Shane writes:
Ginger and I took a few days to recharge the batteries and to visit with some awesome people. The first leg of our trip took us to Bear Lake in northern Utah for my family reunion. We got to Bear Lake Friday afternoon and met up with some cousins that I haven't seen in a very long time. It was great to re-connect with them. We had a Luau style dinner with pork, pineapple, numerous pasta salads, and sweet desserts. Unfortunately, just as we were starting dinner, mother nature was starting to brew up a very nasty windstorm. You know, the kind where branches fly off trees and bash you in the shoulder. The wind got so bad that many trees ended up falling over completely. This created havoc for the tent campers. It was a bummer that the weather ruined our plans for a fireside visit, but it all worked out as my Dad's brothers and sisters and in-laws all crowded into our tiny KOA cabin. It was a blast and we had a very nice visit.
Day two saw us wake up at 5:30 (yeah, AM. ON VACATION!!!) to get to the SLC airport to catch a flight to Milwaukee. We drove from Milwaukee to Elcho, WI where Ginger's family reunion takes place every year. This was my first trip to northern Wisconsin, and it is beautiful. I just don't understand why they don't grow corn there?!? (Sarcasm) For those who have never been in the upper mid west, it is very very green and very thick with trees. And corn fields as far as the eye can see. And flying over Minnesota, I noticed that when they say land of 10,000 lakes, they aren't kidding. It was a very pretty drive. We had a great time visiting with her family on Sunday and headed back to Milwaukee Monday morning. We were able to get in a good visit with her brother and her Dad and their significant others Monday night. I flew out Tuesday morning to return home to work. Ginger will have to fill you in on the rest of her trip.
If you will indulge me for a minute and let me get sappy, I would like to say that I am very thankful for second chances and for God's grace. This trip was a very stern reminder to me that things happen for a reason and as long as we believe, then our poor decisions don't need to result in unhappiness. Everything in my life has happened for a reason and I have had some major ups and downs, but I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the woman by my side was intended to be my life partner and I am extremely thankful for her and am humbled by her. Thank you Lord for blessing my life and Thank you Ginger for being my best friend.
Stuff... and Wedding Plans!!!
Ginger Writes "Over the last few blogs Shane and I have posted, several people have mentioned that they have been unable to leave comments on the site. If anyone is interested in leaving a comment they must have a google account, which is free. (there may be some other ways, but I am not sure of them) After you have a google account you can sign in and make comments. You can also follow our blog by clicking on the link in the middle of the right side of the page under "Followers".
Shane and I have been doing well. We have been really concentrating on paying down our debt. It has at times been frustrating as we think of our families far away and want to visit more often. However, in the long run we will be able to make those trips more often if we get our butts out of debt. I am personally about 6 months away from finishing some mutual debt I have with Chris (My Ex Husband) and then a few months out after that to have ALL my debt paid off. We have finally decided to wait on getting a new car to replace the NEON until it completely, 100%, dies. In the mean time we are saving for the down payment for when that time comes. I can't even imagine what it is going to feel like to have no debt at all. Although it won't last for long (Shane has a mortgage I will take on with him when we get married and then a car payment unless the NEON lasts forever or we save enough to just pay cash before it dies. Highly unlikely but definitely ideal.)
OH, Did I just say... When we get married??? Ok, it is pretty well known for many that Shane and I have been in the process of setting up a wedding date. Although it is not official (Because Shane is being responsible about the purchase and so the ring is not on my finger yet... I did get to pick it out though) We have set a date for September 25, 2011. We are planning to get married in Long Beach, CA and will be taking a cruise to different parts of Mexico immediately after. We have played with the idea of waiting to post a blog until it is "official" but we want EVERYONE that would like to come to have enough time to save so here I am writing about it. We will be getting more information out about this event within the month. I have been gathering addresses to send it out when we have it. SOOOOO, if anyone has not yet gotten us their address please email it to me or Shane, send a Facebook message or text. I have put a few posts up on Facebook asking for addresses. Thank you to everyone who has responded!
