Bits and Pieces

Hey, did you guys know I have a blog??? Really, I do!!

Oh, I kid.

Sorry for the delay in posting, this summer has FLOWN by! Lots of things to share. A certain someone said I can't say that this post is random, because as she so kindly pointed out over the weekend, "All of your posts are random".

Ahh, words spoken by a true friend. Piercing the heart.

This is the kind of truth you get when you allow someone to be your "person".

As of this moment, I have 59 days left of nursing school!!!! I am counting down EVERY day, and I'm just amazed that this 15 month program is almost finished. This has been an incredible journey and I can't wait to celebrate with friends and family!

Like I said, summer is in full swing, and my classes are no exception. I have classes until the end of this month, then my Senior internship! We are selecting our internship sites next week and I can't wait to see what God has for me! Unfortunately, I have been really unmotivated this quarter because the classes are pretty easy. This has NOT been my norm for the past year! Normally my schedule is so busy I barely have time to check my email. This quarter has been great because I have had a chance to *gasp* see friends during the week, and *gasp* read something other than a text book! It has been so fun!!

We had a great time over the Fourth of July holiday. Although I have a strong distaste for sweating, the 4th is one of my favorite holidays. This year I realized that everything is more fun when you have a 2- or 3-year-old with you. Parades are more exciting, fireworks more impressive, music louder. I loved seeing the celebrations through the eyes of these little people!

Last weekend the girls and I hit the road for a much needed weekend away. It was awesome to catch up and have some girl time! On Saturday we took the boat out and ended up running out of gas - whoops! Thankfully, some good samaritans came by and we were towed to safety! Here are a few pics of the adventure. (Yes, I appointed myself "Historian" for the running-out-of-gas experience.)

Something is amiss! NO GAS! We are miles from land! (Ok, not miles per say, but I wasn't about to get in and swim to shore!)

Saved!!!

Hooking up the ropes.

Of course, the boat had a "JC" symbol - Jesus Christ was our Savior that day - and EVERY DAY!

Thumbs up for our new friends!

Sweet shades. (Quick story, Jen's grandma had a stash of old sunglasses for anyone who might have forgotten theirs at home. These girls totally rocked their looks all weekend! Unfortunately for Cara, her look is "Keep out all sun and large bugs." Ha!)

I hope everyone is having a great summer! I'm hoping to keep up better on the blog. Thanks for sticking with me!!

xoxo

Summer Nights with a Turkey Leg

So, last weekend was one of my favorite summer traditions.

The Rascal Flatts concert!!

I needed this night out more than ever this year. With school [blah, blah, blah] I just needed a night out with my ladies!

Before we went to the concert, we hit the Ohio State Fair for some good times and - thank you Rachel - FAIR FOOD. Oh, Lord. I love fair food. I mean, I love it.

Meat on a stick? Check.

Ice cream? Check.

Elephant Ear? Check.

I'm sorry what?

Yes, this is part of the 30 Day Shred. Of course it is! Don't be silly!

Anyway, here are a few more pics I snapped as we sweat the afternoon and evening away!

First order of business, the giant slide! And yes, we are grown women, who's asking?!?

Monica is looking for the Creamery, and we had to briefly reenact one of my favorite scenes from "Friends". Yep, she had to get into the map.

Here's Cara with the gigantic turkey leg she and Jen shared. Shortly after this photo was taken she was offering the rest of the leg to strangers. After all, they had about 7 bites between the two of them. Surprisingly, she was turned down. Repeatedly.

I'm surprised this photo turned out so well. We are sweaty, nasty girls. I think we had just been in the bathroom asking each other if anyone had deodorant stashed in their purse. Negative.

I just had to throw in this one photo I took during the Rascal Flatts finale. They came out in Ohio State jerseys. What can I say? These guys know how to excite the hometown crowd. They even wrote a song about comin' back to O-H-I-O!

It was such a great evening, despite the profuse sweating!

[read: I DON'T LOVE SWEATING.]

Looking forward to next year's concert already!

Hi, I'm Becky, and I'm a Babyholic

Seriously, when did this blog become about babies?!?

I was going to share about Bethany's baby shower, but it seems off point considering her little one was born 5 weeks early!!!

Introducing Claire Emmanuel
Born March 11
4 lbs. 6oz.
17 inches

All these babies are launching me into the craziest case of baby fever I have ever experienced. I mean, I have always loved babies, but this is BAD. I just have so many sweet ones to choose from!

Like this one?


Or this one?


Look how cute they are when they're older!!!



