Lanza Road Trip - Rollercoaster Style

.... and we're back!

5 theme parks. 7 days. 13 states. 34 coasters. 2400 miles. Immeasurable fun!

These rollercoaster junkies were at it again! We packed up the car and hit the East Coast to add some more coasters to our list. We made it to the following theme parks:

• Six Flags Over Georgia (Georgia) -- this was just a little warm-up for our trip 
• Carrowinds (North Carolina) -- my personal favorite theme park
• Six Flags America - (Maryland)
• Six Flags Great Adventure (New Jersey)
• Six Flags New England (Massachusetts)

We rode a lot of great rides, but four really stand out in my mind:

1. Fury 325 @ Carrowinds - this has now taken over 1st place on our rollercoaster standings! We have been on a lot of great coasters, but this one takes the cake by far! This is a newer ride with half the coaster in the state of North Carolina and the other half in South Carolina. It is the tallest and fastest gigacoaster in the world (tallest chain lift).
2. Kingda Ka  @ Six Flags Great Adventure - this is the tallest coaster in the world!!
3. Zumanjaro @ Six Flags Great Adventure - a free fall drop from the tallest coaster in world!!
        I will admit that I do not do free fall drops, but Paul did this one and loved it!
4. Wicked Cyclone @ Six Flags New England - a wooden rollercoaster with a steel track - this is a newer, unique style that we loved!

Fury 325 - 95 mph & 325 ft tall. - the tallest and fastest gigacoaster in the world!

Kingda Ka - 125 mph in 3.5 sec & 456 ft tall.

Here is a quick video to show just how fast this coaster is going: 

 

Paul also did the drop tower from this, meaning he dropped from 456 ft in the air at 90 mph. Here is the video: 
(If you look closely, you can see him waving on the left side of the video screen.)

Below are pics of us on several of the coasters, including the ones shown above:

It's hard to make a funny face going 128 mph! haha

FURY 325 - our favorite ride!!

This was a fun-filled week full of thrill rides, but we also took some time to just relax and take a trip down memory lane. We took the last two days of our trip to head back to the couples' only resort where we stayed on our honeymoon  three years ago. Three years! I can't believe it has already been that long. The Cove Haven Resorts are in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. We had such a great time playing games, enjoying good eats, playing couples' games with other fun couples, exploring the outdoors, and relaxing in our in-room pool (yes, a private pool in our room!). We couldn't have asked for a better time! To make things even more memorable, we were able to listen to the same band that played on our honeymoon - M80. What a coincidence! They have a new singer in the band - Tyler Grady from American Idol -- so we got to hear him, too! They put on a great show, and we also go to hear comedian Brad Lowery, as well as a few others.

Dinner @ the resort!

After a relaxing two-day stay at the Cove Pocono Resorts, we made the fourteen hour drive back to Huntsville. We were sad to see our vacation time go, but we sure were ready to get back and see our little Dapper dude. He had a fun week staying with MiMi (Paul's mom). He grew SO MUCH; we couldn't believe it! Here are a few pics we received from Paul's mom during the week to keep us updated:

This is what you do when you're too little to climb the big furniture.

Always HAPPY!

A fun day of playing wore this baby out.

Now we are happily back home and spoiling this "outdoor" dog ... yeah right. He goes outside to potty, take a walk, or play in his pool. Haha!

Until next time...

Congratulations to our friends Coy and Melissa on a beautiful wedding!!

LEATHER -- Celebrating our 3rd Anniversary!

LEATHER - that's the traditional gift for anniversary #3. 

So, in keeping with tradition, leather was the main prop for this year's anniversary pictures. There are three distinct qualities about leather that make me love its symbolism for our third anniversary:

1. It's NATURAL. 
Leather is a natural product, and I love how natural our relationship is together. No, it's not perfect. We love with a passion but we argue with the same. We laugh and we cry.  But it's never fake. At the end of the day, it's completely natural. It's beautiful. It's us.

2. It's UNIQUE.
Leather is unique; no two hides are the same. I could sit here and compare our relationship to others (as I've honestly done before), but the truth of the matter is that an original is always worth more than a copy. Our relationship is unique. I'm quirky, and he's quirky, too...and our quirkiness makes for a fun, adventurous marriage. It's a unique, one-of-a-kind kind of love, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

3. It's DURABLE. 
Leather is also durable. It can stand the test of time. However, it's durability does not mean it's invincible. It can stretch, wrinkle, stain, and show scratches. In the past three years, I think our relationship has been stretched in ways we never knew possible; we've had wrinkles and bumps along the way, maybe even a few stains and scratches. But if there's one thing anyone knows about me, it's that I love the worn/vintage look. Those scratches only add character, and each mark tells a story and attests to its durability. That's our relationship. Persistently imperfect, yet beautifully blessed. 

