August 23rd

I have this adorable little daily calendar in my cubicle.  It was a gift from Jeremy this past Christmas, and I have really enjoyed it since then.  It is one of those calendars that has a little mini daily devotion/inspirational God story for each day, ending with a small prayer.  Well today (August 23rd) I really enjoyed what I read so I have decided to share it with the blogging world.  Yup, I'm going to share it with all 14 of you people who follow my blog!

"For many years of my life, I suffered from very severe migraine headaches, agonizing in bed for two or three days every month.  I can remember the unbelievably wonderful feeling of waking up one morning to discover that, finally, i didn't have a headache.  How I appreciated that freedom from pain! But, of course, within a few days I was taking my headache-free condition for  granted.  It seems to be human nature that we pay attention to what's wrong and give very little thought to what's not wrong.

 Today, maybe you'll join me in giving thanks for all the small things that are not wrong in your life.  It's a little like counting our blessings, only in reverse.  For example, yesterday, I noticed that my gas gauge was registering empty, but I made it to the gas station in time.  I could have run out of fuel on that empty stretch of Nebraska road between Kearney and Gibbon! My grocery sack broke in my car trunk instead of on the cement porch, where the ketchup bottle would have shattered.  I stood on a wobbly stool (not smart) to reset the clock and almost fell but didn't. 

 Maybe this morning, you'll notice your nontoothace or catch yourself before putting your foot in your mouth, or be thankful that pimple cleared up before your important date.

 Silly things, little things- but being aware of what didn't go wrong can set us free from the trap of focusing on the negative and thereby attracting more of it."

* Today, Lord, I give thanks for all that isn't wrong.

-Marilyn Morgan King

So today I am giving thanks for all the things that aren't wrong in my life instead of nit picking all the things that I'm not happy with.

For example;

I have my own cube! That's something to be thankful about...

Brian & Jade *8.14.2011*

I thought I would dedicate this blog post to my newly married friends Brian & Jade! Also, I thought I would take this time to rant and rave about how awesome their wedding was.  Before I get to the details of the wedding I want to emphasize how stinking cute Brian and Jade are together.  I think they are both such fabulous people and I could not be more thrilled that they are together.

Congrats again Brian and Jade Carlson!! 

Now onto the details of the wedding!  I don't think I have ever met someone as creative as Jade.  She really knocked this one out of the park.  The ceremony was absolutely beautiful.  You could see how deep their love for one another really was.  It was a very touching ceremony.

The reception was like something from a movie.  From the antique bottles, hand made napkins, old wooden doors with their engagement photos on them, everything tied in together to make the perfect reception site.  I loved how Jade thought of every little detail, and really enjoyed my time there celebrating with them.

Here are some snap shots of my favorite things:

 

Overall, it was the perfect evening with the perfect couple...

Thanks for letting us share your special day with you.

Rainy monday

Today has been a very rainy Monday.  Right when I rolled out of bed this morning I knew that all I wanted to do was lounge around and watch movies.  Sadly- being an "adult" I had to go to work and could not fully live out my dream of lounging.  Even though I couldn't lounge around all day long, I looked forward to doing a whole lot of nothing when the clock reached 5.

As soon as I came home from work I changed into my PJ's, made some Sloppy Joes (yes.. healthy eating was clearly a trend for tonight), and waited for Jeremy to get home.  When he came home he set the living room up to be our very own personal movie theater.  We put the couch cushions on the floor, got out our comfiest blankets and pillows and prepared ourselves for some serious relaxation.  Jeremy surprised me with all sorts of (very unhealthy) goodies like salt and vinegar chips, chocolate covered pretzels, twizlers and starbursts.  We popped in the movie and had a very relaxing rainy Monday night.  It was totally worth all the calories we ate.

This is what is getting me through my day...

The thought of sipping an iced cold mocha madness from Honey Dew Donuts.  If you haven't tried one before, you really really really should now.

Something i'm excited about!

So this past year I was a part of our Church's training school "Navigate".  I could not speak more highly of the school and the people who were a part of it.  I have learned so much about myself, God, the Bible, community, friendship, etc.  I have also made some really amazing friends because of it.  There is some unspoken bond between us all because of the things we have went through as a group. 

I have been on a team my whole life (Cross country, track, lacrosse) and I have learned to love the tight knit feeling of them.  There is something special about going through the same experiences with a group of people.  You can feel for one another.  Although personal experiences may differ from person to person, you are embarking on the same journey together.  You have each others backs, you encourage, motivate and love one another.

Once I graduated College I knew I would miss being a part of a team.  I knew I probably wouldn't be able to join some recreational team, so I wasn't sure how it would all pan out.  It is safe to say that my desires did not fall to the way side.  Navigate made me a part of a team again.  We have each others backs, encourage, motivate and love one another! We get to experience the tight bond teams have.  We get to grow and challenge one another in the most important aspect of our lives- our faith.

Now after completing the first module of Navigate, I am so excited to move on to the second!  Although our team is half the size it was in the beginning I am certain it is going to be just as powerful as the first.  I am also certain that the bonds made in the first year of Navigate will be ones that last forever.

Bring on Mod II!

(photo missing a few!)

Welcome Arielle!

One of my very best friends Stacey had her baby this weekend! I was so happy for her and her boyfriend Mike.  I had the pleasure of meeting this bundle of joy on Saturday, just eight hours after she was born.  Honestly, it was one of the most memorable moments of my life.  If there weren't so many people in the room with Stacey, I would have broke down crying.  I just couldn't believe that Stacey- my best friend Stacey, same girl I grew up next to since the 5th grade had a baby.  Stacey has been by my side through thick and thin, and someone I trust and love with all of my heart.  So needless to say, this weekend was an all time favorite.  As for Arielle- She is absolutely perfect.  She has dark hair and dark eyes just like daddy, and a little face that you could stare at for hours.

I am so happy for Stacey and Mike! I really do pray that God will provide them with everything they could possibly need.  Welcome to the world Arielle! You already have your very own fan club!

pick me up

Do you ever have those days, moments, weeks, when you could just use a real "pick me up"? Well today is definitely one of those days...  Jeremy threw out his back this morning.  He has been in a lot of pain and couldn't go to work.  I would see it as a celebration but he sees it as a royal pain in the butt!  Then on top of that, I got some very disappointing news and have been feeling low every since (no dets on-line..).  So this afternoon Jeremy and I will treat ourselves to a little "pick me up"...

We will indulge in our usual pick me up... Sushi! NOM NOM NOM!

Praying for a more encouraging, uplifting, joy filled day tomorrow.