BAD DAY?

Don't you hate waking up and going to work after a four day weekend? I know I sure do. Doesn't it seem like after a great weekend, that the work week comes and smacks you back into reality, that and then getting rained on while bringing in the groceries only to find the gallon of milk you just bought is busted. This is about how my whole day went and this is exactly how most of my day looked...


I really started to feel sorry for myself earlier and then felt like stuffing my face full of junk food, (I am an emotional eater ;) but then I realized that this would serve no purpose other than to make me fat and depress me further. Instead of focusing on the worst parts of the day, I cooked. I love cooking especially for my family (ie. Drew, my parents and sister, my inlaws etc.) My mom is out of town so I am cooking my favorite: Five Cheese Ziti for Drew, my daddy & sister, and while I was putting it all together, I tried to focus on all the good things rather than the bad. It worked for the most part, yes I still had a crummy day; but I have an amazing husband who will listen to me when I need to tell him about the busted milk and bad hair day. I have a roof over my head that keeps me dry when it's pouring down rain. I start school again in a few weeks, and I am looking at only a year and a half until I can start doing what I love. I have some great friends who love me and don't mind reading about my crazy days. I am blessed and I realize that it is simply a work of the devil when these kind of days come along. Sometimes I wonder what Job felt like. He had to deal with much more than I do, and he remained faithful...I am not always that way.In fact most of the time I do the complete opposite: I complain, I feel sorry for myself, and worst of all even when I look for the good in the day I don't always praise God. We are supposed to thank God in all things, and I don't do that. It's weird how a bad day can reveal so much...that kind of makes it a good day right? If anything I suppose God uses days like these to grow our prayer life and our patience. I am pretty sure someone out there is praying that I will have more patience...please stop! HAHA!

I wish....

Today I really have nothing of importance to share, I had a wonderful day shopping with my husband, and a great dinner with my parents. Tomorrow we will head to Georgia for Drew's cousin Matt's graduation. Other than that I have nothing spectacular to blog, so I decided to share a few things I think about and wish for...

First of all I wish I had a pig...I love these cute little animals. Yes, I realize they stink, but I just want one so bad. I feel like this must stem from my love of Charlotte's Webb, but all the same I love pigs and anything with a pig on it.



Secondly I wish I knew her...she was amazing and I love her eyes.


I wish I could do this...wouldn't it be peaceful?


I kind of wish I lived during this time. Not only was the fashion amazing, but I feel like I might have fit in much better. I have always felt like an old soul, I feel like this is a good thing.


I own this shirt and while I think it is adorable and I absolutely love it, I wish it didn't wrinkle so badly.


Lastly even though I am well aware it is totally weird, I sometimes wish Drew and I lived in a tree. I mean you build houses in trees for children, why not grown ups?

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...

Dear blog world,
Today is a sad day. My sweet bosom buddy Jenna left for the wilderness of Kentucky. I understand that God has a great purpose for her there, as God doesn't send people where he doesn't want them; but it still makes me sad that I am spending yet another summer without my partner in crime. "You have a husband now." You may say, and to that I say: Yes, yes I do, but a husband is not the same as your close gal pal who will tell you that your butt does in fact look huge in those jeans. I appreciate that Jenna is completely honest with me, sometimes to an extreme; but that's just how we work. I tell her when her hair is a hot mess and she tells me if I have a muffin top (Not ok BY THE WAY) Also Only Jenna will understand why BY THE WAY is in all caps. (This goes back to Senior year and will never be revealed.) One of the saddest parts about this summer is that I will say random things and expect people to laugh, only to realize that they aren't laughing because they aren't Jenna. Also who will I talk to with my eyes? Isn't it cool that we can do that? For years we have simply only to look at each other and the other one knows exactly what the other is thinking...great for us not so great for the people who have no idea why we are laughing hysterically.
I feel that at this point I have complained enough to you in the blogosphere and now I will use Thankful Thursday for it's real purpose and tell you that I am thankful for my friend. I am thankful that God is using her to love on the "site babies", I am thankful that she will learn about Kentucky culture and that even though she is gone now, she will come home in July. I am thankful that she did not get her internship in Tennessee, because I was about to resort to drastic measures (of which only lunch bunch would know of). I am thankful that God is allowing her to meet new people, and that she will have lots of fun stories to tell when she comes home. I am thankful that she will get to go to a Jane Austen festival (because Jane Austen is her favorite and for good reason.) I am thankful that she will probably get a chance to visit Buck Run where our favorite singing couple attend, and to visit Poor Richard's (the best book store ever.) I am thankful for so much, but I suppose that I am MOST thankful that God gave me Jenna to miss in the first place. I promise that my next blog will not be so sad, but today this is where I am. I will attempt to be more peppy and fun for the remainder of the summer, if for no other reason as to not bum out the person to whom this blog refers.
Thanks for listening,
Waiting expectantly for the end of July!

