2008

So... it's been a while.


I can't believe it's a new year.
A whole new year.
I'm excited to see what this year will hold.

Because it's leap year,
Bryan and I will celebrate our first anniversary of our engagement.
We've been celebrating it anyway,
(we do this rather than Valentines Day),
but it's the first time on the actual day.
February 29.

Come August is our 4 year.
That's pretty cool.
It still seems like we're newlyweds.

I do have a couple of resolutions.
I try not to do stupid ones that I'll never stick with
but ones that need to happen.
So, because we did the Makers Diet
and stuck with it we lost a lot of weight.
However over the holidays we gained a small amount back.
Just like 3 pounds each but it feels like 20!
So starting tomorrow I am going back to phase one for a week.
It's a rough phase and will make for a rough week
but I will do it.
I feel so much better on it
and I realize how much worse I feel eating all the food
that everyone else is eating.
1. Back on the Makers Diet and stick to it the entire year.

I feel like I keep saying "one more semester left to go!"
with three more after that.
But this is it.
2. Graduate college Spring of 2008.

Both Bryan and I have a really bad habit of procrastination
and yet I would love for my house to be completely clean and organized.
3. Get the house clean, organized and rid of anything we don't need, use or just can't let go of.

Something we keep saying is that we want to travel.
I would like for this year to be it.
4. Take a trip to Germany, Egypt, Rome, Alaska or New Zealand.

I've been, or at least I feel I've been, putting off my art.
Everything seems to come first.
God, Bryan, Family and Friends should,
but my art is getting shoved in there.
5. Finish pieces I've been putting off and create pieces to sell for others.

I really want to read and study the Bible intently.
Not just read and ponder on it.
But understand why it was written,
who for,
why it says what it says,
the deeper meanings within it.
Fully comprehending
(to the best of my human capability),
the Word that is given to us.
6. Dive into the Word.

And last but certainly not least,
save our money.
Someday we want a house.
We want to build a house,
a home,
of our own.
Plus I'm so bad about deals,
bargains and the like.
I need to not nickel and dime.
7. Save money and no nickel and dimeing it.


So there's my list.
It will happen.
It's a conceivable list.
By the way,
Christmas was wonderful.
Bryan and I made out like bandits,
(as well as everyone else around us.)
But truly with gifts, I love giving rather than receiving.
It is fun.

This year,
my incredible Grama,
had the idea of going around the circle
and saying something that you love about the person on your left.
I was the first to cry when my Aunt Kimmy started talking about me.
Then I continued as I spoke about my sister Sarah
and then even more when you spoke about Bryan.
Everyone's words to each other were beautiful.
A moment and memory that will happily haunt my mind.
I say happily haunt because it makes me tear up when I think about it.

Anyway, I am blessed.
Blessed with the family I was born into,
blessed with the family I married into,
and blessed with the man who is my family.

What a wonderful way to end one year and begin another.
I hope everyone can honestly say the same

Thanksgiving is coming REALLY soon!!!

I thought I owed it to the blog to update it.
I felt kind of bad.

So in recent:
I have discovered a fantastic sugar cookie recipe.
I will not disclose -so don't ask. ;)
I'm still thinking about becoming a baker.

College algebra is kicking my butt.
I can't figure out if it's me or the teacher
but I'm assuming it's me and I'm taking responsibility.
I don't want to have to take it again.

Pottery has been really fun.
I've quite enjoyed the kick wheel.
Bryan may have to buy me one
then help me make a kiln.
This is the last week for wet clay
so on Thursday we finish up our pieces
and then start firing.
It's all very exciting.
I'm trying to decide if I want to spend the money
for the next class.
I've ended up with some really nice pieces.
I can't wait til they are all finished.

Work still sucks. bleh.

We are getting settled into our house.
It's so cute and becoming really lovely and cozy.
The living room and office are finished.
Our bedroom and the dining room are almost finished.
I'm organizing the remaining boxes that are
residing within the spare bedroom.
Pitching, sorting, storing what needs it and or needs to go.

Pete (our dog) drives me crazy.
He still piddles all over whenever he decides he's too tired
or the carpet doesn't smell quite like pee yet.
He's getting better though.
However, two words:
Shock Collar.

Bryan is getting a nice raise that starts with the next paycheck.
And a very nice bonus.
We've pretty much spent it already
-only within our minds, of course.

Grampa is doing well.
His hip is healing and he has moved on from
the walker
and onto the cane.
He hates to be babied.
He's ready for the hard labor to begin.
Such a manly man.

I'm also getting into card making.
It's really cool.
And Ms. Em gave me a little kit
which is really very cool.

