And We're Off...

By the time you are reading this, my dad and I will be set on our way to the great cold state of Minnesota. He'll arrive at 3 EST* in Syrcause and I will have already carved 1 hour off the (at least) 18 hours drive.

*That's 2 CST...Minnesota time!

We're praying for a great traveling experience! Read: safe/timely flight for my dad, clear roads, good conversation, no car problems, easy listening tunes, no snowstorms or strong winds, quick stops, good gas mileage, and for me...a good book!

I've had most everything packed since last weekend, finishing up my clothes and last minute packing yesterday. Then of course, actually getting it into the car. I'm convinced that my car shrunk...I couldn't possible have accumulated THAT much more stuff in 9 months. Regardless, I suppose...my car is full to the limit.

See?

After this photo was taken,

I remembered that I had one bag of clothes not packed.

I had to SIT on the trunk to close it.

BUT IT CLOSED!

That's all that matters, right?

Like the Trunk, this door should

NOT

be opened until it is time to unload!

Now dear readers,
Since I am on my way back to the great cold Minnesota, I will not be experiencing any more "Rodman Moments" and my "Rodman Life" will be no longer.
Don't be alarmed, I've grown to love blogging! I started this blog to share, with family and friends back home, my moments and life. Though, I'll be home, I don't really care to stop blogging, even if I will be in much closer contact with them. Blogging has been helpful to me in expressing my thoughts and feelings, ones that I may not have expressed to most of you who actually read this, so I'm not stopping.

However, I have created another blog, because well the current URL doesn't really fit anymore. I was smart this time around and you can now follow me on my life's journey at http://whereeverhetakesme.blogspot.com/ or just click: My Life. My Stories. My Thoughts. and add it to your favorites!

Thanks for all your support readers*. I truly appreciate it and it has certianly helped in this change of direction for my life!

*at least to those who offer it in the comments!

And if you noticed in the pictures, NY is wishing me off with more snow. How kind of it...

Winter Wonderland - NY Style

And on a less beautiful note:

Biggest Snowman I've ever seen!
(Please notice the size of the trucks)

And for a reality check:

 20 Minutes Later...I drove out!

 (There wasn't a chance I was actually going to shovel all around it)

And One More...

MN on NY roads...

...because here I come!

2010 Changes Everything

As we start into 2010, it's not only a new year with new challenges and new hopes, but it's a new beginning, for me, which usually involves change. And changes are happening...

Not only are there obvious changes, like me moving back to Minnesota* and the New Year, but there's more happening than just that.

*The move is official; I'll be home this weekend!

I've mentioned before about what changes in seasons and new routines usually mean for me and it seems that I do it about three times a year. Just as summer begins, when fall rolls around, and the beginning of a new year. Those times almost always mean change, a new schedule and then I get pumped with discipline.

So, what do you know? It's 2010, but not only is it a new year; it's also a time of change in my life. New things are coming ahead and I'm ready for them!

Some people make "New Years Resolutions" to prepare and get ready for something new, the next chapter. I usually don't, but rather I make new commitments, prioritize and make sure God is being honored in my daily life. This is maybe the same thing, just not “cliché” sounding.

Anyways.

I've been asking myself questions like "Am I living like I should be living? Do I let the days slip by without doing things that I know my heart desires? What do I have to change to make things right? What is my schedule going to look like? And where will I fit these changes I need to make into my life?"

Though I may not know the direct answers to all these questions yet, I sure can answer some of them. I know what my daily life is lacking now and what I can do to make it right. I know the days pass me by way too quickly and I wonder where the week, month and even year went. I know where to improve in my friendships and relationships with family members. I know these things and I want to please God with my life, I want to make these changes, to make things right.

With that being said, during 2010 I want to:

Overcome my stubbornness. I too quickly base my decisions on how I feel, which makes for a little tension in a relationship. It may not be a bad thing, but when I do it all the time, it becomes a bad thing.

Spend more quality time on my knees in prayer. Sure, I pray when people ask me to and I pray when something is bothering me. I thank God for my food and the beauty in His creation. But I crave more, so I need to seek it!

Let loose and have fun! I, also,too quickly excuse doing something fun with my tiredness or being too cold outside. I don’t want to be like that, it’s boring and I simply don’t like it.


And just for fun, I want to:

Learn to cook more things and feel comfortable doing it. If I practice, I’m bound to get better, right?!

