I am...

...home with this girlie getting ready for Halloween!!

book review: Understanding God's Will

You know those books that stick with you long after you read them? I love to read, but have an unfortunate tendency of remembering few details of any book- even a great read. Yet there are a handful of books that stand out in my memory for one reason or another. Understanding God's Will: How to hack the equation without formulas is one such book. I read it at the exact point in my life when it came to life and made sense to me. I need to re-read this book every year. Unfortunately, author Kyle Lake (good friend of David Crowder, Chris and Robby Seay and Brian McLaren) passed away in a tragic accident shortly after he wrote this book.

This one passage from the book really stayed with me. It is actually an exerpt from an article Brian McLaren wrote called "Across the Great Decide" :

I have four kids, including a son in college. He is a good young man. Imagine he calls me on the phone and says, "Dad, what is your will for my major in college?"

I would say, "Son, I have raised you to this point in your life so that you can make that decision."

"Yes, Dad," he replies, "but I want to do your will, not my own will. So, please tell me what major to choose."

"Son," I'll say, "I'd be glad to help you think this through. For example, we can talk about how much you hate history and calculus, and how much you love writing and business. I think I can help you eliminate some options, but I really want you to decide this."

"Dad, don't you love me? What if I make a mistake? I just want to do your will!" he says.

"But, Son," I'll reply, "it is my will for you to make this decision. Again, I'm glad to talk with you and help you think it through. But my will is for you to grow up, be a man, and make a life for yourself by making decisions, hard decisions, like this one. And believe me, whatever happens, whether you major in business or art or physics, whether it goes well or not, I will be with you. You can count on that, no matter what." The point is that he lives with my guidance, but not my domination, because he's my son, not my lawn mower. 

This example has been so encouraging to me at different points in my life when I'm stressing about making the right decision. The concept of "God's will" has perplexed Christians (well, maybe it's just me) for so long. I am encouraged by the thought that God does not desire to dominate me, and He is not out there firing off commands that I need to find and interpret, but that He desires for me to have communion with him so I can make those wise decisions with His guidance. And how cool is it that his desire is for our best- and regardless of the stupid/crazy/wise decisions we make, He will be with us.

Wordless Wednesday: Ash on skype

House crashing: Jenn's house

My sister lives with her friend Jenn.

Jenn bought a house their senior year of college, and it was a dump had lots of potential. Jenn, Ash, all the roommates + Jenn's dad, uncle, mom, aunt, grandma, neighbor, cat, etc. have all helped turn this place around and it's pretty sweet now.

Disclaimer: I did not tell them I was doing this. While we were in town a few weeks ago, I walked around and took pictures and stole the before shots from Jenn's facebook page. I didn't even bother to clean anything up, so they would probably not love some of these pictures, but you'll get the jist of it- the house looks awesome.

Here it is:

I would do a before and after of the outside of the house, but I don't know how different the outside even looks. The amazing transformation has taken place inside.

Front hall BEFORE:

Front hall (from different angles) AFTER:

Caitlin's room BEFORE:

Caitlin's room AFTER:

Ashley's room BEFORE (When we saw the house for the first time it looked like this and smelled horrible. I wouldn't even go in there.):

Ashley's room AFTER:

Jenn's room BEFORE:

Jenn's room AFTER:

front living room BEFORE:

Front living room AFTER:

Dining area AFTER (I don't have a before picture, but this is a great space!):

Kitchen BEFORE:

Kitchen AFTER:

Stairwell downstairs BEFORE:

Stairwell downstairs AFTER (not a great picture of it, but it is the half wall):

Back living room BEFORE:

Back living room AFTER:

WHOA, right?

There is a whole downstairs too, but I didn't take pictures of it. There are 2 more bedrooms, a full bath and a partial kitchen. It's pretty awesome too.

So, there you go. Jenn's house. GREAT work, Jenn! Thanks for the tour :)

this made my morning.

Thanks, Denise.

new toy.

Last weekend David surprised me and bought an iMac. Our computer is from David's freshman year of college (2004), and basically worthless. We have been talking for a while about getting a new working computer, and he decided it was time. I suffer from buyer's remorse if I buy anything over $20, so we decided to not open the box for a few days and just make sure it was a wise purchase. Well, Tuesday the box was still sitting on the kitchen counter when Apple announced the release of their new iMacs! They were the same price, but with way better features- we knew it was a sign :). So, David couldn't wait for Best Buy in town to get them in stock, so he and Raynolds drove to the Apple store in Atlanta this morning and picked one up (after we returned the other one, of course).

We LOVE it.

I mean, it's a Mac and that's cool and all, but more than anything, it's a working computer.

I immediately downloaded Skype and found my sister online! We inaugurated the built-in camera by talking for a while! It was awesome. (so comment if you have Skype!! I'll talk to you!)

And now, some obligatory photo booth pictures...

What I did while I was sick.

Read this book:

(a recommendation from my MIL- and it did not disappoint! It was great!)

Made this laundry detergent.

Watched DVRed episodes of this show.

Started making Brianna's Halloween costume.

Slept. Slept. Slept.

and

Snuggled with my sympathetic pup.

top 10 blogs I read

Per my sister's (and a co-worker friend of hers :) ) request, here are some of my favorite blogs to read. No commentary needed, just lists of links. Enjoy!