Now, that we've maxed out our three years - I'm glad we opted for the marital extended warranty - a marriage founded on God. It's a stability that only our Lord Jesus Christ can provide.

Our anniversary pics are below. Leather luggage. An antique bridge. A world globe. I'm so blessed to to get to live life with this man.  

"Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people and your God my God."
- Ruth 1:16

Outtake #1 -- the reality of trying to take pics with a pup

Outtake #2: He wasn't too fond of pics, but he was sure full of kisses!

Until next time...

 

You Know Me, But Do I Know You?

Yesterday we remembered. Memorial Day. We solemnly honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. They gave it all. 

On social media, I came across a precious woman's post yesterday. Her name is Glennon. In her post online, she asked people to share the names of their loved ones who paid that price - their heros. In return, she promised to write down each name and hold a ceremony in the evening with her family to honor each and every name, out loud, and with respect. Displayed on her dining room wall, below is the picture she posted yesterday evening as she dutifully honored each and every name. 

pic copied from Momastery Facebook page

The night passed and morning came. As I sat outside this morning reading a book given to me by a special friend (thanks again, Diana!), I came across the following quote by Jennifer Geralds:

"We live in a world of over six billion people. Can you imagine trying to keep track of all those faces, those names, those life stories? The magnitude of it all can be overwhelming. Your own significance comes into question. Can a single life, like a drop of water in the ocean, really matter? "

As I reflected on Glennon's picture this morning, my heart responded to that question with a resounding, screaming YES! It is obviously a no-brainer, but how often I forget. 

Then, I came across Isaiah 49:15-16. God tells us, "I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands."

God knows us. He knows you. He knows me. He loves us and knows us. It's not just a love that is carved into a tree trunk and scratched out years later. We are forever engraved and carved into the palms of His hands. It is an intimate, forever kind of love, and we matter to Him. 

No matter how busy my life gets or how often I forget to study His word and talk with Him -- he NEVER forgets. 

As I reflected on this simple but often overlooked truth, I remembered the graduate school honors medal that I just received from Liberty University. It came in the mail. A GOLD medal. It is given to Masters students who graduate with a 3.95 GPA or higher.  

I was so proud of this medal. I worked hard to graduate with a 4.0. Granted, we know that God asks us to give our best in all that we do (Colossians 3:23-24). So, I am not discrediting the merit of hard work. However, what I ashamedly realized was that I've spent so much of my time learning and gleaning from the world's knowledge, but I cannot say the same for God's. 

Yes, I've read the Bible through. Yes, I've completed Bible studies. Yes, I've seeked His face. But when this world passes away, and I face my Creator face to face. Would I even be worthy of a medal? Would I have to trade in my Summa Cum Laude status for a "Thank the Lord-y"? Or would it really be more like a desperate "Please, Lord".

What will my spiritual REPORT CARD look like? Pass or Fail - there are no do-overs.

I don't want to hear my Father say, "Depart - I never knew you."

I began this morning really digging back into the only study that really matters - His Word. I hope you'll join me. I excitedly look forward to that graduation day in the sky - CLASS OF ETERNITY. 

YOU KNOW ME, BUT DO I KNOW YOU? 

* Ask that question to God. Now, imagine God asking you. What would the answers be? 

Until next time...

BUSY, but Blessed

Busy but BEYOND BLESSED. 

This is a phrase I use often to describe my life, and I think it's pretty accurate. Many happenings have taken place since my last post - hence the reason for such a long absence from blogging. However, that should be changing soon, now that I will finally have some more down time!! Woo-hoo!! That thought just makes me happy. Before I jump full speed back into writing and blogging about various topics, I thought I would at least catch you up on the past several weeks.  

obligations. The past couple months have been full of many obligations that consumed most of our time. 

• We have now wrapped up our Tuesday night Inner City Bible Class for the year. We had a sweet group of kinderbabies this year and will definitely miss them over the summer. However, I cannot complain about the much needed break.
  
• Paul is also wrapping up the Wednesday afternoon tutoring for the year (I quit tutoring awhile back due to other obligations). We've sure enjoyed having a few of the girls join us on Wednesday nights for dinner and church!!
  
