My new boutique is open...

Okay...it's official. I'm open for business. Check out my new boutique at

http://www.therefinedcubbyhole.com/

Guess what?!

Okay...so...I have some big news. I've actually had them for a few weeks now and some of you already know...but....drumroll....I'm a business owner. I'm the official owner of The Refined Cubbyhole, LLC! Now...right now it's mostly a name ( a fabulous one if I don't say so myself!), but in the next 2-3 weeks it will be a reality. I'm launching an online boutique w/ FABULOUS stuff! It will have high quality & unique items that you can't find just in any store, as well as, handmade items from local people here with some great stuff! There will be tons of stuff for great baby gifts, pet gifts, housewarming gifts & all the holidays. And, of course, you can't forget yourself...plenty of stuff for your home! My website is almost ready and I should be launching in the next 2-3 weeks. Once I'm "live" I plan to email everyone I know....word of mouth is the best advertising! To those of you who inspire & encourage me, thank you.

Auntie Em & Wes

The joy that this little man brings me can not be put into words! I love you Wes!

I'm Thankful for...

Don't get weepy cause this isn't a sappy thankful list!

I'm thankful...

*That I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping!

*That Dexter hasn't been eaten by the coyote roaming the neighborhood. (I'm convinced it's a wolf...but the wildlife people seem to think it's impossible. It's grey & the size of a german shepherd)

*That Roaring Fork is right around the corner in walking distance. (YUMMY place to eat....the best salad known to man)

*That's it's finally gotten cool enough to enjoy a warm caramel apple cider in the morning from Starbucks. (I hate coffee.)

*That someone had the foresight to invent sharpie markers! (I love to write w/ them & all the colors.)

*That I passed by The Bachelor's twin today on 7th street & gave him my best hello! (I know he's married...but still cute & still fun to see him-FYI one of the bars they own is less then 1 blk from my office building)

*That the Amy's Ice Cream lady came up with Phil's IceHouse who has the BEST mini burgers & sweet potato fries! (FYI- I hate her ice cream though...I know, I'm weird. Who wants their ice cream played with for 5 mins until it's way soft?!)

*That I'll never get too old for mac & cheese!

*That my sweet Dexter will give kisses on command. (I've never found a man to do that!)

*And last but not least...that the Brach's nougat candy is finally out for Christmas...my favorite candy ever!

Auntie Em Time

I started a tradition with my sweet Wes this year that I hope to continue throughout the years. It was great Auntie Em time! I took him to Whole Foods
for a Gingerbread Decorating thing. It was lots of fun. Boys definately decorate different then girls do...it took ALL I had not to try to color coordinate & decorate it like I would! But he did a fabulous job!

THE KNIFE DRAWER?!

Here is a conversation between myself and my sweet nephew, Wes.

Me: Wes! I heard you cut your hair today...you aren't supposed to be cutting your own hair.

Wes: HeHe!HeHe!

Me: Where in the world did you get the scissors?

Wes: Auntie Em, I got them out of the knife drawer!

Does anyone see a problem with this response? Apparently he has the ability to go through all the child proof stuff now!

Not Time for Christmas Music!!!

Okay people...let's get a grip!! Who in their right mind truly feels the need to listen to christmas music prior to Thanksgiving? Is it really necessary to begin celebrating Christmas before we celebrate Thanksgiving? I THINK NOT!! I know what some of you are muttering under your breath right now about me....BAH HUMBUG! Well...say what you will, but there is beauty in living in the moment...not the future! TAKE THAT!

This blog was inspired by the fact that one of my co-workers just got annoyed with me for turning off the christmas music...yeah...I'm brutal, I know...but he dared
to change my country music...no one tunes out Brad Paisley...and I mean no one!

Hope your day is filled with great melody...just not a christmas one!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!

I thought I'd take a moment to support the Jayhawks...could they be having a better season so far?! Who would have thought they would finally be noted for their football instead of just basketball?! Oh and my friend told me about a shirt that a KU fan was wearing....My coach beat anorexia! Anyone who has seen the KU football coach would probably find humor in that shirt...I'm going to have to find one!

