My heart is heavy knowing that my sister in Christ, Sarah Bergquist, passed away yesterday. She was only 37 years old and yet, in her short life, she touched so many lives. Sarah was the type of person that once you met her, you wanted to be her friend. Unfortunately, I never knew her as well as others, but the conversations that I had with her at church showed me that she was full of Christ. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to teach two of her four children in Bible class. Jonah and Noah were so well behaved in class...I knew they were part of a wonderful family! I am not angry with God, but my humanness will never understand why things like this happen when so many prayers were lifted up for her. I will never forget her.
God, I thank you for the time that we had here on Earth with Sarah. Thank you for the examples of faith that Sarah, Scott, and the Duckworths have been for me. Please help me to learn from their examples...that you are faithful and to be glorified, no matter what the circumstance. Lord, I pray that you will fill Scott, Allen, and Becky with strength and peace during this difficult time. Most of all, I pray that you will comfort Hannah, Noah, Jonah, and Rachel as they deal with the loss of their mommy. Please let Sarah know what a difference she has made! I look forward to seeing her beautiful smile again some day! In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Happy Birthday, Margie!!
I just wanted to wish Margie a very happy birthday!! Hope you have a wonderful day!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Tradition!
I have to admit that I took this topic from Kelli's blog since I haven't had any ideas for mine the past few days. Now I have the song about traditions from Fiddler on the Roof stuck in my head! Christmas traditions are very important to me...maybe because it was something I could always count on staying the same as a child. In my family, Christmas Eve was always a very BIG deal. Every year we would go to my Nana's house and get to spend the evening with my aunt and my 3 cousins. No matter what, we could always count on my aunt and cousins to be late! In fact, we would tell them to be there at 5 if we wanted them there by 6! We would first have dinner (which became less formal as I got older) and then dessert. We ALWAYS had our special Christmas punch and Nana's chocolate ice box pie (my very favorite to this day!). Finally, after waiting on the adults to finish eating, it was time to open presents!! Someone would be "Santa" and would hand out all of the presents. Once all of the presents were handed out, we would all begin opening them at the same time. Believe it or not, we were still able to see what others got and we took the time to hug and thank our family for our gifts. My brother always teases me because I tend to take my time opening my gifts (delayed gratification) so that I still have one or two presents to open after everyone else is done. I know...it's slightly obnoxious, but it's a tradition so I must continue doing it :)! A few years ago, my brother hid one of his presents and then surprised me with it after I had opened all of mine. He really got me that time! A major part of our tradition involves singing. We start this at Thanksgiving and continue to sing on Christmas Eve. I love it!
Christmas morning was always special because that's when we got our "Santa" presents and stockings, even after we were older. My Nana only lived a few blocks away, so she would drive over and watch us open those gifts too. Our stockings always had some type of fruit in them and a new toothbrush with other more "fun" things. Christmas morning was when we got the more special gifts (or toys when we were kids). Now I know this might sound terrible, but one of the only good things (if you can call it that) out of coming from a broken home is that you end up celebrating holidays multiple times, which was always nice at Christmas. My brother, sister, and I would get ready for the day, put on a new outfit that we had opened, and would spend the rest of the day with my dad and grandparents on his side of the family. My dad's side always did a big meal, which included my grandma's sausage balls and mashed potatoes! Yum! After lunch with the family, we would open our stockings and presents. It was always a good time!
The past few years have called for some changes to our traditions, which isn't easy, but I guess it is a part of growing up. People move, get married, and things change, but this allows new traditions to be made! Last year, Tim and I drove into DC to look at the Christmas trees on Christmas Eve and we opened only one present (which was very hard for me!). This year we are having Christmas at my mom's new home in McKinney (where we currently live). It will be the first year that Tim is with us (yeah!) and the first year that my cousin, Robin, will be gone (she is actually moving to NOVA next week to be near her fiance). I am looking forward to the day when Tim and I have our own family and blend our traditions for our own children!
Christmas morning was always special because that's when we got our "Santa" presents and stockings, even after we were older. My Nana only lived a few blocks away, so she would drive over and watch us open those gifts too. Our stockings always had some type of fruit in them and a new toothbrush with other more "fun" things. Christmas morning was when we got the more special gifts (or toys when we were kids). Now I know this might sound terrible, but one of the only good things (if you can call it that) out of coming from a broken home is that you end up celebrating holidays multiple times, which was always nice at Christmas. My brother, sister, and I would get ready for the day, put on a new outfit that we had opened, and would spend the rest of the day with my dad and grandparents on his side of the family. My dad's side always did a big meal, which included my grandma's sausage balls and mashed potatoes! Yum! After lunch with the family, we would open our stockings and presents. It was always a good time!
The past few years have called for some changes to our traditions, which isn't easy, but I guess it is a part of growing up. People move, get married, and things change, but this allows new traditions to be made! Last year, Tim and I drove into DC to look at the Christmas trees on Christmas Eve and we opened only one present (which was very hard for me!). This year we are having Christmas at my mom's new home in McKinney (where we currently live). It will be the first year that Tim is with us (yeah!) and the first year that my cousin, Robin, will be gone (she is actually moving to NOVA next week to be near her fiance). I am looking forward to the day when Tim and I have our own family and blend our traditions for our own children!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!!
