AREA 39

Hello everyone...

Yeah, I'm pretty lousy at keeping up with the blog thing, but I hope to improve!!! Sister Elms...I HAVE RISEN FROM THE GRAVE OF DEAD BLOGGERS!!!

So some really exciting things have happened recently, just after HYC, Daniel, Alisha E., Ian, and I decided that we would try going to Area 39, (TBC's college preview weekend). I really agreed half-heartedly, pretty much knowing that my father was in no way going to allow me to travel sevenish hours away from home with a bunch of teens for four days! But I thought it worht the try and threw a quick prayer up to God just before Ian and I brought the idea to Pastor Elms. (I wanted to ask him before my dad). So, he said yes and we confronted my dad. Dad simply shrugged and said, "Whatever". My mouth SO hit the floor!!! What alien entity had taken control of my dad? So, THAT was a good sign!

At work the next day, I took a look at my schedule for the week and discovered I had to work this Saturday. Well, I thought to myself, "Why not try to hand it to someone else who could use the hours?" I knew the chances of my finding someone willing to wake up at seven in the morning on a Saturday were slim. But, just after I clocked in Monday morning, Will walked in and I asked him if he'd be interested. He, much to my delight, said "sure".

The next task? Finding out if I'd be off on the NEXT Monday (we'd be coming home that day). So I went to the office at Kohl's (where I work) and asked my manager, Dawn if she had the schedules made out. She said not yet, and that actually Brian (the store manager) was working on them. So I went to Brian's office, just wanting to find out when I'd be working so that I could try to hand my hours to someone else (as I knew it was AGAINST the rules to request off fewer days than a month in advance...and I totally knew that if I HAD tried to simply ask off...my head might come off! He's a stickler for protocol.) Anyway, when I asked he said "I'm working on them now, what do you need?" I said, "I'd like to be off that day, so I was just gonna see when I worked to see if I could give my hours to somebody else." He-very quickly-said, "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it!" EVERYONE in the office almost thrust their heads off their bodies for the awestruck look they threw my way! I stammered a bit. And hopefully, murmured a thank-you. I say hopefully because I was thrown into a mental state of praise!!!

THERE'S MORE...It just keeps gettin' better! Ian called me just before prayer and said, "You'll never believe this..."

I said, "What?"

"I'm scheduled to work Friday and Saturday."

I almost panic. "Oh you're kidding..."

"No, listen. I went in to work and asked my manager if I could possibly get off those days and she said there's no possible way."

By now my heart was sliding to my stomach. We were all gonna go together.

Ian: "So I was like, 'God, if you want me to go, then you'll make a way'. And this kinda grouchy lady who never does anybody ANY favors offered to take THEM BOTH!!!"

My once somber visage suddenly exuberant and literally hopping up and down on the seat in my dad's truck.

Alisha wasn't going to be able to leave til the middle of Saturday, but that was resolved as well!!!!

GOD IS SO GOOD TO US!!!!

I cannot wait until tomorrow....today...whatever! I'm curious as to why it's called "Area 39". They wouldn't tell us when we asked, they'll be revealing it when we get there, I guess. I'll keep you posted!!!