Here's a link to an article from their latest win.

KU creeps up another notch in the BCS Standings.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/357024.html

Picture Contest

I'm entering this photo of Dex into a photo contest tomorrow. I know, I'm such a dork! But, if I can get some money off my sweet boy, then why not?! Thought I'd share the picture with everyone.

A banana tree?

Am I alone on this or do you feel the same?

FOR THE LOVE...STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE!

Okay...those of you who know me well won't be a bit surprised to know that I tend to get impatient with other drivers. But in my defense, I only get mad at the stupid ones! Let me paint the scene for you... I'm minding my own business driving down the road, window down, radio blaring w/ me singing along, Dexter's hair blowing in the breeze, going above the speed limit with is pretty typical with me. Anyway...this woman was driving ridiculous and couldn't even stay in her lane. I looked over and saw her nose hair...yes, nose hair! So that made me say out loud to Dexter (yes, I talk to my dog) that you know someone is driving out of their lane and/or too close when you can see their nose hairs. She must not have a husband or any friends, otherwise, surely they would have told her she needed a little trim! And although I haven't had nose hair issues, I'd like to think that I have the best of friends who would NEVER let me in public looking like that!

My thought for the day (which I'm stealing from Friends don't let Friends drive drunk)
FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS HAVE LONG NOSE HAIR!

And you thought this was going to be about driving...

Who is your Sunshine?

I saw this blinkie and it brought back memories from my childhood.

So here's the story. Growing up my dad had nicknames for my sister & I. I was "Partner" and she got to be "Sunshine"... I was a crazy tomboy (thought to be a boy in the womb) and Shelley...well she's sweet smiling Shelley! Anyway...my dad used to sing that John Denver song...you know the one..."Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy..." He would sing it to her sometimes at night when he was putting her to bed. It made me SOOOOO sad that I didn't have a song, so occasionally to humor me, he sang..."Partner on my shoulders makes me happy" Love you dad. Love you Shell.

I have to stick that needle where?!

Okay...so for the past 2 weeks I've been fretting over the fact that I will now be giving myself allergy shots. I have never had any issues with needles and have never minded anyone poking me with them...but the idea that I would purposefully stick a needle in me was just about more then I could bare. So today was the big day...I had to go to the doctor's office and give myself my first one after some quick "training". So I get there and change into my shorts because I've got to stick that stinkin' needle in my leg! She shows me how to grab some fat...well she called it skin...but I'm pretty sure the amount of fat I had to grab on my leg was a realization of the lack of running in my life lately! Anyway, so I grab with my left hand and hold the needle with my right...and she says "Just jab it in really quick!" I took a deep breath and just jabbed it in (I might have even had my eyes closed...not sure) but I'm a SUPER STAR! It wasn't bad at all...I can totally do this and I even got a free sucker today so that makes it all okay! The moral of this story is this: If you have to get allergy shots twice a week and you want to avoid the insurance costs of a copay every stinkin' time, then just give them to yourself and only pay a copay once a month! I love being smarter then the insurance company!!!

Why Dogs Bite People

My cousin Susan sent me some pictures. And if I was a dog and my owner put this junk on me, I'd bite them, too! I am one of those "party poopers" who refuses to put clothes on my dog...for the love people...it's a dog! Give the poor dog a break! Okay...so these pics are pretty funny, I'll give you that! Put please be advised that my sweet Dexter will NEVER have clothes on!

On the Street Corners

So, there's always lots of controversy on homeless people standing on street corners begging for money. I pulled up at a stoplight and must admit when I saw this lady's sign I cracked up (which might have been rude), but b/c she was so creative with her sign, I totally had to give her money. So, she's this lady with one leg standing on crutches and her sign said...ON MY LAST LEG! Now, I realize only having 1 leg is NOT funny, so anyone reading this who only has one leg or knows someone with 1 leg, please know I'm not make fun of them. Her sign just caught me so off guard.

