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Saturday

GIVEAWAYS GALORE!!!



Ok… I. HAVE. TO. SHARE. THIS. 

There are some amazing giveaways going on in the blogsphere!  I am so excited about them… so I wanted to share the links to some amazing giveaways.  Some of my favorite blogs to follow and purchase beautiful handmade items from are:

·      Giveaway #1 (Just Simply Southern)
·      Giveaway #2 (The Vintage Pearl)
·      Giveaway #3 (Home with the Boys)
·      Giveaway #4 (Otherhood)


·      Giveaway #1 (Just Simply Southern)

·      Giveaway #1 (Just Simply Southern)

Sevi Design - k... I haven't found any giveaways right now... but I love this store... I got one of her beautiful glass tile necklaces... I. LOVE. IT!

·      Giveaway #1 



So... you have to check out these amazingly talented people! My creative side is so inspired by them!!


Wednesday

Missing the bestie...

I really miss my best friend.

She knows me better than anyone else.  (of course, with the exception of my hubby).  But really... she and I have been friends for over 10 years now.. yikes! The last couple of years have been really different for both of us.... we both got engaged and married in that time... I am truly so happy for her.  I miss her.

I miss the times we spent together as roomies in college.  You know those people who say... "don't room with your best friends... your friendship won't last..." they obviously don't know April.  She and I could do anything and everything together and love every second of it.  Laughing... and crying were our specialties... 'Friends' and chick flicks were our choice for entertainment when we weren't entertaining ourselves!

The past year or so I often wonder if our friendship is fading... because I want to spend as much time together as we did in high school and college... but we both know that is unrealistic.  We have entered the real world and all that comes with that.  Full time work... keeping up with the house work... cooking.... being a wife.. all that fun stuff!  While I am glad to be in this stage of life... I am truly loving my 20's!! I still have this longing for my daily best friend time.

Let me just tell you a little bit about this amazing woman of God.  She and I became friends while singing together in our youth praise band.  We knew we'd be best friends forever when during practice one day we were asked to test the microphones by talking/singing in them... so at the exact same time we both start singing, "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts... de-de-le... big ones small ones some as big as your head" a song from 'The Lion King'!  Weird, I know.  But it was at that moment we both knew!  I smile every time I think of that time.  April is the sweetest person you will ever meet.. and internet... I really hope you get to meet her sometime, she is a-mazing.  She is so kind, always thinking of others.  She seems quiet at first... but oh internet... you have no idea... she is not quiet!  Just put the two of us in a room and we will be laughing so hard we pee our pants and not remember why we started laughing. This is true friendship, let me tell you.

Sadly, I have realized that times have changed.  We have grown up and we cannot stay in high school/college mode.  Even though I sometimes debate on reverting to that time of my life. April and I have been forced to go weeks or even a month or so without seeing one another... this has been tough.  I am really starting to feel the effects of not having my April time.  I am a much nicer person when I get to spend time with her.  :)  She has that effect on people.  I wish there were more people in the world like her.  What a better place this would be, trust me on that.

Well... that is me... that is what has been running through my mind lately... over and over again.. how much I miss April.  How much I want to have my daily dose of her again.

That's me, internet. What about you?

Monday

TO DO's in 2010 Update....

I was at a loss for blog topics and I realized I had not updated my TO DO's in 2010 list! So lets reflect on this short, but fast, past couple of months.

#10.  Visit my brother in Denver, CO

Okay... This isn't true.  I drove THROUGH Denver, however, I did not get to visit my bro. :( I am pretty sad about that fact.  I can not truly, in good conscience, check this one off the list.  But, internet, know that I tried.

#11.  Go Skiing *check*

I went to Colorado (Winter Park) with our young adult group at church.  It was amazing!  I LOOOOOVE to ski. However, I was kind of bummed because I had back surgery about 4 years ago and I have not been able to ski since then. My family generally goes to Colorado every year around Christmas... which has always been one of my favorite trips! So this trip I was especially excited to get on the slopes! I was sad at the fact that I was much more nervous to ski than I anticipated.  I took it very slowly... and now I can't wait to get BACK on the slopes and show those slopes who's boss.

#19. Visit Columbia, MO *check*

Scott and I were fortunate to get free tickets to the MU vs Texas basketball game last wednesday.  It. was. a-mazing.  AND I got my favorite greek pizza at G&D's! yummm

#22. Watch the movie "Pride and Prejudice" *check*

My good friend Jen finally rented this movie for me to watch.... we started watching it at her house and got interrupted because my Mr. T and his friend does not enjoy chick flicks like us.  But I did get it completed, and I will admit that I was totally missing out!  I loved it.


