no! so ooops, it only took me about 45 mins after landing to get to baggage claim and they were freaking out, like how do we know if someone got on the plane??? I guess someone told them to file a police report hahahahah! But I made it, it was nice just grabbing my bags from the conveyer belt and walking out, it was about 110, me in jeans, carrying a hoody and wearing flip flops, oh yeah, you could tell I was from Germany.

So that was my flight, quite entertaining wasn't it? Oh yeah....

What a Fourth

2009-07-06T13:37:00.001-07:00

Alright, so I spent the Fourth of July with lots of people that mean a lot to me, my family, for the most part and of course Barney.

It started off bad, I woke up with bad allergies and a sore throat; I had wanted to get a jump start on organizing my house to get moved out but with all that sickness I ended up popping some allergy meds and sleeping a lot of the day away. I was determined, however, to make it to the festivities in order to see Blue October, only one of the best bands ever, perform live on base.

So we showed up at about 1800, hung around eating delicious food, setting up chairs for the fireworks and enjoying ourselves. Blue October was amazing and I'm an even bigger fan now.

This was the first year in about 5 years I've seen fireworks and boy were they good!

At the end of the night I went home a happy woman; satisfied from the great company, good music and amazing pyrotechnics.

Sunday Ramblings of Saturday Adventures

2009-06-28T00:28:00.001-07:00

Ok, so really I should be planning my lesson, but I can't stop thinking about my wonderful Saturday!

It started off with waking up at 0800, ON A SATURDAY!, for breakfast with the girls from the office and a couple munchkins. We went to this fantastic cafe in Landstuhl called Sander's that has some really good breakfast! We sat and chatted until almost noon about whatever! Office, life, love, you name it!

From there I had to run to the commissary to get some food for a surprise picnic I was planning (it almost didn't happen). Luckily for everyone the picnic did happen for a short amount of time. We knew that rain was in the forecast yet we decided to give it a try. We headed to a park in Kaiserslautern, laid out our blanket, got the food out, ate our sandwiches, laughed, giggled, had a good time and just when we were getting ready to relax a little ways out we could see parents running with their kids in tow.

RAIN had made it's appearance FAST! This wasn't like a light trickle and then hard, oh no, it was HARD then faster and harder! We thought it'd pass us shortly if we just were patient so we hid the goodies and laid there, within a couple minutes we decided we'd just move it inside. By the time we got to our car we were soaked! When we got back to the house however we realized it was a good decision on our part. Not a minute after walking in the door we saw lightning with thunder right on top of it!

Now, in all my years of being in Germany I had never seen lightning; but the day I plan a picnic it shows up??? How wrong is that?

So inside we went to finish eating and to play some checkers. Yes, I lost :( HORRIBLY the first round. Second round I made one mistake that took me out of it. I will seek my revenge.

After checkers it was off for dinner, Chinese anyone? So much for chicken chili! We were too tired to even try and claim that feat.

What a day! I think it was the best Saturday I have had in Germany! Not much more time now though, 18 more days!

Productive Week

2009-06-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

OY! What a week! I don't know if I should sigh of relief that it's over; scream of excitement; or pray that it never happens again.

So what happened... hmmm...

Didn't really want to go back to work after a week in Edelweiss (I am still working on that post... don't worry) but then I got to work and had to play catch up for hundreds of emails that I missed; oh yeah, that made me LOVE being at work! Haha, nah, not really! But I did get asked to once again go sit in the front for the big wig guy.

I knew that this week I was going to have to accomplish a LOT of things. I had shipped my car off the previous week but was still in search of a place to live and a job. Before I knew it I had the place, a nice little condo with a great rate for rent and location! 2.5 miles from Polytech! Yeah, I'm feeling good about that one.

So the only thing to worry about was the job. So I did what I usually do, hop on jobsearch.com and try to look for openings in the valley. Yeah, there are a lot that I qualify for, but none willing to do part-time. So I let it go for a couple days. Finally I decided I'd check ASU's webpage for jobs and lo-and-behold a receptionist job for one of the advising offices ON POLYTECH!

Holy camoly! That would be the dream right there; awesome place to live and job on campus doing what I've been doing for the past 3 years! Could a girl ask for more?

So now I sit here having yet to hear back from them and pray that it's not a bad sign. I won't be in the valley until August so I am really hoping they'd be willing to wait that long for me. It is end of June right now and I can do an interview via telephone and I could do paperwork via email... RIGHT?

Yeah, I'm doing more looking to see if there is anything else out there for me. But it's been a good week.

How many more days? Oh, that's right, 26 before I fly out :)

10 Things I May Never Have

2009-06-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

-Temple Marriage
-Understanding of why I have to answer to certain people
-Children of my own
-Clean bill of health
-The ability to please everyone
-A six pack of abs
-The chance to do something amazing with my life
-The time to forget about everything else and just enjoy life
-My own family sealed to me
-Humility

Lost Love

2009-06-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

Today I went through something rather hard. I lost a long time love of mine. You see, we met rather by chance; introduction from my father to be honest with you. When I first saw him I knew I wanted him and thought how amazing he looked.

But today I had to finally say goodbye to Thailur (Tyler). He had been so amazing for the past 2.5 years and while I know that someday I will meet up with him again I cannot wait until that happens.

Thailur went with me everywhere. We were travel buddies, we hung out probably every day without missing more than a week. So yes, it was a hard moment for me to part with him, but I did.So there is my beautiful baby!! Ok, so not mine, but that's what he looks like. Isn't he gorgeous? I'll be with him again about the end of July; but until then it's hard finding a replacement for the void now present in my life.

HAHA ;)

No need to Worry

2009-06-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I know in some of my past blogs I may have said some things that make people overly worried about me; but I can assure you there is nothing to be overly concerned about right now.

Yeah, things aren't peachy keen right now, but I have a few things to look forward to. Going to Edelweiss tomorrow with the family. I just got back from London and had so much fun I'm wanting to go back again for another couple of days. I have the time and the means to do so, why not?

I've got only 5 weeks until my last day of work and then only another week until I fly out. I can't believe it's so close.

I dropped off my car yesterday to be cleaned and shipped. I can't believe we're so close. I've got so much to look forward to, hopefully this summer will be a good way to start the next time of my life off; it's been a rough past few months and I'm ready to foget about it... at least until I have to do some follow up work on it.

Picture for Title of Blog

2009-05-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

To view the story of the picture at the top of my blog page please visit my traveling blog at www.scuraray.blogspot.com

You can't even Imagine...

2009-05-17T00:01:00.001-07:00

So I've written this blog and rewritten this blog for about the past month. They say writing is theraputical and well, right now, I need it.

I have so much going on right now it's crazy, I can't even fathom it at times. I've been stuck thinking about selfish tendencies for a while, that this is what this blog is about.

Imagine if you could that you have the ability to be happy with a job, you make good money, you are supported in your life; you are happy.

Now, you happened to come into a HUGE bonus that you were not expecting to get and you knew of someone who needed or could use that money more than you. You want to help them and see that you don't need the money right now, so you give it to them; then you loose your job and your ability to make money.

Selfish feelings come back to ask for all of that money back, you just want what is 'rightfully' yours, since you no longer have the ability to do that any more you should be allowed to ask for it back right?

But this person you gave it to has already used the majority of the money, they have started to essentially grow because of it; it would be wrong to ask for it back. But you still have a little time before it will disappear from you completely. What do you do?

Again, you've lost the ability to make money and some day you may not be able to even make that money you once did to support your family or to live comfortably. What do you do?

If you can imagine what that is like and then multiply it by 20, that's where I'm at; yeah, I need some serious therapy.

Innactively Active

2009-05-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

So, in the matter of one hour at church today I happened to be invited to Young Single Activities, not once, but TWICE!!!! By TWO DIFFERENT people.

Uh, are you serious? I guess they were. I told them I'm crazy busy and my schedule is just not permitting it to which one of them told me that I needed to become less busy and just get out there.

Wow, honestly? Yeah, I guess going to church and doing your church calling is not enough. Now you need to be at every extra meeting and activity.

Therefore I've deemed myself Innactively Active. I go to church, do my calling, but right now that's all I can handle. I hope to someday be more than just that.

Looks to Kill

2009-04-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Someone told me the other day that I looked like I was going to kill someone. It is true, the look on my face was that of a contemplative Sara that sometimes turns into an intimidating look on the face; which always turns into questions.

Sara, what’s wrong? Nada, well actually ‘Lada’, but that’s for my mind to ponder on.

Sara, why won’t you tell me? Again, personal. I tell some people, but in all reality I’m sure a lot of people would have NO IDEA what to say if I divulged my secrets to them. Jaws would drop and hit the floor and amazement would be plastered on their eyes.

Sara, are you ok? Hey, I’m living, working, breathing and smiling (sometimes ;)) what more do you want?

Sara, will you be ok? Who knows. I don’t, do you? I guess not.

Life sucks, you think you are doing something worth while and good for others one day and then you find something else out that makes those deeds harder to bear and you wish you hadn’t done it. Like all you want to do is take it back, say, ‘just kidding!’ but you know you can’t.

Life, it's ironic, isn’t it?

What a WEEK!

2009-04-18T02:19:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's over, but when I look back at it I can't believe I lived to see the end of it.

This week had a lot of things go on for me, lifeguard class, lifeguard final, doctor appointments, sitting in for another secretary, working on scholarships and figuring out more for school.

So lets start from the top: Lifeguarding class/final. Steph and I have been taking this course to get certified. I have no desire to work here but she's been contemplating it. So we have had class 5 times in the past 2 weeks starting at 1600 and going until 2200 (4-10 PM for you non military/european folk). It's been quite the experience. Late nights, swimming, chlorine, yummy!! So the day came time for us to test and I will tell you one thing, I was actually a little nervous the night before. We got there and I'll tell you what, it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. We were all nervous to find out if we passed or not but the important thing is Steph and I passed!!!!! So there you have it, if you ever have someone drowning, or needing first aid, Steph and I are signed off :)

My next certification I think is going to be to get WSI (Water Safety Instructor) qualified. That will mean that I can teach swim lessons. Wouldn't that be a fun easy job in AZ? I think so, go to people's personal pools and teach their kids how to swim, easy peasy!!!

Doctor Appointments. So a few posts ago I blogged about how I hated doctors who seemed to want to ruin your day and to do nothing more than to deliver bad news, yes I had them do that.

I went in for my follow up to make sure it was what they thought it was and it is. No, not ready to talk about it; maybe later. Docs swear it won't do much to alter my life but there is still that chance. Some of my family worry that I think it's the Lord punishing me for not being humble; yeah, at times I do. Other parts of my family fear that I will start being angry at people who have what I don't or might ever have. Perhaps I have felt that in the past and maybe it's to come; another thing I have to work on I suppose.

Where I work are 3 different branches. We are all one directorate but made up of 3 relatively large branches. We only have 3 secretaries when we should have four. We should have one for each branch and then a fourth for the big boss. When the big boss' sec doesn't show up it gets tasked to another secretary who happens to be there; that just so happened to be me yesterday. I was really nervous about it and quite frankly a little stressed. I had a ton of things I was supposed to be doing and had to get done and frankly I didn't want to jack anything up. I'm happy to report I did Ok, though I think the third in command down there was lying to me when he said that.

Now the fun part, school. I've been working on some scholarships to get money so I won't have to pay a dime for school. Good thing I've been doing that though, good ole economy failing and with President Crow in charge of ASU I'm getting jipped out of grant money. The money I got in grants won't even cover half of my tuition expenses. EXCUSE ME?????That's great. Good thing I've been saving all my hard earned cash huh? If you ask me the FAFSA system is flawed. I'm 21 years old and I do NOT get claimed by my parents on their taxes but because I still COULD be claimed I have to add into account my parents taxes which mean that my Estimated Family Contribution is $10,000 MORE than what they will be contributing. No, my family does NOT leave me high and dry, but I dont' want to go to them to get money to pay for a piece of paper that the American Society has deemed appropriate if you want to be able to make ends meet comfortably.

So there you have it, there's been my week. One heck of an emotional roller coaster. Ups with passing the course, downs with doctors and twist and turns with college and work. Poke me to make certain I'm alive would you?

Bowling, a Brother and the Bunny

2009-04-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

Spring break!!!! Who doesn't like Spring Break? I like it, and I'm not even in school to enjoy it right now. I just like having the ability to go and do fun things when or if we want to. School holds us all back. So this year we hung around Kaiserslautern and did some fun things, the first of which was bowling.
Grandmother getting ready, yeah, she's about to whoop up on someone. This is Mo and I setting up our teams. Boys vs. Girls!!! Girls so totally kicked the boys' trash! Grandma, Mom and myself against Mo, Simeon and Alex and we still beat 'em!
Simeon was using the heaviest ball or us all... yes, we all used bumpers; no other way to play honestly.Look at that form. Dad would be so proud!Like mother, like daughter.Sim picks up a spare.I'm pretty sure Mo missed this one, but I can't remember. I only say that cuz I beat him anyhow!Grandma, lining up to pick up the spare.Sweet Alex, aka Queen Ally that day, bowling the 'grown up way'. Mom going for the spare.I love the way grandmother keeps her eye on the ball.Mom missed the spare, but it's ok, we still beat the boys!Alex showing off his Pink ball... yeah, he likes Pink; it's ok...Look at that face, she's so happy it's Spring Break too!
And Steph, goof ball played photographer instead of bowling.

At the end of Spring Break we were lucky enough to have the oldest Ray child and the recently married Ray child, Cody, come to visit us. He got stationed down in Stuttgart so a hop-skip-and jump is all it is up to see us.
Affectionately named Do-do he likes to be petted like a dog. Yeah, he's a goof too.
We all woke up actually kind of late for a holiday morning and looked for Easter eggs, or rather the little boys did. Can you imagine what these four are looking at???
How about a gi-gantic basket of candy that the easter bunny left for us? Yeah, we'll all be needing trips to the dentist soon.
When it was time to start the egg hunt Cody helped Simeon up off the couch with a nice little shove. Thanks Big Brother Dodo!After seeing that Alex decided to get up on his own. LET THE HUNT BEGIN!!!!
Alex was a good little egg hunter finding a lot of his eggs fast.
Sim was not far behind him, but he did tend to find the harder eggs.
Alex got the most excited though and thought he was cool as all heck.Mom had to get involved a couple times and help the short ones from breaking anything. Cody had to entertain the dog so she wouldn't think the eggs as balls and start playing with them. After being around Cody thoughShe started rubbing on the floor and scratching herself. I think she was trying to get rid of the fleas Cody might have given her. Along with tons of Candy stuffed animals are tradition in our house for Easter. They are always fun and so cute!!!Yep, the chick is mine... duh! Us chicks gotta stick together.
An egg hidden in the jungle forest... ok, so it's only a house plant but it was the LAST one to be found. These are some of our decorated eggs. Yep, Easter sure is a fun holiday at the Ray house!

Doctors that love to deliver bad news

2009-04-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a doctor call you up at your house or office and go, hey, this is Dr Iwannaruinyourday from the clinic. I just wanted to let you know that some of your tests came back a little abnormal and we want to run some tests on you. So not really knowing what this might mean you go ok. Sure, where, when etc? Then you get smart and ask, ok, so I don't understand, if the tests came back abnormal what does this mean for me and they drop a big word, that nobody ever wants to hear I'm sure, followed by, "but don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing."

