Neglected, no more

Well, I fell like singing '...same song, second verse; a little bit louder and a little bit worse!'  But I won't.  It would be appropriate, though.  I went into work this past Monday morning--and not as grudgingly as I usually am on a Monday morning--and left at 3:34 p.m. with a severance package in hand.  Ugh.  Not the best way to end my already least-favorite day of the week.

Has this ever happened to you?  It's one of the worst feelings in the world and, though it has happened before--albeit much more harshly--it is not something that you get used to.  'The First Cut is the Deepest' is not applicable here.  If anything this cut hurts much, much worse as it goes much deeper than the last, cutting all the way to the core of everything I've trained to do and all that I want to do.

I cannot even begin to describe to you the roller coaster of emotions, thoughts, and feelings that this past week has been but I can tell you that I have been surrounded by the love and support of those that I love the most during this sudden change of events.  Jeff--who was quick to remind me that we made it through this the last time and only about 4 months into our dating relationship--has been more than amazing by offering his best support and encouragement.  He even attended an IIDA [Interior Designer's Assoc.] networking event with me; although I'm not sure that the chili cook-off didn't have anything to do with his willingness to attend ;)  My parents have also been extremely supportive, calling and checking in on me daily to offer encouragement and advice.  Emily/Roomie helped me design and create some really cute contact cards for me to pass out at said networking event.

Pre-water works; waiting for Bible study to start!

Emily also went with me to Beth Moore's first night of her new Bible study on 1 & 2 Thessalonians.  26 hours after being laid off from my job, there was no other place that I would have rather been.  Before getting started, Beth encouraged us to worship in any way that we felt comfortable; anything, that is, short of distracting others from worship.  I thought I would be okay in this until the very second that the band started up on 'Desert Song' and 'Waiting Here for You'.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Thankfully I wasn't escorted out by security for causing a distraction but it's safe to say that my emotions put me very close to the edge of the No-Distraction-Zone warnings.  But, I know that there was nothing sweeter to me than standing there, my sister's arms around me, and stripped raw before My God.  Wow.  I really had not had such a powerful, worshipful moment since, well, maybe since the last time I was knocked down into this boat.

Ok, before this lump forming in my throat turns into more sobbing I will leave you with my memory verse that I will be dwelling on these next two weeks.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."  Phillipians 4:19

2013 Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 2!

2013 Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 2!

If you haven't done so already, go and submit your verse!  I am 5 days late myself :0; it's not too late for you!

My memory verse for the next two weeks is from Phillipians:

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."  Phillipians 4:19

2013 Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 1!

If you haven't already, go check out Beth Moore's scripture memory challenge over on the Living Proof Ministries blog.  I learned about this 2 months too late two years ago and, after looking forward to joining in for 2012, was disappointed when they announced that they would not be hosting one for that year.  BUT they are back and ready for 2013!  I hope that you will join me; I know it will be very rewarding!

My verse for this week is from Psalms 65:11:

'You crown the year with Your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.' 

Now it's your turn; GO!

2013 Siesta Scripture Memory Team: Verse 1!

memory verse 11: Isaiah 40:28-31

Jeff & I were talking about the following verses earlier this week and I figured they would be perfect for my next set of scriptures.

Isaiah 40:28-31

New International Version (NIV)

Comfort for God's People

²⁸ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

building systems

"...chloro-fluoro-carbons...somewhat problematic..."

"...compression expansion process.  How is that making sense?"

"...spraying water in the form of mist, tiny droplets..."

"...swamp cooler..."

Picture this:

25 of my colleagues and I, all
laden with
notebooks, iPads, pens, Red Bull, & the like
crammed around
8 rectangular tables
listening to
1 Italian man and
soaking in
as much of the information that we could while
going over
his powerpoint presentations that seemed to go on for days,
covering any & all
aspects of building systems.

For 15 hours.
On Friday & Saturday.
For a very pretty penny that we each had to pay.

I know you're wondering why you yourself did not receive an invitation to such a wonderful and exhilerating event such as this.  Please except my deepest apologies if you are feeling left out.

"...transformers are one of the toughest topics on the test...it's just how they're connected..."

"...the same device for multiple uses..."

"...the most difficult in this section..."

The road to becoming a licensed Architect is no cake walk.  Not that I think that any other degree plan or professional path is just a walk in the park; it's just that architecture & interiors is all that I know.  In a nutshell I have to complete the equivalent of about 3 years worth of specified hours [program regulated] and pass 7 exams [state administered] in order for my Master's degree to count for anything.  All three of these entities have to be paid at regular intervals in order to talk to one another and to hold/store electronic records required by each of them.  It often feels like one of those claw machines where you keep trying to rescue a stuffed animal or iPhone with 'The Claw'.  'Quick!  I need more money!  I'm almost there!!!'  It gives me something work toward, though.

Anyways, I took and passed my first exam back in May [#1 reason for my prolonged absence] and have recently started studying for the next two.  The seminar that I took this past weekend was a prep/study class that is supposed to have an excellent pass rate.  We'll see about that.  So far, though, I think it was well worth it.

"...we will represent with diagrams that physically will not have anything to do with the way they are actually configured..."

"...voltage...""...names do not physically follow the physical characteristics of the object..."

