Every day life...

Sweet potato black bean chili

2011-12-19T06:51:00.000-08:00

- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
-1 small sweet onion, small diced
-1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
-1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 14 oz can organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
-1.5 C organic veggie broth
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1 T chili powder
-1 t cumin
-1 t paprika
-pinch cayenne
-1/2 t sea salt
Combine all ingredients into a slow cooker (except the lime), sprayed with nonstick spray.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

my latest projects...

2011-12-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Thank you Pinterest.

If you know me at all then you know that I really don't have one crafty bone in my body. I'm the kinda girl that needs step by step directions or some serious guidance. I love to bake but need a recipe. I enjoy driving but need exact directions, mileage and landmarks. Get the picture?

Ever since moving into my house I decided to jump on the pinterest bandwagon and get some things on the walls. Here are my first attempts.

some fence slats, stencils, paint and polyurethane.
birdcage from the city wide garage sale, shredded music sheets that were dyed in coffee. It will get hung soon.
curtain rod, ribbon and wreaths and wall decor from HL. After I downloaded the pic I realized the little mistake.. see if you can guess it. I guess I have some funny friends that like to rearrange letters.
old picture frame and chicken wire.

That's all I have for now.. more to come. Oh yes and some life updates in the making!

November in pictures.

2011-12-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

I began taking a conversational Spanish class which led me to label everything around our house.

Jess got MARRIED!! I was blessed to be a part of her special day. She was a college roomie and who I moved to Austin with for my internship. I have never met someone so genuine and who loves people so well. Her wedding was beautiful. Her and the new hubby compliment each other so well and planned a wedding that was so unique and fit them perfectly.

mini reunion :)

precious family time.

It does not get any better than this right here.

model.

tradition.

cutest cheerleader there.

take 5 minutes...

2011-10-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

and try this recipe.

-preheat your oven to 300.

- buy a bag of pretzels, rolos, and walnuts.

do this and place them in the oven for 4 minutes.

While they are still hot, place a walnut on top of each one.

Let them cool and ENJOY!!!

Happy Sunday friends!

San Francisco..marathon edition.

2011-10-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

The day that we had been planning, training for, praying about, anicipating and that scared us half to death was FINALLY HERE!

The morning could not have gone any smoother. After enjoying a yummy 'family style' spaghetti dinner the night before, we got some rest and were up by 5am. We fixed a breakfast that consisted of peanut butter toast with banana, got dressed, packed the spy belts and hit the road. Chad and Jessi graciously drove us to the start line and dropped us off. The weather was beautiful and we got there in plently of time to go to the bathroom one last time, stretch a bit and find our staying place.

We started off the race in downtown San Fran and hit a few hills around mile 6-9. By a few, I mean 7! I am thankful that we trained in Austin where hills are everywhere, but man these hills were crazzzyy. If it weren't for the gorgeous views, I would have been pretty dang miserable.

Don't mind us- Stacey and I stopped at mile 6 to document the view. Who wouldn't do the same?

Chad ran mile 17-25 with me and it was such a blessing.I don't think that he planned on doing this and quite frankly I wasn't sure he would either after seeing him in his Chaco sandals at mile 11. After joining in the race, we headed off towards the lake and there was no turning back for him. I felt pretty good up until 24 and from then on out, I was just thinking one step in front of the other. He turned off when I was finishing the final stretch but poked his head through the crowd a time or two to make sure I was still moving. He knows me too well. * Thanks Chad for coming out for the weekend. Loved having you around and especially when you joined us for dinner on Sunday night. Excited for June...

My family aka my ROCK. I am so thankful for them and their support. Loved seeing them along the course and running the last .5 miles with my dad ( former marathoner.)

All the finishers at the end- thankful for no injuries and healthy recoveries. Blessed beyond words by these girls. I would not trade the past 5 months for anything.. even those 5 am Saturday runs. God blessed us through these times together. We prayed, laughed, cried, talked, spoke truth and experienced the beauty and grace of God.

I am sure you are wondering.. Yes I want to do another marathon. Call me crazy but I loved it. No-this will not be my life but something I want to accomplish.

San Francisco.. vacation edition.

2011-10-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY!

We landed in San Francisco on Thursday night.. well technically Friday morning. We got a good night sleep and woke up bright and early to get the day started!

The roomies before jumping on the double decker bus to tour the city. We planned to save as much energy as possible. We had quite possibly the best tour guide evvverrr and loved seeing the 'touristy' spots.

This great friend did quite the research and planned the weekend for us. You can see her love for the job by the camera strap around her neck. :) As you can see, the weather was beautiful.

camera- check. San Fran guide book- check. bus route navigation- check. smile on her face- check.

We arrived at the expo and found this wall at the Nike store.

I spy.. Beth Underwood.