Yes, that's right folks! For the first time this winter, we have some snow in Texas!! The past two days it has been close to 80 degrees and then yesterday we had a major cold front move in (known on the news as Arctic Blast!) that caused the temperatures to drop almost 40 degrees in a matter of 1-2 hours. It was so cool! We had a tornado watch for most of the day, major thunder and lightning into the evening, and then came the ice! Poor Tim had to run across the street to my Nana's house at midnight because her smoke alarms were going off due to the lightning storm. He ended up having to call the fire department because water was leaking into her house through one of them. What a night!
We hit our high for the day this morning at 35 and the temperatures have been dropping ever since with more precipitation. Luckily, the streets aren't too bad, but people around here certainly aren't used to this. Unfortunately, the snow that started coming down this afternoon isn't sticking, except on the rooftops, but it is snow nonetheless. I only wish I were in my hometown of OKC right now where they were supposed to get up to 5 inches! I am really going to miss the beautiful snow of Virginia, but this little winter storm has made it feel a lot more like Christmas!
We hit our high for the day this morning at 35 and the temperatures have been dropping ever since with more precipitation. Luckily, the streets aren't too bad, but people around here certainly aren't used to this. Unfortunately, the snow that started coming down this afternoon isn't sticking, except on the rooftops, but it is snow nonetheless. I only wish I were in my hometown of OKC right now where they were supposed to get up to 5 inches! I am really going to miss the beautiful snow of Virginia, but this little winter storm has made it feel a lot more like Christmas!
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Six Weird Things About Me
How excited was I to get tagged by Kelli to write about my weirdness?! Seriously, I have been contemplating weird things that I do and have even asked my mom and Tim to help me with this list. Kelli, I have to tell you that I completely agree with the toilet paper and pillow remarks...I do the same thing!! Ok, here goes...
1. I don't like candy. Period. I think this is part of the reason that I'm not a big fan of Halloween, but seriously, there isn't any type of candy that I ever crave. I never go down those aisles in the grocery store.
2. I'm obsessed with plucking my eyebrows! When I was a kid they were terrible and once I started plucking them, I couldn't stop. Now whenever I notice them growing back, I head to the bathroom and grab my tweezers.
3. According to Tim, I squint my eyes whenever I drink out of a glass. He is always making fun of me for this and I have no idea why I do it!
4. I have had 14 teeth extractions in my lifetime. Now I'm sure you are wondering if I am missing 14 of my teeth and of course that's not the case. I had an incredibly overcrowded mouth, so when I was a kid I had 6 baby teeth pulled. Once my permanent teeth came in, I had 4 molars pulled and finally had all 4 of my wisdom teeth extracted. I have been to the dentist so much that I actually enjoy going...yes, I know...weird!
5. I cannot stand hair that is not attached!! I won't go into detail here, but I get very grossed out by hair, especially when it is in the bathroom sink or on the floor. Yuck!
6. I saved this one for last because, to tell you the truth, I am a bit embarassed by it! I enjoy making lists so much that when I was in high school, I kept track of what I wore every day so that I didn't repeat my outfits too soon. Is that scary or what?! There...I said it and now it is out in the open. One of my deepest, darkest secrets :)! Shh...don't tell!
Well, now you all know 6 more weird things about me! Since most of the FXCC crowd has been tagged (and not many others read my blog), I will tag my good friends from Oklahoma...Carrie C., Theresa, and Carrie S. Now I'll know if they are reading my blog :)!
1. I don't like candy. Period. I think this is part of the reason that I'm not a big fan of Halloween, but seriously, there isn't any type of candy that I ever crave. I never go down those aisles in the grocery store.
2. I'm obsessed with plucking my eyebrows! When I was a kid they were terrible and once I started plucking them, I couldn't stop. Now whenever I notice them growing back, I head to the bathroom and grab my tweezers.
3. According to Tim, I squint my eyes whenever I drink out of a glass. He is always making fun of me for this and I have no idea why I do it!
4. I have had 14 teeth extractions in my lifetime. Now I'm sure you are wondering if I am missing 14 of my teeth and of course that's not the case. I had an incredibly overcrowded mouth, so when I was a kid I had 6 baby teeth pulled. Once my permanent teeth came in, I had 4 molars pulled and finally had all 4 of my wisdom teeth extracted. I have been to the dentist so much that I actually enjoy going...yes, I know...weird!
5. I cannot stand hair that is not attached!! I won't go into detail here, but I get very grossed out by hair, especially when it is in the bathroom sink or on the floor. Yuck!
6. I saved this one for last because, to tell you the truth, I am a bit embarassed by it! I enjoy making lists so much that when I was in high school, I kept track of what I wore every day so that I didn't repeat my outfits too soon. Is that scary or what?! There...I said it and now it is out in the open. One of my deepest, darkest secrets :)! Shh...don't tell!
Well, now you all know 6 more weird things about me! Since most of the FXCC crowd has been tagged (and not many others read my blog), I will tag my good friends from Oklahoma...Carrie C., Theresa, and Carrie S. Now I'll know if they are reading my blog :)!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Christmas is Coming...
