I apologize......

Yes. It has been over 2 months since I have posted. What's even worse is that I have found the time to post on Thanksgiving Day.

I thought about trying to be that clever person who post daily what I am thankful for, but I just can't. In the past year, I have worked really hard to show God that I am thankful daily, so I didn't see the need to tell everyone every single day what I am thankful for. God knows I am thankful and that's what matters.

Annnnnnyyyyywaaaayyyyyy..........

The past couple of months have been a blur. I left you on our anniversary and never came back, so we have LOTS to catch up on. I refuse to tell you everything, because mostly, I won't remember. (Just trying to be honest!).

Spetember:
We were married 5 years and celebrated.......well, actually, we didn't. Jordan came home with a beautiful diamond ring and I came home with a pencil for him. Yep, that's right. A pencil. The 5 year wedding anniversary gift is wood. So I bought a big yellow pencil and drew hearts on it. It's his love pencil.......and I'm pretty sure if he knew I was announcing this, he would deny it. Totally.
Job wise, things were the same. CVS sucks, but I continue to be there. It's a paycheck. End of story.
My birthday rolled around.....and I'll be honest, I don't think we celebrated that either. Man, we are sad. Jordan brought home flowers, so I guess that was our celebration.
Is it bad that I can't remember anything else?


October:
Ummmmm.......I can't remember anything here either........moving along.........

November:
Now, here's where it get good and busy.......
My cousin's daughter turned 4. My aunt turned 50. There were parties for both, but I only got to the one for the young one (I guess, depending on how you look at this, you still have no idea what party I went to. 50 is the new 30 and I truly believe that.)
We were invited to a house warming in Ohio the first weekend in Nov. We had a wedding in NC for the second weekend. We had a Thanksgiving get together that we have every year at a friends house the third weekend, and here we are at the 4th weekend. It was that crazy and I have the filty house to prove it.

Also.....big news......In November, I GOT A JOB! I'm still not sure how I totally feel about it, but it's a full time job that could actually lead to something more in the future. The first couple of weeks have been painful. As in, my poor brain is killing me from all the new stuff I am tying to absorb. I think it's going to be good.................but we will see.

We had a great time with old friends and new ones at the wedding in NC. This was one of Jordan's fraternity/football friends from college, so I got to catch up with all their wives who I haven't seen in forever. It was a wonderful weekend and it made me realize how much I wish we lived just a little closer to them. Our Thanksgiving bash this past weekend was also wonderful. We got together with friends that we have had for years and never see, which is sad since we all live in the same town or in surronding towns.

I have zero pictures to show you about any of this. Again, sad. I am terrible at taking pictures, but I am going to try to do better.

Sooooo, Happy Thanksgiving!!! I think my blog shows just bits and pieces of some of the things I am thankful for.........Only some :)


(I'll be back to show you some new things going on in our house. I promise.......)

5 Really Great Years

I thought I better throw this is here now, cause I know myself and I know I won't get this done any other time this week.

Friday marks the 5th anniversary of The Strunks. I have to say that even with it's up and it's downs, it's been a really great 5 years. I'd like to say it's been the best 5 years of my life, but that isn't totally true. Jordan and I have been Jordan and I for 13 years. So the last 5 have just been a drop in the bucket :)

When we got married, I thought things would feel new and exciting. I mean, come on, we would be newlyweds.

We NEVER had that. I'm not sad about it, but it's true. It never felt like a new marriage to me. It was so easy. Our lives were so intertwined when we married that it was like we had been that way for years and we were just finally making it official. I wouldn't trade those 8 years beforehand for anything, but I always find myself advising other girls to NEVER wait 8 years to get married. It's just so silly.......

Or is it? I am thankful that we knew each other so well before we got married. I am thankful that I never had to wake up one morning to discover something new about my husband and wish that I wasn't married to him. I am thankful and I am blessed. I am blessed to have a man who loves me for me, sends me back to school and becomes the sole provider for us, laughs at my really awful jokes, thinks my cooking rocks, teaches me something new everyday, wants to have children with me, and who comes home at the end of the day excited to see me. My world is complete because of him.

I'll never be sorry to be Mrs. Jordan Strunk. It's the best thing I ever did :)

Summer lovin'

Don't you just love this face? This is my cousin's little boy, who I think may have a very large chunk of my heart. I also believe that if he told me he wanted me to rob banks and do lots of other illegal things, I might. He's that adorable. Instead, he is the strong, silent type. (Which is one more reason I love him so.)


Gah, I love this. I could just eat him up!

Kelly, Kelly, quite contrary, how does your garden grow.....

......and grow and grow and grow?