Also, for those of you who fall on the side of NOT giving $ and instead getting annoyed...think about this. We were not put on this earth to judge others. We were put on this earth to love other's and be God's light in a world of darkness. We don't know their intentions, but that is not the reason to give. When someone is in need, we are called to be servants of God and to help them. Now, that being said, there are others ways to help them if you are leary of giving money. I tend to always have granola bars and bottles of water & those type things in my car. I've given many a granola bars out to very thankful people.

I'll stop my preaching, but next time, before you get annoyed...remember what Jesus would do!

God Responds to Getting Sued

From CNN.com

LINCOLN, Nebraska (AP) -- A legislator who filed a lawsuit against God has gotten something he might not have expected: a response.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said he sued God last week to make a point about frivolous lawsuits.

One of two court filings from "God" came Wednesday under otherworldly circumstances, according to John Friend, clerk of the Douglas County District Court in Omaha.

"This one miraculously appeared on the counter. It just all of a sudden was here -- poof!" Friend said.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha sued God last week, seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty for making terroristic threats, inspiring fear and causing "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers, a self-proclaimed agnostic who often criticizes Christians, said his filing was triggered by a federal lawsuit he considers frivolous. He said he's trying to make the point that anybody can sue anybody.

Not so, says "God." His response argues that the defendant is immune from some earthly laws and the court lacks jurisdiction.

It adds that blaming God for human oppression and suffering misses an important point.

"I created man and woman with free will and next to the promise of immortal life, free will is my greatest gift to you," according to the response, as read by Friend.

There was no contact information on the filing, although St. Michael the Archangel is listed as a witness, Friend said.

A second response from "God" disputing Chambers' allegations lists a phone number for a Corpus Christi law office. A message left for that office was not immediately returned Thursday.

Attempts to reach Chambers by phone and at his Capitol office Thursday were unsuccessful. E-mail to a friend

Thought for the Day

"A well-behaved woman has never made history..."

I feel like this bumper sticker I saw justifies my nature of being a little crazy at times (that is a church of christ "crazy") and mischievious now & again!

I've Been Tagged!

1. I have to post these rules b/f I give you the facts.

2. Each player starts w/ 8 random facts and/or habits about themselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog listing their 8 things & post these rules. (If you don't have a blog, email me your 8 things)

4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 8 people to get tagged & list their names.

5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged & to read your blog.

8 Random Facts about Me (some of which I am not proud of)

1. As a child, I fell out of the car while moving & ended up in the middle of an intersection w/ a HUGE truck coming towards me--so my mom jumps out to save me & forgets to put the car in park so my sister in the car starts rolling backwards. A nice lady hopped into mom's car & put it in park & saved Shell. (I swear it's a TRUE story!)

2. I love my dog, Dexter, more then some people that I know.

3. One of my biggest desires is to go to culinary school & open my own bakery/cafe.

4. I believe their is a right way to make mac & cheese and the ingredients MUST be added in a certain order.

5. Growing up I was a complete tomboy & soccer was my life.

6. My most memorable weekend as a child consists of my dad being bit by a copperhead snake & my sister tearing open her hand on barbwire fence when her horse decided he was finished giving rides. Needless to say it was a VERY long time before we visited my Aunt Peggy's house in Kilgore again.

7. My first kiss was on a church bus. (Sorry grandma...but it's true!)

8. I sing in the shower & in the car and wave to the people who laugh at me. That is... to the people in other cars...not in my shower!

I tag the following 8 people: Joyce Brehemer, Julie Rivera, Cousin Sarah, Michelle Simpson, Janet Middlekauff, Sheridan Vaughn, Summer Best & Grandma Farrier. Sheridan & Grandma Fred can just email me their 8!

Yummy or Too Sticky, that is the question!

