lately

"there is nothing i am missing. i have everything i was supposed to have to experience the magnitude of this story, to dance wtih God." --don miller, through painted deserts

1 corinthians 7:29, the message
"i do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. there is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. keep it simple -- in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. even in ordinary things -- your daily routines of shopping, and so on. deal as sparingly as possible wtih the things the world thrusts on you. this world as you see it is on it's way out."

i need to simplify things. i need to slow down and enjoy the dance i am in with God. i need to simplify, get rid of, purge my life of things i don't need. not only in my "life", meaningless activities and time suckers. but also in my house, material things i thought i needed once and never really did. i have too much stuff, and i never seem to stop buying. and it's got to stop. my life and my heart and my house are becoming cluttered with so much "stuff" that i can't hardly see the light, the goodness, the simplicity that is sitting with God and soaking him in. reading and reflecting on that book really got me thinking of things i can do to ramp it down, step back and get rid of. i feel like i can't ever have enough stuff. i am beginning to think that my heart needs work too. do i have a greatful heart? am i truly thankful for the blessings we have: good jobs, a roof over our heads, groceries in the pantry, cars to drive, clothes to wear? or am i too caught up with the need to buy new things, have new clothes to take the tags off of, new shampoo, new card making things, a new book, new shoes? what is my heart: blessed, or greedy?

and what is my motivation for buying so much for other people? i know that one of my love languages is gifts, how i show i love people is by blessing them with things. but that's just it... they are just things. and is it really generosity that spurs me to buy things to send to my friends? is it truly a selfless, thoughtfull spirit? or is it a prideful, showing off, doing it for the thanks spirit? have i been hiding behind my "love language"; is it just another excuse to go shopping and buy more things?

what does simplicity look like? what does simplicity feel like? are my activities helping me love God more fully and bring more glory to him? what needs to change? "...i keep thinking about it, and how much i walk around with, about how life is a dance and God just meant for us to enjoy life...... it just seems like life would be better if we could just let go of the thought we need more and more stuff to be happy, more and more of the approval of others...." --don miller

thoughts

"Everybody has to change or they expire. Everybody has to leave, everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons. I want to keep my soul fertile for the changes, so things keep getting born in me, so things keep dying when it is time for things to die. I want to keep walking away from the person I was a moment ago, becuase a mind was made to figure things out, not to read the same page recurrently."
I just started reading another book by Don Miller, called "Through Painted Deserts" Lately I haven't been reading much nonfiction. I take that back.... I've been reading lots of nonfiction in the way of my psychology and english textbooks. Before school started, I was reading lots of fiction and lots about WW2. I haven't read a good, make me think, stir in my heart book for a while. I need to be reading something to help in those areas, to make me think about things other than works cited and neurons and stuff like that. My heart needs some major stirring, some introspection and some challenge. I have become lazy and apathetic about my faith lately. Too busy with school, too busy relaxing from school, too busy spending time with Mat. Not that any of those things are bad, I just need to work harder at growing, changing. I need to work on time management, so that I can more effectively be a wife, student, employee, and still spend time with God and my heart.
I have also started going to a Bible Study on Mondays. I was so excited that our church was starting a women's Bibles Study, and then when it was on my day off so I could attend, I got even more excited. We are studying a Beth Moore book called "When Godly People do Ungodly Things" I think it will be very challenging and stretching for me. And I'm also looking forward to becoming more involved in our church (which is huge....) and getting to know other Women of Faith. I am really looking forward to what God has for me in this study, with this group of women, in this church, in this time of my life.

Hebrews 10:24-25
"Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage and warn each other especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near."

nearly half way there

i finally got my letter from front range's transcript office. they finally got my official transcript from msu and transferred all my credits. i have 22 of 60 credits complete. and, knock on wood, if i pass my two classes this semester, i'll have 28, i'll be almost half way to my associate of arts degree. it's been slow going, but it's good to be able to check some classes off my required classes checklist and see where i'm at. i still have a lot in front of me, but i'm very encouraged with this letter.

tales from the synaptic gap

i never really know what to blog about once i start being more regular about it. it's easy when you only blog once every three months, then there is so much to update. but, now, everything up to date, i just want to stay in this routine of blogging. i'm sure i'll think of something.
i had my first psych test this weekend. i got an 80 on it. not too excited about that. mat keeps reminding me it's a B, but that isn't the good thing he says it is. it's good that we can drop our worst test grade this semester. it just means i'll have to work harder and study more. just what i have time for. one of my supervisors was asking me about school, psych especially. he knows how stressed out i am with school and all that, and i guess he was talking to his wife about it. she's going to be a neurologist, super smarty-pants, and she offered to tutor me for free in psych if i ever need the help. after taking my test, i think i might take her up on it! we'll see. i just don't feel like i understand any of it. we'll see if it gets easier or not. nice to know i have that option.
my parents came a couple weeks ago, over labor day, and i realized i probably didn't blog about their visit. it was a strange visit, it just seemed really strained. we rode back from the rockies game, and no one hardly said anything. if you know my family at all you know how unusual that is. the didn't ask about my school, they hardly asked about me being fired, it was just really strange and strained. like i had to keep thinking of things to ask them so there wouldn't be awkward silence. it really bothered me, i don't know what was wrong. i was a little disappointed too, after looking forward to their trip, it fell a little short of my expectations. bummer.
i decided to do the beth moore study. our church has a list on it, like craigslist, called flatironslist. i saw on there there was a beth moore bible study to be starting next week, and i have been thinking about going since then. i have decided to go. i think it'll be good for me to get out of the house on monday (my day off i usually spend studying) and meet some new women from our church. it'll be good for my heart too. really good. i'm really hoping there are some good young women in it that i can maybe make friends with. that is the hardest thing about moving. i wish it were easier for me to make new friends. the thing that's really hanging me up is that i know i don't want new friends, i want my old friends here. but, i just have to get over that and make the effort to make some new friends. it'll make me happier in the long run.

all i need

We have all we need in You
And all we need is You
All we need is You

Rich or poor God I want You more
Than anything that glitters in this world
Be my all, all consuming fire

You can have all my hands can hold
My heart, mind, strength and soul
Be my all, all consuming fire

All we need, all we need, all we need is You
All we need, all we need, all we need is You

conversation between me and one of my supervisors after work

shannon: "carly, i just want you to know i'm really glad you are back working here again."

me: "thanks. i still don't know how i feel about being back working here again, but that's just personal stuff."

shannon: "yeah, i know. that's why i wanted you to know i'm really glad you are back."

me: "thanks. it's nice to be somewhere i am appreciated."

shannon: "and you are. you are appreciated a lot here. at least by me!"

needless to say, that totally made my day. nice to hear nice things at work for a change, as opposed to getting in trouble for talking too much..... oh my word

on the bright side, here are the flowers my amazing rona sent me last weekend.....wait, last week. she couldn't have a drink with me, so she sent me the next best thing! i have the most amazing friend. she's awesome blossom, extra awesome......

luff you rona!

unemployed

so, i no longer have a job i hate. correction.... i no longer work at the doctors office. two fridays ago, i was fired. luckily, i had borders to fall back on. and to think, i was about to quit borders so that i only had one job. but, i guess the doctors office made that decision for me. i'm still really angry and frustrated, pissed off at the doctors office and their decision, frustrated because i don't want to be back at borders. i'm frustrated, but trying to be greatful that i at least have a job so that we can continue to pay the bills and, you know, live on our own. i'm trying to look for a new job, i just don't really want to. i want to wallow, to feel sorry for myself, to have a pity party, to just be angry and cry. and it's been two weeks. when will i get over this?

kids church

kids church was amazing tonight. usually, it's ok. the last few weeks, it's been hard because we've only had two adult leaders with thirty or so little kindergardeners and first graders running around. two of us trying to corrall thirty munchkins with endless energy. but tonight, we had six leaders with thirty new kindergarden and first graders, a much better ratio. it was much easier and less stressful. it was fun, i laughed so much tonight. tonight we promoted the kids, so there were new kindergardeners, new to our room. they were insane, totally hyper and off the wall. i set up don't break the ice no less than 50 times, only to have four crazy boys knock all the ice out in 2.2 seconds....... it was hysterical. and tonight in big group, it was so funny. we sang "your love is deep", which is, of course a slow and quiet song. but, over all the music and all the other little kidlets singing, you could hear one little guy yelling "your love is DEEP, your love is HIGH, your love is LONG, your love is WIDE" he was so excited to be singing that song.... so cute!! it was so much fun, such a good night. i'm sad that i probably won't be doing it for the next couple weeks..... if only they were all like tonight was! i am starting school on monday, and i'm still working at borders on saturdays, which leaves only a few hours to do homework, so i need to have a few weeks to guage how much free time i'll have. i hope i can spare a couple hours to keep doing kids church..... i love those little ones!!