• I've been busy with cheerleading, as we kicked off our new season in April. The girls are busy preparing for next year; however, we will take a much needed break over the summer.
• We've also had several church friends who have/are getting married or have had new bundles of joy over the past two months! There have been many baby showers, bridal teas, and fellowship opportunities throughout these occasions that have kept our plates full, yet fun!

graduation. I am finally FINISHED with grad school!! I graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) from Liberty University with a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling. I learned a lot throughout grad school and really enjoyed my experience; however, I am pretty pumped about not having to write any more lengthy term papers, take extensive finals, or live my life on crunched due dates for awhile. This will free up some time, and I am ready for the reprieve! -- Also, Paul has now finished all of his classes for his Ph.D. All he has left is his dissertation, and he plans to take his time on this and finish it within the next couple years. I am SO proud of him, but I will not be joining him, myself, in the venture for a doctorate. This girl is finished with school as a student!!! 

Dapper. As excited as I was to finish grad school and finally have some free time, I apparently do not know how to do so. I finished with grad school on a Monday and decided on Tuesday that I wanted a puppy. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision (as we were not planning on getting a dog for quite awhile), but it was one that would consume my thoughts for the next few days. Thus, on Friday of that week we went to pick up a sweet, 6-week old Golden Retriever puppy. We named him DAPPER, and a dapper boy he is!! He is just so cute, which helps him get away with a lot. We have missed quite a bit of sleep lately and our schedules have had to adjust quite a bit, but we are in love. Once I finish the school year out as a teacher, I will be at home with him, and it will help out a lot!

decorating. Now that I have a little it of extra time, I am now conquering the task of redecorating our living room, kitchen, and dining area. When Paul and I first married, I quickly placed some decorations to make the house more of a home and less of a bachelor pad, but now it's time for some better styling. I really enjoy decorating, so this has been a fun task! 

downtime. Most of all, I am looking forward to some downtime this summer! My school year as a teacher winds down in another week, and my summer will begin. Putting textbooks aside, my personal summer reading list keeps growing, and I could not be more excited. It's been awhile since I've had time to just read for pleasure. I will also have time to play with my sweet Dapper. Not to mention, I will finally be able to put forth the time I would like to my Bible studies. Then, if I have some time left over (because I do not know how to relax), then I plan to begin teaching myself Spanish so that I can converse with others more on things like mission trips. Speaking of trips, Paul and I have also been planning out ideas for summer getaways to enjoy some relaxing time together away from the hustle and bustle of our busy but beyond blessed life. 

Lots of various blog posts coming soon!! Stay in touch!

Until next time...

The Life Epiphany I Gained From My Students

It's not what you know but who you know.

This old cliché haunted me during the eight months that I was unemployed. I was a newlywed, a top graduate in my field, and beginning my new life as an "adult". There was just one problem though -- I apparently didn't know the right people. Interview after prayerful interview, it was just one more door closed. I hated that stupid cliché, as it was becoming so true in my life.

Granted, there is some truth to the saying. I may have had a lot of knowledge about my field, but it was not my accolades that landed me my job. It was definitely WHO I know - my faithful Savior that had a plan for me. So, after eight months of crying and pleading with God to show me what He wanted, I landed my current job as a middle school English teacher. 

Oh, I stumbled through my first full year -- actually, it probably resembled more of a drowning, flailing victim. There were MANY late nights, MANY tears, MANY headaches, and MANY times where I felt like I had chosen the wrong field. Thankfully, though, there was that blessed second year right around the corner. 

I was still no where near perfect that second year (as my students will quickly point out) and still have much to learn, but I'm happy to report that I've almost survived it!! What I do know, though, is that my students completely anihilated that cliché that haunted me during my job search.

If there was one thing that I learned VERY quickly it was this:

No amount of earthly knowledge or acquaintances would prepare me for my new title as TEACHER.

That little cliché wasn't ringing quite as true after I actually landed the job.  I've learned a new life lesson, for which I owe all credit to my students:

It's not about who you are but what you are.

Who am I? I'm an older sister and a valedictorian. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and over-achiever. I cheered for 9 years and am a sorority alum. I've made a lot of bad choices that I wish I could change. I'm a sinner, but I'm also saved by grace. I'm a newly married gal and a top graduate in my field. 

You want to know how much my students cared about all of that? NOT ONE SINGLE BIT.

What they did care about was what I was to them. 

• It's that student that thanks you with tears in her eyes for being the mother-figure that she doesn't have.
• It's the student that you've struggled to motivate all year that finally beams with a huge smile after making the highest grade in the class because you were that unfailing support that they finally quit resisting.
• It's that sweet cheerleader that you coached that really taught you more than you probably taught her.
• It's that straight-A student who suddenly starts flunking on tests, and after you pull them aside they immediately bring their performance back up because they can't stand to disappoint someone who cares so much about them.
• It's another student who says: "Remember when you told us there would come a time in the year when we wouldn't like you because the work would become increasingly more rigorous?....yep, today is that day." -- Then, they later come back and thank you for pushing them to the potential they didn't know they had.
• It's that student that thanks you time and time again for being understanding on that "really bad day" that they were having.
• It's that student that surprises you by telling you that you are their comic relief  and sense of peace throughout the day (we'll take that as a compliment).  haha
• It's the student that comes back to tell you they will pray for you because, after all, they'll never forget when you prayed them through.
  