I know it's been forever since I posted anything...I must say that my life has just been really busy & what some might consider boring...but for me...boring normalcy can be such a good thing! So, last night was my last night of teaching my sweet 3 year olds at church. They can be such a handful considering there is 10-12 in my class, but I must say that the joy they bring to my life is indescribable. Since it was our last time together I thought I'd give them a very yummy snack. Who knew that Rice Krispy Treats could be such a contriversial snack to give a 3 year old. When did 3 year olds start caring about sticky hands?! I mean...FOR THE LOVE...since when do kids not enjoy being dirty? Only about half of the kids in the class even ate their treat! The other half couldn't stop saying how "sticky" it was & that they weren't going to eat it! That just floored me! A 3 year old turning down a sugary snack? What is this world coming to? It's bad enough that kids these days look at you w/ a blank stare when you mention The Dukes of Hazaard or The A-Team, but now we've come to kids thinking Rice Krispy Treats are TOO sticky to eat?!

I've stolen this from my cousin Sarah's blog who stole it from Oprah. I loved it and it made me start thinking of my friends & what category they fall into. Friends are definately a gift from God and I thank my God for each & every one of them. Cheers to all of you that I'm proud to call my friend...I love you.

I consider the "family" I've gathered -- with five kinds of pals I count on for completely different things -- among the wisest choices I've made. If you can find even one who embodies any of the characteristics that follow, you can consider yourself fortunate.
The Uplifter: This woman's favorite word: yes. You could tell her you're trading your six-figure income for a career in offtrack betting, and she'd barely pause before yelping "Go for it!" Don't you need someone who looks past the love handles to notice the extraordinarily gorgeous you?
The Travel Buddy: When the hotel in St. Lucia is a bust, one characteristic becomes all-important: flexibility. This agreeable companion need not be the girl you traded pinkie swears with on the playground; it's enough that she's comfortable with quiet (between gabfests) and is a teensy bit mischievous (as in tequila after midnight).
The Truth Teller: Intent is what separates the constructive from the abusive. Once you've established that the hard news is spoken in love (not in jealousy or malice), you'd be smart to seek out this woman's perspective.
The Girl Who Just Wants to Have Fun: One Saturday a pal and I -- and yes, we're both over age 12 -- pored over every glitter lip gloss in a drugstore aisle for an entire 45 minutes. Forget the crisis download (for that, see the Uplifter); this partnership is about spontaneous good times.
The Unlikely Friend: "Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive," Anaïs Nin wrote. My friends -- some twice my age, others half, some rich, others homeless, some black like me, others Korean, Mexican, Caucasian -- have added richness to my life that only variety can

Wes' 5th Birthday

Clarification on Flooding

I wanted to clarify the pics below due to a couple of worried phone calls. Austin, itself, has barely seen any rain. Those of us in the Leander/Georgetown area have received around 6" the past couple of days, but haven't seen direct flooding around home, etc. Just flooding on certain streets in our area and the area around the San Gabriel River. The other pic is from the Liberty Hill/Marble Falls area who has seen the most damage. They are calling for rain for the next week or so...the good news is we won't have to worry about water ration this summer and people will be able to do fireworks on the 4th since there won't be any burn bans! If you want to see more crazy flood photos, you can go to kxan.com

Flood Pictures from our Area

The first 2 pictures are from the San Gabriel River and park in Georgetown. The third, which just blows me away, is a picture of what used to be a road/bridge in Liberty Hill. For those of you not in my local area, some surrounding areas of Austin received up to 19 INCHES IN RAIN SINCE TUESDAY NIGHT.

A Hunter in the Making...

Wes is officially a big boy now...he turns 5 in a few days and Todd thought it was time he learn how to shoot the gun he's had since before he was born! I see a hunter in the making...

Ian Update

Ian is now a bit over 4 lbs & has been moved out of the incubator and is enjoying his new home in the hospital crib. He is a strong little man and can't wait to come home. It will be awhile longer, but he is doing great. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for Ian and his family.

Scripture for the Day

I wanted to share this verse with you that really struck home with me this morning. I'm sure most will recognize it.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you & not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I find a huge amount of peace in this verse because it reminds me that God will take care of me and that I should give everything to Him because He can give me a better life then I could ever imagine for myself. Hope you have a blessed day.