Saturday!

Does this house look familiar? Think Danny, D.J., Jesse, Stephanie, Michelle, Kimmie, Aunt Becky, Joey.. get it?

Painted Ladies.

The group chillin at Golden Gate Park.

SUNDAY!

The marathon deserves a seperate post.

MONDAY.

We did last minute sightseeing before our flight out at 4pm.

What a WONDERFUL trip.

words..

2011-10-10T18:29:00.001-07:00

These lyrics have been on my heart today...

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Have a blessed Tuesday.

This time next week...

2011-09-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

I will be a marathon finisher!!!

I have started this blog several times and have never known exactly what to say. It has been quite a journey as I have ventured into the world of running. I remember the feeling of running my first 10k in Houston and signing up a few days later for my first half marathon which seemed SOOOO long. Believe me 13.1 miles is a long way but now it has all been put into perspective.

Since we found out in April that we were chosen for the race and begin training, I have learned alot about myself and my community around me. I have never been pushed so hard mentally, physically and spiritually.

As I enter my last week of training, I feel scared, excited, anxious and nervous all at the same time. I am thankful for legs that can run, hips that are healed and allow me to move, a healthy body, a heart that beats, lungs that allow me to breathe and a God that provides me with strength and endurace as I take each step.

I ask for prayer this week-

- that my sinuses clear up and my congestion to deminish.

- that I accomplish everything at school and prepare for a sub and the end of the 9 weeks.

- that I have time to rest my body.

- that I get to spend time in the word and stay on track for readings in my development class.

- that God clears our mind of distractions and negative thoughts and replaces it with trust and faith in him.

- that my muscles feel refreshed and ready for 26.2.

- safe travels as the girls/my family head out to San Francisco on Thursday night.

Psalm 94:18-19

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy.

I love..

2011-09-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

a weekend full of great musicians, beautiful weather, delicious food from Austin trailers and friends. All of these made for a great ACL weekend. Oh yes and a 4 day work week made it quite delightful as well :)

The Head and the Heart.

Ray Lamontagne

legit.

2011-09-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

Top 5 reasons why this brings a smile to my face:

5. Mix these with some almonds, pistachios, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate chips and you've got a great trail mix.

4. I grew up on peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches with a side of Dr Pepper and ice cream at Mimi and Grandy's house. staple.

3. Nothing goes better than peanut butter, bananas and a little agave nector squeezed between an everything bagel thin. yum.

2. I just found out that peanut butter comes in single servings from Justins. I need to get my hands on a few packs for the 'emergency marathon bag'. What a genious idea.

1. My dad will not be seen at a sporting event/play without a bag of peanuts. I tend to sneak a few myself. Some things never change.

I hope you enjoyed a few peanuts or spoonfuls of peanut butter today.

Celebrations.

2011-09-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend I got to celebrate 3 very important people in my life.

Saturday afternoon I hosted a prayer/commisioning service for Alli at my house. We spent time in the word and praying for her role in the call to missions and the team that is currently serving in Honduras.

Saturday night, a group of friends went to dinner and had a great night celebrating Leslie's birthday. She is a dear friend that I met on a trip to the Dominican Republic last summer and have been so blessed to get to know over the past year and become great friends. We ate some yummy Columbian food and went back to their house to have cake and play games outside.

Sunday, I headed out west to witness the dedication of Penelope McAshan. Kristen and Travis are such dear friends and it has been so fun to see them as 'mom and dad' as they raise their precious baby girl. It was fun to worship with them and praise Jesus for all the blessings he has poured out. Love them so much and don't get to see them nearly as much as I would like.

Sabbath.

2011-09-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

After a long weekend that was physically exhausting but so refreshing, I set aside the evening to enjoy my Sabbath and wind down to get ready for the week. I did some baking and a little crafty... just what I needed.

(disclaimer: This is sopapilla cheesecake that was made on Friday night for a get together on Saturday but worth sharing. So easy to make and quite the crowd pleaser)

Banana Chocolate Chip muffins. Great way to use up the bananas that are on the verge of going bad. Yes Sarah- the recipe really does say vegan but they are delicious! :)

The oh so delicious granola bars that I make every couple of weeks. They are from a friend's blog. I am excited to have these for breakfast/snack this week as I am on the run. They are filling and taste wonderful.

This is my patio- mid craft session. Can't wait to show you the final products soooon.

I hope that everyone has a great week.

Lamentations3:22-23

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Things I am loving..

2011-09-03T08:53:00.001-07:00

I am in full marathon training mode and am geting really excited/scared to death as it approaches. I finished 18 miles this morning and will do 20 next week. I never in my life thought I would run that far and much less, wearing these 5 finger shoes. I have grown to LOVE them and am so thankful that I was patient in the beginning and let me feet accurately adjust to wearing them. I love answering questions about them and highly suggest them to every friend :)

Favorite treat after a long run. Just throw some frozen fruit, soy milk and peanut butter in a blender and it's delicious!