At many points during the most exciting 15 hours of my life I reminded myself that I have three special men in my life that should be able to help me to grasp most of the concepts and material covered on this next exam.  Allow me to introduce them to you:

Daddy...
Biography:  B.S. in Civil Engineering from the Great University of Alabama
Experience:  30+ years as an Oil & Gas Production Engineer and various other roles; ask Daddy :)
Qualifications:  Having known me since the day I was born it is safe to say that he knows me pretty well.  It proves very beneficial that he can differentiate between the many faces of me: the 'I get it' face, the 'I'm nodding yes because I don't want to say no' face, the 'What?!?!?!' face, and the 'Brain overload' face
@ Stake:  Due to the nature of our relationship, absolutely no bribing will be necessary as Daddy does not want me to be a financial burden to him for the rest of my life...especially when he can no longer claim me on his tax return :)

Jeff...
Biography:  B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University
Experience:  Designs things and works with valves.  I probably know even less about what Jeff does/has done than Daddy.
Qualifications:  While we have only known each other for a little under 2 years now, we have dated for 1+ and let's just say he's had a crash course in learning The Faces.  :)
@ Stake:  Due to the nature of our relationship, a tiny bit of bribing in the form of homemade ice cream sandwiches and back scratches may be required.  But ultimately, my success will eventually pay off for him when he no longer has to give me money to buy his birthday and Christmas presents :)

Andrew...
Biography:  currently pursuing his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University
Experience:  Responsible for the care and testing of rats one summer.
Qualifications:  Material and equations should be the freshest in his young brain and he has the most current text books.  As far as The Faces go, well, he is my brother and faces don't seem to phase him.
@ Stake:  Due to the nature of our relationship, bribing would normally be necessary.  But in this one case here he will get to one-up his older sister :)

"...logic is sometimes hard to find..."

There is constant debate and struggle within the courts as to whether an Architect is actually needed; many engineers think they can do it all themselves.  And, according to the list above, it would seem that they definitely do have the knowledge and education needed to pass these exams.  And maybe they do.  But I would like to point out the fact that I [that is, one person] will have to draw from three [more in some cases] different sources and backgrounds to learn all that needs to be learned and understood in preparation for my exam.  And this is only the second of seven :)  hehe  I only kid, mostly ;)

memory verse 10: John 10:7-10

Wow!  More than a month has gone by without even a peep from me :/  Trust me, though, I have plenty to say just little time to say it!  Still trying to get back into the routine but until then read and cherish the following verses.

John 10:7-10

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Shepherd and the Flock

⁷ So Jesus said again, “What I’m about to tell you is true. I am like a gate for the sheep. ⁸ All those who ever came before me were thieves and robbers. But the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I’m like a gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out. And he will find plenty of food. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way. 

2016 Olympic bound!

I LOVE the Olympics!  I look forward to the opening ceremonies from the moment of the finale of the closing ceremonies.  I just wish it came more than once every leap year.

My world pretty much stops from the moment that the Olympic torch is lit.  And thank goodness for DVR, right?!  I mean what did we do before we could watch, pause, replay, & store each amazing feat for later's enjoyment?!

Our apartment also gets pretty intense during the Olyimpic games--much like yours I would imagine--and not because of the crazy conversations that is our usual norm.  In fact, it's quite the opposite as breathing even becomes scarce.  From anywhere within a 10 minute radius of our apartment exlamations of every emotion can be heard:

What?! Wha-huh?!!??!

DID you just SEE that?!

Hold up, You have to SEE THAT.

REwind that...     

I don't even understand...

...is that even POSS-ABLE?!

That. IS.  NOT.  NORMAL.

Awww...I LOVE her...she is too cute and SOOO  sweet...

...he had to OVERCOME so much to be here at the games with us...

...YES, US...we are a team.

Team USA

...and they need me...they said so...it's like I'm standing there beside them saying 'Trust Your Training' as they go on to compete...

....awwwww....Missy Franklin and I would SO be BFFs!

And so forth...and don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about.  You know good and well that 50% of those exclamations came out of your mouth while watching Gabby fly around the uneven bars or Oscar running around the track while balancing on two hockey sticks.

I got so inspired by the Olympics this year that I went out yesterday and walked/ran 5.42 miles.  I thought for sure I would see one of my new Olympic buddies at the park.  They had come to cheer me on, of course, just as I have done for the past two weeks.  I found out though that Olympians are also talented in the sport of hiding.  They hid so well that I never even saw them in any of my 5.42 miles!  But I could feel their encouragement :)

So I guess that's what I will be doing now in my spare time since the Olympics are no longer on TV.  Regular TV bores me.  Case in point: Emily had to wake me up last night after I had fallen asleep SITTING UP on the sofa while watching 'regular' TV.  No way that would have happened if Missy had been leading her lane to the gold medal!  I'm sure it had nothing to do with the shock my body expereienced on the dusty 5.42 trail just hours before ;)

I've been trying to figure out what sport I want to compete in in the Brazil Games.

Gymnastics?  I've always been too tall.  Although I can do a mean LEFT-Handed kartwheel.

Swimming?  I've always said if I could come back in another life I would definitely be a swimmer.  But do you know how early those swim kids get up for practice BEFORE school?!  No thank you.

Basketball?  I DID play basketball for a few years but have you SEEN how big those girls are?!

Diving?  I jumped off of the middle platform [6ish meters?!?!] ONE time and that hurt.  And that was jumping 'pencil' style.

Speed Walking?  While I AM blessed in the hip category these hips DO lie as they DO NOT work that way.

Volleyball?  That seems somewhat feasable.  I would have to take a 4 hour course to understand the rules and scoring, though.

Runner?  I can barely move today after my stint at the park yesterday.  I'm sure it would get easier...

Or I could be like my uber-cool sister.  Everytime we watched the runners line up she would say, 'UGH; I want a runner's body.'  But when I would remind her that there is literally a track across the street she would say, 'Well I want the body of a runner without the training of a runner.'  Every time.  Don't worry, I let her down easy.

Well...it's looking like the only ticket I'm going to get to the 2016 Olympics is the one that I buy myself. But I'll keep working on it.  A girl can dream!