So, that is it for right now... I hope everyone is doing well. We love hearing from everyone and what is new in your lives, so send us a message!"
Shane and I have been doing well. We have been really concentrating on paying down our debt. It has at times been frustrating as we think of our families far away and want to visit more often. However, in the long run we will be able to make those trips more often if we get our butts out of debt. I am personally about 6 months away from finishing some mutual debt I have with Chris (My Ex Husband) and then a few months out after that to have ALL my debt paid off. We have finally decided to wait on getting a new car to replace the NEON until it completely, 100%, dies. In the mean time we are saving for the down payment for when that time comes. I can't even imagine what it is going to feel like to have no debt at all. Although it won't last for long (Shane has a mortgage I will take on with him when we get married and then a car payment unless the NEON lasts forever or we save enough to just pay cash before it dies. Highly unlikely but definitely ideal.)
OH, Did I just say... When we get married??? Ok, it is pretty well known for many that Shane and I have been in the process of setting up a wedding date. Although it is not official (Because Shane is being responsible about the purchase and so the ring is not on my finger yet... I did get to pick it out though) We have set a date for September 25, 2011. We are planning to get married in Long Beach, CA and will be taking a cruise to different parts of Mexico immediately after. We have played with the idea of waiting to post a blog until it is "official" but we want EVERYONE that would like to come to have enough time to save so here I am writing about it. We will be getting more information out about this event within the month. I have been gathering addresses to send it out when we have it. SOOOOO, if anyone has not yet gotten us their address please email it to me or Shane, send a Facebook message or text. I have put a few posts up on Facebook asking for addresses. Thank you to everyone who has responded!
So, that is it for right now... I hope everyone is doing well. We love hearing from everyone and what is new in your lives, so send us a message!"
The Simple Things in Life -
Ginger Writes "About to start my work day but wanted to blog about a very simple act of kindness this morning that MADE my day!!! This story starts on Saturday when I spoiled myself by purchasing a CD (Regina Spektor – FAR). While I made my drive up to Cedar City late Saturday night I listened to the whole CD. In fact it was perfect timing that as I pulled into Shane’s Driveway that the last track (#13) was finishing. Well, this morning, I got into the Jeep to head back down to St. George and as most CD’s do in a car player, it continued to play. #14 started to play and I thought “ I thought this CD only had 13 tracks…” a bonus track was starting to play and I was thrilled!!! What was very very odd was the song “Somewhere over the rainbow / What a wonderful world” by IZ was playing. While I listened to the song I was remembering a few weeks back how I told Shane I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this song and that I loved IZ. I smiled as I listened to the song and it brought back memories of my trip to Hawaii with my Girls Laura and Anne in 2005. It was very aweseome. BUT then the song ended and another song by IZ came on! I thought to myself… how weird that Ragina would put IZ on her CD as bonus tracks. But then simply thought nothing more of it, other than that I hit the jackpot with this purchase considering I loved both of these artists. The CD then stopped and so I started it over again, thinking I was going to rehear the entire CD. What happened instead was another IZ song came on. I drove for a few minutes really, really confused. I started to realize this was not my Regina CD, but a different one. I pushed the eject button and out popped IZ – Facing Future Album. My eyes started to tear up as I realized Shane must have snuck the CD into the Jeep and coordinated it just right to start playinig on track #14, my favorite song by IZ. There is no way Shane could have know I had just purchased that other CD and that this other CD only had 13 tracks. I called him immediately and thanked him for the nice surprise. It is the little things in life that bring me great, immense joy. And also the weird coincidences like track #14 being my favorite song that make me appreciate this amazing life and the amazing people who are in it, especially Shane who has completely surprised me by showing me I deserve to be loved unconditionally."
"The Only Thing We Have To Fear Is Fear Itslef....And Heights."