She has a show on the Food Network Channel ( Saturday morning at 10:30) and I love it!

These have been a staple in my diet lately. They are great for breakfast ( banana and peanut butter sandwhich) and lunch ( hummus, avacado and cheese). I love the flavor and its the perfect amount of bread- compared to a normal bagel.

I am currently reading this book and WOW! It has already impacted my life in how I pray and my perspective on prayer. It is a great reminder that we are loved by a God that wants to be a part of every part of our life and is longing to bless us and pour out his grace on us. This is a book that I will keep on my shelves and read every couple of months. I reccomend this book to anyone!

First of all, I LOVE this girl and am so thankful for her friendship. She has responded to her calling to head to Honduras in October and share God's love for the next 2 years to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. We are in the midst of equiping her and preparing to send her to the nations. ( Another post coming on this sweet friend soon :))

oh yes.. Sic Em Bears!!!!! ( C&S- you can go ahead and teach B a 'heeeeeey Sic EM Bears') :)

HAPPY SATURDAY!!!!!!

new casa..

2011-09-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

I am behind on posts from the summer but on to more important things...

Welcome to my casa! I am so blessed to have found this house and closed and moved in within 4 weeks. God has placed me here for a reason and I can't wait to see what he has in store.

* I will take you on a tour of the inside soon.. want to get a little more done first:)

'homeless' for lack of a better word..

2011-07-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

I successfully moved out of my apartment on June 21st and since them have not had a permanent place to live in Austin. Granted I was out of the country till July 4th, but it has still been a more different experience than I expected. I figured that a few weeks of staying at friends houses couldn't be THAT bad and I would get some quality friend time. I have surely learned alot and God has used this time to remind me that he is my only constant and will continue to provide for me.

I have learned...

1) what it is like to be a 'minimalist'. I have a suitcase with 4 running shorts, grey shorts, denim shorts, a couple running tops and some plain tee's. I have gotten creative with my outfits and been humbled by simplicity. Don't take a fun necklace or a hat for granted anymore because it can do wonders for a simple tee and shorts.

2) to embrace quality friend time. My community has blessed me beyond belief and opened their homes to me. I have had countless opportunities of cooking together, eating together, working out, and just hanging out that has only presented intself in being 'temp roomies.' I have found amusement in people asking on a daily basis if I have a place to lay my head. :)

3) There have also been some pretty funny things that have become norm such as:

-accidently pulling a toothbrush out of my purse on when paying..

or the so often ' where are ya staying tonight' question that arises and just flows into conversation.

4) more importantly that our eternal home that should be at the forefront of our mind and what we wake up dreaming about and what is flowing from our lips throughout the day.

God constantly reminds us in his word to be 'heavenly minded' and that one day he will coe and take us from our temporary homes to a place that is eternal and more than we could even dream. Dwell in these verses today and remember that we serve a faithful God that is our hope and our future.

Philippians 3:20-21

For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself.

2 Timothy 4:18
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews:3:1
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in theheavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

4th of July..

2011-07-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time spendnig the weekend at a friend's lakehouse. We enjoyed game night, getting some sun on boat, tubing, grilling out,fireworks, and of course the infamous boat parade.

sneak peak...

2011-06-26T19:54:00.001-07:00

into my Dominican Republic trip.

I can't wait any longer to post about our trip to 27 Waterfalls. It was quite an adventure and unlike anything that I have done before. We took an hour long hike to the top and then made our way down through the waterfalls. The path was mostly shaded which was a huge blessing considering we started at 11 and it was rather hot. One the way down, we jumped, slid and even walked through some parts of the water.

The gang is ready to go.

The girls after the 3rd jump.

Heading down in the surprisingly cool water.

SPLASH!!

We made it out alive! yay.

please take time to..

2011-06-21T07:04:00.001-07:00

make these yummy granola bars! I got the recipe from Emily and have already made them twice. ( I feel so techy.. click on the link for the recipe:))

Enjoy!!!!!!

tomorrow...

2011-06-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

I AM HEADED TO THE DR FOR 9 DAYS TO SEE THESE SWEET FACES...

and most excited about this face..

and these nice folks have offered to come get me during my 6 hour layover at DFW :)

week wrap up in a flash...

2011-06-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday- Gorilla Challenge!

We got in a group, dressed up- of course, got clues and RAN ( yes- with our 2 feet) around Austin and took pictures to prove we correctly got the clue. Needless to say, we didn't win but had a great time and looked like 'tourist'.

Monday- I got in a great run with the Vibrams and am beginning to feel great in them. Rounded out the day for a night of bootcamp and good fellowship with friends.

