My fab new planner!

The time has come! How do I know? ... well, by looking in my super cute, new, self-made planner... that's how!

Do you ever get sick and tired of getting sick and tired of your current planner? I know I sure do did and I hear a LOT of others complain about theirs as well.

I knew what I wanted {kind of}...I wanted something that had the days of the week at the top and the times listed down the side, so I could put everything I need to do that day at the right time, in order instead of my planner looking like an unorganized hot mess!

Well, every planner I saw either started in 2011, the times on the side ended at 8pm {and if you know me you know that's the peak of my day & there's lots to do after 8pm!}, or it didn't have the other things I wanted in a planner, OR it was upwards to $20ish. {Holy cow!}

Sometimes I think to myself, "if it's what I want, and I finally found it, and there's nothing comparable elsewhere, then it's okay to splurge!" Well... I was not thinking that staring at these {lack of} options at every office supply store I went into.

I thought to myself, "I can do better than this!" ...and so I did. :)

All it took was a little time playing on Excel, and the wonderful free printing services on campus at Lenoir-Rhyne, and less than $4 spent at Office Max! Yep, less than four dollars and I have this:

Voilà!!

 I know, I know...horrible picture quality! Forgive me my camera, please. 

Here's a better shot of the cover, copied & pasted from my computer screen...

This is the Bible verse that's at the bottom of the cover....fitting {I believe} for a daily planner! :) And a cute font too if I don't mind myself saying... ;)

And then it opens up to a "notes page" if you will on the left side, and the weekly schedule on the right!

This is the Bible verse at the top of every notes page. Again, fitting for a daily planner {and a cute font!}. Click any pic to see it in a larger view.

On the right side is my weekly schedule. {Thought you planner-crazed people like me would appreciate this!} As you can see, I try not to schedule anything after 10:30 PM! :) And then added some more "notes" space at the bottom of the page. 

In the back I have two sets of calendars {that I deemed necessary for my new planner}...one for Res Life duty dates and events and then the other for upcoming school work due. They look a little something like this:

Oh yeah! I also added some blank paper at the end, ya know, just in case! :) And added tabs to each section to separate the calendars. The backing is black cardstock and the entire thing is coil bounded so I can lay it flat or flip the pages back. It also has a clear plastic cover. :) 

Anyways, a lot of you have been asking about the planner I've been talking about making, so, here it is! I love it {as you can tell}! & again, it was less than $4! You can NOT beat that....especially for something that fits your exact needs!

If you want me to make you a customized planner, let me know! I loved doing it! :)

Crazy Love: Chapter 1: Stop Praying

"What if I said, 'Stop praying'? What if I told you to stop talking at God for a while, but instead to take a long, hard look at Him before you speak another word? Solomon warned us not to rush into God's presence with words. That's what fools do. And often, that's what we do."

"We are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry." ... {wait, that's not how it goes!}

"Have you ever thought about how diverse and creative God is?" and then Francis Chan goes on to talk about crazy facts such as: a caterpillar's head has 228 separate and distinct muscles, the average elm tree has 6 million leaves on it, and spiders have oily feet to keep them from getting stuck in their own webs. We may or may not know these crazy facts...but if we did already know about them, have we ever marveled at them?

"Whatever God's reason for such diversity, creativity, and sophistication in the universe, on earth, and in our own bodies, the point of it all is His glory. God's art speaks of Himself, reflecting who He is and what He is like."

"I sometimes struggle with how to properly respond to God's magnitude in a world-bent on ignoring or merely tolerating Him. But know this: God will not be tolerated. He instructs us to worship and fear Him. "

"There is an epidemic of spiritual amnesia going around, and none of us is immune. No matter how fascinating the details we learn about God's creation, no matter how many pictures we see of His galaxies, and no matter how many sunsets we watch, we still forget. - Most of us know that we are supposed to read our Bibles and pray so that we can get to know Him better; that we are supposed to worship Him with our lives. But actually living it out is challenging."

"It may sound "un-Christian" to say that on some mornings I don't feel like loving God, or I just forget to. But I do. In our world, where hundreds of things distract us from God, we have to intentionally and consistently remind ourselves of Him."

