A Day in the Life.

So I'm feeling like it's time to clue you in to my life since the big changes. I guess I've kept the public (and by public I mean the 3 of you who read this blog) at bay long enough. Instead of a rather long catch up to work and "home" and the like I thought I'd just give you a typical day in the life of Kaylyn this summer...since I've got a sort of formula to my day. Which....if you know me at all...works well when I have some sort of schedule and plan.

5:45- Wake up, usually thinking I've overslept. I still haven't gotten over the nervousness of being late to work. That's the worst part of my sleep.

6:00- Alarm 1 rings. I get up, make my bed, turn on my straightener on, brush my teeth.

6:10- Alarm 2 rings (I told you..I'm paranoid about sleeping late)

6:11-6:30ish: Hair, Make-up, last minute wardrobe corrections, Dressed, make my lunch

6:30-6:50: Quiet Time. So far, I've been consistent about getting in the Word in the mornings. And I've made it a priority...and it's made all the difference on my daily life. Beginning the day reading what the creator of the world and my heart has to say to me really puts things into perspective. I really put an emphasis on the creator of my heart....Because He has been putting a lot of things on my heart and mind and leading me to truth and it just overwhelms me how He knows me so much better than I know myself, and how much He wants the best for me.

6:50-7:00: Jump in the car, wave goodbye/good morning to Mr. Ray (I'll get to him later) who is usually into his 40th minute of walking around his driveway, get the GPS going, and off to work.

7:00-7:40: Drive--I watch the sun finish rising, and greet the Lord with prayer and song. (and fight nasty traffic..but mostly the first two) This is probably my favorite part of the day. I love that I'm already awake and getting things done, and I love that I have

time to talk to the Lord before the craziness of the day begins. And again, this is the time that has made all the difference in my life as of late. I get to pray for friends who are serving at Camp and in churches, my family, my coworkers, my day, my attitude, my struggle, my future, my lost friends, people I've never met and His will for all of us. There's a peace in this part of the day that I've been trying to find in other things and have come up empty handed.

7:40-8:00: Park in the most scary parking garage, go into the office early (usually I'm the 1st or 2nd one there..again because I'm paranoid) Get started with the day.

8:00-8:15: Listen to everyone else get there, as I work in a cubicle that is in front of the copier and the break room and I can hear everything. I prefer to work in silence or music and so this is usually the least productive part of my day.

8:15-12:30: GET STUFF DONE! Some days I'm out in the field at client offices doing audit work, or in the office assisting the tax/audit/admin team. Wherever I am, you can be sure I'm doing work. One thing I don't lack is stuff to do. Which is nice because the day goes by fast. They also have a bunch of self-study materials that I have to complete by the end of the summer. . so really I have no free time.

12:30-1:30: Lunch Break. I've started packing my lunch to save some $$, but if I'm on an audit, I'll go out. Depending on who's in the office some of us will go out together some days. The people are so nice and I can't say enough about how welcoming everyone has been. I'm an awkward new situation person so I know that they don't know how cool I am yet, but they will soon enough and I can't wait til they love me and know that I am cool. haha.

1:30-5:30ish...See 8:15-12:30. Pretty much the same.

5:30-6:30 Fight my way "home". Also good time for debrief with the Lord, calling friends/family, and car jam session.. . which happens often.

6:30-7:30: Mrs. Joyce (I'll get to her later) has dinner ready. She refuses to take no for an answer, but boy am I thankful. We usually eat lots of fresh veggies out of their garden. I know exactly where my place setting is, exactly how to serve my plate, exactly what will be for drink (decaf tea with one packet of sweet-n-low) exactly where we will sit, and exactly the prayer that Mr. Ray will pray for our meal. I love it. It's like clockwork...they are scheduled, organized people, and for me in the current state of life I'm in I need it.

7:30-8:15 Help Mrs. Joyce clean up, take my shower.

8:15-9:00 Internet time, card-writing time, reading time, work that I've taken home time,

9:00-10:00 Try to keep my eyes open and visit with Mr. Ray and Mrs. Joyce which watching one of the TV programs they like. They have one for each night of the week, and I know now exactly what to expect on each night. (I love them and their predictability though!!) They especially love America's Funniest Home Videos and Lifetime Original Movies. You can ask me which I find more hilarious later.

10:00 By this time I'm usually unconscious.

Tomorrow is my first meeting with the gym in town though. So we'll have to start adding that into my schedule. I'm excited (and tired just thinking about it) for my personal trainer and workouts. I just can't wait to feel better about my health.

There are aspects that I want to expound on. And I'll have to write a blog about Mr. Ray and Mrs. Joyce specifically because there is so much I'd like to write about. They are a HUGE blessing. But I'm running out of time (irony) and I don't want to rush that post.

So now that you and every major stalker in the area know my exact life, I think I'll stop writing.

Ba du bop, ba duba dop

Well here they are.

My ultimate boy band obsession. And they've been back for awhile I know, but I've resisted listening to their music for a while for fear of reverting to my 8 year old days when I played their cassette of "middle of nowhere" so many times it broke.

that's right.

Hanson.

But a few weeks ago, I saw a concert on TV of Hanson and it was love all over again.

This is one of my fav's off of the new album "Shout it Out"

A long way from this classic. . . .

Oh the glory days. . .

Bee Tea Dubs, This is my 100th post. That's right. My 100th post was not some mind-blowing revelation. It was Hanson videos. You love me.

the calm before the storm

They say there's always a calm before the storm.

A stillness before the wind picks up.

Where the smell of rain is in the air, but instead of worrying about the ensuing rain, one relishes in the freshness of the moment.