Our garden has totally taken over our summer lives. We literally have to pick every.single.day. Jordan went out of town for work at the end of June and it was all I could do not to spray round up on our cucumbers. I will say that MANY have benefited from this garden. More than one family has made their own pickles. CVS customers were even given free veggies one day when no one at work could bear to take home any more.


It has been fun.....and exhausting. I have thought A LOT about how in the world people did this when they had a blue million children at home. There is no way. I would have sold my kids in a yard sale by now if I had them (a yard sale! Who has time for a yard sale when there are pickles to be canned?!?)

I have also learned that if you HAVE to have a clean house all the time, a garden where canning is involved is not for you. My kitchen has been a total disaster zone since the beginning of the cucumbers. I have handled it well, but I have been very thankful that school was over before this began or Jordan might have been on the market for a new wife. :)

I kid, I kid. There is no way he is getting rid of me. That has been the best part of all of this. We have done it all together. Every jar (almost 65) of pickles, every jar of salsa, every frozen pack of squash or zucchini we have done together.


And that, I would never spray round up on :)

My 13 Happy Things

I stole this idea from my friend, Amanda. She has really great blogs that make me feel good. I feel like I get in this rut sometimes where I am a very big Negative Nancy. Amanda's blogs pull me right out of that. Check her out. Not only is she a good blogger, she is also a very talented photographer!


1. My husband's blue eyes
2. My big, fat, very fluffy kitty cat
3. Cookbooks by the dozen
4. Really great fitting jeans
5. My college diploma
6. Socks at bedtime
7. The garden that has produced MANY great veggies already this summer. (more on this later)
8. Netflix
9. Black Grapes (no, not rotting ones, actual black grapes)
10. Sunshine
11. Sonic Sweet Tea
12. My WKU Tervis Cups
13. A really great book


I also did this because I need to see 13 happy things. I have been a little down lately because the job hunt has NOT been successful and the things I want in life seem like the things everyone else is getting. Instead of writing a nasty, unhappy blog (which would make for angry readers who would stop reading my blog) I'm going to try and be positive. I'm going to see that God has a plan for me and it will happen when He wants it too (Thanks GG :) )

Graduation gifts

After thinking long and hard, I have decided what to spend my graduation money on. When you are closing in on 30 years old (uhh, yuck), graduation money has different meanings than it did when you were 18 (or at least it does to me). I couldn't tell you what I did with the riches that I gained in 2000. Sadly, I can guarantee that it ALLLLLLLL was wasted away.

So, here in 2011, I have a different plan. First off, it is a BIG deal that I have hung on to it for this long. I'm not saying I have hung on to all of it, but I have most of it. I wanted to buy something that meant something. Something that I can look back on and remember the day. There have been many times during the past month that I have asked if I needed to spend the money on bills. My husband (who I know this has been very hard for) has always replied no. He has given me suggestions on how to spend it (XXL T.V. for the bonus room that we hardly ever use....which I was also informed we don't use it because there is no XXL T.V.) He has been very nice about this money, except when he tells me that I am going to loose the check because I loose everything (yeah, so I'm a little unorganized...who isn't.....).

So, I decided with some of it I am going to buy myself a piece of jewelry. From Tiffany and Co. This way, I have a sweet reminder of my big day and something I've always wanted to say I have. A piece of Jewelry from Tiffany.

With the rest........
Well......
I'm looking into a Roomba.
Wow, graduation money really is different when you're almost 30.

Jordan and his tractor

While riding on the fender of Jordan's tractor a few days ago, as he dug post holes for his barn, I realized how long it had been since we had been in this "situation". Back when we were in high school, Jordan had such a love for tractors and farm equipment that it wasn't at all odd for us to end a date in Bowling Green by going to the John Deere place (Hartland equipment? Maybe?) and "admiring" the new ones they had. They also had the habit of leaving them unlocked (can you lock a tractor??). We would climb up into these unbelievably expensive pieces of equipment and talk about having a new one ourselves one day. Some talk about children, we talked about tractors.

Life was so simple and Jordan was so easy to love.

Then life changed for Jordan and for us. Our tractor dreams were no longer something that we talked about or dreamed about. Jordan put all his attention into engineering school and I put all my attention into....well.....we won't go there right now.......

A few weeks ago, we drove by there and told friends we were with about going there when we were "kids". They found it so funny (is it weird that I never found it weird?). As I watched him on his dad's old tractor today and as I rode along with him for a few minutes, I thought to myself, what will we ever do with this tractor if we ever move? I know that selling it will NEVER be an option. I wouldn't even want to sell it. It's a piece of Jordan's childhood that I know (because I've asked) that he would ride on everyday for the rest of his life if he could farm again. Even if the seat is terribly uncomfortable and there isn't an air conditioned cabin. (yep, air conditioning on a tractor is possible).

celebrate good times, come on!