NO, if it was nothing you wouldn't have called me! So here you are on pins and needles waiting for an appointment with the clinic to do some tests and then wait another week or so to find out what is going on. So if I seem a little on edge, I'm sorry!

Fortune cookies always have a fortune; some good, some bad, some GREAT!

2009-04-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

So I recently wrote about possibly going to ROTC for the Army and joining in as a Capt. My dreams about that have been semi-crushed when I was told because of my asthma I can't join :( Are you serious? My asthma is able to be controlled and I've NEVER had a MAJOR issue with it. So I'm an EFMP that has to get special permission everytime we move; but it's never caused me a huge deal of heart ache.
That is a lie Uncle Sam, you don't want me! :'( My lungs aren't strong enough for you I guess. Oh well, plan B, become a federal civilian get paid just as well, if not better and hopefully reap all the same benefits too. :)

Other good news I recently got my cap and gown in the mail which makes it official that I've gotten my AA but the good news is I went and got pictures taken with my good friend Leslie, an amazing photographer. We spent the whole day together and really had fun, Steph and I showed her some tricks on photoshop, mainly Steph but I'm convinced enough to get photoshop for my computer... AFTER I buy a Mac.
That's right, I don't wear my hat straight... so what? First ones are obviously just pictures of me in the cap and gown. I really don't like cap and gowns. They make you look weird and the hat NEVER fits right.

These next ones are of Steph and I being dorks like we are... having fun with the thought of us both being Devils this fall. I think it's my posture, I'll have to work on that, but man I look like I have a little bit of weight on me huh? Ah, good ole Crazy hair! but there you have it, the newest German Devils that are going to take ASU by storm!

So I told you I had bad, good and great news, well you've heard the bad and the good, are you ready for the GREAT?
As of last week I am now a certified personal trainer by AFAA, Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. That means I can pretty much start up my own business if I so desired, but I do not so desire. I just want to be able to put it on my resume in hopes of maybe starting at a gym and working my way up to being a personal trainer. Sure would help with the schooling huh?

Alright, so some of my plans aren't hatching out as I wish they would, but all in all this past week was amazing with my trip to Denmark included.

It sure is good to be a gypsy college kid!

One Less Single Ray Child

2009-03-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

So it's 0455 Hrs on Tuesday morning and I've been up since 0230 Hrs. Go ahead, ask me. Well, I've been up that long because my brother went and got hitched today (Monday night in the states) and since we couldn't fly home we web cam-ed with him. Oh what a night. They are cute together no doubt but how funny that my thoughts on marriage blog came just nights before he got married.

Cody asked me when I would get married, I told him who the heck knows! I don't. Right now there's a lot of stuff going on before I can/will get married. I.E. waiting for the guy who holds my heart to be with me and us both to be ready to make that huge leap in our life. Eh, a lot of posts on marriage lately huh? Not a good sign hahaha!!!

Thoughts on Marriage...

2009-03-28T14:52:00.001-07:00

So after last weeks lesson I was talking with a fellow YSA while on my Dublin trip about marriage and what I thought about it. He has a strong desire TO be married. My desire, not so strong. He has always wanted to be married quickly and to start that family. Me, not so much.
We both agreed on one thing though. The immense need for love BEFORE the wedding.

I'm a huge skeptic of the whole 'love' thing which is why I know before I ever say yes while dressed in white I have to be completely in love with the guy. Not in lust, not thinking I love the guy, but totally and completely in love.

I want to be that couple that ten years after being married we are still making out in the park. I want to walk hand-in-hand down the halls of the church, in the stores, in the car. EVERYWHERE I want his hand in mine.

I don't want to feel that I have to get married which causes for rash decisions to be made. I want the world to know that I love the man I marry and I don't want to have to tell them. I want them to know just by looking at us. I want to console him in everyday choices that could affect either of us and I don't want to feel that I can't go to him about anything.

I want to talk to him everyday; even if his job takes him away from home I want to have at least an email sitting in my inbox or his waiting for the other to read it. I want to have no doubt in my mind that it's me he talks to about the serious things. I want to spend nights cooking dinner together and maybe it takes a little longer because we get lost in conversation about how the day was. Then I want to spend time after dinner talking for hours or just being held in each others arms not saying a word because of how comfortable we are with the silence.

I want him to know all of my secrets and my feelings. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not an easy nut to crack and it takes about 10 months before I even tell you my middle initial. It'll take a few years before you find out my birthday though.

I want to be so comfortable with the guy that I can allow myself to cry in front of him; I want him to be comfortable enough with me to allow me to cry until I'm ready to talk about what is driving me to tears.

Yeah, marriage is still a ways off; if you want to come you might have to find me in the afterlife. I don't want anyone freaking out about me posting this... DAD, MOM, TAWNI! I just figured with my lesson last week and the conversation this week I might have reason to post this blog. There are reasons as to why I'm not yet married and perfectly happy with that. I'm sure the Lord knew what he was getting into when I came to this earth and my stubborness of having to make CERTAIN it's the one I want to spend eternity with. Perhaps it is why he is allowing me to be blessed with health for so long; he doesn't want me to come back to heaven single. Could you imagine a single Sara in Heaven? Oh goodness!

A lesson that is sure to go wrong

2009-03-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

So don't tell anyone, I should be planning a lesson I'm supposed to be giving in Relief Society TOMORROW but there are so many OTHER things to do, like....

Watch Australia!!! I know, I know, it's after mid-night but when I can't sleep, I can't sleep.

Or...

Find out who's blog-stalking me. A friend of mine showed me a way to check out who reads your blog and from WHERE! So in a way I'm blog-reader-stalking but it's so cool. Say for instance someone in Romania reads my blog (which they have!!) I can look onto my site, pull up the map and see from which city in Romania they read my blog from and on which day. This is really cool; I used to think NOBODY read my blog. Now look!!! My mother fears for me though with all the people from not only the US but 8-10 other countries, depending on which site, are reading my blog. I don't think she understands just how OK it is that I blog and leave it publicly open.

Or I could be...

Cleaning off my bed so I could go to sleep but it's a bunch of laundry and who wants to put away laundry after midnight?

Or I could...

Blog ABOUT preparing my lesson :)

I'm one of those people that actually gives an ok lesson or talk when it's been procrastinated. When a member of the bishopric asks me to give a talk in sacrament in 2 weeks I take that as meaning, "Will you prepare a talk during sacrament in two weeks and then give the talk after the sacrament has been blessed and passed?" Of course I say yes!!!

So with lessons, whether primary, Sunday school or Relief Society, I apply the same logic, prepare the lesson during the hour before. This month though I decided I should go against my normal mode of thinking and I began reading and preparing my lesson back in February.

Now some may say, "Wow, Sara, what on earth happened to make you go against your stubborn personality to actually READ it before the day of?" And I will tell you, "Well you see, I looked at the lesson for this month and KNEW I needed all the time and help I could get!!!"

These lessons were picked out before I even was asked to teach the lessons, but isn't it great how it seems the Lord is REALLY trying me? I would be lying if I said I didn't know why but whatever.

So go ahead, ask the follow-up question, ask: Sara, what on earth could the subject be to have you needing extra time? Oh, let me tell you...

CELESTIAL MARRIAGE!!!

Ok, you can stop laughing now... I tried so hard to plan this lesson in advance, but HOW? What do I know about the benefits of Celestial Marriage? Nothing from personal experience other than, 'it's important for your eternal salvation'... NOT THAT IT'S A BAD THING but I'm a YSA!!! Sure, the plan might be to make it to the temple some day but there is a reason that I'm still in the YSA club.
Everytime someone tells me they so would love to be at my wedding I just tell them they better find me in Heaven because with me, that might be when it takes place. But the above picture is of course the temple I so desire to be married in if that day comes. I know it doesn't matter which ONE you are married in, but do you think the Lord would let me be sealed in the afterlife in this temple too?

Tomorrows lesson might be a little interesting and require a LOT of class involvement. I wish there was a way we could record it and post it on youtube for some great laughs.

So if you are there I hope you enjoy, if not, ask me about it tomorrow and I'll tell you all about the lesson that is sure to go wrong.

Preparing to say DEUCES!!

2009-03-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

Every day I wake up, get dressed, yell at Steph to get in the car, drive her to Seminary and then head into work. The work day usually involves a visit to my fellow secretary where we laugh and joke and gossip (it's what secretaries do!!). Among all of that though one thing is DEFINITE to come up... HOW MANY DAYS UNTIL THE TWO OF US LEAVE THE OFFICE/GERMANY!!!

Now, I was supposed to leave first. She wasn't set to PCS until November which meant me leaving in July I would be the FIRST to go. Well, come to find out her orders got moved up and lo-n-behold she's gone in May! NOOOOOOOO! She done stole my thunder! Now I'm the second to leave of the secretaries. Why such a big deal? We only have three secretaries in the office!

Well, come to find out half of my office is leaving with me or a little before. FOUR people are jetting out of here from an office that WHEN fully manned only has 11. DANG! HUGE turn over!

So to help me realize how long before I can say "DEUCES!" to Germany and the office I got a countdown!

Days until I'm Heading to ARIZONA!!

Woohoo! I know, I'm a nut!

Sick and Tired

2009-03-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

I am... are you? Sick and tired of re-reading my blogs and hearing how much I've been complaining. I'm done!!!

So here we go, a second new year's resolution; the first was to get back into school. So this second one is: Taking it one day at a time, not being so proud and moving on.

Alright, so the first one is pretty simple. Not planning too far ahead that I get stressed out or fail to enjoy the life I have here and now.

Second is probably the HARDEST! I grew up in a semi-proud family. We're the Rays! Get over it ;) so how I'm going to go about this is still taking some work. I don't think I'll be able to be the person that just throws her arms open and say, I need help; but perhaps it'll be more of me taking things in stride and not so put off when people do cross that line.

Third has already started to take place. Moving on from the past and into the new. It's like I've taken everything boxed it up and put a HUGE label on it: DON'T YOU DARE OPEN UNTIL YOU ARE ON YOUR DEATH BED. Yeah, I need to have that boundary otherwise I will NEVER accomplish the next goal in my life. This chapter of my life is over, MOVING ON!

So no more complaining. Well, less complaining. How about that?

Why I don't like it...

2009-03-15T02:54:00.000-07:00

Some people just can't understand why I don't want to be told how proud they are of me. They just don't understand why when they say they are happy to see me every week it makes me mad. Well, I've thought about it and I really do think this is why.

People are telling me they are happy to see me at church; something I should be doing anyway. People tell me they are proud of me for doing something that had I not chosen something else I wouldn't have to be doing what I am now!!!

I can't be someone's 'hero' if I'm only their hero because I'm trying to fix past mistakes. I can't be someone for others to look up to if I shouldn't be that person had I not chosen to fall first and then struggle to climb back to the top.

Trunk Sales

2009-03-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Every day, whether rain or snow, shine or grey, you will see them out there. Trunks ajar with all kinds of patrons waiting for that ONE person. Men and women alike, spouses, active duty or civilians they don’t care! Old or young, fat or thin you’ll see them all there! Sitting in their cars reading a magazine or out socializing with other people it doesn’t matter, there all there for one thing and one thing only. This is no ordinary crowd… oh no, it’s Ramstein Yard Sales shoppers!

Every day for the past week or so I’ve driven by or to the Burger King on Ramstein and seen an amazing site. I call it pre-ordered trunk sale. Imagine hundreds of thousands of people from across the Military community based in Kaiserslautern, Germany, logging on to the website, ramsteinyardsales.com and searching for that rare 1986 concert poster depicting the Monkees. I mean c’mon, who doesn’t need that to complete their life? Now I won’t lie. I’ve become a fan myself. It’s on this site that you can buy 10 movies for $10. Or find that rare Disney classic DVD “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” for $20 as opposed to the $30 Amazon is selling it for (without shipping and handling costs). Yep, I’m picking that DVD up this afternoon!!

I’ve seen some of the MOST random items on there as well though; an opened half empty bag of blow pops (ga’ll I hope none of them were USED). Plants, a car wash card for the local car wash and even transformers that no longer work. Hey, they do say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure but I didn’t know some of this stuff qualified.

I’ve used the site to sell beds, desks, text books and here really soon I’ll be working on getting rid of my TY beanies that I had growing up… any takers ;) haha

So no more early morning yard sales for me. Nope, if there isn’t a yardsales.com site wherever I move next I’m not going to waste my time driving from neighborhood to neighborhood looking. Maybe I’ll protest until Gilbert/Mesa gets one.

Coming to you live... Not really... Elder Robert D. Hales

2009-03-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Trivial knowledge, did you know he’s a retired AF Fighter Pilot? With that, on to the words of counsel!

So again I kind of went just to go and get out of the house; I’m trying to give everyone associated with the YSA Outreach Center a heart attack by showing up basically 3 times in a week.

HOW TO ALWAYS STAND FAITHFUL AND TRUE

-We are only able to stand faithful and true as we seek spiritual ‘high grounds’ in which we rise about the world and temptations

-Not only do we need to seek high grounds but we also need to maintain the high ground we achieve while working to go higher.

--Elder Hales told the story of Amalakiah and Lahonti. Lahonti had a fortress and was in prime position on a hill to be able to see Amalakiah’s men and army’s every move. Amalakiah wished to have Lahonti come from the fortress to overtake him; being a smart man Amalakiah sent a messenger to Lahonti asking him to come just outside his fortress so the two of them could talk. Lahonti refused the first time and remained in charge of his army and land while still on the high grounds. Amalakiah however would not give up and asked again and again. Finally Lahonti agreed and met with Amalakiah just outside his fortress.

It was here that Amalakiah offered Lahonti use of his armies if Lahonti would make Amalakiah second in command to him. For a while Lahonti continued to rule steadfast and strong but little by little he was dying off. Amalakiah was having one of his servants poison Lahonti until he finally died. It was at this point that Amalakiah gained control of all the Lamanite armies and land.

---In this story Lahonti is us and Amalakiah is Satan.

----Succumbing to the will of Satan may give us peace at first but it is only short lived and eventually will be the cause of our own destruction. We will constantly be tried and tempted to break the commandments but all these things are meant to strengthen us and will be for our own good. When we fall it afflicts others; not only ourselves.

SO MANY DEPEND ON US TO BE HONEST AND WORTHY AND CHASTE

-Keep in mind this was a fireside meant mainly for YSAs so Elder Hales went on to say, “CHOICES WE MAKE NOW WILL DETERMINE IF WE ARE WORTHY OF OUR FUTURE COMPANION AND CHILDREN.” Yeah, ouch, as if that didn’t hurt!

STAY WORTHY AND IT WILL NOT MATTER IF WE ARE MARRIED OR NOT IN THE AFTER LIFE (I think that goes back to a previous post of mine and the comment Sis Oaks made about having a mission and purpose to being single. The Lord will use you if you are worthy.

-If present friends are taking you from the strait and narrow do not remain close to them. Do not allow the mocking of those that chose the great and spacious building to deter you from the path of righteousness.

STAYING ON HIGH GROUND REQUIRES DESIRE AND STRENGTH

-How can I achieve this?

--Have the desire to gain that status

--Cultivate an atmosphere of spirituality

--Read your scriptures to help strengthen yourself and future home and family

--Faith in the Lord: Exercise it

---As we exercise our faith in the Lord we will mature and grow.

