Brother Time and Skydiving...

First things first: the x-ray on my foot didn’t show anything broken or cracked, but if I want a bone scan I can have it. $$$ No thanks! $$$ I don’t feel the pain anymore so there isn’t anything else I wanna do to it. It’s good.

Daniel got here a few days ago and seeing him again and being able to spend lots of time with him has been fantastic! I know you all know how I feel about my oldest younger brother so I won't take time to express that right now, but I LOVE HIM VERY MUCH! We were a little late to the airport here in town so I didn't get to see him come off the plane or meet him right as he came in, but he got here just fine and that's all that matters now. By 'we were a little late' I mean my roommate Becky (a.k.a. Bex) and my good friend Steve and I all went to meet Daniel.

A 2 hour dinner at Logan's started a couple minutes after the in-town airplane in and MAN...that was great =) The picture I will post later is from that first night in Lynchburg. We all went to my house afterwards and meet up with my sister Anna and her soon-to-be husband when they were done with church and Daniel showed some pictures and video clips on his laptop from his 4 month stay in Iraq.

The next day after I got off work Daniel picked me up and we went to Sam's and bought 6 racks of pork ribs to cook up for a welcome home dinner at my house for a dozen of my closest friends, family and soon to be family. When that was finished we all went to Mountain Frost Creamery for a delicious ice cream treat. (That sounds like a commercial!)

I worked a half day last Friday so Daniel and I could get out of town to partake in a birthday surprise for Steven’s 12th birthday in Hampton. He had no idea that Daniel was even here or that I was going to be there for his birthday! I promised Steven a dozen donuts if he would come out and watch my triathlon and of course I forgot and of course he didn’t. I told him over the phone that he would have them on his birthday, PROMISE. And he did. My camera was snapping pictures during the whole surprise so I’ll post a few of those too. No really. I will. Just watch =)

Daniel’s girl Jenna is also in the GA Nat’l Guard and was stationed alongside of Daniel in Iraq but they don’t get to see each other that much. They were both able to come back to the states for break. Her parents live in the same town our parent’s do which is mighty nice and convenient so we all met up and went out to eat at the steak house my other brother Timmy works at for Steven’s birthday. Whew. Finger full.

The first half of Saturday was spent touring a US Navy ‘something’ and it was AMAZING! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Jenna’s step-dad works there so he was able to clear us for a private guided tour. Unbelievable. I wish I could tell you more but I can’t over the internet for security reasons. Only face to face can I explain it. Phone conversations about it is out of the question too. These things I am learning.

It was meal time again so my family (everyone except Anna b/c she was working) and Jenna’s family shared a meal then said good bye to her parents b/c they were leaving town for a trip. I took a much needed stinkin’ nap for a few hours while Dan spent some quality time with his lady and bros. Dessert before heading back to the desert was in the evening with Jenna before she had to catch her plane back to Iraq Sunday morning.

I’ll finish this later!

This One Is Short...

Ok, I keep promising that one day I would write a blog that you wouldn’t need to schedule vacation time to read, so hopefully I’ll meet my goal with this one =)

I just wanted to post a quick up date on the exciting world that is my August. Each Sunday night I help a friend of mine teach his youth group girls and we had our first lesson last Sunday: it went SO well! The learning and growing that will happen in lives and hearts because of this class is thrilling to me! I am not excluded from begin effected. God continues to reveal himself thru both study and teaching and I’ve learned so much.

My brother is coming home from war to visit and he’ll be here on the 24th of this month and we’ll spend a week together! We’ll make a trip out to my parents for a few days during that time so we can all be together. It will be great to have him here again.

