Best Birthday EVER!!

My sweet husband made my 28th really wonderful. Although I had school and all, I still had a great day! I received a phone call from my honey after he got off work and asked me if I had anything to do, and of course I told him no (i'm not going to make plans on my birthday in the off chance someone is planning a party for me, LOL) and he stated he was taking me to get my birthday present. I was like, "YEA!!" So he picks me up and we drive to Harker Heights where to go to Barnes & Noble and Target to compare the Nook and the Kindle! I got the KINDLE!!!! I am so excited, and I have already bought 4 books and can't wait to buy more. Now I am just waiting to get my cover for my Kindle. Yea! Happy Birthday to me! I have the greatest husband ever!

Finals Week

UGGGHHHHH! That is all I am going to say.

*Shortest post ever*

It's Official!

I will be graduating May of 2012!! I set my fall semester up with the last of my actual classes and I am set! I will do my student teaching in the Spring and then....GRADUATION!!! OMG, I am so excited I can hardly stand it! ::bouncing up and down::

Plans are set, the registrars office is auditing my degree plan to make sure that I haven't missed anything and once they approve I will be applying in the fall for graduation, as well as buying my cap and gown. I never thought this would come. I could see a hint of light at the end of the tunnel last semester, but now, it is right there glaring me in the face.

Next step, finding a job...

I also got my results back from my allergy test. Drum roll please....I am officially and severely allergic to Cedar and Grasses. That is it. LOL! Thank you Texas, I appreciate your contributions to my sinuses, now please, BACK OFF! ROFL! But shellfish I am not allergic too, so lobster, here I come.

Colds and all that comes with it...

Don't you hate it when you are sick and you can't do anything about it? Well I couldn't have gotten sick at a more inconvenient time. Unfortunately there are too many people who are sick around me, mainly kids, but of course I had to get it. And it doesn't help that I have been stressed out because midterms are this week and they had to be all around the same time or on the same day. So trying to make sure I have the material covered for a test that will make or break my grade, is not comforting.

Why is that grades on tests and book knowledge is so important? Isn't it more important that you know what to do when you are out in the real world doing what you have been in school for? Doing good on a test or project does NOT guarantee that you know what you are talking about. You could seriously B.S. your way through it, get a great grade and still not know what the heck you just did...and for what purpose?

After breaking down yesterday to my best friend in the whole world, who is so much more wise than I am, about the woes of being in school and my doubts of "am I really going to be a good teacher?" crept up on me, she really put it into perspective for me. Yes I knew that "he who must not be named" was attacking me and I knew I was emotional, stressed out, tired, and not to mention sick, but the fact of the matter that I let him get the best of me irked me. It was really tipped off by what a professor said about students with ADHD. It rubbed me the wrong way and I took it WAY TOO PERSONALLY! But for the record, and speaking as a person who has been diagnosed with this, ADHD PEOPLE ARE NOT DUMB!!!! Now that that is out...I have been battling this learning disability most of my life and, as an adult, am trying to work with it without medication. It is hard, don't get me wrong, and there are days that I have to keep telling myself to go on and that I can do this (also the encouragement of those that I love helps). But I am still doing it. I am maintaining AB Honor Roll at school, I am recognized at school, and I work my tail off. But the problem is that I am a HANDS ON LEARNER! How come I can't do more of that? I feel more comfortable in the classroom, and as my friend says God flows through me when I am up front doing what HE has chosen and blessed me to do. I know that being a teacher is God's will for me. I have known ever since I was in High School, that I wanted to be a teacher. and even though I played Jonah and ran away from God, refusing to do what He called me to do, I still came back and am one year away from graduation. Regina pointed out that I have Senioritis REALLY BADLY!!! LOL, I had forgotten what this feeling was like. I mean, gosh, it has been 10 years since I felt it. But even though I feel like I want to throw in the towel and give up, I got thumped in the head (literally, with my own hand but by someone else's doing...*cough cough*) I laughed and realized I was being silly. I am one year away! God give me patience.

Anyways, off my soap box. I'm tired, just took some Nyquil, and I have to get up in the morning to take a test...I must be getting to bed now. Good night friends and sweet dreams!

