Blessed On My Birthday...

Thank you all so very much for all the calls, texts, and wall posts yesterday. I am blessed by you! My birthday (22 years young) was a good one! Granted, the other half of my life wasn't present and that was saddening but my friends and family really filled the void with all the love. Manders and I decided to trek to the beach for a few hours. Traffic was insane but we were patient enough to find the golden goose of parking spots! We were joined by my sister and caught the spring rays while we could before eating lunch at a restaurant that was only 20 feet behind us. I totally cheated my diet in the amount of food I ate and gained a pound this week instead of losing it BUT it was worth it!!!! I'm back on track this morning and have all my meals tracked and ready to go :) Anyways, when we finally arrived home the oven was overflowing with the smell of prime rib! My parents know how to break out the good stuff ;) We invited another dear friend of mine over and feasted on moms deliciously prepared meal till we were full. After the candles were lit and the last piece of cake had been consumed, my brother joined us and we started a competitive game of settlers of catan. Michael owned us all but it's the fun that matters.  




All in all, It was a really nice day. No math to study, no worries, and lots of sun tan. It looks like today might bode the same since dad is taking us boating. In other news, I don't have any updates on or from Thomas. =[ I completely understand that there is no reception and even if there was who would take out there cell phone while white water canoeing down the green river in Utah??? Nevertheless, I still miss him like the dickens and am greatly anticipating the next phone call or text message that comes through. There's only 45 days till he gets back!!! Just keep praying for him please. That is all I ask. Thank you! The only other news I have is that I'm applying to graduate (with AA) and I take my GKT test April 10th to finally be admitted into the elementary education program at Edison. I NEED TO PASS THIS WRETCHED MATH SECTION!! Now you know how to pray for me this week and next. Math math math math math.....
In Him,
Kelly (Set Sail Author)

In Like A Lion...

In like a lion is right! March has pounced upon us once again with it's sweet promises of springtime and excitement including my Birthday (P.S YAY for Sephora Birthday gifts!). March has also been filled with massive changes to my life style. I've recently sent in my two weeks notice to my employer of 5 years. Five years I have watched my little 1st and 2nd graders grow up into pre-teeners. The children I have worked with have taught me more valuable lessons than some of the adults that fill my circle. There is blessings in both. Furthermore, It was probably the hardest thing to do because I love those kids so much, but I also couldn't deny that my path was to focus more on finishing up the dangling ends of my degree with gusto. After I very awkwardly dropped the bomb on my boss lady; I strode away with an immense burden off my shoulders. I didn't expect to feel so freed from something I loved doing! I thought it would have an adverse effect, but the promise of getting my degree, teaching certification, and getting ready for the next phase of my life was all the more positive, adventurous, and exciting. The Lord has been very faithful to my family even amidst the current issues that swirl around us constantly and for that I am grateful. It's through the observance of how the Lord uses others that I harvest a bounty of faith for my own struggles. Hebrews is filled with accounts of martyrdom of faith. It's powerful simply put. Unfathomably powerful people!!!

Another March blessing was having my Grandma and Grandpap come to visit us in Fort Myers! They hail all the way from Lancaster, Pennsylvania where I grew up half my life. They came down to finally meet their little great grandaughter (my niecey-poo) Emma! Oh, was she excited! She instantly took to her great grandmother's beautiful singing. Growing up around my Grandma is such a wonderful memory! She is a songbird to say the least and I will always have memories of coming to visit her with the family and hearing her daintily singing a show-tune or an old classic in the kitchen. So easily can she uplift your spirits! 

My Grandpap is equally memorable. He has such a vast area of knowledge and I love listening to him talk to people and learning from him. I admire and respect him for all he has done for his family and mine; For his big heart and his hilarious stories! Emma seemed to give Grandpap the most sincere smiles as she stared at him from the floor. I'm so glad they came and got to meet Emma!

