Monday, February 27, 2012

Fun Filled Time

This has been such an amazing weekend! And it's just getting started!!

Friday night a wonderful, beautiful friend came to see me. We had a great girls date complete with eating, drinking and telling stories about our boys :) We get to see each so infrequently, but it's always just like a moment hasn't passed.



Then came Saturday. Austin and I went on a fantastic date; which we hadn't done in such a long time. For years now he's tried to get us to go ice skating. So when the Groupon came up a couple of months ago, I didn't have a choice but to buy it and make time. We truly enjoyed our time together and neither of us fell!




Now we are sitting in Tulsa waiting for the highlight of it all! Before too long Austin's baby sister is gonna pop out our first nephew! We could not be more excited to meet this little guy :D Our family's been through some rough times lately and we're excited to have this little joy join in our lives.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

40 Days

Lent. The time of year when we "good and righteous Christians" give something up in the name of Jesus and so on. I personally haven't participated in recent years because it just doesn't seem right when the purpose feels empty.

This is not a time to give up chocolate so you can bitch about how much you want to eat chocolate.
This is not a time to compete with others by giving up something really difficult.

This is a time to comtemplate how big 40 days really is and how much can be accomplished in that time.
This is a time to realize how much you can grow as a person when you commit to resisting tempation.
This is a humble time.


I am currently in the process of getting life sorted back out. With one whirlwind after another, I've let things slip into an unattractive mess (including myself). Steps I'm already making: 1) Cooking meals instead of all this yucky eating out 2) Following Weight Watchers guidelines (on my own, not with meetings and all) 3) Making regular trips to the YMCA 4) Organizing my work space at the office. Now I would like to take advantage of the tradition of Lent, not to give something up, but to add something to my daily life. For the next 40-ish days (go ahead, count up the days til Easter and see how many you come up with) I will be writing one thank-you card a day.

I will not let the tempation of stress, procrastination and self-pity bog me down.
I will recognize the blessings in my life and express my gratitude.

This does not feel empty.
This is what I am called to do.
This will be my way of coming back into myself.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Community of Love

St. Crispin's is this magically place where people come together and live in the glory of the Lord. We are a community of daily worship and prayer. Yesterday a bunch of us in the St. Crispin's family came together at St. John's in OKC to lead a Camp Sunday.



Sharing in the musical experience is one of the most incredible ways we express what happens out at camp. Something about everyone's voices coming into harmony with such joy and exultation makes it impossible not to feel the power of our Heavenly Father. It reminds me where my focus is supposed to be; and what we are all capable of when we keep that focus.



I am so blessed to have so many people in my life that can help me to straighten out my priorities and stay in the right frame of mind. Austin will be spending the entire summer out at St. Crispin's again and we couldn't be more excited. Every Friday after work I'll drive down just in time for the dance, share in worship Saturday morning and spend the rest of the weekend with my hubby and the other counselors. I may not get to live at camp all summer, but this community is a huge part of my life and has such influence on my heart and soul.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Girls Date!

Last night I expressed my womanliness in the best way I know how to.... Having a girlfriend over for wine and dessert! It was so fantastic :) 3 hours of cabernet sauvignon, chocolate and wonderful conversation!




For our chocolate, I found a new recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor. If you've never seen this book, you have to check it out. Ah-Maz-Ing stuff!

http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/

I made Chocolate Mocha Chewies and it was super simple. Just mix up a devil's food cake mix (Mom said Duncan Hines was my best choice), brewed coffee, butter, an egg, and chocolate chips. Then  you make drop globs onto the cookie sheet and bake for a few minutes.  My oven doesn't stay the right temp so my batches went from 9 minutes to 7 to 5. :)



Then I got everything all set up and ready to go. Being surrounded by boys the way that I am, I don't add a  womanly touch to things very often. It's nice to put a lil extra effort into things now and again.



As delicious as the chewies and cab were, the most rewarding part of the evening was the conversation. I don't get to spend nearly as much time as I would like to with my girlfriends, allowing me to truly appreciate the time I do have with them. Women form a bond completely differently than men do. Time spent together is a very important part of that bond. Sure there are people you can go months without seeing or talking to and pick up right where you left off when you get back together; however, those are few and far between. Either way, spending quality time with friends is something we should all try to do more often and none of us should take for granted.

Monday, February 6, 2012

My Boys

Apparently as payback for my dad living in a house full of girls, I am now surrounded by boys. But I happen to be surrounded by the most important boys in my life, which means everyone needs to know just how special they truely are!

Of course the hubby comes first :) He is the light of my life and my dream come true! We have been together basically for foever and I can't imagine my life without him.



Then there's my Rusty dog - He's the cutest, smartest, most amazing puppy dog ever! We got him as a tiny pup and raised him to be the wonderful lil guy that he is now.  


The latest and greatest addition to our lil family is Bartholomew. Or you can call him Bart. He's such a goofy boy, but super smart and a daddy's boy for sure!


Last, but not least - well maybe least ;) - is Booga bear. He may terrorize the house and the dogs and us.... but we still love him.


Well that's us - my cute little family. 
Other people may have pets but these three little ones are more than that to us. We love them and raise them as our own. And I wouldn't have it any other way. <3

Sunday, February 5, 2012

A Wonderful Day to Start a Blog!

I had such a wonderful day today that I decided that I needed to start sharing my wonderful life through blogging. So here goes!

Family is so incredibly important. And not just the family you are born into. I spent all day with my sister-in-law and got to see my husband's grandma, great-aunt, and aunt. These women are so strong and beautiful and full of love - I am absoutely blessed to have each of them as role models.
So, Emily and I spent the day putting together baby furniture for her nusery! My nephew will be here any day now and we are all so excited to meet him. I have two amazing godsons and the most adorable goddaughter, but there's something about having a real-life nephew that is just incredible. I can't wait to watch him grow up and know that at somepoint we will give him cousins to play with. Life is so fantastic.