Shane writes (finally):
I took a step in overcoming one of my biggest fears over the weekend. I have been wanting to hike Angel’s Landing for quite some time, but have heard horror stories and have seen countless (ok, 2 to be exact) news stories about people slipping and falling over the edge. I have heard firsthand accounts from people who have gotten to the Scout Lookout and turned back for fear of heights. Then there are those individuals who have the balance of a cat and the courage of a lion who have made it to the top. Ginger is one of these people. I admire that.
Well, every adventure begins with the first step. So we set out to conquer the 5 mile round trip 1,500 foot incline. And what a beautiful hike it was. The Southern Utah breeze proved to be very welcome to keep our bodies cool as we made the trek. It was a sunny and the scenery was, as it always is in Zion, unspeakably picturesque. Zion is my favorite place to hike. I admit that my travels have been limited and I have yet to set foot in the Appalachians, the Alps, Yosemite, and on and on. But there is a reason why Zion attracts upwards of 3 million visitors a year from all around the world. It truly is Heaven on Earth.
The hike up was pretty tough as we worked to awaken our apathetic winter muscles and tried to keep our lungs from exploding. Once we defeated the switchbacks and got to the Scout overlook, I looked ahead and saw the first chain part of the hike. At first I thought to myself, “It doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would be.” Only .5 of a mile from the top of the cliff, I started to feel the excitement that I was going to make it to the top without a problem. Then came the act of actually climbing the rock face and holding onto the chains. We got about a tenth of a mile before my fear started taking grip. Now, here is where I would like to use the wind as an excuse for my vertigo setting in. It was a very strong breeze on an exposed rock face. However, when I saw a couple of 12 year olds making the climb, I realized that this excuse would not fly. I finally came to realize that I was going to have to admit defeat and accept that I was not going to totally overcome my fear of heights on this particular hike. So, we descended the rock and took a little apple break on the welcome flat surface of Scout Overlook.
There is a spot on the overlook that has a railing so you can walk right to the edge of the cliff and overlook without falling the deadly 1,000 feet. At this point my vertigo was so bad and my heart was racing so much that it took all I had to approach the railing. I stood for a couple of seconds and took in the unbelievable view and the ant-sized people and matchbox sized buses. Then it became a little overwhelming so I backed away and sat down on a nice level rock looking toward an uphill slope. You can’t fall uphill, right? But I kept looking back as Ginger was taking pictures over the railing and I got that queasy feeling in my gut. Then, I saw and elderly couple standing to the side of the railing and peaking over the edge. They were at a part that was totally exposed to the fall. As they approached the edge, the wife kind of stumbled and the husband grabbed her arm to help her keep her balance. I could just see them falling over the ledge. I had to turn away because now my fear was no longer for myself but for them.
Luckily, there were no falls that day. And I learned that I need to quit letting my imagination run wild and “create that scenario” as Ginger would say. I understand all of this. But I have also realized that fears are best confronted by taking baby steps. I look forward to working a little more on my fear of heights, but for now I am glad to have my feet on level ground.
I took a step in overcoming one of my biggest fears over the weekend. I have been wanting to hike Angel’s Landing for quite some time, but have heard horror stories and have seen countless (ok, 2 to be exact) news stories about people slipping and falling over the edge. I have heard firsthand accounts from people who have gotten to the Scout Lookout and turned back for fear of heights. Then there are those individuals who have the balance of a cat and the courage of a lion who have made it to the top. Ginger is one of these people. I admire that.
Well, every adventure begins with the first step. So we set out to conquer the 5 mile round trip 1,500 foot incline. And what a beautiful hike it was. The Southern Utah breeze proved to be very welcome to keep our bodies cool as we made the trek. It was a sunny and the scenery was, as it always is in Zion, unspeakably picturesque. Zion is my favorite place to hike. I admit that my travels have been limited and I have yet to set foot in the Appalachians, the Alps, Yosemite, and on and on. But there is a reason why Zion attracts upwards of 3 million visitors a year from all around the world. It truly is Heaven on Earth.