God continues to amaze me...

After my constant struggle with coming to terms with not having a baby right now, since I am in school, came up yesterday, God continued to show me what He has been trying to say to me and to soothe my heart and quiet my soul about the issue. My darling friend gave me Hebrews 11:1 last night..."How Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." and then God gave me 1 Samuel 1:7-20. And today at church 2 Samuel 6:1 - 7:17. God is constantly reminding me that even though the answer is "No" right now, it does not mean forever. Like in the sermon today, Pastor Gary said, "When God says 'No'...He has a better way". The best way for me to respond when dreams are shattered or turned down is to "rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:18

Needless to say, I need to stop dwelling and start living right now...God will grant me the desires of my heart, one day. But for now, lets finish school and do things while I can.

Back in the saddle again

Well I figured it was about time to get back this train and update my life. As you can see, my post was almost 3 years ago...a lot has happened since then. I went back to school full time to be a teacher, I quit my job when things weren't working out with them and my school schedule/priorities, and that has pretty much been my life the past two and half years...School. I am almost done though, one more year and I will be a college graduate. I will be a graduate in 2012. Woot! I can't begin to tell you how excited I am. I am currently going through a load of classes that even to me seem confusing, but I am trucking along.

My life has been hectic and I am waiting to pick up a new one once I am done with school.

Anyways, just a short post but more to follow.

Last time I do that again

It is finally over! Red and I finished the Ladies Spring Tea on Saturday, and I can tell you, we were both thankful. LOL, we both pinky promised to never do this again, no matter what, not even if they offered us a round table. We always get stuck with a rectangular table, even if we are one of the first to sign up on the registration form. They usually give the round tables to the same women. Lucky them. Oh well. At least we won't have to deal with that again. We were talking about doing our own tea, with our own friends in our own homes. What is the point of going to a a tea, when there is nothing much older women, who want to sit there and gossip or leave you out of the loop because you are younger. I felt so out of place because I was a great deal younger than the rest of the women. Isn't that sad. Fake smiles, fake laughs, empty conversation. Anyways, the wedding coordinator for the church, who was my wedding coordinator for my wedding, was the speaker for the tea. I have my opinions about her, I had difficulty and more stress and anxiety dealing with her during the wedding process that I would care not to remember. But Red made a good point; she sure did pull off a good show. And she did. My wedding was beautiful and flawless. Anyways, she made her speech and talked about the wedding process all the way up to the wedding ceremony. I sat there visualizing my wedding day, how I felt, how I looked, how my best friend, my sister, my family looked on that day. How extremely anxious I was to see the man I love. I even cried remembering when I was walking down the aisle towards my love. I love thinking about that moment. At that moment, I wanted to hop in my car and drive home to see my hubby so I could give him a hug and a kiss and tell him how much I love him and how extremely blessed I am that God gave him to me. I am extremely blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. Well, the more she kept talking, the more I kept feeling that same anxiety I felt while working with her. Anyways, I am glad it is over. It didn't help that I had to work the same day too.
I'm sorry, I am just tired, and I am whining right now. Forgive me. This has been a long weekend and I wish I could have another day off to relax. Is it time for me to take a vacation yet?

Is it time for a vacation yet?