"We need [reminders] about God's goodness. We are programmed to focus on what we don't have, bombarded multiple times throughout the day with what we need to buy that will make us feel happier or sexier or more at peace. This dissatisfaction transfers over to our thinking about God. We forget that we already have everything we need in Him."

"The preposterous part about our doing this to God is that He already has a name, an identity. We don't get to decide who God is. 'God said to Moses, "I am who I am" (Ex. 3:14). We don't change that."

To say that God is holy is to say that He is set apart, distinct from us. And because of this set apart-ness, there is no way we can ever fathom all of who He is. He is perfectly set apart, with nothing and no one to compare Him to. That is what it means to be "holy."

Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?

God exists outside of time, and since we are within time, there is no way we will ever totally grasp that concept. - Not being able to fully understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to something we are capable of comprehending. What a stunted, insignificant god that would be! God is so much bigger than our time-encased, air/food/sleep-dependent lives.

God is all-knowing. Isn't that an intimidating thought?
Each of us, to some degree, fool our friends and family about who we really are. But it's impossible to do that with God. He knows who we are and what we're about. When I grow weary of trying to be faithful to Him and want a break, it doesn't come as a surprise to God.

It is sobering to realize that this is the same God who is holy and eternal, the Maker of the billions of galaxies and thousands of tree species in the rainforest. This is the same God that takes the time to know all the little details about each of us. He does not have to know us so well, but He chooses to.

God is all-powerful. Colossians 1:16 tells us that everything was created by God and for God.
Don't we live instead as though God created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones?

Psalm 115:3 reveals, "Our God is in heaven: he does whatever pleases Him." Yet we keep on questioning Him. The answer to each one of our questions is simply this: because He's God. He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving. 

Can you worship a God who isn't obligated to explain His actions to you? Could it be your arrogance that makes you think God owes you an explanation?

God is fair and just. God is the only Being who is good, and the standards are set by Him. Because God hates sin, He has to punish those guilty of sin. Maybe that's not an appealing standard. But to put it bluntly, when you get your own universe, you can make your own standards.

When we disagree, let's not assume it's His reasoning that needs correction.

{Click here to read the rest of my Crazy Love notes!}

Crazy Love: Preface

"To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid "big" sins--is this passionate, wholehearted love for God?"
-François Fénelon, The Seeking Heart


I love this thought: We blame "the American church" for the way it "behaves" today without acknowledging that we are a PART of this "church" and are partly to blame!


It says this book is for those who want more Jesus, who are bored with American Christianity offers, who doesn't want to plateau, and for those who would rather die before their convictions do. What a bold statement! {I love it!}

"We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God. You've probably heard the expression "I believe in God, just not organized religion." I don't think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live. The expression would change to "I can't deny what the church does, but I don't believe in their God." At least then they'd address their rejection of God rather than use the church as a scapegoat."

"The core problem isn't the fact that we're lukewarm, halfhearted, or stagnant Christians. The crux of it all is why we are this way, and it is because we have an inaccurate view of God. We see Him as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way. We forget that God never had an identity crisis. He knows that's He's great and deserves to be the center of our lives.  Jesus came humbly as a servant, but He never begs us to give Him some small part of ourselves. He commands everything from His followers."

"Come with me on this journey. I don't promise it will be painless. Change, as we all know, is uncomfortable. It is all up to you to respond to what you read. But you will have a choice: to adjust how you live daily or to stay the same."

{Click here to read the rest of my Crazy Love notes!}

My Birthday Wish List :)

In case you're wondering what to get me... ;)

Modern Family Season 1 comes out on my birthday (September 21st)... Coincidence? I think not!

A pretty new Coach bag...I'm pretty stoked about going to pick one out soon! :)

and a "Brighton" Large Desktop Appliance Holder {for my curling iron, straightener, and blow dryer!}

I'm totally just kidding. {Disclaimer: however, I would love these 3 things} Just tell me happy birthday on Tuesday and it'll make my day. :) Birthdays are my favorite!

