Five on Friday

Since I missed 10 on Tuesday and I'm still busy and kind of all over the place we're doing this bullet style today:

1. I watched two documentaries last weekend - Miss Representation and It's a Girl.  Both were excellent and opened my eyes to how alive and well sexism still is.  I could do a whole post on my thoughts about these...you should for sure watch them! If you do, message me because I'd love to discuss!

2. This week I sent an email to my coworkers letting them know about my Kenya trip and inviting them to donate to my Freedom Campaign.  I really did not want to send this email.  I thought it might be inappropriate for work, I hate asking for money, and I didn't want anyone to be annoyed with me.  But I felt God pushing me to.  Well guess what?  People donated!  Like $100 each!  I was so surprised, overwhelmed and encouraged!  You can learn more about my trip and donate here: www.stayclassy.com/ncsuz

3. I got a new job!  I am still with Lenovo, but I am moving to the marketing department for the channel team.  It was a tough decision, but I think this is a good opportunity.  I have so many mixed emotions about it though- sad, excited, nervous, anxious, relieved, stressed!  Any tips for getting through those first few weeks at a new job?

4. I'm not sure if we are just a test market for this or not...but have you tried the frosted lemonade at Chic-fil-a?!  OMG it is amazing!  I saw the sign for it throughout the summer but didn't give it a try until last night and wow! I've been missing out!  I wish we were also a test market for the new breakfast items...chicken and waffles?  yes please!

5. I'm going to Harry Potter world in a few weeks!  It was very last minute.  I had an airline credit I had to use before the end of October and luckily one of my friends was able to go and found us an awesome deal on a hotel.  I can't wait!

Hope you guys have a fabulous long weekend!!

Ten on Tuesday

My brain is fried.  I meant to post this earlier, but you know how it goes.  Just wanted to share some random thoughts so I can get back into the habit of blogging regularly.  Here we go...

1. I don't understand this ALS ice bucket challenge thing.  In the videos people say "You have 24 hours to accept this challenge or donate $100 to ALS."  I mean I guess it is a good way for people who can't donate to spread the word, but I feel like it has turned into this "look at me dump water on my head" thing.  It is bothering me, but it's good that it's raised so much awareness and money.

2. I have to get more shots for my Kenya trip tomorrow.  Let me tell you this whole vaccination thing has made me thankful for electronic medical records.  I have no record of my shots except for the past 3 years and trying to get past medical information is an act of congress.  Also I hate needles.  I got the Typhoid and Yellow Fever shots last week so at least I know I can just suck it up and get through it but I'm so ready for all these shots to be over.  Also these shots ain't cheap!  It was over $300 for the 2 I got last week!

3. I watched a TED talk yesterday and this conception to birth video blew my mind.  I mean the complexity of creating a human is amazing.  God is an amazing engineer!



4. Reality TV has gotten me through the summer.  Big Brother. Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.  Dance Moms.  Raising Asia.  It's my guilty pleasure.

5.   I got a Jawbone UP a few weeks ago and I am obsessed with it.  Best purchase I have made in a while.  I got the old version which was only $79!  Anybody else have an UP?

6.  One of the girls in my bible study went on this Kenya trip back in June and showed me pictures from the trip.  One of the things I was most worried about was the bathroom situation.  It is literally a shack with a hole in the ground.  Literally a hole. in the ground. This is probably TMI but...I was even contemplating taking Imodium so I wouldn't have to go #2 while we are in the village during the day and almost threw a party when according to my period tracker I wasn't supposed to start until the day we come home when I will at least have access to airport bathrooms.  Then I saw this video.  And I felt really guilty about being worried about myself for 10 days when these girls have to worry about it all the time.



7. I read a great blog post yesterday.  The title was "God I am worn out" and all I could think was Amen!  In it she talks about how a tree has to shed it's leaves to prepare for winter and if it doesn't the branches become overwhelmed and break.  She talks about how you have to say no to some things so that you can say yes to others.  This is a lesson I need to learn ASAP!

"...That's what happens when a snow comes early. The trees weren't designed to face snow before releasing their leaves. They weren't made to carry more than they should. And neither are we.
I know the weight of carrying more than I should. And usually it's because I've refused to release something before taking on something else. If I want to choose a Best Yes, it's crucial I make room for it first.

