Music and Magic on Main

Here are a few pictures from the event that my Sunday School class went to this past Saturday. It was awesome! We didn't stay for the whole thing, but we stayed long enough to hear an awesome swing style street band, see some amazing classic cars and arts and crafts and eat some tasty funnel cakes, corn dogs and snow cones. It was the coolest city event I've been to in a LONG time! Like the State Fair, but a much smaller scale which means it was affordable and bearable!

I hope it happens again next year! I'll be there!

October Jitters

It is September 29 and already October has me shaking in my boots! 

October always seems to be a busy month for me. It starts a busy season for most people with four major holidays only weeks apart from each other. And they are all holidays that potentially involve a good deal of preparation. Halloween means planning for the church Fall Festival. Thanksgiving means planning for the church potluck AND a family get together AND, if you're in my family, the day after Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza. Christmas means church pageant, shopping, cooking, and celebrating. And for some people New Years means planning parties. 

But in my life, summers are when I am the most busy at work. I am busy enough that it takes over most areas of my life for a couple of months. And then September is fairly calm. It brings a much needed down time where I am able to spend Saturdays with my sweetie again and go to bed at a decent hour because I got off work at a decent hour. But as soon as I feel like I can breath regularly again because the madness is over, here comes October telling me to stay on my toes!

And, to add to the Holiday Season and all that it entails, Brett and I are inching ever closer to our wedding date. We took the month of September off from wedding planning. We were at a place where there wasn't much that we could do so we agreed not to use the W word for a while. We love talking about marriage, but it was nice to not talk about the wedding for a bit. At least, not talk to each other about the wedding. I talked about it to a few sweet girlfriends who are curious and supportive. (Thanks Marie and Emily and Jennifer!)

What makes me the most jittery is knowing that at some point in the next month I will be adding to my wardrobe. The ring is almost paid off and I know that Brett has the proposal planned.

We ran into an old friend of mine Friday night and she asked us how long we have been engaged. Well that was a tough question! We have been planning the wedding for several months because we wanted to be able to take our time making decisions, but at the same time have a goal to work towards and a day in mind. But there has yet to be a proposal.

I am both excited and extremely nervous when I think about getting married. I am telling myself that is normal. I think I SHOULD be nervous! It's a BIG DEAL! I have never been a wife before. I have no way of knowing what I am getting myself into. But I think that I have been a good girlfriend for the most part, and I didn't know how to that. I had to learn along the way. My plan is to take another step of faith and say "I do" and then learn along the way how to  become a wife. We are going to do everything that we can to prepare ourselves beforehand (hopefully we will start premarital counseling soon), but we both know that there will be a lot of trial and error in the beginning. Some days I feel like I have no idea what I am doing, but I know that in Brett I have found someone who I can share my life with. Who will laugh with me and cry with me and shop with me and cook with me and just BE with me. I love him so much and I feel so blessed to call him mine.

Okay, lunch is over. I have some pictures from a super fun event that our class went to this weekend. I will post them tonight!

Oh, and Brett and I both awesome weigh ins at Weight Watchers Saturday! I used a lot of flex points yesterday, but hopefully we will have good weeks again this week!

Eek!

I'm nervous about weighing in tomorrow! I hope that Brett and I both had good weeks.

It is ten til 2:00 on Friday and I am really ready to leave work. Here are five things I would rather be doing right now:

1. Looking at apartments with Brett

2. Grocery shopping

3. Buying Tofu Shirataki noodles (I think I spelled that wrong, but I'm too lazy to look it up)

4. Working on my design blog

5. Watching a movie

License To Drive

It's not just an 80's movie starring the Coreys, it's WONDERFUL news for Brett and I today.

Most of the people who read this blog are familiar with the situation Brett has had with his DL over the last few months. If you don't know, don't worry about it. It's way too long of a story to tell here, and now that it's over, I don't want to relive it anymore.

Today was Brett's hearing and I am happy, and ever so thankful, to say that he is now, and will (hopefully) forever be, a legal driver.

It was an interesting day full of a nervous healthy lunch, some rowdy kids in a courthouse hallway, a really great judge inside a courtroom, a very tasty and less healthy (but still within our points) dinner and now what is sure to be a peaceful night of rest. Thank you for your prayers and support through this stressful ordeal.

God is good all the time, whether I am behind the wheel of a car or hittin' the pavement in my Target canvas flats. God is good.

Is It October Yet?