9/11: 102 Minutes That Changed The World

So, today, of course, you've heard about how it's 9/11 and we should "remember." My question is, "How could anyone forget?" Seriously? How would one forget about such a horrific day?

After my company left & I was settling down for the night, I saw that the History Channel was playing an encore of "102 Minutes That Changed The World."  All I did was devote a literal minute to the show and already I was pausing my TiVo, changing into my pajamas, and settling on my couch with a blanket and my dog.

First of all, there are so many thoughts running through my head as I watched this. Literally, for the first half hour my mouth didn't close and my hand was somewhere near my face in shock and awe. I just couldn't believe it. You hear all these stories from that day and you just don't get the idea unless you see it on someone's amateur homevideo camera.

Sidenote: I will say, some of these people videoing are completely idiotic. But, without their thoughtless attempts, we wouldn't have raw video documentation of the horror that was NYC on September 11, 2001. So, thanks guys...

Now, another thought I had when watching this was, I am assuming no one thought that the towers would crumble. It's been a good hour into the attacks and people are still hanging out a couple blocks from the place. I guess I wouldn't have a clue what to do and would be in complete shock, so, I can't really blame them, but, I guess life experience {through hearing these stories and watching these videos} teach me that buildings DO crumble and we should always evacuate! NEVER hang out out of curiosity! And put the video camera DOWN!

I see all these videos of fire fighters and police officers and EMTs and the countless others offering their services. They are at ground zero, voluntarily! Making sure everyone gets out okay, making sure the streets are evacuated. They are going into the buildings!!

That's another thing... you hear people saying things like, "There's no way they can put that fire out." and "There's no way they are going to be able to help those people." And honestly, I agreed with those people. As hopeless as that sounds, realistically, you'd have to take the stairs, up at least 70ish floors, and then IF you see someone to help, you have to help them, and there's tons of people, and you have to get them all back down 70+ flights of stairs and, yeah, I wonder if they even considered the thought the buildings would collapse. Man, what heroism!

I see the desperation in the victims in the buildings, hanging out of windows flying white "flags" or just waving their arms in the attempt that someone will see them wayyyy up there, and actually be able to help! Lord, those people wanted to live!

You also saw those people who committed suicide by jumping out of their windows. They made a choice at that time, believing there was no hope. God bless their souls.

I heard 911 calls of people in the buildings, flames everywhere, smoke surrounding them. Lord, I know those 911 operators had no idea what to do. They did their job- they told people the best advice they could in the situation. Unfortunately, that advice was things such as "stay calm" and "hang tight" and "don't go anywhere" and "sir, I can't tell you what to do, that's your choice" and "if you feel like you should break a window, then that's your choice." MAN! Hang tight?? Stay there?? Stay calm?? Those 911 operators were clueless, reading off a script! What do you say to someone who you believe is in a world of danger, about to die? Do you worry about your job? Do you pray with them? Do you quit answering the phone because you know you can't help anyone personally? I mean really, I don't know what I would have done.

I watch as people realize the  building is about to collapse, or as it is collapsing, and they start to run. My first thought was, "what about everyone who couldn't run?" I mean, the people who did run probably didn't run out of harm's way, but, this is obviously why they attempted to evacuate the parameter beforehand.

Man, this show is tearing my nerves up. {I actually paused it to start blogging, then am blogging while the last hour is playing, just so you aren't confused in my past & present tenses.}

Someone actually said, "yeah, I heard they were doing this {running airplanes into buildings} every half hour" so, that's probably a good reason as to why people thought they need to evacuate their buildings and go outside, where they were even more unsafe. I just keep going back to, "but they had no idea....." I mean really, you don't have drills for things like this. One would never think something of this magnitude would happen. It's just unbelievable.

Everything looks so surreal. It's like at some points in time, it looks like a scene from a movie, like The Book of Eli or something post-apocalyptic. Not a soul is around, except that darn cameraman.

"I think we should go to war, like now," a girl said. Then some guy said, "I think we should just go to all the Arab countries and blow them all up." Man oh man....this is where it all began. More war, more hatred, stereotyping, discrimination, and more importantly, more lives lost.