--TRUST in the Lord

--Maintain a close relationship with the Holy Ghost. He will give you strength, revelation and guidance to stay on that high ground

---DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO LOSE THE GUIDANCE/COMPANIONSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST

HIGH GROUNDS REQUIRE OBEDIENCE

-With the Spirit comes light. Satan is the Lord of Darkness and cannot stand where light is.

Elder Hales then made an unexpected turn if you ask me and started focusing on repentance. He said, “You do not want to live your life with regrets of disobedience.”

OF ALL THE WORDS IN THE WORLD, THE SADDEST OF THESE ARE: IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

The Fourth Step of Repentance is to FORGIVE OURSEVLES and the Lord, God, will not call it to mind.

-We cannot progress through this life and into the next if we do not forgive ourselves (but man, it’s just SOOOOO HARD!)

Elder Hales then shared thoughts with us that being the youngest in the family made it easy for him because he learned from his older siblings and was able to see the wrong doing and consequences and tell himself, don’t want to do that one! That thought brought out this thought from me: DO I DO THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT CAUSES MY SIBLINGS TO SAY: I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT OR BE LIKE HER? Wouldn’t that be the biggest slap in the face? The answer to the question regarding my siblings is probably YES which causes for a great desire to be better.

Elder Hales pointed out some things we need to work on now before we get in that situation of a couple and having to think/worry about others in our life.

REFRAIN FROM GAINING DEBT

-When we become indebt we give up our sense of Free Agency having to make decisions or cut backs to repay those debts.

--Of course he echoed the churches standings on education debts being the only debts you should be ok with incurring; that too though requires management and needs to be used for the bettering of yourself and education.

--When you finally have reached that point of marriage and companionship it is important to express those words of endearment, I love you, but also the four words of love, we can’t afford it.

We need to be self-disciplined in order to better our future families, we must raise ourselves up to high grounds so that we may reach down and lift others up without allowing them to pull us down.

PROVIDENT LIVING

-Temple is the HIGHEST ground we will be able to reach while in this life.

-At the temple:

--What is written on Earth is written in Heaven

--What is sealed on Earth is sealed in Heaven

--What is made covenant on Earth is made covenant in Heaven

--It is a place we can ponder and pray

--It is a place we can pour out our desires and cares to receive spiritual guidance.

BLESSINGS OF A FAMILY WILL COME TO ALL THE FAITHFUL, WETHER IN THIS LIFE OR THE NEXT

-Successful Couples:

--Know WHO they are and set goals to return to God

--Know DOCTRINES of GOSPEL and Keep COVENANTS

--CHOOSE to REMAIN SPIRITUAL and seek to become less worldly

--Know that they have been SEALED for ETERNITY and they need NOT look FURTHER

--Think of OTHER before SELF. Keep COMMUNICATION lines OPEN.

--Speak KIND WORDS and work to not hurt the ones they love. Successful couples KNOW that they will not be nicer in Heaven.

How blessed we are to have living apostles on this Earth, even if sometimes the counsel they provide hits us right where it hurts.

To Walk or Not To Walk...

2009-03-06T06:23:00.000-08:00

That is the question... and the answer, is quite simple: Not to walk!

I just received in the mail my commencement package for UMUC--Europe congratulating me on my milestone event of finishing my degree and inviting me to graduation ceremonies. Yeah, I'm not going to walk.

Reasons for not walking:
-It's just my AA and I don't see that as a reason to walk. Don't get me wrong, I think an AA is great but it's not really the end of my educational goals.
-It's UMUC and again, not the school I want to be known as a 'graduate' from.
-I'd have to drive down to Heidelberg and spend all day Saturday there. Not that that's horrible, but eh.
-I would know NOBODY that I would join in walking. I might be able to look around the entire auditorium and see one or two persons that I took a couple classes with, but nobody that I spent the past years with in class as we all tried to finish up our degree (I think I'm one of two persons who worked on an Associates in German).

Reasons to walk:
-My family. More than likely my family will not be able to make it back to the states to watch me walk at ASU (IF I decide to walk there).
-I'd get some fun pics of me in a graduation cap and gown! Let's face it, taking pictures in a cap and gown would be AWESOME!!! Get to dork around and just have fun... but then again I could just order the gown and take pictures without having to walk!!! I think I'll do that :)

So I'm curious... of those who earned their degree, did you walk? If you didn't, why not? If you did, was it fun?

Of those who haven't earned a degree what are your thoughts?

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts!

Re-blog: Protected Heart

2009-03-03T01:25:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love those blogs that as soon as you finish writing and start to re-read it to make sure it makes sense you feel the need to delete it all and start anew? Yeah, I so just did that; I need a word for it... How about re-blogging haha!

Ok, so I'm re-blogging; I was on here griping and complaining more about why I felt I didn't want to go to church anymore and I was saying I finally found the reason but as soon as I read it again I just HAD to delete it. I'll keep those thoughts to myself.

So in my re-blog I turn my thoughts once again to a spiritual manner of some sorts. And of course I can't find the quote that I had in mind; but Sunday in RS Sis Robertson shared (what I thought was a quote) a thought along the basic lines of having Christ like love toward all in order to improve our tongues to be a tongue of angels. WOWZERS! So all in one weekend I've been slapped around quite a few times with things I need to improve on starting with the fireside and moving on to Relief Society.

She asked for some thoughts and while I had some I did not share because in all honesty I didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. This Christ like love is an important aspect for me to improve on because I know I personally have a problem with that; especially the love part. I've noticed that those people I am close to and have a great amount of love for I can almost say no wrong about or to. But those that have offended me or that I feel less close to I tend to build my wall around my heart even higher.EXAMPLE: Two people can say the exact same thing either to me or to my mother about wanting to be there for me. One of them I'm close to the other not so much and I will actually get mad at the one I'm not close to because I feel they are only looking for a service project. This has happened and I just wish people would respect the 50 foot boundary I've built around my heart.

I told someone on Sunday that I get mad at people like that, and have even said somethings to them, because it seems like they only want to be here when they think I could become their 'project'. I remember after someone told me they know 'exactly' what is going on with me I actually turned to them and said, "And you are.... No seriously, why do you all the sudden want to throw yourself into my life? Looking for brownie points for taking on the more difficult 'one'?" That's the side of me I want to learn to tame so I don't feel bad later.

At the same time though I've had people say the same thing to me, and a learned Sara asked them what they meant by it and they didn't answer. I asked them specifically to tell me what they THOUGHT was going on with me and I got NO answer (I asked a lot nicer than that sounds). Stuff like that really makes me suspect that they only want me to think they KNOW so I will divulge my life's secrets to them.

I'm a closed off person. I tend to tell people that I have 'guy feelings' not girl feelings. People ask me how I am and instead of saying, fantastic or wonderful or any of those other labeled female answers I say simply, 'fine'. I got a huge headache, nope I'm fine. I'm freezing cold and can't find a blanket, nope I'm fine. I just got a huge raise at work and paid vacation to go on all my trips!, nope I'm fine. I just get my new puppy ripped from my arms to live with someone else, nope I'm fine. Fine explains it enough.

I'll try to work on that whole Christlike love thing; but I really wish people would just let ME move on with my life. I don't bring up their past mistakes or current trials so let me take the first steps I need to in order to move on too. I guess I really wouldn't be so skeptical of people if they would say the things they are to ME instead of going to my mother, my RS president or even the Bishop.

Again, I'm going to get a lot of emails or phone calls from Bishop (dad) and other Bishop, close friends and maybe not so close friends either telling me they want to do lunch or chastising me telling me I need to soften my heart. BRING IT ON :) haha!

This blog is a lot of ADD in action. But I think it all relates. It's just something I need to work on why I feel that way in the first place. I dunno. I hope I'm not the only one who feels that there need to be some boundaries, maybe not 50 foot boundaries but respect and sincerity.

Epic Moment and the Lord's retaliation

2009-02-26T14:19:00.001-08:00

I did something this week I never thought I would; I told my mother I didn't think I could go to church anymore. I don't know what's happened I just came home one day and told her I wasn't sure if I could do it anymore.

Then I went to Frankfurt on Friday as part of a YSA fireside. I must say the manner in which I went was quite 007 like. I made sure NOBODY knew I was going outside of my mother and one other YSA. I went because it's Elder Dallin H. Oaks who wanted to speak to the YSAs of Germany; who in their right mind would say no? NOT ME! Even if I am having feelings of not going to church.

I got there and found out that not only was Elder Dallin H. Oaks going to be talking to us but also Elder Robert C. Oaks (did you know they are cousins???). Of course both were accompanied by their wives and we were so blessed to hear from both of them too.

This was just the night of Oaks' I'll tell you what. We first heard from Sis Oaks (Robert C's wife) and she shared a few thoughts and scriptures along with her testimony. Some of the thoughts shared were about the Plan of Salvation many times referred to as the Plan of Happiness. She bluntly stated that OUR plan relies on choices made by us that will determine the amount of happiness we receive in the after life. After hearing from Sis Oaks her husband, Elder Robert C. Oaks spoke to us.Elder R. Oaks is a retired four star General of the USAF. He is in our area Presidency, I do believe he is the area president, and he came to our Stake Conference a couple weeks ago too. We got to hear so many fun and entertaining stories about him from Stake Conference but also tonight. Elder Oaks began with echoing some of the thoughts his wife said, while emphasizing the fact that the Plan of Salvation would NOT be made possible without the Atoning sacrifice made by Christ.

Elder Oaks then went on to talk about Stake Conferences. As most know with Stake Conferences they usually hold new member and recently re-activated meetings after conference. Elder Oaks LOVES these meetings; he says the reason for Stake Conference is to have these new member/re-activated meetings.

Elder Oaks shared one story with us his son told him about a fast Sunday in North Carolina. During the testimony meeting a sister went up to bear her testimony and said that she was praying for Heaven and found it when the missionaries came to her and her family with the gospel.

This story caused me to pose a question on myself: IS THAT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE GOSPEL? Do I think of the gospel as being heaven?

The next thought he shared is one that I probably needed to hear most, "The gospel has the power to give us peace, DAILY!" Through it we are able to learn how to bring Christ's character into our own life and become more like him.

The gospel has the power to change lives; but HOW has it changed MY life? And here's the better question, have I allowed it to change my life? HAS IT CHANGED MY LIFE? Or am I still living the way I WANT to as opposed to how I SHOULD be living it?

We need to develop a more personal relationship with CHRIST; it is a treasure that we should cherish and hold close to our hearts. But what is a personal relationship and how can we develop it?
-It is more than just a testimony, but it needs to be founded ON our testimony.
-We need to focus on the atoning sacrifice for YOU. The atonement was for everyone; but apply in your life and see what he did specifically for YOU. Realize that through the atonement YOU will rise from the grave someday and not be held captive in the grave.
-Study the scriptures. John, Matthew, Mark, Luke and 3 Nephi. Through all of these you can come to learn of CHRIST not only from his life and ministry to the old world; but also to the Nephites after his resurrection.
-Ponder these questions: WHAT DID CHRIST DO? WHAT IS HE LIKE? WHO IS HE? After reading and studying the scriptures we will be able to answer those questions and know more personally what he did.

The final thought Elder Robert C. Oaks left with us was that CHRIST suffered alone in Gethsemane, he suffered alone in Pilot's court and on the cross. CHRIST was alone when he was resurrected aside from two angels from heaven; the point is, he suffered ALONE so that WE don't have to.

We then heard from the other Sis Oaks (Dallin H.'s wife). Trivial information, did you know that this is Elder Oaks' second wife and Sis Oaks was not married before she married Dallin around the age of 50. She had some fantastic stories and great insight considering she was a Single Adult for quite a while. **FINALLY, AN ADULT WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE SINGLE. FINALLY, AN ADULT WHO DOESN'T MAKE ALL THE YSAs FEEL LIKE DEFECTED MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH! (WELL, HER AND SHERRI DEW)**
Through her experience she found that the ONLY way to stay active in the church is to cling to the truths and basic gospel principles. It is essential to use that and service, both through callings and good deeds, to grow closer to members of the ward so we don't feel 'alienated'. I'm not sure if the states have Outreaches; but in Europe they are centers for YSAs to go and hang out, go to institute and FHE. She encourages all YSAs to go to Outreach; I have a family so I exclude myself from FHE.

She then expressed her desire for us to understand that having feelings of loneliness and wanting something more as far as a family is concerned is NORMAL! She actually told us to RESPECT those feelings and emotions; use them to turn back to the Lord. Go to him in prayer to help you understand these feelings and do what is needed in order to move on and continue progressing with our lives.

The next list of thoughts is what we need to do WHILE being Single.
-Have a CURRENT temple recommend and stay worthy to carry one to any temple in the world.
-Be not judgemental; being judgemental before you are married will only cause you to be judgemental after you are married and that causes for unhealthy relationships.
-Strive to do service; when you are single it's harder to do service because you are distant from other members of the church and you don't have a significant other living with you that you can easily do service for.
-Be grateful; if you find yourself concentrating on your blessings you will find more everyday.
-Know AND follow religion. It is one thing to know what you believe but another to acutally live it and to do it all the time when you think nobody is watching.
-Pay your tithing. If you ever want to go innactive in the church just stop paying your tithing.
-Just get UP and GO to CHURCH! It may be difficult but in the end it's up to you whether or not you go to church and if you decide it is important for you to go to church then just go!
-RESPECT YOUR TIME BEING SINGLE. Sis Oaks said, "If you are living the commandments and still single the Lord wants you to be single and has a plan for you while you are single."

With that last thought this question was raised, 'WHAT IS MY MISSION WHILE I AM SINGLE?' I have my thoughts on that one, there are probably one or two things I've done while being single that I could list under this. Both of which I'm hoping is NOT the reason; but really, what can I be doing with my time of being single in order to progress myself and others before I get married?

Sis Oaks has the habit of calling Elder Oaks to the pulpit at the end of her talk whenever she travels with him on assignment. Tonight she did the same thing and publically thanked him for all he's done for her and being patient with her. He returned the favor and at the beginning of his talk he called her to the pulpit asking her to share one specific thing he really grew to love about her. He asked her to tell us what she told him as to why she religiously went to the temple when she was single. She said that as a woman in the church and not having a father a member of the church (she's a convert) she needed to go to church and the temple in order to have that preisthood presence in her life in case she ever needed anything.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks was then left with 30 mins to talk, he spent the first twenty of it telling stories which we all loved! He really is a funny man and probably laughs more at his stories than the congregation as a whole did.

Elder Oaks' message was short and simple, 'Every member must learn HOLY HABITS AND RIGHTEOUS ROUTINES'. But what are these things and how can we develop them?

HOLY HABITS: Things that EVERY member should do; i.e. prayer, scripture study, regular church attendance and worthily partaking of the sacrament every week.

RIGHTEOUS ROUTINES: Things you need to do on a more personal level in order to avoid temptations. Members need to learn what is a temptation to them and find ways to stay away from things and places that might tempt you to cross that line and break the commandments. Every person has a different trial in their life which is why this is a personal aspect.

WHAT RIGHTEOUS ROUTINES DO I NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS LIFE AND INTO THE NEXT?