After graduation on Saturday, we loaded up and went to the beach. What a great way to celebrate. Ang and Dylan went with us, so it made the trip that much more special. We had awesome weather, great food, and a lot of laughs. I think I could have stayed a month....as long as I could have come home and got my kitty and took him back with me. (Just imagine, that sand would have been like litter box heaven to him!)

Anyways, while I was there, I got the call that I officially have a job! It's only a summer position, but it's with the CDC (Center for Disease Control). In the public health world, this is HUGE! It's almost impossible to get them to even talk to you, much less offer you any kind of position. I was just in the right place at the right time (and I had a professor who was actually praying daily for me to get this job! How great is that!?!). I would love for it to turn into something more, and it is possible that it could, but just in case it doesn't, I am of course holding onto my CVS job for a little longer.

I am very excited to see where this job takes me. If nothing else, it is going to look FABULOUS on a resume.

Yay for beach vacations and those pesky phone calls you get while you are there that just happen to be REALLY AWESOME news!

I DID IT!!!

Well, thank the good Lord, I finally DID IT! I graduated on Saturday the 14th with a B.S. in Public Health (with a concentration in public health education, but who cares).

I DID IT! I finally have this college degree that I have been working towards for (now this is where it gets embarrassing....) 11 years. Almost 11 years to the day! I have to try and make myself feel better by saying that I didn't go for 11 years straight. There were several years in there where I didn't go at all.

Ahh, who cares how long it took, I finally made it!

Thanks to those who supported me and loved me through this whole thing. Without that, I never would have made it. I barely made it out with my mind, but I did, even though there were times it was a little iffy.

WOOO HOOO!! WKU Alumni!!!!
Wonder how long it will be before I get something in the mail asking for alumni donations?? I give it a week.

P.S.--In Kelly-like fashion, you had to know that the day didn't go off exactly like it should. I mean, there is no way that would happen for me.
1. I split RED fingernail polish on my dress right before leaving. I said screw it, I'm wearing it anyways. I think that it will make for a great laugh.....eventually......

2. I got in my car, thinking I had plenty of gas to make it to BG. Ummm, when I was getting off the interstate, crying, I prayed more than one pray to just get to the first gas station. (my car said "Zero miles until empty". Nice.

3. Got parked (finally), ran down the stairs of the parking garage, looked to make sure I had everything (which I did--shocker), get to the bottom and......wait for it....have no tassel. That's right. It was GONE. Thank goodness they gave me another one (after giving me a really hard time and I finally yelled that I would pay for it if they would just hand it over.)

Again, thank the good Lord that this is all over......until graduate school.......

Silly Saturday

Nothing says "We had a great lake trip" like an Olan Mills Photo shoot on the dock, while my bra strap hangs out, my hair looks pretty unpleasant and how we seem to be "glowing" off the backdrop. (Ashley--We need more times like this VERY soon. I miss you guys like crazy!)

Say a little prayer

I'm usually not the person who asks much of others and I usually don't continue on a story that someone sends to me. But, I feel that this is something that needs to be passed on and I hope that you will pass it on as well.

The following explanation comes from my cousin Jennifer. She and Lacey have been close friends since living across from each other their freshman year at Western. Lacey and I were also together a lot at a lot of places when we were both in school and some even since we have been out. She is a sweet person with a big heart. I hate that she is having to go through all this. I have prayed a lot for this baby and for Lacey and her husband Jim. Please help me out and pray for Lacey, Jim, and baby CeCe.

Some of you know my friend, Lacey, and the story of her baby Cecilia. For those that do not here is a quick overview. She was born in February and immediately started having seizures. She was transferred from Summit to Centennial where she stayed for a couple of weeks to monitor the seizures to see what was causing them. After a couple of weeks they said they had mis-diagnosed her and she was actually not having seizures but had a sleep disorder that caused her to twitch in her sleep which they thought were seizures. They sent her to a specialist who also agreed that she had this sleep disorder not seizures. 5 weeks ago she got really sick and they took her to the ER at Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt said that she was in fact having seizures and had been the entire time. At that point she was having up to 10 seizures a day. Medication is not stopping her from having the seizures. At this time she is still having around 5 a day. Her condition has worsened over the past 5 weeks to where she has had to be on oxygen and feeding tubes all the time. She can no longer swallow on her on. She has been in ICU at Vandy for the past 5 weeks. Yesterday they gave Lacey the news that there is a 50/50 chance that she has a disorder called Malignant Migrating Epilepsy Syndrome. If she does have this syndrome it will most likely kill her before her 1^st birthday. They are waiting for test results to come back any day now to confirm if it is or is not this syndrome. I did a lot of research on it last night and it is a very rare disease, in 2005 there were only 25 known cases of it. There are not any known causes or cures for it at this time.