My next thought is, "What about the pentagon? What about the plane that crashed into the field?" Are they not going to touch on that? Is there no footage from those places?" NYC was such a major centerpoint of the terrorist attacks that day, but it was not the only place innocent victims lost their lives.

Man, watching that really just made me realize how truly blessed I am to be ALIVE and SAFE!

God bless the souls of the lives lost on September 11th, 2001.

I heard the most awesome quote today in remembrance of 9/11:

"Freedom isn't free, somebody paid."

My Best Friend's Wedding

This past weekend I had the honor of being by one of my best friend's side while she married the love of her life. Caroline and Ryan are my favorite couple and I felt so blessed to not only attend their wedding, but to be a part of their special day. I wish them all the happiness in the world. Their wedding day was one out of a complete fairytale, which is what Caroline's dreamed of her entire life, so I was extremely happy for her that everything went absolutely *perfectly*! She was never stressed about anything and could genuinely ENJOY her wedding day- which is how the bride should be! Maybe it's because she already had everything planned & organized, maybe it was the Lord blessing her abundantly, or maybe it was because she had six awesome bridesmaids! ;) haha just kidding!

Now I just have to get used to calling her Caroline Bernthal...

I think Ryan Farris sounds better, if you ask me! ;)

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Mine :)

Taylor Swift is my favorite singer and of course I absolutely LOVE her new single, "Mine"! I can relate to the song so, it's probably my new favorite of hers. {There's not a song of hers I don't like though...} The music video really made me cry happy tears the other day so, I thought I'd pay the love forward. :)

and I just wanna say a big thank you to Taylor Swift for NOT being a sleazy celebrity like most pop singers today! She helps you remember true love really is out there and you shouldn't settle for anything less! ♥ And that is why I love her. :)




Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

You were in college, working part-time, waiting tables
Left a small town and never looked back
I was a flight risk, afraid of fallin'
Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts

I say, "Can you believe it?"
As we're lyin' on the couch
The moment, I can see it
Yes, yes, I can see it now

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes

But we got bills to pay
We got nothin' figured out
When it was hard to take
Yes, yes

This is what I thought about:

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh

And I remember that fight, two-thirty AM
You said everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out, crying, and you followed me out into the street

Braced myself for the goodbye, cause that's all I've ever known
Then, you took me by surprise
You said, "I'll never leave you alone."

You said, "I remember how we felt, sitting by the water.
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing that's ever been mine."

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now
And I can see it

I can see it now...

Oh, just some rambling...

I know every year has it's ups and downs, but this year's definitely been a rough one.
Luckily I have some fun things to look forward to coming up... and I still have 4 months left of this year to keep working on making it the best year ever.
My goal every New Years is to make "this year" the best year ever.

Between Pat's diagnosis, family issues, summer school ruining my summer, and practically having zero break between the three semesters of the year has really just taken a toll on me.
I AM TIRED!
I keep telling everyone that this year I need to be working on getting some sleep.
A bed time would be nice...
and sleeping the whole night through would be even more fabulous!
I don't want to sleep in as late as I do, but if you go to bed as late as I do, it's needed!
I don't ever feel like I waste my days away because I am still probably up and going at everything on my to-do list in the hours that I'm awake just as many hours as a "normal person."
It's just not healthy and I've got to do better.

We are already doing better this year as an Ike unit...
{note that I did not say better than last year. I am not comparing staffs because I can already go ahead & tell you...they both ROCK!}
...the students all survived their first weekend away from Momma and Daddy and there wasn't a flood on any halls!
Move-in went flawless and I have my fabulous staff to thank for that!
I feel like it's going to be a great school year! :)

I started my first class of the semester tonight.
This semester's going to KICK. MY. BUTT.
4 classes, working at the gym, doing the RD thing, and trying to find time to see family, friends, and Alex... man!
This is going to be a doozy!
I feel like it's been forever since I've been home and actually had time to spend there.
Any time I go it's for a reason, I have an agenda, and I'm in and out and back to Hickory before I know it.
Which isn't too too bad because I love living in Hickory!
I just wish that everyone I loved also lived in Hickory.

