Snow.
Snow.
And more snow.
So far, in the past few weeks, it has snowed every weekend...
Not that we mind being snowed in.

Time is flying faster these days.
I am looking more towards the future than I've been able to in a while.
We move in about 3 weeks to Williamsburg.
We will only be there for 4 months.
We then move back to Kansas City.
I have been looking forward to school in the Fall.
I have been obsessively looking at houses for sale online.
I have been thinking of Pita and when I will get her back home with me.
I have even been looking online at other kitties up for adoption in Kansas City.
These are just a few of the things that have been crossing my mind lately...

I am on Season 10 of Law & Order SVU.
I think I will need therapy when I am actually caught up.
Thankfully we get a DVR in Williamsburg.
I LOVE Olivia Benson.
I know she isn't real, but her character is.
She is so admirable.
Given the right circumstances falling into place - I would have LOVED to be a detective.
I chronically have dreams where I am with them helping find justice for victims.
I wake up feeling victorious and ready for my day.
I know it sounds silly...
But when I get into something, I really get into it.

G'night.

For some reason I cannot stop laughing about this video - SO FUNNY TO ME!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kwkgh3Zo1E

We signed the lease to our new place!

Pics of the new place....

Where I will hopefully be spending a lot of my time...

I will take pics of the inside once we move in...

* * *

It is crazy to think that this will be our last rotation.
Once we move to Williamsburg, it will be 4 months until we pack up to permanently relocate back to Kansas City.
It is crazy to think of how different life will be once we get back to Kansas City.
We can actually make long term friends.
We can get established in a home church.
We can have more hobbies without the fear of: Will these hobby supplies fit in the car next time we move?
We can get Pita back and maybe another kitteh.
I am going back to school full time.
We can start living in the present.... without having too look too far ahead for once....
The possibilities are endless...

Crazy week....

Back and forth
Back and forth
Back and forth
With the lady from the leasing office of our future apartment.
It has never been this complicated before...
Even getting a hold of her has been complicated.
I wish she would just email the lease already.
I want peace of mind that we have a place to move into.
I want to know where to forward our mail.
I like having my ducks in a row in advance.
Is that too much to ask?

Work was different, but mostly for only one reason.
Wanda.
*shudder*
I have been asked to have this new hire sit with me.
It's called an "OJT" - On the Job Training
She listened to me take calls for a few hours the first day.
The rest of the time she has to take calls
I am just there to bail her out if she gets lost or starts handing out bad information.
Keep in mind.... she already went thru several weeks or training and passed certification.
Or so everyone says.
It feels like she did not.
I am not trying to sound mean...
I am trying to convey the high levels of stress I have been feeling.
She is supposed to take calls with minimal assistance.
I have been having to help her in every tiny detail.
Including remembering where a button is that she has pressed 100+ times over the course of weeks
How can she not remember where that button is? How?!?!
I have helped train people before... I usually enjoy it....
So this would not be entirely too bad if it weren't for one thing...
Every time I try and assist her with navigating the software or answering a question -
(and ONLY after she asks for help cause she is supposed to try and think of answers on her own)
- She will look at me and argue with me about the answer she asked me to help her with
She will literally say she is lost or stuck and ask for help and then when I give it she says I am wrong
She continues saying, "That's not what I was told in training"
To which I will reply..."Well, then what we're you told?"
To which she says, "I don't know. I don't remember!"
UGH!!!!!!!
Help.
Me.
Help.
You.

Needless to say I am SO glad it is the weekend!

I'm off work tomorrow!
I am so glad.
As much I am grateful, the job is really starting to get to me.
It's like everyday I am glued to a device where one of my biggest pet peeves is dwelling.
I tend to get impatient with people who make excuses for themselves.
I know I shouldn't be so quick to be impatient, but I do.
And therefore, I cannot wait to find another job.
This just isn't what I am passionate about...

Maybe the impatience I've had towards people at work has been returned to me.
Karma, if you will.
Sometimes people don't realize the affect of their words.
Sometimes you just have to be okay with letting it go.

Working out has been going good.
I've lost 5 lbs.
I am practicing the fine art of moderation for once in my life.
I have "treats" every now and then.... but they are much rarer than they used to be.
I keep my calorie under watchful eye... and when I go over...
...I work out as much as I am able to balance it out.
I usually do the Wii Fit Plus on weekdays (cause it's easy, fun and still a great workout)
and then I will try and hit the gym for weights and hardcore cardio on my days off.
Tomorrow is such a day.