Please say lots of prayers for baby Cecilia and her family that they get good news in the next couple of days.

Baby bunny...and I don't mean bread...

This week has been crunch time. In approximately 8 days, I graduate from college. YAY! But, before celebrating, I had a million things to finish.

My internship was over last week, so I've had this whole week to complete my internship binder. This meant I had to take EVERYTHING that I had done for the entire semester, put it in a binder and hand it all over. There is no telling how much money is wrapped up in that binder and I will never get to see it again. Anyways, my kitchen table became my work station for the week. It was ridiculous how much crap I had to get in this binder. (side note--when working on a project like this, I prop open the front door so that the cat can go in and out at his leisure and I won't have to constantly get up to let him in or out....I know, it's ridiculous.)


So, here it is, Friday night and my binder is complete. I decided to be a good little wife and go ahead and clean up my mess. With printer in hand (yes, I said PRINTER), I turn and look and there is the cat......inside.....with a baby rabbit in his mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm home alone with a cat who has a baby bunny in his mouth in my living room.



(Here he is, trying to figure out how to get back outside through glass)

Thank god I thought in time to put the printer down before picking the cat up (who is still holding the bunny in place) and tossing him outside. I then kinda shook him until he dropped the poor bunny (which is now hiding on my front porch and won't come out). The bunny survived, don't worry, and eventually Jordan got him to hop right off the porch.

Thank GOD this semester is just about over.

Negative Nancy

Yep, that's me. I'm a Negative Nancy today. Maybe even a little bit of a Debbie Downer.

I mean it's bad. I have yelled at people while driving (who obviously can't hear me), yelled at my cell phone (who doesn't seem to want to yell back), ranted and raved when I got home to Jordan about how awful I think facebook is (which he LOVED because he HATES facebook), and on and on. I am just exhausted. I have exactly 25 days left until graduation and I am feeling every bit of it. I even went so far as to ask off for next week just to get my ducks in a row and to not feel the way I feel right at this moment. After this week I will have only 18 hours left of my internship. I have to say, those 400 hours went FAST! I have enjoyed my time at the HD, but I am ready to move on.....ok, actually, I am just ready to work for money and not for free. I would love to stay there, but there aren't any job openings.

Have I mentioned that I apply daily for at least 4+ jobs?? I am DYING for a job. I am desperate. I am so desperate that I am even considering a job that pays...ummm....6 less dollars an hour than my CVS job. (p.s.--you better love public health, because it's never going to make you rich).

Have I also mentioned that I have found a new love for environmental health? So much that I am actually angry that I didn't major in it. So much that I am looking into it for my master's.

That's right, I said master's. I have found out that in the public health world, I HAVE to have a master's. There's only two words to sum up how that makes me feel......DAMN IT! I thought I would be done for a while, but as the magic 8 ball says, outlook not so good.

Can you see why I feel like a crazy person who needs medication? I feel like I am drowning in a sea of papers, binders, cover letters, and resumes.....and I'm not a very good swimmer.

Color by numbers....Kelly Style......

The last few weeks have been a blur. I feel like I have not really gotten anything accomplished, but then again, I have.

1. I order and received graduation invitations. My day is rapidly approaching and my invitations make me sound much more important than I really am.

2. I had 2 job interviews with the same company. Ok, not a company, actually the University of Kentucky. It was for a job with their "SNAP" program. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Basically, the SNAP person teaches those on government assistance how to stretch money, use WIC, and still eat healthy.

I did not get the job. I'm ok with it though because it got down to me and one other person and they wanted someone right now, which I can't give them until May. Life goes on and there will be a better job, God didn't want me there and I can feel it.

3. I have taken 3 midterms, written a paper, and still go to an internship where I don't get paid for at least 30 hours a week. Life can really seem yucky at times.

4. I have still managed to keep a house somewhat clean, keep the laundry caught up, yell at my husband for not helping out, etc. (p.s.--those of you with children who work and/or go to school, you are my hero).

5. I have also somehow managed to work out a few nights a week. Yay me! I have to be honest, since I have started the semester I have gained 10 pounds. Not so wonderful when you are 5'2" and already feeling not so great about your weight.

6. I booked a beach vacation with 3 people I love this week starting the day after I graduate! Happy graduation to me! Happy vacation to Jordan, Dylan, and Ang. I can not WAIT for those days to get here.

7. I have cried over the sickness of one of my dearest friends. Kim has been like a sister to me since grade school and her health seems to be rapidly taking her over. She goes for surgery tomorrow, which will leave her on 24/7 dialysis. Please pray for her.