Life is going to start moving in fast forward in October. With wedding plans and getting ready to make moves, and church stuff, we will have a lot to do. This month we are taking it easy because there isn't much that has to be done right now. For a while I was glad that October was not here yet because I didn't want to have to worry about some of the things that we need to do. But now, I'm READY to start getting things done. I'm ready to find an apartment so we can work out our budget and start realizing what life will be like when we live together and share finances. I'm ready to design wedding invitations and send out save the dates. I'm ready to get bridesmaid dresses taken care of. I'm ready to make a wedding website. I'm ready to start window shopping for our registry.

So alright September, you've been nice, but I'm ready for October!

Recurring Dreams

I have only had one recurring dream in my life. It was a nightmare that when I think about now really makes me giggle. My family owned the movie Popeye with Robin Williams. I loved the movie and thought the music was fun, but the actor who played Bluto REALLY scared me! There is a scene in the movie where someone is force fed spinach and it is really gross to watch. I somehow combined the spinach image, Bluto and a third image from the movie, hamburgers, to create what was, in my 7 year old overactive imagination, a terrifying dream. I dreamed that I was laying in bed asleep at night and Bluto slowly opened my door and came into my room breathing heavily and grunting like he does in the movie and then sat me up in bed and force fed me giant hamburgers that had toothpicks sticking out of the top.

I know. It's hilarious. But I remember laying in bed at night and being scared to fall asleep because I didn't want to dream of Bluto again. It is the only recurring dream that I have a memory of and I probably haven't dreamed it in 20 years. But it is interesting... now, as an adult, I don't have recurring dreams, but I have certain themes or items that show up in my dreams regularly. 

The last two nights I have had vivid, gruesome nightmares and the one on Monday night had one of my recurring themes in it. I was in an old southern manor that was my family's home and in the beginning of the dream, we were attacked by a neighboring family. The details are fuzzy now, but I know that there were several casualties in the feud and then the family that we were fighting left. I think they were going home to tend to their wounded. It was early in the afternoon and we knew that they would be coming back when it got dark so we decided to hide. Here is the recurring part: there was a trap door at the top left corner of the coat closet in the front hall of the manor that led to a secret attic and we were going to go there to hide. The house was big and gorgeous and looked like something out of Gone With the Wind, except for the front hall. The front hall was the front hall of the house the I actually grew up in in Irving. And the closet was the same closet full of coats that I used to walk into with my arms outstretched hoping to find Narnia. I have had multiple dreams in the past two or three years where there was a trap door in that closet that led to a secret attic. It was always used for a different purpose in my dreams. In this dream we were going to live in it Anne Frank style. In another dream it was an attic that led to a private school where I had been sent and they were abusing all of the children so I would take people up there to hide. In another dream in was an attic that connected to my church and a homeless man was living there.

I just think it's really interesting. Anytime that I dream about being "home" in my dreams, it is always the house that I grew up in. My grandmother's house that my family moved to when my grandmother got sick when I was young. And there is always that closet. The closet that, as a child, I hoped held something magical in it. And now it my dreams, it is always a means of escape from some danger.

It's funny what our brains do at the end of the day when we are resting.

That's it. I don't really have a point. I have just been thinking about recurring dream elements since I had that dream. I find it very interesting. The end.

Oh Gotham City, I Have Failed You

I must say, I have had some fine moments in my days of Lego video gaming, but none of them took place tonight. A year ago I was blowing up the Death Star in Lego Star Wars, but tonight I couldn't control my glide suit so I just repeatedly fell into a dark abyss. And of course when Brett said "can I try?" he got it on the first shot. So it definitely wasn't the game! It was me. Haha. Lego Batman looks great. Lots of fun villains and groovy kung fu moves from Batman and Robin, but I really stunk it up tonight.

My tummy started hurting at about 4:30 today. My tummy hurts most days, regardless of my food choices. Actually, it bothers me a lot more when I am eating healthy than it does when I am junking it up. But today was good most of the day. When I left work I felt pretty lousy though so I made the decision to not go to Bible Study tonight and take it easy for an hour and half before Brett got off. I'm glad that I made that choice because I got to see my sister Laura and hear about her new job, and Madi was in a really good mood. I was trying to get her to tell me the names of the kids in her class. She lost interest after a few so I started guessing kooky names and she just laughed and said "certainly not". I don't know where she picks up some of her catch phrases, but I love them all!