Tuesday- It began with a nice morning at Dominican Joes with my misto and the word and ended with a fun night of bingo with the girls. There was much packing in between these 2 things.

Wednesday- As most of you know, my AC decided to stop working this week. Perfect timing- I know. So therefore, this yummy drink has been my lifeline this week. I have maybe had 1.. or 2 vanilla diet cokes this week. I am reminded to be thankful I have a vehicle to get around and that it's going to be MUCH hotter than this in the DR next week.

Thursday- date with Penny boo and Kristen. enough said :) Love them both so much and truly cherish out time together. We met at CFA. of course.
Friday- packing like a MANIAC!!!!

Friday night- headed off to camp with the CG girls. I can't express how wonderful of a community I have and the blessing they are in my life. We had a wonderful time enjoying the sunset, cooking out, swimming in the water holes, hiking and of eating smores.

As of today, I am moved out of my apartment and waiting to see what the Lord has in store for me in August!

GOO MAVS!

2011-06-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

Chad and I were fortunate to go to Game 4 last week and watch the Mavs get their 2nd win of the series. Dad called the week before and asked if I would be interested in going and I quickly responded. 'YES!' He found us tickets and sent us on our way. Unfortunately he was out of town and couldn't join us. We had such a great time and agreed that it was one of the top 2 sporting events we had attended. For me, beating UT last year in Austin came in a close 2nd.

Thanks dad for splurging a bit :)

2nd but certainly not last...

2011-06-13T05:10:00.000-07:00

Mom came in town last Sunday and we attended a cooking class that I purchased and gave her for Mother's Day! We had a great time learning new dishes, trying delicious food and learning a few tricks of the trade.

Here is one of our favorite recipes from the class. We tried it out on my dad and it was a hit. Alli and I made quinoa weekly around here but this was a new twist on it. Enjoy :)

Toasted Quinoa Stirred with Spinach, Blistered Tomatoes and Walnuts

Toasting the quinoa, before cooking but after rinsing, emphasizes its irresistibly nutty taste. Quinoa cooks in about 20 minutes making it a convenient grain to serve for a quick and easy meal. It’s also excellent as a salad or served with warm milk for breakfast.

Make a Meal: Serve with Warm Green Bean Salad with Red Onion and Mint

Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

1-½ cups quinoa
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pint small cherry tomatoes
1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach, about 5 cups packed, rinsed and drained leaf spinach
½ cup broken walnuts
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Torn basil leaves (optional)

1.Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for at least 45 seconds. To save water swish the quinoa in a bowl of water instead of using the running water. Shake in a strainer to remove as much water as possible.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a deep straight-sided skillet or sauté pan and warm over medium low heat. Add the wet, but drained, quinoa and turn the heat to medium high. Stir the quinoa until it dries out and begins to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add 3 cups water and the salt and heat to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium low heat, until all of the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and appears to be uncoiling, 18 to 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium high heat until hot enough to sizzle a cherry tomato. Add the tomatoes and cook, shaking the pan, until the tomatoes are blistered and softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

5. When the quinoa is cooked add the spinach and toss with the quinoa, over medium heat, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Top with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the walnuts and cheese. Fluff to combine. Garnish with basil and serve.

Recipe adapted from Fresh & Fast Vegetarian: Recipe That Make Meal by Marie Simmons (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2011).

Hill country...

2011-06-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

Alright- to keep you on track.. I got home from Cali on Tuesday morning at 3:30 ( thank you delayed flight), finished up school on Tuesday and Wednesday then headed to Boerne on Thursday.

Alli, Lindsey and I headed out to have a restful weekend. We came up with the brilliant idea to grill out that night without a clue what to do. Lindsey came to the rescue and saved the day. She started up the grill while Alli and I prepped the veggies and of course got out the chips and dips. We successfully grilled, watermelon, pineapple, veggies andddd shrimp (kinda). We didn't succeed with the shrimp- little charred. oops.We chowe down on the rest :)

Our verdict- a) grilled pineapple is WAY better than grilled watermelon. b) stick to veggies!

Friday and Saturday consisted of laying out at the pool, catching up on some good books and doing a little boutique shopping downtown.

Satuday night I headed out to meet the girls at a great little venue and hear some good ole pat green. He knows how to put on a good show!

'So take me out to the dancehall
slap my foot down to the rhythm
tell 'em to play them old songs we all love...'

Memorial Weekend...

2011-06-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Since school has been out, but life has not slowed down one bit. This is nothing to complain about though because this week has been filled with rest, relaxation and a little celebrating :)

Over Memorial Day weekend, I got the opportunity to spend the weekend in Cali with a good friend. I wrapped up the school day on Friday, said all my goodbyes to the sweet kiddos then headed home to get ready to head out. We grabbed some dinner and as we were finishing up, we got the call that our flight had been cancelled. Bumer. After spending over 30 minutes on the phone, we got everything straighted out and planned to head out in the morning. The weather was beautiful, Staci's family was so great and she had lots of fun things planned.