His final thought, and the final thought of the evening, to the YSAs was D&C 38:42.
-Go ye out from among the wicked; avoid those that tempt you to do those things unbecoming of a member of the church.
-Save yourself; don't be stupid and put yourself in situations that you KNOW could possibly lead you to breaking the RIGHTEOUS ROUTINES you have mapped out for yourself.
-Be ye clean; mainly morally. The final thought he shared was that we need to be clean in order to carry the vessels of the Lord. He put a different spin on this for all of us in saying that the men of the church need to be morally clean in order to carry the vessels we use for sacrament. Women do not have the priesthood power but instead we play a vital part in this life that through us we bring about children to the world. We carry those vessels that allow spirits to come and inhabit the earth. Just like men though women need to remain morally clean so that this only happens in the eternal bonds of marriage.

Where I go from here as far as church is concerned I'm not sure. I'm positive I'll continue to go to church and do what is expected of me, but I'm really hoping that these trials of showing up will go away. I guess I have to work on that whole not being judgemental thing so that I will stop thinking everyone is judging me.

The night of listening to the Oaks' was amazing. If Europe provides anything it is the privilege of hearing from General Authorities more often than most places I'm sure. Being a YSA in the states is one thing, but being a YSA in Europe seems to put you up on a higher platform in the sense of trying to build the church's younger population.

Planning Last Few Months

2009-02-23T15:51:00.000-08:00

Ah, Western Europe, my home for the past 3 years; how I've had a love hate relationship! It's been my goal ever since I got here to see the majority of the countries (not including the Baltic countries or the like of those).

The map above shows which countries I've been to highlighted in green, the countries I have plans to go to in the pale orange and all the others in blue.

It's been a decent run I would say. I didn't get all the countries like I wanted, Greece, Switzerland, Ireland etc. but if you ask me for a working full time college kid I would say that's not bad. I've got my tickets for England already Scotland I'm still working out the kinks but my office gave me 175 Euro of ryan air fare that expires in Sept so I figure I need to use it right??? RIGHT! Lets see how many countries I can hit up in the last few months!

In a Reflective Mood

2009-02-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

So many things on my mind right now it's crazy!

This weekend I'm enrolled in a class that HOPEFULLY will get me certified as a personal trainer. This is actually good for a few reasons I think; 1-Give me an insight to the job I'll potentially be working at after my degree. 2-More training in my field of study. 3-I might actually be able to transfer this training over to my degree and have less courses to take when I get back to ASU.

As I struggled sitting through class today (it was a 10 hour day) my mind couldn't help but to bounce all over the place. I reflected on a lot of things that I didn't even realize I was having thoughts about. I think I wrote more down on those subjects than what I wrote down as notes for this class.

About half way through writing what I was thinking I found myself shocked at some of the things I was writing. A little hostile at some of the things that have been expressed, not exactly to me but rather about my situation and it makes me mad. I'm grateful for those who have tenderly approached me about things and for the MOST part I do NOT take offense.

After all of this I realized one more thing, maybe I have a pride issue. Don't tell my father I said that; he might die of a heart attack.

**This blog was just to vent; it's not aimed towards anyone so I'm really hoping I don't get comments from people apologizing. I'm an upfront person. If I thanked you for your comments I meant it.**

Another HUGE Step in my Life

2009-02-11T00:57:00.000-08:00

Man, I've blogged more these past two months than I think I did the entirety of last YEAR.

Last night I did something I didn't think I would ever do, accomplished another goal I had set for myself for some time and am now feeling so relieved; I finished my final course to get my German Degree!!
Alright, so it's only an AA but this is a huge weight off of my shoulders because it means when I go back to ASU they have to take me in as at least a Junior. There have been some rumors around here that UMUC credits don't always transfer to schools back in the states and the only way to guarantee they do is to have a degree. That takes care of all my lower class course work; Halle-freakin-lujah!

I now just have to sit on edge until I find out what grade I get, but as long as it's a C I get my degree and I'm pretty sure I've done that. I got an A on my final and As and Bs on all my assignments thus far. I'm pulling for a low A high B. Then the transcripts will be sent to ASU and they get to decide what courses I have to finish for my BS! I'm hoping to be out by Dec 2010, but it might not be until May 2011; either way it's all in sights!

Yep, I'm excited.

Sun Devil Once Again

2009-02-09T12:49:00.001-08:00

I don't think there is ANYONE who has applied to a single school more than I've applied to ASU. I think I'm up to four now and I've only gone there one year. Honestly, I don't know what compels me to apply when I have little intention of going back to school but this time there is no stopping me. I'm a SUN DEVIL JERRY, and I'm staying a Devil until I finish (which hopefully will be NLT May 2011).
I applied last year and the week before I was planning to head out things went south and it just didn't feel right to be heading back to school just yet; so here I stayed. Three months later I was thinking about school again. I was offered a good job with the Air Force here and deciding that I wanted to save money for school once again here I stayed.

This past year has had more ups and downs than I would have liked. There have been trials upon trials here followed by a long period of sadness and regrets that I am finding myself struggling to get out of. This is good though, I need to get on with my life and starting a new chapter, the only sad part is I'm not leaving soon enough.

The year hasn't been completely bad. I've enjoyed most of it and people I've met along the way as well as certain ones I've grown closer to. This year has been a good one. Would I take it back? No. Would I do things differently? Yes. Life has its trials but we all live and hopefully learn from it.

ASU here I come!

Adding to the Obsession

2009-02-08T05:54:00.001-08:00

So I was once told that I have an obsession and it's not really a bad one in my eyes, but some people find it wrong that I collect Tiggers. Yes, we're talking about the Disney character all orange and striped, bouncy, trouncy, pouncy, flouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is I have more than 60 of the stuffed guys!
I've also been told I'm really hard to shop for so when all else fails people just get me tiggers. As you can see from the picture above though the hardest thing to do is find one that I DON'T have. This year the hard task was done, TWICE!
The first one was given to me by my mother for Christmas. As you can probably see it even came complete with the typical ugly holiday sweater. HAHA! He is fun and cute and again, one I didn't have yet so he was accepted into the 'pack'.
The other two were given to me all at once from Barney. Such a sweety isn't he? Like everyone else he wanted to make sure I didn't get duplicate of any of the Tiggers. He did well with the two he got me.
The bigger one is seriously like 24 inches! I have a couple of other 24 inchers, but this one is different with texture and coloring is a bit different. He is soft and way cute!
The second one is probably one of my favorites! It's a 'thief' Tigger! He's all decked out in a mask and even has the striped shirt typical of criminals to be depicted in. The heart he is holding says, "You stole my heart" I thought it was cute! And for someone who really doesn't like Valentines like I do I actually really enjoyed this.
So once again my collection has grown and I've enjoyed watching it grow. So I'm 21 and have an obsession with an animated character. But at least I've outgrown the Tigger sheets ;)

Disney Classics

2009-02-05T02:17:00.000-08:00

So who doesn't enjoy a Disney Classic, HONESTLY! For the past few months I've started building up my movie collection of both good newly released movies as well as Classic movies I grew up with.

Today's movie, I'm at home sick, is Pocahontas. When this movie first came out I LOVED it. I was like 8 but even now I still enjoy it. Animated Disney movies cannot be rivaled and this is one of those. I watched something about this movie once and was told that there was a song taken out between John Smith and Pocahontas when he was being held captive after Kocoum was killed; now with the movie on DVD the song is reinstalled and like it was never taken out. Then at the end they add another snippet from the same song and it's like it's a BRAND NEW MOVIE!

So I'm 21 and still watching movies that I watched when I was 8. But so what? I figure I'll at least be an aunt someday and will need movies that won't degrade the kids' minds so I can be the cool aunt Sara right? RIGHT!

Linus needs a new Blankie

2009-01-29T22:47:00.000-08:00

Hey it's my buddy Linus. We all know Linus right? Well if not just know that he was part of a not so well known comic strip called "Peanuts" really small, hardly anyone read it. :)
Why am I blogging about Linus today? Well because in my reflective mood I've come to realize that Linus and I have a lot in common. No, I do not suck my thumb, but he and I both have a thing for blankets. There isn't a place in the house that I will go without my blanket; at least I used to never go anywhere without it. It's true. Ask anyone in my family. Yes, I know I'm 21 years old and should be over my blanket addiction, but I'm not. I love them. When I was in the eighth grade I got a blanket from my Grandma Norton as a gift. I was really reluctant back then to take it under my wings, but that is mainly because I had broken in the one she had given me before and didn't want to have to break in another one. Oh, I am glad I did.

That blanket has been with me for 8 years. Yep, I was 13 when I started toting it around the house. Watching football, it was with me; Christmas day, it was with me; even on my sick days laying on the floor of the bathroom, it was wrapped around me giving me the comfort I needed.
It went with me to college, came back with me to Europe, has spent time in Egypt, Spain and Austria as well. That blanket was MINE! It really bugged me when anyone else used it. MINE!

For the past year my mother has been telling me I need to retire the blanket. RETIRE IT??? WHAT? BLASPHEMY! She would only re-iterate her comments when I would lay down with it and hear it rip just a little bit more. Having had the blanket for so long the fabric had really begun to wear out and give up on me.
Little tears here, another there, a few star shaped cuts here. It really was starting to get into bad shape.
All around the edges the fabric had been torn and was starting to create a pocket. If the blanket hadn't been tied it really would have been missing a back already.
Not to mention the random tears all around that I really had no idea what caused them. I wouldn't let it go though. No matter how careful I had to be in order to cuddle up with it at night. Finally after getting so annoyed with my brother using it and hearing it snag or wanting to beat the cat for attacking it I gave in. I said goodbye to my old blanket of 8 years and was given another from the grandmother. Partly though because I told everyone they needed to tell her how desperately I needed a new one. I think my mother even relayed the information a couple times.
When Steph ran off to AZ for the holidays she brought back the new blanket. I was really reluctant again to start using this blanket. It hadn't been broken in. And with the underneath all silky I was afraid of snagging it and sending it to an early grave.

But I like the fuzzy of the one side and the silky of the other, so I use it. My blue blanket still has a tight hold on my heart and I still use it from time to time but I think it really appreciates the break it has been able to receive.
So now can you see why Linus is my buddy and we have so much in common? I'm sure he would feel the same way if someone tried to make him retire his blanket. Though his blanket looks to be in much better shape than mine was.
I'm really going to miss that blanket but am ever so grateful for the newest blanket I've been given.

Basketball and blood

2009-01-25T00:25:00.000-08:00

Basketball season is upon us. Oh yeah! We don't have anyone playing on the school teams, mainly because out here there aren't any Middle School teams and Steph, well she is a cheerleader we love her for it.

Every Friday night Alex has a game, same time, same place every week and we love the consistency of that! This last Friday though it was a game to remember. These kids are 7-8 years and having close to 10 players they usually only play two quarters a game. So Alex played the second quarter and sat out quarters one and three. He played well, but I did not have the camera to take pictures. Simeon thinks he is turning into a freelance photographer and demands that we "take turns" which would be fine if I got a turn on Friday to take pictures.

During the third quarter Alex decided to come sit up by us. Both coaches walk the floor and it's one of those teach as they play kind of ages. So Alex was up playing around with Simeon and mom and I were talking about a grocery list. Next thing we know Simeon is beating on us telling us Alex 'accidentally hit his jaw on the bleachers'. Now with these boys when someone gets hurt a lot of times it's NOT an accident. So thinking it's just going to be a scraped chin we look over to find Alex's mouth full of blood, a tooth on the bleachers and this poor kid in TEARS!!!

No, I did not have the camera for that lovely picture but I did have Simeon babysit the coats and bags so I could catch some really good moments in the bathroom... :)

Poor kid falls victim of my paparazzi desires! I just thought it was too funny to watch him lose it almost and then not 10-15 mins later be completely fine and back to posing once again.

No pictures from that night's game, but I've thrown in some from the other games. He's so small compared to the other kids. He just turned 7 at the beginning of the season and though he is tall for a 7 year old there are some really tall 8 year olds!

Then there is Simeon, I've yet to see one of his games. His first was away at Baumholder and yesterday's game I was in a class all day long. He probably feels neglected by us, but I promised him next weekend he'll be my victim for lots of pictures.

Simeon is still at the age where girls and boys can play together and I love watching him interract with these girls. He's like Cody in the sense that he has a ton of girls for friends.

Mo is in the highest of the age limites, 13-15, and some of these kids look older! Really hoping Mo will advance his skills this year so we can watch him play for the school next year. Community teams are fun, but honestly, school teams are by far the BEST!

Yeah, he needs a hair cut. I don't know WHY that's the fashion over here; is it the same in the states? It's like these little EMO kids running around, drives me insane! He has told us he wants to cut it short like a missionary, but we get him to the barber and the line is so long that he eventually chickens out and we have other things to do than to argue with him.
I love this picture merely for the face Mo is making. We always tell him we can tell when he is truly trying to inflict pain on one of his younger/shorter siblings because of his little tongue bite. He gets it from Cody, I SWEAR! But it's like a concentration thing, have to make sure their tongue isn't going to fall out or something. He's really getting good at bball, I tell you he could probably be Spencer when he was this age, definitely beat me, but still needs some work on them free throws haha. That's where I'd kill him :)

99 have yous...

2009-01-20T20:53:00.000-08:00

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I make pretty cool cards... haha)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch-hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (so sweet...)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chicken pox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
91. Flown in an airplane
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

47 out of 99... Not bad. I find it funny however that I've done MOST of the things outside of the US but have never even seen the Grand Canyon which is in my HOME STATE! I think I need to stop touring the world and focus on my nation huh?

Is this a TYPO?

2009-01-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning in a little bit of disbelief. In all my years of life I've been a Cards fan... it's kind of bred into you with my family. To like another team is disgraceful and to be a BandWagonJumper (BWJ) is even worse!

I've stuck with my team through it all; regardless of what my father says, I have. I know we've been through some tough times, and not seeing much of the playoffs in all my 21 years. Why should this year be any different most asked.

When the Cards made it into the playoffs it was because we had a weak division and if you waited long enough we would head off to the East coast and get CREAMED by the Panthers. Our win against the Falcons was a fluke and nothing but luck.

So off to Carolina we went; and home to AZ we came... with heads held HIGH and looking forward to the next week playing the Eagles at HOME!!! Defense was a HUGE part of that game for the first time in a long time our O*Line and Defense are worth mentioning.

Still not many commentators gave us a chance. Even people from Arizona didn't think we'd make it past the Eagles... after all back in November in 2 inches of snow, and after a short week we got blown out by them. Why should us playing at home in the toaster over, with perfect conditions and a week of practice make a difference right?

Well it did! I won't say it was a PERFECT game by them, only scoring 7 in the second half and allowing the Eagles to come back 25 points, 19 in the second half unanswered until our LATE TD with 3 mins left.

All that aside it's finally over and we're heading to Tampa Bay 1 Feb. to play the Steelers. What a match up that will be. Let's not get a big head and give them a good game! The world is waiting for us to get blown out and they still are sure it will happen. Watching Sports Center this morning and even they are still joking about it repeating it, claiming it is not a typo and today's weather may include flying pigs.

So I say take it Cards, you've been the underdogs for three weeks now and look how that's worked for us. Gather all the unbelievers, put them in one room and feed off of that!

GO CARDS!!!!

Holidays 2008

2009-01-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

This holiday season was a little bit more different than most I'm sure. Dad deployed in July meaning we had the holidays without him. Spencer was in Arizona and Cody was spending Christmas with his recently made fiance. About a week before Christmas mom decided she would send Steph home to Arizona so she could get away from the hustle and bustle of Germany, to enjoy some sun and fun and also to get her permit so hopefully she can one day get her license.