8. I have had good laughs, great lunches, and sunshine more than once this week, which makes me one lucky girl. Even more lucky because I have a lunch date tomorrow with my 3 favorite public health majors (a.k.a.--partners in crime).

9. I pretended to be a gardener this weekend and planted tulips. Now, the low tonight is 34. So, I became that old lady we all know and went outside and covered them with a sheet. Let's hope this saves them or Jordan won't ever let me plant again!

That's all for now. Happy Thursday, even if it is a little too cold outside .

Wants, Needs, Loves

This week's list:

I want:

1. To be thinner. (even if you think I am thin enough, you don't have to look at me in the mirror and be unhappy about it. So stop right now with the "you're already thin" crap)

2. 55 new pairs of shoes

3. Ok, 60 new pairs of shoes.

4. A job that pays (unlike the internship that I give at least 30 hours a week to....with no pay)

5. A maid

I need:

1. A maid

2. 55 new pairs of shoes (ok, maybe I don't need them, but it would be wonderful.)

3. Still needing that haircut and color.

4. A day off

5. Silly kisses from my husband.

I Love:

1. Jordan (even when he DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!)

2. That spring seems to be just around the corner.

3. That my cousin posted on my facebook that she misses me. (I miss her too....and I almost

cried)

4. MY NEW CAR!!!!

5. Ashley and when she comes to see me! (Which better be real soon, by the way)

Happy almost Friday!

Bragging Right

So, my last post was a quickie. I apologize to all of you out there who truly live for my blog....bahahahahahaha.

Anyways, in the last blog I posted that I wanted a new car. I had no idea that I would actually get one in the same week. I also didn't know that it would be exactly (ok, not exactly, but beggers can't be choosy) what I wanted or that we would sell my car in less than 3 days (for what we were asking!!) after buying a new one or that we would have the money to pay my new one off.....sorry, but I had to get all that out there.

So, yeah, that's right, I got a NEW CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, new to me, but whatever. I will be sad to see my other little honda go. I loved her, but she was a 2 door and even though it's just the 2 of us, it was getting quite annoying. (I know Ang and Dylan will be glad that we can FINALLY drive places so they don't have to all the time :) )

I'll post pictures when it hasn't been raining cats and dogs and she is clean.

(Too bad I didn't get that million dollars that was on my want list instead. This blog would be MUCH more interesting!)

I want, I need, I love

I don't have time to say much, so here are a few things that I want, a few more things that I need, and most importantly, the things I L-O-V-E.

Have a good week. I'm sure I won't be back before the weekend.

I want: (in no particular order)

1. A new car. No reason, just a want that I always have. (Thanks Dad)

2. Blonde Hair

3. A Baby

4. A million dollars (cause I mean, who doesn't?)

5. Straight A's

6. An awesome job

I need:

1. A secretary that writes my blogs.

2. A haircut and color

3. Some miracle cream that cures dry skin forever.

4. To loose about 20 pounds.

5. A piece of cake.

6. Lots of kisses from my husband.

I Love:

1. My husband

2. My parents

3. My cat

4. My nook

5. My Ang and Dylan

6. The 4 new to me pairs of pants from consignment.

7. Netflix

8. Paula Deen and her casserole I am having for dinner.

I enjoyed this...it may become a regular thing.

J's Barn...still going....

I mentioned a while ago that Jordan was building a barn in the backyard. I was going to take pictures and post alot sooner, but then the snow came. And it came. And it came. Poor Jordan started this project and the floodgates opened with bad winter weather. He didn't pout as much as I had expected, but he was definitely going a little stir crazy.

So last weekend was his FIRST weekend in forever to actually get to work on it. He was in 7th heaven. I have never met a man in my life who loves to work. Ok, that's a lie. My dad loves to work. You would think I would understand this mentality because it is all I have even known. Yeah, I don't. Sorry.

He got quite a bit accomplished and decided he was just going to take Monday off and do a little more. The news said it was going to be a nice day again......bahahahahaha. I can't believe we fell into their trap. We BELIEVED the weather guy. We were idiots. Needless to say, we woke up Monday to the sound of pouring rain. He just went on to work. Poor Jordan again.

So, this week ended with a ton of salt on the roads, crazy people at walmart, and cancelled plans for many. We were going to get more snow. yahoo. But imagine my surprise (yeah, whatever) when the snow never came and it was 50 degrees outside today.....which meant another chance for Jordan to run out and work (God love him). He, again, got quite a lot done, so I went out and took a few snaps.

I'm so proud to be his wife. I don't even have to give an explanation as to why. I just am. (ok, one explanation...He's leaving these boots in the garage without being told.)