I do miss going to church.
I need to find a good church in Hickory.
I sure would miss Mike Devine's preaching though!

Anyways, back on the school subject... this is my last full semester of classes!
Ever!
And I mean it this time!
I will not.. I repeat: I will NOT be going to get my PhD so, yes, this is my last full semester of classes.
Next semester I will be doing a school counseling internship at a local high school while I take one class,
then next summer I will be doing an agency counseling internship SOMEwhere
{Lord, find me a place!} while I take my last elective class.

So do you know what that means??

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!

{I'll say to August 1st because, well, if I'm not done by then I might cry!}

So, in only 342 days, I will be DONE with graduate school,
either beginning a new job or job searching {Lord, guide me!}
and starting a new life!

I better enjoy my job, all the fabulous people that are in my life, and the flexibility I have in my schedule right now.
Don't get me wrong.... I'M BUSY, but my schedule is pretty flexible.
That I love.
I don't have an 8-5 job and Lord help me if I ever do!

So do you know what that means?

It means I have 342 days to
ENJOY, and EMBRACE.
No time for being down or worrying.
I put my whole life in God's hands and trust Him to work it all out!
I HAVE to... or else I would have gone crazy a looooong time ago! :)

Fam(ILY)

Family

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,

'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.

He said, 'Please excuse me too;

I wasn't watching for you.'

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,

How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking an evening meal,

My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,

God's still small voice came to me and said,

'While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,

But the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go look on the kitchen floor,

You'll find some flowers there by the door...

Those are the flowers he brought for you.

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,

You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.

'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'

He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'

I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'

He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.

I love you anyway.'

I said, 'Son I love you too,

And I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

|author unknown|
 

 I read this tonight on someone else's blog and it spoke to my heart. No, I don't have children yet, but I do see parents speaking to their children in this way in times of frustration- and I too am guilty of treating some that I love {and who love me the most} the worst at times. It's something that convicts my heart and I pray about often. I try to catch myself but often times I find it easy to just lash out because I know I am unconditionally loved. 


Which also got me to think...


Does that mean we're abusing that unconditional love? Or are we taking it for granted? Or taking advantage of it? Does everyone do this- or is it just a couple of us horrible ones? 


I feel like at times, as Christians, we also do this. We take our Father's unconditional love for granted, knowing that He loves us no matter how harsh we are, no matter what stupid things we do, no matter what we say. He is there to forgive us if we genuinely ask for it. I appreciate this, and realize how often I might take His love for granted. Forgive me Father, because I certainly don't want to come across this way- I don't want to BE this way. I want to act like I love you, because I love you. I want to do what makes you happy, because I love you. I simply want to live as if I love you. Thank you, Lord, for your unconditional love, and forgive me for my selfishness. 

I'll end tonight's blog by getting back to family...

Here are some are my favorite quotes about family. Enjoy! :)

"You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
{Desmond Tutu}

"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there."
{Barbara Bush}

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."

{Anthony Brandt}

“One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn't good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world.”

“A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life.”

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”
{Theodore Hesburgh}

“A father is someone who carries pictures in his wallet where his money used to be.”

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”
{Anne Frank}

“Families are about love overcoming emotional torture.”
{Matt Groening}

"Treat your family like friends and your friends like family."      

The Boys of Fall

I am in love with the new Kenny Chesney song "The Boys of Fall."

Alex is completely obsessed with football and I never really understood it until I went to watch my brother, Pat, play Friday nights for North Lincoln. Watching this music video takes me back and makes me miss those times. I can't believe my little brother is almost 20 years old! I miss Friday nights at Lincolnton High watching football games...but the experience is totally different when you're there, rooting for someone you love, {and understand the game I need to add.} I should note, Alex played for Lincolnton, and I "went to watch him" but I didn't understand a lick of football then and, well, couldn't tell you anything that ever happened during any of the games. It was different for some reason when Pat started playing. I started to understand the game and actually look forward to going and watching the games. Now I get to go see my cousin Nick play for Lincolnton and I can't wait for those fabulous Fall Friday nights!!

