Congratulations!

Congratulations to Jennifer and Chris on their engagement! I'm so happy for you guys! And I'm really glad that Chris can now be let in on the 'circle of trust'! I love y'all! =.) Best wishes for a lifetime of happiness together! =.)

Questionaire Thing

So, I saw this on someone's blog, and it looked fun. =.) Here you go...

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops? Nope
2. Do you close your eyes on a roller coaster? I'm not sure...I don't think so, but it's possible.
3. When's the last time you've been sledding? It's been awhile - probably my sophomore year at App...so...sadly, as I feel old, 6 years ago.
4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? Definitely with Marc - I can't fall asleep when he's not beside me.
5. Do you believe in ghosts? Not really.
6. Do you consider yourself creative? Sometimes
7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife? Not really sure, but probably he did it...I mean, he wrote a book about it.
8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? I'm definitely Team Jennifer on this one.
9. Can you honestly say you know ANYTHING about politics? I know some.
10. Do you know how to play poker? Kind of - Marc's tried to teach me a few times. I really like to watch it, though.
11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? Definitely not.
12. What's your favorite commercial? I don't know - but Marc thinks it's ridiculous when I sing along with them. But seriously, some of them are really catchy, and you can't help but sing along! 13. Who was your first love? Marc is my one and only.
14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around you, do you run a red light? No - I'm too paranoid (and I really don't want a ticket to make my insurance go up!).
15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you? Maybe? I don't know.
16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees? Baseball is boring to watch unless you're there in person, so neither.
17. Have you ever been Ice Skating? YES! I love it (Marc hates it)! I even have my own skates from back in the day (as a freshman in high school).
18. How often do you remember your dreams? Not a lot.
19. What's the one thing on your mind? My 'To Do' list for the next two weeks/weekends before the in-laws come up to stay for the weekend.
20. Do you always wear your seat belt? Yes! I rolled my car almost 4 years back, and my seat belt is what let me walk away unharmed.
21. What talent do you wish you had? Hhmmm...singing, I guess.
22. Do you like Sushi? Yummy!
23. What do you wear to bed? A t-shirt.
24. Do you truly hate anyone? I don't think so - get annoyed and don't like the type of person they might be, but not hate.
25. Do you know anyone in jail? I don't think so.
26. What food do you find disgusting? Okra.
27. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back? Probably...that sucks, though.
28. Have you ever been punched in the face? Nope.
29. Favorite current tv show? I really love Dancing with the Stars, but my all time favorite is One Tree Hill (and if you watch it, then please tell me what you thought of the finale. Did it seem too happy to you? It never ends that well. There were no cliff hangers - makes me think they're cancelling the show. What are you thoughts?)
30. If you saw your best friend's wife/husband cheating on them...would you tell them? YES! I would want the favor returned, no matter how difficult the situation might be.

So, now it's your turn! Copy and paste, because I want to know more about you! =.)

Weekend Recap

Alright, I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. I feel like I've been a bit off this week! So, here goes...

Friday night, we went out to dinner in Chapel Hill with Grant and Katie to PT's Grille. I love that place! If you're in the area, definitely go check it out. They have great burgers and chicken sandwiches, and fresh squeezed lemonade! =.)

On Saturday, we four headed to the lake for a nice relaxing weekend. I'm so bad, because I didn't take pictures at all the entire time we were up there. The bad part? I thought about taking them, and was, in my head, trying to figure out the best place to take a picture to capture the view, but was just too lazy to actually take the pictures. And I didn't take my camera down to the dock, so I didn't get any of us hanging out, or of the guys wake surfing behind the boat. I'm awful, I know. I did, however, take pictures of the dogs in the back seat on the way up to the lake:

Ace - I like to think he's smiling here! =.)

Paisley - she really just wanted the road not to be so rough so she could sleep.