In years past we always make it a habit to set up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving; that's my job. I put up the tree and the lights, after that I'm done. It's the younger kids' job to put the ornaments and other decorations up. Needless to say, I'm sure, but that usually means not a whole lot gets done. This year we were actually smart and invited the elders over to have 'dinner'... as long as they'd help decorate the tree.

This was probably the best our tree has looked in a while.

Germany was 'fortunate' enough to get snow this year and it was acutally around the time of Turkey day that our first really big one happened. The way the boys play in the snow you would think they are from the desert and have NEVER seen snow before... oh wait...

Poor Alex, he just was not all that happy. But I think Sim got the worst of it. He came in one night with snow IN his ear. Oh thank heavens for older brothers.

That's right, even Mo had fun with the winter weather. He enjoyed watching A Christmas Story this year; he got so caught up on the "I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU" part that he just HAD to try it. Shortly after he did this I read about a boy in Illinois who did the same thing and actually had the paramedics come to help. Though we didn't have to go that far with Mo, he did manage to rip part of his tongue off. I didn't get any of him out there with his tongue stuck to it, but oh, that would have been CLASSIC!!!

With Steph gone to the states it was just the 3 little boys, myself and the mom for Christmas and new years. Not bad I'd say. Germany is awesome this time of year. Fireworks are sooooooo much fun but I will also note dangerous. You are not allowed to set any off until midnight but all afternoon we could hear noise makers going off. Simeon just wanted to join in and about 1900 he dropped a 'frog' off the top floor balcony into our patio and just watched it jump around makin all sorts of noise. Poor thing could NOT wait. That's a picture of a frog in mid-pop.

Mo really loves the fireworks and we tend to go all out for them. Had more bottle rockets than we really wanted. It was a bit chilly out. Colder than year's past but it was still good. We made it through all the bottle rockets, roman candles, fountains and for the most part sparklers.

Oh it was a good holiday season for the most part. My heart ached missing a few loved ones but in all it was a good season.

A growing family...

2008-12-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

So the Ray family is growing again... Actually we've been growing since last January, but I have been so bad at posting that well, this is the first time I've taken the opportunity to post about them.

This first sweety is Roxanne, she is our female border-collie. She can be a pest at time, but what indoor dog isn't?

She is rather pretty though and can be a true sweetheart...

Then we have Oliver, our recently adopted Calico kitten. He was only 14 weeks when we got him back in September; turned out it's previous owner was actually allergic to it and instead of finding it a new home just opened the door and let him out. Poor guy... So there is a lid for a garbage can that we had sitting on the floor one day and when we went to pick it up to put it back on the garbage can we got a nice little surprise.

Oliver popped out and started attacking us. Lucky for us he doesn't use his claws if he knows it is your hand or foot... just to be safe we let him play with shoe-laces and pens.

The whole point we started looking for a cat, or at least my reasoning, is so Roxy would have a playmate so she would not be so bored during the day... Needless to say that after she got over her fear of Oliver they've gotten along just nicely. It's funny, sometimes he's not in the mood to play and sometimes she isn't... Now if only their moods would match.

We are slowly but surely teaching Roxy "Get the kitty" so that when the dad gets home from deployment he won't want to get rid of Oliver as much as he says he does right now. Though I'm not sure how much he REALLY wants to get rid of Oliver. It was mom's anniversary gift to herself :) haha.

So there you have it, it's our family pets. And aren't they fun!!! Poor Roxy just got spayed today so she's down there trying to get over the trauma of it all, while Oliver lays up here purring and nuzzling up against anyone he can find... He really is a sweet little boy.

Proof of Schizophrenic Germany

2008-11-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

Oh, I remember it well, like it was only a week ago... oh wait, it was only a week ago! Just last week we were enjoying fall colors and cold. Sometimes even 50 degrees. But not anymore.

That's right, snow has finally hit Germany. Why is this such a surprise to me? For the past 2.5 years I've lived in Germany. For the past 2.5 years I've seen two instances of snow. For the past 2.5 years we have only had 2 days of snow. For the past 2.5 years it's been in March/April.

This is not going to be a nice winter if it's snowing before Turkey day... Any tips for a desert girl and driving in the snow?

Yep, this is the same field that I took a picture of two weeks ago... and now it's leafless and white. It's actually snowing right now and so in the morning I might have better pictures.

Schizophrenic Germany

2008-11-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

Why can't things just stay the same? Last month when I came home from Venice I had the opportunity to take a rather nice picture of the field next to our house; but for heaven sakes it makes me realize that winter is on its way.

Oh, I hate winter. Sure I like dressing warm, and looking cute doing it, but seriously winter tends to bite.

In Germany the seasons are all sorts of messed up. Summer is rainy like Spring, Fall is situated correctly with changing leaves and cold but sometimes it can be HOT, and Winter is just absolutely chilly. So what is Spring like? My word... WINTER! The past two years I've lived here We've only had snow twice, first year it was in March and last year it was on Easter. Honestly, a green Christmas and a white Easter? I don't think so!

I hate snow, but I figure if it's going to be cold it might as well snow too and hard enough that I don't have to go to work! That's yet to happen, but maybe, just maybe... Ok, I won't hold my breath for it.

I miss Arizona weather. hot or hotter. When it does rain it's a gorgeous rain that lasts for all of a couple hours, floods parking lots, brings amazing thunder storms and stays warm all the while. Call me crazy for enjoying that but honestly it's amazing!

Alright, I think I've complained enough. More pictures of Germany during winter to come.

My Daddy, My Hero

2008-10-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

So as many of you probably already know, my daddy is serving downrange right now, and I probably don't let him know I'm proud of him as much as I should. But I am. I love my dad and I think he's the best dad in the world. I stole this idea from my brother, but added my own personal touch to it. So daddy, just to let you know, I love you and I am way proud of you. Nobody else I'd want to be my father other than you!!!!

One Step Closer

2008-10-18T14:09:00.001-07:00

Thursday marked a great day in the life of Sara... Final Exam for my German class!!! yay!

Now what this means is that I have one more class, which is a German life and culture and BAM! I have my Associates in German! I can't believe it's finally over. I NEVER thought last March that I would be where I am and finally finished with German. I'm glad it's over, but at the same time a little sad. It's now on me to keep the German going. Not sure if I have that much self-discipline :(

My Calendar

2008-10-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

Alright, I need help. I want to make a calendar for the 2009 year but I want to use some of my travel pictures/other pictures I've taken. I've got it down to like thirty or something but obviously there are only 12 months...

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

#15

#16

#17

#18

#19

#20

#21

#22

#23

Seriously, I need help... if you have any thoughts on which I should or SHOULDN'T use... let me know... I have to get working on this soon. I'm going to Venice on Friday so I may have others to choose from. Or if you have seen another of my photos and think I should use one of them instead, I'm all ears. I wish I had access to everyone in person so I could just spread them all out and say, ok, which grab your eyes?

Looking forward to the Year

2008-08-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Has it been long enough since I blogged? I think so. So this blog is to update on life, so much has happened since May and I've been bad to keep up on it all.

First off, dad is gone. He deployed mid-July and is doing well thus far downrange but of course misses us and we him. We are doing ok though. This will be the longest deployment we've done at one time, but lucky for us it's not our first. I will keep everyone updated on how the family is doing.

I started my job in June, which is a large part of why I haven't been more faithful in writing. I work at US Air Force's in Europe (USAFE)'s HQ. I'm just a little ole secretary, but hey, I get paid well. The hours are tough, 8-1700, but it's helped me to realize that I don't want to work full time like this unless I'm doing what I WANT to do with my life which is more hands on and less behind a desk telling my boss when he has a meeting to go to or planning his TDYs.

This realization brought me to the next item of the next year: ASU is where I need to go! It's where I WANT to be.So come next fall, no matter what, no matter how, I will be going to ASU. I need to finish my education and this is where I want to do it at. Now of course is some freak thing happens and I truly can't get there I'll have to take that into consideration. But I don't see that happening. ARIZONA, I'm coming back after 4 years of being gone!!!

I start class again on Tuesday. I'm not looking forward to this. I am in my final German class for my AA and I haven't studied German for almost a year. I'm not sure how I'm going to pull this one off. I'll be praying. That's for sure.

I think that's all for what this next year is going to entail but it's going to be a good year as long as it flys by quickly.

I need PHOTOSHOP

2008-05-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

So with my band pictures this past weekend I took this picture:

I liked it, but with the kids in the background and the directors hand in the middle of the side I really didn't want to leave it as that. So I adjusted and edited it to look more like this:

And I did this all with the silly program of Paint; not nearly as good as Photo-shop. It is now that I'm starting to really want to edit my pictures that I see the need for photo-shop. The only problem I can see with this is the price of about 400-1000$$! Yeah, that's a hard one to swallow!

Black Lights, Puppets and Music

2008-05-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

I've been working at the Middle School on one of the bases here in Germany where my mom also works. I've been deemed the 'Official photographer for the Rising Stars' which is the special education class at the school. Throughout the year I've taken pictures for them and by word of mouth the Band director found out about me liking to take pictures.

Every year they do a really good spring concert. Last year they used black lights and neon cups to go along with some beats they made up. It was really cool! So the Band director got special permission to ask me to take pictures of the concert. Here are some of the pictures I got to take.

This years theme was Flash from the Past so these were some of the outfits they showed to the crowd to get things started.

So of course we started with the 50's.Moved onto the Beach Boy era of the 60's.The hippy era of the 70's.Then moved onto the Punk Rock era of the 80's.
The band then played songs such as Scooby Doo and Adams Family theme song, James Bond and Beach Boy songs. The trumpet player on the end is the son of one of the girls mom used to work with. Good kid.
I thought this kid was really cool and the instrument he plays is a pretty neat one as well. I've subbed for his class a couple times and he's a good kid as well.
The band director teaches exploratory music which is focused a lot on recorders. I dn't know if you can see that big recorder the kid on the end is holding but it's half the size of him. They played "Stand By Me".
Ms. Remley, the band director, leads the 4/5 grade classes and exploratory class in some Elvis Presley songs.
Ms. Remley really teaches these kids new things; here the kids sign "Over the Rainbow".
Two of the Rising Stars signing along with the class; Britani and Terrace.
The grand finale.
After the seriousness of the concert it was time to get moving and having fun again. I know this picture isn't completely in focus, but I like the effect of the blur with the streamers.
Can you guess what song they are dancing to? Car Wash Haha!
After the dancing we moved onto the black light. I used night mode for a lot of these pictures, so the blur is supposed to be there.
Here they were using the song "Wonderful World".
They then moved onto "Dueling Banjos" with white ribbons.
Here you can actually see the kids doing the routine.
The night mode really did some wonders for these pictures.
Now, I'd like to introduce you to...
Buzzy!
Buzzy has some friends and they are all puppets.
The music class was learning about puppetry and black lights so they got to play with Buzzy. They all look like neon colored cookie monsters.
These pictures really looked good with the different setting too.

These guys are Noodles.

They were dancing noodles which ended the show.

It really was a good concert, I'm glad I was asked to be the 'official' photographer for it.

Updating on the Spiritual Stuff

2008-05-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

So I was reminded that I didn't blog on my travel blog about the whole reason I went up to Denmark, EFY. So let's give it another go and see if I can be less forgetting now ;) Caution: this may be a bit long because it was a long weekend and rather eventful...

If anyone has ever been to Denmark they much know, surely they must, that there are some cute guys up there am I right? Oh, and tall! haha!

From my ward coming to this event was 4 different people, Sara (That's me), Stephanie (another YSA), Caleb and Suzy (Young Married Couple). Stephanie and myself traveled up together to go to this weekend. We got there about 0800 and didn't have to be at the training until 1900. So what do two blonde girls do with almost 11 hours of free time? DUH! They go exploring!

We had some trouble getting train tickets, my card was declined, her card was declined, we were panicking, I found an ATM and tried my card in it and it finally worked. We were both relieved. We were a bit scared because of course Germany doesn't sell Danish Krones and we would have been lacking of money the entire weekend.

So we finally get money, we get a train ticket and off we go, by this time it's about 1000 when we finally get to the center train station and lock up our bags. Thank heavens for baggage lockers. We didn't want to lug those things around Copenhagen all weekend. So we went off travelling and that is all documented at "Where in the World..."

The important part to skip to is that Caleb and Suzy didn't travel in with us, Caleb couldn't come until Saturday and Suzy was on a later flight. Suzy had never travelled by herself and asked us to come and get her from the airport, so at about 1430 we head back into the airport and look for Suzy. We find her with 5 other YSAs from Nurnberg Stake, another Stake that was invited to this EFY. Stephanie was a bit crabby and tired from walking all over the city all day so whenever anyone asked her anything she blew up on them... It was hard to watch.

So we get them all situated it was hard really because they were panicking about time and money and yeah, it was hard.

So we head back to the train and at the time it seemed that we were going to go to the temple and see it, but when we got to the place we were going to drop our bags back off they decided no, so Stephanie and I had to grab our bags and we just switched trains.

Stephanie was told how to get to the place of EFY differently than the other counselors were told, so we had some disagreements on this. We went with the crowd however and well, we ended up getting on the wrong bus but eventually we made it to EFY, a whole 90 minutes Early. Stephanie and myself are worn from walking all day, we feel dirty, we smell dirty and I'm sure people thought we were dirty. Finally things get started and that night we were going over what would happen the first night.

Monday is the first day, so of course FHE is the first activity pretty much. We went through FHE lessons and then FHE games. EFY games really are fun! We played this one staring game where you could blink, but you can't look away, you can't smile and you can't laugh. So it gets down to 6 people and I got paired up with this girl. The other two matches were already won, but me and this girl were standing there for 5 mins before they finally called our match and paired us up with the other two winners which happened to be guys and both of us girls won. Big shock huh? The rest of the weekend I was called Stone Face. I take it as a compliment. :)

Friday they had split us up into our groups and our group happened to be called the Forbidden Fruits; kind of works doesn't it? So here I am being a Forbidden fruit not knowing anyone in my group and not 100% sure on what it is I'm doing at EFY. Needless to say that Friday was a little difficult to get through.

Saturday was a good day, aside from waking up at 0430 because the sun is shining and because it was freezing in the room. Today was the day we were going to go through rotations of workshops, do the banner/cheer, and play the games. Another day out in the sun!

The banner/cheer started off good, again, with being a fruit we had some fun for that. Being forbidden our moto was "Don't Eat Twice!" :) We played games during the morning, painted our banner and made up our cheer. We went to lunch to let the paint dry and well, to get some food!

When we came back from lunch I was standing by Suzy waiting for our turns to come to do our cheer when all the sudden this guy comes up to me and is all, "Do you remember Elder Bradshaw and Horn?" to which I was OF COURSE... he continued, Westerman? and of course I remembered him too. I was looking at him though going, I have no idea who you are though. Of course I didn't tell him this. But it was ok because he never served in my area.

Turns out that they had Zo-Co one night and when they do that they all get together and play volleyball at the church. I happened to be there that night and he told me he remembered me from that night. Even had it pictured in his head down to the shirt I was wearing. He said he had been looking at me all morning trying to figure out where I was from in his past.

We were introduced that night, but of course that was about two years ago Ok! I still didn't remember him. He said he introduced himself as Elder K because it's a danish name and hard to say. Nope...

