I'd just like to take the opportunity to say that Red Bull commercials are really lame. Seriously. And the animation is stupid, too. Boo towards you, Red Bull. I don't want your wings.

P.S. Brandon got a free Red Bull at college the other day and still hasn't drank it. Out of protest to the stupid commercials. Plus, y'know. He hasn't needed the equivalent of liquid speed yet.

Today my sweet husband is 26. Happy birthday, Brandon! I love you so much.

It makes me a little uneasy when I think of all that will need to be done for us to move to Atlanta (again, God willing). There's the cost of renting a moving truck, figuring out what to sell and what to keep, the fun task of packing up Brandon's library, the uncertainty of it all. Oh yes, and the rising gas prices.

My mom told me that she was listening to a prophet on TBN who said that a new fuel source will be discovered, causing gas prices to plummet near the end of the summer. I don't normally believe in that sort of thing, but I rather hope his prophecy comes true.

How come the only time I crave Chick-fil-a is on Sunday, the one day it's closed?

Before we move to Atlanta (God willing) one of the things I'd like finish up schoolwise is getting my associates. I know, most of my friends are graduating, and believe me, that does make me a little envious. But I could have graduated quickly. Before I married Brandon, my dad was paying for my school so that I didn't have to work, and I'm guessing he would have continued to. But God blessed me with Brandon, and I don't regret moving to California and marrying him one bit. It did mean that I had to work full time and go to school part time, though, which makes finishing school take much longer. But at least I'll feel like I've really accomplished something when I'm done.

I'm so proud of Brandon for doing both school and work. I have no idea how he's managed to work full time, go to school full time and manage to make good grades, but he did, and he graduates in May. When we first got married, everyone told us we wouldn't finish school. But we've supported and encouraged one another in not giving up and doing our best. I think they all might have been right had we decided to have children, but we're waiting (God willing) until we're done with our educations before procreating.

Anyway, the one thing I have left before getting my associates is a math class. I have plenty of units otherwise. I just put off taking math until the end, which in hindsight wasn't the best idea. The only math class that's available at a convenient time is during the second half of the summer semester, meaning my last class would be around 8/13. We were sort of hoping to move (if we do move) in early August. So we'll see how that works out.

Tomorrow is Easter (or Resurrection Sunday as some prefer). I was baptized on Easter when I was 16. I'd only professed Christ a few weeks before then, and I remember feeling the need to learn all I could about God as soon as I could, because I felt like I was behind. So many of my friends had been Christians all of their lives, and I wanted to catch up. But that was silly, because head knowledge only goes so far. God has taught me so much more through experiences. And although I don't always trust Him as much as I should, looking back at what God has gotten us through simply while living in California makes me realize He will continue to take care of us, come what may.

Now on to the come what may part.
Brandon has been accepted to Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. This is a great opportunity for Brandon (you can read his thoughts here) and I would love to be closer to family and friends (we'd still be about three hours away, which is better than three days). But this will mean moving 2500 miles, leaving Brandon's family and friends, and moving to a city that apparently has pretty bad traffic (although no one seems to know if it's worse than LA and OC's traffic)and definitely has fearsome heat in the summer (we would be moving in August).
Anyway, please pray that we'll make the right decision.

Crucifixion

Crucifixion
Originally uploaded by mosaiclife.

I figured this picture is appropriate, what with it being Passion Week and all. When at BCF in Doc Rathel's class, I had to memorize the events of Passion Week in order. I did well on the test, but the details are a bit hazy now.

Brandon took this picture at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Why do people listen to music that is undeniably lame? Is it this twisted elitism where they want to prove their open mindedness and uniqueness by listening to music that the majority can't/won't stomach? Or that they're special because they have the ability to find this obscure music that isn't accessable to many others?

I know I used to listen to subpar music back in my "I refuse to listen to any music if it isn't Christian" stage. I mean, how can you like a song if it hasn't gotten saved yet? Anyway, I'd listen to punk and other bleh sort of music (that's right, I said it. bleh.)where the recording quality and lyrics were laughable. I mean, why play more than three guitar chords if you don't have to? But I didn't mind because for one, my friends liked it. For another, I felt uppity because not only did I like bands that no one else had heard of, but it was Christian, too.

I know that not all Indie music is bad quality. Every once in a while you'll stumble on a band that you don't have to try to like. And I guess I shouldn't complain when people like music that's lame. They're only hurting themselves. Thankfully, I stopped doing that to myself. Yay.

What? You really do like bands like that? You enjoy the fact that the songs haven't been overplayed on lame radio stations nation-wide? You're happy that every 13-year-old isn't singing it and quoting it on their AIM profiles? And you stop liking bands when they become popular, because then they're no longer yours? Hmm. Well feel free to argue with me in the comments.

When I moved to California, I noticed people wait longer to get married than people do in the South. I think I know why.

Disclaimer: I am talking about non-believers. Believers, while still waiting longer than most people in the South to get married, do seem to wed earlier than non-believers. Another disclaimer: If you haven't noticed from reading my site before, I love sweeping generalizations. Now back to what I was going to say.

1. Shacking Up
In the Bible Belt, shacking up is frowned upon. More brave souls are doing so these days, but not without their moms and grandmas giving them that lame comparison about cow purchasing and free milk. Out here, it's far more acceptable. In fact, some might advise you to live together first, because how will you know if you can be married to a person if you don't know what it's like to live with them?

I think this is less of an issue for those who marry young, because they haven't gotten a chance to get set in their ways and think of things as "mine" yet, since generally they haven't lived alone (this may not apply to only children). People who marry young are usually fresh from the home of their parents, or from a dormroom where they share most everything with a roommate. So making a transition from being single to being married and having to compromise and share isn't so hard.

2. Birthing Babies
Since the non-southerners feel no real pressure to tie the knot, there is really no reason to get married until the issue of children comes up. Then it's more important to have some legal tie to the father/mother of the child, for insurance, custody and emotional reasons. By this point the couple has saved up some money and obtained carreers, and they can afford to go to Hawaii for their honeymoon, unlike those who married young and don't have rich parents so they have to go to the beach for two days because they can't afford much more.

Anyway, those are the main two reasons I've come up with. And when people ask how old I am, and how long I've been married, take a second and do the math and then comment that I'm just a baby, I explain that I'm from the South. That's become my excuse for most things nowadays.

Boo towards losing an hour of sleep. That about sums it up.