The dogs had a great time! They love being at the lake and near the water. It took Paisley until late Saturday to venture into the water, but once she did, she loved it, as usual. She is such a little water dog! And Ace actually got in the water this time! Usually, he just chases Paisley from the grass as she swims. They're so funny!

We stayed at Grant's family house until Monday, then we cleaned and came home. The dogs slept ALL afternoon! They were definitely tired out from their vacation! Marc and I just lounged around the house Monday afternoon/evening, and washed some clothes.

We had a great weekend, and I can't wait until we get the chance to go back! I hope you had a wonderful weekend, as well! =.)

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit..." Romans 5:5

MIA

So...I've been kind of MIA this past week/weekend, but I'm going to get back into things - probably tomorrow. My plan was this great weekend recap today, but the internet (and phones) were down at the office for most of the morning, so I didn't get my 'work' done like I thought I would.

Anyways, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

Memorial Day

Today, while you enjoy an extended weekend, please remember to think of those who have given their lives that we may have the freedom to live the lives we choose. Also, think of those left behind - the families that are torn apart by death and war, so that we can live in peace.

So, THANK YOU to those who have freely given of themselves for my freedom. Words can never show how grateful I am.

One Lovely Blog

The lovely Heather at Small Town Girl gave me this One Lovely Blog Award. She has a great blog, with an adorable dog and an awesome playlist! =.)

The rules are:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

This is the hard part! I don't know if I know 15 blogs, so I'll just go to a few who I have recently discovered!

• Dawn
• Deals, Steals and Heels
• Whitney
• Yours Truly
• Marci
• Megan

Okay - I give up! I've been trying to get this post done for 3 days, now, and Blogger keeps going "unresponsive"! Driving me nuts!

Sorry I didn't get more people posted, but I can't take it anymore! Have a wonderful day!

"I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." ~Psalm 121:1-2

Yay!

**This is a long one, and pretty random, so feel free to skip if you want! =.)

Today has been the best day! =.)


Well, work was work, but other than that, today was great! At lunch, I went to Old Navy in hopes of finding some cute summer clothes - and I did! I'm super excited - I found a cute pair of brown khaki shorts. This is HUGE! I haven't purchased or worn a pair of shorts (except when working out, going to the beach/pool, or playing in a softball game) in well over...7 years, I suppose. I'm not sure why I stopped wearing shorts, but I did after high school. Marc doesn't understand why, either, and hates that I don't wear 'em.


Maybe a little background? We got married in March of 2006. At that time, I was extremely happy with my weight. I feel like I looked my best. Between March 2006 and December of 2008, I gained about 20 pounds. I'm not gonna say my weight, because I'm still embarressed and upset that I let my weight get that out of hand. Anyways, part of my problem with wearing shorts had to do with the problem I had with my self-image. I was just completely uncomfortable in my own skin, and hated wearing anything that: 1. clung too tightly to show my waist expansion and 2. clothes that showed body parts (legs, arms, etc) that were no longer toned. So, as one of my goals for 2009 (not a resolution, because I feel like goals are better to reach for and attain) was to lose some weight (20 pounds) before: 1. the summer and bathing suit season and 2. before we started trying to have a baby. Well, Marc and I went on a diet together in January, and that didn't last so long. I didn't get enough exercise, so watching what I ate was only helping so much. My current weight loss 'regimen' is 3 parts: 1. track what I eat (I'm using weight watchers online), 2. exercise, and 3. eat healthier. I started doing this seriously about 5 weeks ago. Over that time period, I've lost 6.5 pounds. And in that 6.5 pounds, I've lost down one size, so I'm starting to feel more comfortable and confident in my body. It's nice!


So...sorry for that boring little interlude! I didn't realize I was going to go into that. If you're still reading, thanks! =.)


So, after my great finds at Old Navy, which were the shorts (regular price), a darling 3/4 sleeve black khaki jacket ($13.99), and a long sleeve blue striped henley ($2.97), I was super stoked. I spent less than $40, and my jacket is just adorable! It'll be great to dress up some jeans, or wear to work. Love it!