Saturday we celebrated this sweet girl's 1st birthday. So much fun hanging out and meeting so many friends and family.

Sunday we had a wonderful breakfast with the family, headed to church then off to the beach for the day. I sadly took no pictures :( We borrowed cruisers from her sister and rode along the beach. We stopped off some yummy grub and drinks along the way. It was the perfect light sweater and shorts weather- my FAVORITE!

Monday we got up and headed out the back door to do some hiking. This is a view from the top of the mountain. We tested out the vibrams for the hike and the way down was a little rough. After that we made a batch of banana pancakes and hung out in the backyard all afternoon. Friends came back over and Staci's dad made some killer ribs, bbq and baked beans.

Such a wonderful weekend all together. Blessed by my community!

Psalm 34

2011-05-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
²⁰ he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

* I found great comfort in this Psalm this week knowing that God is our strength and our refuge. He is attentive to the cries of our heart and will deliver us from our troubles.

He is good.

2011-05-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about running for me is that I use it to spend sweet time with Jesus and reflect on his love and blessings in my life. Tonight was a little different with a new lesson...

As you know, a couple of months ago I bought these guys...

Well I decided to wait until after my Oklahoma half marathon to break them in. After two weeks of 'resting up' I decided to hit the trail today with the vibrams. I would consider myself a decent runner and typically do the 5 mile loop when I head to the trails. When I decided to get the vibrams I was given much advice but the most important was that you have to train yourself to run differently and your foot must adjust. With that being said, I was told to start with a 2- 3 minute run, walk for 5 minutes and then repeat the process for no more than 20 minutes. You have to work your way up since you are using different muscles in our leg and your body must adapt. I started running and felt great. I ran 5 minutes, then got to 8 and knew I needed to stop but just could not justify walking. I felt great and thought I needed to push myself. The more I thought about it.... I realized the real issue was my PRIDE! I knew that I could keep running and had just completed a half marathon 2 weeks ago but everyone else on the trail didn't and I surely didn't want them to think I was a slacker and couldn't run a simple 2 1/2 miles.

Why did I have to prove myself to anyone on the trail? Why did it matter what they thought of me? Why did I care so much that I was tempted to walk on the sidewalk instead?

God's timing is always perfect and as these thoughts were going through my head this song came on my ipod. " You are good, you are good, when there is NOTHING good in me."

Ephesians 2:8-11
8 For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

highly recommend.

2011-05-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

I read this book in two sittings.. it's THAT good.

It was refreshing to hear a little boys experience of heaven and it made me even more excited for that day that Jesus returns and we all get to dance on the streets of heaven and see him face to face! So if you are looking for a good summer read, go out and get this book.

Happy Saturday!

4th and final..

2011-05-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

half marathon before the real thing in October!

This past weekend I headed to Oklahoma with 11 other girls to run a half marathon. We loaded up the 15 passenger van on Friday night and hit the road. We had a blast meeting families, touring the town of Oklahoma City, eating yummy food, and making roadtrip memories.

Here is the clan minus Jordan.

Yup- home to Garth Brooks.

Mom joined us on Saturday night and brought delicious cupcakes. This just added to our night of carb loading :)

Start of the race- notice the overwhelming amount of rain coats and grey skies.

This is mile 4. I ditched my trash bags just a few minutes before this was taken. We were wet, freezing and attempting to make the best of it!

FINISHED!!! We stocked up on bananas, chocolate milk and yogurt before heading to meet the rest of the girls. Interesting enough, they were handing out Carl's Jr. burgers.. only in Oklahoma.

Despite the story weather on Sunday morning, it was a great trip. We entered the lottery for the Nike Women's Full Marathon in San Fran and got ACCEPTED!! So We will be headed there in October for the real deal.

evening plans...

2011-04-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

I am seeing these guys..

for their railroad revival tour on the easttttsideeee.

It's in the rotation!

2011-04-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

spaghetti squash!

It's yummy, super easy, healthy and a great substitute for pasta.. what's not to love?!

buy one.

I microwave it for just a bit to soften the skin. Cut it in half and take out the seeds. Then place it face down on a baking sheet and bake it at 350 degrees for close to an hour.

Take it out and let it cool for just a bit.

Then the fun begins! Start scraping the inside and it will break off and what do you know.. it looks exactly like PASTA!

YUM.

We added some grilled veggies, spaghetti sauce and enjoyed!

It is very filling and can be done so many ways. This week we are getting crazy and adding feta, pesto and tomatoes. I will keep ya updated :)

still alive.

