surfin'....

the 'net tonight cause I don't feel so well. Found 2 things I can now not live without. Come on tax return....

Item #1 Photographic wonder because of images like this (click on Holga in the top left corner. I LOVE the palm tree shot!). Makes me want my own dark room even more.

Item #2 Elsie yumminess. I want the whole sha-bang. The papers are just begging to be used!

What fun things have you found today?!

New project

I've started a brand new, little project and am LOVING every minute of it. Will post pictures as soon as I remember to take them....

Here's the totally cool idea:

Emily's art journal (Thanks Emily! Such an amazing idea!)

Too cool

Updating my blog with the "new Blogger." New links on the right
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thinking

I've been pondering lots of big questions lately. Huge, life altering things. Brought about by a tragic event. Been thinking about life and why we are here on earth. Why God decides to "take" people when He does. What will my legacy be when I leave the earth? Do I live with an eternal perspecive? Do I put my time into other people and invest in their lives? Do I stand up for what I believe? Do I put my trust in earthly things when I know they won't be here forever?
So many questions. Again, I am reminded that I don't have to have the answers, I only have to trust the ONE who does. That's my comfort. He's my rock. Life is short. So short.

While my mind has been on these things, I came across this quote on another person's blog.

"Grand and mysterious things are in operation. We are not alone. My prayers are perhaps a single note in a symphony, but a necessary note, for I believe in the communion of saints. We need each other." -Elisabeth Elliot

While praying this week, I felt almost silly and useless and didn't understand why God would even want to listen. This quote and Bible study this week on Psalms 10 reminded me of this one important thing. God loves. LOVES. He invented it. He does it far beyond what I think I can understand. He loves to hear my prayers. He loves even more when they come from an honest heart who is searching for him. And that's exactly where I am right now.

Why is this so funny?

I mean these are torture devices, right?Somehow, when you get into them to take pictures...okay, maybe it was just us, but we couldn't stop laughing. This weekend: took a trip to one of the oldest spots on the East Coast. Back in the 1600's, this place was "THE" place (more like the "only") to be and be seen. We had a grand time and FROZE. Winter has finally come.

working

Yes, this is work. I know doesn't look like it does it? Well, let's just say I have the coolest job on the planet. This weekend was our winter retreat and you can't have a winter retreat without ice skating, right? Actually, we were supposed to go snow tubing, but there was no snow in a 200 mile radius due to our totally awesome warm winter. So we went ice skating with 50 kids. Played lots of games. Sang songs. Had a campfire. Talked about God. Too fun. I love my job. Don't get me wrong. I have those days when I want to pull out my hair or curl up and cry. But there is something about being exactly where you know God wants you to be. It's that perfect peace.

Oh and this is the brand new bride and groom to be from this post. And don't you also love that this is my 4th post today! I've had so much to tell and no time to do it. Playing catch up.

ETA 2 more weeks

So hard to wait for the little guy to be on the outside! Isn't technology insane. I can SEE him still on the inside!

Check it out....

wow

Found this site today. Brianna Graham. Click on engagement sessions. These photos kept me captured for a long, long time. Plus the music is ultra cool. Love finding new sites that inspire me.

again

Going to be a bridesmaid again. This will be #6. Does that cancel the "3 times a bridesmaid, never a bride" curse? A girl can hope.... Went to the bridal shop to help the bride pick out her gown. Had some fun with the girls. No photos of "said gown" to protect the secret!

Did I mention....

it starts in T minus 3 days and counting. Bring it on, Jack Bauer. Bring it on. 2 nights. 4 hours. Now that's a season premier, baby. No phone calls on Sunday between the hours of 8:00pm and 10:00pm, please. My phone will be off (unless you are my brother calling during commercial breaks to discuss said television show. These calls will be accepted.).

And to give credit where credit is due. T, you are the reason I so enjoy Jack Bauer. You are the best. You win. You were right. Happy?

Finally

I found a type of exercise that I enjoy. That $$ I put down for 15 visits to the pool is also another great motivator to get out and do something active! (I get a thrill seeing the man punch my swim card each time I go. Clunck. Has been to pool. Has exercised this week. Yes!) Gotta do something about all those calories I consumed during the holidays with the fam. Hello, swim center....

How to cure a crappy day...

Buffy Seasons 3 and 6 in the mail from Amazon....check.

In Style' February issue PLUS TV Guide with Jack Bauer on the cover, also in the mail.......double check.

Having nothing to do tonight other than watch the Heroes that I taped last night while I was swimming (triple check to exercising!) and play with some paper, paint and playing cards (thanks E!)
Plus, I watched my favorite episode of Firefly today on my lunch break....I've been journaling like crazy lately and that always make me feel better....Getting super excited to take some more pictures. The ones on this post are the first that I've taken since the beginning of December!

And most of all, my boss was able to recover our entire mailing list which decided to corrupt itself and send me into panic mode. It's now backed-up 3 times. Thank you, M!

Ahhhh......

Yummy

Got this yummy book yesterday. Love Ali's stuff. Her blog is so fun and inspiring. She inspired me to do this, which I still have on my computer staring at me everyday.
Decided that I want to create more this year. In so many different forms: yarn (knitting and crocheting), paper (cards and scrap), writing (journaling. I am really, really loving it again. Been reading back over past stuff. ), photography (film, digital and Photoshop) and painting. Want to step out of my comfort zone and do something new.

I couldn't sit still because...

the room was so full of ghosts from the past. So much that I was almost in tears because of all the memories.

That's how I felt when I went home for Christmas and went to my old church that I practically grew up in. My parents still go there. I spent so much of my growing up there. Childhood, middle school and the horrible high school years. I got saved in a little room in the basement during Sunday School in 4's and 5's class. I rolled down "the hill" in my Sunday dress. I ran around the circle painted on the parking lot. I played hide and seek with all the lights out. I had lock-in's and Bible studies and lead praise and worship. I taught Awana's, played with kids, made life long friends, found mentors, just basically learned who I was and who God within the walls of that community. It's as much of my growing up and a part of who I am as my family.

I was sitting in the pew singing a hymn on Christmas Eve. My brother was standing right next to me. We were sitting on the same pews that we had sat on for years and years. And as I sat there, I suddenly was overwhelmed with the 1,000's of memories that I have from that place. SO MUCH has changed. When I go back now, many of the familiar faces are gone and have moved on. But in that moment, in that breath, it all came alive again. Everything melted away and I was seeing things like they were then. My youth group friends were all around me. We were laughing and talking about school and friends and life. My youth pastor (who was an amazing influence in my life) was looking at us laughing and cracking jokes. A million tiny, memories that I've forgotten were suddenly so tangible that I could reach out and feel them all over again. I had to choke back the tears.

At the end of the service that night, I was standing talking to a group of my old youth group friends. We were standing, much like we used to, in a circle discussing life and work and everything else that came up. I looked over and the new kids (the current youth group kids) were doing the same thing in their own circle. I laughed and said to my little group, "look at that! It's just like us 10 years ago." It's kinda comforting to know that the tradition lives on.

Dear goodness, I miss those days.

Dancin' the night away....

My house was full of people, music, laughter and lots of dancing last night. What better way to ring in the new year than to be with friends. Not that any of us were very good at it, except for the bro. He was the master last night. Smokin' on the dance floor. I thought our ancient floor would give way last night in the cottage from all of the foot stompin'. Watched "The Ball" drop on TV and was thankful I was warm in my house and not on the streets of NYC. Crazy fun time. If you have never tried DDR, it's a must for your New Year's list of things to do.