Hosanna

"Let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in You alone!" ~Psalm 33:22

How much do I love this picture?  I'm so excited for Fall, although summer is not so bad now that it's cooled off a bit. I've been in a swimming/running/tennis mood lately, so that's new! lol

So we sang this song at church yesterday - first time I'd heard it - and I really loved it!  In worship, in reading, in friendships and family, in last night's gorgeous hot pink sunset and full moon, etc. God has been close lately, and I love it!  He is so good!! =)

P.S.  With his Love Revolution piano, I'm fairly certain this was at a Joyce Meyer conference, so that makes it doubly great! ;)

MM ~ Family Breakfast

Today's "Memory Monday" is Josh cooking an awesome breakfast for us this weekend!!  (My parents had gone over there for breakfast a few weeks back, but I was sad I missed out on that, so they did it again for me!) =)  We had buscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hashbrowns... and chocolate milk, per my request! ;)  It was all really great, and as usual, it was fun to see the boys!  Around 10am, Rach and Dad went to work and Mom helped Josh clean up the kitchen, and Triston had me read him some Bible stories... so that was adorable and fun.  They really are hilarious and cute... and remind me of me and Rach as far as the oldest/youngest thing.  Carter was super-excited and playing and not helping Triston clean up all their toys (and put them in the exact right spot - he knows where each color goes), and Triston looked at me and said, "He's only 3, so he doesn't really know better."  Haha, precious!

 Carter playing with his saw and Triston ready to hang up his clothes. lol

 Josh cooking the gravy!

 Me reading T-man the story of Joseph from the Adventure Bible! :)  He had a thousand questions about the pictures, and was more interested in the animals than anything else. lol

 Carter climbing on Rach's comfy red chair!

 Triston walking his puppy. 

And Carter imitating Josh and attempting a push-up! lol
I love having nephews! :)

Thankful Thursday (35)

"But let the godly rejoice.  Let them be glad in God's presence.  Let them be filled with JOY!"  ~Psalm 68:3

Today, I thank God for...
1.  My wonderful new roommate, Brittany!!  =)  Love her... and love her dad and her brother, Bradford!  (...and I'm sure I would love the rest of her family as well. lol)

2.  My awesome (coming soon) fancy DSLR camera, courtesy of Dad's State Farm points! Yay!!

3.  Relaxing pool time with Natalie and Bobbi this weekend! :)

4.  Ruth's group... we had a prayer night this Tuesday, and it was really great!

5.  Getting to see one of the defendants hold his newborn baby for the first time yesterday in court (he stood up and interrupted to ask if that would be possible... and I was really happy Judge said yes!)
6.  His Word, and that I've had more desire for it lately... loving Nehemiah right now!
7.  Heaven is for Real (read it!) and Akiane Kramarik's painting of Jesus, which I want a copy of...

Song of the Week = Forever by Uncle Jesse =)  ...ha, because it came on my ipod this morning and made me happy.

MM ~ Photobucket

A picture really is worth a thousand words... so many memories.

Today's "Memory Monday" is pretty much the years 2006 and 2007. lol  I won't do too many super-specific memories through that time period.  I had to save a picture on Photobucket while helping Rach set up her blog recently (yay!)... and I was surprised to find several pictures saved there that I hadn't seen in quite a while!  It's sooo strange to look back on this period of my life... it almost feels like a dream, like it wasn't really me or it never really happened.  "Now it's entirely clear to me why I've chosen to BLOCK IT OUT!" lol  Kidding, sort of.  I am thankful I still have a few pictures to remember it by... and I know the changes have been for the best, but seeing all these pictures, I really miss Sarah Bliss!

 "The clones" -- before dinner at Chili's (a regular event as Josh worked there) -- David's Bridal (before they kicked us out) -- Reading He's Just Not That Into You as we stayed at a hotel in OKC! lol

 Girls Night -- Don Pablos (I miss that too!!) with Sarah, Rach, and Holly Dei -- Courtney massaging Sarah -- Our old piano (another thing I miss) -- Sarah and I at the Bravo Fountain -- Josh and Sarah in Dallas

Kelcey's birthday cookiecake -- "Tuesday night dinner" at Teds! -- Kecey's birthday -- Josh and his adoring fan club (that the 4 of us girls were friends as we all wanted him seems totally strange looking back - I guess misery loves company) -- Mock Trial -- baking cupcakes on Valentine's Day!

 Olive Garden -- Steak & Shake -- Kelcey's birthday -- Dallas trip -- Mock Trial with Joe Crow!

Random stop at the Gene Autry Museum :) -- Rach, Holly, Megs, and I at Don Pablos -- The cousins! --Wes playing American Idol -- Tuesday night dinner crowd (x3) =) -- Ty and I at the Golden Gate Bridge -- Jenny and I at her v-ball game -- the fam -- working to put the top down after OSU game -- Teds -- Splash Mountain -- Vegas with Rach and Ty -- Florida with Justin Kunz -- Josh and I before OSU game -- Parasailing with Rach --  Megs in Homecoming -- Jenny and I at Hannah Bullard's wedding -- CHA V-ball game with Wes and Josh -- my junior year JSB -- Dallas trip with the girls -- homecoming with Ethan -- Michael, me, Rach, and Justin!  (This one was my screensaver back in those days.) :)

Thankful Thursday (34)

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."  ~Colossians 2:6,7

Today, I thank God for...