i heart summer

ok mysha, you win. i will finally update my blog....... i wish i was better at this, i love journaling and talking to my friends...... which this fulfills both of those. however, i can't manage to keep up with this silly thing. oh well, better late than never. lots has changed since i last wrote here, so...... drum roll please. above is a picture of my wonderfully exciting birthday party.... yup, all three of the guests in attendance and myself.... wow, huh? it was fun tho, hanging out with my good friends. joy (the one with the funny look on her face...haha) took me out, andy and moe met us there. we had a lot of fun. a friend from my new job and her boyfriend came for a bit too, but mostly it was just the four of us. it was a fun night though.

oh yeah, my new job...... about that. i now work at a doctors office, it's ok. i really don't like it, but i'm trying to make the best of it. it's a strange office to work in, but there are a couple girls i really like, i get along with well, and get in trouble for talking too much to them almost every day. i feel like my boss is out to get me..... i can't do anything right. but, lets not dwell on my terrible job, because i'm going back to school!!

yay, school starts on monday. i am taking two classes online from front range community college, english and psychology classes. i am very excited to be going back to school and getting that much closer to my goal of being a counselor. i have a long long long long long way to go, but i'm at least working at getting closer every day i'm in school. that's a little mantra among me and a couple medical assistants at the drs office. they are also going to school, so for us, one day over is another day closer to our career goals, and one day closer to not having to work there......... wow, i sound terribly depressing about my job...... well....

here is a darling picture of mat and i on our wonderful vacation to tennessee. i know, it was forever ago but, hey, better late than never. it's my motto, esp with blogger..... we are at a place called rock city (google me!) at a scenic overlook where you can see seven states...... it was so beautiful. how do you like mat's western shirt..... nice, huh? this was at the rehearsal dinner, western themed..... perfect, huh?!? :) we had such a good week, hanging out with friends from high school, being there for joel and tay's wedding, and then being able to spend our anniversary in nashville. it was so relaxing and nice to spend the time together. especially considering how much time we won't be spending together coming up soon, with me working full time and taking two classes, and mat's promotion....

he's now the guest service manager at the townplace suites by mariott in broomfield co. it's amazing. he's finally in the position he's worked hard to be in, but he also knows where he want to be in one, five, ten years. and the company he's working for is a good company to have a career in, long term, lots of room for advancement. he really likes the company and he's working on beefing up his front desk staff so he won't have to work 17 hours days, seven days a week. yeah, i'm serious. but, it's ok. i know he has to put the time in sometime, and i'd rather he do it now than when we have kids and a family. plus, when he's working, i can actually update my blog..... :)

to close, here are some of the highlights of the summer:

• seeing jeremy camp in nashville
• "the soup" with joel mchale (i heart him)
• finding out rachel, a new friend from the afforementioned dr. office, hearts joel mchale as much as i do
• seeing tim mcgraw and faith hill with katie (they sang "chasing cars" as their first song, I got goosebumps!)
• any time spent with mat, preferrably in nashville
• sushi
  seeing bebo norman and jars of clay and joy williams and mercy me and third day in denver with my hubby
• appletinis with joy-toy







• mysha's up coming visit to see our place (wink wink)
• shilo and rachel having a sleepover with us, if only for a night, if only to listen to a cheesy cover band singing "sweet caroline"
• dinner with bjorn last night
• paying off my car!!!! (soon to happen!)
• my sisters visit, complete with spending all her money the first day, and scoring a great "broomfield singles" sign for her apartment
• getting another piercing with katie
• spending time with crazy jaidyn and carson





• baking 9 loaves of zucchini bread with rachel
• ipt..... enough said
• hanging out with these kids in tennessee

it's been a long time... long time

it's been so long since i've been able to sit down and update this mama-jama. not living with grandma has it's draw backs, the pertinant one being no more internet access in our house. now we have to go down to the clubhouse of our apartment complex to use the internet, and they are only open until six, and there are usually people waiting to use the computer. but, i realized the the time has come to at least give a teaser as to what's going on with me, with extremely high hopes of updating this again in the next few days.... we'll see. i should really type something up on our laptop and then open it on this computer, that'll cut out some time..... we'll see what happens with that.

life in colorado is good. busy, but good. i'm searching for a new job, not having much luck. i'm looking for something ministry oriented, having a hard time getting any leads. but, i just need to be more diligent and know that the right thing will come along at the right time. we just got back (wednesday night) from our vacation in tennessee, it was amazing. mat's best friend from high school, the best man in our wedding, got married in chattanooga. so we went down there for the big day, and extended our trip a few days to spend our anniversary in nashville. it was so much fun, nice and relaxing, warm and sunny. now it's just getting back into the routine of work and life here, but it's going well. mat's sister is going to be living with us this summer, so i've been trying to get our guest room in order, finish unpacking (yes, unpacking from two months ago when we moved in..... arg). we bought her a futon today to sleep on this summer, getting sheets tomorrow. it'll be fun to get to know her better and spend time with her. she goes to school in missoula, montana, and decided to move down here for the summer. it'll be a good time.

mat's coaching baseball, it's going well. they are tied for first place in their age group, qualified for state. and, he's thinking about coaching another team at the end of the summer. looks like there is no end in sight for the baseball and travelling and coaching. but, all is good. he loves it, i love watching (and the occasional night at home by myself!) so it's fun. he'll probably move to part time at the hotel to take on coaching these two teams, which means i really need to kick it into gear to find a new job!! (which is what i'm supposed to be doing right now...... focus carly!) i better start looking. we have a bbq at mat's aunt and uncles tonight, so i better do some hunting and then get ready to go hang out with the kidlets. i'll post more soon, i promise. i'll even ::shock:: try to put pictures of our trip up!! (if i can figure it out, we'll see)

have a great memorial day weekend. don't get too sunburnt! :)

moving on up

to the big time....sing with me! (actually, that's all of the words i know! haha!)
i wanted to wait until we have pictures of our own place to show off, but the camera battery is dead, and i dont' know where the charger is so, you'll have to wait for new pictures, personal pictures. but, i'll tell you the exciting news.......
we have our own apartment!! wahoo! no more living with grandma. not that it wasn't fun or good for us or appreciated... it was all of the above. but, let me tell you, it is so great to have our own place. to have our own bed back, our own wonderful mattress, our kitchen stuff (as little of it as we have in colorado!), our pictures, our towels, all the little things that make a house your own, we have them back!! and it's so great! i am just so pumped! i can't wait until we get some more furniture... it's very spacious right now, only our tv and two lawn chairs in the living room.... yeah, we are high class!! :) haha! it's so great!
pictures to come, but until then here's the link to where we live now! :)
http://www.grandviewatflatirons.com/
enjoy! yeah! we have our own place!!!! (can you tell i'm excited?!?)

it's official

bought our plane tickets this afternoon...
$375
seven days of vacation
i'm so excited i can hardly stand it!

the countdown is on

we are going to tennessee this summer. we are buying our plane tickets tomorrow. our very good friend, joel, is getting married. he was our best man, he is such a good friend to mat, has been all through high school. we are very excited to be a part of his and tay's special day. plus, they are getting married three days before our anniversary, so we get to take a trip for our anniversary. i am very excited. plus, we have never been to tennessee. it'll be lots of fun. we are extending our trip for a few days to have some "us" time, some chill out, relax, and spend time together. i'm very much looking forward to it.
however, it is also my deadline.. my point of reference.. my finish line. i'm trying to get back in shape, and travelling to a warm locale during to spring/summer, with the possibility of a beach has certain appeal/fright....motivation. tomorrow is my start..my first day. i don't want to lose weight, but it wouldn't hurt!, but i want to get in shape, more physically fit, less jiggly.
i need some motivation, encouragement, advice. anything. i'm excited, which i think will help my cause. that's all...