They Say It's Your Birthday.....

FINALLY! Happy Birthday Dylan (which seems like it happened 6 months ago, but oh well)!!! I know that D will forgive me for the lateness. We celebrated Dylan's last year in the 20's with some of his favs, and I don't mean people. We had pizza, some awesome cheesey dip stuff, and a monster cake that was requested by the birthday boy. It was a good time, as always.

But, I know that you want me to really get to the point of who was there. Well, of course, Pursey was. He had a great time. I mean, look at all the chips and wine he had in that picture! He was a total party animal. I'm so proud.

Also, Lucky the cat was there. He also had a good time and seemed a little hung to me over before the night was even over! Gosh Lucky, hold it together! (Look at those eyes, he may have even stoned! What a crazy cat.)

Happy Way Way Way late Birthday Dylan. I hope you had as much fun getting closer to 30 as Pursey and Lucky did!

WOW

Sometimes, I think people use blogging to vent. Sometimes I think they use it to keep people up to date with their lives (i.e.--they live out of town from most of their family and friends). And, I am also the person who thinks people use it to brag. Sorry, but I do.

I am going to use today's blog to do a little of all of that.

My grandmother died of cancer 10 years ago. Wow, I can't believe I have been without her for 10 years. She was awesome and I didn't see all of her awesomeness until she was gone. She was very honest and very much to the point. Pretty much, if you didn't like what she had to say then too bad. She had a not so great childhood and a just ok adult life. But let me tell you, she loved with her whole heart. I mean, every single inch of it. No matter what happened. She was a lover. She was proud of her kids and her "grandgirls" (grandgirls because it was just 3 of us girls in the end....she called us that too, grandgirls). She was the absolute best at sending cards. And not just because she had a list of people and she mailed them some generic card. She thought about it. She put love in it. My childhood best friend once told me that she got a card from my grandmother every birthday with 5 dollars in it. It was always signed "Ma". Man, I love her. I don't say loved, because that is past tense, and there is no way I have stopped my love for her.

After the death of my Ma, my grandfather went a little.....ummmm.....we'll just say wild. That is the most appropriate way to say it. That is the most Christian way to say it. Cause if I said it the way I have felt for the past 10 years, I'm sure it would scare some people and they would never talk to me again. I've been angry. I've been disgusted. I've been hurt. I've been fed up. I've never hid how I felt. I have never tried to be one of those small town people who try and cover up their "secrets" when it came to bad family behavior. I've been quite honest. He did his fair share with women, with drugs, with alcohol, and I'm sure with other things that I have no idea about. My mother and my Aunt have had a hard time with this. They have done all but spit in his face and tell him flat out what they were really thinking. We all distanced ourselves from him, because just when we would think he was coming back around, we would be let down one more time.

Then, he was diagnosed with Leukemia. Yep, you heard me. So, how do you cope with that when it's someone who was an ass when his wife was dying? When his son was dying? Someone who found other people's illnesses a burden? Someone who flew off the handle when things weren't going his way? Do you find compassion? Forgiveness? Love? Well, I have struggled with that. I have tried so hard to find it within myself to forgive. And I have. I have forgiven him. Not because I am ok with his actions or his attitude, but because I'm not going to lose myself in hatred for him. I'm not going to suffer losing my soul so that I can be angry with him.

The past few weeks have been an eye opener for him. He has made a friend who has actually been able to talk some sense into him (or at least that's what I think). He has been coming to church. (I can't go back and tell you everything, but this man was raised in the church and he never felt the need to be baptized....ok, now I really don't have time to get into how the Church of Christ do things, but we baptize for the remission of sins.....ok, let me get to the point where I tell you that he is like 77 years old and never confessed that he believes that Jesus died for his sins and that he wants to be washed clean of those sins.....are you following?)

Wednesday morning, My father baptized him.

How's that for a shocking ending? I am happy as a granddaughter. I am happy as a daughter of his daughter. I am happy as a Christian who believes he had to do this to go to heaven. I am happy......yet, skeptical. Is that wrong? I mean, who am I to judge if his heart is in the right place? I'm not that person and I refuse to be her. I am going to be the wonderful granddaughter who believes that for once in the last 10 years, he made a great decision and I am proud of him. And that's where I'm going to leave it.

I'm proud of him.

Pursey...Jobs....Earthquakes....

1. I have pictures of Pursey on Dylan's birthday that I promise I will post soon. To be totally honest, I am too forgetful to get my camera out of the car in the afternoons and I am too lazy to go back to the garage and get it out once I'm inside. I know, it's sad.