For being February... I'm feeling pretty good.  However, I would feel much better about myself if I were putting #4,5,6 into practice.

Thursday

A Day Late...

Dear internet,

I am sorry that I have failed you this last couple of weeks.  Only posting once a week is a sin in the blogging world, and for that I apologize. I promise to make it up to you! :)

PS. I think you're cute! ;)

Okay, okay...  I know that I'm late with my post... but I have a very good excuse... I got free tickets to the Mizzou game last night!  I had to go! It was an amazing game!!!

This week I have really been contemplating why it is that I have a hard time taking compliments, let alone compliment myself.  I actually tend to put myself down rather than build myself up.

There it is... I am going to try really hard this week to make sure I compliment myself at least once a day.  I will let you know how that goes!

Wednesday

We Deserve Nothing... (Real Ray Wednesday)



Why do we think we are deserving of God's love? Why do we live as though it is a burden to be a child of God rather than live in amazement that we were given such an awesome gift of His grace?

Wow... these are some tough questions... at least for me... b/c as I have shared before... I am selfish!  I am prideful... I think I know what is best for me... when in fact I don't... I never will... I take the blessings I have for granted... I don't give enough credit to our God.... He is so much bigger than I am... and yet in my selfish skin I tend to try and make myself as big as He is. I tend to think I deserve anything He has to offer… what a slap in His face.  Needless to say… I have started a very humbling journey.

I am been reading 2 amazing books… 1st is Crazy Love by Francis Chan. A-mazing book! If you have read this book I’m sure you agree….I bet you would also like reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan it is amazing as well… this guy has it figured out and he isn’t afraid of being real. 

“The wildest part is that Jesus doesn’t have to love us.  His being is utterly complete and perfect, apart from humanity.  He doesn’t need me or you.  Yet He wants us, chooses us, even considers us His inheritance.
The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time.  He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this earth to be with Him—and we wonder, indifferently, how much we have to do for Him to get by.” (Crazy Love-Francis Chan)

Ouch… that really hit home with me.  Sadly, I am guilty of living in such a way that I find myself looking for ways to ‘fit Him in’ because I’m obligated. Just checking Him off my list… what a sad way to live.
I have begun to see His true love… His Crazy Love!  I think this should be a ‘Must Read’ on everyone’s book list. 

I’m only in chapter 4, but the Lord has truly started a work on my heart.  A transformation I never saw coming.  I am excited… nervous… but I trust Him.  I find myself truly wanting Him in a way I have never wanted Him before.  If only every second of everyday was consumed with that desire for Him.  

Real Ray Wednesday - Introduction

Okay... I have been trying to decide on a weekly blog topic for the last week or so.... I would like to introduce to you... REAL RAY WEDNESDAY!

I have a few friends that have really inspired me lately to be real... real with myself... real with everyone around me.  I sometimes find myself falling into the trap of the 'FACES' we put on in this world... and I have decided to challenge myself to BE REAL!  So join me every Wednesday for a 'Real Ray-ism'.

Real Ray-ism #1:

I am selfish.  Plain and simple... I tend to think of myself when I should think of others.

Sadly, I have been aware of this truth for a while and yet have decided to ignore it.  Now that I am stating this truth to the blog world... I feel a sense of accountability...

What is something real about you, on this Real Ray Wednesday?! :)

Tuesday

Anniversary-ness

Today marks Scott and I's 2 year wedding anniversary.!!

Wow... 2 years have flown by.  It feels like yesterday that we were taking pictures at Liberty Memorial with our best friends... and celebrating our commitment with one another with 450 other friends and family!

Our wedding day was by far my favorite day of my life thus far.... I loved every single second of the planning that went in to that day... and the day itself felt like nothing short of a dream... sometimes I wish I could wear my wedding dress... just because!

The Lord has truly blessed me beyond measure the last 2 years.  Scott shows me how to be calm.... to be honest with myself... to enjoy the down time in life.... Scott is truly my other 1/2... he's my best friend... honestly if I acted as dorky around my friends as I do around Scott... I probably wouldn't have near as many friends... :)  I love you, Scott!  Thank you for being such an amazing husband! I plan to keep you around...