After work, I went to the grocery store. We're having a cookout for our Life Group tomorrow night, and I need stuff to fix. I'm in charge of slaw and a dessert, and I'm making a low-fat Lemon Pie, that's SUPER easy.


After dinner, I went over to Mama and Daddy's and took Paisley and Ace to visit. Mama and Daddy are starting to move into thier new house. Mama's really sentimental, I suppose that's where I get it from, and she's found a lot of neat stuff that she wanted to show me that she's had in storage. Most of the stuff is from my great grandmother, Mama Hall. Mama gave me a cameo from Mama Hall. It's the large one in the photo. She said it's a real one. Mama Hall was born in 1900 and passed away in 1988. I was 5 then, but I have little snippets of memories about her. More than that, I have the memories that Mama and her family has told me, so I feel lilke I know her so much more than any of my other great grandmothers. The stick pin in the picture is also a cameo, but that's from my other great grandma, Great Granny W. So excited about both of those. The other pendant in the picture was Mama's and I'm going to try to find a chain or some type of string that will go well with it.



So, to wrap it up, I spent time reminiscing with Mama instead of actually helping her get anything moved tonight. She seemed pretty okay with it, though. Daddy took a picture of us looking through her jewelry box, but I don't have it. I want a copy of the pic - I hope it's good! =.)

And why was I doing all of this tonight, instead of spending time with my husband? Well, he is at the beach with the boys - they're in a big fishing tournament this weekend. I'm hoping they win big - I'd love for the money to go towards our flights for our Jamaica trip. Wanna know who he's at the beach with? The people who made this...boat, for lack of better word:

This was our transportation for July 4th, 2008, termed the Party Barge. We took this out to Carrot Island in North Carolina, where we hung out all day on the 4th last year. And, while most everyone else was soaking up the sun, I was constantly slathering my super fair skin with 50 SPF sunscreen and hanging out inside the party barge. It was complete with a grass tiki bar, screen porch, and windows. I'm hoping the boat they're taking on this fishing trip is a bit more reliable than this one. So much fun, though! =.)

So, hope you've had a great week, and your weekend is even better!

I received an award from Heather over at Small Town Girl, and I'll post that tomorrow. Thanks!


"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." James 1:13-14

OMG!

I'm not sure WHAT is wrong with me this week, or last week for that matter, but I've lost all compassion for the people in my office who complain incessantly. Really, your life is that bad? And I didn't used to feel this way! I used to just let the lady talk it out...she was going to do that whether I wanted to hear her current problem, or not, so why not just suck it up and listen? But it's EVERY SINGLE DAY this lady comes in with a new problem, or an extension of yesterday's problem. Her biggest gripe? Money. Well, ya know what, lady? We're all a little tight with our money. If you didn't go, in your own words, "get into more debt"with your weekly trips to Macy's, you might not have such a huge problem! Don't take it out on me! I didn't do anything!


***

And now that I've gotten that out of my system, I'm going to have to rely on this passage to get me through the rest of this week:
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." James 1:26

***

On a lighter note, I did my first 30 day Shred last night. I absolutely LOVE it! It's only 20-25 minutes (which is what I love about it), but wow! It sucks how out of shape I am!! =.) I'm definitely feeling it this morning, whish is great, because it means that I'm actually working something! =.) Yay!

Happy day, y'all! =.)

Semi Weekend Recap

In my update on Friday, I told of my plans for the weekend, so I won't bore you with re-typing all of that. We did tons of celebrating on Friday with great friends. Then, on Saturday, we headed to Raleigh for Grant's graduation, then back to Durham for dinner at Kanki.

On our way home from dinner, a crazy storm was coming up. You could see the lightning coming from the clouds in huge streaks, and the wind was blowing. When we got home, our power was out, and the storm hit us full force. The wind was crazy, and it poured rain. I'm so glad we made it home before the storm hit, so we could get the dogs inside. So, I lit candles all over the house because it was getting dark. And, what better way to pass the time in the dark than to take a nap before heading out to celebrate some more at Rob and Sarah's house Saturday evening. We went over there for a few hours Saturday before calling it a night.