I can't believe that in 4 short weeks, Christmas will have come and gone! Am I the only one who feels like it sneaks up on them every year? I absolutely love the holiday season, but it just hasn't hit me that it is about to be December. Maybe that's because of this strange Texas weather. We had some cold days a few weeks ago, but today the high is supposed to be around 80 degrees. The strange thing is that an arctic cold front is moving through this week and the high on Thursday is only supposed to be 35 degrees with lows in the teens!! What a shock that will be, but I really can't wait! Maybe if I wear a sweater it will feel more like Christmas time :)! I think I will find WASH FM and play Christmas music all day like Kelli!
We had a good Thanksgiving here in McKinney. It was the first year for my cousin, Kyle, to host, but it was excellent. We were so blessed to have such good food to eat and to be surrounded by loved ones. My cousin, Robin, is moving in two weeks to Stafford, VA where her fiance lives. We are really going to miss her at Christmas, but hope that she will love her new home! Unfortunately, my sister wasn't able to be here with us and we missed being with the Kerbys too, but we will see them all very soon. The best part of the weekend was watching Texas lose to A&M and watching the Sooners beat Oklahoma State!!! For those of you who don't know, this means that the Sooners will be playing Nebraska this weekend in the Big 12 Championship! Go Sooners! We are very excited around here :)!
Some other news...Tim is loving his job and is doing really well, although he hasn't made a sale yet. It typically takes several months (maybe 6) to get this kind of business up and running, but it will happen if he is dedicated (and he is!). I still do not have a job yet. For those of you who knew about my major day of stressful interviews a few weeks ago...thank you so much for keeping me in your prayers. I did really well and found out that they were really pleased with me, but don't have any openings that meet my qualifications at this point. The plan is to keep in touch with me in case something becomes available. I applied for a job with the county yesterday and they want me to come in either today or sometime this week for an interview. I have a really good feeling about this one, so please pray that God will lead me to the right job. We are really starting to feel some financial pressure and this is the worst time of year for something like that, especially when you love to give gifts like we do. Thankfully, our families understand, but it is still a bit discouraging. What I do know is that God does have a plan for us and that it will be revealed to us at just the right time. Hope you all are having a great week!
We had a good Thanksgiving here in McKinney. It was the first year for my cousin, Kyle, to host, but it was excellent. We were so blessed to have such good food to eat and to be surrounded by loved ones. My cousin, Robin, is moving in two weeks to Stafford, VA where her fiance lives. We are really going to miss her at Christmas, but hope that she will love her new home! Unfortunately, my sister wasn't able to be here with us and we missed being with the Kerbys too, but we will see them all very soon. The best part of the weekend was watching Texas lose to A&M and watching the Sooners beat Oklahoma State!!! For those of you who don't know, this means that the Sooners will be playing Nebraska this weekend in the Big 12 Championship! Go Sooners! We are very excited around here :)!
Some other news...Tim is loving his job and is doing really well, although he hasn't made a sale yet. It typically takes several months (maybe 6) to get this kind of business up and running, but it will happen if he is dedicated (and he is!). I still do not have a job yet. For those of you who knew about my major day of stressful interviews a few weeks ago...thank you so much for keeping me in your prayers. I did really well and found out that they were really pleased with me, but don't have any openings that meet my qualifications at this point. The plan is to keep in touch with me in case something becomes available. I applied for a job with the county yesterday and they want me to come in either today or sometime this week for an interview. I have a really good feeling about this one, so please pray that God will lead me to the right job. We are really starting to feel some financial pressure and this is the worst time of year for something like that, especially when you love to give gifts like we do. Thankfully, our families understand, but it is still a bit discouraging. What I do know is that God does have a plan for us and that it will be revealed to us at just the right time. Hope you all are having a great week!
Friday, November 03, 2006
The Latest
Well, not a lot has happened this past week, but I will fill you in anyway! Saturday night, Tim and I went to my friend, Gordon's wedding, near downtown Dallas. It was our first Jewish wedding and we were late because it was incredibly hard to find. Since the front doors were locked (it was basically in a one room warehouse in the artsy district), the police officer directing traffic let us in the back door. We had to stay behind the curtains they had up for decoration, but we were able to peek through and see everything with a really nice view. It was pretty cool! The wedding started at 8 and was over by 8:30, but the reception lasted forever!! We stayed until 12:30 and it was still going. Anyway, it was nice to experience some different traditions. I even looked up the Jewish wedding traditions online the next day so I could understand the meaning behind some things.
Monday was Tim's first actual day in the office. He had a superstar day booking lots of appointments for the next few days (way more than was expected)! Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get any sales, but he has made relationships with some people who he will follow up with. Needless to say, he is doing a great job for his first week! The branch manager and another head guy in the office asked Tim to go to the Dallas Stars game with them on Wednesday night. He got to sit in the Platinum section where they actually bring dinner to you. He had a great time! Today is his first day in the field by himself. That wasn't supposed to happen yet, but they are short on trainers today, so he is braving it alone. I'm sure he will do great!