Take a nice long hike, a real one, up a mountain or really big hill. And…I hope this doesn’t go against what I just said, but I’ll probably wait until summer of 2010, to do this one. It’s just to cold…but not only that, the scenery is far better without snow. Ok?


With 2010 here... plans for the move set... and excitement for what is to come...
... let the changes begin!

My 2009 In Pictures

This year has been filled with so much it's impossible to wrap it up into a few words.

Let the pictures that captured my 2009 year explain the highlights!

Thai Food

(My First Time)

 Nannying

 Adventures with Rachel

Salsa Dancing

(My First Time)

Move to NY

(My Second Time)

 Lots of Planting, Pulling, and Picking

 

 Rachel's Visit to NY!

 Our Mall Trip

Trip To NYC

 A LOT of Stawberries!

Two fairs, lots of rides!

 Parties and Swimming

Farmers Markets!

Blueberries and more Blueberries!

Date Nights

Going Out for some, Staying In for others

The Book of Acts

Job at Faith Fellowship Daycare

Birthday Trip to the Winery

Turning 21 and experiencing it's advantages 

(First Time trying Wine)

Making New Friends
(espeically Mandee on Left)

More parties...

Visting Home

(First Time Flying)

First Perfect Margarita with Strawberry

As the 2009 year comes to an end,

 I celebrate where God has brought me and where He is bringing me.

What He has taught and what He is still teaching me.

 Life is a beautiful thing and as I look back on 2009,

I carry with me memories and lessons learned into the year 2010.

Thanking God for everything He has done and everything He will do!

Happy New Year Everyone!

The Beauty of Life

As I am tentatively making plans to have my dad fly here on the 8th of January to drive home with me, I’m overloaded with feelings, but there is beauty in it all!

I’m excited, yet anxious, for what is to come. I’m ecstatic to be coming home, but the reality of not having a job hits me. Questions like “where should I apply?” and “when will I find one?” Roam through my mind.

Where’s the beauty in that?
I know that God is directing my path and
trust He will provide the right job at the right time.
That, my friends, is beautiful!

I’m not only eager for what is to come in my life, but I’m also thrilled for James and what is to come in his life. He is just now starting on a journey he has desired and I have encouraged him to pursue. He’s finally met a man willing to take James under his wing and mentor him. This also makes me sad, though, that I can’t be apart of this great thing that is happening in James’s life.

Beautiful.

When there is an end, there is a new beginning.

Though I may not be directly apart of what James will be doing,

we serve the same God and
will be seeking to spread the same good news

 and be bringing the same Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Beautiful.

I can’t wait to get plugged in. Connecting to a church has been a very long, confusing process out here and I can’t wait to get reconnected and plugged in at The Open Door. I look forward to the sermons, worshipping with them, and I’m hoping to be apart of the mentoring program they started up last fall. Not to mention the Single’s Nights they have…

I love what is going on at The Open Door.

 I love what it can offer me and I love what I have to offer the church.

Fellowship.

Worship.

Spiritual Growth.

Beautiful.

I still deeply desire to find the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. I’m very hopeful that he is out there, but I’m back to the waiting and looking stage, which I have very mixed emotions about. I know it can and will be fun, but I crave that committed relationship.

As much as I don’t like “the process”, it really is beautiful.

The growth and lessons learned are important for what is to come.

It may not be easy to go through,

 but it’s beautiful to look back on and see just how God works.

With that being said, I’m also trying to figure out what the healthy way for James and I to move on looks like, but still remain friends. I wonder if that’s even possible. Is there a certain time frame? Will one just know when another person comes along, that it’s time? Or does a person just “feel” ready?

It’s beautiful that I don’t HAVE to know these answers.

 I can just trust in God and

know He is leading me on the path that He wills,
that which is beautiful!

I’m still feeling so at peace with James and the decision we’ve made. In fact, I’m surprisingly enjoying these last moments I’ll share with him, here in NY. I know I will miss his friendship so much, once I leave. That makes it very bittersweet for me.

To have peace during moments such as these is simply beautiful.

No more explanation need as far as I am concerned.

I’m sad to leave the friends I’ve made out here. The Widrick family has been so good to James and I, opening up their doors for community and letting us be apart of their family. I’m thankful for them and how helpful they have been to me.

What I’ve share with them as been a blessing.

