on my honor, I will try...

In an act of self-promotion, here are two of the latest things I have written for the News Sentinel, both covering last week's 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts.

This is about the program's East Tennessee roots and the history behind some of the earliest troops.

This is about the family that lives on and manages the property of  the Girl Scout camp in nearby Andersonville, Tenn.

girl scout camp tonight!

...and there is rain in the forecast. And for tomorrow.

Prayers appreciated for all of New Visions council to have a safe and dry night!

Be Prepared! The Girl Scout motto! This really just means lugging around a bunch of stuff you probably won't need, but just in case I have lots of ponchos and towels for soggy Brownies!

Stay tuned...

ch ch ch changes

Feeling a bit overwhelmed at the current moment. This is shaping up to be busy-but eventful-month.

A few changes on the horizon, including Wednesday being my last day at Bliss. I will be starting at the Knoxville News Sentinel next month through the amazing program known as the Knoxville Fellows! I could not be more excited to FINALLY use my degree and grow in my faith at the same time. This is such a great opportunity for me to be able to integrate my faith into work, serve my community and be challenged daily by 11 other recent(ish) graduates. I think this is the direction I have been searching for so earnestly since finishing school over a year ago.

Also, just this past weekend I lost my lovely roommate Mollie to job-searching in Nashville, so it looks like another move is in the works! I think this makes 7? I have been where I am only since August but with my record that seems to be a long time. I'll be moving to Market Square at the end of July so it doesn't make much sense to look for another roommate...hence back to Strawberry Plains I go for a few months!

AND coming up next weekend is my very first experience as a Girl Scout leader at Camp Tanasi...{insert nervous nailbiting here} I have 7 girls going and we are staying in the nice indoor lodge with 2 other Brownie troops, bringing the total to close to 45 girls. Ages 8-9. Yeesh. Getting a little antsy about this one.  Stay tuned...

BUT yesterday I set out to complete my 2nd half marathon and emerged victorious! Even though the adrenaline has all worn off now and I can barely walk, I could not be more pleased with how it went. I took 12 minutes off of my 2009 time and I enjoyed the experience much, much more.

Unrelated to any of the above things is this SNL sketch. I have been revisiting it pretty frequently and cracking myself up. Just claaaaasic!

right now

i am...

::watching this month absolutely fly by. Where is the time going?!

::loving the warmer weather and being able to NOT wear socks. I hate socks

::wanting to go on an overnight hiking trip or a daylong kayaking trip. My feet are starting to get the usual itch to GOOOOOOOO!

::reading  Little Bee, a story about a Nigerian refugee in the UK. It's incredibly moving. Also working on finishing Friday Night Lights and don't waste your life

::preparing for my second half marathon on April 3. I'm a bit nervous about this one because I remember how much pain I was in after the last. Hopefully the joints are toughened up! Stay tuned...

::learning  how to accomplish the most out of every hour. I mostly get to practice this on Monday nights at Girl Scout meetings, where I find myself zooming through my planned activities and not observing the tender innocence of the girls in my troop. They are only 8 years old, but they keep me real.

::waiting on May 24 to get here! Big things are going down. Times are a changin'

::enjoying some delicious (and expensiveeeee) Fresh Market Georgia Pecan coffee. It was a treat to myself for not being late last week. It's the small victories people.

::surprising myself by getting through my first Girl Scout cookie sale with only one minor meltdown. Progress!

::feeling calmer and more "directed" than I have in a long time. My life plans mean nothing...why should I stress myself out when they don't go as I'd hoped?

::hoping I'm not the weird and old outcast when I begin my new endeavor this August...details later!

::planning a magnificent Knoxville-DC-New York trip that Bethany and I are taking when she finishes finals in May! New York on my 24th birthday?! Maybe!

::listening to the things my dreams have been telling me lately. I have never been one to analyze dreams, but with some of the ones I've had lately-there has to be something there.

::searching for scriptural confirmation for each decision I make

::finding that even though I would rather not, it's okay to ask for help.

hello october

Well to state the obvious, it's already October! I love the fall! I especially am enjoying this one because last year I didn't get a fall, but 2 winters instead. I have been parking further away from work and getting a nice little walk in while it's still chilly outside.

It's so trite so say, but I feel like this year has positively zipped by. Before I know it October 30th will be here and and won't have done any of the fun fall crafts I want to complete, or gone to a corn maze or carved a pumpkin. Not sure where my time seems to be going lately.

I'm very pleased with how Girl Scouts is going so far! I have 4 little Brownies who are so much fun. We have already completed one Try-It and have 3 more in progress! I love that I have something I can pour into and plan for and see results from.

I have been feeling pretty antsy about a lot of things lately, the main one being the constant wonder of what I am supposed to be doing with my life. It's hard not to feel like I'm wasting my time when I have a proverbial list of things I WANT to be doing, but am in a completely different situation instead. Sometimes I feel like I just missed my calling and that's why I'm stuck in this place of  indecision, uncertainty and unrest.

Big questions with no answers. That's been the summary of these past couple months.

Oh. Hello. Didn't see you there.

Well Internets, I have done a pretty awesome job at updating here. I'm sure my 5 readers are all disappointed...

My life since Australia is sadly not as exciting, which was to be expected I suppose. So in order to aptly cover the past 5 months of my life, here is a chronological list of events from November to the present:

1. Came home from Australia.
2. Graduated. Christmas. Now it's 2010.
3. Thought about grad school.
4. Bought a GRE practice book.
5. Waffled on grad school.
6. Did not take the GRE. Still have the book, though.
7. Thought about the Coast Guard.
8. Changed my mind about the Coast Guard.
9. Doubted my reasons for getting a college degree.
10. Interviewed for HR job.
11. Did not get HR job.
12. Interviewed for administrative job.
13. Did not get administrative job.
14. Sustained major blow to self esteem, confidence, motivation and overall morale.
15. Watched 5 seasons of LOST in 2 months. (low point)
16. Finally unpacked everything from Australia. Rats.
17. Started planning my cat lady career path.
18. Interviewed for job at Bliss in Market Square (we are now in February, kids)
19. GOT part time job at Bliss in Market Square as sales associate
20. Part time job at Bliss turns into full time job at Bliss.
21. Started utilizing my degree by getting put to work on the Bliss website
22. Apply and get approved to be a Girl Scout leader in the fall for 3rd grade Brownies at Chilhowee Intermediate! Can't wait!
23. I turn 23.
23. I start the Instant Bliss blog.
24. Here we are!

I think that about covers it! Not much else happening in my world except trying to decide if I am going to cut my hair and getting pumped for family vacation in June, groundbreaking eh?

THE most exciting thing that is happening soon-ish is that I am going to CANADA to visit exchange girls! I miss EMMA JEAN so much! She and I basically became the same person and I have had an Emma void since November of 2009. I cannot WAIT to go see her and her hometown of Niagara in August!

Woo! That's all for now!