Actually- I can't wait for FALL in general because I am sickly looking without a tan. {Thank you summer school & work!} So I'm ready for cute boots and scarves weather & cool nights! Not to mention those BEAUTIFUL sunsets.... Fall is seriously the most awesome time of the year.

I never got a pic with him in his uniform but don't think I didn't snap a few after some of the games!

And I have to throw in this one of my bestie, Ale, and I because she sure was a NL supporter with me during our college years....Lord, love us! :)

Now here is a future trip down memory lane for Pat from his football days... ♥

interception!

NL's first TD of the season, made by Pat, but of course called back. Ugh!

ready to go!

Homecoming Senior Year

Senior Night

one of my most favorite pictures ever

senior night (again)

"Dropping the bomb"

the crowd joining in!

Dropping the bomb again!

Mom is his #1 Fan!

Family supporters in Salisbury for the playoffs!

I am back! {Totally random update}

So, if you know me, you know that summer school kicked my butt this summer! I have been either been working at the gym or working on school work literally almost all summer! It has not been fun. I am grateful for my $job$ though because it gave me an opportunity to get some school work done.

A lot has gone on since I last really got to blogging...I can't go into too too much detail right now, but pray for my family!

Soon I'll be finding out where I'll be doing my practicum {job shadowing} for the Fall. Either way, I recently met and discussed high school counseling with the fabulous school counselor at Maiden High School. I would love to do both my practicum and my internship in the Spring there, but if not, it will be at North Lincoln High School, so, no complaints there! I've heard great things about the counselors there. It's where my brother went to school. It's a new facility with a low turn-over rate...so either way, the Lord is blessing me! I never thought I would say this...but I think I might want to be a high school counselor!! Eek!! We'll see how this practicum & internship go...

Doggy training's doing well! We go to lesson #3 tomorrow night. My dad said you can't teach an old dog new tricks but, we'll just have to prove him wrong! ;) I love Lisa at PetSmart in Hickory who's doing the training. I highly recommend their training program with her there!

I got my Isenhour roster this week for the Fall. We are going to be a PACKED HOUSE! Every room is filled, every spot is filled...even the old show room! This is going to be an interesting year....I can see it now! I have faith in my staff though! Hopefully it'll be another fun year!

Crate failure #2

Imagine my surprise when I saw this when I first walked into the door:

That's the bottom of Baby's crate, that obviously wasn't locked in. Notice one of the two treats I left her still on the pan after my return, four hours later. And she LOVES those treats...

This adorable furry face met me when I walked into the living room. She flipped her bed over and was hanging out in the bare cage. Grr! Oh well, her loss...she is going to have to learn to love it!

Funny story: Later on, I was sitting on the couch and she got up and walked over to her crate. She started sniffing around, got BACK IN IT, sniffed some more, and then found the other treat I had left her, and ate it. She didn't eat either one while I was gone, but was sure to go back and get the two treats when she was a free bird.

I can already tell this whole experience is going to be a memorable one. :)

Doggy Lesson #1

Mom joined me today for Baby's "doggy lesson" numero uno! Gotta love Moms! If Baby isn't hanging out in Hickory with me, she'll be staying with my Mom, so, we needed two pairs of ears listening to Ms. Lisa at PetSmart...not only to make sure we remember everything, but mainly for much-needed consistency!! Of COURSE I set my alarm wrong {or something!} and woke up 15 minutes before it started. The only reason we were 5 minutes late was because I forgot her vaccination record at the apartment and didn't realize it until I was a couple minutes down the road. Thank you Lord for blessing me with green lights, little traffic, and pushing my gasless car all the way {first} to PetSmart and {then} to the gas station! And {of course} poor Baby decided to get car sick as we pulled into the parking lot. My dog has impeccable timing!