2011-04-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Wow- these past 2 months have flown by and I can't believe it's already April!

Here are the highlights of February and March.

*Good music.

sxsw shows.

grace potter.

*great friends.

running the austin half marathon.

sxsw.

beautiful bride.

*my wonderful family.

austin half marathon.

sushi birthday dinner.

B's birthday.

*class.

I am currently in an Old Testament class at church and have enjoyed reading through the first couple of books of the bible and learning more about God and his character.

*getting old.

celebrated my 26th birthday. so blessed by my community of friends.

little did we know..

2011-02-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

our heater doesn't work. We called to inform our leasing office on Wednesday that our house was 74 degrees and we could still see our breath and were FREEZING. They told us this was a problem throughout the complex and they would get it fixed as soon as possible. So this is how we have been on the couch all morning. ( maybe not so close though... just posing for the picture).

So thankful for hot coffee, lots of blankets and a warm fire place.

Our winter wonderland view this morning. :)

So thankful for a late start yesterday and a SNOW DAY today. We slept in till 7:30 ( a big deal), and enjoyed a lazy morning. Then around 11, the sun came out and cleared the roads so we got to head out for a yummy lunch and pedicures!

'tutu fast'...

2011-02-03T05:28:00.000-08:00

yup you read that right. I ran in a marathon relay this weekend and we were the hit of the race.

Sarah suggested this race in Waco and we were instantly on board. Since we decided to do a relay, our creativity started rolling and that is when the tutu came to mind. This is the 3rd race we have done together and it was probably my favorite so far ( minus the horrendous cough). It was fun to be back in Waco, start the race on the suspension bridge and embrace the beautiful city.. hills and all :).

We of course celebrated with a yummy breakfast at Cafe Cappuccino.

*Last weekend also included a wonderful conference that I attended with Cheree called "Women in the Word." I will be blogging about that soon.

Thankful Tuesday...

2011-02-01T06:08:00.000-08:00

my roomie.

I am home for the 2nd day in a row.. due to a silly thing called 'the flu- strand b'.

This is what I woke up to this morning...

She's wonderful.

Wayback Wednesday...

2011-01-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

( it's a little early but tomorrow will be a long day and I am being proactive...)

This picture was almost 3 years ago and still one of my favorites!

SO EXCITED to see these girls.. except this weekend we will be wearing tutu's and running shoes!

Thankful Tuesday...

2011-01-25T19:00:00.000-08:00

my community.

confession..

2011-01-24T20:08:00.000-08:00

a) I vowed to never watch the Bachelor again.

b) I haven't missed an episode this season.

c) I'm impatient. I already googled Reality Steve and know who wins.

d) I continue to watch it.

e) I like to view Monday nights from 7- 8 as 'quality girl time.'

fail.

highlights..

2011-01-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

highlights of the weekend...

I FINALLY got to hold Penelope Ruth McAshan! Alli and I headed over to the McAshan's on Friday night to meet their new bundle of joy. It is hard to believe that they are now a family of 3 but so excited for them. She is precious and such a great baby. LOVE their family and so blessed to have them in my life.

Saturday we had 'crafternoon' at our casa. All the girls came over with their crafty items and we had a blast. As you can see, Sophie made it a little hard to prepare the tulle but my TUTU IS FINISHED! yay.. pictures to come.

and finally.. a new recipe.

Blackberry oat bars..

I used this recipe from Pioneer Woman except I substituted blackerry for apricot as a treat for 'crafternoon'. It turned out delicious!

HAPPY SUNDAY EVENING!

books of 2010..

2011-01-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

One of my goals of 2010 was to read 12 books.. I officially read 9 (plus a few grad school books).

- Velvet Elvis

- Eat, Pray, Love

- The Alchemist

- Crazy Love

- The Shack

- Left to Tell

- So Long Insecurity

- Helping Hurts

- Lineage of Grace

All of these I would highly recommend.

I need to start my list for 2011.

- Crazy Love is back at the top of my list for the new year.

- The Disciplines of Grace

- A Praying Life

What are some other suggestions? Also looking for some good classics. Send your ideas my way.

it's the little things...

2011-01-16T21:13:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning Alli and I were convinced to get a nice long run in despite the cold, rainy, gross weather! After completing our run we changed into dry clothes and decided to treat ourselves to brunch with a friend at bouldin Creek Cafe. It used to be just a cofee shop next to my old place but they recently moved and now it is a full service restaurant. We got a yummy place of breakfast tacos and some grapefruit on the side. Low and behold they brought a 'grapefruit spoon' on the side and I could not get over the convenience of this little gadget. I mean come on, does life get any better?! This prevents sticky hands and slices of grapefruit being flung across the table!

I just might have to invest soon :)

coincidence...

2011-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

is no longer in my vocabulary.

