4 years ago....

I made the biggest change of my life (up to that point) and moved here to Indianapolis! I can't believe it's been 4 years! In this time I have learned so much and have grown in so many ways. I moved 1000 miles away from home to a state where I had no friends or family, and (as dramatic as it sounds) one of my biggest fears was that something would happen to my in my apartment (pass out, hit my head, die, etc.) and no one would know it until I didn't show up at work the next day. This was the scariest thing, but was probably one of the coolest things I've ever done.

My mind goes back to when my Dad and sister Melissa pulled away from my new apartment, and I knew it would be months before I saw them again. Months. An eternity. I sobbed so hard for about an hour, then decided to pick myself up and get moving. I went to the store and bought shelves. And put them together myself. Looking back, I remember being so proud of myself for putting together those shelves. Haha.

But it wasn't long before I started to meet people at church and at work who helped me to find my place. God was so gracious to send such a wonderful support system my way, just when I needed it.

This is Abi, Me, and Heather at the Christmas banquet, where Mike and I had our first date

My first summer here I went to Brownsburg Christian Church (now called Connection Pointe Church of Brownsburg) where I met a sweet couple who had just gotten married and needed to get rid of furniture. They gave me a table & chairs, and a couch. The table and chairs were so nice, but they are now in the hands of some lucky Goodwill shopper. The couch is now in Ryan & Laurel's home. After a few months, I visited College Park Church in Indy and fell in love with the teaching, and also the dear friends I met. I don't know what I would have done without y'all! Abi, Nate, Heather, Ingrid, Rachel, Beth, Allan & Karen Harmer... thanks so much for your continued friendship.

Good times! This is Josh, Ingrid, Chris, Amy, and Nate. I think we went bowling that night.

After attending College Park for about 3 months, I met the most wonderful Michael Couts at Timothy's home, watching the movie "Miracle." I thought he was nice and cute, but at that point, I wasn't really looking for someone. But he found me. He pursued me for a few weeks, then we started hanging out more. He asked if he could be my escort for the 20somethings Christmas Banquet. That was our first date. While at the banquet, I pulled 2 of my friends, Lucile and Abi, aside and demanded answers: "What do you know about this guy? What do you think? Do you know his family?" He walked in on us talking, and we played it off. When he approached me, he put his hand on the small of my back and asked what we were talking about. When he left, Lucile burst out, "He put his hand on your back! He put his hand on your back!" That still brings back a smile to this day. We went back to my apartment and watched a very safe date movie, "Elf." And that's when he held my hand for the first time, but not without asking if it was OK. When Buddy the Elf says, "You look miraculous," Mike turned to me and said "that's what I thought when I saw you tonight." At that point, I proceeded to melt.

BOOM. 14 months later we were engaged, and 5 months after that, we were married. And here we are!

I miss Texas more than anything and ask Mike every once in a while if his company has any openings there. I can go anywhere with my job, and sometimes I really do want to get outta here. If the opportunity arose, I would move to Texas in a heartbeat. No argument here! Texas is the best state in the union, and I often joke that I never should have left. Obviously I'm glad I did, but homesickness isn't a rare thing. For crying out loud, my family is there, and we're lucky to see them once a year, maybe twice. But Indiana has been good to me, and I'll stay here with my hubby as long as God wants us here.

I went from being alone in a place with no family or friends, and I now have both. Could I be more blessed?

Oh, and today is my Dad's birthday. He is 57 years wise today. Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you!

Sundays

I don't know if anyone actually reads this blog, but I know that one day I'll be able to look back on this and remember...

But Sundays are the absolute hardest day of the week. I work all week long, waiting for the weekend, do some stuff on Saturday, then dread Sunday morning. I love going to church and seeing my friends, but I feel like half of me is missing without Mike there. I've been skipping Sunday school often because sometimes I just don't feel like being with other people, even though I know it is probably best. I just want to go to the service, then duck out and go home. I want to be with people, but be alone. Weird.

Anybody else been through something like this?

Political Post

I've had one brewing for a LONG time, and I'm still going to hold back because I have a LOT more to say than I will express on this blog. Some of it is not exactly Christ-like, so I'll just hold on to it.

The question that keeps coming back to my mind over and over is:
"How can someone be a Bible-believing Christian and support Barack Obama?"
If someone has the answer to this, I would love to hear it. I have a hard time wrapping my head around it. It seems that most Christians with whom I attend church are conservatives, but I know there are some Liberals out there. Moderates even. That's fine. I can still love them as Christian brothers and sisters.... but I will always have a hard time understanding how they can explain relating their faith to their political opinions. Now I know that we all make mistakes... I make small decisions every day that I immediately regret, and realize that they are sinful. But I do my best to not continue to live that way.