I've had a slight setback in my teaching plans and am now totally confused as to what to do with my life. I talked with some of the programs this week and although technically I could get hired somewhere and be taking my classes, it won't happen right away. One program is already closed for the Spring and another one starts in January. They recommend taking the 3 workshops that I need (totalling about 120 hours in the classroom) this Spring and then I would start teaching (my internship where I get paid) next fall. The problem with this plan is what do I do for work until next fall?! Subbing doesn't pay enough and most full-time jobs are not going to let me leave early so I can get to class before it starts at 5:00. I have been really bummed about this all week. They suggest that you get the training over with before teaching so you are prepared to teach. Plus, it is extremely difficult to have your own class where you grade papers, have conferences, etc. and be taking classes of your own. On another note, I did have an interview over the phone this week for an HR job. I think the interview went well, but they are trying to decide where I would fit best. We'll see. If I get a job offer from them, then the teaching thing will definitely be out of the picture, at least for this stage in my life. As you can see, I've been in some turmoil over this, but I don't really think there is anything I can do about it (hard for me to admit). I think I just have to sit back for a while and see where God leads me.
In the meantime, I've been hanging out at my mom's house taking care of a bunch of odds and ends. Who would have thought that there would be so many things go wrong with a brand new house?! Today we found out that the upstairs shower is leaking into the light fixture above the shower downstairs. What a nightmare! At the same time, the garage door openers weren't working, the refrigerator is leaking inside...just to name a few! The builders have really gotten to know me as I seem to be calling them almost everyday!
I'm super excited about this weekend! My best friend, Carrie, is coming down to visit with her husband (also a good friend of mine) and her two kids. I last saw her in May when she flew up to Virginia, so I'm excited to spend some time with her. This time it is just a few hours drive, so much more convenient. Her little girl, Addie, turned 11 months old yesterday, and Zachary is 3. They are like family to me! Well, that's all for now. Hope you all have a great weekend!
Monday was Tim's first actual day in the office. He had a superstar day booking lots of appointments for the next few days (way more than was expected)! Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get any sales, but he has made relationships with some people who he will follow up with. Needless to say, he is doing a great job for his first week! The branch manager and another head guy in the office asked Tim to go to the Dallas Stars game with them on Wednesday night. He got to sit in the Platinum section where they actually bring dinner to you. He had a great time! Today is his first day in the field by himself. That wasn't supposed to happen yet, but they are short on trainers today, so he is braving it alone. I'm sure he will do great!
I've had a slight setback in my teaching plans and am now totally confused as to what to do with my life. I talked with some of the programs this week and although technically I could get hired somewhere and be taking my classes, it won't happen right away. One program is already closed for the Spring and another one starts in January. They recommend taking the 3 workshops that I need (totalling about 120 hours in the classroom) this Spring and then I would start teaching (my internship where I get paid) next fall. The problem with this plan is what do I do for work until next fall?! Subbing doesn't pay enough and most full-time jobs are not going to let me leave early so I can get to class before it starts at 5:00. I have been really bummed about this all week. They suggest that you get the training over with before teaching so you are prepared to teach. Plus, it is extremely difficult to have your own class where you grade papers, have conferences, etc. and be taking classes of your own. On another note, I did have an interview over the phone this week for an HR job. I think the interview went well, but they are trying to decide where I would fit best. We'll see. If I get a job offer from them, then the teaching thing will definitely be out of the picture, at least for this stage in my life. As you can see, I've been in some turmoil over this, but I don't really think there is anything I can do about it (hard for me to admit). I think I just have to sit back for a while and see where God leads me.
In the meantime, I've been hanging out at my mom's house taking care of a bunch of odds and ends. Who would have thought that there would be so many things go wrong with a brand new house?! Today we found out that the upstairs shower is leaking into the light fixture above the shower downstairs. What a nightmare! At the same time, the garage door openers weren't working, the refrigerator is leaking inside...just to name a few! The builders have really gotten to know me as I seem to be calling them almost everyday!
I'm super excited about this weekend! My best friend, Carrie, is coming down to visit with her husband (also a good friend of mine) and her two kids. I last saw her in May when she flew up to Virginia, so I'm excited to spend some time with her. This time it is just a few hours drive, so much more convenient. Her little girl, Addie, turned 11 months old yesterday, and Zachary is 3. They are like family to me! Well, that's all for now. Hope you all have a great weekend!
Friday, October 27, 2006
Trust
Well, exactly 4 weeks ago today was my last day at work. Since then, I have enjoyed some much needed time off! However, the worrier in me sometimes finds it hard to relax when I know that I do need a job. I have a phone interview set up for next week...it was originally supposed to be on Monday afternoon, but they've already called me to reschedule it for Wednesday afternoon. This is the same company that has jerked me around before, so I'm just hoping that I actually get an interview this time. We'll see. In the meantime, I am waiting to get permission from the school district to let me sit in on some of the different classes at the nearby elementary. My mom has a friend who works there and she wants me to be able to go to several different grade levels to see what I like the best. I talked to the school district this week and found out that I could easily start teaching soon. All I need to do is take my transcripts (I packed those suckers along with the title to my car...now if only I could find the right box with all of my important stuff in it!!) down the road to the community college and they will be able to tell me what I am lacking in order to get certified. Once I have enrolled to take classes, the school district will hire me and I can immediately start teaching. They consider it an internship while I'm completing my certification, but I get paid the same as a first year teacher and I would get benefits. The cool thing is that my salary would be more than I was originally making when I moved to DC and that's good money down here :)!! This has really got me excited, but I am still confused about what the right decision is for me and for Tim at this point. I wish I knew God's will for my life, but I guess it wouldn't be faith then, huh? I am just SO not good at trusting Him to lead me in the right direction even though He's NEVER let me down. He is so good to me! I feel like all the signs are pointing to me to teach and that I could be really happy with that, but how do I know that it is coming from Him and not me? This is something that I always struggle with. Anyway, please keep me in your prayers that I will find a job that will be good for us.