There were only 3 of us in the group training this morning...Baby, a newly adopted Mango {who was a-dorable!}, and CoCo {yappiest dog ever}. Funny story...Lisa {the dog trainer} asked Coco's "parents" if they were married {I don't know why but I remember there being a reason.} and the woman abruptly and sternly said, "NO!" ... Uhoh. Someone sounds like they're in the dog house {no pun intended}! The poor man, I felt sorry for him... they were both on disability, living together, and he was the one that was going to be taking car of her dog because she, again, was disabled. I think I'd be a little nicer to my live-in assistant if I were her! But that's just me...

We learned all kinds of cool things today and I hope Mom can continue to join me! It was fun for us to be able to do it together. I have homework to do until our next doggy lesson on Thursday and any time I leave the apartment {and can't take Baby}, then she'll be chillin' in the crate until I get back!

Another {almost not-so} funny story: Alex brought Baby to Hickory last night. I had her new crate home all filled, cute, comfy, and ready to go. Alex and I went to the Hickory Crawdads game last night and I'll be darned if as we passed her crate to walk out the door, she wasn't knocking her food and water over in it, on top of her bed and "security blanket." I fussed, "BABY! and THAT'S why you're going to training in the morning!" and then Alex and I left her there. She'll have to learn her lesson.

One thing I did learn this morning is that I need to get her on a feeding schedule, only feeding her twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. We don't over-feed her, we just lay the food out and she eats it when she wants to. She doesn't get the bowl replenished more than twice a day. So! With that said, there will be no food left in her crate for her to toss about when I leave, which means no food for me to clean up when I return! :) Sounds good to me! I feel bad not leaving her any water...but the trainer suggested she'd be fine. Lisa said, "She's inside, in the A/C.. she'll be fine while you're gone, just offer her some water when you get back." So, we'll try that! Alex asked me if we could get her one of those hamster water bottles to have her suck out of off the side of the crate. I'm pretty sure they don't make those for dogs, but I could be wrong...

Wish me luck!

baby goes to school...

So, Baby's going through some serious separation anxiety when I bring her to stay with me in Hickory. My apartment was recently recarpeted so, there's no more room for foolishness! I have decided that an old dog can and will be taught new tricks and am enrolling Baby in "doggy lessons" {as I am calling it}. We start this Saturday morning and I can't wait to see how it goes! I'm already loving the lady who is going to be teaching them. Cross your fingers for me! :) and for her! My poor Baby's in for it and she has no idea...

on my heart

This is a total candid venting session slash truth moment from me: 

I'm sure we all have that friend or those friends that we love so much that we hate to see them make poor decisions, and that could be ANY poor decision. We obviously wouldn't and shouldn't care so much if it's not that big of a deal, so obviously, we think our friend's life is being affected so much in such a negative away that it makes us sad. Well, for me, it really breaks my heart. My friends mean a whole whole lot to me, and I hate to see them regret things, hurt, or worry.

It's true- I have been known to wear my heart on my sleeve and say what I think. I am not one to tell you something for the sole purpose of making you feel good if I truly believe in my heart of hearts that it is in fact not good for you. Please know, the reason I am not praising or congratulating you for whatever it is in your life is not out of hate, jealousy, or whatever reason you can come up with for why I act the way I do. It's because I actually like {no, LOVE} you...it's because I think you're worth more and deserve better...it's because I hate that life has made you think that you have to settle for less than perfect for you, or that someone less than perfect IS perfect for you. I am not coming up to you and saying "oh my gosh, you are making the worst decision ever, again!"...I am just simply saying nothing if I have nothing good to say. Don't be offended. I know that's easier said than done {trust me, I am learning that lesson myself currently!} but seriously...take it as a compliment from me if you can. Don't be upset if I don't join in with your other friends, please. I just don't like seeing people I care about making poor decisions that I know they will regret later. Can you blame me for that? If you can, accept my apologies. I will always try to be here for my friends, and I mean always. I pride myself in my loyalty to my true friends. I am not rooting for your failure, but worry about it because I wish you the best in everything. As life happens you see patterns unfold and I can only hope for you that this time, this decision, this move works out for you. I was going to say "works out for the best" but I know everything happens for the best anyways and, well, your actions are not screaming that you expect the best. But if, just if, I am right- then I'll be here and I won't even say "I told you so." Because that's what true friends are for.