Poor TBD. He won't know what hit him.

He'll be all, "Hey, you're cute."

And I'll be all, "WANT TO BE THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN??
WELL?
DO YOU?
DO YOU?"

Either that, or once we're engaged and going to register for gifts, I just tell him that it behooves the bride and groom to register for flatware and cribs at the same time.

In all seriousness, I think I am so baby crazy because I have such a wonderful clan of friends who are more like family, and I have allowed me to become an Aunt, when I otherwise would not be an Aunt. And I love it. They are each so special and my heart just soars when I hear them call me Aunt Becky. Or when I see Isabel run towards me at church and later cuddle up on my lap during lunch. *Sigh*

Enough sappy stuff. I've got to go wipe up my tears with a burp cloth.

Are you there world? It's me, Random.

Happy Tuesday!

I am SO LOVING the sunshine today! I hope the sun is shining where you are, because DANG, I have missed it! I never would have pegged myself as one of those people who suffer from SAD, but I lit up when I saw what God was displaying this morning! [And yes, I gave you a little linky for SAD, because this blog is not only funny and witty, but also informative.]

Ok, so I have a lot of random things to share, so let's just jump in with both feet, shall we?

Slanket Drama

Do you remember this? Look how excited I was!! The back story is that Kristen and Jen bought me a Slanket for my birthday. Then Jen and I bought one for Kristen for HER birthday. Then we decided that Jen needed a Slanket because we're in 3rd grade and friends need to have stuff that match.

Well, it turns out that there was a Slanket mix-up and I was proudly displaying Kristen's Slanket instead of my own. When it arrived at my house, I just assumed it was my Slanket, not Kristen's! Whoops! Anyway, all Slankets have been accounted for and are with their rightful owners. However, one owner [who shall remain nameless] is fixin' to have her Slanket removed by SPS [Slanket Protective Services]. You know who you are!

Baby Cuteness

Have a little bit of this guy, just because he's so cute! Love him.


TV

Are we all watching American Idol? I hope so, because this season is go-od. Sadly tonight we have to listen to the State of the Union, but I'm looking forward to the next batch of hopefuls. I think my favorites so far are Alexis Grace and Danny Gokey. I also like Anoop, but I think it's just because they call him "Anoop Dog", which I find funny. I hope you are loving Judge Kara as much as I am. She actually has intelligent things to say, and she doesn't clap like a seal. Seriously, Paula's clapping makes me crazy.



Ok, I also want to comment on this season of The Amazing Race. I love this show! HOWEVER, I don't understand why people go on this show to test their relationship. Really? If you aren't sure if you want to be with someone, is putting yourself in a pressure cooker of sleep deprivation, stress, weird food, continual air travel, and language barriers really the way to go? Make sure you keep track of Phil's [the host] eyebrow, because that thing jumps around like nobody's business!

Music

If you haven't purchased the newest mini-album from Mr. Dave Barnes, please do so immediately.

Cooking Tip

When you are pre-heating the oven and begin to smell plastic burning, be alarmed. Poor strainer never saw it coming.

That's a whole lot of randomness for one entry, so I think I'll leave you now. To summarize:

Slanket = good
Baby = good
American Idol = good
Amazing Race = good
Dave Barnes = good
Preheating the oven with a strainer in it = bad

Have a great week!!!

Tales of the Mister...

I give you a small glimpse of my life and the life of my people:

Text from Jen tonight at 8:07pm. She and Sam had gone to the hockey game while I stayed with Max. And....enter scene:

Jen: Is Mister asleep?

Me: Yes! Went down about 7:25.

Jen: That's great. Glad he stayed up a bit. Score it still 0-0. BOR.ING.

Me: Actually there may be a crib party in progress. I can hear him moving around!!

Jen: Just let him party it up! He is prob trying 2 read books in the dark.

Me: No he's not! I took them out! I wasn't sure if you left them in or not!! LOL!!

Jen: That's hilarious! Well then he is just babbling to himself.

Me: Poor guy!! Ha ha!

Jen: He'll survive.

Clearly the newness of motherhood has worn off and Jen is all about Max just makin' it work!!

Enter next conversation at 9:58pm. Jen had said before they left for the game that she was taping Dateline with the Mom of the Octuplets.

Me: If you don't hurry up I'm going to be forced to watch the OctoMom!!!

Jen: We r 2 min away! U sure u don't want 2 stay and watch it with me?

Me: It's starting! Her huge lips are sucking me in!!!

Jen: Wait 4 me!! Haha Angie lookalike huh?