Otherwise, a Best Yes can quickly become a stressed yes. And a stressed yes is like snow on a tree that refuses to release its leaves. It causes cracks and breaks at our core.

If we refuse to release before we add, we will get overloaded."

- See more at: http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/god-im-worn-out/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+p31encouragement+%28P31+Encouragement+for+Today%29#sthash.kNFxsU6T.dpuf

8.  Speaking of stressed, I also read this article about how the age women are happiest at is 25 and the age they are most stressed at is 34.  I just had my 34th birthday. Great.

9. Following God is sometimes like going to the gym for me.  I dread it.  I whine about what He asks me to do (currently fundraising for Kenya is at the top of my list).  But I am always blown away by what He does when I follow Him and feel so good afterwards saying "That was totally worth it."  But getting there is definitely a struggle and most of the time not very pretty.  By the way if you'd like to donate, please! help me!  because I SUCK at fundraising.  You can donate at www.stayclassy.com/ncsuz

10. I'm going to bed.  It's almost midnight.  This night owl stuff has to stop.  If you have any tips for getting to bed early and falling asleep (that's my main issue) please let me know!

Hope you all are having a fabulous week and since it's pretty much Wednesday now, Happy Hump Day!

this still cracks me up every time...

Life doesn't always go as planned...

Wow!  It has been exactly 11 months since I last posted on here.  I almost forgot how to even create a post!

Well since we last spoke I have had a lot going on.  Around this time last year I started a new position at work.  This has been the most challenging position I have ever been in.  There is a ton of pressure and visibility and so much work to do I still feel like I am drowning on a daily basis.  I am still at Lenovo but now I am in charge of the ThinkPad sales on lenovo.com for North America.  All of them.  It's a lot of pressure.  And work.  But I'm still alive a year into it.

But I miss blogging.  I miss documenting my life here.  I miss having posts to look back on to see what was going on in my head during a particular time and to help me remember when certain things happened.  (getting old is no joke y'all!)

I started this blog originally to keep track of my adventures marking off the things on my 30 Before 30 List.  Last week I turned 34 and I STILL have 3 things left on my list:  Get in the best shape of my life, catch a fish, and kiss in the rain.  I still want to do those things and other things I would have thought I'd done by now like get married and have babies (seriously I feel way behind where society says I should be right now!)

One thing I have learned in life is that God doesn't always take you where you planned to go.  And that is the beauty of it.  Proverbs 16:9 says "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."  I have loved where the Lord has led me.  He's allowed me not only to do a lot of the things I had planned to do but also go above and beyond on some of the things on my list:

I'm not only paying all my bills with no help from my mom, I'm also giving away more than 10% of my income now!

I didn't just run a 5K once, I've ran a bunch of 5Ks and even a half marathon!

I've not only made a baby laugh and changed a diaper, I've led preschool classes (and volunteered in the nursery) for over a year at church.  I took a small break from it while I started my small group, but I'm officially starting back with the preschool class tomorrow!

Not only did I go on my first mission trip and first trip abroad in 2010, but in 2 months I will be going on my second mission trip to Africa!

Not only did I upgrade one room in my house, but I finally got my whole house almost exactly the way I want it- new light fixtures, paint, appliances, hardwoods, the works!

Not only did I visit Washington DC, but I also went to San Diego, Chicago, Iowa and Austin, TX.  Hopefully I will be able to say I've been to all 50 states before I die! (27 and counting!)

Not only did I read the Bible all the way through, after spending 4 years in a fabulous bible study group I now lead my own bible study group with 13 fabulous ladies!

Not only did I go to see a movie alone, I traveled by plane to a city I've never been to before and stayed there and explored for a whole week all by myself!

I can't wait to see where God takes me next! I pray that He will help/allow me to complete the last 3 things on my list (and get married and have babies) but that is not my main goal in life.  I no longer live for myself, but for Him.  I am glad that I have learned to trust His timing and follow where He leads me.

"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

I am going to try to document my life on here again and also look forward to trying to read some blogs again because I miss this so much.  I know I won't have time to devote to it like I used to, but I do hope to resurrect this little space of mine!  It's good to be back!