On another note, Tim is super excited about his job!! He has been coming home from training all week and telling me all the cool facts and details. I LOVE seeing him so passionate about something, especially when he knows that he can help so many people! I think he's as excited about this as he is fantasy football, which is a HUGE deal...trust me :)! Steve and Karin got in last night from their trip with Karin's mom and sisters to Branson. We had a great time visiting with them! They are out right now taking Tim shopping for things he needs for his new job...briefcase, organizers, clothes, etc. Unfortunately, my mom's plumber is coming at some point this afternoon, so I'm chillin' here waiting to take care of that. They will be here until tomorrow afternoon, so we plan to pack in some fun stuff while they are here. Hope you all have a great fall weekend and don't forget to change your clocks (I hate when it gets dark early!!).
On another note, Tim is super excited about his job!! He has been coming home from training all week and telling me all the cool facts and details. I LOVE seeing him so passionate about something, especially when he knows that he can help so many people! I think he's as excited about this as he is fantasy football, which is a HUGE deal...trust me :)! Steve and Karin got in last night from their trip with Karin's mom and sisters to Branson. We had a great time visiting with them! They are out right now taking Tim shopping for things he needs for his new job...briefcase, organizers, clothes, etc. Unfortunately, my mom's plumber is coming at some point this afternoon, so I'm chillin' here waiting to take care of that. They will be here until tomorrow afternoon, so we plan to pack in some fun stuff while they are here. Hope you all have a great fall weekend and don't forget to change your clocks (I hate when it gets dark early!!).
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Gotta Love the Bradys
| You Are Marcia Brady |
 Confident yet kind. Popular yet down to earth. You're a total dream girl. You've got the total package - no wonder everyone's a little jealous of you. |
Monday, October 23, 2006
Life in Texas
As Tim likes to say, "Head West until you smell it...head South until you step in it." That's what we did three weeks ago today :)! I truly cannot believe that we have been here that long already. It has been a very busy three weeks! After we arrived in McKinney and unloaded our things into my grandmother's garage, we spent the following week helping my mom move into her new house, which is where we are currently living. I have never been so tired of moving and I know we will have to do it again once we find a house for us!! In the meantime, Tim studied hard for his insurance licensing test and passed it this past Saturday. We are really excited about his new job. He starts training tomorrow and will be working in the field with another agent very soon! I, on the other hand, am still looking for a job. I have several things in the works right now and am also still researching what it takes for me to be a teacher. I have applied to be a volunteer at the local elementary school (where my mom's friend teaches), so that I can sit in on some classes and get an idea of what a full day is like. I am looking forward to doing something that I will enjoy, but I can't say that being off work hasn't been nice!! I'm not one to get bored easily...if only we didn't have pesky bills to pay :)!
We went to Abilene the second weekend that we were here to go to homecoming events and to see my brother. It was great to watch Tim play his trumpet with the band during the homecoming parade and then see Tim and my brother, Darren, stand on stage with the choir at the chorale concert and sing "The Lord Bless You and Keep You," an ACU tradition. ACU is having one of the best football season's ever, so everyone was really excited. I think they are 7-0. Tim and I also attended a dinner for his 5-year reunion. It was nice, but a little awkward for me since I didn't know anyone and Tim's closest college friends weren't there. Now I know what he will feel like at my 10-yr. high school reunion this year!
Speaking of high school reunions, my mom just had three of her closest friends from high school come to stay with us this past weekend. They were people I had heard of all my life and it was great to finally meet them. Tim was studying, so I spent a lot of time hanging out with them and my mom (maybe strange to some of you), but I thought it was great hearing them reminisce and finding out how many people I know that they know. It's such a small world!
Tim and I have visited two churches so far...one was Greenville Oaks located in Allen, which is where my mom, grandma, aunt, and uncle go. Yesterday we visited Farmer's Branch. We haven't had a bad experience yet and may end up at one of these two, but we aren't through looking just yet. That's what happens when you actually have choices...you spend time trying to find the right church that meets both of your needs. I am just ready to settle on a church and start making friends!! In some ways it can be easier church hunting with someone so you aren't sitting by yourself and alone, but on the other hand, it can be challenging because you want to find a place where both of you can be happy! I just pray that we can find a place soon.
Well, we have our first visitors coming this week!! Steve and Karin will be here on Thursday and we can't wait to see them. They flew into Dallas this past Saturday, but have been in Branson, MO all week with Karin's mom and her sisters. We are looking forward to catching up and showing them around!
I guess that's all the big news I have to report so far. I'm sure I've missed things, but maybe I'll do a better job of blogging now so I don't have to try to remember so far back. Hope all of you are doing well...would love to have you come visit and stay with us anytime!! Love and miss you all!