In other lifestyle news, I've lost 7.2 lbs on weight watchers 360* online and Zumba. I'm at a healthy weight right now but desire a more defined look in my muscles. It's still hard for me to sometimes stick with it but when I see results it's all the more motivation to stay within my margins. If you are just tuning into my blog, my ultimate goal is to weigh 120 lbs . My weight watchers goal is starting me "small" and shifted my goal to 123 lbs. Either way I'll be smaller. If anyone knew me from a few years back I weighed 170 lbs at 5'2 inches. Now, 170 works for people who are like 6'2 , so I was both rotund and unhealthy. I still got my natural woman curves but I am not a beach ball anymore! Praise the Lord! I would love to be that itty bitty person that you could fit into your pocket one day. We shall see how far I can go. So far, in complete total over the years, I've lost 43.2 lbs! Keep following me along my journey and see what happens!

In other news,

Baby finally made it to Utah! (Thomas Downin Photo Credit) He'll be doing his river course training next and might be out of contact for another 45 days! :( However, he still has reception thus far so we shall see what happens. After two weeks of no communication I finally got a call at work and dashed to the corner of the room to answer. He's doing very well everyone! I am so proud of him. He's really enjoying the company of his team and bonding well with them. Not being able to shower for long periods of time seems to be what he dislikes the most, but he is loving the outdoors. He and a few of the other guys went shopping at a gas station and got these "Boone" looking hats for the river course. He is slowly turning into the mountain hermit image I originally pictured haha!

Oh that beard! and its only been a month! I'm worried about the three month mark on that no shave thing. Anyways, off to The House! hope to see you all there! It starts at seven in the Gym of First Assembly Fort Myers!!!!
In Him,
Kelly (Set Sail Author)

  

Inspired

 Hello there readers! I'm about to pass into a restful sleep, but felt the urge to unwind on "Set Sail" before doing so. I can't help but recall all the wonderful memories I've made in the past few days and new intensified drive in the direction God has pointed out to me. I'm ready to take the plunge in regards to many decisions I have been conflicted with over the past year or so. It has only been by the steady hand of my Lord and Savior that I am at peace with where I 'm at in order to prepare for what's to come. I'm ready and fully equipped to hand in my two weeks notice at my place of employment where I have given 5 years of my life (6 years come end of march) and have learned in unimaginable ways through the children that have come and gone through that time. I do not plan on returning but moving forward towards the next step. I'm becoming a sold out college student and finishing my degree before I go looking for work again. I know I need to be able to contribute to my significant other when we get married and be able to share the load when the time befalls us. I can't move forward if I'm "stuck" in my comfort zone meandering through life one class at a time. It's time to let it go, pray, and seek. I have this unexplainable excitement for the future! It's like that feeling when something finally clicks into the right spot. I'm ready to get married, I'm ready to fully rely on God through the unknown, and I'm ready to BE the best daughter, aunt, sister, cousin, niece, friend, student, girlfriend, woman the Lord calls me to be. I'm really looking forward to having the day off tomorrow because I get to go to The Vous in Miami with my brothers and sisters from The House to learn about how to improve our own specific ministries.

My awesome co-leader Bre and I will be thinking of ways to improve the Cafe ministry. I have been so blessed by having her back in the kitchen! I got to walk in her shoes for a little bit and see what its like to handle things single handedly and it was a bit taxing on the serving spirit. She has brought a breath of fresh air into this ministry and continually reminds me, regardless if she knows it or not, to keep giving your all, your creativity, your BEST. I'm challenged by her and am continuing to learn through her actions. Seeing as how my battery is about to pass on into battery Heaven I'm going to call this post a wrap and turn in for the night. Please keep lifting Thomas up in your prayers. We won't have contact for two weeks so updates are at a standstill right now. However, pray for renewed strength and ability to do what is assigned him.  I'll also ask you to lift my dad up in prayer...He desperately needs the touch of God. I'll say no more than that because at the end of it all the situation comes down to that one simple fact. Thank you! Be blessed!
In Him,
Kelly (Set Sail Author)