I thought that I would feel better after eating dinner and relaxing, but it has gotten progressively worse as the night has progressed. And my left arm is hurting, so of course in my head I am telling myself I will probably have a heart attack and die in my sleep tonight. How's that for a ray of sunshine? Haha...

I'm not in agony though and I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning.

My head is really full and I could use some time to think things through. I need to make some lists. I haven't made any list other than a grocery list in probably three weeks and that is SOOOO not my style! I'm just waiting to pass some hurdles I guess. Or maybe I don't want to think about some challenges I am facing (ahem, budget issues) because I have no solutions as of yet. I did get asked to house sit today though. That should be relaxing (this is a really nice house and super cool pets) and it will add a bit to our wedding fund. Every bit helps!

Okay, I'm off to watch Hidden Potential before I go to bed.

Overload

Today is one of those days when I have so much on my mind, I am really having trouble focusing on work. But since I'm AT work, that is really what I should be trying to do... work. But I really hope I get a chance to blog a little tonight so I can get some of these thoughts out of my head.

Lego Batman came out today, so Brett and I will be fighting to save Gotham City when I get home from Bible study. But after that, it's blog then bed! (I hope).

Weight Watchers, Take 3

Brett and I joined Weight Watchers two days ago. It is my third time to be a member. We will see what happens!

I am excited that we are doing it together. And he seems excited about giving it a try. I will update you as we move forward!

A Jamie and Jennifer Song

Tonight while I was cleaning my room and reflecting on how amazing and loving our God is I found myself singing a Jamie and Jennifer song. Jamie and Jennifer are a husband and wife singing duo who led worship at youth camp for Plymouth Park my 8th grade year. They were sweet and fun and had a genuine impact on my life. They came back to our camp a second time when I was a senior, but this time they were part of a band called Forever After. They had a new funky vibe and were a little less my style, but still impacted my life in a very real way. This song is from Jamie and Jennifer, not Forever After, and I find myself singing it now and then. It's not one that Jeff and I sing when we reminisce, but it should be. It says:

You've turned my mourning into dancing again.
You've lifted my sorrow.
I can't stay silent.
I must sing for the joy has come.

It's a simple chorus that repeats several times. If there is more to the song, I have long since forgotten it, but this I have always remembered. Tonight it was the song of my heart.

Not that I have been in mourning, but I have been trying to master some fears. I am struggling with old sins and fighting old fights, but I am also up against some new opponents. Opponents that I have always known I would someday encounter, but also some that are completely foreign to me, that I never imagined I would face. I have felt unprepared and ill equipped. And in some ways that is a good thing because my only defense has been to rely fully on God. Years ago, I grasped the concept of praising God through the storm. God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good. But joy? Joy when I am watching the lives of people around me crumble. People who I love. Love deeply enough that their sorrow is my sorrow. How can I be joyful through their tears?

But God has been gracious. He has been so obviously in control of my life lately. He has not been waiting in the quiet after the storm, He has been thundering through and making his presence known. And every time that He meets a need I am reminded that He is not only control, He is a loving God. He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future. I am facing some mighty battles in my life, but I serve a mighty warrior. In Exodus, Moses told the Israelites, "The Lord will do your fighting for you. You need only to stand still". The God of the Israelites is still alive today and he is still fighting for his people. Sometimes He asks us to fight, but sometimes He just asks us not to run. To stand in our faith so that He may fight for us and be glorified.

And I know that if God can save me, in my sin and stupidity, He can and will save my loved ones as well. That is where the joy comes from. Not in the circumstances of today but in the promises He brings.

So I will not fear my wedding budget, because God is in control.
I will not fear my grocery list, because God is in control.
I will not fear my abilities as a wife, because God is in control.
I will not fear for those who I love that are struggling, because God is in control.

Lord, please forgive my fears. Holy Spirit, help me to be obedient.

A Few Pics From This Week

Well, I wish that I had come out of this week with a few more pictures, but I will share what I got. The boys took some of these... can you guess which ones?

Did I mention that when I gave Josh a hamburger bun to feed the ducks, he didn't tear it into pieces like the rest of us were doing, he threw the entire bun? It was awesome.

I miss them already. What a blessing it was to be with our friends this week. They are still patiently waiting for the power to come back on, but they are now waiting in New Braunfels with Marie's parents instead of in Irving with us. (Yes, I had to look up how to spell New Braunfels).

Another Great Night

Last night, we took the Willinghams to the park where we will be getting married. We wanted something cheap to do to get the boys out of the house for a bit, so it was a perfect chance to sneak in some wedding info!