End scene.

So, we watched the OctoMom and I was left with more questions than answers. However, I am convinced that one thing she does need is prayer, prayer, and more prayer!

Happy Birthday K-Rock!!

Today Kristen turned 35 29 years old!

Happy Birthday friend!!

In honor of her birthday, I have composed a photo journey of some of my favorite Kristen moments. So pop some popcorn, settle down with your children snuggled close, and let's begin.

First, you have to know that Kristen is an incredible mother. Here's a picture of her with Lauren!


In addition to being a great Mom, Kristen is a multitasker. Here she is, oh, 4 DAYS after giving birth to Gabriel getting ready for an 80's party. Please note, she is feeding Gabe, curling her hair, and rocking out some serious 80's attire.



When Kristen is not running around after her children, she is a fan of the arts. Here she is rocking out on RockBand.



If Kristen's not playing her 6-string, she can sometimes be found on the dance floor. Or ALWAYS on the dance floor!



Here's another picture from the 80's party. We convinced her to do her best impression of "Flashdance". I have reason to believe the epidural had not worn off yet.

**Updated: Picture removed at the birthday girl's request. Although, if you're nice and email me, I may be willing to sell it. For a price.**


Kristen is one of my favorite travel buddies. This picture was taking the day we got to Scottsdale for a conference.



Above all these things, Kristen is a Jesus Freak. She would be the first to tell you that! She has a contagious passion for Jesus and I'm blessed to call her friend.

Happy Birthday Kristen!!!

Closing Remarks...

Welcome back peeps!

Man, I love the holidays. Hope yours was filled with joy, peace, and blessing!

Around these parts, we had a great week. It was pretty much filled with the following:

1. Eating
2. Watching movies
3. Snacking
4. Opening presents
5. Napping

So fun! Here's a little pic of Tucker looking cute and Christmas-y.



I am in the process of organizing and getting my *life* ready for 2009. Jen and I had dessert and wine last night and we were talking about how life was so different this time last year. Then, we started looking forward to what life will look like on December 28, 2009! Let's just say a baby and a wedding people. A baby and a wedding.

In addition to getting organized, I am asking the Lord for an inheritance word for 2009 and also a word, just one word, for the year. I got the idea for the "one word" from a really cool lady, Ali Edwards. I'm putting a Jesus twist on it, but I think it's such a neat idea. Read about it here.

I'm pretty set on my word for 2009 being "present". I want to be present in every situation. Not being hurried to think about the next thing to do or 23 other things I need to be doing, but pause...and just be. Present. Cool stuff.

I think my inheritance word might be Luke 1:45, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

Mary and I are running pretty tight these days, no?

I hope each of you has a blessed LAST week of 2008! See ya'll in 2009!

Sowing Seeds

I had an awesome lunch with Monica on Monday and she asked me a very sweet question. She said, "Are you sowing into the promise TBD like Sam and Jen sowed into the promise of a baby by putting together their nursery?"

Let me explain.

With the promise of a baby grasped tightly next to their hearts, Sam and Jen set out to furnish and prepare a nursery for the baby they would bring home someday. It was AWESOME. God gave them their first baby just a few months later! Obviously this is the short version...you simply must read every letter, sentence, and punctuation of that blog.

Anyway, I was so excited to answer YES! to Monica's question. I have been sowing into the promise of a husband and family. While I'm not planning my wedding [just yet], I am making preparations.

Monica said she had a "TBD gift" she wanted to get me. Here they are!!

TBD's luggage tag:


And my luggage tag:

[I'm sorry, but does sista-friend know me, or does sista-friend KNOW ME?!?!]

It's so encouraging to have people walking this path with me and helping me sow into my promise!!! Mon, you're awesome! Thanks for sowing with me!


"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31

Dreams Really Do Come True!!

You may recall my previous posts regarding this highly coveted Christmas gift.

The Slanket.

Well, my dreams came true on Friday night when I was presented with an "IOU" from Kristen and Jen for my VERY OWN SLANKET!!!!!!!!!!!

Jealous?

In doing some research for this post, I ran across the website for the Slanket. You must go to it immediately. Here are just a few pictures from their site: [Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge it!]





I love this one! I just picture all of us wrapped up in our Slankets!



Funny! These people are funny! Makes me love it even more.

Please get yourself a Slanket. I haven't received mine yet, but I can't wait to cuddle up with it this winter!

Date Night!

So last night I had a date with a younger man.

First, we went to a movie. It was a suspense/thriller and, as you can see, he was on the edge of his seat!!



