Almost there

Well, everything in Fargo went well! I scored an 87 on the ASVAB which is better than I was thinking I would do. I was relieved when that was done. Trying to remember highschool math was a bit harder than I thought it would be, but I guess I did good. Everything was normal on my physical too. Though I found out I have flat feet. I still have about a month before I can swear in because of a tube I had in my ear back in December. I think I'll be headed back up to Fargo around June 6th. Can't wait!

Survived

Well, another tax season is over and done with. Its nice to slow down a little. Working a million miles an hour was getting old.

I don't remember where I was with weight last time I posted, but I made weight last week! I weighed in with my recruiter at 202lbs. That was a really nice feeling! I've been able to eat a little more than before now, but still have to be careful. Tomorrow I head to Fargo to take the ASVAB and my physical on Thursday. I am actually pretty excited! It feels like its been a long time in the making. Then I have to wait 45 days or less for the Surgeon General to approve my paperwork (because of the plates in my jaw) and then I can go in and take my oath, hopefully sometime around the end or middle of May. Then its just a waiting game. They will line me up with a job and send me off. I could be gone as early as June or as late at October. Depends on how picky I want to be.

On a side note I made an 8 mile run on Sunday. Thats the longest run I've done yet. It felt really good! Had my knee not bothered me so much I might have tried to go a little farther.

Things that have been on my mind.

I followed the Egypt protests fairly faithfully. I thought it was great to see the people win and get waht they wanted. It made me think that if people in America REALLY didn't want something to happen, that we could do the same thing. But we're probably either too lazy or too apathetic do protest for 18 days. If we have to say we want something to change more than once, we probably won't do it. Kudos to the Egyption people who cared enough about their country to make something happen.

Kind of on the same note; Mexico. I heard a story a few weeks back about two police officers who had been captured and be-headed, and then the entire department just quit. It disturbed me and made me quite angry. What would we think if something like that happened in Alexandria? Would we just let the police officers quit? I don't understand why Mexico, or some other nation (the U.S.) isn't more direct in eliminating the drug cartel. Instead of hiding and quitting and being afraid, go after them. I'm sure they know who the big boys are...take care of them. And by that I mean kill them. I'm probably oversimplafying things some, but come on. Over 10,000 people were killed in Mexico last year because of drug related violence. Be a little more aggressive.

Losing weight can be difficult. Proper eating goes a long way in helping that. I was doing very well, I was down to 206, a mere 3lbs from my goal. Then I went on a 5 day mission trip and I gained some weight ( I won't tell you how much) but I am now back to 209lbs. I should be able to go weigh in with my recruiter sometime this month, and maybe(hopefully) get to MEPS to take my physical. As the days pass it starts to feel more real.

Selling a house is probably hard. Ours has only been on the market for a week, but no lookers. It only takes one buyer. I am fully confident that we are in God's will and therefore He will take care of us. Whether its the house selling or somehow having it ready for renters.

I am almost halway through my half marathon training. It has been great. It's nice to see the progress from when I first started running in November. I could hardly run around the track twice(13.5 times makes a mile), this week my long run will be 6 miles, or 81 laps. I feel much better through out the day when I run in the morning. Which makes rest days difficult, though neccesary. On the same note I am planning on doing a half marathon on May 1st in Grand Marais. And another May 14th in Alexandria. Not long after I will (hopefully) be off to BMT.

Plan of action

I've decided to eat carrots and pea pods with the occasional power bar until I reach my goal. I've been having too many 'little treats' here and there, or a meal here and there that I shouldn't. I need to be a little more strict with myself, at least for a while. A week or two should get me pretty close. Maybe I'll through in some spinach leafs too.

It's kind of nice and re-assuring to know that God is bigger than me and his plan is greater than I am. It's nice to know that HE knows where and what I'll be doing, and when. At times I've felt like I have 'missed' God. Not gone where I should have, not listened when I should have, or something along those lines. And maybe some of that is true. But God knows. If we miss something He has for us, He doesn't give up on our future. I feel that God has prepared me for this time. The military is not known to be a place where Christians dominate the discussion, but rather the place where Christians fail to step up to the plate. I don't want that to happen. For the past two and a half months I have been preparing myself physically, and will continue to do so up until the day I leave for training. But, I got to thinking last week that I need to start preparing my soul as well. If I had done nothing to physically prepare myself, I would most certainly fail. The same goes spiritually. If I don't prepare myself, I will fail. I need to be in the word, praying, fasting, etc..preparing myself to stand up for Christianity. What that means, time will only tell. Maybe it's listening to someone, not doing what other people do...etc..who knows. But I do know that God has prepared me for what is next. Through all the good and bad times in my life, through the people who have mentored me and the leadership practice I have had, I am ready.