2. Well, I did it. I applied for a job. That's right, I applied for a job 4 months before graduation. I asked a ton of people about it before I did it and everyone had the same answer: It's not too soon and DO IT! So, I did. I applied for a job as a Community Representative at the American Cancer Society. This is exactly the kind of job I am looking for. It's pretty much going out into the community and forming relationships with people who support ACS and with people who have been touched by ACS. The other part of the job is helping with events and programs that ACS is involved in. This job is PERFECT......which is why I am being a Negative Nancy and a Debbie Downer when I tell myself that I will not even be called about the job. I know that they will see that they can't "have" me until May and move on. But man, I really want this job.

3. I would tell you about what I've learned this week at the HD, but I don't want to scare the general public with earthquake junk that scared me during a workshop this morning. So, just a little FYI, we will have an earthquake eventually in this part of the country. Who knows when and who knows how bad. But.....know that to be prepared, anchor bookshelves and other heavy stuff to your walls and to the floor. (This has been a public service announcement from Kelly Strunk for future earthquake safety). Your welcome for the info and the love.

4. Have a good week. Pray about my job. It's the least you can do after I gave you earthquake infomation. :)

I'm sorry for the delay

This has been one.crazy.week. I feel like I have been shipped off to a new part of the country and I am still waiting on my luggage.

I started my internship this week and it is everything I thought it would be, plus some. Ok, plus like a million, but who keeps track? The first day was rather boring and I got introduced to about 40 people whose names I am expected to remember and know exactly what their purpose is at the HD. They are all wonderfully nice as well. I swear, I'm not just saying that, because if they were down right horrible, I'd be honest. They don't read my blog. I'm not scared.

I would go through everything that I had to do this week, but let's face it, you don't really care that much. I don't really care to spill it all out to you either. Details aren't important. What is important are the following:

1. I got to go be a part of a smoke-free coalition and free cake was involved.

2. I volunteered at the Salvation Army and help with homeless. Free chips were involved.

3. I got to eat indian food for the first time with some co-workers.

4. It was my intern friend Morgan's birthday....again with the free cake.

As you can see, I have given you a list of the most important things to happen to me this week. Free cake was involved more than once and that is hugely important, don't you think?

Sickness

I am so happy that I got to spend my last week at home before my LAST SEMESTER (wooooo hoooooo!!!!) begins with a sinus infection. I'm so glad that I got to go to the dr. twice, which makes me also very grateful that I got to pay 2 co-pays. Then, to top off all that happiness, I haven't slept in about 2 days.....and, I still went to work. So Happy.

Needless to say, with no sleep, my mind gets to working in overdrive and I realize why I need medication. Last night I literally sang the theme song to "Green Acres" in my head around 15 times. When was the last time I saw "Green Acres"?? I HAVE NO IDEA IF I EVER HAVE! How do I know the theme song? You've got me. Then, I realized that I was going to see how many theme songs I could think of to sing in my head. When I got to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", I realized that I couldn't remember how it started. I could remember every bit of "Saved By The Bell", but not "Fresh Prince". I felt like I was in a panic. I was mad at myself.

I have tactics to try and make myself fall asleep. I've been doing it for years. But NOTHING was working last night, or the night before. Not even "Green Acres". I would like to blame it on the medication.....but I think it's pretty much all me.

Please don't stop being my friends after reading this.

Adventures of "Pursey"

As I mentioned in my blog about D & A coming over and being allowed the wonderful pleasure of honey bun cake and getting to meet "Pursey" for the first time, I realize that I need to elaborate.

I got Pursey from Jordan's grandmother. She insisted that she asked the lady in Macy's what I would like for Christmas and this is what she was told would be perfect. I think the lady at Macy's must have thought I was 10, but I'm not positive. Funny though, I think it's great! Can you imagine me walking around in Nashville, going dancing, and taking good ol' Pursey with me? (p.s.--I realize that it should be Percy, but we are playing on words....get it?? And, can you really see me dancing in Nashville? Probably not. I am extremely "white" when it comes to dancingof ANY kind.) He would be quite handy if he was big enough to actually carry something besides lipstick. I mean, a tampon won't even fit in him! Anyways, during the craziness of me being me last night, we had some good laughs with Pursey and decided that he is going to be my new thing to entertain with. For at least this year (maybe longer if this turns out to be as funny and fun as we think it will be) I am going to take Pursey around and take his picture at different places. Last night, he joined in for cards.

Jordan even tried to use him for luck at one point. I think Pursey is going to have a great 2011 and I know that you all are on the edge of your seats waiting to see where Pursey will be next. Stay tuned!!

WHAT?!?! I'm not a Libra anymore??