I started a new journal today.
I feel like the Lord always offers me a season of refreshing whenever I get ready to start a new journal.
I definitely asked for a refreshing last night...
Actually, I asked Him to save me all over again.
.
.
.
I have been blessed beyond measure and yet I am incredibly ungrateful.
I've become a spoiled brat.
I act as if I actually deserve the abundant blessing He has showered on me.
The truth of the matter is -
I was gaining the whole world and quickly losing my soul.
I'd forgotten the Giver of Life and pretended ignorantly I did not need Him every single day.
I foolishly wondered why some things have been a struggle...
But my spirit cried to me from the depths of my heart.
Between dry, cracked, thirsty lips my spirit moaned:
"Return to your First Love... return!"
It took all this time for me to listen and I am ashamed.
.
.
.
I was afraid.
I was petrified for reasons I can't explain to the masses.
I see now, however, how wrong I was to be afraid.
Don't I trust God at all?
Isn't He Mighty to Save?
Can't He do whatever He wishes with or without me?
Do I believe in my heart that He is for me?
I think fear has been telling me that if I come back to God...
And fully surrender to Him once again...
That He will take away what makes me happy to teach me a lesson or something...
I see now how wrong I was.
I see now that I had forgotten the character of God.
Obviously.
Yes, He is a jealous God.
But He is a loving God.
He loves me.
He is for me.
He loves to give good gifts to me.
He loves to sing songs over me.
I need to remember who God is and how His heart is towards me...
.
.
.
This opened my eyes:
Isaiah 57:15 - 19,
"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy,
'I dwell in the high and Holy place AND ALSO with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly and
to revive the heart of the contrite.
For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.
Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry.
I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
but He went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
I have seen his ways, but I will heal him.
I will lead him and restore comfort to him & his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips.
Peace, Peace to the far and the near,' says the Lord, 'and I will heal him.'"
(ESV)
.
.
.
Things that stuck out to me...

- God dwells in glory on high, but He also CHOOSES to dwell within our hearts.
- God dwelling within our hearts is purposeful. He dwells there for the purpose of healing and restoring us.
- God cannot stay angry forever. This is because we could not handle it. He chooses to not stay angry for our sake, less we grow too faint.
- Even amidst our sinning and "backsliding" God stops being angry and in His compassion He heals and restores us. ("He went on backsliding...I have seen his ways, but I will heal him.")
- The result of this is our lips declaring peace... peace to everyone... peace in God alone.
.
.
.
"There Is None Like You"
By: Shane & Shane
.
"There is none like You
No one else can touch my heart like You do
I could search for all eternity long
And find
There is none like You

Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes in Your Name
Helpless children are safe in Your arms
And there is none like you

There is none like You
No one else can touch my heart like You do
I could search for all eternity long
And find
There is none like You."

You know what really grinds my gears?
People who don't read over things they just wrote.
I am not talking about the occasional overlooked grammatical error.
I am talking about entire words being wrong.
Like typing "home" instead of "love".
You don't home me.
You don't home anything.
Your text doesn't make sense.
This is almost 95% due to someone using their cell phone and not correcting the "autotype" words.
The other 5% is ignorant stupidity.
Technology has made us stupider.
And it grinds my gears.

Also,
I don't know if you have ever thought of this or not... but here's something to think about...
If you are listing an "Emergency Contact" on any sort of form, application, etc...
YOU CANNOT LIST SOMEONE WHO HAS THE SAME PHONE NUMBER AS YOURSELF.
Did you catch that?!?
It is completely illogical.
For instance:
The following conversation should never take place:
(but does all the time at my work!)

Me: "Thank you for calling 800-Medicare. This is Tasha Bluth, how can I help you?"
Them: "Hello... yeah this is John Smith.
(As we're filling out an application for a prescription drug plan.)
Me: "What's the best number to reach you at?"
Them: "My phone number is 903-555-5555."
Me: "Would you like to list an emergency contact?"
Them: "Yeah, I would. You can list my son, John Jr."
Me: "And his number?"
Them: "It's the same."
Me: "Same as yours?"
Them: "Yep. Same as mine."
Me: "The same, right?"
Them: "Yes, the same."
Me: "So if you cannot be reached at your number, then you want us to call your son... at the same number?"
Them: "Yes."
Me: (after hitting my head on the desk in frustration) "Okaaaaaaaaaaay."

