Autumn is upon us. Early morning and late evenings have that crisp-air feel to them. Days are all-around cooler. The nights are darker, earlier. The trees have yet to turn here on base, but I am sure that by the middle to end of September, all the leaves will have turned and fallen. It seems weird to me, that it is only the very end of August, beginning of September, and it is already fall-like. Back on the East Coast it is still relatively warm - these last few weeks it has been pretty rainy - and a 60-degree day is considered warm (still wearing those t-shirts and sandals).

Anyways, some new-ish stuff in my life... after just over twenty four years of a wonderful dentist record, I have obtained three cavities - all of which will be filled at 7 am Friday September 9th Pacific Standard Time...so if you want to remember me on that day, please do...and pray for me now as the left side (both top and bottom) of my mouth has been bothering me (think: lots of ibuprofen) and I still have to wait two weeks to have this done! I hope the ache-y and uncomfortable-ness doesn't get any worse!

Two things I've learned in my short married life so far

There are two things I have begun to learn since I have been married (these short almost six! months). First, Andrew and I have realllly different tastes when it comes to decorating. For example, my mom just shipped up all my wall art, including a wonderful oil painting that was made by my friend Lisa York while she was in her senior year at Hougton - it depicts Massai women in their traditional garb in their village over in Tanzania. This painting holds meaning to me because I've experienced this picture, a semester earlier than Lisa. I also have a few professionally framed batiks I brought back with me and a digitally mastered art piece done by a Houghtonite I bought during my senior year. This Little Red Riding Hood piece was displayed in Java 101, the Houghton coffee shop, during an art show and I kept going back to it over the course of the show. I like it. A lot.

The question comes down to: where are we going to display these? My first guess would be the guest bedroom, but then again, we keep the door closed to keep the room as hypoallergenic as possible for those who visit us with allergies...and so by putting them up there in the room, they would never be seen and enjoyed. We could put them in our bedroom and it would go well with the particular bedroom set we picked up....but I'm afraid that because the frames and pictures are dark and may make our bedroom seem even darker than it already does...

Put them in the living room? Or maybe on that wall at the end of the kitchen that is such a blank white and we use the floor between the bathroom and the door to the basement as a catchall for the file cabinet and backpacks etc..... it would put more color in this house, maybe make it more home-y. What do you think?

Secondly, I went to another medical clinic today because I couldn't get in for an appt in the Hospital with my PCM (it seems I NEVER can!) So let me back up a little bit - and to warn you, the following information may be too personal for you so if you are uncomfortable - suck it up and keep reading or x-out of this blog. A couple of months ago I piggy-backed my birth control and the past couple months my cycle has been off... like a week. So basically, my body says 'I am ready to expel NOW!' a week early - while I'm still on the pill. So this past week has been pretty much the same except two days ago I had a really sore back and last night I woke up several times with debilitating cramps - worse than I've ever had in my entire life of cramping (which is very little to speak of). So I went to the clinic today.

One thing I have learned in these five and a half months of marriage is that nobody cares and I shouldn't either. And if I am caring, I better get over it quick. The first time I saw a guest doctor volunteering at the Hospital a few months ago for this same issue (infection!) I had to get over the fact that the doctor was a male... and today there was a student intern in the clinic and I said it was okay for her to be in there. In fact, what the heck!? If there is a student there to learn, and I have a problem (no matter what area of my body it is) then come on in - even during the exam. Students have to learn somehow. Oh, and I've also begun to not care-so-much about how 'groomed' I am when I visit the doctor. I mean, who cares?

A few highlights from this weekend's camping trip in Willow AK

At the top of the mountain, and near Summit Lake.

Summit Lake

The View from the top

A really cool waterfall

I was so excited to capture the water spraying!

At the base of the mountain.

Ally, the cutest little girl ever.

Her sister Emily.

Dinner Saturday Evening.

Kia

After eating fresh wild blueberry cobbler.

Salmon eggs, used for bait.

Dan Evans, with his first catch of the night.

Andrew's first catch!

Gorgeous sunset.

A simple oil change

A couple of things on my mind today: 

I went in for an oil change this morning and had to make an appointment for later in the afternoon. So I went over to Target to get a baby shower gift for this weekend, got slightly distracted by the sales in the ladies department (and only spent $36!) and walked out with some baby shower gifts and a new dressy-tank with sweater - separate items - and a pair of black leggings. But I spent most of the morning doing this. I sped home for lunch (which was way quick) and home brewed coffee before heading out again, back to the garage for that oil change. It was supposed to be about an hour. Two and a half hours later, I am paying for the oil change...and a new engine filter...and a new belt. They wanted to replace the rear struts as well (both of them because you can't just replace one - and the passenger side is already shot apparently) but we said no for now, because that would have cost (with labor) an extra $770, putting the bill up to $970...not something we have right now....ESPECIALLY since less than a week ago we shelled out another $330 for two brand new tires on the rear (I got a flat...and not just any flat - a razor-ed one)!

So I am driving home thinking about something my dear friend Kelly said to me yesterday while chatting: Why don't you think about praying [for your husband]? And she recommended the book Power of a Praying Wife (let's just add that to my ever-growing list of books to read!). I have a lousy prayer life. Just putting it out there. I hardly pray about anything. Yes, I talk to God occasionally (not as much as one might think) but I wouldn't label it as prayer necessarily. I have been thinking that this will be the fall I finish my degree from Southern and yesterday I was all excited after I talked to a counselor at UAA versus APU (and UAA is not only cheaper but on the list of schools that Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) will help pay for!)...and as I was driving home I realized something. I haven't prayed about school this fall. I don't know where the money would come from for that to happen, and even if I did [know], school starts in about two weeks and I will be hard pressed to come up with money for that...especially since we have to possibly shell out an additional $700 to fix the car....

Ever wonder why all the big stuff happens right in a row? It's like a woman named Kendra from Hospitality House who broke  shattered her ankle on a ropes course and she says that God totally broke her ankle so that she can really learn how to be humble (an area she has trouble with) and truly rely on God. So I sort of feel as though God is telling me that I need to pray about BEFORE they happen so that when they do I don't feel so stressed out and freaked out and whaaaa!

I can't promise my prayer life will pick up real quick after this one. Or that I will keep it up after a while. But it's a start now, isn't it?