Here's to you Mr Appraisal Man!

I thought today was destined to be a horrible day (can't you tell I'm an optimist!)...but to my surprise, it's been great. I've got a car that has come to the end of it's lease and Nissan requires a 3rd pary to come appraise the car. And, I'm thinking, a 3rd party...I mean come on, they don't really think, that I think this so called "third party" is really impartial to Nissan. I mean Nissan's paying their bill, get real! These were all thoughts I've had since I made the appointment and today was the day of judgement. So I get the call, he's waiting for me downstairs...I take a deep breath and give myself a mental pep talk, ready to be Independent Emily who can handle any man whose going to try to rip me off. Anyway, I was completely wrong. All this guy needed was a sweet smile & few compliments & I walked away with a bill of $0, yes, I said $0! So I'm feeling pretty happy & blessed! And here's to you mister appraisal man!

A Scorpion Strikes...

Okay, so I've been warned about the scorpions living out in the country in Texas. I've seen and killed numerous in the house, but I've never come close to getting nailed by one...that is until 1:45am this morning. I'm just minding my own business, out cold asleep, and awake to this horrible sharp stinging pain in my foot. I jumped (and I mean jumped) out of bed and turned on the light. Not only was my entire foot red & rashy & it was killing me, but I saw that stinkin' scorpion just sitting on my sheets where my foot was...I mean the nerve, coming into my bed! And it wasn't one of those tiny baby ones, it was a good size one & he packed a punch. After beating it w/ a shoe & throwing out the remains, I had no idea how to get rid of the pain. So I went for Wes' little soccerball icepack (thanks Wes) & it did the trick after about 1 hour. And I have to mention my protector, Dexter, who then slept under the covers by my feet for the rest of the night. What a guy!

My little buddy Ethan at the pool yesterday.

Praise God!

After 6 weeks & 3 days, Melanie was able to hold Ian for the very first time. Thank you to all who are praying for this precious family. Please pray that Ian will continue to grow stronger each day and that his parents will be granted peace & patience while they wait for him to come home.

Happy Thoughts

I was reading my cousin's blog and she had a list of some things that made her smile & it got me thinking about some things that have made me smile lately, so I thought I'd share them.
1. The fact that my sweet dog, Dexter kept crying last night to get me to sit w/ him & play. I mean what girl doesn't dream of a guy crying just cause he wants to spend time w/ her so badly!
2. The taste of chocolate custard from Shake's & not caring about the consequences of eating it.
3. The way my nephew, Wes, gets this little smirk on his face & gleam in his eye when he's either about to do something he's not supposed to or he gets and I quote, "the best idea ever."
4. The feeling I get when I land a new client at work after months of trying to get them!
5. Getting to eat at 4 & 5 star restaraunts, eating amazing food & expensing every penny of it.
6. Peant Butter M&Ms

Make today great and don't forget to take note of all the things in life that make you smile, even the silly ones!

Some funny sayings...

My last few posts have been more serious, but I'm feeling pretty light-hearted this morning so I thought I'd share a few funny sayings I found.

Always forgive your enemies - Nothing annoys them so much.

If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

Looks are so deceptive that people should be done up like food packages with the ingredients clearly labeled.

I'm a conservationist, I recycle men.

If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question?

Advice for the Day

COUNT YOUR RAINBOWS, NOT YOUR THUNDERSTORMS!

Romans 15:13

My sweet friend, Sheridan, shared a verse with me this morning that I very much needed. So I thought I'd share it with all of you. This is from my NIV version: Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all the joy & peace as you trust in Him, that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." When she sent it to me, she filled in my name in place of the "you's". It is a great prayer to not only remember for ourselves, but to offer it up to God on behalf of other's, filling in their names. May we always remember that we can abound in the hope of God our Father.

Is this what getting old means?

One of my clients sent me some funny pics and when I saw this one it made me realize that we are all slowly going "downhill!" Good to know it happens to even the Arnold's of the world. I am a bit curious at why he thinks he should still wear a speedo (although I'm pretty sure they should be banned altogether, muscles or no muscles)!