• It's the student that comes to you when there's trouble because they see you as a source of hope and justice.

It's all this and more...I could go on for days. 

I may not be the best teacher or have the highest scores in the state. I may not have all the answers to their questions or be able to solve all their problems. I may be a short little teacher that looks more like a student than an adult. But, I've learned that who I am pales in comparison to what I am to them.

TEACHER -- It's not just who I am; it's what I do.


P.S. I challenge you to think about the same for you. All the success, fame, and fortune in the world doesn't define you. What you are to other people DOES.  Jesus was a carpenter, the Son of Mary, and man of 33. That's who He was...but I'm much more interested in WHAT He is to me --- My Savior!

P.S.S. On a less serious note, here's a teacher funny from today...

my student today: "Guys, guess what?! I was at the orthodontist yesterday and
saw Mrs. Lanza in a magazine. Our TEACHER is in a magazine!!"

The surprise of my students when they realize I actually have a life outside the classroom -- it never ceases to amaze me.

Until next time...

Living In a World of Make-Believe

There used to be a show on tv when I was younger called Great Pretenders. Teenagers would dance and lip sync to their favorite songs/artists, imitating them. They were great pretenders. Make-believe.

With each passing day as I look around me in this fallen world, I'm beginning to wonder how many of us are really just Great Pretenders.  It's hard to know what's real when we're seemingly living in a world of make-believe.

make-believe: imitating something real; pretend

When we were little girls, it was so fun to pretend. We would play dress-up, dream of being the princess in movies, have pretend weddings, play house, play school, etc. 

Unfortunately, the "fun" seems to continue. As a woman, I am almost convinced that social media is becoming the biggest arena for make-believe, and it gives Satan his strongest foothold against women. We post pictures, tweets,  and even blogs to share our world with others. We begin to compare every aspect of our lives with the picturesque, photo-shopped, spell-checked, and filtered posts we see on a screen. We size up our reality to the make-believe world around us, which of course will always fall short. Then, we leave the virtual world to enter the real world, and what do we do? We start comparing again. Sometimes, it's not even intentional.

Her hair. Her clothes. Her job. Her marriage. Her children. Her jewelry. Her confidence.
Was that a sincere gesture? A snarky smile? A hidden jab? Fake gratitude? 

Is it all REAL or simply MAKE-BELIEVE?

I'm just as guilty. As I went back to look at my own posts, here's what I found:

I posted: "Required reading for my next grad class ...can't complain. So refreshing to have a class that pushes me to grow spiritually."  Should Say: I struggle to set aside time for my devotions; I was proud of myself for doing so today that I just had to share.

I posted: "Exercise + a nice walk with the hubs on this beautiful day = wonderful day!" Should Say: Beautiful day. Loved getting to spend time outside having good talks with the hubs. I could've done without the walking part, but it was kind of romantic and I know I need the exercise. Then.... a bird poo'd on my head! Not cool.

  

As I reflected on the posts above, as well as many others, I also began to wonder what captions God would give to our life posts. As we carry our Bible to church with us, say a prayer at the table, or give of ourselves to serve others, I have to ask myself the same questions:

Is it sincere? 

Do these actions naturally overflow from my relationship with God? 

Or have we just gotten so used to being Great Pretenders?

I know that I truly love God, and I also know that I have many friends and family who love God. We are all doing our best, and I'm not saying we should be perfect. That's impossible until that glorious day when God completes us. I'm simply emphasizing: We've gotta get real with God.

After all, he's going to be pretty real with us when we stand before Him one day.

Maybe you've got it all figured out and this post doesn't apply to you, and maybe I'm just writing this directly to myself. Either way, I have to wonder whether God would caption these life snapshots of mine much differently than I do. Would he say "Well done" or something else, entirely.

Humbling thoughts.

I challenge myself and you to:

1. Be real with yourself. Take a true self-inventory. Continue to do the right and change the wrong. Don't beat yourself up about it, just deal with it.

2. Be real with God. Spend time with Him. Ask Him to reveal to you what areas of your life he is pleased with and where you are Greatly Pretending. It may even be with Him. Let's bring the beautiful, as well as the broken, pieces of our lives to Him. He's our Father. He can handle it. Remember: Even Jesus pleaded with Him.