We went to Abilene the second weekend that we were here to go to homecoming events and to see my brother. It was great to watch Tim play his trumpet with the band during the homecoming parade and then see Tim and my brother, Darren, stand on stage with the choir at the chorale concert and sing "The Lord Bless You and Keep You," an ACU tradition. ACU is having one of the best football season's ever, so everyone was really excited. I think they are 7-0. Tim and I also attended a dinner for his 5-year reunion. It was nice, but a little awkward for me since I didn't know anyone and Tim's closest college friends weren't there. Now I know what he will feel like at my 10-yr. high school reunion this year!
Speaking of high school reunions, my mom just had three of her closest friends from high school come to stay with us this past weekend. They were people I had heard of all my life and it was great to finally meet them. Tim was studying, so I spent a lot of time hanging out with them and my mom (maybe strange to some of you), but I thought it was great hearing them reminisce and finding out how many people I know that they know. It's such a small world!
Tim and I have visited two churches so far...one was Greenville Oaks located in Allen, which is where my mom, grandma, aunt, and uncle go. Yesterday we visited Farmer's Branch. We haven't had a bad experience yet and may end up at one of these two, but we aren't through looking just yet. That's what happens when you actually have choices...you spend time trying to find the right church that meets both of your needs. I am just ready to settle on a church and start making friends!! In some ways it can be easier church hunting with someone so you aren't sitting by yourself and alone, but on the other hand, it can be challenging because you want to find a place where both of you can be happy! I just pray that we can find a place soon.
Well, we have our first visitors coming this week!! Steve and Karin will be here on Thursday and we can't wait to see them. They flew into Dallas this past Saturday, but have been in Branson, MO all week with Karin's mom and her sisters. We are looking forward to catching up and showing them around!
I guess that's all the big news I have to report so far. I'm sure I've missed things, but maybe I'll do a better job of blogging now so I don't have to try to remember so far back. Hope all of you are doing well...would love to have you come visit and stay with us anytime!! Love and miss you all!
Monday, August 21, 2006
Back from the Beach
As most of you know, we just got back from spending a week in St. Thomas. Thankfully, we all made it home safely after driving on the opposite side of the road all week…what a scare at times! It was truly a wonderful vacation!! Getting up this morning for work was extra difficult since I was getting used to not setting an alarm and just waking up whenever I felt like it…not to mention that all last week I could just wake up and go directly to the beach! On Monday, the whole Kerby clan (me, Tim, Matt, Ian, Val, Steve, and Karin) went on a seven hour boat trip that included two stops for swimming/snorkeling off the coast of St. John (I saw a sting ray!) and a wonderful lunch on board the boat. I had only tried snorkeling once before (on our honeymoon) and was a little reluctant about spending a full day on a boat, but it turned out to be a fabulous day!
One day, Karin, Val, and I drove into town to do some shopping while Matt and Tim were playing golf. It was such an interesting shopping area with high end stores as well as a vendor tent area where you could try to bargain with the locals. Most of the stores were jewelry stores and all three of us ended up with some jewelry by the end of the trip. While Steve and Karin took a dinner cruise, the rest of us found a local restaurant called Iggie’s, where we ate on the beach and had some of the best crab legs ever!! I’ve never seen Ian eat so much! On another day, we all went to Coki Beach where we could snorkel from the beach and we also walked to the nearby Coral World aquarium where we say sharks, barracuda, sting rays, etc. Ian loved this experience!
I probably spent the majority of the vacation lying on my beach towel out at the beach and I am proud to say that I have the best “tan” I’ve ever had! Of course, now the peeling begins! I have to share one of the numerous cute things that Ian said to me last week…when I was showing him that my nose was red and was starting to peel, he said, “Oh, just like a banana!” I said, “Well, sort of.” Then later that same day, he asked me if my nose was going to peel off…as if the whole thing would disappear! Part of his questioning was probably due to the fact that Steve decided to shave off his moustache mid-week so his snorkel mask fit better. Ian kept talking about Papa’s missing moustache and asking us where he left it!! Don’t you love three-year old’s thought processes?! One of the most “interesting” things about St. Thomas is that there are iguanas and lizards everywhere. They especially love to hang out with you on the beach! Believe it or not, I didn’t freak out about them, but I definitely had my eye on them the whole time, making sure they didn’t get too close.
Not every vacation is perfect…we had a few issues with the resort and the mosquitoes loved biting me and Tim (I think we both ended up with over twenty bites…not fun!), but all in all it was a great trip! Now back to reality!!
One day, Karin, Val, and I drove into town to do some shopping while Matt and Tim were playing golf. It was such an interesting shopping area with high end stores as well as a vendor tent area where you could try to bargain with the locals. Most of the stores were jewelry stores and all three of us ended up with some jewelry by the end of the trip. While Steve and Karin took a dinner cruise, the rest of us found a local restaurant called Iggie’s, where we ate on the beach and had some of the best crab legs ever!! I’ve never seen Ian eat so much! On another day, we all went to Coki Beach where we could snorkel from the beach and we also walked to the nearby Coral World aquarium where we say sharks, barracuda, sting rays, etc. Ian loved this experience!
