Florida Dreaming

Hello friends,

Court and I on the boat!

I'm just sitting here in my Florida abode as the sun streams in through my windows.  I'm pry not going to do much today as I had quite the adventurous weekend.  We went to Key West, taking a 3 level boat. It was pretty intense. We had to leave our house at 5 in the morning, and at 8 in the morning our boat left the dock and got up to a pretty nice speed. 
 At one point, Court and I decided to go upstairs to get some sun and read, these two college guys were toasted, just wasted at 8 AM!! At 8 am all I will ever be drinking is one of three things: 
1. Chocolate soy milk
2. Apple Juice, or 
3. Orange Juice (pulp free, the pulpy kind weirds me out)

Red Tide...weird right?

At Key West we were planning on doing some hardcore snorkeling, but turns out that the red tide was in, which means the red algae was all over the beach and the first 30 ft of the ocean. It was pretty intense, so we did the touristy stuff.  Court and I headed over to the shipwreck museum and were able to look over the top most pier, where people would yell "WRECK ASHORE" when boats were in trouble because then Key Westers would go and save the people and take the treasure.  Pirates/rescuers/opportunists.  I was actually able to buy a necklace that was from a shipwreck, pretty darn cool if you ask me.  To be honest I never really buy myself anything, I think because I've always been nervous about how it looks spoiling yourself, but I've been learning lately that it's okay to get things that you really want once in a while, especially if you've been saving for it, or if it's just a special something.  Happy birthday to myself (I've been saying that quite a bit lately, ::sheepish smile::).  The only other thing I've bought for myself was my Poi and I'm in love with those, so I'm not apologizing to anyone.  Yay for confidence in my choices!

Me with the shrimp

          The other really cool thing that I did this weekend is I fed a sting ray. Actually not one. Multiple. A whole tank of them.  I fed them shrimp from my hand. IT WAS AWESOME.  
Granted their stingers were removed, but it was one of the coolest things I've done. While I was doing it, I said, "It reminds me of feeding an elephant" the people around me looked at me with confusion and I said "Because Sting Rays and elephants suck it up into their mouth/trunk to eat it, it feels similar in my hand" then I laughed at the analogy, only I would make that connection. :-) (For those who don't know, I turn into a 12 year old girl when I get really excited about things, this leads to a smile the size of a half moon on my face, my eyes as wide as golf balls, and rambling from me about how cool _____ is) .

This was a pretty big thing for me, feeding these sting rays. Now, as some of you know, I'm slightly terrified by water, and by slightly terrified, I mean for years I could not be in a pool alone or even by myself on a certain side of the pool for fear that a spirit would drag me under water (I'll explain in another post). 
I would like to say that for the first time in 12+ years I was in a pool, all by myself.  No one was around, and although pretty scary. I was fine.  I ended up getting out 5 minutes later because the water was cold, but that's besides the point. I'm pretty darn proud of myself.  See what I'm wearing?  That's my big girl pants. :-)

Also, last thing before I make this post into a novela, is that since I was three years old, I have wished to be a mermaid on my birthday, I'm fairy sure 17/22 birthdays have been mermaid wishes, at least last year was ;-) ANYWAYS. I found out this past week that you can BE a mermaid. It's possible.  They make monofins, so instead of two fins, it's just one, and then they make tails that go over them, so YOU CAN BE A MERMAID. There are people who do this professionally, they have a tail and do birthday parties, and help to raise money for the environment, and the oceans, and they swim and look gorgeous.  I also found out about a mermaid camp that TEACHES YOU HOW TO BE A MERMAID. Um yes. 
So, not this year, and maybe not next, but at some point in time, I will get a monofin, and either sew my own, or buy a mermaid tail, and become a mermaid.  And here something I thought I would never be able to cross off my list, has just become cross-off-able.

Umm, Yes.