i'm a medical marvel

nothing with my health is ever easy. everything is complicated, or a mystery....... case in point.... two years ago, i went to the doctor for my stomach. first, i had heartburn. then, i had an ulcer. then, my gall bladder was removed. then, i still had an ulcer. now, i'm chalking everything up to lactose intolerance. frustrating that we couldn't have figured that out before i had surgery....
now, another medical mystery. my ears have been bothering me for about four or five days. they hurt so badly, feel so full of "stuff", and are so sensitive to loud sounds. ouch. painful. we got over the counter drops, and it hasn't helped. so i go to the doctor today. he looks in my ears, clean as can be. do i have allergies? no. are my lymph nodes swollen or sore? no. am i sick in any other way, sore throat, runny nose, fever? no. he looks at me, crosses his arms, and shakes his head. he doesn't know what is wrong with me.... wow, thanks doc. he gave me a decongestant, and if that doesn't help in a week, i have to go see the ear nose and throat doctor.... that'll be fun. next they'll take out my ears and find out later that we could've solved it with ear drops.... that's just the way things work. mat tells me i'm a medical marvel. that doesn't make me feel any better. hopefully the decongestant will work.....
we went and saw epic movie yesterday. wow, it was funny. funny along the lines of scary movie, not another teen movie, and the other ones.... a type of humor mat and i enjoy. my only criticism is that the movie itself was all of one hour.... that's right, one hour. i feel as though the price of a movie should be directly related to the length of time the movie is. needless to say, i felt a little jipped, but, it was our valentines day, so it was still fun. we ate our weight in brunch at the st. julien. mat had a certificate from when he worked there, so we got all you can eat bruch and all you can drink mimosas for twenty bucks. it was great. crab legs, prime rib, eggs benedict, biscuits and gravy, amazing french toast, it was all so delicious. and so much fun. we just ate and sat and talked and laughed at the people around us (the lady who got up nine times for more.... she had a huge bubble butt, and her and her "companion" kept eating oyster.... and aphrodesiac..... it's hard to get the picture without seeing it, but it was pretty funny) we had such a good day yesterday, just hanging out, relaxed and spending time together. i love my husband!

let the invasion begin.....

"jesus is being lost in a religion bearing His name. people are being lost because they cannot reconcile jesus' assocation with christianity. christianity has become docile, domesticated, civilized. we have forgotten that there is a kingdom of darkness stealing the hopes and dreams and souls of a humanity without God. it is time to hear the barbarian call, to form a barbarian tribe, and to unleash the barbarian revolt. let the invasion begin..."

i'm reading this amazing book by erwin mcmanus. someone with a name like erwin has to bring about greatness. and this book is great. it's really challenging my thinking on christianity and being a follower of christ, and the difference between the two. it is forcing me to change my thoughts on being called to a lifetime of service to God, that it's not comfortable and prettyness and supplying for need and answering prayer the way we want it to be answered... john the baptist prayed to not lose faith and for jesus to save his life, but that wasn't what he had planned....... that it's hard work, life-threatening work, dirty work, amazing work. there's another line in that book, haven't written it down yet, that says something to the effect of "some people make it through the darkest night, and some people wake up in glory." i only hope that we are up for the challenge. this book is really worth checking out.... it's hard to explain exactly what it is doing to my heart, but it is doing some great things. making me think and pray hard about some things. anyone who has read it, help me out here!

"if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. for whoever want to save his life will lost it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." luke 9:22-23

it makes me wonder what God is calling me to, and what i'm missing out on by the way i am currently leading my life. he talks about how crazy and insane john the baptist was, and how polite and controlled christians are now. it makes me want to embrace a barbarian way of life, but not knowing where to start. i like being polite, treating people with respect. but i am realizing that i need to care less about what people think of me and care more about my mission in life, telling others about jesus. leading the lost to him. but what does that look like? what does the typical missionary look like, and how exactly can i fit into that mold? what do i have to give up, what will i lose? but more importantly, what will i gain? how will my life be bettered, enriched, by heeding the barbarian call, by following jesus with reckless abandon and going wherever he wants us to go? what will my life be by living less safely, and more dependent on God?

holiday blizzard 2006

mat's truck after the blizzard. he drove home from work at about noon, and this was about eleven the next morning.....

this is my car..... see the glimpse of red? i drove home from work at about three that afternoon, again, this is about eleven the next morning. i made it all the way home, and got stuck in the culdesac..... my car was still all cock-eyed and snow covered when we got home from montana...

this is the picnic table on grandma's deck..... close to the house, so it's not a totally accurate measure, but makes for a good picture

this is my favorite picture. this is looking outside from our bedroom, our room is in the basement, the bottom of the window is about level with the ground. again, this is at about eleven the morning we left for montana. wow, huh?

sorry these are so belated. this is from holiday blizzard 2006 as the newscasters were calling it.... now it's simply blizzard number one..... with blizzard number four on the forecast for thursday. it's great for the farmers, firefighters and skiiers...... but seriously, enough is enough!!

insomniac

oh my flipping word...... november 23rd is the last time i've posted on here..... that's irresponsible and just sad. one of my resolutions, or goals maybe, is to be more dilligent with this, keeping people up to date with the goings-on in boulder, in the smith family (i can't say household, since technically there is more than just smiths in our household......) i'm also going to try and start working harder on my business, thats a huge resolution of mine. with as busy as work will be in the next few months, we'll see when that one happens. but, here's to wishful thinking!
the past few weeks have been so stressful, combining christmas, three (one more on the way) blizzards, a funeral, and still working more than full time........ it's been a crazy few weeks, with a few more to go before things return to normal, but, it'll be good to get some overtime and get a lot done. it was good tho, to see everyone, both at home (for the two days we were there) and here. altho with all the travelling, it was hard to think of it as christmas and all that, seeing as we drove home on christmas day. but, it was, and it was still good to see everyone, both in montana and here. lots of family time, lots of presents, lots of laughs, lots of cold germs given to us by the kidlets, but all in all, a fun couple weeks. stressful, with no end in sight, but lots of fun. i'll post pictures as soon as i get on the right computer. i'm watching mtv and i don't want to get off my butt!!

greys

i love greys anatomy.
i hate how stuck i am on this girly show, but it's so good. it's medical, soap opera, funny, with great music. i love it. you know what i love most about it? it guarantees me an hour with joy every week. she comes over every thursday (except today, she's with family) and we kick mat out and make him play video games (twist his arm, huh?) while we watch greys. it's so great, i love it. and on that note, i want to share some of the other things i am particularly thankful for on a day like today.

~ for cell phones. i was able to talk to my whole family (minus tommy and chloe.....apparently they didn't want to talk to me!) today, all whilst sitting on scott and geri's front step. it was so great, they just passed the phone around and i got to talk to everyone. and on that note, i'm thankful for my family. they have been so supportive of us as we stepped out in this new phase of life, and i love them. they are so great, great at keeping in touch. my mom sends me a little card every so often (sometimes with money in it!) and i just got a thank you card from tommy and chloe the other day..... chloe drew on the envelope and tommy cursive-d a note on the inside. it made me start crying. i just love them and miss them so much!

~ for my husband. while i was crying all night last night because i wanted to go home for thanksgiving but couldn't (it'd mean driving thru the night by myself two nights in a row) and missing my family and wanting to see my sister again, he held me, sat with me while i cried, rubbed my head and my back. he is such a wonderful man, he is my rock, my pillar, my strength in this new, strange place ( i mean strange as in foreign..... mostly...... it's kinda strange as in weird too, tho.......) i don't know what i would do without him. he's my best friend and i love him with my whole heart.

~ for my husbands family..... my family-in-law. we spent the whole day with them today. just scott, geri (uncle, aunt) and the kidlets, jaidyn and carson. it was great. i love spending time with them, getting to know them better, laughing with them, laughing at the kids and their "kid-isms". it was such a great day. i love those people. i love that they are becoming my family, my colorado family. they have welcomed me in with open arms, (they hug me every time they see me!) and my heart is so full because of them.

~ for white wine. and sunshine wheat beer. i have really taken a liking to both of them as of late.

~ for my joy. she really is my joy. she is the best friend i have down here, and i don't know what i would do without her. she makes me laugh every single time we spend time together. i am insanely blessed at how our lives and friendship have come full circle, and don't know what i would do without her.

~ for my mysh. i don't know what i would do without her. even tho we don't get to talk as much as we would like to, she is still so supportive of us as we start this new part of our life. she is my best friend, and will always be. she always holds my hand, and i hold hers. we are always there for eachother, even now that we are 800 miles apart. she blesses my life in ways no one else can, and i am forever greatful for everything she means to me.

~ for the insanely great weather we are having. it's a little blessing to be able to sit outside in just a cardigan and talk to your family on thanksgiving..... it's amazing! :)

~ for black friday? not so much looking forward to work tomorrow.....