I probably spent the majority of the vacation lying on my beach towel out at the beach and I am proud to say that I have the best “tan” I’ve ever had! Of course, now the peeling begins! I have to share one of the numerous cute things that Ian said to me last week…when I was showing him that my nose was red and was starting to peel, he said, “Oh, just like a banana!” I said, “Well, sort of.” Then later that same day, he asked me if my nose was going to peel off…as if the whole thing would disappear! Part of his questioning was probably due to the fact that Steve decided to shave off his moustache mid-week so his snorkel mask fit better. Ian kept talking about Papa’s missing moustache and asking us where he left it!! Don’t you love three-year old’s thought processes?! One of the most “interesting” things about St. Thomas is that there are iguanas and lizards everywhere. They especially love to hang out with you on the beach! Believe it or not, I didn’t freak out about them, but I definitely had my eye on them the whole time, making sure they didn’t get too close.
Not every vacation is perfect…we had a few issues with the resort and the mosquitoes loved biting me and Tim (I think we both ended up with over twenty bites…not fun!), but all in all it was a great trip! Now back to reality!!
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
No Longer a Newlywed
This past weekend, Tim and I celebrated our one-year anniversary, so we are officially no longer newlyweds. I cannot believe how quickly this past year went by…guess time flies when you’re in love!! We celebrated by going to 701 restaurant in DC, watching the sunset over the Potomac from the Jefferson Memorial, and dancing to our song, “Love Remains.” It was the perfect evening! Tim surprised me by giving me a pair of beautiful diamond earrings. I love them! He also gave me a cute book about love to keep with the paper theme of the first anniversary. He even gave up video games for the weekend, just to spend time with me! I am so very blessed to have him as my husband for the rest of my life! Tim, I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries and special moments with you!! I love you!!
Monday, March 20, 2006
I'm a Six
"I am affectionate and skeptical"
How to Get Along with Me
Be direct and clear.
Listen to me carefully.
Don't judge me for my anxiety.
Work things through with me.
Reassure me that everything is OK between us.
Laugh and make jokes with me.
Gently push me toward new experiences.
Try not to overreact to my overreacting.
What I Like About Being a Six
being committed and faithful to family and friends
being responsible and hardworking
being compassionate toward others
having intellect and wit
being a nonconformist
confronting danger bravely
being direct and assertive
What's Hard About Being a Six
the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind
procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself
fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of
exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger
wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right
being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations
Sixes as Children Often
are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn
are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger
form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent
look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel
are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent
Sixes as Parents
are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty
are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence
worry more than most that their children will get hurt
sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries
Link: The Quick and Painless ENNEAGRAM Test written by felk on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test
Questioners are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.
How to Get Along with Me
What I Like About Being a Six
What's Hard About Being a Six
Sixes as Children Often
Sixes as Parents
Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele
The Enneagram Made Easy
Discover the 9 Types of People
HarperSanFrancisco, 1994, 161 pages
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Tagged by Kelli
Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.
1. I'm About To Be Brilliant
2. badbadivy
3. musings from malicious
4. Kelli's Ramblings
5. Thoughts from the Newlywed
Next, select 5 people to tag:
Val, Jill Y, Sammie, Jacque, Daisha
What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was a junior in high school taking the ACT and trying to decide where I wanted to go to college.
What were you doing 1 year ago?
Planning my wedding
Five snacks you enjoy
1. Chips and dip
2. Dr. Pepper
3. Sonic tator tots
4. Peanut butter bars
5. Cheese and crackers
Five songs to which you know all the lyrics
1. Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts)
2. Love Remains (Collin Raye)
3. Numerous Norah Jones’ songs
4. Tons of church songs
5. Embarrassingly, some rap from high school…Regulators (Snoop Dog)
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire
1. Pay off all debt
2. Give more to church/charities
3. Buy a house
4. Buy my mom a house
5. Travel
Five bad habits
1. Negativity
2. Not exercising
3. Not eating right
4. Not reading the Bible as much as I should
5. Hitting snooze too many times in the morning
Five things you like doing
1. Spending time with Tim
2. Being with family and friends
3. Talking on the phone
4. Eating
5. Watching movies
Five things you would never wear again
1. Tee ties
2. Banana clips in my hair
3. Jellies
4. Braided belts
5. Jeans with pink laces up the sides
Five favorite toys
1. Digital Camera
2. Laptop
3. Cell phone
4. CD player
5. DVD player
1. I'm About To Be Brilliant
2. badbadivy
3. musings from malicious
4. Kelli's Ramblings
5. Thoughts from the Newlywed
Next, select 5 people to tag:
Val, Jill Y, Sammie, Jacque, Daisha
What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was a junior in high school taking the ACT and trying to decide where I wanted to go to college.
What were you doing 1 year ago?
