Man's World.

I've always been a firm believer in the saying "Anything you can do I can do better"; especially when applied to the male-female gender divide. This thought of mine was further strengthened as my government/AP human teacher, Debbie Lou, drilled it into our heads again and again and again that the only thing men can do that women can't is produce sperm. Other than that this whole "man's world" and "woman's world" was totally BS.

With my father's career what it is he's out of town a majority of the time leaving my younger brother to be the "man" of the house (a total joke cause he's basically never home either). So that leaves my mom and I to play handy man, exterminator, and lawn care giver - thankfully this house came with a lawn guy. And since my mother isn't really into that stuff most of it falls onto my shoulders. Most of the time I don't really mine, I'm a total DIY girl so power tools have never really scared me and I'm basically fearless when it comes to grabbing shoes and smashing bugs with them.

Tonight when a nice big roach decided to visit my living room I realized that some tasks really were just designed for men to take care of. Let's just say that what started out as me trying to annihilate Mr. Roach ended in my mother calling my brother and his friend over while I sat on the floor shaking and bawling my eyes out (and hour later and I'm still shaking).

While I love the tough girl image that women are just as men, and they are, there are some spheres that are a little more gender specific than others (the kitchen is not one of them, boys).

xoxo,

Abby

P.S. Hope no roaches pop into your living room tonight.

Movin' Out.

As a team of 2 ladies and 4 men movers and packers have invaded my home for the past two days wrapping and  taping and boxing up nearly all of my personal belongings, Billy Joel's "Movin' Out" has been playing over  and over and over again in my head.

Ever 2 to 3 years for the entirety of my life I've watched random strangers enter my home, pack everything into to cardboard boxes and wooden crates, and send it all off to some new destination leaving us with nothing but a few suitcases full of clothes and shoes. People are constantly asking me "How the heck do you do it?!" - non military people never ever understand. The truth is, you deal. You get used to it. Watching your belonging disappear for a couple months as they ship overseas is your normal. And all you can do is sit on an empty floor, watch, and pray that the movers know what they're doing and don't break anything.

Thinking about how easy it will be to move into just one tiny 10 x 14 foot room in college compared to unpacking an entire house makes me giggle. I complain a lot about moving and packing and unpacking and the smell of cardboard consuming the house all the time. The stress keeps me up at night and free flowing tears seem to be the only logical response to the situation at times. Sitting hear in an empty, echoing living room though all I can think of is all the adventures I have had because of this lifestyle and all those still waiting for me as we trek to Germany next month. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

xoxo,

Abby

P.S. Enjoy some good old fashioned Billy Joel on me (:

God's Not Confused.

My life has never been normal by any regular definition of the world. But recently my twisted definition of "normal" has't even been able to describe it. As I drew nearer to my high school graduation, one of the most joyous nights of a teenagers life, things seemed to get more and more complicated and spin more out of control every single day. I became invisible to basically all my friends, was forced to pack my life into boxes for college and an overseas move before I even graduated high school. It was impossible for me to understand why all this loneliness and stress dumped itself into my life all at once. I was utterly confused.

But on Sunday during his sermon the pastor of my church recited the mantra we should have for our lives: "I am confused, but God is not." God is NOT confused. He's got a plan and all we have to do is stick it out through the rough patches and one day God almighty and perfect plan might be revealed to us, but He's got a plan none the less. 2 Corinthians 4:8 says "We are hard pressed on every side, but not cryshed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." For me this verse was really great to hear because not only did I feel alone and abandoned by my friends, but I also felt a bit alone from God. This was a great reminder that through all the toils in this life He is right there beside us. He went through it all and can empathize with whatever situation we may face than any human ever could.

Stick it out. God's with you and He has greatness in store for you on the other side. He's not confused.

xoxo,

Abby