All day I was racking my brain trying to figure out if I really did remember him just not ya know, remember him. So I asked him of course to mess his hair the way it would have been done on his mission. Looked more familiar but at that point I did remember meeting an elder from Denmark because I thought it was the coolest thing ever and I do recall talking to him about Arizona because he was the comp at the time of Elder Horn who was from Arizona too.

So from that point of the evening on we were lost in conversation... No nothing mushy. just talking about random things. It was good, I learned a lot of myself that night along with a lot of him. We were talking about my school and what I was going to do this fall. I told him I needed to get home to finish my education but nothing felt like it was the right decision. For some reason he asked me if I ever thought about studying abroad. I have, but more for my doctorate. *Remember this, it comes into play later*

So it was time for our nightly devotional and off we both went to our respected dorms. Don't worry, we hung out on Sunday too. He wowed me with his knowledge of the scriptures and church. Not that I thought he wouldn't, but he had some really good thoughts on different things.

During these meetings we have a testimony meeting, of course and it was so powerful the spirit that day. I am happy that I went to training. I learned a lot, my love for the gospel grew and I realized that there are good people in the church out there. Maybe not in Germany, but they are out there.

I'm so excited for EFY, it's only 6 and a half weeks away! I feel like there is so much to get done, but I'm ready to do it. I want to be the best counselor for these girls, and that will take preparations. What I do know though is that I will have girls 16+ because then we can be sure that they speak english. Youth younger than that may or may not speak english.

So when I said to remember the part about studying abroad here is why: I came home and told my mom about my weekend, of course we were talking about it for a minute but it was good. I mentioned this studying abroad thing and she stopped me there, told me she had an impression made on her this weekend that I don't necessarily have to study in Arizona, I can study abroad.

I've come to learn that when something like this happens you should listen to the promptings, so it's definitely something I'm going to look into. This weekend was just such a powerful one, a revealing one and an exciting one. I can't wait to get to the real EFY and see what changes can come from a whole week of gospel principles.

Kids

2008-05-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

The other day I was watching a Volleyball tournament that a friend of mine was playing in and invited me to come watch. A member of my ward plays on the same team and he had his kid with him while her mom was working. I watched her through the tournament and he asked me if I would watch his kid while he went to work one day, I said yes of course, I have a problem with the 'N' word... But here she is, Clarissa. All I can say is that Roxy was so happy to see someone her size in the house finally, they had fun throughout the evening.

Clarissa also had a good time opening and shutting my door, I don't know if she has a door like this that she can just open and close at her free will.

She especially had fun once she got outside, but she sure didn't like it when I had to pull her back inside.
And of course she is already talking to them boys on IM. I guess she has already been taught to be gentle on the computer which is a good thing of course!

The good thing about not having kids and borrowing them is that you can give them back when you are tired of them; or when their dad gets off from work ;)

Contemplating this thing Called Life

2008-05-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

My life has been a bit crazy lately, actually it started back in like February/March when I was offered a job. 2 weeks went by, 4, 7, 10, before I knew it, it was April and I still was not working; finally I told them I was going to start taking other job interviews. Well I did just that. I took a job interview at USAFE HQs and about 2 weeks later I was informed that they wanted to offer me the job. Within 24 hours of accepting the job I was given a salary; that's more than the other job had done. So I was feeling good, going to take the job, get some loans paid off and then go back to Arizona in the summer of 09.

Quickly a problem presented itself. I made the mistake of telling them that I will lose my dependent status in October. Well, apparently in order for me to keep this job I have to be a dependent because that's how I was hired on as. If I kept the job after that point it would look like I only claim dependent so I could sponsor myself. *Being a dependent gives you higher priority*

What does this mean? Well, it means that come October 22 of this year I have to be a full time student or I have 60 days until they can 'fire' me. I don't really know what to do. I mean taking classes is only going to give me more credits than I need. And I have to be a full time student (12 Semester Hours) each semester. Classes run about 200/credit, which means what? 4800 a year... Not bad, I know, but for classes that I will never use? Yeah, that's useless!

But if I do this then it will get my student loans cut way down. So here I am contemplating what to do. Technically I could take the job and be 'fired' around Dec. 22 which means I could make it home for the Spring term. Things just aren't as clear as I wish they would be.

Keep Daddy Safe

2008-04-28T23:39:00.000-07:00

This week, after the asking of my father, I decided to go and spend a couple days with my father. Pops is living down in Bamberg, another German city, getting ready to go down range and sometimes gets lonely as he has to spend the whole week without the family. While I can't disclose too much information just know that he is leaving soon and it will be for 15 months.
So now I'm in Bamberg, after trying to find out how to get here for about 15 mins, and I must say I enjoy this base. It's quiet, not as busy as the area we live in and it actually has that feel of a small town. Maybe it's just where Pops' barracks are that give this feeling, but hey whatever.

So yeah, Pops will be leaving soon and it's sad, but who knows, Pops might get out when he gets back. *SHHH DON'T TELL HIM I SAID THAT* Anyhow, the point is that Pops will be leaving for down range soon and though this isn't our first deployment type situation with him in the military it will still be sad once again to see him go. I think it always is for anyone in this situation. For any kid really to see their Pops leave for an extended amount of time. Whether in the military or not.

Where were these offers 7 months ago?

2008-04-22T12:57:00.001-07:00

I just got yet ANOTHER job offer today. This one would be in the USAFE HQ building which requires great amount of security clearance and knowledge. I was so honored to be offered the job but today I was actually fasting to know if going home was right for me. I wasn't feeling horrible about the decision, but when I got the email and started thinking about it I just felt so confused. I think it's the answer I've been looking for, but I'm going to keep searching and pondering about it. I don't want this to be a quick decision that would potentially be bad...

Working on Scholarships...

2008-04-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

If you've already read one of these pleas for help from me, I'm sorry you have to read it again...

I'm working on scholarships and getting some cash to help pay for school. One scholarship that I'm working on is about sports and is located here...

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/Blogs/BlogView.aspx?bid=27113&scid=243

It's really easy to do, you just click on the link above, and click vote. You don't even have to read the blog. I just need to get some votes in order to win some cash. And I think we all know how I need the money for school. So if you have friends who could spare just 30 seconds to click and click that would be awesome...

Thanks for the help!

Cold Saturdays

2008-04-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

So here's what's been going on in Sara's World...

I was offered a job back in February, so 2 months ago, but I still haven't even started in processing yet. I think it's ridiculous that it's taking this long, but apparently they're "working on it". So I've started to think about what it is that I should do; school is looking better and better. Heaven knows I would LOVE to go back to school in the states. I just need to make that decision and stick with it, find out what I want to do and finally say there is no turning back. We'll see what happens.

I'm supposed to be going to a baseball game, so I should get up and get dressed. More to come later.

Locks of Love

2008-04-08T01:57:00.000-07:00

About a year and a half ago I heard about a charity from one of my mom's co-workers. Just randomly one day she asked me what I was going to do with my hair, asked me if there was any reason I grew it so long. I told her no, I just like the length, and I LOVE my hair. She then told me that I should cut it and donate it to a charity called Locks of Love. I was a little baffled that she would give me ideas of what to do with MY hair, but I looked into it. This charity takes hair that has been donated by many persons and it makes wigs out of it for children who suffer from Lukeimia. I was touched, but I was still nervous. I mean I always have loved my hair; I even went so far as to tell my mother that the Lord gave me my nice hair because he knew that I would need something to help me look presentible because we all know I am not big on fussing over my looks.

So I did it... Last year, about January or February I cut my hair. Now this isn't any cut, this is 10 inches AT LEAST that has to be cut. So, I sucked it up, and went for it. Walked into the sallon, said, 10 inches please and everyone freaked. Remember, this is last year, so January of 2007. I told them what it was for and they seemed to feel better about it. I don't see why, I mean it's my hair haha. So that was that. At first I was really sad, I was conciencious about the way it looked, but everyone told me it looked nice, so I trusted them.

To my surprise, my hair was back to that same length a year later. I loved it, really did, but I figured if my hair can grow more than 10 inches in a year, I should make it a yearly cut. So, I looked around, sucked it up, and went right back in to get it cut one more time. Now I know a lot of you haven't seen me for a couple years; but that's why I have pictures to show you how big of a change this was. I don't take pictures of myself usually, so finding pictures to show the difference of my hair can be tough, but hopefully you can see the transformation with the pictures I did find. My hair should be back to it's long normal length in a year, so maybe I'll have to do it again.

Take Care of Him Arizona...

2008-03-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Everyone has that one person that really seems to be like you in so many ways, but at the same time this person can be an exact opposite of you. I always thought that my brother, Spencer, was the clone of me in a guys body. Recent weeks here in Germany have allowed me to see that him and I are actually quite different. I still love him though.

My brother decided to out-do me and run off to AZ before I could. This is not fair. I was supposed to leave first, but it's ok. He left on a plane today, and I must admit that I was quite sad. I had teased him the whole way up to the airport that he was going to ball his eyes out. Now, I didn't ball my eyes out, but I did quickly give him a hug and then promptly turn to leave. I knew if I watched him leave one of two things would happen; Either I would jump the security counters and fly home with him (in the suitcase if needed...) or I would lose it and cry for a bit.

Being in the military and either moving often or having people move constantly in and out of the post makes you realize something rather important: Family is the only thing that is going to be in it for the long hule. I've even noticed it as I've grown into an adult. Friends that I met maybe even a year ago, as we've parted we've lost contact and we rarely exchange bi-yearly hellos or season greetings.

Again, it took me a while to realize this, I think I was in high school when Spencer and I finally stopped bickering and began yelling across the quad on campus "Spencer Ray is my brother and I love him..." Or Sara Ray for him to yell at me. I think it was somewhat theraputical, it probably started because everyone would ask us, oh, you're their sibling... Yes, I am... Even after a few years it has continued. We'll exchange Signed "I Love You"s to each other just

to be dorks, but it's true.

Before Spud's mission we went to a D*backs game and made the mistake of sitting next to each other. During sporting events of course they have those love or kiss cams; Spencer and I found it ammusing to see us up there. We wanted to have a sign with us that said, we're siblings; we now know to plan ahead.

Now that Spud and I are a little bit older it is no longer assumed that we are dating; it's moved on to marriage. We always joke that the reason either of us remain single for a while is because we hang out so much and everyone just assumes that we are dating. But since being here we've gotten more, oh, is this your wife? Or, do you smack him around to keep him in place? Makes me laugh, but Spud still likes to make certain people know.

I have often found myself worrying about my family and though Spud is older than me, I still worry about him; so Arizona, you

better take care of him. I've already warned him about all the crazy peoples in AZ; so don't worry ;)

I hear wedding bells... AGAIN

2008-03-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

So yes, I'm hearing wedding bells again, but guess what, they ain't for me. DUH! So I just got this email from a really sweet friend of mine 'Squeegie' Steve Bloomfield. I had the pleasure of meeting him my freshman year of college and I just adore him. Steve was engaged last year, but it fell through and it was sad because I think Steve is awesome and should be happy. Tonight I just got an email that he is now planning to get married; to help with defeating the cold feet they are scheduling the wedding for next month. Way to go Squeege!

Of course this puts me into reflection. I was talking to my visiting teachers last night and they are both single; one about 30ish and the second 21. I made the mistake of saying that right now I don't have any plans to get married, my plans of life are more career oriented. The 30 year old kind of looked at me and gave me the "how-dare-you" look. I felt bad, but ya know what, it's somewhat true... The other girl kind of just sat there. I know she's been engaged a couple times herself and came to Germany to clear her mind of her most recent ex. Yeah, it's kind of sad and maybe selfish that I sit here and think only of my life and what I want to 'grow up' to be. I'm just happy I'm here doing it instead of the states. Can you imagine all the YSA chicks that would be jumping on me in R.S. if I ever even hinted about the lack of motivation to see white?

DISCLAIMER TIME: Of course this is not to say that I never want to get married or that I'm not looking forward to the day. It is however saying that my life is not revolving around how many different guys I can say those three magic words to before I start having kids. Life is good as it is.

So now on to less serious things... I recently got a calling from a member of the Stake Presidency to be what they call an EFY counselor. :) Basically, I'm going to EFY with my ward. Now this may not sound all that exciting to anyone, but EFY this year is in Denmark, and I get a free pass to go!!! What makes it even better is that Pres Olsen told me that there is a rumor that any YSA who helps out with the EFY is subject to going to the big YSA conference in the Nordic region for free too. I think this year it's in Sweeden. Last year it was Norway! Hahaha! I'm kind of stoked. Yeah, I think I am!

Overanalyzing Everything...

2008-03-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

I like to think about things. I like to think about life and how it is, what it could be like, and what I wish it were like. Today I got the opportunity to think; maybe a little too much.

So with it being Sunday I decided that after lunch and while everyone was taking their naps for the day I went out cruising. It was a nice day and this being Germany a lot of good places to go driving around at. So I took off; at first I had no idea where I was going to go so I just drove. Parked at a park in K-town and then just sat and did some walking. It was about 6 hours later when I finally got in my car to return to the house. Would have stayed out later, but it was starting to get cold.

So life is complicated; when I will know the true secrets of life I really don't know. What I do know though is I want to go back to school at ASU. I miss the college life, the freedom, the social aspect of classes. I miss it all. Who would have thought that I would actually want to go to school huh?

I really hope it's in August when I go back; that's the desires of my heart. I just hope it's what I end up doing eh?

An ample lack of motivation

2008-03-12T02:12:00.000-07:00

So I have finals tonight, and tomorrow night, for two classes that I actually need for my BS when I get home to ASU. But honestly, I'm not that motivated right now, I just don't want to study. I have As in both classes right now, so I think I feel good about the finals, but I still want to do some studying. So why am I so unmotivated? I honestly have no idea! I just am ready for this term to be over, because honestly, I'm not planning on taking anymore classes here unless they offer my much needed Human Anatomy I. I'm working on that though.

So what's up? Well, let me tell you... This summer the youth from my stake is going to Denmark for EFY. Why is this important to me? Well, I was called to be an advisor, so... So I get to go to Denmark for EFY. Haha, this is my frist EFY and I'm going as a counselor. :) Yeah, I'm kind of excited! It's for about a week in June and yeah, it'll be fun.

So I guess I really need to get started on studying though eh? Alright, I'm out.

It's been 2 Months

2008-02-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

So it's been a couple months, I've been busy and yet at the same time not as busy as I would have liked. So an update is needed. Here's what is going on in my little world.

As many can probably tell, I'm not in Arizona. It came down to the wire, I was ready and excited to go home and then all the sudden one day I felt like I shouldn't. I don't know why I'm still here, but I think it's at times like these that an extra amount of faith needs to be exercised.

So what have I been up to then? School mainly. I quit my job to go back to Arizona, they hired a girl and then I decided to stay. I couldn't ask them to give me back my job now could I? Nah, I don't think so. So I am an unemployed full time student/mooch and I love it. But so do my parents :) I think.

I have been travelling still though. I went to Barcelona, Spain, a couple weeks ago. I didn't get to take my camera so my sister and I are planning another trip in a couple days. 20 Euro to fly ROUND trip from here to there. I'm excited. This past weekend for Presidents day I went to Bruges, Belgium. I did take my camera on that trip and I will have pictures posted soon. Don't worry ;)

So other upcoming trips you ask? Berlin is definitely on the list. Amsterdam is in the works as is Copenhagen, Denmark; and Paris, France. I got things to see, people to meet and pictures to take. But of course money is needed for this.