We had a great time! We fed the ducks and threw around a Frisbee and football for a bit. Little Josh's fingers were too small to catch the Frisbee so I should him how to catch it with his arm instead. I took 3 pictures and then the battery in my camera died. But I will steal some pics from Marie's blog after she posts them so you can see all of our adorable men!

I was really thankful to get their opinion on the park too... I feel like we made the right decision, but I know it is a little risky, so any time I can have someone affirm our decision, I feel a little better. Now half of my bridesmaids have seen the park. Laura, Jenna, Jenn and Jage still need to see it, but I'm sure we will find time eventually!

When we got back home Brett, Chris, Marie and I played Rock Band for a little while as Josh cheered us on Ryan complimented our mad skills. It was so much fun!

Tonight is our last night with the Willinghams courtesy of hurricane Ike. They won't be able to go home for several more days, but they are going to migrate to some family so they won't have to pay for the hotel anymore. Maybe I will snap a couple of shots tonight. Last chance!

Good Times with the Willinghams

I had such a great time last night! I hate the our Houston friends, the Willinghams, had to leave their home and wait for the city to repair and come to life again after the storm, but I am SO happy that we will be seeing them for a few days!

Marie Willingham is one of the coolest ladies I know and I just love getting to know her more and more. And those boys... Ryan is 7 and Josh is 4 and they are just really special kids. Ryan is a really great big brother. He is always looking out for Josh and, even when it is obviously frustrating, he always takes time to tell him which buttons to push on the XBox 360 controller. And Josh... that kid is a hoot! He is still working on pronouns and relationship and getting all of the him and hers right when he talks about people. Last night while we were grilling he told me my dad was really cool for giving them an XBox 360. Yeah. Brett's not my dad. But does the word fiance mean anything to a four year old? Probably not. So I just said thanks as he ran off to chase Ryan.

And Chris Willingham... greatness! He is so honest and open about his life experiences. And he's a great story teller, which I love! They are just a great family! I am so thankful that being a part of Brett's life has brought such amazing people into mine.

I pray that this week is not overwhelming for them as they wait for waters to recede and power to come back so they can go home. But I hope that I take advantage of the time we have been given this week! What a blessing!

Burn After Reading... Hurricane Ike

After a difficult week and a very frustrating Friday, I decided to leave work a little early to go see Burn After Reading. I thought it looked really funny, and I am always interested in the Coen brothers. I am happy to say that the movie did not disappoint. It was certainly funny. I went to a 5:15 showing, so the theater was probably only 30% full, but there were several moments when the room was full of slow giggles which turned into almost belly laughs. I enjoyed it very much. I should have expected a bit of violence, but it caught me by surprise. I don't think it would have bothered me at all if I had been expecting it, but one part in particular I thought was fairly brutal. It was quick, but still enough to leave me with a "Yikes!" for several hours.

It is a strong R for language, sexual topics and some violence. But it is funny. With a cast like that, I couldn't pass it up.

Topic #2

It is early Sunday evening and Brett and I are waiting to hear from our Houston friends. They stayed home and decided to ride out the storm, but now that Ike has come and gone, it looks like their development is not expecting to have power for two weeks or so, so they are currently nearing Dallas where we will be making them fajitas! (Using their meat that they salvaged from their freezer and our fixins). Brett had to hop online after Sunday school to find a way out of The Woodlands that was not blocked by flooding and then find a hotel here that would house the entire crew. So tonight we will be seeing our good friends, Chris and Marie and their awesome sons, Ryan and Josh. They also have Chris's mom and their dog, Blazer, with them, but we are not sure yet if we will get to see them or if they will be retreating to the quiet and comfort of the Days Inn.

Okay, I'm off to make cookies!

Good Movie, Angry Tummy

What a strange week this has been. I have a few random ramblings and then I'm back to the couch to watch something because I can't fall asleep.

1. Last Wednesday, my dad was laid off because they couldn't afford to keep two guys (or something like that). He went on an interview Thursday and started a new job Friday. Well today, 8 days after he was let go, his old job called him and wants him back! Listen people, get with the program! You can't toy with people's lives like that!

2. A word of advice for anyone and everyone who reads this. Never, and I mean never, try a Slimfast and tomato soup diet. It's a long story, and it was even kind of an accident, but listen, it's just not a good idea. Take my advice. Your tummy and your toilet, will thank you!