~ for mat's grandma, for letting us live with her and not charging us rent and cooking us meals and the countless other things she does for us every day. she's an amazing woman.

~ for the internet as an amazing way to keep in touch with people so far away. it's a blessing (and a curse!) to be able to see my heather's twins, read about reuben and val's thanksgiving, read about karis in thailand....... it's amazing!

~ for all the laughter, love and amazing food we had today. my heart, and stomach, are very full. what a blessed life i have. thank you for being a part of it.

freeze hot

we are watching spanish television, also known as "Telemundo" and on right now is a infomercial for "freeze hot reduce" an icy hot weight loss gel, it works 24 horas per dia, it's pretty funny watching a spanish infomercial. mat really enjoys watching telemundo lately. whenever he takes lunch in the breakroom at work, he gets a spanish lesson from all the housekeepers who work at the hotel. so, now he can understand 10 words per show. it's pretty comical hearing him translate those 10 words for me.... increible means incredible......he's so good. he really enjoys watching spanish wrestling and spanish game shows, especially "vas or no vas" like deal or no deal, but the girls are uglier. that's mat's latest guilty pleasure. mine is "parental control" the MTV dating show where the parents get rid of the hoochie girlfriends and lazy boyfriends and choose someone new for their child to date, and then the current boy/girl friend watch the dates with the parents. it's a pretty good, awkward, swearing time. and there is a girl named constance on there right now!! :)

**********

life in colorado has been going good. mat's been getting busier and busier at the hotel. he's been given the "15 rooms or less" accounts to work with. he's been sending out contracts and booking rooms for rich peoples birthday parties, christmas parties, etc. he's hoping at the start of the new year to be dealing with the sports teams more, since they are usually 15 rooms or less anyway. i'm hoping he can do that too, it might hook us up with some tickets to basketball, volleyball, baseball, we'll just have to see. i'm hoping he can get tickets to the john legend concert. he and his posse are staying at the julien, i'd love to go see him in concert. it'd be sweet. i'm so greatful for him having a job he loves, even if he does work with all women. he really enjoys hearing about them having to find a new ob/gyn. :) it makes my heart happy to know that he's doing something he loves, and excelling at it. he's beating all the goals they have set for him so far, which is amazing for as limited experience as he has. all in all, life at the st. julien is going well.

**********

life in colorado for me is going well. i need a new job. mine is driving me crazy. but, we need insurance worse than in need my sanity, so i'll be at borders until january, when mat's insurance will kick in. i just need something that keeps me businer, something that lets me show my strengths, something that pays me better and has better hours, and maybe a place for advancement beyond manager of a bookstore. i love working in a bookstore, but i want something that'll challenge me a little bit more, something that'll be more of a career rather than just a job. and something that pays better so we can afford a house! we went and looked at houses in longmont today. it was ok, we found a couple that were "buyable" but we didn't get to look inside of any of them. but, now we know which ones are definate no's and which ones we want to keep looking at. i just am not sold on the idea of living in longmont. but, if that's where we can afford to live, then we need to go for it. we'll see. probably nothing will happen until the new year, but you never know. i just want our own space. i want our own stuff, our own kitchen, our own bed, silly little stuff like that. but, i really need to work on being more greatful for this chance to live with grandma, to get to know her better, to save up more money for our house, and to make the best decision for a house and our future. time will only tell what the future holds, where we are to find a house, where we will put down our roots, whether in longmont, westminster, northglenn, boulder, we shall see.

**********

in case you wanted to order "freeze hot reduce" here's the number: 1-800-990-7008

here i am again. sorry it's taken so long to update this silly thing. i always have such hope for my days off, and they go way too fast. today i had high hopes of getting my new drivers license (put off until tomorrow before work), doing a bit of shopping for card making fun-ness, finishing, or at least working on, our thanksgiving cards, finishing laundry, eating lunch..... and so far, all i've accomplished is shopping and getting a little more laundry done. after getting lost in westminister/arvada thanks to my husbands great directions (haha!) the afternoon was pretty close to over. now i'm just killing time waiting for him to get home from work....here he is... so we can venture out to aurora to see my friend crystal and her boy logan and boyfriend chris. i always call boyfriend/husbands "boy"s, so with crystal, i have to specify her boy as in her son and her boy as in her boyfriend. anyway, that's that. it'll be good to see her, as we haven't managed to hang out since she and i moved down here. it'll be good, she's making lasagne. yum.

******

so my darling friend joy moved out here from texas a couple weeks ago. it's been so good to see her again. joy and i did our dts together in seattle, and since 2002, we've met, spent 8 months living together, seeing eachother every day, then seeing eachother twice since sept 02 and last month. the last time we saw eachother was at our wedding, two and a half years ago. it is so good to see her and be able to hang out with eachother, knowing that our time is not limited, we don't have to cram all our hanging out and catching up into one night. it's been good to have a casual friendship, one that we can just hang out and relax and not have to be talking and busy. not that we don't talk when we hang out..... you know what i mean. either way, having her here, spending time with her, having a dear friend out here is just so nice, such a blessing. that and she brought me a longhorns shirt so we can cheer for them together....mat really appreciates that! :)
gotta go to aurora for lasagne.

xanadu and fandango

Ok, so get this. the hotel my husband works at has a lot of conference rooms, three names xanadu (xanadu I, II, and III......originality is astounding! haha!) and one named fandango. unfortunately, the paper bag puppets don't live in that particular conference room, i already asked. oh yeah, mat got the job.... did i forget to tell you? he officially got the job on monday, tuesday he went to orientation, wednesday we enjoyed a day off together (doing a whole lot of nothing!) and he started his 8-5:30 today. what a grown up, 8-5:30, monday thru friday.... i don't know how he's going to handle it! haha!

now i can focus on starting my business (yeah, mysh, my business!!) any advice from any fellow entrepreuers (however you spell that!) seriously, i don't know the best place to start.... i need help!!

crusty socks

Wow, moving is such an enjoyable experience, one I want to relive at least once a year......Ha! Having never moved before, this last week has been an interesting, stressful and unpredictable week. It's been interesting to say the least. We got to Boulder last Saturday, and have been staying in a temporary room at Grandma's since today. First, my mom and dad were in our current room, then Mat's uncle and aunt came into town for a couple days. So, we've been living out of suitcases and getting dressed in the garage until today. And what a wonderful and liberating experience it is, hanging up all your clothes and finding new jeans, new pajamas, and your beloved slippers. Mat was very excited to find his slippers and sweatpants, and it's been cold today, so he's wearing both! :) It was a tiring day, unpacking everything, hanging it up, cleaning, etc. So, we are celebrating by ordering Chinese. Actually, Grandma's getting it for us because none of us feel like going to the grocery store! Haha!! I feel like our stay here is more permanent now too, even tho it is only temporary for a few months, it feels like we are living here now instead of just being on a long strange vacation. So, that's good, I feel less nomadic and more "here to stay" Coloradian (however you spell that!) So, the garage at Grandma's is much more spacious now, after our big boxes of clothes are out of the way....... we may be able to get a car in there soon!! :)


We went and found Borders the other day....yesterday actually. I was able to introduce myself to my manager and some of my other future co-workers, so that was nice. To be able to know a few people, and where I even work, before my first day. I'm still a little apprehensive about my first day on Monday, as anyone is on their first day at a new job. I'm a little worried about not knowing anyone, making new friends..... It'll be like the first day at school, although it won't be everyone's first day. I just want to get to know some quality people.... I hope I can. And Sunday we'll go to church with Mat's aunt and uncle, not sure where they go to church. I'm glad tho, we can go with someone we know and not just go not knowing anyone. At least for our first Sunday. It'll be good. I'm just glad to go to church again. Grandma has characterized their church as a "hip-hop" church.... which'll be good for us. Hopefully we can find a church we love as much as Journey!! And then the next week, pending our reaction to Scott & Geri's church, we'll go to Mat's old church, the one he went to when he lived down here first, Northglenn Christian. We'll see how that goes, but at least we have something lined up for a couple weeks. I'm just excited for going to church again!! :) Yay!