It’s encouraging to know people such as these exist and

are willing to demonstrate the heart of Christ.

You guess it, Beautiful!

I’m looking forward to the road trip home with my dad! I love to drive, he loves to drive. I’m not worried; if something would happen he’d know what to do. I know it will be some good 21 hours of quality time spent with him and I am looking forward to that. Plus, the fact that the end destination is just what I need for now makes me antsy.

Road trips are beautiful.

Spending time with my dad is beautiful.

Coming home is beautiful.

I love to pack, but I’m still not in the mood to start. Looking at all my stuff and thinking about it going BACK into my car for another trip, doesn’t bring me too much thrill. I am hoping that once I do start, which will be soon, that I’ll get into my groove and enjoy the packing process. I really can’t wait until I get to unpack it though!

The process, remember, it’s beautiful!

Since I’ve been away from home and out of my parents house for quite some time, I knew I’d prefer to find an apartment or another form of housing, but I wasn’t sure I could find something affordable or ideal. But I did! I’m so blessed to have a cousin who offered me a room in her house, not only to rent when I do get a job, but to live there until I do!

My cousin is beautiful and her generosity is beautiful.

This opportunity is beautiful!

Amongst those emotions, there are emotions that I don’t feel, for which I am so grateful.

I haven’t felt ashamed or judgment coming from anyone at home and that speaks volumes to me about the family and friends I’m blessed with. I’m seriously thankful for the support and encouragement I have received.

The hearts of these people and knowing they are in my life is all so beautiful.

I haven’t felt anger towards James with the direction of our relationship. As we talk about it, it’s truly beautiful that our feelings are so mutual. I don’t just mean the part of us breaking up even, but just how hopeful we are for each other and still supportive and understanding. It amazes me.

The freedom I have from such feelings are so beautiful

and I have Christ to thank for that.

If it weren’t for His beautiful sacrifice,

I have a feeling James and I would have a whole lot more to say about each other,

 but we don’t, because of Christ’s beauty.

In all of this, it really isn’t hard to find the beauty. My emotions are all over the board, but there is beauty above them all.

Christmas Morning

This morning, when I woke up, I ran right to the Christmas tree!

Nope, okay I didn't do that...

There isn't even a Christmas tree to run to.

That's not the point though.

This morning, when I woke up, I didn't do any present opening.

I had already done that, in the last couple of weeks!

I've cheated the Christmas morning of it's usual present excitment.

My parents had given me money while I was home for Thanksgiving, for my Christmas present.

So I've been shopping right a long, doing my best to spend the money on "only fun things!"

Boy, that wasn't so hard, let me tell you!

I know, Christmas isn't about this at all,

but I promised I'd post pictures of the things I got,

so let's just pretend it's Christmas morning,

and you're all watching me open my gifts.

3 pairs of earrings

5 Shirts

A Lotion

A Body Wash

2 of the same Perfumes

3 Necklaces

Thanks Mom and Dad!

and...

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Time Has Come, Again.

As most of you know, the decision has been made to return home, again.

This time, it wasn't as easy.

This time, it's not just to take a break.

This time, I have only one reason.

This time, it's real.

The Time Has Come, Again.

And it's not easy because I love James,
a lot and he loves me.
We've invested a lot into this relationship.
Between him first driving to MN, the visits that followed, his move to MN, my visit to NY and my move and return to NY.
All that time, mostly spent together.

We've become so close,

which doesn't make it easy.

The Time Has Come, Again.

And it's not easy because with all the moving we've both done,

it's hard to say either of us would be interested in trying it again.
This is probably the last time I'll live in NY.

This time, there isn't a possibility in our minds we'll be together again,

which doesn't make it easy.

The Time Has Come, Again.

And it's not easy because, I have very few issues with James.

There aren't major things that would cause me to break up with him,

if it weren't for being so far from home.
Of course we have our little things,
but they don't really add up and weigh more than the really great things!
We get along almost all the time and
we know each other so well,
which doesn't make it easy.

The Time Has Come, Again.

And it's not easy because, it's real and it's happening.

I will be going from seeing him everyday to not seeing him at all.

I will no longer be spending most of my time around him,

instead I will be spending no time at all with him.

I will be leaving one of my best friends behind,

which doesn't make it easy.


The Time Has Come, Again....
...which doesn't make it easy.