Advice for the Day

"When pouring a nice cold refill of Dr. Pepper into your cup, you must first remove the lid & straw!" (Yes, my morning started w/ a complete mess!)

Priorities Priorities Priorities!

Okay, so here's something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. Really, what makes something a priority and how do you really decide the order of those priorities? I mean there are the all important things like work, family, significant other, friends, church/ministries, etc. Plus all the other things you just want to do in life. Ok, so, if you've got all these things, how do you really prioritize? I really wish there was some magical equation that we could all follow so that there would be consistency & acceptance throughout. But, we all know that is not the case and each person decides for themselves what & whom they classify a priority and in what order those things & people will be placed. I'll be the first to admit that it's very hard for me to understand and/or accept when someone else doesn't seem to prioritize in the same manner I do, I mean, come on, of course I think my priority list is the correct one! That being said, of course, I realize this is the wrong way to look at it, but it's so easy to get caught up in the way I see things & prioritize. So, I'll share with you how I'm working to combat this current struggle in my life. Prayer will always be at the top of my list as a solution to any struggle, but in addition, I'd like to suggest for myself & others, the best thing to do is quit thinking about myself/yourself. If I'm focusing on others & God being #1, then I truly believe all else will work itself out. Now, that doesn't mean that it will be in the way I want or think it should, but if God is truly #1 in my life, then I'm not focused on myself & my desires, but the desires of my God & Father. And man, I LOVE to think all about my desires, hopes & dreams, but God didn't put me on this earth for those 3 things. He put me on this earth for His purpose, His desires, His hopes & dreams for all His children to come to know Him. So, put God #1 and continually pray that He will help you prioritize every other temporary thing/person here in this world, He WILL show you the way.

60 Years is a Long Time

This one goes out to my grandparents, also known as Paka B and Papa! Today they celebrate 60 years together. I have trouble imagining 60 years, but that might be because I'm over 30 now, which means if I got married tomorrow, my husband & I would have to live to be 91 years old to achieve this miraculous event. But since my grandma was married at 16, she is a young 76 years old. Aren't they a beautiful couple? I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge their 60 years of a Christ-centered marriage full of love. May God grant them many more years to come...

You haven't lived if...

You haven't lived if you've never had a chocolate cake w/ bavarian creme inside topped with fudge icing. Well last night, 5 of us celebrated Joyce's birthday. I had my camera the whole night, but how is it that when there is a baby in the room that is the only thing we take pics of...so I have a pic of John Paul and his momma Lynna holding him. I was also instructed to take a picture of the beautiful cake I made! (Confession: I did NOT make this cake...I may be able to bake, but I can not decorate a cake worth a flip. This is the work of Lucy's Cakes in Austin.)

My dog is a cat!

I'm pretty sure there are moments when Dexter has absolutely no idea he is a dog!

My Sweet Dexter

The Opposite Sex

This post is inspired by my coworker, Jesse. He & I often discuss the differences in the opposite sex, both thinking that the opposite gender is completely crazy sometimes and this morning we had a doozy of a conversation. We were talking about a couple of ladies in his life and some of their behavior. While I call it our "crazy" gene, I believe that our "crazy" gene comes out of love and passion for the man in our life and/or the fear of losing them. Now, don't get me wrong...I'm not justifying behavior like Kate Hudson in the movie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. While it was pretty hysterical and had me laughing so hard I thought I might split open, I would never say that was acceptable behavior. So that being said, I'll go back to the "crazy" gene, you know the one I'm talking about...men are nodding their head in agreement right now, while the women have that surprised look on their face, like, "No, not me!" Oh yes you, every woman has some degree of this and hopefully for you men, you find a lady who only slightly shows her "crazy" gene and does it in more endearing ways rather than psycho behavior. I'm now inspired to come up w/ a "crazy" gene list and will start working on that, but in the meantime, here is my thought for the day on the subject: "When the woman you are trying to snag off the market calls you and wants to chat, don't tell her you'll call her back when you get done talking to Suzy(just picked a girl's name), just ignore Suzy and take the bull by the horns! For the love, it's not rocket science!"