So, Mat had an interview at the Westin on Wednesday. We'll see what they have to say. The job he interviewed for was initially an Assistant Supervisor, but in his interview he discovered that the job was now a Supervisor, which he is in no way opposed to!! Of course he'll be a Supervisor!! They said they had another person or two to interview and they'd let him know "in a week or so"...... Mat said he'll probably call them Monday, show some interest, and see what they have to say. That's the lastest on everything. If I think of anything else, I'll just blog later I suppose. Gotta go, Wontons are here!! :)

good news

So, here's something else I forgot to update here. My second to last post, about my terribly long weekend, I have an update. About my grandma. I don't know if God healed her (I like to believe that one!) or if the doctors read the first scan wrong, but there is no tumor!! PTL! There is just a shadowy spot on her pancreas, and she has pancreatitis, which can be controlled with medications. PTL!! Big time Praise the LORD!!! How awesome is our God! Wow! Prayers are answered every day, I know that. It's just amazing to see it happen so quickly (when God's timing matches up with ours.... ) and in such the way that you want to see it answered! God is good....All the Time!!
Other than that huge praise, not a lot new with us. Pricing things for our garage sale, which will be held this Saturday. Really looking forward to that, unloading all our junk on people who "need" it! haha!! Hope we get rid of a lot!! That's all I have to say, just wanted to keep everyone updated. Have a great week, all!!

something cool

Ok, so here's my x-ray from after my surgery. I thought I had lost it..... it's amazing what you find when you are packing and moving!! Haha! So, thought this was kinda cool cuz you can see the plates I have in my head. Titanium, four plates and 24 (or something like that) screws. It is hard to see on the scan, I wished it had scanned better. But, the plates are on the bottom jaws on the outside edges and the upper jaws towards the center (by my nose) and I had braces on when this was taken, thus the, well, braces in the x-ray. Thought it'd be cool to share this, sorry it took me so long! :)

what a weekend

Wow, this has been a hard weekend. Firstly, on Friday, Mat went to use his debit card to buy me lunch, and it was declined. I called the bank and they told me we were showing a balance of -$650.00 (yes, that's negative six hundred fifty some dollars) We later found out that somehow, some bad people in California got my debit card number and pin number and decided to empty out our checking account. How nice of them, huh? Everyone at the bank kept asking me when I lost my card.... it was still in my wallet. So, that's interesting. Maddening, really. Just another thing to worry about, on top of moving and all that. I'm really excited for when we start opening things up in Colorado and we find out that those bad people have more than just my debit card number, like my SSN or something like that..... Wahoo for that! It's still being resolved, slowly but surely. Hopefully soon we'll have all that money back and those bad people will get in trouble. I know the first scenario is more likely than the second, but we can hope, huh?!?
Next comes Saturday night. We went to dinner with Mat's mom and sister to their pastors house with some other friends. It was fun, but we had to say goodbye to Katie, Mat's sister, as she left for college. I know it's ok, because we aren't going to be here much longer anyway, but it was still hard. I wish I would have taken advantage of us living so close to get to know her better. But, we have e-mail and cell phones, so we'll keep in touch. And she's going to try and come down for our going away party, so it'd be nice to see her again before we go. It's going to be so good for her to get out of her comfort zone and meet new people, do new things, all the experiences that come along with college. I'm so very excited for her, it was just the beginning of saying goodbye that made it tough. But, she has the emotions of her father and brother...a couple hugs and a good bye and that was that. And an I love you, of course. It's just bizarre for me, the uber-emotional one, to see someone just say "good-bye, I love you" and that's it. Oh well, I know the thoughts are back there.. And we are very very excited for her to, like I said, get out of her shell a little bit. She's so very quiet, it'll be good for her to have to make new friends and get out of her warm comfort zone. I'll have to call her tonite and see how her first couple days have gone... :)
Then came Sunday. We went to church, it was good. I'm going to miss our church, and we just found it!!! We had dinner at Grandpa and Grandma's house, and we were a little bit early, so we decided to go say goodbye to my Great-Grandma Hannah. I had talked to Grandma Pat about it, if it was a good idea or not, and she thought it would be. It was so hard. My Great-Grandma is 94 years old. She's healthy, has a good heart and lungs and all that, but her body is very frail, her joints and bones are wearing down, and her mind is really going. She could hardly remember who we were, and she was so confused. It was so hard to see her like that, having to think of things to ask her, stuff like that. I tried to ask her if she liked living there (at the Retirement Home) and it was clearly the wrong question to ask. She wants to go home, that's all she says. She wants to be in Heaven. She knows what her life was, and what it is now, and it makes her so sad. She's longing to be Home with Jesus, and after yesterday, I long for that day for her too. She gets so confused. She couldn't remember where we lived, and then we told her we had to go to lunch, and she thought she was supposed to come, she didn't know why she couldn't come, didn't know where we were going..... It was so hard. I cried and cried and cried in the car. It was tough to see my grandma like that, she's always been so fun and talkative and everything. It was a tough day. But, on the flip side, I'm so glad I went to see her. Now, when she does go home to Jesus, it might not be as sad for me, seeing how her life is now. And, it would have been one of those things I would have always regretted, had I not gone and said goodbye one last time. It was just a tough emotional day.
Then we have Monday, today. Actually, just this afternoon. This morning was good, Love INC had a pizza party for me. It was fun. This afternoon, my mom called to give me an update on my Grandma Fran (my dad's mom) Her and my Grandpa were in Seattle visiting Grandma's sister when she got really bad stomach pains (my grandma that is) so she went to the hospital were they thought it was either her gall bladder (fun times there!) or her pancreas. Well, my mom called today and they found a tumor in (or near, I can't remember) her pancreas and it doesn't look good. Unfortunately, that's all the details I have. My aunt called my mom and that's all she said. So, as of right now, I have no idea what's going on, what the next step is, anything. Needless to say, I'm freaking out. But, I do know that everything is in God's hands. I know that, it's just hard to not be emotional, when it's already been a stressful and emotional weekend, with this on top of it all makes it hard. I don't even know how to pray......for divine healing, for steady hands of the doctors....for wisdom in the doctors, for calm nerves and peace for my family. It's just a tough situation. Please please please pray for my family, my dad and his siblings, everyone involved. It's bound to be a rough week, please keep us in your prayers. Pray that I start getting some sleep too.... with all this emotional roller coasters I've been on lately, I'm crying all the time. Please pray for peaceful and restful sleep........
What a weekend.... God, be in these situations. Heal Grandma, give our family peace and calm nerves. Give the doctors wisdom. Just use this situation as you will, be here. Amen.

This is the prayer of my heart this morning. And Always.

I'm giving You my heart
and all that is within
I lay it all down
for the sake of You my King

I'm giving You my dreams
I'm laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride
for the promise of new life

I surrender
all to You
All to You
I surrender
all to You
All to You

I'm singing You this song
I'm waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear
I count it all as loss

For the sake of knowing You
for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy
even sharing in Your pain

I surrender
all to You
All to You
I surrender
all to You
All to You

Jesus, help me surrender.....all to you.

screaming colorado

colorado just naturally screams fun in it's name. at my husbands prompting, i'm having to specify that i am indeed very excited to move to colorado. he said the title of my last blog "colo-freakin-rado" could be interpreted as being angry about moving there, as if said through gritted teeth. but, no, i am very very excited to move to colorado. i'm excited to start out our new chapter in our life, to get to know a new city, to get to know his family. so, all that said, i'm very excited. not so excited about the whole moving process (packing, throwing things away, having mat throw my things away behind my back.... ) but once we get there, oh baby, it'll be great!

i have a phone interview on tuesday at the borders in boulder (say that ten times fast....i know i'll mess up answering the phone!!) i went in and talked to my old manager, tiffany, the other day. she told me that she basically told alison (the boulder manager) to hire me, so i'm pretty sure i'll get the job. but, i'm also kinda counting my chicks before they get laid, i guess we'll see what happens on tuesday. mat on the other hand, has high hopes of feeding grandma's dog by hand every day. just kidding.... he has put in his resume at a couple hotels, and 7-11, so we'll see what comes of that. just kidding, no 7-11, but at a couple other high end hotels and resorts (www.stjulien.com pretty snazzy!) i'm not worried about him finding a job at all. he's very good at what he does and he's never been turned down for a job that he's interviewed for.... and that has gone to his head!!! :)

we are having some pictures taken this afternoon. one of our friends is a photography major, and i thought it'd be nice to get some portraits of us taken, even nicer now that we are moving. hopefully we can get some good ones with the mountains in the background to remind us of.....awwww.... montana. mat really wants to take them in the front yard so we don't have to go anywhere, so he doesn't miss the baseball game... you can see where his priorities are! :) i think it'll be fun, i love having pictures taken like that... makes me feel like a movie star.... cheesy! :)

ok, that's all for now. we gotta go get all prettied up for our photo shoot..haha! "ttfn" from mat!

