Because I've been on the road a lot this past week I've been quite curious as to how many miles I've driven so I'm gonna total it up. Here it is since last Monday the 16th:

16th-17th: 260 miles
18th: 30 miles
19th: 166 miles
19th-22nd: 2,224 miles
23rd: 180 miles
24th-25th: 50 miles
26th: 157 miles

Total: 3,067 miles

Dang.

On these travels I've come to realize that:

Christmas music is my favorite music to listen to while driving.
Everyone sleeps with their mouth open.
Those who don't shower sink and don't know it.
Always pack an air mattress.
Don't talk to the guy at Blockbuster because he'll forget to take the guard off.
God always provides.
Pizza is good anytime.
Kids stress me out 1/2 the time but you've gotta love them nonetheless.
Kids squeezes are the best especially when you know they are squeezing as hard as they can. Blesses my heart.
You hate life after traveling 21 hours w/ 31 people.
Somehow God supplies me with energy to keep on going.
Missing a week of working out screws you over.
IL has beautiful sunrises and looks similar to the last scene in Pride and the Prejudice.
Old friends are great to have coffee with, no matter how crappy the coffee is.
I have connections with people around the world even though I have no clue what organization they are with.
I miss black chicken.
Something happened in Asia and now I'm no longer afraid to use the bathroom behind a gas station.
GPS' are fantastic things to have.
Keep on waiting for that day.
Soup and grilled cheese panini's are sooo good.
I'm glad I've graduated for several reasons.
I learned more in Thailand than I realized.
I need to figure out what I'm going to do overseas and I need to prepare and do it well!
My shoulder tattoo needs to be finished but money for Asia is more important at the moment; I'm afraid it'll never be finished.
Not sure why I liked Amber Pacific so much a few years ago.
Many people just don't see that others are special and need to be treated a little different.
Bold Chex Mix is good at all times.
My cat is turning out to be long haired after all.
My beta fish of 2 years died while I was on the road. Knew the day was coming soon. Sad. I looked at him every time I entered the kitchen and now there's an empty space every time I go in.
I need to start working on my bahasa Indonesia now that I've got the CDL under my belt.
I wish I made more money. What can I do to make more?
What does the next year and 1/2 look like. What should I schedule where?
Sheetz and Wawa stores need to be introduced to the world.

That's a fraction of some of the things in my head this week. Thats all. Bye.

The sunny warm/cool days need to stay.
The time change has been helping me to get up early in the mornings again! Although I don't like it getting dark by 6:30.

I've been thriving on group workouts like hip hop, Zumba and Turbo Kick; they are one of the highlights of my days. I would love to lead a class sometime... I'm thinking maybe when I move overseas I could make that a sweet ministry?. Yes? I think so.

I enjoy writing birthday cards but when the hand cramps its no good.

Oren tagged me in a note asking for people to send him suggestions for a Fall playlist. I would like people to suggest some tunes on here b/c I'd like to start a seasonal playlist as well. It would be sweet to listen to it years from now as well!

I take my official skills test for my CDL on Tuesday. Let me tell you... I think driving a bus is my "calling." You get a rush from it a little bit. It's just fun! I have hit 1 curb and killed 1 old bucket though but that's what practice is about right? Other than that I think I'm doing splendidly. Sorry I'm boasting, it's just exciting. I'm sure after the NMC I'll boast no longer.

Lately I've really been able to connect with some of my Y kids, it's like I'm not just the girl that watches them and does activities with them after-school but they've started to really talk to me as well as the parents. It's good to be a part of people's lives like that.

Our nursery @ Two Rivers has been booming lately and not all families have brought their babies back yet b/c they are new-borns! Very cool to see! Now we just need more volunteers to rotate more!

If you could pray for Two Rivers Church and us finding a new place to meet at the start of the year that would be great! As of now there are 2 possibilities. We've also got some other things you could pray about: We have a good many people deployed and the wives are still with us; those that are prego; some looking for new places to live; some that are learning and making major decisions; some w/ serious injuries or family w/ injuries from a number of different things.

Not sure if I posted this yet but I'm planning on returning to Thailand and Indonesia in June for a few weeks. I hope that God will direct me through the process if that's what He wants. If Indonesia is in my future I pray that that'll be more clear through this trip. If you could start praying about this that would be great.

If you didn't know, there are a ton of Burmese refugees that live in and around New Bern. Pam told me that there is a school in town where most of the Burmese refugee children go and I'm thinking about going there a few times a week. I mean, I have the ability, experience and love for kids, why not? Pray that I can get involved there.

So what do you have going on in your life?

Experience at Walmart brought a revelation.
At work I developed a headache. Skipped Yoga class. Got home. Remembered I had a Red Box movie that I didn't want to keep another night. Headed to Walgreens to return it and the machine was broken. Headache worsened. Forced to go to Walmart to return the movie, I spend $5.41 on groceries that wasn't planned.

As I was exiting the milk/juice area I see/hear a mother that was quite loudly telling her obese 7 year old that she would "not get the juice because there is too much sugar in it." I watched the child pick up the Minute Maid juice and raise and rest it on his head while asking again if he could get it. I thought to myself, "That's a bad call kid you are going to drop it." Less than 2 seconds later, in slow motion, I saw it starting to fall so I moved closer to catch it.....FAIL. The juice covered half of my leg. I stood waiting for the parent to grab the spewing jug of juice but she didn't! She was stunned, so I turned it over so it wouldn't spew any more. The mom then just started to yell, "I told you we were not getting the juice because there is too much sugar in it! We never get that juice!!!!"

After walking away smiling and partially embarrassed from walking around Walmart w/ my soaked leg it hit me....

She is bitter, angry and embarrassed that her child is fat and possibly even hates him a little because of it.

Ya know lady, maybe you should just get the juice and put back the poptarts. Her actions were uncalled for. Alright parents, before you go on a rant that your child is "chunky" and you don't know what to do, here a voice from experience:....1. Stop packing all kinds of crap for snacks. Not 1 of my YMCA children packs anything of value in their lunch bag. Heck some pack their own which means there are 4 bags of Little Debbie cakes all of which are consumed + a soda. 2. Get rid of the freaking game system. Wii might be an option but usually they are playing everything but. 3. Get rid of the cable. Man survived forever w/o it, so can you. If you have a show you like watch it on the internet. 4. Stop being lame and spend 2 weeks yourself trying to get into shape so you can play with your kid. Those 2 weeks are a beating but after that you will still have energy after work to workout/play.

I was basically born a fat kid. Here's why: Forced to eat all the leftovers by my grandmother not to mention she was an amazing cook so 1/2 the time I was down with eating it. Since I ate all that my stomach stretched and I started eating beer-bellied man portions around the age of 10. Digital tv came in. Rabid animals outside. Not an athletic body. Lots of homework. Divorce. Lived in the middle of nowhere. Laziness. Boredom.

Stop hating on your fat kid. You make the changes. DON'T SAY ANYTHING TO YOUR KID ABOUT THEIR WEIGHT! This was my family's huge error. It made me eat more and accept it. You make the changes and your kid will adapt and end up changing w/o noticing. You starting the habits will change theirs.

That's my rant from a former obese child's viewpoint.
Inspired by hating mother of an obese child.