While I was in Belgium this past weekend my thoughts continued to reside on getting a job. Prayer was there of course. My phone went dead on Sunday night but when I got home Monday afternoon and plugged my phone in, I got a message from someone on one of the bases around here asking me to come in for a job interview that begins pay at 23,000 a year. The job is a bit of a drive away so I continued to hope for a closer job. Tuesday afternoon I got a call from USAFE (US Air Force Europe) HQ's Financial Office asking me to come in for a job interview; so I went in. The interview went well. All of the things they would be asking me to do I already have prior knowledge and experience in; the only thing I don't feel satisfied about is when the Col. asked me that question, "So can you tell me about yourself?" I hate those questions. I think it's mainly because nobody likes to talk about themselves and how great they are. So I told her I have moved around my whole life due to the military; but through it I've gained respect for different cultures and obtained a great deal of professional work experience. I then proceeded to tell her that yes, I am young, but when I was 17 I was working in an embassy and had to learn quickly that there is a time to be 17 and a time to be professional. I continue to show what I learned that summer today. It's evident with the last few jobs I held; again with working in the embassy and then working with over 50 managers of base facilities. I may be 20, but at work I work as efficiently and as hard as everyone else.

That statement of course was stumbled a bit more than that, but it seemed to do well. She said she'd let me know either way. I'm giong to call her tomorrow and find out about how long I'm going to have to wait because honestly, I've got other prospects out there for me.

So it'll be good if I do get that job, it's a GS/NSPS job, so it'll put me in the system to get a government job elsewhere. School is about to be done. This term I took classes I'm going to need at ASU when I transfer back, Chemistry and Human anatomy. It's good because now I won't have to drive out to Tempe like I probably would have had to do if I waited. Next term will be a light one. I may take a Germ class to get me closer to my AA, but I'm still not 100% sure on if I want to do that.

I think that's all to update ya on with me. I'm just keeping busy and enjoying life as it comes at me. I am watching the Lakers/Suns game right now and it is confirming my ideas of being a physical therapist. I would love to do something like that. I heard the announcers talking about the therapists who are helping Shaq and I just thought, now that's the job for me! No joke! Maybe when I get back to ASU I can line up an internship that would be something fun like that. Not THAT exactly, but something that won't make me go, "why did I pick this as my major?"

Well, that's it for me, I should run, it's like 4 AM. OOPS.

I'm a SUNDEVIL.... again!

2007-12-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I'm in. I finally got allowed to register for classes and so here I go once more. I must say, I'm a little excited, but I'm also a bit nervous. Nervous mainly for the fact that well, the military needs to buy my plane ticket and I wanted to leave in 10 days from now. Haha, so once again, here I go with options. But this time either way the results are somewhat the same.

I will rush the military to get the tickets and what not squared away, hopefully it will get done quickly. So either I go and make it in time to start class on the 14th, or I get what I can from the military and fly out when they can send me. The latter can cause for me to take a semester off from school. But I'm not sure that's exactly a BAD thing right now. In the past 15 months I managed to earn about 53 credit hours. That's in basically 3 semesters. I was working my TAIL OFF!! I think I deserve it ;)

So there you go. Either way I'm headed home. It's whether or not I make it in time for school that is the only thing I'm waiting to see about.

Deadlines

2007-12-20T01:44:00.000-08:00

Gosh darn school! It's so ridiculous. I finally think I got something going and guess what, it takes 5 months to get a transcript from UMUC to Arizona. Now that's just bull if you ask me! So what do I do? I told my boss I wasn't accepted yet and didn't want to give my job up just yet. But I can't make him not offer anyone the job and then I up and disappear on Jan 8 because I found out Jan 7 I could actually go. I hate school; actually I hate UMUC and I hate transferring.

So conclusions time: I need to know by next Friday if I've gotten accepted or not. That plays into two scenarios...

If I've gotten word that I've been accepted by then and I can enroll into the classes I need then Jan 8th-ish I will be heading out.

If I've been accepted by then but all the classes I need are full and I can't get into them I stay here.

If I haven't gotten accepted by then I will commit to staying here a while longer. Possibly until the fall semester.

It seems my plans are always changing, but it sure would help if people would just cooperate and get things done.

Finally Some Decisions

2007-12-13T00:26:00.001-08:00

So I've finally had to make some decisions and they are made. I am going to tell my boss that I am leaving today. I know he has less than a month to find someone, and we've got holidays all throughout the month, but oh well, he'll be ok.

My father is having to do some things with work and while I'll feel bad for leaving my family at this time, I sort of have to. I need to get on with the school and all that other crap. So now I'm tryin gto get a car loan and apparently I don't have enough credit on my own although I've been building it up over the last year. My parents aren't sure if they CAN co-sign with me. I could probably buy a car with the financial aid money I'm going to get, but I don't want to. I want to have that money as a back up just in case it takes longer to get a good job than I would like. So we'll see.

Jan 8th is when I want to be out of here by. 14 is when classes start and I figure I may want to meet up with an advisor before the start. Also allows a bit of time before class to get a car and look for a job and apartment. Crazy things to get done, but Jan 4 will be my last day here at this job. :( I really like this job. CRAP, I should apply for some jobs. Hmm, I'll do that today.

I'm a bit excited, nervous, and at the same time a little scared :)

Random Pictures

2007-11-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

I like to drive my car, I also like to take pictures. So when you put the two together guess what you get...

Random Pictures that actually turn out good.

So this day I was heading over to Eric's house, it was Veteran's day so we had nothing to do. I love days when I can just chill and relax. So it was a cloudy day, is that a surprise? NO!

I like this picture more. More clouds, but look, you can see where/what I'm driving on. :) Haha, the autobahn. I tried to get a picture of my spedometer, but it would turn out blurry. Just trust me, I was driving 145 clicks (90 MPH).

This picture turned out real nice, this is the exit to Eric's house, the road is scary during the winter cuz as you can kind of see it's just a BIG drop!

I love these signs, basically saying "You can now go FAST!" Haha! What I love about this picture is it just seems to be perfectly set with the rule of thirds and I wasn't even trying. Ah, more clouds, and look, trees!

These next few are of a sunset I saw while driving off base after work one day, yes, at 1630 the sun does set in Germany. The colors just seemed so nice. But my favorite is one of the ones below.

And here is my favorite:

Germany's weather sucks, but they do get some pretty cool sunsets.

It's finally Complete!

2007-11-10T13:33:00.000-08:00

1. I collect Tiggers. I currently have over 50 of the stuffed things. 2. I love sports. Volleyball and Basketball mainly, but I love to watch ‘em all.

3. I love to travel. I even have a map that has pins in each major city I’ve been to see.
4. I have 5 brothers and one sister. Me and my sister, we’re close, but we are completely different.
5. I can speak German, English and very bad Spanish.
6. I love candy with peanut butter in them. Peanut Butter M&Ms, Reeses, butterfingers, yum!
7. I have a friend who wrote the “Top ten Reasons Sara Ray really isn’t married or dating seriously…”
8. I have a strange taste in music. I like bands such as Fall Out Boy, but then I also like Mario.
9. I still use the same blanket my grandmother made for me when I graduated from Middle School.
10. I wear glasses when I’m in class or driving.
11. I’ve owned 2 cars in my 20 years of life, both have been given male names.
12. I went to Prom my freshman, sophomore and junior year of High School. I didn’t go my senior year.
13. I love Oreos and have specific ways to eat them.
14. I have come to love the color blue due to me wanting to rebel against the girly color PINK.
15. I love Arizona rainstorms, but hate German ones.
16. I actually like cleaning. It’s finding the time to do it that’s hard. But if my room’s really messy I usually end up reorganizing the whole space.
17. I have been told that I am a really hard person to shop for.
18. I have to check my email daily. Most of the time I leave my messenger on so I can see when I have new emails.
19. I have recently started wearing scarves with everything.
20. I’m an Army brat. I know no other life.
21. I recently decided to move back to Arizona to return to ASU, I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared in my life.
22. I play the flute and piano.
23. I love the word “skank”. It’s a term of endearment for me.
24. I enjoy math and science. As long as it isn’t Trig or physics.
25. I have been to 6 temples throughout the world.
26. I hate being cold. I used to need a sweater with anything under 80; but I was without a jacket the other day when it was 55.
27. I went out with a guy once who was 10 years older than me.
28. I have only gone on one blind date and have sworn to never do it again.
29. I think the “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” is a good movie.
30. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon
31. I was 6 credits away from getting my AA in German before I decided to transfer back to ASU.
32. I like to ask random questions.
33. I used to race barrels.
34. I have never been in love.
35. I hate chick flicks.
36. I enjoy learning new things.
37. I hate it when my name is spelled with an H on the end.
38. I want to work with the military in some aspect as a physical therapist.
39. I have had my share of regrets in life, key is to learn from them and move on.
40. I find that I wear pants. Even if the temperature is 90+.
41. I have lived in 4 different states, 3 different countries, and 7 different cities.
42. I wonder if anyone is still reading this.
43. I can’t mix Nikes with Reeboks.
44. I’ve always been more of a “Guys gal” which means I make friends easier with guys; and that’s normally all it ever amounts to.
45. I have only lived in Arizona for 18 months of my entire life; it’s where I consider home.
46. I have only worn make-up once in my life and it was to do some headshots for a modeling portfolio.
47. I graduated High School in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
48. I had a basketball award named after me my sophomore year of High School.
49. I think dark Red is the color that looks best on me.
50. I am very hard headed.
51. I like being right but can admit it when I’m not.
52. I am a bigger fan of Nike than of Reebok.
53. I have had more injuries while living in Germany for a year and half than I have ever had in my life.
54. I like Daffy Duck.
55. I miss being able to go to a Sun Devils game Saturday afternoons.
56. I am a Goofy fan.
57. I loved Egypt and would do just about anything to go back.
58. I like the movie “The Break-up” because it doesn’t end in a fairy-tale way all other movies end.
59. I am not a cynic, I’m a realist.
60. I have a list of qualities I want my future husband to have.
61. I hate the word ‘homemaker’ to describe what I could someday be doing.
62. I do not stress over me being 20 and never having a real committed relationship.
63. I like Turkey Day for the Football.
64. I have had asthma since I was young but it is mild.
65. I like to have a plan for what I would like my life to amount to; I’ve taken the timeline off of it though.
66. I am the tallest child in my family and arguably taller than my father.
67. I don’t like to do laundry, but I love wearing clothes right out of the dryer.
68. I travelled to Spain in March to take a class on Hemingway.
69. I was once a trained lifeguard; I loved it, and hope to be once again.
70. I have major trust issues.
71. I love music but I hate to sing unless in my car.
72. I have a suite that consists of a bedroom, a computer room and a bathroom.
73. I don’t like to share my birthday with people.
74. I have OCD like qualities.
75. I am a cynic when it comes to love.
76. I have a small notebook that I write random thoughts and feelings in.
77. I am on a community volleyball team for the Army.
78. I like to wear baggy shirts.
79. I once cut my hair eleven inches to donate to a charity.
80. I hate shots.
81. I have crystal from the Czech Republic and Germany.
82. I am the last of my group of friends who is not married.
83. I wear my CTR ring on my left ring finger, helps to ward unwanted guys away.
84. I was jumped by five Moroccan guys when I travelled to Belgium my senior year of High School.
85. I worry about my family and often let that get in the way of what I should be doing.
86. I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch cartoons; cartoons from my youth.
87. I was born in 1987.
88. I don’t like the ocean.
89. I don’t tan very easy.
90. I hate secrets.
91. I like the number 12.
92. I live from one pay check to the next.
93. I have never snuck out of my house, but I have stayed out all night.
94. I scored an even 1000 on the SATs.
95. I want to be married in the Mesa, Arizona, temple.
96. I have a thing for Australian and English accents.
97. I have made friends from a large number of countries; ranging from Nepal to Senegal, all the way to Finland.
98. I have a love for photography.
99. I cannot function without my thumb ring; it makes me nervous when I don’t have it on.
100. I have been working on this for 6 months and it is finally completed!

I love 'em!

2007-11-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

So I don't know how many ya'll know this, but I friggin LOVE Oreos!

It's a new discovery. Before I would eat them if they was there or if I was in the mood for some dirt, but now? Oh, I have been eatin them last night, today at work, and tonight when I got home at like midnight!

So how, you may ask, do I eat them? With milk, hehe! A few techniques...

Drop it in, wait until you think it's nice and soft and then eat it. You don't want it to be soggy, but you don't want it to be hard still. It's difficult to time it, if you wait too long it'll sink, not long enough it'll still be hard.

Dunk it. Hold that sucker down in the milk until bubbles stop rising up from the milk. This lets you know that it's good to eat. Let me tell you, I've had years to perfect this, and it's good. TRUST YOU ME!

Craziness!

2007-11-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Ah, so this week has been so friggin crazy. I've been running around trying to get all my schedule to work so I can get everything I need to done. I've been searching for financial aid, studying for finals, booking hostels, finding someone to take me to the airport on Friday, honestly, it's been crazy!

Searching for scholarships is fun... totally! No, it's good, I'm finding a lot that I seem to be eligible for, the problem is that I have to put work into it. Do you know how crazy that is? Finding people to write my recommendations for me, finding times to write essays, honestly, CRAZY!!! Problem with recommendations is that I only see one teacher 16 times throughout a term. Which means they really don't get to know me. Which sucks, because a lot of these scholarships recquire a recomendation from someone who knows me on an educational level... DARN MY FRIGGIN LUCK!

I've got finals this week, as you can probably tell. Good news is that I only have one more. YAY! :) It's about freakin time though! After this final I will be done with online classes. I'm so happy for that. I really am. I'm tired of taking classes through the net. Not to mention, after this final I will have 6 weeks of class left in my German class and then, then I will be done with UMUC. Whether I go home or not! Muwhaha!

So then, I'm going to Rome on Friday, yeah, 2 days away! I'm freaking out here. I mean I'm just not sure I'm ready... I love the opportunity to go, honestly it'll probably be my last trip that I go on before I leave here. Which is sad, but whatever. So I still haven't booked the hostel. I know which one I want to stay at, but I have to book it... darn! Why did I get stuck booking EVERYTHING!

Then I have to find someone to take me to the airport on Friday. It's a pain! I think I have someone, but it's just so tedious. Oh well...

So other than that, life is good. I'm starting to look at my rooms and trying to find things that I will ship home, and other things I will leave here. It's not as easy as it sounds. I have to figure out what I'm going to do. Spencer and I may just end up living together. I would feel safer that way, but at the same time that then makes it close to 3-400 $$ for us to each pay rent with. Which is hard. Let's be honest. We'll see what happens though. Who knows, I may be the only one going home.

Alright, I'm going to get back to cleaning my room, hopefully I can get something done.

Halloween

2007-11-03T15:50:00.001-07:00

So I'm starting to enjoy Halloween. Last week I went to a party with some of my volleyball friends. Oops, I didn't take my camera, but I have some pictures of me with this guy I know.

Ok, so I was lazy, and yeah, I went as the future Ms. Amare Stoudemire... AGAIN, this guy, Q, yeah, he went as Justin Timberlake from SNL. Don't ask... I don't even understand it. So that party was ok, but I just didn't put a lot of thought into it.

The next week, last night, I went to a party the MTC put on, it was good. So we'll start with everyone else's costumes and then go to mine. So first we'll start with Eric, haha, you know I love you Eric!