There was a bake sale at church on Sunday.
What I really liked were Rachel's.
They looked very scary
but they were quite the opposite.

I'm excited for the holidays.
Mmm... turkey.
Bah -Late Christmas shoppers...

Ah anyway.
I could probably go on,
but this is long enough and I need sleep.
(I've been really bad about remembering to take my medicine
and the affect is sleepyness.)

Have a good night.
Hopefully I'll find more time to do this more often.
God bless

Where there is death, there is life

This weekend was pretty good.

Friday-
Hung out with my mom and sisters.

Saturday-
Spent the day with my fam.
Mom, Sarah, Court, Lee-
grama and grampa,
Kim, Jon, Mattie, and Malachi.
Got some pretty rockin' gifts.
Played some Dance, Dance Revolution
and Wii.
Saw my little sis' new apartment-
real cute.
Met Bryan's friend, Chris,
his wife and family.
Whole lotta animals...

Sunday-
I wasn't feeling too well-
so Bryan and I stayed home while
the fam went to church.
Chris' beagle, Copper,
aggravated the dog itch in Bryan.
Went to a pet store to look around.
Found Pete.
9 week old beagle runt.
I never thought that we would have
found a beagle.
No such thing as coincidence.
We've found our Pete.

The family's baby,
Chance Michael,
a twelve y/o cocker spaniel
golden retriever mix,
has a tumor.
It's gotten progressively worse,
he has a hard time walking
and sitting,
and his eyes are starting to cloud over.
My grandparents have waited as long as they can-
they won't allow him to suffer.





















We love you baby Chance.
You've been an incredible dog and friend.

Birthday regrets...

I have none!!

I'm 23 years old.
I can't believe it.

Monday, Bryan set up a
birthday party for me.
Lots of friends present,
a few with unavoidable happenings,
and two MIA...
But it was great!

We had a campfire which means:
roasted hot dogs and s'mores.
Bryan also made homemade ice cream!
...mmm...
We're still snacking on it.
I did eat way too much though.
1 bowl of ice cream and 4(?) s'mores!
Ah.. but it was tasty...

Right now I'm blogging while I should be
in Lit class,
but recently I've been fighting off a
cold
and Bryan hasn't been sleeping well,
so this morning we never heard the alarm.
Oh well,
Happy Birthday to me!
I got to sleep in a bit!

I will have to work tonight
3-close.
But it's all good,
the Lord has blessed me with
legs to walk
and arms to stock!

I've received a lot of
birthday wishes
on facebook, already.
Very cool and thoughtful.
My baby sis even sent me a message
on my phone with the written version of
Happy Birthday.

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

My birthday month begins!

20 years ago

1. I was a mere age of three.
   
2. I became a big sister.
   
3. I still live in Nebraska, Grand Island to be exact.
   

10 years ago

1. I will have become a teenager.
2. Had only my mom and two little sisters.
3. Started eighth grade year home-schooled.
   

5 years ago

1. I started college.
2. Got my drivers license.
   
3. Bought my first car.
   

3 years ago

1. Married my best friend.
2. Moved to a whole new place, way far away from all my family.
   
3. Lived in my first apartment with the best roommate a gal could have.
4. Got a wonderful kitty, Chloe, who we've gotten to watch grow from the day she was born.
   
5. Spent a semester at a school for the deaf and learned more of a language that I loved and now refuse to do.
   

1 year ago

1. Gave up on a church and loved a Baptist church.
   
2. Got to work as a nanny for a single itty bitty baby.
   
3. Started college back up.
   

So far this year

1. I've lost 22 pounds.
2. Made wonderful friends.
   
3. Did the crafts for VBS.
   
4. Went to my first baseball game and loved it!
   

Yesterday

1. Worked til my legs fell off.
   
2. Went to school.
   
3. Fell asleep and slept like a rock.
   

Today

1. Slept til ten.
   
2. Worked til my legs fell off...again.
   
3. Watched Dirty Jobs.
   

Tomorrow

1. Enjoy the day at Adventure Land with Bryan!
   
2. Ride a whole lot of roller coasters.
   
3. Try not to get sick in any way.
   

In the next year

1. I will continue to grow closer to God.
   
2. Be closer to having a house.
   
3. Have some prayers answered... hopefully.
   

This week has totally kicked my butt.
Work and school-
non-stop.
Next week I work everyday.
Literally.
Then Friday we'll head down to my mom's.
Monday Bryan planned a birthday party for me.
We'll get together with a bunch of friends
at a friends house
and have a cookout with hotdogs and smores.
yay!!
I'm super excited.
Bryan's great.
Speaking of..
I'm gonna spend some time with him now...


(It's almost my birthday!)