Sunday, Marc and I were running the powepoint at church. It was also Baby Dedication Day. Brock, Wendy, and Allie dedicated Ava. In case you're not familiar with a baby dedication, here's what it's about at Crosslink: The parents promise before the church to raise the baby in a Godly home, in a Christian setting, and teaching them of Jesus. The church then promises to lift up the babies and the families in prayer, that they will be equipped to raise their children the way God wants them. So, here are some (very bad) pictures of everyone on stage for the baby dedication during the early service:

Brock and Wendy are on the far right - it was a bit dark.

Lunch at my aunt's was great! I love being with my family! =.) I h0pe your Mother's Day was wonderful! =.)

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”- Ephesians 4:32

Busy weekend ahead...

I'm so excited that it's Friday! =.) I've done really well this week, though, in regards to the wishing days away issue I wrote about last week. I've caught myself thinking that, but I snap out of it as I realize what I'm doing.

Anyways, last night was so much fun! Mama cooked dinner for Brock's birthday - chicken casserole, cream potatoes, green beans, white corn, and BBQ bread. However, I didn't get any pictures last night, because I was too busy following Miss Ava around, as she's walking at less than 11 months old! And then I was busy playing "Duck, duck, goose" with Miss Allie. It was just Allie and I playing, so I sat on the floor as she ran around me, creating a wonderful nest of nappiness in my hair where she had her hand on my head. It's all worth it, though! =.) I love those girls! And after everyone else left, I stayed at Mama and Daddy's chatting with my grandma, Mau, and my Mama until 10! Again, so worth the missed sleep. So, my day was pretty perfect!

Tonight, Marc and I are headed out to celebrate graduations! Katie and Krysle are finally done with Grad School at NC State, and Grant's grandma, Gim, is making him walk at his undergraduate ceremony at NC State. I love that woman! Too precious! We'll be at the Wooden Nickel all evening, then heading to Raleigh for Grant's graduation. Then, I think we're going to dinner with everyone to celebrate some more. And on Sunday, we're working the powerpoint at church, then heading over to my aunt's house for lunch with the family.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Happy Mother's Day to all your moms! You're a special bunch! =.)


"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." Proverbs 31:28

Yay!

Happy 30th Birthday, Big Brother!

Yep - That's what my 30 year old brother does for fun. And he'll be doing it as long as he's able!

I love you, Brock! =.)

8 Things

So, Angela over at Sweet Tea Diaries tagged anyone who wanted to play, so here goes...

8 Things I Look Forward To:
#1.) A Mt. Dew in the morning.
#2.) Hanging out with friends on the back deck and playing horseshoes and corn hole in the summer.
#3.) Having a baby and growing my family.
#4.) Dinner with Kelli and Tiffany every month.
#5.) Hanging out with Allie, Ava, and Karliegh.
#6.) Being surrounded by my family.
#7.) Church.
#8.) Celebrating my brother's 30th birthday on Thursday!

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
#1.) Had a yummy PB and banana sandwich for lunch.
#2.) Enjoyed the rain.
#3.) Went to the UNC v. Elon baseball game with Marc and some of the fam to watch my step-cousin pitch for Elon.
#4.) Talked to my grandma. =.)
#5.) Filled out my calendar at the office, and remembered that we get Memorial Day off.
#6.) Read my email and checked Google Reader way too many times.
#7.) Was disappointed when the vending machine at work flashed "SOLD OUT" when I hit the Mt. Dew button.
#8.) Fell asleep on the way home from the baseball game, at 9:30, and went straight to bed when we got home.