I just don't understand how someone can call themselves a Christian when they fully support a President who is in favor of the following:
-Abortion- not just in our countries, but he repealed a law that bans sending money overseas to help people in other countries get abortions... countries to which we are trying to reach with the GOSPEL of HOPE.
-Embryonic Stem Cell research- this all begins with an abortion
-Socialized Healthcare- Man, you shouldn't get me started on this one... basically I will be paying for other people's healthcare with my hard-earned money... illegals even. Why do you think people come to the US from abroad to get healthcare? We have the best system in the world. Why are people dying in Mexico of Swine Flu? Poor healthcare. They have to wait in line for drugs. People in Great Britain are dying of cancer b/c they can't get the medicine they need b/c the government won't get it to them. Do you want your doctor's office to someday look like the Social Security office or the Dept of Motor Vehicles? Sure, it would be great for everyone to have healthcare, but that's not the way it works. Sorry. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Get a job that offers you benefits, or get private healthcare. There are always options. To rely on the government is just plain silly.
-Redistribution of wealth- again, I'll eventually be paying for the bum on the street who doesn't want to work for a living. Oh, and the illegals again.

And these are just a few. You may be thinking, "What do those last 2 have to do with believing the Bible? Aren't we supposed to help the poor?" And the answer is YES. But that is something that should be left up to us, personally. It is not something that should be mandated by the government. That's what non-profit organizations are for. Think of how many organizations are out there, who may start suffering because of lack of funds once these required taxes are taken our of our paychecks. People may not be able to afford to donate to various organizations. It is as if the government mandates everyone in the country to spend a certain amount of hours serving at a soup kitchen each year, depending on how much money they make. Sound fair? Not really.

Now I haven't lived through very many presidents, but I have tried to pray for each one every day. However, this has been the most difficult one. It is so hard to pray for someone who stands for everything you are against, and is against just about everything that you stand for. How can I support a man who signs the declaration for the National Day of Prayer in silence? It's as if he's doing it just to appease people like me. To "reach across the aisle" I guess. Like his arm was twisted. It makes me absolutely sick to see where our country is headed, and can't believe that I'm praying for the man who is pointing us in that direction. I don't think I've ever been so challenged in that way. Please, fellow Christians, R or D, join me in praying for this man and his staff.

OK so I think I'm done. Like I said, I have many more opinions, but it is probably best that I keep them to myself. These are my opinions, and these are my struggles. And I welcome feedback.

Notes of Encouragement

I sit at a desk all day long, and just like everyone, I have good days and bad days. But there are some notes of encouragement, or just symbols that make me happy that are tacked/taped on the bulletin board above my desk. I thought that I'd share them, in hopes that they might encourage you today!

Still I will trust you
Still I will follow
Still I will listen
to your every calling
While the storm rages on
And I can't find my way
Still I will trust you Lord
-Still I Will Trust You by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

"Hold on to the promises of God, no matter how long it takes. Because no matter what your situation, God is always faithful."
-Some pastor on Moody Radio

"Happy Wedding Day! I'll be thinking of you. Love you much, Meg."
-note left on my desk from my friend Megan the week before we got married

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in you
I will trust in you
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord
-You Are My Hiding Place by Selah

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin!
-Before the Throne of God Above, one of my faves

"It's only temporary!"
-Courtesy of Grandpa Couts

"This is the day the LORD has made! I will rejoice and be GLAD in it!"

This isn't a note of encouragement, but it brings back good memories: a pink foam cutout of a baseball bat, painted with gold glitter, "GO ASTROS." I made this at Radio Lollipop in 2004 when the Astros were in the playoffs. Good times.

I also have a double helix keychain that I made in the genetics class that I taught at the museum when I lived in Houston.

Nothingness

So yeah, there's nothing to really blog about. I'm still here. Mike's still there. And will be for another 4 weeks. This is the most un-fun thing EVER. However, Pastor Mark's sermon yesterday really encouraged me, and I told Mike to get on www.yourchurch.com to hear it. Something my Dad would always say in the face of a trial or disaster, "You know, God is not surprised by this." True.

Pastor Mark delivered a message from Matthew 2 about the state of affairs in Jesus' region after he was born. Herod was in control. Herod was also nuts. He ordered the slaughter of all those baby boys under 2. So when Herod got threatened and freaked out, so did the people of his kingdom. There were 3 main points that I took away from this, and I want to share them:

1. God is unstoppable, in control, and always a step ahead, even when we don't see it.
2. Jesus is opposed- actively or passively- by those who are threatened by them.
3. Opposing Jesus- actively or passively- is treason either way. Yikes.

That first one is the most applicable for us right now. Mike has been away for 11 weeks so far, and by the end of this whole thing, it will be about 15 weeks. Why would God do this? Why would he have us apart for so long? If I learned one thing from Pastor Mark's series on Job, DON'T ASK GOD WHY.

