Chase the Bug Slayer

A couple nights ago, as I was up past chase (he's got to go to bed early!), I noticed several little bugs infiltrating our apartment. I HATE insects with a passion, I absolutely cannot stand for them to be around me, just the thought of them jumping on me is horrific. These little bugs were crawling on our walls and ceiling by the front door. I managed to get the courage to kill a few, and then next thing I noticed, I would look over to the door frame and see more! Oh my goodness is was horrible! I was so paranoid with them being there, that I had to muster up the courage to continue killing them. This was a several hour ordeal, and my adrenaline was pumping. It was a borderline murderous rampage. Over the course of the night, until about 3am, I probably killed 20.

Waiting for me the next day, when I woke up, were 6 more crawling on the ceiling. I killed them and then gratefully was able to get out of the house and meet a friend for lunch, then I took my time running errands so that Chase would get home before me. At first, he didn't see any bugs, but upon a second glance, he said he had to kill about 15.

I was distraught over these insects. We tried to google what they were, maybe the arizona blister beetle? Luckily, the maintenance people at the apartments came and installed a new door weather frame, because when we shut our front door, it never sealed and there was a visible gap in which the bugs were entering.

Haven't seen a bug come in since...although 3 hours ago I did find a few stragglers left behind. I'm really trying not to look for them until Chase comes home. He is the bug slayer - and he really is relishing in that title.

Friendship

Chase and I were at Trader Joe's getting some groceries, when we saw some basil plants for $2.99! Buying a little package with way less basil costs more, like 3.99 or 4.99. This is a pretty decent sized plant so we realized it was a pretty good deal, and we were getting a lot of basil leaves for our money. We (I) named the basil plant Friendship. Friendship needs his soil to stay moist and get plenty of sunshine, but not too much in the Arizona heat or he will die. I have accidentally left him outside on our back porch a time or two. Now I keep him inside on our table to soak up the rays through our window. Hopefully he can still photosynthesize.

Living With a Man

Today I woke up to a text from my husband asking me if I could check the parking lot for his lunch. He said he thought it fell off the top of his car while he was driving away to work because he set it up there and accidentally left it. I laughed imagining the scene! I make Chase's lunch for him every night because, according to Chase, there is something about the way a woman makes a turkey sandwich that makes it so much more delicious (I agree). Anyway, I walked out of our bedroom after waking up and the first thing I see is Chase's lunch sitting on the counter top. Ya just gotta love my husband:) Makes my job easier for his lunch tomorrow - all I had to do was put it back in the refrigerator!

The Phoenix 10k

After the wedding and honeymooon, Chase and I were feeling a little bit out of shape. We thought at the time of the wedding, we would be in the best shape of our lives, but with me working crazy shifts and all the preparing that went into the wedding, we definitely did NOT have time to work out near as much as we liked. In fact, the four days leading up to the wedding, we had been going to bed at around 4am and getting up at 9 or 10am! (Chase graciously helped me with my arts and crafts projects). That, coupled with the way we ate on the honeymoon (really, really good, but really, really unhealthy), we were feeling a big sluggish when we got to Arizona. So last week we decided we would go for a middle distance race and try a 10k. I have never run in a race before in my life (if you don't count fitness tests). Chase, on the other hand, used to run cross country in high school (for the sole purpose of getting out of basketball preseason workouts because the two seasons overlapped). Anyway, so we just started training for this 10k, or 6.2 miles. We have different methods. Chase just goes out and runs and tries to go farther each time (he said that's what worked for him in high school). I, however, am going to need a plan if I expect to run the entire way, and not get passed by anything being pushed in a stroller. I have researched a plan I am loosely following that combines distance running, with adequate rest, and cross training. I will probably throw some strength training in there, although last time that happen, I crushed my ipod (still works, just busted screen).

I realize that a 10k is not that far of a distance, really. I think that is why we chose it to start with. Who knows, we could maybe want to do a half-marathon after this, and I may really start to enjoy running. This is very far fetched though. We chose the 10k because it's not near as intimidating at the half-marathon, but a challenge. A 5k would be too easy (for Chase).

This 10k is part of the Arizona state fair, which I guess is pretty popular amongst all the state fairs. It is in early November. We've given ourselves a lot of time to train!

The hardest part is just making yourself go run, knowing it's going to be long, and hard, and boring. If any one has any suggestions about running at 10k, or making it fun, or training for one, feel absolutely free to let me know!

Moving Along

Today (Monday) I just randomly checked the Arizona state board of nursing online and to much joy after I searched for my name, found an RN license number next to it! This was a little earlier than I expected as they told me it would be at least 30 days from when I turned in my fingerprint card, which was like July 13th. And I think part of me just assumed there would be another complication and I would never get my license to practice. But praise the Lord! Now I can properly apply for jobs and be completely qualified (apart from my lack of RN critical care experience...minor detail). Honestly though, I feel really encouraged because a few different men who work with Chase have wives who are critical care RNs and NPs and have offered to help me out and see that my resume gets where it needs to be. I know this doesn't guarantee me a job at all, but it is nice and encouraging just to know people are willing to help. There are like a bajillion hospitals in Phoenix, not to mention like 5 adult level I trauma centers (Indiana has 2...right next to each other downtown). So I am optimistic and really praying that God is glorified through this process and not myself, because it is really easy to just do what I want to do and not follow where the Lord is directing me. And in my short 24 years, I've at least learned that if it's not in God's will, then it's not worth doing. So Chase and I are praying that the Lord leads me to the job He has laid out for me. My only fear is that it's med-surg! (just kidding -- learned about 1000 value lessons from med-surg nursing and the excellent nurses I worked with at IU, but man, you gotta be ORGANIZED to the max, and you have to really, really enjoy walking...!)

So that's probably the most exciting news I've gotten since we've been in Phoenix! I absolutely look forward to checking our mail everyday, and (if I were to be honest) Sundays are kind of a disappointment (strictly in reference to the lack of post - darn you US postal system!). Chase thinks it's pretty pathetic. We will go work out at the gym at our apartments, right next to the mail boxes, and I make us go first to our little mail box to check it, even though we leave the mail there until after our workout, then we take it out and take it home. This is not a plea for mail!! Really I just wanted to make you laugh. But the story is true.

However, we think we found a great church! We've been looking for weeks! It's an adult ministry worship service called SOMA with Scottsdale Bible Church. We went on Sunday to the main service at Scottsdale Bible, and then to SOMA (a separate service - almost like a church within a church), and it just fit. The music was so passionate and high energy, and people LOVE and FOLLOW Jesus there. We listened to a guest pastor that night who was 61 years old, and that man was solid. He loves the Lord and really preaches the Truth, and does not water it down an ounce. He definitely challenged us and the Holy Spirit really used him to convict us, and Chase and I LOVED it. We are excited to go back and get involved. There is a volleyball tournament coming up with 2 brackets - competitive and non-competitive. I'm sure you all can imagine which bracket chase and I will be in... Also- the membership is an 8 week class, and we are excited to go through that and learn more about the doctrine and vision of the church.