Work, Work, Work! It's almost like a baby, Eat, Sleep, and Poop! Although, they have it easy, they don't have to work. Lucky! I feel so bogged down and having to pick up after too many people. Why can't my job be easier. I love my job, at least I think I do. You know that is bad when you aren't sure if you like your job anymore or not. A year ago, I had no problem saying how much I love my job. I think I have to tell myself that I love it so I don't go crazy or convince myself that I am happy. But when you have only 6 people on staff, and having to do everyone elses job, it makes it pretty difficult. I can't keep doing this anymore. I can't keep doing everyone else's job just because one person knows I will do a better job and get it done. Maybe it is time for a change. I have been praying, not very often, about where God wants me, and I haven't heard anything. So I assume to stay where I am and be content. Now, I don't know if I can do that anymore. But then when I get the notion into my head to start looking for a new job, my gut starts to act up and my guilt takes hold, then I talk myself out of getting out because my fear of change and something new and the fear of never succeeding takes over. I'm afraid of what happened when I was a manager 4 years ago. I was let go, and that has never really left me. I'm scared of that happening again if I try for a new job and then suck at it. Red wants me to be with her and it would be fun to be with my big sis again. I loved it when she and I worked together. We have lived together, worked together and have been best friends for 3 years now, maybe more. It feels like forever and it has been great. I'm just afraid. Right now, I have that lump in my throat; the one you get when you feel like you are going to cry. I'm not going to cry, well maybe later. I am just tired and worn out from work.
Lord God, please show me where you want me to be. Please reveal to me your plan, or a piece of your plan to me. Calm my spirit, and my heart. Give me the peace to continue through my day to day routine and help me to have the strength to continue in a place where I feel there is no hope. I thank you for your many blessing that you have given me and the many gifts you have bestowed upon me. I love you Lord God. Amen.
later.

i can has cheezburger is awsum!

This was too funny! Don't you just feel this way some times? I sure do!

Sick at home feeling awful

I hate being sick! Well, lets start here...last week was spring break and a co-worker was sick, but with her, she hardly ever shows the symptoms, a cough here sometimes, and a sneezing occasionally, like we all do in that office (I think we are all allergic to something in that office...I know we are all allergic to work...haha...if only). Anyways, she said she had a sore throat, etc. in the middle of the week, and I didn't think anything of it. Saturday rolls around, and I start having a sore throat, and drainage in my throat. Well, when it comes to my throat, I immediately take a flash light and check my throat for any white bumps or anything disgusting. Yep, sure enough, there are white bumps in my throat, I think on my tonsils. So I of course call the doctors office to get an appointment, and what do you know, they are completely booked up and can't see anyone. Well Sunday was Easter of course, but I had called Scott & White to check and see if there was any clinic open, they gave me the name of the clinic and told me to call in the morning. Open? Whatever! I called the clinic they told me to call and they had a recorded message stating that they were closed for observing Easter. DUH! Anyways, I call around to other clinics, and I was on hold for 45 minutes trying to get in touch with someone in the office or at the front desk. NO ANSWER! Goodness! Well, so I had to suffer miserably with sore throat, cough, drainage, small fever, plugged up ears, etc.
I finally got an appointment this morning and went to see the doctor. Zac has been so sweet and helpful in taking care of me, making sure I am not supposed to be up and walking around, but resting. What a sweetheart! Well, he drove me this morning, and of course, what do I have that I knew I had, Tonsillitis! I have had this thing too many times in the past 5 years to recognize it, but it didn't hurt as much as it had been in the past, just a lot more drainage this time. I am extremely happy for that. Well, I get in to see the doctor, and all he tells me is that there isn't any medication to give me, all I have to do is drinks TONS of fluids and rest. I'm not even allowed to go to work for a couple of days, which I don't mind. But having to stay in bed, and sleep or rest, is almost impossible for a person that has ADD. Oh well, I am going to have to do the best I can. The doctor told me something interesting though, that Tonsilitis is a viral infection, which I didn't know. I thought it was something you would get after you drank after some one. Tonsilitis is close to having Strep Throat. But Strep is worse. I think the last time I had Strep, I think I was a kid. But anyways, I caught this from the person at work, and I am on bed rest. He said that if I am not careful and do what I am supposed to do, drinking lot so of fluids and really resting/sleeping, that it would turn into a bacterial infection which would be horrible. Please pray I don't get worse.
Anyways, I am tired and don't feel well, and I think the Tylenol Sore Throat and Cough is kicking in...that is great stuff! Talk more later.