So, I wasn't going to buy into the whole "new astrological sign" thing, but guess what happened??? Last night, Dylan and Ang came over (for a great game of cards, honey bun cake, and to see my new purse....more info to follow about the new purse adventure) and out of nowhere, they tell me that the horoscope signs have changed. Not a big deal, right?? Well........

What if this was on your body?

What if you were no longer a Libra? What if you had these marks on your stomach when you wore jeans that were too tight? (ok, so that's not the point, but oh well). This was something I did at the very wise age of 18, you know, when I was busy flunking out of school and all that. I did put thought into it though, probably not the thought that a 28 year old would, but I did think that this was a symbol of me that would never change. I would forever be a Libra. Now, some crazy person has went and blew that all to hell for me.

Thanks new astrological sign thinker-upper. I hate you. I also hate the camera that makes me look a little more chunky than I would like in the above picture.

Hi, My name is Kelly and I'm an Intern

Starting the 24th of this month, I am officially an intern for Barren River Health Department in Disaster Preparedness. Excited isn't even the word for what I am. It was my first choice for an internship because it is one area of public health that I love the most.

Rewind back to the beginning of last year....I can home crying the first week of class, telling Jordan that this was the worst idea I ever had, changing my major to public health. To be totally honest (because let's face it, my blog is the easiest place to be totally honest) there was no way I was going to get into nursing school. I had screwed up so much on the beginning of my college career back in 2000 that I would have to go to school for another 12 years or even longer to fix my GPA. I don't have the time, the money, or whatever else I would need to accomplish that. I had no choice but to change my major. So the most logical change was public health. I still hate when people look at me all crazy-like when I tell them that my major is public health, but at least I now know what to say when they ask me what I want to do with public health. I found my nitch in public health, even when I thought there was no hope.

So, what do I want to do with public health? I'm glad you asked! I want to either work in disaster preparedness for a health department or I want to work for a non profit like American Heart Association or I want to work at Red Cross. Last but not least, I wouldn't mind working for the Center for Disease Control, but I think we would have to definitely move if I did that. CDC would be awesome because I like disease and gross stuff. I enjoy the thoughts of disaster preparedness because I want to be the person behind the scenes helping during one of the most difficult times in other's lives. Mostly, I want to give back. That's what I want to do. I want to work for a living, making crap money, filling up my heart with love and compassion for others.

So, wish me luck! BRHD here I come!

Jordan's Barn

In my last post, I mentioned that Jordan was building a barn. I hope that I didn't lead some of you on by acting like this is something that will be done in a week and that Jordan is one of those people who only does things half-ass. Because that is NOT the case. This barn will take forever to get finished and it has been measured, re-measured, and re-re-measured so many times that I lost count. I love him and his very anal ways of doing things, but every now and then, I just want to be able to hang a picture on the wall with a push pin and call it a day. I don't want to have to get out the level to make sure it all looks perfect. (p.s.--if Jordan knew that I had things hanging by push pins in the house, he would DIE!)

How this all began was that our land came complete with a very old, almost falling down barn and an outhouse. Yep, an outhouse. Even though the barn was beautifully old, it served no purpose except for a place for our cat to catch mice and sleep in when it was raining. We needed a new barn.

Why do I say need? Because my tiny tiny Honda Civic is the only car that can fit in our garage on the house. Why is that you say? Because we have tools, a tool box, a 5 tier shelf with nothing (I swear on my life this is true) but FISHING stuff on it, a lawnmower, and last but definately not even close to everything are the 7 CHAINSAWS. Yep. 7. Don't even get me started.

So, because my love for the barn was outdone by the fact that we needed more space for the 2 boats, a truck, a tractor, a lawnmower, and those 7 chainsaws, the barn had to go. But before it did, I asked my wonderfully understanding bff Ang to come and take pictures of it. I guess I need to mention that Ang is a photographer by day and not just a friend that I asked to come take pictures because I'm too lazy. She did a great job at capturing my barn for what it really was to me, a sentimental piece of our home. I loved this barn and all the nights that we just knew it was going to fall because the wind was blowing or how we would come home in the afternoon and see the cat jump out of the top, waking up from an all day slumber. I love that this barn was here in the beginning for us. It made our house feel like a home right from the start.

MIA

Sorry for the MIA. With the holidays and the break from school, I surgically removed myself from the computer. All in all, we had a great holiday, but I am very glad it's over. Not that I don't like celebrating, but I am glad that everything is back to normal, my house has been "undecorated", and the laundry is caught up.

Not much else to say, I have went back to work full time until I go back to school at the end of the month (which does a great job of reminding me why I went back to school in the first place), Jordan is working on a new barn in the back yard and I am asking daily for a new car. So pretty much just a normal day around here all the time, nothing has changed.

Hope you all had a great holiday as well. I'll be back soon.