Thank You Francine Rivers!

This week I have been a little under the weather with something the doctor called a Respiratory Virus...lost story short I haven't been at work all week. Monday I had jury duty and the rest of this week I have been contageous...thankfully Friday I can rejoin the rest of the world. Today's thankful Thursday is dedicated to Francine Rivers..if not for her amazing talents I might have lost my mind this week. (Nothing comes on tv during the day.) Anyway last week I bought the first book in the Mark of the Lion Series called A Voice in the Wind.

It is an amazing book, and I knew after reading just a few pages I was going to need to make another trip to Books-A-Million to get the other two books in the series.
I quickly finished book 1 and moved on to book 2 which is called Echo in the Darkness.

I finished reading this book last night and started on the last book called As Sure as the Dawn.

I knew I loved Francine Rivers when I read Redeeming Love, it was confirmed when I read Lineage of Grace and now I am a hardcore fan after reading this series. So thanks Francine for using your God given talent....I love your books!

Congrats to Jenna

Saturday one of my oldest and dearest friends graduated from college. Jenna Peyton Sanders and I met when we were in the fifth grade...this acquaintance grew into a beautiful friendship. We have definitely had our ups and downs, but I think those times have developed the relationship we have. Other than my family and Drew, Jenna probably knows more about me than anyone, and in some respects she probably knows me better than anyone. Jenna loves lists so in honor of my sweet friend and her accomplishments I will share a few reasons why we are so close.

1. We know too many things about each other not to be friends.

There are so many stories and memories that include Jenna. There is noone else in the world who can truly appreciate some of the things that I will opt not to share. (Frankly most of them are too embarrassing, and you probably wouldn't understand anyway.)

2. We both know how it feels to be in a Junior size while the rest of your Junior High friends are still wearing Girls sizes. (True story...oh how I wish I had a scanner so I could share.)

3. We both have crazy families...(enough said)

4. We have been affectionately referred to as the Colgate twins.


5. And lastly I think this picture sums up why we are clearly made for each other...

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my church family. When I say church family, I don't necessarily just mean those who attend East Memorial; I mean all the believers who are in my life. As believers we are all one in Christ, and while I am thankful for the sweet people of EMBC, I am equally thankful for all the people who love Jesus in my life, no matter where they choose to worship. An awesome thing took place today, and although I was already aware that I am a part of a great body of believers, I was reminded today by what took place at the Prattville Chick-fil-a. Today was the spririt day for Mrs. Beverly Easley, I think it is safe to say that Daniel Grier and his team there experienced an overwhelming response. It is amazing what a group of believers can do when they bond together and show the love of God to a family who needs loving on.
I was also reminded of how much I love these people of God, by the sweet group of ladies I played Bunco with tonight. We are all so different, some of us have children, some of us are married and some are not. It actually was a rather diverse group, but it was so much fun. I can honestly say that some of the greatest fun I experience takes place when I have out with precious women who love Jesus. I think that God takes pleasure in the laughter of His children...if this is true God was quite humored tonight, as was I.
God has blessed me with some incredible people to hang out and worship with, I feel so blessed to have these people in my life and to call them my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Who knew I could cook?

So I am still amazed that this girl who never even wanted to boil water, has succeeded in cooking for her husband for 7 months now. That's right 7 MONTHS!!! Surprisingly Drew is still alive. I am getting more adventurous and trying random recipes that I find online. Last night I tried a new recipe and I must admit that I think it is my favorite thing that I have ever made. Drew loves Olive Garden's Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, so... I googled the recipe. I knew that this recipe yielded enough food for 6-8 people so I invited my parents over, and prayed that it would turn out. Well for anyone who loves cheese and anything Italian...I highly recommend that you too look up the recipe. If you Google it, this should come up as the first result and I believe that the recipe comes from Recipezaar. I will warn you that the Fontina cheese the recipe calls for is kind of expensive, but it really makes the dish. I even added a little extra since it cost so much. I looked at Wal-Mart and they had it priced at about $9 and so I almost decided to do without it, but then I looked at Winn-Dixie and found it for about $6. I did not check at Publix, so if anyone tries this and finds it cheaper there please let me know, because this is defintely a dish I will repeat. I think this is a pretty kid friendly recipe, so it should be good for most anyone (unless you are dieting.) Happy Cooking!