What a great truth knowing that we are not in control and that God has orchestrated our lives in a manner that will bring glory to his name if we have faith in his promises. So many times we get torn up over trying to make our own decisions instead of giving it over to him and seeking truth and discernment through scripture. I no longer blame things on being a 'coincidence' but stand on the firm foundation of Christ knowing that everything is according to his perfect plan for my life.

Matthew 7:24

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

This has been a struggle over this past year, especially through the hardships.

It was no coincidence either that the sermon yesterday was on suffering and the role it plays in our every day life. We are not supposed to struggle alone, but surrounded with a community of believers. So many times, we beat ourselves up over these 'little sins' that show up and we think that we can get through them ourselves. This is not the case! Jesus was sent to this earth and experienced EVERY human struggle that we face. He has already been there, so CLING to Jesus.

Philippians 2:5-8

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature^{b]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[}of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I would encourage you to go here and listen to the full sermon.. its good stuff!!

www.austinstone.org/resources/sermon/the_good_news_of_suffering/

happy monday:)

playing catch up...

2011-01-15T11:49:00.000-08:00

HELLO 2011!!!!

I have not been diligent on keeping up with my blog but I am going to make a 'better' effort at posting during these next 11 months.

In order to get ready for the next year, I feel it is very necessary to look back over the past year and relect on the blessings and the hardships.

Here is my condensed blog version of 2010....

Jan:

I had a great new years trip to London with Alli. I am so thankful for her friendship and at that point I had no idea the role she would play in my life and that I would be living and working with her in the next few months.

Feb:

I joined a coed small group through the stone and developed some great friendships. I finally felt involved at the Stone and that this is where I was called to serve.

March/April:

I got serious about running and ran in my first 10k and HALF marathon! This was a dream of mine and these 2 races played a huge role in getting me off on right foot..hehe.

May:

School was coming to a close and I decided to go to the Dominican Republic for a summer mission trip! YAY. Pretty sure this is also when I found out that kristen was PREGNANT!

(On a side note, can't wait to meet baby McAshan SOON!)

June:

We went on a family trip to Colorado and had a wonderful time. The weather was so perfect and it was a great time to get away from the Texas heat. We went biking, boating, hiking, sight seeing, and rode horses. The only sad thing was little B getting so sick. Such a blessing to get away. I was also in the midst of finishing up my Masters degree.

End of June/beginning of July:

I went with a group from the Stone to the Dominican. The experience is beyond words and friendships were built there that shaped the rest of the year for me. I met kristen who is now serving in the Domincan and such a huge part of my life. I met Leslie, who is now leading my community group. I met Katie who is a close friend and part of my prayer group on Tuesday mornings. It was great to be serving in a place that was filled with joy and meet people that were apart of the community and had faith that could literally move mountains.

Alli and I moved in together!!!!

(This is from halloween.. but nbd...)

July:

Got away for the weekend with all the girls and headed to Fredricksburg. We spent the weekend relaxing, eating yummy meals, shopping and just hanging out. It was great to get out of the city and spend time fellowshiping with lifelong friends. So great to take 3 days to come together and catching up on life. Even though we live all over Texas, we still stay close and take time to get together.

August:

GRADUATED WITH MY MASTERS! yay. oh yes- and started my 3rd year teaching with sweet children. It was quite the change going from 1st to 3rd grade but it has been filled with so many learning experiences.

I also began interpreting at church under the bridge. I have loved getting to know these people and pouring into their lives as well as them pouring into my life.

September:

This was a month of getting back into my school routine and filled with many long days in my classroom. I started a new community group of all women after being called to leave my coed group and find a place to dig deep and have accountability. These girls have been such a blessing and taught me what is means to live in biblical community and go through life together.

October:

ACL!!! Kristen came back for the weekend and we had a PACKED 3 days of bands, bands and more bands.

AND we can't forget the glorious day of baylor beating UT in football!!

November:

RAN MY 2ND half marathon! woo hoo.

I participated in the Warrior Dash which consisted of a 5k with 9 obstacles that included crawling through mud and ended with jumping over fire!

Also, celebrating Thanksgiving, dad's birthday and the turkey trot tradition.

can't forget- eating dinner with Hanson :)

December:

This was a busy month of wrapping up the school year, christmas parties, and celebrating the birth of Jesus. I got to spend time with great friends, family in Dallas and San Anotonio and attending the baylor bowl game.

I am so excited for what 2011 will bring and what God has in store for my life.

1 Peter 4:8-11

⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

gobble gobble...

2010-11-25T19:43:00.001-08:00

rounding the corner of the trot for the 28th year in a row.. rockstar.

3rd times a charm. So thankful for my running buddy.

we are ready to trot.

precious girl.. she stole the show today.

love.