3. Be real with others. Utilize the church as God intended to help build you up in times of weakness and support you in times of strengths. Don't fake it. Learn to rejoice with others, while also helping carry their burdens.  

(I learned this lesson the hard way, but thank goodness for these wonderful people below...
and many others...who genuinely help me see the beauty of real relationships.)

The Servants @ Heart Bible class at our spring retreat a few weeks ago.
If you are in the Huntsville area and want to find a group to get plugged into...well, come on!
We'd love to get to know you!!

A world of make-believe doesn't always have a happily ever after. A REAL life with Christ does!!

Things aren't always what they seem. Let's learn to see the beauty in every aspect of our REAL life, even in the crumbling, broken, quirky pieces. After all, some of the most beautiful stained glass images are made from a lot of broken pieces. 

Until next time...

Time to Get Out theHose

Comparison. We're surrounded by it! We are constantly checking (whether purposefully or inadvertently) how we measure up to those around us? The thief of comparison comes in all shapes and sizes and it truly will steal our joy.

Is my house as clean and decorated as theirs? 
Am I putting as much effort into my workout as this man killing it beside me at the gym? 
How do my students' test scores compare to those at other schools?
I forgot to pray this morning, so I'm probably not as spiritual as they are.
She is like the perfect wife/mom; I can't compare to that.

If I'm being honest, these are the things I find my mind pondering throughout the day. And, I'm probably not alone. As if human nature didn't lend itself to the doom of comparison enough, we now have the wonderful world of social media. 

Social Media - you don't have to look very hard to find someone obsessed with it. There are people in your church, workplace, family, the car next to you on the road, in front of you at the checkout counter, at the booth beside you at the restaurant, or maybe even YOU. They are all consumed with fake socializing - you know - the happy tweets, materialistic photos, funny snapchats, and bragging status updates. 

When I say "they", I'm not pointing fingers, though. I'm right in the middle of it. Granted, I'm not saying that every person who uses or enjoys social media does so specifically in a materialistic, showy way; however, there are usually pictures and statuses that pop up on our feed that cause us to compare our lives to this "picture-perfect" (pun-intended) world depicted on the screen.

But, you see, things are not always what they seem. Then, again, sometimes they are. The point is that we are comparing ourselves to the lives, things, and accomplishments of others, and we may have no idea what aspects of life joyfully or painfully came before or after. In light of this, I've decided that I'm thankful that the disciples didn't have an Instagram (or other social media), or we would never know the awesome story of sacrifice that Jesus gave for us. We would only know the happy stuff. It's not too often that people share their heartache and darkest hours for the world to see. It's time to get REAL with each other (and that's a topic for an entirely different blog post). 

Everybody is going through something - sometimes it's a valley and sometimes it's a mountaintop. Just because all you see are the picturesque views of their mountaintop does not mean it's time to start comparing life snapshots. I read a book recently that mentioned the following simple, yet wise notion:

The grass that looks greener is the one that is being watered. 

So, maybe it's just that you need to get out the hose!

...and in the event that the storms of your life are providing enough rain right now, take advantage of that soft, muddy dirt you are currently calling life, and use it plant some new seeds of faith, hope, and trust in our Father. It will take time and continued care, but those seeds WILL grow in time and the sun will shine again. 

So, take out that hose and start watering the areas of your life that you often find yourself unpleasantly comparing to those around you. Don't fret over the mess you can't help. As my grandfather used to help remind me:  

Even the most beautiful gardens often come as the result of a little manure.

Don't compare -- TAKE CARE of what you do have and what you are, and ENJOY it!! :)

In keeping with this blog post, Paul and I were recently invited to attend
the Inventor's Ball in Huntsville this past week. It was such an honor to
be invited; yet, initially I was so focused on comparing how I would match
up to such big named attendees from our city. That's partly where the idea
for this post came from. I finally realized to just enjoy this opportunity.
After all, we were some of the youngest in attendance by far. I could have
spent the night comparing their accomplishments, income, and lifestyles
to my own - however, I made the choice to enjoy the blessings and opportunities
that we had been given to enjoy such a lovely night and not worry about the rest.

By the end of the night, we had attended a very nice event TOGETHER, and that was what mattered.
In fact, my $3.99 dress, paired with my shoes that BROKE (yes, both of them),
simply made for a fun night that fit US and was just as PERFECT as could be.
I quit COMPARING and just TOOK CARE of what I had. I'm so glad I did!!

LOVE THE LIFE YOU LIVE & Thank God for it!

Until next time...