You know how when we plan, God laughs? Well I have some ideas of positive things that have come out of our separation. The negatives are obvious, so I won't focus on those. So here they are. Go ahead and laugh, God! My feelings won't be hurt.
1. Mike has become so independent and learned a whole new culture all by himself. He has been given a chance to travel, almost all on an expense account.
2. Frequent Flyer miles... I think as of right now we have enough for 4 round-trip tickets anywhere in the continental US.
3. If Mike hadn't been in England for an extended period of time, then I never would have been able to visit, and wouldn't have a nifty stamp on my passport. (first one!)
4. Since Mike left, I have been more diligent in my quiet time than ever before. And even when he was back for a week visiting, I was still able to keep it up. I may actually read through the whole Bible this year!
5. This has given me more time to spend with my single girlfriends and encourage them in their walks with Christ.
6. God could be protecting Mike from Swine Flu here in the US. You never know.
7. I was sick for the past 2 weeks with allergies that caused a severe cough, often waking me up in the middle of the night several times, as if I was choking. This would not have been good if Mike were in the bed next to me.
8. Plainly put, the apartment stays cleaner with just me. And trust me, I make enough mess for 2 people, but when it is just me, I tend to be neater.

Well lookie there! There IS something for me to blog about! Hopefully in this time apart, Mike and I will continue to grow personally, and then share what we've learned when this whole ordeal is over.

In Mike's absence, though, I have found a new 24 buddy! My friend Jennifer came over last week to watch it with me (b/c neither of us like watching it alone) and we're going to try to make it an every-week type of thing!

May is getting bizzzzzzzzzzy though. I'll try to keep up with the blogging. But then again don't I always say that?

Rachel <><

Rachel's Fab 4

I wanted to spend a moment and talk about the 4 things that have recently made my life fun, interesting, or easier lately!

1. The Slanket! (http://www.theslanket.com/)

Most of you have seen the infomercial for the Snuggie on TV... who hasn't? Basically it is a blanket that has sleeves sewn into it, so you can wrap up on the couch (or in the work chair!) and be completely warm. The Slanket is so much better than the snuggie b/c it's made out of heavier fleece, and is much warmer! I love it and would highly recommend it to those who are always cold, and not trying to run up the heating bill!

2. Stovetop Popcorn

What a bargain! I wish I had learned about this years ago! I have been microwaving popcorn for years, getting frustrated that not all the kernels are popped, some are burned and some are not, and they're not all evenly seasoned... well those days are over! I'm going back to the way our ancestors did it, on the stove. I don't have one of those old-fashioned popcorn-poppers, I just use a small saucepan. Into the saucepan I pour enough peanut oil (or EVOO if I'm eating with Mike) to coat the bottom, turn the heat to medium, put in one kernel of unpopped corn, and wait. When the one kernel pops, it's time to add more. I add just enough to cover the bottom of the pan in one layer, put the lid back on and wait! In the meantime, microwave or heat in a saute pan about 2 tablespoons of 1/2 butter 1/2 margarine and then add to that whatever seasoning I'm feeling that day, usually Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb. The pot of popping corn starts to pop a lot, and oil drips down the sides, so I'm handy with a kitchen towel to catch it before it hits the burner. When all the corn is popped, pour into a bowl and drizzle the butter mixture on top! Voila! It is SO yummy and much cheaper! PLUS 3 cups of popped popcorn has 4 grams of fiber!

And here's the price comparison:

1 box of 5 bags of microwave popcorn (5-10 servings) $3.99

1 container of unpopped corn (50-60 servings) $3.99

3. Jergen's Natural Glow Lotion

This white girl thinks that this lotion is one of the best things ever invented for summer! It gives me a natural, non-orangey tint that just makes me look healthier, not so pale and pasty. I'm big on SPF now, especially on my face, and I don't want to do anything that will cause me to get all wrinkly or give me skin cancer... so Jergens to the rescue! And now they make it firming, and it is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of cellulite in as little as 7 days? Gen-YUS! Well I guess I'll have to test that in the Couts lab...