3. I am thankful for the little things in life that bring joy. Tonight I am thankful for a movie full of awesomeness: Little Miss Sunshine. Oh my goodness... the way that Greg Kinnear's expressions get more and more outrageous during the talent competition... it's hilarious! I love everything about that movie. It's so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

4. Brett is planning the proposal. I'm so nervous! I hate being the center of attention, so I'm nervous about what he is planning. And I just know life will get about 5 times crazier when I am finally wearing that gorgeous ring. It's possible that he is trying to throw me off, but I think I know what he is planning. I know that he wants to surprise me so I'm not going to tell him my suspicions. He doesn't read my blog, in fact I think only Jennifer reads my blog, but anyone who happens to be reading this... don't tell him I am suspicious!

Okay, I'm off to the couch. Thank goodness it is Thursday night. I'm ready for Friday!

Song of My Heart Today

Rich Mullins - Hold Me Jesus

Well, sometimes my life just don't make sense at all 
When the mountains look so big 
And my faith just seems so small 

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf 
You have been King of my glory 
Won't You be my Prince of Peace 

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark 
It's so hot inside my soul 
I swear there must be blisters on my heart 

So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf 
You have been King of my glory 
Won't You be my Prince of Peace 

Surrender don't come natural to me 
I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want 
Than to take what You give that I need 
And I've beat my head against so many walls 
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees 

And this Salvation Army band is playing this hymn 
And Your grace rings out so deep 
It makes my resistance seem so thin 

I'm singing hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf 
You have been King of my glory 
Won't You be my Prince of Peace 

You have been King of my glory 
Won't You be my Prince of Peace 

Good Meeting with the Choir Officers!

I met with the choir officers tonight to show them proofs of what I have designed for the Christmas pageant and it went so well! They were all so nice and really loved what I had done. I am so thankful that Paige recommended me and that we will be printing these pieces at my job. It always makes me look good at work if I can bring in some printing. Who doesn't need help looking good at work! I may even get a little commission for it.

And, they were all super sweet and made a big deal out of telling the interim director that I used to be in choir and they want me back. It was really nice to feel missed. I MISS CHOIR SO MUCH! I stopped going because I just had too many things going on. It is hard to be the head of a ministry and be involved in others. And the choir only sings in the first service now and I have to start class with announcements at the beginning of Sunday School so I couldn't sing anyways. I could do pageant and sing on praise team, but I am worried about adding something else to my schedule.

Still, the thought that I may never be a part of the Plymouth Park choir again is hard to swallow. That is possible though, with Brett and I marrying in the Spring. We are not sure where God will be leading us, but we will follow Him wherever He takes us.

Anyway... woohoo for Christmas Pageant!

Topanga is Back!

Has anyone else noticed that Topanga has a show on the style network now? Danielle Fishel is cute and sassy on her new show Dish. Or is it Let's Dish? I don't know, one of those.

I have a feeling this show is going to be a new guilty pleasure of mine. It is in a Talk Soup format and the writing is decent, and being a major Boy Meets World follower in the 90's makes me love her delivery!

Last night, when I should have been in bed, I was torn between watching it and watching my usual HGTV shows. I ended up switching between commercials. And, it turns out it was a good thing I was still up because for some crazy reason our refrigerator decided to turn into Niagara Falls and let water run from the water spout, down the front of the refrigerator, for about 5 minutes. That can't be a good sign.

Just wanted to point it out to all my 90s sistas out there! Check it out!

Bowling Lunch

The first Sunday of every month our Sunday School class goes to lunch to celebrate the class birthdays for that month. Every now and then we go to the bowling alley because games are super cheap on Sunday afternoons! Here are a few pictures from our bowling lunch this past Sunday. Good Times were had by all!

Pictures from Hannah's Party

I am finally posting some pictures from Hannah's party! She turned 6 years old. Madi keeps pretending to be sad that Hannah is "bigger than" her now. I keep telling her she is not bigger, only older, and just barely!

We had a blast!

Midnight Run

Well, Brett and I had a little adventure last night.

I had a very tiring day so I came home at 9:30 and I was in bed by 10:00. I can't remember the last time that I was in bed at 10:00. But after an hour or so of sweet sleep I was awoken by my phone. The clock said 11:20 and my phone said Brett. He had just gotten off of the phone with a friend of ours who had taken the bus to Fort Worth with her boyfriend and then lost track of time and now they needed a ride. They were in a bar (because the restaurant they had been in closed and they couldn't find anything else open) and waiting for a ride.