Planning my wedding
Five snacks you enjoy
1. Chips and dip
2. Dr. Pepper
3. Sonic tator tots
4. Peanut butter bars
5. Cheese and crackers
Five songs to which you know all the lyrics
1. Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts)
2. Love Remains (Collin Raye)
3. Numerous Norah Jones’ songs
4. Tons of church songs
5. Embarrassingly, some rap from high school…Regulators (Snoop Dog)
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire
1. Pay off all debt
2. Give more to church/charities
3. Buy a house
4. Buy my mom a house
5. Travel
Five bad habits
1. Negativity
2. Not exercising
3. Not eating right
4. Not reading the Bible as much as I should
5. Hitting snooze too many times in the morning
Five things you like doing
1. Spending time with Tim
2. Being with family and friends
3. Talking on the phone
4. Eating
5. Watching movies
Five things you would never wear again
1. Tee ties
2. Banana clips in my hair
3. Jellies
4. Braided belts
5. Jeans with pink laces up the sides
Five favorite toys
1. Digital Camera
2. Laptop
3. Cell phone
4. CD player
5. DVD player
Thursday, February 16, 2006
What a Week!!
This has been such an awesome week for me (ok, so I can be a bit childish when it comes to celebrating my birthday but who cares!)!! I absolutely loved the snow we had this past weekend, because it just isn't winter without some snow! Staying in allowed me to relax a bit more before the week began. On Sunday night, the Kerbys took me to Carrabba's for a pre-birthday dinner. It was so great spending time with all of them and getting to see Ian who helped me open every card and present :)!!
My birthday was a great day, although the thought of being 27 makes me feel like I need to have it all together by now! I had planned to leave work early and so the day just flew by. After work, I had to make a trip to the mall to purchase Tim's Valentine's Day gift and card. We both knew that we were going to be there at the same time and were just hoping not to run into each other (Tim had procrastinated too!). I had just finished my stop at Hallmark and was headed down the escalator to Godiva chocolate when I spotted Tim making a purchase at the customer service desk. I wanted so badly to hide so that he wouldn't see me and wouldn't know that I saw him buying my gift. I ran into a crowd of people and was taking the long way to Godiva when I noticed that he was headed up on the escalator. He slowly turned his head to scout out the open area of the mall, so I had to duck down behind a purse kiosk. I felt so ridiculous and just wanted to bust out laughing, but no one was with me to find it funny, so I just smiled to myself. I hurried to pick out the 16 pieces of chocolate and left the mall before he could see me. We laughted about this later!
Anyway, Tim surprised me by taking me to my all-time favorite restaurant, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse!! It was awesome! He knows that the way to my heart is through good food! Since we went out the night before we decided to stay in, order pizza, and watch the Olympics in our pajamas. Tim bought me a beautiful locket to have as a keepsake. In addition to that, my father-in-law stopped by on his way home from work and brought me a beautiful bouqet of peach tipped roses. How many father-in-laws do things like that?! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family. It was a great Valentine's Day!! Hope you all have had a good week too! Friday is almost here!
My birthday was a great day, although the thought of being 27 makes me feel like I need to have it all together by now! I had planned to leave work early and so the day just flew by. After work, I had to make a trip to the mall to purchase Tim's Valentine's Day gift and card. We both knew that we were going to be there at the same time and were just hoping not to run into each other (Tim had procrastinated too!). I had just finished my stop at Hallmark and was headed down the escalator to Godiva chocolate when I spotted Tim making a purchase at the customer service desk. I wanted so badly to hide so that he wouldn't see me and wouldn't know that I saw him buying my gift. I ran into a crowd of people and was taking the long way to Godiva when I noticed that he was headed up on the escalator. He slowly turned his head to scout out the open area of the mall, so I had to duck down behind a purse kiosk. I felt so ridiculous and just wanted to bust out laughing, but no one was with me to find it funny, so I just smiled to myself. I hurried to pick out the 16 pieces of chocolate and left the mall before he could see me. We laughted about this later!
Anyway, Tim surprised me by taking me to my all-time favorite restaurant, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse!! It was awesome! He knows that the way to my heart is through good food! Since we went out the night before we decided to stay in, order pizza, and watch the Olympics in our pajamas. Tim bought me a beautiful locket to have as a keepsake. In addition to that, my father-in-law stopped by on his way home from work and brought me a beautiful bouqet of peach tipped roses. How many father-in-laws do things like that?! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family. It was a great Valentine's Day!! Hope you all have had a good week too! Friday is almost here!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
4 Things
Four jobs I've had in my life:
- Hostess at Steak & Ale
- Career Services Student Worker at Pepperdine
- Law Firm Receptionist
- Human Capital Consultant
Four movies I would watch over and over:
- When Harry Met Sally
- Sixteen Candles
- The Breakfast Club
- Top Gun
Four books I could read over and over:
- Pride and Prejudice
- DaVinci Code
- The Road Less Traveled
- John Grisham books
Four places I have lived:
- Oklahoma (OKC and Tulsa)
- Malibu, CA
- Heidelberg, Germany
- DC Metro Area (Silver Spring, Rockville, Herndon)
Four TV shows I like to watch:
- Jeopardy
- The Apprentice
- Project Runway (Tim got me hooked!)
- Love Monkey
Four places I have been on vacation:
- Red River, NM
- NYC
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- Jamaica
Four websites I visit daily:
- Pepperdine alumni email
- Bank of America
- Kelli's blog (I love seeing pictures of Rachel!)
- Job websites
Four of my favorite foods:
- Steak and mashed potatoes
- Spaghetti
- Pizza
- Fajitas
Four places I would rather be right now:
- Home with Tim
- OK
- TX
- CA
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