Next, we went to dinner. The food was pretty good! Mostly fruits and veggies, with a little rice cereal thrown in. I think he might be a vegetarian.


After dinner, we had dazzling conversation. I could have started into his blue eyes all night long!!


Finally, he asked me to his place for a nightcap. So forward!


It was the perfect date! I only hope his Mommy lets him call me sometime!

Quirks & Pet Peeves

There is a super fun party game out there cleverly titled, "Quirks & Pet Peeves". As you might imagine, each person lists one of their quirks on a piece of paper [no names], then all the papers are collected and read, and the group tries to guess which quirk belongs to which person. The next round everyone lists a pet peeve.

We played this game last night, and this afternoon I was reminded of another one of my quirks. When I receive a magazine in the mail, I always tear out all the fragrance ads, cardstock cards, subscription postcards, etc. BEFORE I begin reading. Weird and quirky, party of one?

I snapped this photo of my "tear out" pile to put the last nail in my coffin of insanity:



Confession time! What are YOUR quirks and pet peeves??

29 Things About Lil' Jenger

Today is Jen's 29th Birthday!!!

In honor of her birthday, I want to tell you 29 things about Jen that I absolutely LOVE.

1. Jen is cheaper than a therapist. She is a great listener, but more importantly she sometimes serves wine at her therapy appointments.
2. She loves the Lord with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength.
3. She experienced God's redeeming power at age 16, and will continue to use that experience to bring glory to the kingdom.
4. She judges God faithful, and has taught me to do the same.
5. She can tell my voice when I call her. I don't have to say, "It's Becky."
6. She sends me encouragement just when I need it.
7. She likes to cruise through the stores to see what the new colors are for that season.
8. She allowed me to take this picture in New York City:
9. She got offended at spending $50 for lunch at TGI Friday's in New York City, but didn't bat an eye spending that at the NBC Store buying Olympic-wear for her and Sam for the Torino games.
10. She hunts for TBD for me, but says no one is good enough for me.
11. She won't allow me to even ENTERTAIN the idea of lowering my standards, not even for a minute.
12. She knows a lot about wine, and doesn't judge me when I can't tell if a wine tastes "woodsy" or "fruity".
13. She is my person.
    
14. She never gave up on God's promise to give her and Sam a family.
15. She once took me on a "leisurely walk" in Chicago, which amounted to what felt like a mini-marathon.
16. She gives awesome advice on all aspects of life. Sometimes in the same sentence.
17. She welcomes our wild group of friends into her home and truly lets it feel like our house too.
18. She can decipher my tone over email.
19. She loves Rascal Flatts as much as I do.
20. Jen once left a plastic water bottle on an airplane--and went back for it. [For the record, we had NOT just landed in a developing nation...I believe it was New York City.]
21. She waited for a baby with more grace and dignity than I ever could have.
22. She will save episodes of "Big Brother" so we can watch them together.
23. She is generous with her time. [Or is it "Jenerous"?]
24. She eats organic peanut butter and is OK with the fact that I just can't do it.
25. She is an incredible wife to Sam.
26. She has blessed me by allowing me to be one of Max's Aunts.
27. She knows the value of spending an evening on the porch.
28. She was my friend in the waiting room--an incredible gift from God that I can't even begin to describe here.
29. She is an awesome travel companion.

Jen, we finally have more in common than both liking Sheryl Crow!!

So there you have it. The 29 reasons why I love Jen. Happy Birthday, sweet friend. I feel so blessed to have you in my life!!! Love you!

Our blogs...from a man's perspective.

My friend Erin is married to Nic, who is not only a firefighter, he's ALSO a comedian!

Here is the comment he left me yesterday when he hijacked Erin's good name:

"Let me just say that this is Nic in sheeps clothing. Erin didn't close the tabs out when she left this morning to go to work. I Unknowingly stumbled into the parrallel universe that is the female blog. I fully planned on checking my fantasy football team and I get blindsided by this. I'm feeling lightheaded my fingertips are tingling and I can feel my estrogen levels rising. Whatever levels you measure estrogen with. i have seen the other side. I need to go cleanse my spirit by working out with heavy weights, Shooting guns, Doing yard work, Ignoring my emotions and suppressing my desire to feel pretty all of the sudden. I hope I haven't offended anyone. Wait I'm not supposed to care about the feelings of others. Does anyone else hear Wind beneath my Wings? I got to get out of here....."

Classic man! Erin, you are one lucky lady.

Take it From a Girl Who Knows...