Playing Favorites

I hate it when a business plays favorites with it's employees. It is irritating, mean and down right rude to the other employees that actually work their ass off and do things right. The "favorites" get away with anything and don't have to do a damn thing and don't do anything wrong in the eyes "boss/owner". If they don't do something, they just pin it on the other employees and get them into trouble, and almost fired. I just found out that the owner of a certain company, has a favorite employee and is paying for his car, his cell phone, etc. Is it just me, or does that seem extremely wrong. The owner doesn't do it for anyone else except for this one guy employee. And meanwhile, this one employee doesn't do a dang thing that he is supposed to be doing except getting the others into trouble with the owner. My temper is running really high right now, and I can't do anything about it. I think the owner is a sleeze anyway, and we are wasting a TON of money on someone who is, to me, ripping us off. If I could, I would name the company and suggest for others to never do business with them, EVER! But I am not that mean and besides, these GUYS will get what is coming to them anyways for what they are doing.

Another Summer Musical

"The hills are alive, with the sound of music..." Woops, wrong musical. Red and I are going to try out for Temple Civic Theatre's summer production of "South Pacific" by Rodgers & Hammerstein. South Pacifc is one of my favorite productions, as well as "Sound of Music". We did "The King & I" last summer and enjoyed it. It was a lot of work but it was great! Red and I laughed, cried, grinded our teeth, but still enjoyed it. There are really only a few main roles, the rest are just background or fillers. I think Red will get Nellie Forbush, and she would be so fantastic! I was thinking about trying out for it, but I would feel extremely uncomfortable kissing another guy. Just imagine, my husband sitting in the audience on Opening Night and having to watch me kiss someone other than him. I don't want to do that to my husband. And that is why I would be a horrible actress. To me a kiss is so personal and intimate and private. Sharing that with someone other than the man I am married to, would probably hurt me more than it would him. Just seeing his facial expression of surprise or even hurt would kill me. Zac is a very understand person, and I wouldn't ever want to hurt him or disappoint him. He knows how scared to death I am about him ever cheating on me, even though I know he wouldn't ever do that to me. Just my past history keeping that wall up. Anyways, back on subject...there is Nellie, Bloody Mary, Liat (I think that is her name) are really the only leading female roles. I would suck as Bloody Mary, and Liat doesn't speak really, which would be ok with me. But I'm just hoping I don't have to make my hair black, oh Lord, that was an awful experience, and not really one I would like to repeat. But if I have to, I have to, right? But lets start with the audition first, and hopefully this time I won't cry in the middle of my audition. That was an awful experience. I still can't believe I did that. The more I talk about this, the more I am going to talk myself out of doing the audition...so I am going to quit now. Later.

In the world of Boring!

It's Spring Break for everyone around here and it is times like this that I wish I were out and about having a great time and being easily distracted by something other than the reality of being here at my desk bored out of my mind. No fair! I feel like that little kid that got grounded and can't go outside to play with my friends. So I just watch them have fun while I sit at my window banging my head against it to see if I give myself a concussion in the hopes that my parents will take pity on me and let me go outside. How pathetic am I?

My husband is in Austin today for some stupid training that his boss decided for him to go to. Sure it gets him away from his desk, but his pathetic excuse of a superior needs to get it's head out of it's butt and realize that he is working his butt off for them making sure things work around the office. What a bunch of....well better not go there. I won't even go into all of that.

Since it is supposed to rain (umm, it is Texas, when it says it is going to rain, seriously, don't rely on the weather here, it always changes) he took my car instead of his to drive the whole 1 hour drive to Austin. LOL. My car that works, and has a defroster so that when it gets foggy from the humidity, will actually do something other than fog the window up more. When he asked to use my car last night, I was completely hesistant. I look at him as if to say, "and I am to drive what? I know you don't mean that P.O.S. that is sitting in the parking lot?" To repeat from Robots, "but it's not...shiny." But he looked up at me with those goofy puppy dog eyes and totally caved in. I hate it when he does that. lol. I don't mind. Well at least I didn't, until the minute I got out to his car to get in it this morning. I put the key in the door, turned it, took the key out and proceeded to open the door only to be rejected. "Failed" I tried again, it did the same thing. So I am standing there, finally putting my purse, bag, lunch, etc. on the ground and growling under my breath and calling it a "piece of crap". I had gotten to the point of actually putting my foot up on the car and using both hands to try and yank the car door open. Isn't that a visual! Finally, it decides to unlock and I open the door only to look in. At this point, I become the totally stuck up city girl and look in the car in disgust. Not my proudest moment I'll admit. The thing about my husbands car is that it was given to him by his parents as a getting around car until we decide to get him a new one, meaning when it finally dies. It's on its last leg anyways, that is why it is called "Ol' Blue." It gets him from point A to point B and back, but only that. Anywhere else we go, we use my car because it has air conditioning, and everything else works too. Shoot, my grandparents gave me an '89 Lincoln Towncar when I was a Senior in High School and loved that car. It was great, well taken care of and everyone loved piling in it to go around town. But the Lincoln was the same year as his, and mine was in way better shape. I had to trade it in for my Honda because of the Gas. What on earth happened to the car when his folks owned it? No wonder they wanted to get rid of it. Yeah...Thanks! lol.