My two favorite readers, Heather and Holly—beautiful twins and wonderful mothers—are expecting anther babe into the family! Well, Holly is expecting but Heather isn’t. Her baby boy, Little Steve, is turning 2 on Monday, August 15. Holly’s second girl, Allie, is turning 8 months old the day after that! The sad thing is I haven’t met either one of them. Kayle is talking now but I haven’t seen her since she was seconds old…. =( not good

Next weekend I’ll be spending some time at the beach on a little vacation with my best friend and some people I haven’t even meet yet! That should be great fun. = - )

I am getting an x-ray done today on my foot because it’s been hurting for a week and I’m starting to think it is bone related. It became clear that it wasn’t muscular when it started. I though that it was spiritual warfare, and I’ve spent some time in prayer about it and it’s continuing to grow. I’ve even try to forget that it was there and carry on: going on hikes and taking care of house and car stuff, throw a ball around in the park. Nope. Still hurts. And even more so. Yesterday I broke down and finally went to the doctors about it. Since my insurance ran out when I turned 23 last April, I didn’t just want to run to the doctor at the onset. (Ok Short Abby. Keep it short!) X-ray today. Will tell you about it later!

Lookin' Forward To...

AUGUST! Yes I am! Well, it's already here, so I'm living a dream I guess. This month is going to bring really awesome things, and already has. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, August has already been amazing these 1.2 days into the month! Jealous? Should be =)

Today was great beyond expression and that's all I can say about that.... it's beyond expression! I don't know how else to put it. At least on the world wide web. And for all to see, because, you have to understand that it's a little......mine. Who in the world writes about what they can't say? I don't know who would waste their time like that!

In other news, on the 5th of this month I will find out if I have enough students to teach sign language this next school year to Jr. High and High schoolers. This Sunday night I will begin to teach the young women in the Elon Baptist Church youth group about what it means to be a woman made with God's image. NOT JUST IN IT. With it. We've got it. Who we are as women reflect directly the Father who made us. We will look at why Satan hates us. Why he picked Eve to bring sin into the world and what each sex's first sin was and that it continues to be our downfall today. Thirdly, we’ll think about some of the hurts that women deal with, and lastly but not leastly, lol we’ll look at a Godly dating relationship should look like based on the value we have as daughters of the Lord Most High!

Whew, don’t get me started! So that will be going on each week. So looking forward to getting to know these girls and pouring my love out on them. I think my own Bible study is starting this month too. As colleges and high schools around the city get back in gear the BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) will be as well. We are studying Genesis this year. It takes 7 years to go over all the materials available to BSF chapters. This is my 2nd year. Can’t wait!

Today I started working fulltime at CLARKE, Inc. or Clarke Communications, Creative Marking and Print Communications Firm, because I am done with college and am a big girl now! Started with salary too. How monumental! 9-5 baby, here we go! All work no play. Yea right! Who believes that?

I am finishing up some internship hours that were left over from Dec/Jan and that is going towards revamping a churches bulletin design and launching their new logo because they have existed for a long time as a body of believers, but they are just now getting their first building that didn’t used to be a Salvation Army or grocery store or elementary school. (that’s a long sentence. not even really sure if it’s a sentence still) ANYWHO, so that’ll be done with and that’s good. Nothing looming over my head and eating up spare time. Another freelance job I’m doing will be my best portfolio piece yet. I’ll be done with that in a few weeks, should be this month. Great paying job!

Planning my sisters bridal shower is going to be this month. My brother Daniel ( www.spcellyson.blog.com) should be visiting us this month which is going to ROCK! I’ve been waiting for that for a LONG time. =) I need him right now. Now that I’m done
with college, I’m faced with all sorts of choices and I’d love to hear what he has to say about some of them.

Let’s recap:
Find out if I’m teaching or not
Teach youth about womanhood and dating
Starting BSF weekly bible study, Genesis
Started CLARKE, Inc. fulltime, without classes, and with salary
Finishing internship hours
Finish BIG portfolio booster Freelance job
Plan sisters bridal shower
Visit with brother Daniel on break from Iraq
Meet NEW PEOPLE…..A+ Families!
and youngest brother Steven is turning 12!

THAT’S IT! I told myself this wasn’t going to be a long blog—but it totally is! I am working on getting them shorter, I know ya’ll don’t have all the time in the world.