Jeremy wrote me a poem he loves in response to me talking about how ridiculous some of my dreams are, feeling shot down, and trying to be confident in where I feel God has led me, and how people think I'm just a dreamer and that I should focus on 'real jobs' and 'reality':

We are the music makers

We are the dreamers of dreams

Wandering by sea breakers

aside desolate streams

world changers and world breakers

on whom the pale moon gleams

we are the movers and shakers

of the world forever, it seems

Best husband ever. One thing (out of many) that I was blessed with growing up was parents that told me to find my dreams and chase after them, not blindly, don't be a fool, but find what God has seeded into your heart as your desire, and then go for it, and don't let people who aren't chasing their dreams spoil the thrill of achieving your own.  I have done many things, most have been dreams or helping someone else with theirs, (China was Jer's, I was pretty nervous).  I hope in reading this post (and I think I'm going to write about Dreams in a post coming up, as I have some cool stuff that's been on my heart) that you think about what your heart wants, and what desire God has put in your heart.  Maybe it's growing a vineyard or bee keeping like my lovely mother-in-law, or maybe it's helping children discover the glory of God like my mom, or breaking a world record on a unicycle like my awesome dad, or going to the Air Force like my husband.  Whatever your dream is, go after it.  If you want to be a mermaid, practice swimming, if you want to write a book, set aside time.  Go after it, because if you don't.  Then you won't. And your dream will either become dormant, or eat away at you.  

Take faith, God will not give us temptations OR DREAMS that we can not accomplish or handle. 

Chase after those dreams,

Amber Jane

Books. I love books.

I love books.  Mmmmm, I don't know if that gets across what I mean.  I devour books. I love the smell of books, I love opening books, I love feeling the pages in your hand. I love reading late at night or mid afternoon. I also love finding something surprising, and when the story twists or you find something new or a new genre or discover a new author.  Love it love it love it. 

Did I mention I read the end first that way I can relax and enjoy the story?  Otherwise I power read through it to discover the end, and then have to read it again to enjoy it.  I figured out I could read the end first, and then mosey through the story, smart girl.  I don't like all books, but if I find a book I like, I zip through it and I disappear into the world of the story. I've tried explaining this to friends, but many don't understand.  When I'm reading everything else is gone, I don't hear anything, I don't see anything, I'm living in the story.  I've had many times where people have to be right next to me, and poke me a few times before I realize they are even there.

Courtney was bothering me while I was in the middle of an awesome book the other day and I was frustrated, so she showed me the video of Julian Smith, and it's about not interrupting him while he's reading a book.  I cracked up. 

  

This is definitely how I feel sometimes, especially if I'm in the last four chapters or near the end of the book.  There is just nothing better than sitting down with a good book.  To be honest with you, I've read three books in the last 20 hours. ::Sheepish grin:: Court took me to the library, and I showed her around, and I found this new author named Tera Lynn Childs, she's fantastic.  She writes in the fun fantasy genre, and so I got the starts of her three different series, two about Greek mythology and one about mermaids.  Whose a happy camper?  This girl.  That and I only have 40 more pages to go on Lord of the Rings:Fellowship of the Ring.  ALSO exciting book news is that Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris comes out tomorrow, AND Rick Riordan's final book to the Kane Chronicles Series is coming out tomorrow.  Guess who is going to be sitting by the pool reading her face off tomorrow?  Me. 

Super cute, right?

I'm so glad I married a man who also loved to read, we've agreed that an amazing bookshelf is a necessity in our house, we've both taken shop, so if we can't find it, we'll build it. We have also agreed that a nook to read in is high priority when we buy a house, and if it doesn't come with one, we will find a place to make one.  Way excited. I get to see Jeremy in 18 days. goodness I miss him.  Good thing I have good family in Florida and amazing books to keep me occupied!

So here is what I've been reading/going to be reading in case you are interested in picking up some rad awesome books.

1. oh.my.gods By Tera Lynn Childs (It's about Greek demi-gods going to school)-Just finished

2. Forgive my Fins By T.L.C (same as above author) (mermaid awesomeness)-Just finished

3. Sweet Venom By T.L.C  (about the descendants of Medusa fighting monsters)-Just finished

4. LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring By J.R.R Tolkien (You all should know this)-almost finished

5. Game of Thones Clash of Kings: A Song of Ice and Fire By George R.R Martin (fictional middle ages-esque fantasy land, where kings fight over the one throne)-half way through

6. Deadlocked By Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse novels)-start tomorrow

7. Serpent's Shadow By Rick Riordan (Egyptian demi-gods saving the world)-start tomorrow

8. Heat Wave By Richard Castle (based off of Castle the ABC show, just plain fun)-start tonight 

9. Fins are Forever By Tera Lynn Childs (sequel to #2)-sometime this week I hope

10. Mark a book of The Bible By God and the people who wrote it. I'm working my way through the Bible and I finished Matthew and Hebrews today, so I only have 8 more books in the New Testament to finish, which is my goal before I go to Texas in 15 days. Woot woot!