Anyways, I get in the car being careful not to touch anything I don't have to and making sure I'm not sitting in anything, lol, j/k. I turn the car on and it makes a funny noise. I can't see over the steering wheel, so I am looking around trying to find some sort of lever or knob or button to move the seat up higher and closer to the steering wheel. All you other short people out there can sympathize with me. Yep, the knob is hanging off the seat by it's wires. Well I notice that there is a light on the dashboard that is lit saying "Brake!" So I look around and find the emergency break, step on it but it doesn't release or do anything. I find the 'break release' knob and pull and it doesn't do anything. I sit there in confusion, pick up my phone and call Zac and complain. lol. I was like, "it's not doing this", "what is this sound", "why is it doing that", and so on. He just laughed and patiently and lovingly told me the different things. I just tell him I don't know how he drives it everyday. He just laughed, and half joking, I tell him when he gets home, we need to get him a new car. I'm so awful. I know he doesn't feel any better about driving that car. But he is being very smart about the whole thing. Trying to save up money for 8 months and paying for a car in full. If we can make this car last that much longer, it will be better in the long run. Oh well. I love my husband and he has so much more patience and humility than I do. Me...I am a stuck up city girl. Wow, did I just say that?

Pitiful

Whenever I get sick, I am the most pitiful person and so wimpy. I feel helpless, like everyone does, and I hate having to stay in one place for longer than an hour. Comliments of having ADD. *giggle* Well Zac is sick with Bronchitis from what the doctor said this morning. I came home from spending a couple of hours with Red last night, and I see my cute and adorable hubby at the computer. I ask him how he is feeling, and he tells me, "awful". I walked over to him and put my hand on his head and he is burning up. At this point, I'm like, "oh crap" because I don't know what he may have. Munchkin had a fever the day before and had a little fever when I left Red's house last night. I felt really shaky and kind of nauseous, so I went home. But getting home to a hubby who isn't feeling well, just kind of sent my stomach for a turn. When he doesn't feel good, my mercy gift goes into overdrive and starts to worry. Well he took some Tylenol, and he still had a high fever, and then a massive headache, and the cold chill from the fever. Needless to say, he looked a little pitiful. I started to get a little scared because his mom told me when he gets sick, he gets sick fast. I thought he had the beginnings of the Flu and I was not about to get myself into that. He put himself in the spare bed in the office and I took our bed because he didn't want to get me sick. I fell asleep for an hour at a time, woke up every hour to check on him, see how his fever was doing, it hadn't gone down, took more tylenol, and I went back to bed as soon as my stomach started hurting again. I did this from 10:30pm until about 12:30am. Once my stomach finally stopped playing tricks, I told Zac to come to bed with me. I hate sleeping in our bed by myself. I didn't care if I got sick at that point. I just wanted him to be in the same room with me, so that way I could monitor him and his breathing.
Well 10:50 this morning, we were able to get to the doctor. And of course the doctor said that it didn't sound like the flu, but he was going to treat him for Bronchitis. I'm thankful it wasn't the flu. yuck. So Zac and I are at home, and I am trying to convince him to stay in bed...yep, that will never happen. lol.