It comes and it goes

Christmas has come and gone. New Years has come and...well sort of gone. Now its back to the routine of living life. Tomorrow I get to celebrate my loves birthday. It should be a pretty grand day. Its always nice to celebrate those that you love. On birthdays, or just any day in general. We could set aside a special day every week for her, and I would be a-ok with that. We are going to go to 6th ave wine & ale...or as the locals call it, 6th av. A delicious pizza and glass of wine, or beer, or water ( I'd say soda but they don't serve it) Happy Birthday (a little early) Allyson!

Whenever I read a book, it makes me want to write a book. I am currently reading "Decision Point" by President Bush, and "The problem with pain" by C.S. Lewis. Both great books that I would recommend. But back to writing a book. I am too much of a technical writer, too straight to the point to write a book. If I wrote a book it'd be about 5 pages and cover every important topic anyone could be concerned with. Ok, well maybe not, but you get the idea. Unless I wrote a book about myself, buuut, that would be too revealing. So I'd have to pretend the story was about someone named...something other than Levi. Ya know, names changed to protect the innocent sort of thing. Maybe one day. But probably not.

Dieting and going to the gym are not very fun. Good for you; yes. But not enjoyable. Going to the gym can be fun when you see where you started and see where you are now. But the actual physical act of getting up and being there and working out is not. And dieting...well, I love food too much. But it is working. I have faithfully been going to the gym 5-7 days a week since the beginning of November. And I changed eating habbits at the end of November (when Air Force talk got serious) and this morning the scale read 209.5. Much better than the 227 is read when I began being serious after Thanksgiving. 17.5 down, and 6.5 to go. Plus, I am getting bigger muscles. For some reason that makes me feel good. So even if its not enjoyable, I'll continue to do it because it's good for me. As Hebrews 12:11 says, 'No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-its painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living..." I'll take it.

Flatlined

Apparently eating is important if you want to lose weight. I have managed to not lose a single pound (or gain) since last Tuesday. I neeeded a few more calories in the ol' diet I guess. So this week I revamped my eating habits a little bit, and I'm back at it. Hopefully I'll get down a few more by the weeks end.

Every now and then I look at the "stats" for my blog. I don't know if its a self esteem thing or just curiosity. For some reason they are just fun to look at. Especially since someone from Alaska reads my blog. I'm pretty sure I don't know anyone from there. Except Sarah Palin, and I doubt she has time to read my blog. I'm probably not high on her radar at this point. Not that I want to be... And not that I don't want to be. I guess I wouldn't care either way.

If anyone knows anyone (hah) that wants to buy a house, fix it up, and sell it (or live in it) let me know! I think I know of a house that could soon be for sale.

One of my favorite parts about blogger is that it auto saves everytime you stop typing. Its the greatest thing ever. I've never had my browser stop working while I was blogging or anything, but I imagine if I did, it'd be nice to not have to retype everything.

Is it ok that I've already picked out the 7 jobs that I hope to get one of in the Air Force? This is what I am thinking would be fun:
1) Munitions Systems
2) Fuels Apprentice
3) Security Forces (Military Police)
4) Fire Protection
5) Missle and Space Systems Electronic Maintenance
6) Nuclear Weapons

There is one more that I can't remember right now. 4 and 5 are probably my top two choices. They sound like the most fun to me.

Thirteen to go.

Pipes or Guns?

The other day while I was driving, I began to think about whether its nicer to have your arms referred to as "pipes" or "guns". I guess pipes could be good. Like the lead pipe in clue. If someone was comparing those two that would be nicer than guns I bet. But usually when I think of pipes I think of copper, or PVC, or corncob. Nothing that really says "I am gonna blow you away with my massive arms". But when someone says "nice guns" or something to that effect, its like...whoa. Guns...those will knock you down and blow you away. (not trying to be vulgar here, stick with the metaphor.) So I think that "guns" is a better way to describe arms than "pipes" But I'm somewhere still in the pistol range, so I'm not quite a gunner yet!

In other, more serious news. Allyson and I have been making some future plans for our lives. Since about June we've been discussing me joining the Air Force. We've gone through our lists of pro's and con's and sought out some good advice. So, we decided that it'd be a good fit for us. Unfortunatly in order for me to get signed up I have to lose 25lbs...now down to 13, so I am halfway there! Hopefully I will meet the requirement by the first week of January. I most likely won't be off to BMT until May or so. But we are very excited and can't wait for me to lose some weight and get things in motion!