4. The Real Housewives of New York City

Bravo's 2nd installment of the housewives is one of my faves. First there was Orange County (which I also love), the NY, then Atlanta (gross), and coming this summer New Jersey! But I love these housewives... they are hilarious. Their accents, demeanor, and of course the funny way they relate to each other cracks me up. They all claim to be a great judge of character and have amazing class, but as I sit there watching them, they fail almost every single time. Jill is the loud Jewish lady who is spoiled by her husband Bobby and truly loves life. Ramona is the pop-eyed lunatic who thinks she knows everything better than everyone. Bethenny (my favorite) is the confident, dark, witty, cynical single girl who just wants to find love. Alex & Simon (yes, I'm including the husband) always bothered me a little bit b/c of their snobbery and pretentiousness, but they are starting to grow on me... they're happy in their marriage, love their kids, so more power to 'em. Kelly seemed like a pointless addition at the beginning of the season, but as it has moved on, I'm so glad they brought her on... she's a dim-witted model who can't get enough of herself. And last but not least, there's LuAnn... ah, the Countess. I liked her last season, but she won't stop throwing her dumb title in everyone's face... she talks about how she went from being a regular girl, and American Indian to being a Countess.... didn't take a lot of work, actually... all you had to do was marry a count. Gosh. She is so pretentious it drives me nuts! But she's fun to watch!

Check out the Housewives! Tuesday night, 10/9 Central on Bravo! It is mind-numbing, second only to The Hills!

Catch-Up

So basically this is what I need to do. Catch up. A lot has happened since I last updated! Well when I last updated, Mike was out of the country on business again, and alas, he is still gone. This was supposed to be a 7 week adventure, and it has turned into more like a 13 week nightmare... OK maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit. It's so hard to have your sweetie gone so much, it's like every hour of those first few days he's gone just drags. Almost on the edge of tears the whole time. It never gets easy.

This time when he left, though, I prayed probably harder than any other time... I prayed that God would show me strength I'd never seen before, and give both of us the endurance to get through this one last trip overseas. That day was one of the best work days I've had in a long time (that's saying a LOT), and I kept saying to myself all day, "Wow. I can't believe you're OK. You're not crying." I was shocked. But you know? That's exactly what I prayed for! So why was I shocked again??....

One of the best things about Mike being gone is that I got to visit him! March 19-24 I spent in Birmingham, England with my honey. This was my first trip overseas!
Day 1: I arrived looking dissheveled, wondering what day it was, and after a shower and a cat-nap I was as good as new! He showed me around the area where he's living, a rich suburb of Birmingham called Solihull. There's a mall and a library right across the street from the hotel so I was hooked up.
Day 2: LONDON Baby! We spent the entire day in London, and, I'm pretty sure we saw it all. It helps when you don't do anything that costs money. We walked for-EVER and saw all the highlights! We even took a flight on the London Eye, the amazing ferris-wheel-like ride that gives you a birds-eye view of the city! Amazing! We took a train from Solihull to London and did the following: Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Oxford Street, Oxford Circus, Palace of the Guard, Big Ben/Westminster Abbey/Houses of Parliament, Scotland Yard, posed in a phone booth, took the Tube most places, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Harrod's, Picadilly Circus, Hyde Park, and I think that's it. Actually I had been suffering from an acute case of plantar fasciitis before we left (foot pain) and after London, my foot pain was gone! Who knew? It was a great day.
Day 3: Well we were going to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare's home, but when we woke up Sunday morning, walking around like 90 year olds (sore from walking), we decided against it. Instead we drove to downtown Birmingham and I haven't been that scared in a long time. Mike was right... driving in England is like driving on a go-kart track. All I could say was "PLEASE just get me a blindfold and a cigarette." SCARY.
Day 4: Mike went to work and I milled around town... ate lunch at the mall, read some, saw a movie at the mall, ran on the treadmill at the hotel and shopped some more. There was even a Pilates class there at the hotel gym, but for 3 pounds I passed it up. Are you kidding me?
Day 5: I left. And cried a river. I was so pathetic, sitting in that foreign airport, with tears running down my face.

But Mike returned just a few days later! Yay! If only for a few weeks, but these days I'll take what I can get. Having him here is so wonderful, and it's great to know that the next time he comes, he'll be back for GOOD. In the past when he would come back, it was like I was just holding my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now, he MINE!

This has been one of the biggest growing periods of my entire life. But I've found that each time I go through a growing period it seems like it's the biggest one. Looking back, I can totally see some of the ways that God was providing for us by having Mike away during this time... most of all, we were planning on buying a house this year! But the Lord is making us wait another year b/c there's NO way that we would have saved enough, and no way that I would have wanted to or should have gone thru the home buying process without Mike.

Also, the Lord is always growing me, and I shouldn't be surprised because I ask for it... for the first time, I'm actually looking forward to this last trip without Mike in a way because I'm able to use it for God's glory! I have SO much time to spend encouraging my friends and I also have 5 cooking shows scheduled for the month of May! Wow! AND on top of that, it allows me more freedom to work all the required overtime my company has laid on us.

Praise the Lord for his faithfulness! Let me share a song that has encouraged me in the past few weeks, just the chorus actually. Some of you may know that I am a super-huge fan of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, so here goes:

Still I will trust you
Still I will follow
Still I will listen to your every calling
While the storm rages on
And I can't find my way
Still I will trust you Lord

YES!!