My top 10 favorite blogs
1. http://thepioneerwoman.com/
2. http://www.younghouselove.com/
3. http://allbowerpower.wordpress.com/
4. http://blog.cjanerun.com/
5. http://www.ihategreenbeans.com/
6. http://heart-of-light.blogspot.com/
7. http://www.thewheelerjourney.blogspot.com/
8. http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/
9. http://proverbs2434.blogspot.com/
10. http://boomama.net/

people I kind-of-know blogs:
http://www.laniebethsinclair.com/
http://www.katherinewolf.info/
http://letterstocatherine.blogspot.com/

photography blogs (some I know, some I don't):
http://simple-color.com/blog/
http://www.holritzphotography.com/
http://www.richsmithphotography.net/
http://zachsmith.wordpress.com/
http://blog.zachmay.com/
http://www.awweddings.com/blog/
http://abryanphoto.blogspot.com/
http://lizpowerphotography.com/blog/
http://dianasimpson.blogspot.com/

Happy Fall Y'all

sicky.

Yesterday I was here:

So today I am here:

I started feeling bad Saturday night at a School of Nursing reunion, but I didn't think much of it. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling pretty miserable though (bad cough, headache, chestache, earache, you get the picture). David took me to the CVS Minute Clinic (where else do you go on a Sunday morning??) as soon as it opened. I thought I probably had strep or maybe the flu... she started the exam and I told her I was feeling lightheaded and needed to sit down. Fortunately I did! I passed out and started shaking. The NP was pretty freaked out- she called for help outside of the little exam room and called an ambulance. THANKFULLY David was right outside and came in to help. I was out for about 2 minutes, but came to just fine. She was definitely worried about me, so she sent us to the ER. After some blood work and chest x-rays, it was determined that it is the flu. and bronchitis. Awesome.

David is feeling puny too (and this kid hasn't gotten sick in years), so he's home with me for the day! He doesn't have class this week because of fall break, and we can't even enjoy it! Ugh. I am feeling pretty yuck, but still bored slash miserable. I don't do well with all of this down time. I need to be DOING something and tv for 3 days straight is not an option!

1.

One year ago today baby Kate was born.

David and I love this girl so much and are so glad to be a part of her life!

and here are some more Kate posts from the past year:

October

November

December

also December

January

March

also March

May

also May

July

September

October

curtain call

Ashley works the night shift at St. Vincent's East.

11pm to 7am.

That's crazy, right?? Yes. Yes it is.

She sleeps during the day and works at night. But on her off week (she works 7on-7off. also crazy) she lives like a normal person.

So she decided some quality curtians were in order. She ordered brown "black out" panels and they work like a charm- when she needs to sleep during the day. But she asked me to make some handy tie backs for the week when she doesn't need the heavy duty darkening.

ta da!

And let this post serve as a pre-cursor to an exciting before-and-after home crashing post of the house Ashley lives in! It will not disappoint. Promise.

Word of the Day

I subscribe to dictionary.com's Word of the Day emails, and I could not let this one pass me by.

triskaidekaphobia

\tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\, noun: Fear or a phobia concerning the number 13.

Examples:
Thirteen people, pledged to eliminate triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13, today tried to reassure American sufferers by renting a 13 ft plot of land in Brooklyn for 13 cents . . . a month.

-- Daily Telegraph, January 14, 1967

Past disasters linked to the number 13 hardly help triskaidekaphobics overcome their affliction. The most famous is the Apollo 13 mission, launched on April 11, 1970 (the sum of 4, 11 and 70 equals 85 - which when added together comes to 13), from Pad 39 (three times 13) at 13:13 local time, and struck by an explosion on April 13.

-- "It's just bad luck that the 13th is so often a Friday", Electronic Telegraph, September 8, 1996

Despite NASA's seemingly ingrained case of triskaidekaphobia, which forced managers to impose the bizarre, '13-free' numbering system on its flights, the crew of perhaps the most important Shuttle mission to date clearly were unsure if STS-41C was supposed to be unlucky or not.

-- Ben Evans, Space Shuttle Challenger: Ten Journeys into the Unknown

Triskaidekaphobia is from Greek treiskaideka, triskaideka, thirteen (treis, three + kai, and + deka, ten) + phobos, fear.

Some famous triskaidekaphobes:

Napoleon
Herbert Hoover
Mark Twain
Richard Wagner
Franklin Roosevelt

Now, use that one in your daily conversations!

just like honeycomb

While we were in Birmingham for the UTC/Samford game, we got to see LOTS of friends!

Kara came by the tailgate!

Mary Shelton was at the football game with her soccer team (and we watched her play on Sunday)!

Jon Williams & Matt Pirkle were in town to visit Jay Gilmer (those boys are friends because they were cabin-mates at camp- and David was their counselor!).

I had lunch with Jamie!

Ashley choked Harley.

Just kidding.

She let us sleep in her bed.

And fed us pumpkin goodies.

Monty cheered with us at the soccer game!

(This picture cracks me up.)

I also saw John, Dwight, Wardo & Aaron at the soccer game!

Like I mentioned, it was a full weekend. But it was full of fun and friends. Seriously, I was so refreshed by conversations with Kara & Jamie. There's nothing better friends who know you and love you. I miss living close to them!

Gracious words are like honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Proverbs 16:24