We saw The Blindside today.
It was fantastic.
I highly recommend it.
I wish I were a critic so someone could publish the wonderful things I have to say about it.
Instead, I am publishing them.... here.... right now.
It's amazing.

Hope no one notices...
Tasha

Christmas was nice.
We were blessed by the Boughers to stay at their place while they were away in Chicago.
It was so cozy.
It is amazing how comfortable and "at home" I feel in their home - whether they are there or not. The mere thought of them makes me feel at home.
Christmas was a little unusual this year.
Instead of the normal vast amounts of quality time with family, Christmas was shortened to a 'brunch' and everyone parted ways shortly after 1 pm.
It was good to see everyone, but I sure didn't feel like I saw them for very long.
I had a wonderful time though spending time with my folks and brothers.
I also had a fun time seeing the reactions of people who got very thoughtful gifts from Chad and I.
I love putting a lot of thought into the gifts I give and knowing that they will be more than appreciated.

New Years was as it always is.
Relaxing and just Chad and I.
We like it that way.
Don't judge us.
We watched The Usual Suspects.
Drank Sparkling Red Grape Juice.
Watched the New Years ball drop in NY.
Made out a little - as all happily married folks should.
And went to sleep.
It was awesome.

This weekend we have to take a short trip to Williamsburg to find an apartment.
I can't believe it is that close already.
We also may see Avatar in 3D.

I applied for school today for Fall 2010.
I am praying for a scholarship.
Please pray with me.
I will have to pay out of state tuition for 1 year.
If accepted, I will be attending Park University.
http://www.park.edu
I am SO looking forward to going back to school... Very much so.

That's about all I have to say for now.
Goodnight.

We had a discussion when we didn't have much to say.
It was so us.
Chuck the Chicken
&
Ferdinand the Calf
They've seen better days.
Our night was better because of them.

This was us the other day:

It has all since melted.

Chad wanted me to tell you:
He has a hot body.
I may have told you already because I agree.
But I think you all knew that.
He is one hawt husband.

I just got done packing everything.
Chad's forte is not packing, so he helps me in all the other much needed ways.
Laundry and dishes.
I can't leave the state with dirty dishes in the sink.
And I hate folding laundry.
We are a great team.

I got a REALLY cute, much needed Pedicure.
I felt VERY pampered and girly.
Girls like to feel like girls.
Girls like to be pampered.
Girls like to feel like princesses, even if it costs $25.
Best $25 I spent on me in a while...
Strawberry Red with hand painted snowflakes and a jewel...

I'm not sure if you can see the detail or if you even want to look at my feet that closely....
But that lady at the nail salon was TALENTED.

Like I think I mentioned earlier, we have been opening a gift each day leading up to our departure.
We opened the last of our gifts to each other tonight.
I got something I have been wanting for YEARS!
Years.
He even double checked with a friend of mine who is the expert on the matter...
...(and whom he has never met)...
...Just to make sure he got it right.
It may not seem like much to you, but I am a sensory person.
And Chad knows that....
My present tonight?
CoCo Mademoiselle by Chanel
My favorite perfume - by far - ever....period.

I also got Chad some really wonderful smelling cologne.
I love a smelly good man.
I love MY smelly good man.

Flying out in the morning!

Merry Christmas!!
(You too, Colby!)

What a great weekend.
We got snowed in - sort of.
It's a tad silly that 11 inches of snow in 36 hours is called a "Blizzard"
We took advantage of it though and stayed inside.
Speaking of.... I haven't seen a Dairy Queen since we left Texas.

Chad and I have been opening one present each day leading up till the day we leave.
It's kind of fun...
And kind of like Hanukkah.
I didn't know how to spell that until just now.
*whew*
I really, really enjoy watching Chad open a gift from me and seeing his face light up.
It makes my heart happy.

Work this week will be a breeze.
Two days.
Jeans and Tennis shoes.
More and more Free Cell.
Flying out to Wisconsin on Wednesday.
Layover in Detroit.
I'd ask Emily to come say "hi" in the airport, but we have a very short layover.
Oh well...
Looking forward to seeing friends and family.
Hopefully I can avoid any drama that usually comes automatically with the word family...
I just want to enjoy Christmas and love on the people I don't get to see except a few times a year.

Happy Hanukkah, everyone!