p.s. bring it on three released straight to dvd this week. what a monumental week for those who love the movie trilogy. should be a good one, all those released straight to dvd are, aren't they?

colo-freakin-rado

Here we go, embarking on our next, or first, big adventure. I suppose being married is an adventure in and of itself, so this would be our next big adventure. For those of you who know, and those of you who don't know, Mat and I are moving to Colorado. We have thought and prayed long and hard about it, and we really feel this is the best step for us to take right now. We feel like there are more opportunities for us down there, both in jobs, school and housing (maybe?) We have both applied for a few jobs, but it's hard to apply for them this far out. Oh yeah, you'd probably like to know when we are moving. We are moving Labor Day weekend. Either we'll leave on Sunday, if my parents can come down and help us, or we'll stay and hang out with everyone and leave on Tuesday with just the two of us. It's coming up soon. I'm getting nervous, but only about the possiblity of me driving my own vehicle down there..... And packing everything. This is the first time I've ever had to pack everything and move all in one shot. When I moved to Seattle, it was just short term, so it was like an extended motel stay, I didn't need to have all my belongings. And when we got married and I moved out of mom and dad's house, it was a gradual move, we kept moving things for quite a while after we got married. But this one, we'll move everything all in one shot, all in one U-haul.... It'll be tough. But, hey, come to our garage sale!! It'll be a grand time!! :) We'll pawn our crap off on others..... what a great concept! :) haha!

We are moving to Boulder, we will be staying with Grandma Ev until next Spring probably. We need the time to get on our feet, and Grandma needs the help with the huge house. That will give us time to find good jobs, save some money for a down payment, and hopefully find a nice little house to buy. And we can find a church, some friends, and I can figure out where the heck I'm going when I go places on my own!!!! That's really our news, I can't think of any other details. Just think of us and pray for us in the next month. I'm going to be a basketcase trying to get everything done in this short amount of time. And still be able to see friends and family before we go. It'll be a busy month, but I'm so excited. We are both so excited. I'm excited to live around Mat's family, cousins, aunts and uncles, grandma. It'll be great to see the kids grow up, and for me to get to know his family more. I'm just so flipping excited!! :)

Colo-freakin-rado here we come!!

meant to be

You and I were made to worship,
You and I are called to love,
You and I are forgiven and free.
When you and I embrace surrender,
You and I choose to believe,
You and I will see

how we were meant to be

Before the day
Before the light
Before the world revolved around the sun;
God on high stepped out into time and
wrote the story of his love for everyone.
He has filled our hearts with wonder,
so that we will always remember—

You and I were made to worship,
You and I are called to love,
You and I are forgiven and free.
When you and I embrace surrender,
You and I choose to believe,
You and I will see

how we were meant to be

All we are and all we have is all a gift from God we see
Brought to life,
We open up our lives,
To see the majesty and glory of the King.
He has filled our hearts with wonder,
so that we will always remember—

You and I were made to worship,
You and I are called to love,
You and I are forgiven and free.
When you and I embrace surrender,
You and I choose to believe,
You and I will see

how we were meant to be…

You and I

holy crap, weekends off

Ok, so I took the job at Corporate, which means that, although I will have two jobs, I will work from 9-5, Monday thru Friday. LIKE A NORMAL PERSON..........like a grown-up. Wow, does that mean I'm grown up? So, anyway, in celebration of me having weekends off, here's my list of things I want to do this summer, WEEKEND things I want to do this summer......

• SLEEP IN
• go floating, numerous times.
• sleep in
• go garage sale-ing......never been except to the one in our front yard (yes, it was in our front yard, yet it wasn't ours.....)
• go shopping for my birthday (mysha always takes me shopping for my birthday (the 6th of July, in case you were wondering ;) and we can go this year! yay!)
• go hiking.
• go bike riding. (a lot!)
• sleep in.
• make cards.
• garden.
• sleep in.
• stay out late friday night!
• go floating.
• go to the farmers market.
• go away for a weekend with my husband (shocking, I know, that I want time away with my husband!)
• actually see my husband once in a while!
• sleep in.
• go to baseball games. (with my husband)

well, that's all I can think of right now, I'm just very excited (can you tell?) and, oh, in case you were wondering, we leave for vacation in4 and a half days....... haha!! :) so excited! and i'm totally riding that ride again (did it twice last year.....i know!)

ulcer-vision

So, I think my ulcer is back. Last time he was here, I got in the habit of calling it "the baby"..... so when my tummy hurt, I just said the baby was angry, or when Mat hit me in the tummy, I just told him the baby didn't like it..... I think this time, I'll actually give it a name. Any suggestions? I could call it Sprite, since that all it really seems to like lately..... Arg, I hate being sick like this.....HATE IT! So that's probably what little Sprite looks like....Ain't he cute? I wish he would just go away and stay away.... Hopefully someday.

I watched Britney Spears last night on Dateline..... what made it even better was that Mat was still at work, so I could watch it instead of the basketball game. I really like her. I thought she was kinda trashy sometimes, but I really enjoyed watching the interview last night. She was so sad at parts of it, talking about the dang paparazzi..... I hope she can figure out how to disappear and raise her children out of the spotlight..... away from all the drama and stress that Hollywood is..... Otherwise they may develop ULCERS!!! :) Part of me feels like people like that, celebrities and such, bring that on themselves, that they could walk away from it at any time. And while that is true, most of them are simply doing what they love. No one would ever ask a doctor or any other occupation to walk away from doing what they love, so why should we ask people like that to do the same? Privacy is something everyone deserves, no matter how famous or great they are.....

Wow, I'm so philosphical tonite..... must be Sprite's influence on me..... so I guess he is good for something....

I'm Audi 5000..... lata

thunderstorms and randomness

thunderstorms are really sweet. they've been increasing in frequency lately. and i love it. lightning is great too. i really think i missed my calling as a storm chaser.....i'd love to do that. i'd totally pee my pants every day, but it'd be great. (chasing storms, not peeing my pants every day)
my darling mysha is back from her vacation, oh how i missed her. i really love her and her friendship. and her hugs are awesome!!
so, working two jobs sucks. i like both of my jobs (ok, i love working at love inc, and murdochs is ok) but working so much sucks! and trying to do crystal's wedding invitations with out anymore crises.... that's my main goal.
would you buy cards from "fresh cut greetings"? that's a good business name, right?
i love that my sister is going to cosemetology school...... i've gotten my hair foiled and acrylics put on my nails...... for free. and she did an awesome job at both. it's going to suck when she gets out and it's her source of income so i actually have to pay for things, but it'll at least be cheaper! :)
john tesh radio show..... time to go!
(when it comes on, that means it's 7:00 and time to get the h out of here!!)

new job part 2

Ok, so I got the job at Love INC, actually started on Tuesday. It's a polar opposite from my current job (actually, former job of cashiering--done cashiering yesterday!) there are three phone lines (as opposed to 6+) no music (as opposed to country blaring all the time) and no rude customers...... It's amazing. I really enjoy it, it's a good calm down sort of time for me, very theraputic. And I go home feeling like I've helped people in some other way than merely taking their money, supporting their copenhagen habit, or help them chose new cowboy boots. It's really a good feeling, helping people with real needs, real life things that are urgent, and almost a matter of life or death. Getting your gun safe delivered today just isn't a matter of life or death, no matter what other people think!! So, that's exciting for now.
Now the real dilemma (is that spelled right?!) I have been encouraged, asked, by two people from our corporate office to apply for a part time accounting position over there (at Murdochs). And it wasn't just two random people, but one of the HR directors and one of the heads of the Accounting department. So, I applied, after Mat prodded me. He said even if you get offered the job, you can just turn it down. So, I applied. And, of course, my mind is running a million different directions, figuring out how I'm going to do all that. I'd more than likely have to quit at the store, having three jobs would be just too much. I just hate quitting jobs, ya know? And after three years, it'd be super hard. But, that's my newest excitement, and thought provoking-ness. It's hard, it seems like when it rains it pours...... where was this job 6 months ago?!?! Oh well, we'll see what happens
Mat's family is in town for Katie's graduation, I have babies to hold tonite!!!
I'll post pictures when I get them, I'm so excited!!

marvelously forgetful

Ok guys, help me out. Who sings a song about "Walking in marvelous light" or something like that? Wow, I'm so specific. We sang it in church today, and I love it. Really want to know who sings it. I'll e-mail my worship pastor friend, see if he knows. Just thought I'd ask and see if anyone knew.
Church was so good today, I really enjoy it. We've been going with Mat's "friend" (he's really his boss, but he wants to just be Mat's friend!) on Sunday mornings, it's been really nice. I always feel so silly, tho, because they always make me sit in between them..... I guess it's the rose between the thorns, huh? :)

new job?

