Now You're My Whole Life: March 2011

I have really gotten into blogging lately. I must admit it takes away from my FB addiction and it's nice to have an outlet to voice any concerns, passions, or life-happenings! My friend, Danielle @ The Holt's Hoopla gave me the Versatile Blogger award! I met Danielle my freshman year in college. What an amazing person. I will never forget her sharing with a group of girls special to my heart that her parents prayed for her future husband with her. What a precious thing to know. I am positive that my parents did the same, but that her parents shared that powerful prayer with her spoke volumes to me. She always listens to her friends and completely does what she says. Danielle is always positive and smiling and others are drawn to her spirit. What a special person, great wife, and terrific mother! I love following her blog and seeing what is going on in her life. Thank you for the award sweet girl!

With this award I am supposed to mention seven things about myself that my readers may or may not already know about me. Here we go!

1. I love God. I live for Him. My faith is so much stronger than it's ever been and it's because I am taking the time to have a full relationship with Him. It is a blessing that Ry and I can share and grow our relationship with Him together.

2. I was born in Ft. Lauderdale where ~~my parents~~ entire family grew up. Although we moved to GA when I was 2, I love the fact that I was born there. Sunny Florida has a special place in my heart!

3. I wanted to be a meteorologist or a teacher. I became a teacher & run a photography business on the side. I get joy out of both and feel it's what I need to be doing right now.

4. I broke my leg on Easter in 6th grade. I was at my cousin's home and flipped off of the trampoline landing with my right leg folded underneath me. My mom didn't believe me because I ~~used to be~~ still am a bit dramatic. I rode home with my leg broken (still remember riding over the RR tracks - OUCH!). The next day I went to the Dr. who had to give me smelling salts when I passed out in his office. Then, got x-rays at the county hospital (not a big fan) and then rode to an orthopedic office. I hated the muscle-loss that I experienced in my legs, but my arms were buff!

5. I have two younger siblings. I love them! Growing up with them was an awesome thing. I love that we can laugh and cry together. One time we were in Old Navy together when I was 16 and they were 12 and 11. My little brother says to me, "Hey Mom can I get this". HOW EMBARASSING! I didn't want people to think I was his mom! We still laugh about that. I got sooo mad.

6. I am in my last year of school...unless I go for my Dr. I don't believe that will be anytime soon! I have been in school (preschool was only the beginning) since I was 4! 22 years without stopping is ENOUGH! I am thankful I am going, though. I will officially graduate with my Educational Specialist degree in Leadership. I am READY!

7. Last, but not least...I love making others laugh. I especially love when I make my husband laugh. When people don't laugh at me or with me it makes me think they HATE life or ME! :) I always think of the quote that says "A smile is the universal language" or something like that! It's true. Did you make someone smile today?

Thanks again Danielle @ The Holt's Hoopla for the sweet award!

I am passing it on to:

Sara @ Mixon Mania for inspiring me to blog, speaking to others about the word of God, and being real!

Danielle @ Happily Ever After for continuing our friendship all of these years (6 years - doesn't seem that long at all), giving words of wisdom backed by the Lord, and sharing amazing memories + many more!

Erin @ Loving The Life I Live! She is my sister and I love her! We have lived our lives together. When I couldn't reach her on the phone yesterday my stomach dropped, I experienced a feeling of loss, and it made me so THANKFUL for every second we have together! I am so proud of her!

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Our group minus 2 couples.

the men

the ladies

This weekend we traveled to the North Georgia Mountains

This is how it all started...part of the ladies car!

and stayed here...

at Warren's Ridge in Mineral Bluff, GA. On the way up I made the comment that we were so high up the mountain I could touch the moon. Little did I know this weekend the Earth was the closest to the Moon than it was in 18 years! Guess you can say I am very observant!

On Friday night we stopped for dinner, made ourselves at home in the cabin, and had an adventure getting groceries at Ingles. There is no such thing as a 24-hour grocery that we found in Mineral Bluff. When we arrived at the cabin at 10:30 that night without one bite of food, well unless you count Scott's Mike and Ike's candy! I don't think he wanted to share. At 10:40 we realized this minor detail and 4 girls ran to the grocery. Well, sped, fast, in a car, around the mountain.

This pic below is prior to Ingles on our way up asking the salesclerk directions to the closest WalMart...20 minutes away, but our cabin was still a nice ride away. The boys thought we could head out grocery shopping EARLY in the am...not these ladies!

At 11:03 pm (they closed at 11 pm) we ran into Ingle's through an exit door and didn't make eye contact with the sales people. We felt so bad, but swore we would be as fast as an episode of Super Market Sweep! Anybody a fan of that game show? We could have won the game with all of the groceries we bought in 10 minutes! We all caught our second wind after that!

Some things I want to remember from that trip:

*Kristen passing out our grocery list on mini pieces of paper

*Me losing the grocery list as the custodian came by and swept it up

*When I asked if he swept it up/had seen it...he couldn't speak english

*3 of us didn't get a buggy, so we would find Kristen and dump our items in with hers.

*Checking out and the clerk was clearly ticked, but we kept saying THANK YOU! Too bad she didn't reply with "My Pleasure" as they would at Chick-Fil-A!

*The bag boy letting us out the locked door and me asking, "So do you see people do this often" and his reply, "Not people like you" - I can't remember the exact line, but funny none the less!

We arrived back at the cabin and played The Game of Things and went to bed!

On Saturday am we woke up (Ryan and I were one of the first couples to wake up - we are OLD) and ate a yummy breakfast! Ryan and I ran to the Rebel Pantry where Ryan asked are you really a Golden Pantry. The salesclerk looked ticked and offended and responded with a confident NO. Wonder if she'd heard of a Golden Pantry? Then, when we got back a group of us headed out for a walk. Little did some of know it was really a fun hike with a pond full of fish!

Don't let him fool you - he wasn't the cook, but he did become the grill-master later that night!

(I wish I had a picture of Ryan's entire outfit - look at the very top group pic for a peek of his socks! During tax season he could care less, LOL.)

Next up we enjoyed the company with great Christian friends and learned even more about one another. It is so neat how we can all come together with a common belief and make a bond that will forever be. God truly blesses us if we allow him the opportunity to come in. I am thankful for the friends I have made and the support we give one another in our marriages/relationships.

The Evans!

Karen and Scott - the future newlyweds!

The Hubbards!

Yours Truly!

Our leaders, the McMillans!

That evening the girls enjoyed some cards while the boys went back to Ingles to pick up firewood and items to make smores. We had a blast. The hamburgers, sausage dogs, baked beans, and chips were all super yummy! The favorite part had to have been the smores and Sarah's banana pudding. YUM YUM! It made the pain of my deep, under-the-nail splinter go away.

The next morning we woke up to a gorgeous sunrise, had a bite to eat, and headed home.

God's presence is undeniable.

The view of the outdoor smore-roasting fireplace!

Ryan always gets a picture of me walking away. In this case I was sad the weekend was almost over and we had to head home!

I cannot say enough about how God has richly blessed us with the quality of friends he surrounds and protects our marriage with. We are thankful for the fun times, great memories, and hilarious pictures that will keep us looking forward to our many summer adventures.

May God bless your week and may you allow yourself to see His abundant blessings in every moment!

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I saw this quote over at The Empty Nest and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

"OUR LIVES ARE THE ONLY BIBLE SOME PEOPLE WILL EVER READ!"

John 15

The Vine and the Branches

^1-3 "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.

⁴"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

^5-8"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

^9-10"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.

^11-15"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

¹⁶"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

¹⁷"But remember the root command: Love one another.

Have a blessed night.