I think we all can relate. Sometimes the best thing we all can say is not a thing in the world. 

What is your life screaming?

Wise Children- Part 2

Lia:

I referred to this video during my class presentation last night. Actually it was another one of Lia's videos on euthanasia, but, like myself, my class was astounded by how profoundly and how passionately this {at the time} 7th grader spoke on the topic of abortion. She has presented this speech on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and has been informed she has preventing several mothers from aborting their children. Please listen to it, listen to her thoughts, and just be amazed!!

Wise Children - Part 1

"Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy" :

I hope you took the time to watch {slash listen to} this video. This boy is so wise at such a young age! I never would have thought to compare God sacrificing His {only} son to losing someone/thing super close to you- and that could be a grandparent, a parent, a brother or sister, a friend, or even a pet. It makes perfect sense. This was such a great video and message and I wanted to be sure to share it with you. I am sure the Lord has great things in store for Logan, but if something {God forbid} happened to Logan today, I'm sure he would be honored to know that his story, his message has taught and blessed others who may {or even may not} be going through a tremendously difficult time in their life. God bless you, Logan!

I love love.

Sometimes we'll be piled on the couch, wearing sweats, eating the kind of ice cream we like, watching our favorite TV show, talking in the shorthand way we talk that nobody else understands, and I'll realize that this every day, simple, no-big-deal moment... this is my happiness.

"Love is what makes you smile when you are tired." ~Terri, age 4. 

I'd rather have a hand full of handpicked wild flowers than a bouquet of roses... a sweet note on a post-it than a poem... a thoughtful gift rather than an expensive one... an afternoon laying in the grass watching the clouds or the stars than a 5 star restaurant... a wink from across the room, a simple smile, a knock on the door at 1 AM just to say goodnight, a soft prayer in the middle of the silence....

I love that boy. :)

happy 4th of july!

The day has come & I couldn't be more happier about it. I am THROUGH with Psychopathology! I've moved back to Hickory & am attempting to get settled back into my apartment, which I'm doing a major "clean out" of in my spare time! I need to catch up on my other class I've been neglecting as well as start two more classes this week. I will so so glad when this summer is over. I'm taking four classes in the Fall as well, but spaced out over 15 weeks will make me much happier than cramming everything into 5! I don't think I could have made it without the constant support & venting sessions with Caren and Jodi! Girls...WE DID IT!

Alex & I had us a nice little 4th of July! We went to the early service {which I enjoy} & then had breakfast with some friends of ours & his brother! Then we spent the day lounging by the pool until time to head to the lake to cook out and hang out with some friends from church! It was fun!

Look at this VIEW! Love it!

Look at my "special friend" haha ... he always finds a way to make me laugh :)

Vacation + I am a Godmother!! :)

I had a GREAT time during my MUCH needed vacay to "Wilmington" to stay with Lindsey & Rhine! I am absolutely in love with their house & all their home decor. Not to mention being so close to the BEACH! I had such a great time...they were the best hosts! Not to mention I was asked to be their future child's Godmother!! During breakfast on Friday they gave me a present and it was the cutest Godmother coffee mug with an adorable quote on it (I'll have to take a pic & post it)... as I opened up the present I cried!! :) Then Rhine preceded to tell me how large of a responsibility being a MARINE Godmother was, and then why they were so glad I accepted!! I am so blessed to have such great friends who think so highly of me. I just wish Alex could have been there with me. {Somebody's gotta stay home and make that money though, I guess!} I got some really cute stuff $hopping in the cute local stores and got to work on my tan for two days while laying out on the beach! I also attended their church Sunday morning, Scott's Hill Baptist Church-- which I LOVED! They are doing a series on FAQ {Frequently Asked Questions about Christianity} and it was hilarious, educational, Biblically based, and intriguing....all at the same time! The worship service was AWESOME too...I felt like I was at a Christian concert!!

Needless to say...the drive home was a long one! :( I can't wait to come back and visit them and my new baby Godson!! I would say his name but, I don't think they've entirely agreed on one quite yet!

I miss the breezy beach already!!