It was raining and Brett's car is not really up for trips like that, so I got dressed while Brett looked up directions and then we were off. The trip there was fine. I am always a little nervous driving to new places at night. After 6 years of staring at computer screens all day, my eyes are always very tired at night and I have trouble reading signs from far away. But there was no traffic. They were in downtown Fort Worth, but Brett is familiar with major streets in Fort Worth because he lived there for a while. We found the bar easily and turned around and took them both home. They live in opposite sides of Irving so even without traffic, I didn't get home until 2:00 this morning.

I'm a little sleepy.

But I'm glad we were able to help our friends. It must be tough being without a car. I'm glad they felt comfortable enough to call Brett and I'm glad we were able to find them.

But I hope the only adventure I have at midnight the rest of this week is a dream about me winning the lottery.

A Bit of Wisdom from a Cinema Classic

I was watching The Sound of Music with my niece yesterday morning while we were waiting to get ready for Hannah's party. (We had a great time and I will be posting pictures from it later today!)

What a great movie! I grew up watching it and I am so happy that my niece, Madi, enjoys it as much as I did when I was her age. She spent about ten minutes yesterday singing "I am 16 going on 17, I am 16 going on 17, I am 16 going on 17" over and over after that song. She only knows a few words, but it has definitely made an impression!

But one of the first songs in the movie has a line in it that is so full of truth and wisdom that it could be straight out of Proverbs! Maria is giving herself a pep-talk as she is on her way to start her new job. If you don't know what her new job is, go watch the movie, NOW! It is greatness!

She says:

Strength doesn't lie in numbers.
Strength doesn't lie in wealth.
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumber.

Can I get an Amen?!

I sure could use one of those!

As Good As It Gets

Brett and I watched As Good As It Gets tonight. I had forgotten... it's one of those movies that just makes you feel good when it's over.

Good times =-)

My kind of Friday afternoon

It is 4:40 on Friday afternoon and the last hour or so have been nice and quiet at work. I like to end the week calmly. Especially when we have a busy weekend planned, which we usually do. Tomorrow we are taking Madi to Hannah's 6th birthday party, and we are meeting with some friends of ours tomorrow night who have a business proposition for me.

I have to say, I have been really excited by God's blessings lately. Of course, I'm thrilled about getting married. Even with all of the stress that comes along with planning and paying for a wedding, and all of the "oh my gosh, this is forever, am I really grown-up enough for this, what if I am a bad wife or bad mother" moments, I am humbled by the gift of Brett and filled with hope when I think of our future together.

AND, I am SO thankful for the people that God puts on our lives to guide and direct us. I have some amazing friends. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but God has been so wonderful in putting people in my close circle who are strong where I am weak and who encourage me when I feel like I don't have what it takes.

Jennifer is one of my BFFs! We were roommates a couple of years ago in the coolest apartment I have lived in to date. She is married now and is a kindergarten teacher and also does blog design. (http://pinkarmchairdesigns.blogspot.com) A little over a month ago she talked to me about partnering with her site to offer logo design. I had just finished putting together a flyer about scrapbooking and sending it out to people, because really... I like my job, but I would like to be able to do something creative and fun that is all my own. And I LOVE to scrapbook! In college, it was my love for scrapbooking that led me to declare a major in graphic design. I used to be bigtime into it, but I had to let the hobby go in college because I just couldn't afford it anymore.  But around Christmas time this year I really started to miss it, so since then I have been trying to think of a way to offer the service to other people. It would be a way for me to enjoy my hobby without spending tons of money, and even maybe make a little money on the side!

So when Jennifer mentioned the logo thing and I started frequenting her awesome blog, I thought that maybe I could put together a blog where I offer logo design AND scrapbooking! (And I threw in a card line to round it out, because honestly... every girly designer thinks about having a line of cards or stationery or something like that).

The last few weeks I have been gathering info and piecing together the different sections of my blog. As you know, with TONS of help from Jennifer, because she is supremely awesome, I was finally able to go public last week.

The logo design thing got off to a rocky start. (I mean really, I'm still just getting started, but already things are smoothing out). But a month or so ago, I did a logo design for a girl who loved her first set of proofs, but then made tons of changes and eventually had her sister do the logo design. Not because she didn't like what I did, but because her sister is studying graphics right now and wanted something for her portfolio. Well, my confidence is easily shaken and that made me feel bad, and actually, it made me feel stupid. Like I was kidding myself thinking I had anything to offer in that area. And then someone else emailed me about doing a logo design and asked me to send her some samples. Well I've done logo designs at work before but I didn't feel right using work related things for this little project of mine, so I sat down one night and created some logos and sent them to her as samples... and then I never heard back from her.

haha... great! So I'm feeling like a double failure, right?

