Thanksgiving Post: Reflections on Greenwood

Because this is my first Thanksgiving away from home, I've decided to give specific thanks for this new place that I call home.

Top 10 Things I am Thankful for in Greenwood:

10. Passing the "Wishing Well Motel" every day on my way to work. It's known for its prostitutes and, ironically, in the fall for its family friendly pumpkin patch. I also love that right above it, if you're driving south, you'll read this sign "Do you know Jesus?"

9. Days spent at the laundry mat. Hearing 7 different languages and watching every single kid love Sponge Bob on the back TV.

8. Living near two beautiful parks that are perfect for walking and reading books in.

7. Living very close to the wonderful Greenwood Public Library!

6. Being able to drive to downtown Indy or the middle of the country (by either driving north or south) in just a matter of minutes. Truly the best of both worlds.

5. Our new church! It was the very first one that we tried and it is a perfect fit.

4. The constant noise and entertainment (chihuahuas, fire twirling, the fire dept, etc) that our neighborhood provides.

3. Our FANTASTIC Goodwill stores! We have two are they are the greatest that I have shopped at ever!

2. Working at the county jail. I am thankful that in this economy that both Mark and I are employed at jobs that we love. I am also thankful for all of our co-workers who, in true police force fashion, have become our closest friends and our new little family.

1. The fact that after years of waiting, Mark and I (finally!!!!) live in the same place!

Thank you all for reading and for being incredible blessings in my life! May the Lord Bless and Keep you as you enjoy your Thanksgiving Weekend!

Week in Review

This week was Mark's Week Away/My "Amy-Time" Week:

While Mark hunted, successfully getting a squirrel but not the deer he wanted, I spent my Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at work. I did, however, make time Tuesday for an Amy day. After a quick clean of the apartment and a trip to the laundry mat. I took myself to the mall, not unusual because that's where I walk on rainy days, but that day I treated myself to a manicure! My first this year and wonderful! Then I spent lots of time at the library, bought myself a $7 Jimmy John's meal on the way home, and then proceeded to spend the afternoon watching a season and a half of "Sex and the City." It was selfish but oh-so needed and wonderful!

Saturday I went to the Lutheran High School Cheerleader's Brunch and Fashion Show with Mel. It was a great time and I was thankful to spend the morning with some wonderful ladies. Then Kristi, my mother-in-law, and I drove up to Sheridan to go to their library's annual craft bazaar. (Mark's aunt is the head librarian there and she invited us) It was amazing to see what people can think of and create! I thank God for the many talents of His people.

This morning was our last New Member Sunday School class. We will be joining Christ United Methodist Church next Sunday at 11. I am excited to have found our church home here!

A Day Off/Away

Yesterday Mark and I both had the day off and, at Mark's suggestion, we headed down to Edinburgh. We spent hours at the Exit 76 Antique Mall and for the first time ever made it through the WHOLE thing!! Then we enjoyed the nice weather with a good walk, a little shopping, at the outlet mall. After dinner at Ruby Tuesdays, Mark said, "Hey. Want to go to camp for a lake walk?" Our original plan was to walk the whole lake, then based on the cold to go to our bridge, then we just made it to Elvira's house. She was home, baking with Laura Kat, and they were kind enough to share some cookies and some of their evening with us! We abandoned our lake walk plan at that point and stopped in to visit with John and Karen as well. Our night ended with a starlit tour of the new camp thanks to John. A great day/evening away with surprise visits with friends! Thanks be to God!

A Whisper from God

Today I was driving home from work and all of the sudden I had the thought, "Try connecting to the internet at home tonight." I've attempted and today, for the first time since September, it just works! I think that little voice was an instant message from God! :)

I Prayed the Internet Away

Since Mark began working nights in August, I have been looking for things to do to fill my evenings. Thanks to some neighbors who were unknowingly "sharing" their wireless, I quickly found the internet to be a great way to spend LOTS of time. At first it was just e-mail and facebook. Then I found blogs of friends. Then I found television shows on the internet (exciting because we don't have TV at home). And then I just kept finding more and more...One night I looked at the clock and realized that I had been online for more than three hours! I was appalled! I quickly shut the computer and began to think of all of the other things I could have done in that time. So that night, in my prayers, I said "Dear God, please let me find other ways to spend my evenings. Encourage me to find ways to help/give/listen to others during that time. Please help me not waste so much time online."

The next day Mark and I got online to check to ensure that our paychecks had been direct deposited. Only...the internet didn't work. That was more than a month ago and we still can't find a wireless source to share with at home. As a result, I have found books to read, crafts to make, letters to write, and friends to visit. We now only have internet when we visit friends/family who are kind enough to share or on my weekly visits to the library (where I am now) At first, like the TV, we missed it. Now, I rarely think about it. One of the best prayers I've had answered with an immediate "I'll take care of that" from God.

Stitches Story

Last Thursday I was making dinner, pasta and sauce were cooking on the stove, when I decided to open a can of peaches. The top rim of the can was dented so I could only get the can opener halfway around. Then I tried to pry it open with a spoon and when that didn't work I just stuck my hand in the can. As I did it I heard my Mama's voice, "Don't do that, you'll cut your hand." I managed to get it opened enough to get the peaches out and it wasn't until I looked down into the bowl, now full of both peaches and blood, that I realized that I had sliced my hand open.

I thought that maybe it wasn't as bad as it seemed, maybe there was just going to be a lot of blood at first. But after running my hand under the sink, I realized that I was wrong. That's when I started screaming for Mark to come help me. He jumped out of the shower and ran into the kitchen. I said, "Please look at it. See if it's that bad." He took one glance, ran and grabbed a washcloth for me to apply pressure with, and then told me he was going to put more than a towel on because I needed stitches.

Thankfully we live across from Community South and I was able to get in quickly. After seven stitches, learning that I am in fact allergic to lidocain, and Mark's gift of a cookie I returned home to rest.

I am thankful this week for God's amazing Grace. I am blessed because I cut down to all of the tendons but not through any of them. I am blessed because I missed severing an artery, by less than a millimeter, that would have required emergency hand surgery to fix. I am blessed because God has used Mark this week as an example of His unconditional love. Thanks be to God for my many blessings!

Not moving yet...

Mark and I have been looking into moving. We have truly made our apartment home, however, because of Mark's work we know that a move is in order. We began praying about the prospect of moving and while we knew that we are not able to purchase a home at this point, we began looking at Rent to Own.

A week later, a friend of ours called to say that his house is on the market and that he is willing to do Rent to Own. We looked at the house and property on Thursday evening. The yard was beautiful and had a HUGE deck! We could have hosted many cookouts there! We also liked the large kitchen and two living rooms. Mark was most excited about the giant heated garage which would have become his "Main Lair." However, the dinning room, bedrooms, and bathroom were all scrunched together and didn't feel like exactly what we wanted.

So, in the end, we have decided not to continue to pursue that property. We are thankful that Matt was willing to consider Rent to Own for us and that we were able to spend so much time going over the house. We have decided to stay put for the time being as we work to faithfully pay down our debts as God has commanded us. We are trying to live by Romans 13:8 "Owe no man anything but to love one another."