Our First Christmas and New Years as a Married Couple

This year Zac and I stayed home for our First Christmas as a married couple. It was fantastic. His Mom kept saying, "if you want us to come up before or after Christmas, just let us know, and we'll come up!" Umm...NO!!!!! What part of we want to be by ourselves don't they understand?!?! Everyone keeps saying, "you won't be able to pull that off with any of your family as a newly married couple. At least not until you have kids." Great! Notice the sarcasm. But I made it perfectly clear to his family, that we were staying home for Christmas and New Years. My parents flew in to see us and stayed with me and Zac for a couple of days. It was great seeing my parents. Since they live in a different state, it is hard being able to see them anytime we want. Zac and I both with they lived closer, but that isn't an option right now. Maybe when we move out of state, we can live closer to them.
But Christmas and New Years was quiet, peaceful and just the two of us. YEAH! It was really wonderful. Maybe we can pull this off again next year? LOL. Yeah right, but hey, I can dream can't I?

The Oddballs of the Family

I am sure everyone thinks that their family is so bizarre and that you are the only one that is normal. Yep, I would have to think the same as well. My immediate family, of course are normal, but relatives, like grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. are so strange. This year everyone in our whole family, had to draw a family members name out of a hat (which of course is always the grandparents that do the drawing and just assigns and tells everyone who they got) and to buy a Christmas gift for said chosen person. The limit was $30 per person. That is reasonable. We did that for both sides of the family, my mom's side, and my dad's side. I had my Uncle on my Dad's side and my cousin on my Mom's side. Well it got them something normal, and that appealed to their interests. My cousin, who drew my name out as well, got me a Christmas card with a bunch of scratch off lottery tickets....ummm...thanks??? I don't buy scratch offs, I think they are a waste of time and money, and it is not being a good steward of what God entrusted us with, meaning not being responsible for the money God entrusted us to have. Anyways, so not knowing what I had to do with a scratch off, except of course to scratch on them (duh). I had to actually read the instructions to make sure I didn't screw it up or anything. lol. Well I scratched them all, and behold, what did I win?!?! $30!!! The same amount as the one we were instructed to get for each other. Duh, I should have just been given the $30. That would have been so much easier and smarter. lol. Oh well. At least I got the the value of all the tickets purchased, lol.
Well, enough about me and my weird family, lol. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!

Christmas is around the corner and yet I feel so exhausted. Why is it that Christmas has become a holiday of rush, greed, selfishness, and hate? Have people forgotten what Christmas is really about? A baby...a baby being born into this world that would grow up and sacrifice himself for the sin of mankind. An innocent baby, who grew up to be our savior! Even us Christians who know the story well, sometimes can't even grasp or even miss or forget what this holiday truly means.

I read my devotional the other day, that I get everyday through my email, and it was truely incredible. Here is what it said:

“Read it again Mommy. Pleeeease read it again,” Mackenzie, my then seven-year-old, begged. Her three-year-old brother, Mitchell, echoed her plea. “Yes Mommy, especially the part about the little boy and his donkey!”
Their freshly washed faces and still wet hair glowed in the light of the Christmas tree as they sat with pajamas on next to me on the couch. A nightly December ritual, they chose a book from our “Baby Jesus Basket” full of story books about the birth of Christ. Their favorite this particular year was The Small One, a fictitious story of a too small donkey who has to be sold in order to bring in one piece of silver. His young master takes him to town, but no one wants such a small creature except for the village tanner. The donkey is ready to give up his life when a kind man offers to buy him to help carry his pregnant wife to Bethlehem . So the small donkey is given the great task of carrying the mother of Jesus to the stable where He will be born.
I have always loved reading Christmas stories to my children and each year they receive a new nativity book from my mom. That year, however, my eyes were opened to part of the story that I had been unintentionally leaving out. After tottering over to the “Baby Jesus Basket” to put away the book we’d just finished, Mitchell asked me to read him a story from the Bible about the other Jesus.

“What other Jesus?” I asked.

“Not baby Jesus,” he replied. “Big Jesus who died on the cross.”