Ok, so here's some exciting news. I had a job interview on Thursday. Yeah, it was a suprise. I went in for an interview at Love INC on St. Patrick's Day (I remember because I didn't have anything "professional" enough for an interview that was green, according to my darling husband) and the interview didn't go too well. About half way thru, I think both me and the lady interviewing me realized I wasn't nearly qualified for the job, at all. She told me about something more clerical they'd be having come open in a few months, and she'd keep me in mind. Yeah, sure, I thought....blahblahblah, just something to tell me so that I didn't feel so losery..... And then Thursday morning she called me and we had an interview that afternoon, and the job is mine if I want it. It's a part time job, just 15 hours a week, so I'd have to stay at Murdoch's on the weekends, but the weekdays are totally flexible, they just need me there 3 or 4 hours a day, if I want a day off, I can just work more the day before or day after...... and it's things that I enjoy doing...filing and data entry and organizing and silly stuff like that..
The timing of this is totally great too, because Wednesday I was totally ready to walk out.... I'm so fed up with cashiering. And it seems like every other day, someone here calls me a "lifer"......I'M NOT A LIFER!!!!! Ok, done yelling about that. So, we'll see what I decide when Tuesday rolls around. I'm going to take the weekend to think and pray about it, and see where I'm at come Tuesday (Monday is our anniversary, I'll call her back on Tuesday!) :) So, that's that. Kinda exciting news, just something that came up so quickly, I'm still kinda reeling from it, not quite knowing what to think about it all...... I'm sure it'll all become clearer as the time goes on...... We'll see. (Ok, I'm going to say that about 50 more times....gheez!)
I get my braces off on Tuesday....... So Excited! :) no more brace face! :)

how fun!

just wanted to share some fun pictures with everyone! :)

monaco

So, my parents left yesterday for Monaco. I know, the title probably excited you to think we were going or something, but nope, just my parents. I'm really excited for them, they need a trip so badly. And a trip that they had to get passports for, no less! :) They were so excited at the airport, my dad couldn't stop talking! :) I'm just hoping the jet-lag doesn't kick their butts too badly! :)
So, since mom and dad are gone, Con is staying with us for a week. No, she's not my 12 year old sister, but rather my 18 year old sister. We had an incident a few years ago, and she just gets freaked out being home alone, so she's staying with us. Our first guest!! It's so much fun, I'm trying so hard to be such a good hostess, and Mat keeps saying "It's just your sister!" :) Oh well, I can enjoy guests when we have them, even if it is "just my sister!" :)
So, here's something new and exciting. I have started up an old friendship. I know, that doesn't make sense even in my head, but let me explain. I was good friends, best friends, with Cryssy in junior high, thru our sophomore year of high school. Then for reasons I can't even remember, we weren't friends anymore, she changed schools, moved away after high school, and I thought for sure I'd never hear from her again. Well, lo and behold, she goes to Journey, the church Mat and I have started going to. How strange is that? So, Cryssy and I have re-connected, and let me tell you what a blessing it's been to be spending time with her lately. It's been so great to have a new old friend. We have such a history, so many of the same memories, yet the past 6 years are still a mystery for each of us, since we lost touch for those last years. It's been so great to be friends with her again, such a blessing to my heart!! Just wanted to share that with you..... :) My little slice of joy in these past couple weeks.
I miss my Joy, my dear friend from Texas. I miss her tons. I'm hoping to fly out there for a few days this fall, but we'll see what happens with that. I'd love to make it out there and see her again. It's been nearly two years, and I need another Joy fix!! :(

'I have a bloated ass!"

Just one of the many stupid things that were said last night that, sadly enough, all four of us cracked up about. We got to hang out with Dave and Mysha, our long lost best friends who live 6 doors down from us, and it seems like we never see eachother. Look at them, who wouldn't want to hang out with them?!? ;) It's sad, I know that we all take for granted living so close to such great friends. Like now, as I'm using their computer (haha!) I don't even realize how much I'll miss this closeness and openness we share when we each buy houses not 6 doors down from eachother, unless something miraculous happens!! It's great living this close to your best friends, it's just something we need to not take so much for granted......
And off my soapbox! Last night was lots of fun. We went out for dinner, played pool and then poker (which I dominated!! hehe!) It was so much fun, we talked about serious things (mysha and I did, anyway, the guys, probably not so much!) and laughed about stupid stuff, like farting (and then locking us in the car!!) and couples colonics and edited rap songs. It was just so great to hang out with them again..... I've missed hanging out together!! They really are such a huge blessing to us. We can laugh and laugh and laugh about stupid things, like Mysha checking me out!, and at the same time, just have a really real and deep friendship. It's great, and it's even greater than Mysh and I have been friends for such a long time, since high school. It's not often that you find that, and keep it!!! Dave and Mysha, we love you!!! And your lovely little lumps! :)
And I love my dear husband. Less than a month until our anniversary, and I have no idea what to get him.... Hopefully today I can brainstorm and start coming up with something. I lpve being married, it rocks my face off. It's the best thing ever, probably second to kids? Would it really be second to kids, or maybe a tie with having kid and being a parent...... I don't know though. I'll have to ask my friends who are married and parents.... Heather? What do you think?
Ok, enough incessant rambling from me. Gotta get some graduation cards made......it's coming up fast!!!
Stay classy, SanDiego

The day is looking up

You'd think when you lock the keys in the car at 9:00 in the morning, the day can't possibly get worse from there. Luckily, today hasn't gotten worse. It's gotten better, nothing monumentally better, but better than the "locking-keys-in-the-car-getting-yelled-at-by-the-boss" morning I had!! :)
I moved into our new office this week Tuesday, it's pretty ok. We are going to paint and spruce it up a little bit, slap some paint on the walls and get some nice new shelves and make it a little nicer work environment. So, next week will be filled with moving desks again and painting, but I think it'll be fun.
I went and visited my friend Sarah, the other day. Sarah just had a baby girl, Hailey Pauline, on the 26th of March and I hadn't seen Hailey since the day she was born. It was so good to see the little peach fuzzed midget (her mother's words......not mine!!) She's a doll, with fuzzy dark hair, lots of smiles (and gas!! :) It was good to see her and Sarah too. I did her birth announcements, so I had to bring them out there and show Sarah, get approval :) and just hang out. It was the best day off I've had in a long time.....getting to hold a baby always makes them better!!
I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but since I mentioned the birth announcments, I may as well let you in on the news. I'm starting my own business. I'm starting a card making business. I know, exciting huh? Hailey's birth announcements were actually the first job I got, and it was a ton of fun!! I did a baby shower invitation/birth announcment for my friends co-workers, and I'm doing a friends wedding invitations for her wedding this summer. So, things are coming up that keep me busy. I just need to a) NAME MY BUSINESS (hardest thing I've had to do.......who'd have thought that naming your own business would be so difficult. I can name it whatever I want to....what's the hold up?!?!) and after I get a good name, I need to start marketing myself, selling individual cards at our farmer's market and other type settings like that. So, our summer is sure to be filled with businesss names flying all over the place, and cards and paper and glue.....Pray for Mat! :) Actually, pray for us both as we try and get this thing off the ground, that it would be successful and profitable, and enjoyable most of all. I'm really excited about the future and what will come of this idea. Keep me in mind if you know anyone having a baby, getting married, or in need of birthday party invitations! :) Or any potential business names?!?! :)
My dear friend Heather is having twins (hey, I should do her birth announcments, huh? :) soon here, and I just love being able to keep in touch with her over blogs...... What did we do without the internet and digital cameras?!?! I love you Heath!!
That better be all for now...... I gotta get back to work and be productive! Blah!!
Happy weekend, all!

Shawn McDonald is pretty much the best new Christian singer ever. We just got his new cd, RIPEN the other day, and it pretty much rocks my world. I just love his songs. They are some of the few songs that I can worship to even if I don't neccesarily know the words. You know? I have a hard time really entering into worship with songs that I don't know the words to. It's getting easier for me, and it's easier at church when the words are up there, but still, it's hard for me. But, Shawn McDonald's music is so great, just beautiful and uplifting and calming all at the same time. It's a foot-tappin good time!