I've been pretty busy here in Florida, lots of beach time, and hanging out. I'm getting quite the tan, and using lots of sunscreen which is good. Went to Asia Fest on Saturday, and tonight Court and I are going to go see The Lucky One I read the book a couple weeks ago, so I'm excited to see the movie.  If you don't love to read, I apologize as that is a dirty shame.  

However, if you do, I hope you like this last picture, it's a cartoon bookcase and I love the colors and books and stories within it.  It makes my toes smile :-)

Love,

Your friendly Floridian bookworm,

Amber Jane

Also. Jeremy started BEAST this week, which is hell week and crazy amounts of stress, so please pray for guidance and wisdom as he leads his team through trials this week.  He's a really cool guy, and has a calm head, so I know he'd love the extra prayers and blessings that you'll send!

Florida and Poi

Time is sometimes a tricky thing, Jeremy usually gets 15 minutes to call on Sundays, but the past few weeks it's been either Tuesday or Wednesday due to different reasons.  When he does call on Sunday it's usually at like 5 pm, my flight was from 430 pm-10 pm.  GUESS WHO CALLED AT 4 pm!? Jer. It was awesome.  He's doing really well, and had a better week and had some grilled cheese, I suppose that makes up for a cruddy start to the week.  This week his band (he's in the band flight) is playing at the Alamo and another place so that's pretty cool that they are going to rock it out, Jeremy plays the Tuba. Stud tuba man.
My flight was grand and I sat next to a really nice Hindu lady and we talked for a couple hours about life and everything. Quite awesome, however, I forgot to pack snacks.  I was slightly hungry and thought, man I could really go for a chocolate chip cookie. 2 minutes later, 2 MINUTES, a chocolate chip cookie appears in my face (I was reading LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring and when I read I completely space out and can't hear a thing) and the air hostess is like, "darling, would you like a free chocolate chip cookie? They are warm!" Ummm...yes. You don't have to ask me twice. And so I got a free chocolate chip cookie during my flight...love.
Florida is very nice, today was my first day, Court and I did some walking around and got some errands done which is always good, and my LED poi came in the mail.  Now, I know I've talked about my poi, and now I have my own LED poi that light up, the color they are is spirit, (blue, purple, and pink). So if you would like to see a video, check out the video above. Super stoked. If you can't get it to work, I also have it on my facebook (can't tell I'm excited can you?)
We also got pretty lost and ended up on an airport road, and then at the mall stopped and were talked into buying some shakes, although I think the ice cream was better than the shake. We tried on those 5 fingered shoes, they were pretty darn comfy, I really liked them who knows, maybe someday. I also saw a GORGEOUS PINK convertible.  Ahhh...love it.
For lunch Court and I hung out and went to a Cuban restaurant called "Little Havana".  They never had anyone from Iowa from there so I signed their wall, "So good I'd slap a lamb for another sandwich".  We almost peed our pants we were laughing so hard, it's good to hang out again.

 Tomorrow we are hitting the beach, all Aunt Sara had was some SPF 8, which works for them because they are tan, but for pale-as-a white-washed-fence-me I needed something a bit stronger so I picked up some 50, I'll work up a pretty good tan, but I need to stay protected at the same time. I'm so excited to spend time with Aunt Sara and Court.  This weekend we are going to Busch Gardens, I've never been, it should be quite cool.

see the pink car?

I'm so glad I'm on this adventure,
BTW. A few people have asked me how to follow, and if you don't have a blogspot or utilize google+  there is a button on the right hand side that says follow by email, and all you do is type in your email address and it will email you my posts to your email. Very easy. :-)
Love,
Am