7 Things

I know what you're thinking and yes, you are at the right blog! I've been tagged once by Bre'anna and mentioned by Aimee to list 7 random things about me. Since this is a blog for Jon and I, I'll try to mention some random things that involve both of us! Here they are:

1. Jon and I are moving in 6 days. What? You already knew that? Well, the truth is I can't seem to escape this fact due to the chaos and boxes that is our house. I'm going stir-crazy here. I wish we would go to sleep one night only to wake up to our house completely packed and move-ready. Of course, I'd hope they'd leave me a few changes of clothes for the next few days, but who's being picky??
2. Since Jon and I have been married, I've realized how picky I am about cleaning. This came as a huge surprise, considering my mom's favorite phrase to describe my room was, "It looks like a pigsty in here!" I've had to "let go and let God" a few times when it comes to Jon helping me with cleaning, allowing him to clean as he pleases.
3. I have to make our bed a very specific way. I like the fitted sheet to be smooth and tight and for the flat sheet to be tucked in just right. Jon, on the other hand, likes the end of his side to be untucked. See, my husband is 6'5" which means his feet sometimes hang off the bed. He likes to free his feet when sleeping.
4. The previous fact leads to my next: I'm a cover stealer. I never thought the day would come when I'd say that! I used to pride myself on being a calm sleeper, hardly moving during sleep. I think that was when my sheets were anchored down on both sides. Now that Jon is "free-footing" (I totally made that word up), there is nothing to hold the sheets on his side. Therefore, if I happen to get up in the middle of the night, I make sure to do away with all evidence of me stealing the covers by pulling our comforter BACK onto Jon. He still figures it out and somewhere in our morning routine he states, "So, SOMEONE stole the covers last night." And now we all know who he's talking about!
5. Another great segway into my other fact: Jon has head-butted me twice in our 9 months of marriage. Now, I'm not talking soccer ball head-butts, but more of a I-just-wanted-to say-hi-and-let-you-feel-my-head kind of head-butt. What's strange is that I always manage to wake up RIGHT before he does it. Then I spend the next few minutes laughing hysterically and my fast asleep, head-butting husband continues sleeping peacefully.
6. I see double when I tilt my head back. This has prevented me from watching many a movie lying on my back. However, it does allow me to drink and drive...NOT that kind! I mean that I can drink my water, but when I tilt my head back I just see the second road. Pretty cool, huh?! I've had this little issue since I was little...it has to do with a muscle in my eye. I have, however, compensated for it and the look I make when compensating has been lovingly referred to as "Popeye." In fact, when I was in high school, some of my dear friends stole borrowed a cardboard cutout of our dear friend Popeye and gave it to me as a graduation gift. So thoughtful! 
7. Jon loves the cute dorky pictures of me from when I was younger awkward. I'm glad someone besides my parents think I was cute during that time. One of his favorites is one of me picking tomatoes and holding it up for the camera with my big glasses, dorky blue jean shorts, braided belt, and on the verge of making the awesome Popeye face. In fact, he liked this picture so much that he used/s it as a book mark, which means other people get to enjoy make fun of this fabulous pic of yours truly. If I can get it from him I MIGHT give you a sneak peak.

So there are my 7 random things. Now it's time for me to tag friends. But this is going to be a short list because I don't have 7 blogging friends anymore since most of you have been tagged already or completed the list.

Shannon - You are a wonderful friend and always have such fun things to say. Plus, maybe your random post could include pictures of your adorable family!

Andrea - I may have to wait a while for you to post your 7 things since you're leaving to go out of the country in a few days. Perhaps your list can come from your travels!

Claire - I'm tagging you in addition to Aimee's tag because I care. Plus, your last entry was titled "Silence" and I don't want it anymore.

Jessica - You are a wonderful friend, wife, and construction-extraordinaire! The things you have done to y'alls house while Brian is away has amazed me. Plus, you always make me laugh!

My sister-in-law, Kristi - You have a super cute blog and will have a super cute vintage shop. And it's time for a little update :)

Honorary tag: My mom - You have a facebook, now you need a blog. It could be your first entry!

Honorary tag: Aimee - You gave me a shout out and now I return the favor! Your blog always makes me laugh and I enjoyed reading your 7 things.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Hello, Blogland! I'm afraid it's been awhile since we conversed. And for that, I'm sorry. Where shall I begin?