Now realizing that he’d not connected the two in his mind, I sat and explained that the baby Jesus grew up to be the same Jesus who died on the cross to save us from our sins. Somehow he’d figured baby Jesus was a fairy tale and big Jesus was “for real.”
I thought of how we adults can do much the same thing. Oh, we know there is just one Jesus and that He is for real, but we are content to leave Him harmlessly in the manger. Somehow a sweet adorable little baby is acceptable to the world around us. But a Lord who calls for men and women to choose either to obey Him or suffer the consequences is not. But we can’t have one part of the story without the other. We must never forget that the hand-hewn manger one day became an old rugged cross. We can’t just peer lovingly into the manger without looking obediently to the cross. Baby Jesus deserves our adoration and the Lord Jesus deserves our allegiance.
The next year I did not neglect the entire story of the one true Jesus when reading nativity books to our children. Starting with Luke chapter two from God’s perfect word before I chose a picture book from our special basket we read of God’s wonderful plan of sending Jesus to earth. We worked on memorizing more of the Scripture in order to put on our annual nativity play for Grandma and Grandpa complete with baby Spencer starring as the Christ child.
Still today, we’re inventing ways to keep the story going until Easter in order to tie it all together. One woman told me of how they save their Christmas tree, cut off all of the branches so they are left with one large trunk. They then cut off the top about one-third of the way down and then using twine tie the two pieces together in the shape of the cross. It is then placed in their house where the Christmas tree had been as a visual reminder of the entire life of Christ.
From the cradle to the cross . . . oh come let us adore Him!

How wonderful is that!?!



“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:11-12 (NIV)

What Baby?

You know, when you get married, you hear the many comments about having a baby immediately or people placing bets on how long it will take before you get pregnant. I didn't realize how much I would be hearing that. I had just recently bought 2 shirts that are the most comfortable and soft button downs that I own. Well the only thing is, that everytime I wear them, I get asked, "Are you pregnant?" Ummmm...no! I was telling the women in my office that I am never going to be able to wear those shirts again because everytime I do, I get the question. Unfortunatley, that is the style that is in right now. It is extremely flatering, well on some, and it hides all those rolls and stuff that you don't want others to see. What is so bad with that. Would people rather see skin tight clothing? Yuck! What an awful thought.
I am not one of those stereotypes, that immediately get pregnant after getting married. Zac and I are being really smart about this and want to wait at least 5 years. We are not in a position to start raising kids, we are too young. Besides, both of us want to be established in our careers and where we will be living before kids are ever brought into the picture. Of course, our plan is not always God's plan. God's will be done, not ours! So if He decides he wants something different, then so be it.

Things are just fine and dandy...

Married life is wonderful. Yes we have our quarks and want to kick each other in the shins every once in a while, but what married couple doesn't. It is how you handle those situations. Zac and I are doing great though. He was sick this weekend with a stomach bug, yucky...so this was the first time to see him sick like this. Poor thing. But thankfully it was a 24 hour bug. Unfortunately we missed Softball practice.
My darling hubby convinced me to join his work's Softball team. So we had our first practice in the middle of the day under the scorching sun. It wasn't bad, we have definite potential. But we had a double header the following week, which we lost of course, but thankfully it was only a tournament to determine which district we were going to be in. I think we are in like District E, which is the lowest, lol. I think Zac was surprised that I could actually play and wasn't a ditzy blonde out there on the field. lol. Yes, I do know how to catch a ball and throw it. Surprise, surprise.
Not much else is going on right now. Hopefully, I will have something better to talk about later.

The new Mrs. Graham

Zac and I have been married or almost a month now and it is fantastic. Our wedding was beautiful and we had so much fun during the ceremony, reception and honeymoon. My family, and his family were all there. They all showed up like a week before and helped with so much. Getting the reception place decorated, the church, every last minute detail, while my bridesmaids and my sister tried to keep me calm and from turning into Bridezilla. It turns out the day before our wedding, we had to go to the church to decorate at 10 a.m. Turns out, the church air conditioners broke in the Sanctuary. Talk about hot! We were all sweating trying to get all the candelobras up and the glass bowls wiped out and put the candles everywhere. But thankfully, God provided and they were fixed before our rehearsal. I got a manicure and got to hang out with my sister and April the entire day which was great. Instead of a manicure, I was supposed to go home and take a nap before Rehearsal, but did I listen, NOPE! I ended up not sleeping at all during my 1 hour attempt of a nap, and was so exhausted it wasn't funny. But I managed. Red made me come home right after the Rehearsal Dinner, take a sleeping pill and go straight to bed. I haven't slept that well in a long time.