You know, it's good to have a friend who is on the other side of a mountain of "promise". Like a coach, a cheerleader, and a foothold. It's good.

Girlfriend will not stop.

Here is a poem she directed me to this week. If you're waiting for something, be sure to get some tissues.

"Wait"

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, he replied

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate

The Master said gently, "Child, you must wait."

"WAIT!," you say, "Wait!," my indignant reply

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened, or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked and I'm claiming your word!

My future and all to which I relate

Hangs in the balance and you tell me, 'Wait?'

I am needing a 'Yes' or a 'Go ahead' sign

Or even a 'No' to which I could resign.

And Lord, you have promised that if we believe

We need but to ask and we shall receive.

And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry,

I am weary of asking, I need a reply!"

And quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes met with mine

And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign...

I could shake the heavens and darken the sun,

I could raise the dead and cause the mountains to run,

All you seek I could give and pleased you would be

You would have what you want... But you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint

You'd not know the power I give to the faint

You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair

You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there

You'd not know the joy of just resting in Me

When darkness and silence is all you can see

You'd never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.

You'd know that I give and I save for a start

But you'd not know the depth and beat of My heart

The glow of My comfort late in the night

The faith that I give when you walk without sight

The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask

An infinite God who makes what you have last.

And you never would know Should your pain quickly flee

What it means that, My grace is sufficient for thee!

Yes, your dreams for that loved one O're night would come true

But the loss, if you lost what I'm doing in you.

So be silent, my child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And how often may My answers seem terribly late

My most precious answer of all is still, 'WAIT!'"

Slap me in the face, good.

For the Record...

I'm sure some of you missed last night's show, "17 Children and Counting" on TLC.

Confession...I am intrigued by the Duggar family. And I know of at least one reader [who shall remain nameless, but you know who you are] that shares my feelings.

Check out their website.

So last night's episodes detailed the engagement of the Duggar's oldest son, Josh, to Anna. Overall, it was really sweet and touching...I mean, who doesn't love an engagement story with a happy ending?

HOWEVER, there were a few items of note that I feel like I need to address. I have a feeling that a few of you may be asked, hopefully in the near future, about planning the AWESOMEST. PROPOSAL. EVER. Seeing how Josh & Anna's proposal went down makes me feel like I need to be clear on just a few things. Let's begin.

1. Asking the girl's father for her hand in marriage - YES.
2. Proposing at a restaurant with the name "Gator" in it - NO.
3. Praying about your relationship - YES.
4. Proposing at a restaurant with alligators dressed as humans - NO.
5. Delivery man pushing a dolly entering the engagement scene - NO.
6. Awkward side hug after she says "YES" because you won't kiss until you're married - NO. NO. Ok, one more...NO.
7. Man wearing jorts [jean shorts] and a wifebeater at the table next to you - NO.

Are we clear? Good. Now, let's move on.

The next episode was on Duggar dating rituals which basically included NO dating and always having a chaperone around because, as little Jessa put it, "Being on your own, bad things can happen." So basically this left poor Josh and Anna clinging to each other's hands because that was the only thing they were going to do during their courtship.

Much to my surprise there is a rouge Duggar! Cousin Amy came by to congratulate Josh and Anna. She was wearing JEANS. She had SHORT HAIR. Scandal!!! She was HI-LARIOUS. I believe I can best sum up her personality in the following quote:

"If Josh wants to get married...let 'em have it."

Oh cousin Amy, how I've longed for you.

Anywho, let's all keep these things in mind when the time comes, k?

Slap You in the Face Good

Have you ever come across something that is so good you feel like it's slapping you in the face? Recently I bought a pair of green flats at DSW on sale that I felt were "Slap You in the Face" good.

But that's not the kind of good I'm talking about today.

Let me put it another way. My girls and I once said that worship had "rocked us to the core". It was that good.

Get the drift?

Anyway, after my last blog, my friend Jen wrote this quote in her comment to me... it was "Slap You in the Face" "Rocked us to the core" good.

"Father God, you are risking more than we if Your promises are not kept. True, our souls are at stake, but You stand to lose your character."

Slap. Me. In. The. Face. Good.

And then, as if she couldn't be stopped, this came this morning:

Romans 4:20-21, "He [Abraham] did not waiver at the promise of God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He would also be able to perform."

Rocked. Us. To. The. Core.

Now, I'll be honest. My sweet, dear friend has gotten her promise...thank you JESUS! So I had to remind myself that she's looking at promise from a whole new angle that I am. And that's a good thing. I need people with fulfilled promised to keep me pressing on towards my promise.