Hey, we found a new church!! I don't know that we were neccesarily looking actively, since Mat always has to work on Sunday's, but he's had the last 5 or so Sunday's off, and since I can go into work whenever, we've been able to go the church together. I never really realized how much I take that for granted, being able to go to church together on a consistent basis. It is so good to share in church together. So, anyway, back to the new church. We've been going to Journey Church now for four weeks, only skipped last week because I was dying. (of a cold!) Mat had gone with his boss a couple times on Saturday nights, but since I'm slaving away on Saturday nights, we hadn't been able to go together until about a month ago, and it's been great!! I love it so much. And it's such a blessing to find a church that we both like, that has amazing worship and really good teaching. And, to make it better, they serve coffee, chai, and hot chocolate in the lobby before church!! :) But seriously, it's been amazing. The teaching the last couple weeks has been about how faith in God has to be Uphill, always progressing and growing, but also not always easy work. It's been really challenging for me to hear exhortation and encouragement like that. Today he talked about Paul's quest to finish strong. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have remained faithful" It was really great, a good kick in the butt for me to examine my own life and really ask myself if I'm running the good race and fighting the good fight. Am I really being faithful in my.... faith? Will I finish strong? Am I living strong right now? It will be a good week when it starts out so thought-provoking and serious like that. And, I'm just starting to read Blue Like Jazz solely because I've heard such good things about it. I'm really excited to read that, to get back into the Christian non-fiction. So, it should be a good week. I'm really excited for what the week holds! And to listen to more Shawn McDonald!

I really didn't die!!

Better late than never, I always say. The month of February just flew by, really. Not that I was any busier than normal, just doing the same old stuff, working and, sadly, that's about it. It's just hard when you don't have Internet at home and you have to rely on using it at work, which is always reliable. Anyway, the countdown is on. One week until I can eat whatever the heck I feel like. The day will be great, Eggs Benedict in the morning, and a big old Fuddruckers hamburger in the afternoon. I'm so excited, I can almost taste it!! :) And later that week, I get my new glasses, it'll be an exciting week. I'm really sad that I have nothing else exciting to say, I'm such a boring person. To the one person who actually reads my blog--you rock!

this is my beautiful mother and my hottie of a sister the night before my surgery. we ate at olive garden, a last meal of sorts. it was so much fun, hanging out and laughing with my mom and sister. such a great time. i made them promise to not talk about my surgery, since i was so freakin scared. it was good. they didn't break their promise too much! :) more post surgery pictures to follow soon, I promise!!

Home again, even at work!!

So, I've been home now for a little over a week. It's been so good to be home. I slept better last Friday than I did the whole two weeks before that, or the whole week since. There's just something about being home, in your own bed, with your husband, that just lets you sleep better. It's nice to be home, and to kinda be a stay at home wife. :) I just came back to work yesterday, just a couple hours in the afternoon. It's good to be back, good to get some sort of routine back into my life. My swelling has gone down even since I've been home, still a little swollen on my cheeks and chin, but, looking at the pictures I got back from Costco, I've made so much progress!! I've only lost about 10lbs, I'm just about sick of this liquid diet!! But doesn't that smoothie look delish?!?! ;) One more week, and then I can graduate to soft foods..... just like a baby! :) And another month on that, and I'm back to normal. Not that I'll run right out and get a big burger or a steak (as much as I'm craving one right now!!!) but it'll be nice to be able to chew. The little things we take for granted, eh?
Thanks to everyone for the cards and calls and prayers and flowers and all that fun stuff. It's been such a blessing to have all my friends and family, and Mat's family, really rally around me. I can totally feel all the prayers and thoughts...... I couldn't have done it without you all!! I love you!! I hope to be getting some pictures scanned and put on here tomorrow, I can't make any promises, but I'll try my best!!
Go Seahawks!!!

swollen in lincoln

Kinda like sleepless in Seattle, but kinda not. I'm here, doing pretty well, recovering slowly but surely. They released me from the hospital on Thursday, which was so nice, to be done there and not have nurses every six seconds checking something else, no IV's, no dinging and annoying-ness....... It's so nice to be chilling at the Holiday Inn now. I can sleep whenever and be up whenever, and do everything with both hands!! :) I'm sure my mother is bored out of her mind. Yesterday I had a doctors appointment, and I made it through that and getting soup for lunch, and I was beat. We stayed in our beds for the rest of the night....what bums!!! I just need to remember that I just had surgery on Monday, major 6 hour surgery at that, so I need to not work myself too hard. But, I just want to get better and go home!!! I miss my husband so much!
I hope to post pictures when I get back, I've been taking pictures pretty much daily so everyone can see the progress I've been making. Hopefully I can get a copy of my new x-ray too, it's pretty sweet to see the plates and screws the put up in there. That's about all I have to report. Just wanted to touch base this way and let everyone know that I'm doing well, recovering and resting as much as I can. I'm restricted to a liquid diet, so it's been interesting to see what all we can make liquid without it being too gross. It'll only get better once I get home and have a blender and my creative husband!! Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers, I appreciate them so so much!! Also, PTL, my mom was able to change her flight, so she's coming home on Monday with me, which will be awesome to have her with me the whole time. Yay! Thanks for everything, friends!!

room 224

Hey everyone, carly here. just updating you on our progress so far. it's been a good time, hanging out with my mom and sister in lincoln.....nebraska has no idea what's hit it! :) i'm having a ball, and today will only get better!! We are going shopping today, and tomorrow probably, it should be a good time. I met with the surgeon yesterday, it was great. He is very competant, I really feel confident in his abilities. He did four surgery's in the days between Christmas and New Years.....I think he would be able to do it with his eyes closed. He's pretty awesome. I'll be in the hospital for two to four days and on a liquid diet for four weeks. Mat's already offered to put Taco Bell in a blender for me....no thank you! And, I have a Care Bear given to me by my three year old cousin, Chloe. Well, given to me for the time while I'm in Nebraska..... I have to give it back...... but it's the thought that counts. Funshine Bear will be by my side while I'm in the hospital and recovering, and I'll think of Chloe everytime I look at him....she's such a sweetheart.
My sisters belt broke when we arrived at the hotel, and she's been sobbing about it the whole time. So, today is a mission to find her a new belt.....wahoo. It's gonna be a good time, having some girl time that is way over due. It'll be a great time, such a good thing to keep my mind off things for the next two days. And stopping at Walgreens and getting a years worth of milkshakes and juice and things I can drink.....that'll be interesting. Anyway, that's about all I have to report from Nebraska. Pray that the gymnastics team in the room above us decides to go to bed earlier tonite than they did last night... :)

i'm terrible

i'm sorry i've been such a slacker lately. Work had been super slammed with Christmas, so there was not time to update this silly thing. But, now's my day off, so here goes. Christmas was wonderful. A very busy time, but also a very blessed time. I prefer to think of ourselves as blessed rather than spoiled, although in this context they are pretty similar. We are very spoiled, but blessed to has so much family in such a small area, geographically speaking. When I think about how many Christmas celebrations we had, it's astounding. We had six or seven, just with our respective families. It truly is a blessing to have so many people we love so much so near by! New Years was calm compared to christmas, we just had a date, just the two of us, and went back home and watched the ball drop. Mat had to work New Years day, at 7, so we didn't want to get too rowdy! :) And the last couple days have been nice for me, seeing as work has slowed down to a near crawl, so I'm not as insanely busy anymore. And I've had the last two days off! :) Today Mat and I had the day off, we just lazed around, slept in, worked out, and currently he's taking a nap. I'm trying to get the house cleaned and laundry done before my big trip. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that slight piece on information....... I got a surgery date!!! That happened a couple days before Christmas, what a wonderful Christmas present. I'm having surgery on the 16th of January in Lincoln Nebraska.....wahoo!! (that's partially a sarcastic wahoo, seeing as how i have to spend two weeks away from my husband, in Nebraska......but it's mostly an excited wahoo, seeing as how I'm almost done with this whole ordeal!) I'm so excited to be done, but scared out of my mind!!! Keep me in your prayers, as my mind has been going crazy, especially at night when I should be sleeping...... I know everything will be fine, I'm just still so nervous! My mom, sister and I leave on the 13th (friday the 13th.....yikes!) and I'll be gone for two weeks. Mom and Con can't stay the whole two weeks, but mom will be there for 10 days, so I'll only have a couple days alone. It'll be all good.
Ok, that's the update. I gotta go get the laundry. Seems like I'm always doing laundry and blogging......hmmm.......
bye!