Say Hello to the Messenger of Love, no, it's not Cupid, this is Flutters: the Messenger of Love. Long story how he got that name, but that'll be another story.

Flutters had the pink panther, who you will see later, make him some wings and so when she got there they had to be attached to him. Haha, then the Crayon got in on the action. Finally Flutters got his wings on. And he looked good.

Next we have the red crayon and Serena from Bewitched. Yes, the crayon did make her own costume.

Our English princess. She really is from England. It's crazy, but we all love her.

Ok, now here is Ana, she is cool. She is German but is fun. Whenever I'm around her I would say something in German then we both get kicks when I say, "Don't worry, I'm fluent in German." Sad thing is: my accent is probably HORRIBLE or I say simple things like, "wie gehets?" Haha, So she came as an American. Plaid shirt, brown t-shirt, jeans and she even had on some boots. I don't know if that is what she really came as, but I told her, you look like you came as an American. She liked it. What's so fun is normally she is very formal and always looking professional. I wonder who she borrowed the clothes from ;) Love you Ana.

So then we had a pirate, cuz honestly, ever since POTC there hasn't been one costume party I haven't seen a pirate at.

The Pirate is attacking the Pink Pantherin this next one, yes, she is a tail-less Pink Panther, crazy, but yeah.

So that's everyone, let's get to me and Spud now, so here's Spud and we'll see if you can guess what I went as... It's Stevie Nash... when he's not playing ball of course. Nice casual look.

Now, what did Sara go as? Well I will tell you, I did not go as Ms. Nash or Stoudemire. Haha, here's the picture!

I went as AMARE himself. Nice huh? So then the two of us together. We look pretty good huh?

It was fun, really, and I'm starting to like the whole idea of Halloween. I have ideas for when and IF I get into a relationship or married. Spud and I already have our idea for next year, oh... it's a good one!

Sara Meets the Physical Therapist

2007-11-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

So I got to talk to him... FINALLY! YAY! You have no idea how happy I was when he told me he could meet with me on Tuesday! I was EXTREMELY happy! I know this P.T. through a friend, it's her husband. He went to Baylor, which is the Army school for P.T., and he has an intern with him now that had just graduated from Baylor; needless to say, I picked their brains.

When I first realized I wanted to go on to get my Ph. D. in P.T. Baylor was one of the schools that popped up. I'm not sure why, but it did. I just did a quick Google, this was about a year ago now. Baylor is actually ranked in the top 5 schools for P.T., but again it's an Army school which means you HAVE to serve 4 years active duty once you graduate and then you put in two years of active duty reserves. How that works, I don't know. haha! So it turns out that Baylor actually has a REALLY good pass rate. Only 1% of their students fail. And even less than that fails out of the program.

Why this may be is because you are getting paid as a 2nd Lt. as soon as you get accepted and start the school. Uncle Sam is putting all this money into you, don't you think that Uncle Sam wants you to pass? Yeah. So what the instructors and other faculty does is they actually care about you and want you to pass, amazing huh?

So ask me, "Sara, why are you looking so deeply into a school that would make you go active duty into the Army?" I answer, "Well silly, because." *Side note, in German you know it's interesting, if someone said 'because I feel like it' or 'because I don't want to', you know that's an acceptable answer and it would cause for the conversation to stop.*

So here's the real reasons why: I already have so many student loans, and it SUCKS! I want to be out of them so quickly. I want to be a PT where I can help people that can't really help themselves. (I know it sounds corney, but when I was going through PT for my knee last year I saw a bunch of soldiers who had come up from downrange in the rehab and I want to help them.) So, here's the glorious side of it, I know I keep getting off track, buuuut...

As soon as I get in, they pay for my school: 2 years of working towards my Ph. D. TOTALLY PAID FOR by UNCLE SAM himself

I get paid to go to school: As soon as I sign them papers and start OBT (Officer Basic Training), they start paying me as a 2nd Lt. I am not too sure what the pay will be at the time I get in, but right now it's 2,469.30 a month. Not bad eh? That's about 25,000 + a year.

I make rank fast: While in school I will make 1st; by the time I graduate from the program and am out in the job field I will make Capt within a year. I'm not one to say, Oh look at me, I'm a Capt. But honestly, that's a great achievement.

I get good training: Let's face it, the gov't wants to take care of their soldiers. Why then would they give a bad education that they are paying for, basically twice. I talked to the intern and she said by the time you get done with the mandatory internship and your 2 year project you will have a great knowledge of the information and feel confident enough to work wherever they send you.

I really just want to be a PT: Honestly, it's what I want to do. It was either this or work with sports medicine. Going this way school gets paid for, I get paid and have a guaranteed job for as long as I want it.

Downfalls:

I don't think I can find a guy willing to marry me while I'm in the program, or just before I enter it and then follow me around the world for 4 years. I know it's tough.

4 years is a while to give

I have to really work hard for my Ph. D. and especially with them. I have to start now. Don't get me wrong, I think I can do it, I am not a slacker, but seriously, it will probably be one of the harder things I've done in my life.

So there you have it. What I'm thinking with my PT dream... Want to know the best thing about doing it this way? My father AND my brothers, if Spud joins too, would have to salute me! Haha, so that's not a BIG deciding factor, but it's fun to say!

German class: A great place to think

So I like to think in German class. I sit there with my notebook for German and my notebook for my thoughts. It's good...

So here's my once again, TENTATIVE decisions, ready? *The good news is they are getting more and more concrete*

January 2008: Move back to AZ, start school again at ASU for Spring term of 2007-2008.

Yes, the mission is being put on hold, not so much hold, but it's not being given a time that it has to be done by...

I would hopefully graduate by May 2009. Maybe I'll go on my mission then. Come home, around December 2010. Who knows then, Baylor is a good option.

If something happens and you all end up seeing me in white instead, cool. Things will change, but I HAVE to get my BS. I've decided it's a MUST NEED for this day and age. I mean honestly, what if something happens and I need to work. It's hard finding a job carrying that BS as it is. Can you imagine doing it without one? I can't. Gee.

I like writing. Can you tell? I dont' think anyone reads these, but it's theraputic for me. And I like it!

College Freshmen

2007-10-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

So I know it seems like I'm posting every day, but a lot goes on inside my head!

Sorry to any this may refer to, but College Freshmen are such pains! Seriously! I just started a new class and I'm a Junior in college, working on the last of my credits and I get a stupid freshman in this 200 level class I'm taking and she just won't shut up. Seriously, was I this annoying when I was a freshy? I don't think so. So the class is Germ 211 and so we're getting asked questions to develop our non-existant German skills and the teacher asks, who walks to work or school (auf Deutsch naturlich). Now this was funny to us all, because HELLO, the KMC is huge, and nobody lives close to the bases, not enough to walk, and it's cold! Well this silly freshy raises her hand and is all, I do. I wanted to hit her. We all looked at her, like what the crap are you smoking? She's all, I don't have a car so I walk everywhere. We then asked her where she lives and she said somewhat of a distant village, I just had to roll my eyes and act like I wasn't annoyed. Ga'll. Stupid freshies!

I was so mad tonight, I got asked to go to dinner. This guy I've met and know has been asking me to go out with him for a while, we went out Thursday to a movie, but it was a bunch of people. Then Saturday I went to dinner with him, but again, it was like a multiple date thing, so finally tonight he gets me asked out for just him and I. So I'm like cool. Well there was this halloween party for our ward tonight and I didn't think it would be a big deal. But then I found out my family was going to go as the PHX Suns. I was a little sad. I wanted to be a part of it. I just didn't know. I should have called and changed times with my date. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded, but it just seemed rude to do so. Grr...

I found a company that fast quoted me to ship my car from Germany to PHX for 1450. Not a bad quote. But things could be added to that price because again, just a fast quote. I'm still not sure what I'm doing, but I have to have something prepared just in case.

Ok, well, it's 2330, and I'm a bit worn. I'm going to get some shut eye. I've been falling asleep for a while now, so here I go off... to.... bed.......

Prayers

2007-10-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

So Spencer gave the lesson at FHE tonight and it was on prayers. I found it applying so much to my life and everything I'm going through right now, it's crazy!

Spencer started out with the story of Enos. You know it's so funny because I was feeling so frustrated last night with me being confused about what to do about life that I told my mom I was going to pray all night and all day just like Enos until the Lord gave me an answer or was so annoyed by me complaining to him that he would pound the answer into my head. And now Spud was talking about Enos in his lesson. Man, let me tell you. Spencer talked about how Enos refered to his praying as wrestling. Man, could it be any closer to what I am feeling now? Seriously, I go this way, I go that way, I can't make up my mind. I can, but then things change. I get frustrated at myself, it makes me mad! Spud said that sometimes the Lord allows us to make our own decisions and he trusts us to do that. I understand that, but really, I need some more guidance than that. I need to know what I need to do. I feel like I should go back to AZ to do school. But who knows.

Tomorrow I am meeting with a physical therapist to talk about questions I have with the field. The good thing is that he went to the school I'm looking into and I want to know all about that too. I'm excited, I have so many questions, but I can't volunteer at the hospital there, not until after the new year, and it's driving me crazy. If I go home, it will be around the 4th of Jan or so. GRRR!

This weekend I am confirmed to go to Holland, I just have to get the church's hostel taken care of. I am excited. I need a trip; what better time than to include the temple in it. Rome is next weekend, and earlier today I was mad for buying my ticket without having a hotel/hostel lined up. And then I was mad cuz I'm trying to save to go home and I'm spending 200$$ on a plane fare (I know that's not a lot for going to Rome). But the good news, with plane and hostel it's only 250. Now I just have to get the money for like the taxi to the hostel. I hear the airport is not close to Rome at all! Grr. Oh well. TAXI would be fun to get to drive through and see Rome first.

My trip to Berlin may be getting postponed. I need to get new tires for my car and that is not cheap. Ah well, I hope Sis. G will understand. After that trip, no more traveling for me,I'm done. Man. So, I've been jabbering on about my day and weeks to come.

I was so excited to get home today and blog. I'm happy to finally have a place where I can blog without needing to travel to another city to do so. I mean those are always fun to brag on, but yeah, it's good to just vent sometimes.

So I have deemed our outreach/institute center as the Marriage Training Center. Funny thing is one girl said it's just like the REAL MTC because you can't really date in either MTCs. You know what? I've been on more dates while in Germany and around this MTC than I did while I was in AZ. Is that sad? Are my standards being lowered? I don't think so, I just think I finally found some people who like to have some fun. In AZ all the guys were hung up on stupid girls. Ga'll. If and when I go back to AZ I really hope things have changed. I'm not going back for the social life of it, I'm not going back to date, I just don't want to be stuck making friends with only girls haha, we all know how I handle that kind of situation.

Well, I should get off to bed, it's 0100 and I have to be up early to go by the bookstore and buy my books for my History class. Funny thing: I have more college books on my bookshelf than I'm sure any bookstore for any college does. Ok, maybe not, but honestly, I have a TON!

Goals

2007-10-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

So I have a goal to get into better shape. I know, HOW DARE I SAY THAT... but it's true. I want to get my legs stronger and my arms better toned. It'd be nice to have a flatter tummy and somewhat shaped abs.

I told myself if I commit to working out and do it for a good 3 weeks I will buy myself a new pair of NIKEs. Haha, I have been eying some. :) And I figure NIKEs would be cheaper than a trip to Paris or something.

Speaking of that, I will update all on my thought process of what to do with my life, brace yourself, somethings are new, some old, but in the end it's all SARA. ;)

So I've been contemplating about life, isn't it a great thing to think? I finally realized that I'm wasting money on staying in Germany, through both traveling (as much as it hurts to say that) and also through UMUC, the school I take classes with. both are sucking the money from me.

So my options are: Go home to ASU and get back to working on my Bachelors or stay in Germany and stop with classes and just travel when I can.

Going home was the winning choice for a while. I was looking forward to it, getting things figured out, it was all looking good. I was writing old friends, I only told 2 of them (Outside of my family), Sean Foley and Stacey Butler, I was going to go home. I was looking for apartments, eying the many job possibilities, it was all looking good.

Until one dark day at Volleyball practice I talked to a girl who has been here for some 8 months and hasn't been out of K-town, let alone Germany. So we talked about where we should go for the next 4 day. Venice came up, then Rome, I bought a plane ticket for Rome, honestly I have never done a more spur of the moment buy, but this was crazy!

So Nov. 9-11, I'm going to Rome. Can someone tell me why? Haha, it's going to be interesting. I can't wait to go, honestly, I think it will be good, buuuuut, hello, I"m supposed to be saving to go home. I mean truly, what am I thinking?

Staying in Germany and just travelling would let me get back to my goal of all 10 temples in Europe and traveling more. I just don't know, is it worth putting my education on hold to travel? I just am not sure if it is.

So the next month's weekends looks like this:

November 2-4: Hague/Amsterdam, Holland, hopefully making it a temple trip

November 9-11: Rome, Italy, with a girl from Volleyball, hopefully nothing will get stolen. I'm honestly thinking about taking disposible cameras with me so it will discourage people from taking my camera.

November 16-18: Volleyball tourney in K-town, can't miss this one, the coach would get mad, don't know why it matters. She caters the team to make her look good anyhow. 8 Sets we played last weekend in a tourney and I didn't get set once. ME, not once! Yeah, I was upset!

November 22-25: Turkey DAY! Should and HOPE to be going to Berlin. I have a friend up there, and I would really like to get up there to see her.

November 30-December 2: Volleyball Tourney in Stuttgart. Oh that is going to be fun, final tourney of the season...

So as you can see I have a full month of stuff to do. And 3/5 weekends are travelling. Ga'll, I love it here, but I still at times feel it is time to move on.

So about moving on, ready for the big life plans? Yeah, ok, they have changed a bit.

Get BS in EXW, then move on to PhD in physical therapy. Here's the part that has changed: go through Baylor's Army school to do it. Yeah, to do that you have to commit to 4 years of military active duty. You know, I'm ok with that. 4 years and they pay for my school and pay me while I'm in school then get out of school and have to serve 4 years basically starting out as a capt. Seriously, do you see a down fall? Oh, so the family may not be present, but it's not like I'm going to put them off for the military. It's just the only way I see obtaining my goals of being a phys therapist and helping out the military and those who serve. It's sad being over here where LRMC is and seeing all the soldiers come through that have to go through it. I just want to help...

The mission you ask? Yeah, it's still in the works, but I'm not putting myself on a timeline where I have to put my papers in 3 months before my mission, I'm not working on a timeline where I have to report the day of my 21st bday. I just will go when the Lord sees it's right for me. Maybe it comes next Dec. Maybe it comes when I'm older. The point is, I am not going to push it and then wonder while I'm on my mission if I'm only out on my mission because I put everything else on hold. I don't want to have that curiosity.

So have I written enough? Have I gotten you updated? I hope so. Cuz I am TIRED, and workout starts tomorrow! Yay!

Just for Kicks

2007-10-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

So I have all these wonderful posts about where I'm at, where I'm travelling, where I've been; but what about life? I have no place that I can really vent. Well, I have my notebook, but sometimes it's good to share life's lessons with other people. Yes, Eric, this is for you too!

So we'll give this a shot, see how it goes, and if anything else, I'll just stop posting. But again, this is my life blog, the other one, www.scuraray.blogspot.com is my traveling blog.

Hopefully I can keep this one up and updated enough that it will distract you from noticing I go on trips and take 2 months to post pictures :)