The hike up was pretty tough as we worked to awaken our apathetic winter muscles and tried to keep our lungs from exploding. Once we defeated the switchbacks and got to the Scout overlook, I looked ahead and saw the first chain part of the hike. At first I thought to myself, “It doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would be.” Only .5 of a mile from the top of the cliff, I started to feel the excitement that I was going to make it to the top without a problem. Then came the act of actually climbing the rock face and holding onto the chains. We got about a tenth of a mile before my fear started taking grip. Now, here is where I would like to use the wind as an excuse for my vertigo setting in. It was a very strong breeze on an exposed rock face. However, when I saw a couple of 12 year olds making the climb, I realized that this excuse would not fly. I finally came to realize that I was going to have to admit defeat and accept that I was not going to totally overcome my fear of heights on this particular hike. So, we descended the rock and took a little apple break on the welcome flat surface of Scout Overlook.
There is a spot on the overlook that has a railing so you can walk right to the edge of the cliff and overlook without falling the deadly 1,000 feet. At this point my vertigo was so bad and my heart was racing so much that it took all I had to approach the railing. I stood for a couple of seconds and took in the unbelievable view and the ant-sized people and matchbox sized buses. Then it became a little overwhelming so I backed away and sat down on a nice level rock looking toward an uphill slope. You can’t fall uphill, right? But I kept looking back as Ginger was taking pictures over the railing and I got that queasy feeling in my gut. Then, I saw and elderly couple standing to the side of the railing and peaking over the edge. They were at a part that was totally exposed to the fall. As they approached the edge, the wife kind of stumbled and the husband grabbed her arm to help her keep her balance. I could just see them falling over the ledge. I had to turn away because now my fear was no longer for myself but for them.
Luckily, there were no falls that day. And I learned that I need to quit letting my imagination run wild and “create that scenario” as Ginger would say. I understand all of this. But I have also realized that fears are best confronted by taking baby steps. I look forward to working a little more on my fear of heights, but for now I am glad to have my feet on level ground.
Twisting of Truth is Still A LIE
Ginger Writes "I talked to an old friend this morning!! So awesome!! It's been almost Ten years. I LOVE hearing from old friends. I continue to be floored by the rumors that started when I moved to St. George and even more sad to hear who started them and continues to spread them. My only explanation for gossip is insecurity with self. Twisting of the Truth is still a lie!! I have been there, I have told my share of lies over this lifetime, and so I am choosing to understand instead of being angry. Life has gone on and I am thankful for those who decided to love and support me through a very dark period of my life and spoke to me directly to calm their imagination. I definitely learned who my true friends are and made some more in the process! “No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.” Napolean Hill. It's true I feel hurt this morning, hence this post, but good comes from all things. I will ALWAYS believe that. Thank you dear friend for getting back in touch with me and being brave enough to ask me questions!"
The joy of the LARPS
My work day has come to an end. Lots going on in the last week or so. Anna (One of TurningLeaf’s office assistants) has been in Hawaii all week and although I always adore and appreciate her, I now adore and appreciate her even more. I have been working the front desk all week and have been reminded of the many tasks that come with it. Thank you Anna for all you do day in and day out! You deserved every second of that vacation!!!!! I pray you come back refreshed and renewed!