Let's start with the biggie! All you college grads out there know how exciting it is to be handed the long-awaited, much-anticipated tube that contains your college degree. Let's face it...there's a lot of studying, praying, passing, failing, blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into obtaining that one piece of paper! There's something else that comes along with that long-awaited, much-anticipated college degree. Instead of a tube, it comes in an envelope. Within this envelope is a lovely payment plan ending in 2019. 2019, people!! While Jon and I were totally onboard with A&M's course work and plan for obtaining our degrees, we were NOT onboard with this 2019 business! Therefore, we're downsizing. Literally. Translation: We're MOVING! Not cities, but homes. And yes, we're accepting any help you'd like to give us regarding packing, moving, etc. When you ask? Oh, just 1 week from tomorrow. We don't do anything halfway! :) Prayers are appreciated.

In other news, we finally finished our table and chairs! I say finally (it only took us a week), but I feel as though our kitchen has been in dire need of cleaning and organizing for an entire week and there's only so much you can do when there are paintbrushes, paint, boxes, chairs and a huge table in the middle of EVERYTHING. So, YAY! One sidenote question...we used semi-gloss paint and are wondering if there's a way to de-stickify it (I totally made that word up)? It's not super sticky, but a little. I'll post pictures of it when I get around to taking them. Have a fabulous Monday!

Common Sense, why did you leave me?

I just had to take a quick opportunity to share the day that Jon and I have had. Let's just say it started with a trip to Home Depot, some paint/varnish stripper, paint, sand paper, steel wool, and high hopes. It ended with 6 varnish-free/sanded chairs, 3 primed chairs, 574 mosquito bites, and 2 sore backs. Can you guess what we did? 

Are you done guessing? In case you can't figure it out, I'll just tell you. I had the bright idea to paint our kitchen table and 6 chairs. I thought this would be a somewhat easy task, but about 5 minutes in I was wondering what in the world I was thinking and wishing I could turn back time! Good news is, Jon and I spent around 6 hours bonding, scraping, and painting together. And the even better news is that we'll get to do it again. And again. And again...until we're finished. AND, in case you're wondering, YES WE ARE ACCEPTING HELPERS! Apply within.

So right about now, I'm asking my sanity to return and looking forward to an evening laying on the couch...in my pajamas...covered in mosquito bites. This is the life, people! :)

Compassion and Community

These two words have been on our minds and our hearts a lot lately. Jon will quickly tell you that I'm the blog-reader in our marriage. And being the relational person I am, I find myself relating to these people, some of which I've never met, as if they are close friends. Often times, I find myself saying to Jon, "You know that blog I read...." Well, this past week I've been so blessed by the blogs I've been reading and the people who have given me a small glimpse into what God is doing in their lives. Many of you have heard of Compassion International, but you may or may not have heard of their Blogger Trips. To give you the short version, Compassion takes bloggers to the countries they are active in and allow them to see firsthand what Compassion is doing there and how their support really is making a difference. These bloggers write about their trip throughout the duration of their trip. Well, two of the bloggers I read travelled to Calcutta, India this past week and the things they saw and experienced have changed my and Jon's perspectives. I encourage you to read about them for yourself here. It is definitely hard to read about their time in India and NOT be challenged, if not changed. They tell stories about families of five living in a room the size of a bathroom. They tell stories about men who work hard to support their families, bringing in only $17 a month. They tell stories of five and six year old kids already planning their futures, so they can alleviate the pressure they know their parents are feeling. It's just heart-breaking.

Jon and I found ourselves talking about the extreme poverty that is found in so much of the world. It's quite humbling, actually. And, because it's not sitting right outside our door, it's easy to push it out of our minds and forget that poverty that affects people EVERY day of their lives. To see an organization actively and intimately involve themselves in this poverty is amazing. But bring in the love, truth, grace, and truth of Jesus into this poverty and it's astounding. Compassion provides opportunities for hope to be seen in the midst of their situations while meeting their very physical needs AND their very spiritual needs.

Our worship leader, Ross King, wrote a song about community and the body of Christ. In it, he asks God to teach us to be community and to unify our hearts as one. There's a line in it that says, "One part suffers, all parts suffer together. One part honored, all parts rejoice." I definitely find myself rejoicing when part of the body is honored. But until recently, the suffering part was not only something I did not involve myself in, but something I was afraid to involve myself in. That requires true compassion. Here's how compassion is defined:

"A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering."

The second part is what strikes me, "a strong desire to alleviate the suffering." I have that desire, but what to do with it? Well, Jon and I are praying about supporting a child in one of the countries that Compassion sponsors. While conditions like these seem far away, we can't turn a blind eye towards it. See, I think that compassion and community go hand-in-hand. We have compassion for those we are in community with. And community challenges us to put action to that compassion. We are realizing more and more that community can definitely be comprised of much more than those within our "borders."

I'll leave you with this short audio clip of children singing one of our favorite worship songs. It brought me to tears and forever changed the way I will think of and sing this song.

What the Lord Has Done for Us