Advice for the Day

"When your road rage is about to overtake you, roll down the window & blow a kiss to the other driver!"

I can assure you it works like a charm everytime (or so I hear, surely you don't think I'd ever do that)!

Quote/Thought for the Day

I'm going to try to come up with quotes, thoughts or advice everyday from topics that are on my mind. Today exercise and/or the lack of exercise is on my mind. So today's quote is:

"IF YOU CAN'T STOP EATING, EXERCISE; IF YOU DON'T EXERCISE,PRAY!"(Do you think God answers the prayers of over-eating & lazy people by allowing them to NOT gain weight?-I'll let you know how it turns out!)

Feeling Preachy (not peachy) Today

For all you Church of Christ ladies, here's what you need to do. You simply need to create a blog so you can preach too! If you aren't C of C, you may not get the joke, but I can assure you that it was funny. Okay, so my topic today is prayer. Yes, most of the time I blog about funny stuff and/or my stupidity, but there are days I just need to share my heart and this is one of those days... Why is it that no matter how many times we see the "power in prayer" and all the blessings that come from prayer, we still manage to neglect that part of our relationship with God. There have been days when I'm laying bed at night and realize that I did not pray one single time and that makes me feel ashamed, imagine how God feels about it. The last few months I've really been trying to create a stronger, more stable prayer life for myself. It's amazing the level of peace it can bring even in hard times. Some of the most lonely nights, prayer has brought me such a sense of being surrounded & protected. I can't imagine being single, 31 and not a Christian. Without God, I imagine it would be unbearable at times. But God continually shows me all the blessings that surround me and the loved ones in my life. I know I sound like life is all roses, it certainly is not. In fact, this week has been a REALLY hard week for me. I won't go into details for the sake of others, but between myself struggling w/ something, friends losing loved ones, daughters having to care for their mothers who can't care for themselves anymore, babies being born just over 1 lb, and "talking a friend down from the ledge (so to speak...)", I've seen so much pain in these past 5 days. It saddens & affects me in ways I could never clearly express. My heart breaks for them. It shames me that I can sometimes let MY life consume me and not focus on the needs of others.

My prayer is this:
*To have the same passion for God that I do for life
*To ALWAYS put other's needs in front of mine
*To be a light in this world of darkness
*To spend more time in prayer w/ the Father above
*To show the love of Christ as others have shown me
*To remember that even though sometimes I feel like I might break, God will not stretch me beyond what I can handle. And that through these "stretching" times, I will continue to grow in Him.
*To have patience w/ God when He puts me on a different or new path not knowing where it will lead

Okay, my preaching is done for today. May God bless you in unimaginable ways and may you never forget to thank Him for each and every one.

My day started with a bang...

Okay, so I am convinced that as you get older you lose coordination. I was walking down the stairs this morning carrying Dexter and the next thing I know I'm falling down them, but don't worry I didn't drop the dog! He is perfectly fine, however, I did not fair quite as well. I've already checked and the bruising has begun! I now feel & walk like I'm about 20 years older. So the lesson you should learn today is the following:
1. Don't wear pajama pants that are too long.
2. Don't wear slippery flip flops.
3. Don't carry your dog down the stairs when wearing #1 & #2.
4. And most, importantly, just plain watch your step!