Well a few days after that another woman emailed me about a logo design, and that was a great experience. We went back and forth for a couple of weeks and she ended up with a logo that she really likes.

Today someone else emailed me about doing a logo for her and I am really excited!

I am also designing all of the media for our church Christmas pageant, which is WONDERFUL because I really miss being in choir! I stopped going because I didn't feel like I had the time and energy it took to be a good choir member, and even though I miss it, that hasn't changed. God will take me back to a choir when he wants to use me in that way, but right now, he has other things planned for me. But doing the posters and tickets and programs makes me feel involved, so I am so thankful for that opportunity!

And the business opportunity that I mentioned at the top of this blog (that I realize is becoming too long... I'm trying to wrap it up!) is super exciting! It is a married couple at our church who does slide shows for weddings and graduations and other special occasions and they have been looking for someone to partner with them and offer scrapbooks along with their slide shows. HELLO! That would be WONDERFUL!

So I am really excited for all of the opportunities God is bringing me right now. This is such a season of change and growth in my life. I am clinging to His grace and mercy and praying that I will serve Him faithfully and not get caught up with the "me" and "my"s of everyday life.

Okay, it's time to go! Have a great weekend!

Mamma Mia

Last weekend I finally gave in and bought the Mamma Mia soundtrack.

My whole family went to see the movie together. I think we were hoping for another Hairspray. Instead we got another Sweeney Todd. A good movie, but one that cast actors and not singers, so as far as musicals go, it's nothing amazing. My mom and I both said that we would see Mamma Mia again because even though it was a bit awkward here and there, the music really was fun. When they sang "Dancing Queen" I wanted to get up and dance in the theater!

But back to the soundtrack... I finally decided to buy it and oh my goodness! I am having a blast listening to it in my car! This morning the title track "Mamma Mia" was playing when I got to work so that is the song that I have in my head. I have no doubt in my mind that, every time I go to the bathroom today, I will stop to dance to that song in front of the mirror. I've already done it once! I just need to learn the rest of the words. I only know the first verse and chorus.

The strangest thing I've heard in a long time

One thing you can never have too much of is a good hard laugh. I share an office with one of the funniest guys I know. He's a great story teller and he has some crazy family members, which is a winning combination for me who loves a good story!

Today he was telling me about a time that he and his wife went to lunch with his grandparents. (I don't actually remember who he was at lunch with, but I know it was family and there was a crazy old lady, so we'll stick with grandparents). Well, his grandmother is a nice lady, but she is super traditional, super opinionated, and has a problem with, among many other things, gay people. Well they were eating at a restaurant in an area of Dallas that has a large gay population and a couple walked in that she took offense to and she said "I just can't believe this! They're everywhere! They're like vampires!"

I'm serious. That's what she said.

Oh my goodness, I laughed so hard. There is not a word in that statement that makes sense.

First of all, VAMPIRES AREN'T REAL crazy lady! Are you kidding me?

And what does that even mean? Has she ever been chased down in the middle of the night by a pale gay person with no reflection who wanted to suck her blood? Just the thought of it is so absurd, I had no words. Only giggles.

Brett and I bought the Halloween Mister Potato Head tonight and it comes with a vampire costume. It reminded me of the crazy lady.

Oh Crazy Lady, you're so crazy!

Sleepy Kim

I have GOT to start going to bed earlier! Why, oh why, does Sex In The City have to come on at 11:00 and 11:30 every night? I love that show, and when they play it on basic cable, it's edited just enough to cut out all (well, most) of the things that make you blush, but keep in all of the awesome story lines. And they are currently showing the final season, most of which I haven't seen. How can I pass it up?

I know it's a controversial show, but I will say what I have always said. People who don't watch it think it is a show about sex, but really it is a show about relationships, romantic and friendly. Women connect to this show in a really special way. Every time I watch it, I think about my college roommates and the nights that we used to spend dancing on the bed or driving to Walmart (the only thing open past 10:00 in Arkadelphia) or watching Empire Records or You've Got Mail for the 100th time. I love the show for what it is, but I also love the show for where it takes me when I watch it.

But my point is, why can't I be like the rest of the modern world and TIVO it? Come on Kim... get with the program!

Labor Day Weekend

The best thing about a three day weekend is it reminds me that I am more than my job.