1. That there's no doubt in my heart that I belong to Him!!
2. That I am sealed in Him... (Beth taught on this and it was awesome!)  "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."  2 Cor. 1:22
3. Getting the afternoon off and getting to go to OKC and celebrate Dad's birthday with the fam yesterday!
4. Rain. :)
5. My friendship with Malori, and that she builds my confidence and never makes me feel that I need to change myself!!

       6.  Panera lunch with Natalie and Laura after church on Sunday! :)
       7.  Mardel Christian Bookstore! :)  I bought myself two new books this week, and Mom and I got
            Josh his first real Bible (he prefers the NLT translation - yay!) and a little storybook Bible for
            Triston and Carter! 

Song of the Week = One and Only by Adele!
"Have I been on your mind?  You hang on every word I say, lose yourself in time at the mention of my name.  Will I ever know how it feels to hold you close, and have you tell me whichever road I choose, you'll go?"
(Youtube is being stupid, but hopefully the link will work.)

RaNdOMnEsS!

• This picture makes me happy...

• Laura and I are going to run the Quarter Marathon (around 6.5 miles) this October... I'm actually really excited for that! =) With this major heat wave, I've missed being outside and jogging LaFortune.
• I'm really thirsty right now, and I've run out of water at work... sadness!  Definitely going to the store during lunch.
• I have still never been to Colorado, and I find that absurd.  I believe I would love it there, and I hope to go sometime in the near future!

• I still want to go to London during the 2012 Olympics... but I'm thinking there's probably no way I can afford that. :(
• I am so so so ready for Fall!
• It took me way too long to realize that "A-a-a-andy and the Tuna" was to the tune of "B-b-b-benny and the Jets."
• I've been reading nutrition info and trying some of the exercises from www.bodyrock.tv.  Hooray for Zuzana! lol
• I'm making an effort to stop "giggling" all the time!  There are times when I'm living in my own little dreamworld and laughing about something I've thought of that has nothing to do with the people around me, but that's not what I'm talking about - I'm talking about mindlessly laughing every time I smile at someone or add something to the conversation.  I'm completely unaware of it most of the time, and honestly, I don't know if it's something I've always done or not?  I do know that I never heard one person comment on it before June 12, 2007... and since then, at least 20 people have said something.  So that troubles me, and I know it sometimes makes other people uncomfortable (sooo not my goal) or makes them think I'm really nervous (not true).  Anyway, my new goal is to be more aware and be done with that!
• An added bonus will be hearing the word "chuckle" less often! :)
• Probably good there's not one closer to me, because I <3 Panera's four-cheese souffles and breakfast sandwiches!!  YUM. =)

• Breakfast is always my favorite meal of the day, actually... even soggy bran flakes cereal is awesome to me.  Mmmm... I like cereal, muffins, scrambled eggs, fruit, pancakes, english muffins, bagels, waffles, egg and cheese buscuits, souffles, etc. better than any lunch item I can think of!
• I often struggle to get up, but when I do, I LOVE the feeling of being productive in the morning before work... having my workout and quiet time done, and getting to cook and eat a relaxed breakfast after I get ready.  :)
• (They played this song at the wedding on Saturday, but cut if off before the last verse, which is my favorite...)  "Praise His name, I'm fixed upon it.  Name of God's redeeming love...  Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love.  Here's my heart, O take and seal it.  Seal it for Thy courts above." 

MM ~ CLS Parties!

My Lifegroup friend, Cassie, was a law student at the University of Tulsa, and she was in charge of planning some events for their Christian Legal Society!  She invited me, Natalie Gruenberg, and Bobbi to join them - so we became the "Honorary CLS Members." lol

The very first party I came to was in September, and it was actually a surprise (belated) birthday party for Malori, so that was the night I met her (and Jordan and Natalie)!  I remember thinking Josh and Justin were the only single guys with any potential.  I remember being super creeped out by almost everything about this house (where Cassie was housesitting for her boss), and I specifically remember not wanting to walk around outside with all the huge spiders, so I let Cassie mingle with her friends out there, and I came in and talked with Jordan and Malori.  (I honestly don't remember what we talked about, but I remember thinking Malori was really funny and fun.)

This was a party at Bobbi's house... I don't remember much, but I do remember being frustrated with Matt, who was probably the worst Catchphrase player I've ever seen. lol

Another party at Bobbi's house... this one was a lot of fun!  Cooking out, badminton, and cookiecake... how can you go wrong with that!? :)

The Halloween Party!  What I remember most about this is people freaking out a bit when I took out my Jessica Simpson hairpiece. lol  I loved the pumpkin carving contest, and the food all around was good.  (This was the night Malori learned I do NOT eat after people! lol)  I also remember a group of people - one playing the guitar and others singing - and a guy trying to sing American Pie and totally butchering it, which I found super-irritating at the time. lol

Finally, the Christmas party... I remember the fun game of White Elephant, and that there was a big crowd... annnd that's about it. lol

So hooray for CLS and the fun parties, and for Cassie inviting me along... and of course, for meeting Malori and Natalie, two of my closest friends to this day!! =D