My day started this morning with bad news. My friend, Laura Kee White, lost her grandmother in the wee hours of the morning. Her family has been through so much over the past year and a half. She & Marisa (her twin & myfriend) have lost both parents to cancer and now their grandmother all in such a short period of time. Their strength & love for the Lord during this time is a amazing tribute to her parents and raising them in the Lord. I guess my heart is just very heavy this morning saddened for yet another loss they have to endure. In addition, a friend from my childhoods mom is dying from terminal cancer. They only expect her to live another week or so. She is a strong woman and ready to meet her Maker and shed her unhealthy body. What a wake up call these things should be to us all! It also makes me take a moment to remember (as I should do each day) ALL the blessings & loved ones in my life. I am blessed to have my parents & all my grandparents living and a part of my life. They have always been a godly example to me. I have my wonderful sister, brother in law & nephew as a part of my daily life. God has also blessed me w/ an amazing godly man in my life, as well as, very great friends. So why when I have all these people in my life do I forget to thank God for my blessings on a daily basis? I'll be trying to remember to ask myself this question each and every morning and thank God for all He has provided and will continue to provide for my life. What an amazing thing for my Father God to know what I need before I even know. My prayer for all the people in my life is that they take a moment this morning to thank God for all their loved ones and the blessings they provide to them every day. I beg of you...make today count!

I took this yesterday...please ignore his "crazy" eye, it gives him character! And until I have children some day, pics of Dexter is what you get to see!

Okay, so truth be told, I'm still having trouble with the whole turning 31 recently! I mean, it's just a stinking number, right? I mean, I have a GREAT life and I'm blessed in so many ways, so why am I so worried about a number? I've always had so many "plans" for my life, and for those of you who know me well, I'm a planner. I wish I was more a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl, and maybe I'm becoming a bit more that way as I get older, but for the most part I like to plan ahead. There are some definate pitfalls w/ that mentality, but we'll save those for another day. Back to the plans...there are so many things I want to do in this life! Things that, at the end of the day, really don't matter when you are looking at it as a Christian and knowing this life is temporary and simply a fleeting moment in time compared to eternity with the Father above. But that human side of me, has so many things I want to do, accomplish, and become. So, I believe I'm going to start a list...a list of things I want to do before I'm 40, and boy, isn't that a scary thought, 40 years old...but I figure I'll give myself 9 years to accomplish them so I have plenty of time. So I'll start building the list and probably continually add to it. And my advice to all of you crazy people who read this...make today amazing! Enjoy all the little things that seem so small, but bring a smile to your face. Love those around you & tell them b/c you never know if they will be a part of your life tomorrow.

My sweet Dexter. He's 6 months here. He's almost a year old now, I'll get a new one up soon.

My sweet nephew, Wes, won 1st place catching the biggest catfish. His Auntie Em is very proud!

Do you have a favorite snack that you just can't get enough of? I mean...one that no matter how full you are, if they are around you will eat them? Well....I might have several, but I'm only going to confess one of them which is Cheez-Its! I'm pretty sure I could down half a box in one sitting. Why am I musing about Cheez-It's when I should be working diligently at my job you ask? Well I only got about 3 hours of sleep and my brain is quite fuzzy. I laid awake for hours last night and couldn't shut down, I mean why is that guys can just go to sleep no matter what is on their mind, and we, women will lay awake all night rehashing one phrase of a conversation or worry about all the things that need to get done, but just keep piling up? Was God just a bit crazy when he created women? I mean, I don't doubt He knew what He was doing, but man, sometimes I question all the qualities that God gave us, especially the "crazy" ones. I mean, in most situations, our skill of multi-tasking is great, but is it really great when you can "multi-task" juggling numerous worries and trying to analyze them all at the same time? These are questions I will have all the days of my life I'm sure....

Okay, so I'm going for a record and doing two posts in the same day! Just out of curiousity....do I look like the cookie lady? For those who don't know, we have a cookie oven at work and take cookies to our clients on each delivery. So that being said, why is it that if I don't bake the cookies it doesn't get done! I mean really...it's not rocket science. So today, what did I do today, nothing?! I didn't bake them...and how do you think that went over later when we had deliveries....hmm....seems like we have some men here that need a lesson in taking care of themselves. I'm happy to take care of my own man, but every other guy is on his own! I mean, what did they do b/f I worked here, someone made them... Now, hey, I love to bake especially for the people in my life, but I certainly didn't get hired on here as a Cookie Chef! And see now they win, b/c I've worked myself up so much that a cookie would taste mighty good right now...so guess what I'm about to do?