During the summers, my job sort of takes over my life. We have a summer project that we do every year, and it is the part of my job that I am the best at... my chance to shine, I suppose. I enjoy the project, but it takes a lot out of me. Last summer I didn't have a day off between the 4th of July and Labor Day. This summer, I had 2 days off between the 4th of July and Labor Day. Two separate Sundays. So I always look forward to Labor Day. We don't work Labor Day weekend. In my six summers at my job, we have never made an exception to that rule... yet.

Brett and I had a busier weekend than we had hoped for... a few parties crept up at the last minute... but the most eventful thing this weekend happened today. We went to lunch with our mothers. It is the first time that my mother and I have shared a lunch with Brett and his mother. My niece, Madi, was with us and pretty much anytime Madi goes out to eat, she wants Chili's. But on the way to Chili's today, we showed Brett's mother where we will be having the ceremony. We hadn't mentioned the venue change yet because details were still up in the air.

I haven't done a wedding blog yet, but I will be posting one this week. However, I will say that this weekend I bought some reception decorations for the first time and it was so fun!!! Huge shout out to my mom, my sister Melanie, my niece Madilyn and my college roomie Jage for helping me trick the system at Ikea. One item per customer... nice try Ikea. You are no match for a bride on a mission!

Two things I never thought would mix... football and church

I had two great moments at church today, but I'm only awake enough to blog about one tonight. Hopefully tomorrow I will still remember the second one.

We had a football team in the service this morning. I didn't notice them during praise and worship because they were in the back middle section and I was in the front right section. We were singing new songs so I was reading the screen while we sang. But when we sat down after singing, our pastor welcomed the team and told us that they were from a high school in New Orleans and they were in town to play a game tomorrow. I actually laughed out loud when I turned around and saw that I somehow had failed to notice, not one football player, but an entire football team taking up a huge section of the sanctuary. Before the sermon started we prayed for the families and homes of the players who were in Dallas to play a football game while their families were at home preparing for a potentially devastating hurricane. I can't imagine what they must have been feeling this morning.

Well God had big plans for Brother Ken today. He is doing a sermon series on hope and the topic today was overcoming exhaustion. He taught from the passage in 1 Kings where Elijah is running for his life and tells God he has had enough. It was a great sermon, and the prayer time afterward was really special. He always closes his sermon with a prayer and then we have a time of prayer where the altar at the front is open for church members to come and pray. I asked Brett to come and pray with me because I wanted to take a minute to thank God for the blessings he has given us this week and ask him to focus Brett and I as we move forward with our relationship.

We finished praying just as the song ended so we got up and turned to walk to our seats. I was crying a little so I didn't look around when we stood up, but quickly turned and walked back to our seats with my head down trying to subtly wipe away a few tears. As we were walking, Brother Ken started talking again and said that he realized there were still a lot of young people praying but he wanted anyone who was willing to come and surround those praying so that we could all join them in lifting up their concerns. I had no idea what he was talking about but we got to our seat and I turned around and was shocked to see that, once again, I had failed to notice an entire football team. There were about 50 young men, probably all 16 and 17 years old, kneeling at the altar in prayer. They didn't look up as Brother Ken talked, but they continued to pray. The entire front of the stage was full... even the spot where Brett and I had been kneeling was filled with football players, and right in the middle of them was their coach.

The site took my breath away. The tears that I had been wiping away were replaced with a fountain of fresh tears as I thought of these young men and the terror they must be feeling. "Hurricane" isn't just a word that they read in their text books, it is a horrifying enemy who they have faced before and whose wrath they are still recovering from. I thought of how I would feel if I were away on a trip while my family were in the face of such a familiar danger. These young men who spend every waking moment trying to be "tough guys", tough enough to overcome their opponents, were facing an opponent that even the strongest, bravest and wisest men can not out-think.

So we prayed. And when we finished the coach walked right up to Brother Ken and took the microphone next to him and, after stopping to control his tears, thanked us for welcoming them and told us that they were not even supposed to be here today, but God had another plan. They had made arrangements to attend a different church this morning, but there was a mix-up and they arrived after church had already begun. So someone at the church told them where we are located, and they headed our way, and apparently, they received exactly the message that God meant for them to hear.

It was a very humbling moment. One that I will remember for a long time and one that I was thankful to be able to share. It is amazing how God can bring people together and, again, humbling how often he chooses to do so when our needs are the most severe.

God is good, all the time.