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
#1.) Find time to work out regularly!
#2.) Stay focused at work - sometimes, I think the Internet is evil!
#3.) Be better at small talk - I never know what to say, and it gets awkward. I hate that!
#4.) Follow the goals I set up in January for the year...I'm slowly working on them, but I'm still not going to be where I set my goals to be by June.
#5.) Enjoy cleaning my house. I love it when it's clean, but hate the actual cleaning part.
#6.) Work a 4 day week so I could spend more time with my Mama and grandma.
#7.) Vacation somewhere tropical at least once a year.
#8.) Feel more confident in front of a room of people - I get nervous and turn red, and I can feel my face getting hot when I have to speak in front of people, even if I know them, and there's no pressure.

8 Shows I Watch:
#1.) One Tree Hill
#2.) Dancing with the Stars
#3.) Gossip Girl
#4.) NCIS
#5.) Nitro Circus
#6.) Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory
#7.) The Hills
#8.) Being Erica

Hope you enjoyed! =.)


"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

I love Snail Mail!

I was so excited Saturday when I opened my mailbox and found a package from Angela over at Sweet Tea Diaries! And this is what I received:

The candle smells absolutely wonderful! I love oranges, and I can't wait to start burning it! I also received a great smelling Ruby Guava bar soap from Old Navy. Thanks, so much, Angela! I apprecaite the treat!

**PS - I've had this post ready to go, except for the picture, since Sunday afternoon. I'm sorry for being super slack!

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”- 1 John 5:14-15

Friday!

Do you ever feel yourself working for the weekend? I know I do. On Monday, I come into work and think, "Only five more days, and it'll be the weekend." And I get mad at myself for thinking this way! I'm wishing days away, when there are so many people who are just excited to be here in this day, in this moment. I want to be like that! And not because I'm scared to not be here on earth, even though I am a little, but because God blesses me every time I open my eyes to a new day.

So, one of my goals for the rest of this year (and my life) is to live in the moment - that I not miss what's going on around me because I'm anticipating what's to come.

"For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul." Proverbs 2:10

***

And onto more of my week's events...I got a call on Sunday from a co-worker, there are only three of us, and said that her husband had died in a motorcycle accident that afternoon. I really look up to and respect this lady. She has a heart for God and she's so humble. And my heart just aches for her. And what can you say to someone who has lost their spouse? I just feel like there is so much more in my heart than words can say to her. I think she has an idea of that, but I hate that there are some situations where words can never do justice for what you feel. So, if you would, please pray for Brenda, and just lift her up to God for comfort. She's a special lady. She told me today that she had witnesseed more in the past three days than she ever has. Even amidst all of this, God is blessing her life.

So, while Brenda has been out dealing with all that goes along with a death, I've been at work covering some of her jobs, as well as my own. And can I just say - I'm exhausted. I really just wanted to pull the covers over my head, turn off the alarm clock, and sleep in this morning. My week has just been slammed with stuff. On top of visiting Brenda at her home, attending the visitation and the funeral, I've also been to a church meeting, and then I went with my Mama to a Celebrating Home open house last night. (I did get some really cute stuff for the kitchen, though! From the Simply Summer Collection, if you're looking) It's been a really long week, which is what has opened my eyes to the wishing away the days problem I wrote about above.

My cure for this long week? Tonight is our local Relay for Life event. If you're not familiar with Relay for Life, you can go here to read more about it. It's an organization that is close to my heart. I've lost several family members and friends to cancer, and I have some family who are currently fighting the battle. My favorite part of the event? The luminaries (yay for Kelli who is in charge of tonight's luminaries) that will look something like this:

This organization, The American Cancer Society, raises money through these events every year across the nation for research to help find a cure and prevention methods against cancer. And every event starts with a Survivor's Lap, which gives more hope. The end of my week will be surrounded by Hope, and I can't imagine a better thing to be a part of.

So, while I am really excited that today is Friday, and that my weekend is so much closer than it was on Monday, I'm more thankful that I am here to live my life for each day God gives me. I pray that I am a light for Him, and that He use me for His purpose.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”- Hebrews 11:6