journal entry

I had a dream last night about the 2nd coming, not that the second coming was here, but Jeff had told me in my dream, "every day is only one day closer to the second coming, are you ready??" I woke up from my dream thinking, "what if I were to die today, what kingdom would I be judged to go to? would it be the celestial kingdom? what have I done in my life, or right now to allow my entrance?"

so I've been thinking about it since this morning... when I get bored I turn to t.v. which is unfortunate because it really makes me more bored because it really is just a bunch of crap and I feel like I am wasting away... so then I turn to the internet, facebook, and blogging, however today has been really inspiring... Thank you Lisa, Melanie, and Allison your stories, quotes, and videos have inspired me.

I can't believe I'm saying this but, I am so excited to go back to Utah because there we will not be visitors, there we will have our own ward, have callings, have family, have our own apt/house, etc... In the past, moving to different parts of the US have been fun, exciting, and different. This year, after little rock, we have been long-term visitors, and I don't like it. I feel without purpose, and we can't pay our tithing! I hate it!

I know that I must not give up, that I must keep moving forward, and trust in God, trust that he has a plan for us, especially when I cannot see it. In just a few months it isn't going to be just me and Jeff anymore, it will be the three of us (which all in itself is kind of a scary awesome feeling)
I'll be staying in the military which is also a love hate relationship, good because of the health insurance - pay for the baby, but bad because I'll have to leave soon after she/he is born for a week.

I'm grateful for my knowledge in the gospel and for the ability to always learn and grown in the gospel and in my testimony. I am grateful for a wonderful husband who works so hard in sometimes unbearable conditions for our growing family, for a supporting and loving family (both sides), and I am especially grateful for my Savior, for His love and atonement that makes everything better and perfect.

Final Gladiator Game

Today started out like any other day here in Fayetteville, except this morning the boys had the watermelon challenge for the gladiator games, I know you're thinking eating watermelon, but not so... this challenge is more for strength and endurance. The idea is water rugby but with a watermelon, in the past Strong has smothered the watermelon in crisco, to make it really slippery, but I guess because the pool wasn't very deep, he decided it would be more fun just to see the boys dive and wrestle with it instead. I got all the teams on video... but unfortunately they are too long to be viewed on the blog, so I will have to post them on my facebook page once my camera battery is done charging. soon...

Team 3 won... yeah Go Travis! better yet, the victory, even though a team effort, goes to Marty Fox, his touchdown was glorious!

here are just a few pictures of Ryan Tadje's battle wound... the brutality of the game!

For some reason I am unable to upload pictures, so if you'd like to see the video and pictures from the gladiator games click here

Gladiator Games

Each year in the office Jeff Strong puts together the Gladiator Games, which is a remarkable act or achievement involving courage, skill, or strength. The games usually last for a week, the office is divided into teams, and each team is set out to do a certain "challenge" per day.

The teams are divided out as such:
Team 1: Lee, Mark, Brandon, Colby, Chase
Team 2: Brooks, Webb, Justin, Kade, Josh W
Team 3: Ryan, Jason L, Kody, Travis, Marty
Team 4: Rhett, Jeff, Ben, Jason N, John, Tyrel

Last Thursday - challenge of the intellect. Asked random questions and whichever team can answer the most amount of questions correct, wins. I believe Team 4 won

Last Friday - challenge of golfing skill. Whichever team can successfully get the ball in the hole first in the least amount of tries. I think Team 3 won

Today, Monday - relay race feat, run/scoot medley. Start out with the scooter race, one end of the parking lot to the other, next player in the relay runs back to the beginning marker, and the last player races his scooter to the finish line. It was fun to watch except when Travis tripped and fell while he was running his heart out! He scrapped up his arm a little, but nothing serious, he said it didn't even hurt. Team 4 won

Tuesday - hamburger and coke consumption feat. Last year it was by far the grossest thing I have ever witnessed... 2 people from one team competes in this event. the first player eats two jr. bacon cheeseburgers, and the second player downs the coke. So whoever consumes all three first, wins. Team 4 won by seconds!

Wednesday - challenge of slip and slide wiffle ball Team 3 won

Thursday - feat of conquering the stick pull Team 4 won

Friday - watermelon pool challenge Team 3 won

Prizes:
If the office does over 220 accounts: the first place team gets $215 each and dives for $. the second place team gets $50 each and dives for $. The first place team gets a 25 sec head start and the total will be $600 in coins.
If the office does under 220 accounts: the first place team gets $75 each and dives for $. The second place team gets $30 each and dives for $. The first place team gets a 25 sec head start and the total will be $400 in coins.

Scoring:
Same Day (sale and install) = 15pts
Same Day before 5:15pm = 30pts
Same Day after 8:30pm = 30pts
Activation (doesn't waive) = 5pts
Next Day (schedule out) = 5pts
Daily Challenge = 50pts
Approved Challenge (??) = 15pts
Everyone Sells Bonus = 30pts

We really need the money so of course I am rooting that Jeff's team does super well for the remainder of the week. As well as he individually does well to support his team; which he is so far... go team go! And Travis' team too!

Wilderness Safari

Since Jeff and I have lived here in Fayetteville we have not really done anything, gone to any attractions or historical sites, we've gone out to eat one time at a Greek restaurant on Dickson Street; which is the "where it all happens" scene near the college. So yesterday, Sunday, after church we went with the Strongs to the Wilderness Safari to enjoy God's creations. It was the coolest adventure that I have been on in a very long time!
First thing we did after we arrived was go to the petting zoo, where we got to play with and hold the baby lions, play with and get scratched by the baby tigers, and watch the out-of-control but adorably cute baby monkeys. And here are some pictures :)

Aww isn't it the cutest?

Baby Lemur in diaper... awe

The giraffe is thinking "My Life Sucks in this 20'x20' cage...."

If you can't tell, it is a hippopotamus in the water...

An obese razorback... yeah, go Arkansas!

baby bump

Last week Jeff and I had the stomach bug, and it was horrible! Naturally I just thought it was morning sickness at night time, like usual, but it ridiculously got out of control when I couldn't even drink a sip of water or a bite of a cracker without throwing up- to the point of dry heaving, it was nasty. If you're like me, when you get sick you really want someone to be there with you to hold your hair when you puke, or to just calm you down when you feel like giving up, etc., Jeff wasn't much help because he too was puking out both ends! I probably lost about 5lbs in the one and a half days I was sick.

This week is the beginning of my 2nd Trimester and I thought I would post some pictures of me and my very little (but to me very big) baby bump stomach (got the idea from Breezy)....

See, it is right there... just below the cardiganThis is picture is taken by Jeff in front or in back of our apt, right next to the golf course and across the street from the pool.