That hasn't come yet, but I hope it does this weekend.

I think for me, waiting is the hardest part.

In the storm (or in the sunshine as the case very well may be) I have some knowns. But in the waiting there's uncertainty.



To speak straightforwardly instead of in meaningless metaphors. . .

So long summer, hello adventure...that comes with a dress code. and culture of its own. Hopefully I'm a quick learner, hopefully The first few weeks fly by and all of a sudden I'm used to what goes on and how to act, what to say, what my job is.

The fact that I'm being blessed in the midst of my complaint, of my hesitancy, of my sin and stubbornness is sobering.


And to be completely level with you:

These past few weeks have quite possibly been the hardest weeks emotionally for me.

It's like an out of body experience, where I'm watching myself get lost.

I read Betty White's memoirs book the other day and one of the things her mother said to her that has stuck with her was that you must always be able to look in the mirror and stare into your eyes and meet them straight on because you can lie to others, but when you look into the mirror and you meet your eyes there you cannot not know the truth.

I've had some shifty eyes lately.

I want to fight, but it's hard mustering the ability. I want to get off this nauseating roller coaster desperately.


Drama is not my intention, but to rob you of the struggle along with the blessing would be a lie.

and I think...comparatively speaking I have nothing to be distressed about. I should be so thankful. But I do worry, I am distressed. The hurt is real to me.

Despite my circumstance my story stays the same.

And I cling to the fact that when I can only cry out the words"Help me. I need You." He knows exactly what that means. And He knew them before I spoke them, and I trust in His Word, and remind myself of things like Romans 8.

He knows my name, and He cares for me.

He is not only the calm before the storm, but the calm in the midst of storm.

As we go on

The past week has been one crazy whirlwind.

• I have a place to live for the summer. PTL!


• I've had a pretty serious nervous breakdown.


• I slept for 20 straight (almost) hours.


• I went shopping for work clothes


• I pressure washed for 5 hours straight


• I haven't gotten any tan. AT ALL. :(


• But the beach is beautiful!


• I've been pretty unmotivated on the blogging front.


• Both sets of grandparents, one Aunt, two family friends were here for my sister's graduation...which was beautiful.

I love her a lot and am so proud of her. She'll be attending USF in the fall (Tampa, FL) for speech pathology. She loves the Lord and loves to sing. . .in fact. You can catch her singing in the shower in the morning and on her way to bed at night. Her joyful, positive heart is something I have always admired and the Lord has always used to glorify Himself. Sunday night the church honored the graduates and Karissa sang "Waiting here for you" by Christy Nockles. Such a great message for me right now. I'm thankful for my sister and her impact on my life and the lives of her friends. I can't wait to see what happens in our lives these next few years and how we begin the process into being best of friends.

And it was good.

reading Genesis 1 tonight, I am reminded that God made the earth good.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."

the affects of sin surround us everyday and we aren't even aware of it, because apart from God, the creator of good, we don't know what good is.

we settle for lesser definitions of the word

lesser definitions of our purpose

of who we were created to be

__

Bee Tea Dubs. . .

a portion of Ronnie Freeman's "The Only Thing"
If you could walk the hallways of my heart
And see things as they really are
I wonder if you might be surprised

Seeing faded walls of pride and fear
Rooms I've filled with faithless tears
And corners where I've stood in compromise

Oh, but you'd see the work His grace has done
And you'd know just how far I've come

The only thing that's good in me is Jesus
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus
I'll live long enough to know no matter what this life may show
The only thing that's good in me is Jesus

A Dime a Dozen

My posts have been scarce (for me at least) and that's mostly because I haven't had much to talk about. Still not much, but here's a little about what's going on in my life:

1. One final til I'm a Senior. (What?!)


2. Still working on where I'm living for my internship. That's scary as my internship starts in a few weeks. I'm not stressed, which is what's worrying me a little.


3. Jessica got me the cutest owl stationary inside an owl box. Feel very special if you get a note from me on owl stationary this summer. . . .the only downside to what she gave me is that I don't want to send them because I love the print so much.


4. I have been drinking green tea with citrus out of a gallon jug all week. Judge away.


5. I now feel like I'm living in an insane asylum. Everything (minus a few necessities) is gone. My parents came today and we worked hard all day and now I'm a box away from peacing out of "Hall A" (how original) at Stetson.


6. I listened to angry music today (not really angry music...but 90s rock on pandora) and it motivated me to clean and pack.


7. I'm not a princess person (or wedding person) by any stretch of the imagination. . . but I woke up at 4 to watch 5 hours of coverage of the royal wedding and it was definitely worth it. I'll remember it forever, great time with friends and oh my lanta is Kate beautiful ...LOVED the dress!!


8. Sorry to those who follow me on twitter for blowing it up about the event mentioned above.


9. I 'm burdened for the tornado victims in AL, TN, GA, and NC. I think about the video below I posted and how difficult it would be for me to hear had I lost my home, my loved ones, etc. Telling me that being homeless was a blessing, that being a widow was a blessing, etc.


10. Something I've noticed lately, and have been discouraged by is the depth of friendships/relationships in general in my life. It's always hard when friendships change and for me small talk is exhausting. I love depth, talking about things that matter, being challenged, and not having people who understand who you are and what you mean without you having to really explain. Maybe that's my selfishness, or laziness, or my putting too much emphasis on people...whatever it is, it's been on my mind.


11. I hope to finish the project I've been working on for a while within the next week. That's the most exciting thing going on right now.


12. GOAL for May 7-May 21. . .dark. . . brown. . . TAN!

Thanks, Jenni for the reference.