Rehearsal went well, besides being a tad warm in the Sanctuary, we all laughed and had fun and made our wedding coordinator frazzled. It was hilarious! Well, during our Unity Candle, I decided I didn't want anyone singing, especially my sister, because I didn't want to cry anymore than I had to. I cry everytime I hear my sister sing and I didn't want to be Niagra Falls on my wedding day, even though I was before hand. lol. Well the sneaky people that they are, decided to sing to "The Prayer" which we picked out to be played during our Unity Candle. I'm up there in shock kneeling next to Zac and I am just crying my eyes out. It was so beautiful and everyone that was there just thought it was fantastic. They were all in awe. I went up to them afterwards and told them they were sneaky and that I would like for them to sing at the ceremony, and they did. It was beautiful!

We finished about an hour later and all went to eat dinner. Zac's parents had the Rehearsal Dinner catered, and boy was it delicious. We had fun, we laughed and have great fellowship together. And then I was dragged off to go to sleep. Well it turns out, Zac's aunt and uncle brought Sombreros and ponchos to celebrate our Cinco de Mayo wedding. I am so glad I wasn't there to witness that stuff, instead of laughing I more than likely would have cried.

Well, I woke up probably around 8 a.m. on May 5th, my wedding day. Got up, took a bath, not washing my hair, and believe me that was hard to do. Yuck! Not washing my hair for 24 hours was a little yucky, but the stylist said not to. Oh well, she is the one that has to play with my yucky matted hair. Anyways, Harold, one of my dear friends and one of my ushers came over and made omlets for me, Kim, Red, April and Munchkin. Oh they were so yummy. Thank you Harold! April and Kim left to go and help decorate the Reception hall more and get everything else done. I felt so helpless because no one would let me help with anything. Zac told me later on, he has never been so busy in his life. He was running around since the moment he got up. Sorry baby, welcome to the past 7 months for me. Well I stayed at the house just trying to stay calm and not think about anything, even the reception CD's that went missing. I was frantic. Red calmed me down and said not to worry about it and she even called in the reserves from our Technical Director at work. But at the last minute the guys found it in the canvas duffle back that was in the apartment, I think. lol. But everything went so smoothly, well at least I noticed. lol.

I went and got my hair done at a place in town called Salon Couture. A wonderful woman named Michelle did my hair and my make up, and even put my veils in. I was so pleased how well she did everything.

My sister got me to the church, and we were like 30 minutes late, woops, and immediately my mom and my sister got me into my dress. As soon as they put that dress on me, I started crying and I couldn't stop, it was ridiculus. I was just so excited and I couldn't wait to see Zac. I remember I kept asking my bridesmaids if they saw Zac and how he looked. They all said he looked so happy and excited and that he looked handsome. I started crying again. lol. Well my mom and my sister had to help me do everything, because as soon as I got my dress on, I couldn't do anything. They had to put my stockings on, my slip, my garter, and even take me to the bathroom when I had to go, which was twice, and with that big poofy dress on, it was almost impossible.

They did pictures before the ceremony, they started with Zac and everyone. I was told later on that they all had so much fun and that he was just smiling from ear to ear. He and his groomsmen were just laughing and having a ball, which I am so glad to hear.

Then they got him out of the Sanctuary, and brought me in. It was weird. As soon as I walked in, everyone just fell silent and I kid you not, I saw everyone's jaw drop. It was great feeling. My cousin Jake kept calling me a Princess. It didn't help that my Aunt Eva, Jake's mom, kept saying, "Cinderella is in the house!" And I really did feel like a Princess that day. Our photographer, Brenda Lanig, did such a beautiful job with our photos. Thank you so much Brenda, for all of your hard work.

I'll write more later....