Shane and I are doing well. We see each other a few times per week. On Tuesday he asked me if he could come down and take me on a date after work Wednesday and of course I said “YES”!!! Unfortunately I found myself so tired when he got here I felt like just laying around doing nothing. Those 5:30 workouts have been catching up with me. The weather was too nice to sit inside so instead of hitting a movie or laying around on the couch we went and purchased a blanket from sears and laid in the Washington park for hours just talking. We found ourselves watching a group of people putting together a LARP game. For those of you who don’t know what LARP stands for it is simply.. Live Action Role Playing. This is where participants physically act out their characters’ actions while in costume. I immediately thought of the movie Role Model. (Although a little over the top for my taste, still a really funny movie) Shane and I found ourselves quite entertained by the situation. What we also found interesting was the other group of young men making fun of the LARP Gaming. They entered the park from the other end with their remote control car and immediately poked fun from a distance. We watched the dynamics of it and I was reminded of the middle school years of feeling awkward and trying to find my place. There was one boy who just kept laughing and pointing. He even took a picture with his cell phone. Shane and I kept watching from our cozy blanket under the trees while the two groups lived life through their own eyes of seeing the world. I found it reassuring that after about an hour the group of young men poking fun had now wondered over asking questions and even joined in. By the time we left them, we were all having a blast. I love that the simplest things in life bring entertainment into the world. I am now thinking I want to go to one of those renaissance fairs this summer. Life is GOOD!!!!!!
Shane and I are doing well. We see each other a few times per week. On Tuesday he asked me if he could come down and take me on a date after work Wednesday and of course I said “YES”!!! Unfortunately I found myself so tired when he got here I felt like just laying around doing nothing. Those 5:30 workouts have been catching up with me. The weather was too nice to sit inside so instead of hitting a movie or laying around on the couch we went and purchased a blanket from sears and laid in the Washington park for hours just talking. We found ourselves watching a group of people putting together a LARP game. For those of you who don’t know what LARP stands for it is simply.. Live Action Role Playing. This is where participants physically act out their characters’ actions while in costume. I immediately thought of the movie Role Model. (Although a little over the top for my taste, still a really funny movie) Shane and I found ourselves quite entertained by the situation. What we also found interesting was the other group of young men making fun of the LARP Gaming. They entered the park from the other end with their remote control car and immediately poked fun from a distance. We watched the dynamics of it and I was reminded of the middle school years of feeling awkward and trying to find my place. There was one boy who just kept laughing and pointing. He even took a picture with his cell phone. Shane and I kept watching from our cozy blanket under the trees while the two groups lived life through their own eyes of seeing the world. I found it reassuring that after about an hour the group of young men poking fun had now wondered over asking questions and even joined in. By the time we left them, we were all having a blast. I love that the simplest things in life bring entertainment into the world. I am now thinking I want to go to one of those renaissance fairs this summer. Life is GOOD!!!!!!
Fork in the Road
Ginger Writes "Shane and I spent Friday together... Hung out in St George, did some shopping and then came back to Cedar City to start organizing the garage for our upcoming yard sale. We went through a lot of my boxes and it stirred up a lot of memories. I am floored at how much emotion can be placed into objects. We put a lot of these objects into the "Yard Sale" pile and others threw away. I felt a little like those people on the show Hoarders when asked to part with something.... Pure Terror. As if I am about to lose something. It was emotionally draining and by the end of the night we were both ready to just collapse. The next day I was driving back down to St George and realized my mind was still on all the stuff in the "yard sale" pile. This is what started me back in on some thoughts that have been racing through my mind for weeks and then the remainder of this weekend. I have come to several of these moments in my life where a choice needs to be made. In the past I have been very Black and White about these choices. Very this way or that way! And I realized this weekend I am about to do the same thing again. Not with my stuff which triggered all these emotions.. But with the relationships in my life. I feel blessed that I recognized this before I made a "Black or White" decision because I love what my life has become. And instead of shifting it yet again just because I see myself in a fork in the road... I am going to add to my life instead. I know I am being very vague on what I mean by all this.. But the point isn't really what the situation is rather then the lesson I learned this weekend. Why shift away from a good thing when I can embrace many good things. There are times when I think "Here comes a fork in the road" where I have to make a choice. When really it is an opportunity for me to take both roads at the same time because all along they are running right next to each other. The trap I am going to start to be more aware of is how I justify in my mind the road I rather take by degrading the other road. It is not necessary and only blocks the truth of what is really there. I am grateful for this blog. To be able to send my thoughts out into the universe! Who knows if any of it makes sense to anyone else. But it makes sense to me, so that should count for something."
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