So thanks, friend. I love ya.

My Weekend of Wackiness

My goodness...I am so glad my weekend is over! Normally, I am thinking the opposite, but this weekend I am SO glad that it's Sunday night! Allow me to hit the highlights of the weekend.

Nursing School Application: Turned In!

On Friday morning, I drug my Mom down to Mt. Carmel with me to turn in my nursing school application. I was really excited I walked in with all this energy and a cheery "Good Morning!" to the lady at the information desk. Sadly, she wasn't as excited about my application as I was. I was looking for "Thank you applicant for all of your hard work and effort in applying to our program! We look forward to you giving us thousands of dollars!" Instead, I was met with "I'll see that they get it." Hmm. Not exciting. So, to make myself feel better, I went to down to school and bought over priced textbooks for this quarter. Nothing like a little retail therapy to cheer a girl up! Sadly, I don't have any shoes that match my anatomy book.

Powell Festival: D-U-N, DONE! [A little shout to you BB fans!]

Oh Powell Festival. You were fun. But you were muddy. The highlight of the weekend would have to be Don and Rachael singing karaoke..."I Got You Babe". It was magical.

Other than that, Powell Festival was a hot, sweaty, muddy, rainy mess. I think the teens had fun, but I would have preferred a dentist appointment, reliving closing on my condo, or perhaps jamming my toe again. I am not a girl who loves the heat...I mean, I love to look outside and say, "Wow. It must be hot out there. I think I'll go to the pool. But first, let me crank up my A/C." I'm NOT the girl that says, "Wow. It must be hot out there. I think I'll go outside and haul stuff for 30912 hours." I was so happy to get home last night and crawl into bed. The only bummer was one last task...

Picnic: D-U-N, DONE!

Oh Zion Picnic. You were very fun. And delicious. But thanks for being over. :o)

Now I am cuddling up on the couch, wondering if it's too early to go to bed.

For the record, it's 8:00pm on the dot.

Instead, I am watching Season 2 of '24' and wondering what the heck happened to Jack and why costume designers think "grieving male widow" always equals ugly flannel shirt. I am also wondering why Kim is nannying for a freakin' nut job.

BUT...most importantly, I am wondering who I could call to carry my upstairs to my bed, because my legs hurt, my feet hurt, and I need about 36 straight hours of sleep. The last time I was this sleep deprived, I think I was in college. I am getting too old for this. :o)

One final tidbit of the Powell Festival. Shawn and Joy were like angels on a mission by coming to our tents and rescuing me for a little while. And it was very courteous of Shawn to ask if we should head directly to the beer tent. Don't you love having friends who know you so well?!? I decline the drink, but we head for Elephant Ears instead.

As we are sharing the deliciously sugary cinimmon treat, I start talking to Joy about my nursing school application. I then had to share with Shawn what I had done and he asks if he can call me "Doctor".

Um, no...I'm going to nursing school.

To which he then asks if he can call me "Gyno".

Um, NO. Nope. Never call me "Gyno."

I'm glad we cleared that up in advance. :o)

This is kind of a big deal...

This is the most beautiful registry I have ever seen!

The excitement I feel over this registry will only be rivaled by my own wedding registry!

Thank you, Lord for your awesome gifts!

Claiming It!

Today at church Jen and Sam [finally] brought Max, introduced him to the church body, and shared their incredible journey. I don't care what anyone says, that story will NEVER get old!

Anyway, they shared a scripture that has meant a lot to them, and by NO coincidence, it is the same scripture on my calendar for today!!!

Here's what Joyce Meyer says on May 18th:

"All of God's promises are activated by faith...it is really good enough to just say, 'Well, I believe in Jesus and I believe I will go to heaven when I die'? It's great to know you're going to heaven, but don't you want to enjoy life while you are here? If so, you need to start believing that God wants to bless you daily. He wants to surprise and amaze you. Go ahead...ask Him! Be bold and daring because He is able to do more than you can ask, think, or decide."

The scripture that goes along with this is also Sam and Jen's scripture for Max's adoption process, Ephesians 3:20, "God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." [The Message]

I think this is my green light to dream and get extravagant with my requests. We serve a big, BIG God and He loves to be extravagant to His children. Praise the Lord!

Just one more pic...

This has to be one of my favorite pictures of Max. I am thinking of getting TBD a t-shirt to match it when he comes along...

In case you can't read it, the onesie says, "I don't know how to put this but...I'm kind of a big deal."