Such a great day! Started off with an eight mile run and ended with a yummy dinner with a great family. Only thing that would have made it better is if chad, sara and owen were with us. I have so much to be thankful for in my life and can only praise my Jesus for the abundant blessings that he pours into my life.

Psalm 95:1-6

¹O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

²Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

³For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

⁴In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

⁵The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

⁶O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker

domination.

2010-11-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

This morning we ran in the Warrior Dash and had a blast. I was a little skeptical considering there was mud and fire involved but it ended up being pretty awesome. It is a 3 1/2 mile run with 9 obstacles througout the course. We climbed over cars, walked a plank, ran through a muddy river, climbed over hay bails, crawled over tangled rope, jumped over hurdles went up a cargo net and ended with jumping over fire and crawling under barbed wire through mud...done.

* missing the half marathon from last weekend.. that will be up this week!

interesting week....

2010-11-19T05:25:00.000-08:00

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/education/rr-schools-evacuated-following-threat

sic em, halloween, hanson... done.

2010-11-13T06:09:00.000-08:00

October, where did you go?!

I saw Hanson and yes, I got to meet them, hang out on their tour bus and have dinner with them :) ( Thanks to a great friend.)

Bringin it back to the 80's, we were tetris for Halloween.

Sic em bears... cheered them on as they whooped up on the longhorns.

fair weather fans?

and we of course had a pumpkin carving at school.. wish I could put pics of the kids instead of myself...

A.C.L.

2010-10-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

Day 1:

loves

Day 2:

grace potter.. at her finest!

Day 3

favorites...

top bands of the weekend:

grace potter

amos lee

charlie mars

eagles

first aid kit

broken bells

deadmea5

mike know

carolyn wonderland

norah jones

muse

single digits...

2010-09-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

It is countdown central over here...

2 days until T4AC.. Together for adoption conference. No worries- I am just volunteering this year and learning how I can support adoption both locally and international. I do feel called to adopt in my lifetime and am excited to meet and talk with people that are in the process or have completed this journey and how God used them and their children through this experience.

8 days unitl I get to pick KRISTEN up from the airport. YAY!!!!! I dropped her off at the aiport a little over a month ago to head to the DR and could not be more excited to pick her up and spend the weekend with her and jamming out to so many great bands at Zilker Park which leads too...

9 days until ACL!!! This is pretty self explanatory :)

sweets of the week...

2010-09-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Over the last year I have found a love for baking! I don't have the same passion for cooking which will probably be a problem in the years to come but for now it is just fine :) I try to only cook when I can feed OTHERS and not have it sitting in the kitchen tempting me all week long..

Last week we had some girls over and got the opportunity to make Smore Cupcakes... thanks sb for the recipe :)

They were so fun to make and were delicious!

Then on Friday I got to make Sopapilla cheesecake for a girls retreat I went on this weekend. I had it a few weeks ago and got the recipe from a friend. It went perfectly with our tacos, queso, guac and fun drinks!!

( I forgot to take a pic, but here is the recipe!)

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 packages original crescent rolls

2 8oz packages cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon

¾ stick of butter

½ cup sugar (top)

Cream the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla until smooth.

Butter the bottom of a 13 x 9 glass dish. Place 1 package of rolls covering the bottom of pan. Put the cream cheese mixture over the rolls evenly. Place the other package of rolls on top. Sprinkle ½ cup of sugar over rolls. Melt ¾ stick of butter on top. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 min until golden brown.

Happy Sunday!!

That time of year again..

2010-09-06T13:03:00.001-07:00

Here are the many signs that fall is just around the corner..
I am enjoying my first pumpkin spice latte as we speak. I am ignoring the fact that it is 90 degrees outside.. simply delicious!
I am getting back into the swing of running on a regular basis. The Rock N Roll half marathon is on November 14th and I am really excited. With one half marathon under my belt, hopefully I will be in better shape and beat my last time. I would love the run in the mornings before work but that means the alarm clock goes off at 4:45. This has happened twice in the past 2 weeks where I have actually gotten out of bed. The snooze button is just too convinient :) As of now, most of my runs have to wait until almost 7 but hopefully the weather will cool down and I can run in the afternoons.
BAY-LOR, BAYLOR BEARS FIGHT!! Exicted to go to several games this season and get in the spirit of Baylor Football. With one win under their belt, hopefully they will enter the regular season ready to dominate :) We shall see...

I am entering a new season of life and know that God is preparing me for some changes that will continue to mold me.

1) I am beginning a new community group on Wednesdays that is all women that are ready to be on mission for God and get involved with our community both locally and internationally.

2) I went to the Church under the Bridge on Sunday and have decided to become apart of their family on Sunday mornings and work with the deaf community. This is a great organization that meets people where they are and preaches the word to the less fornuate in Austin.

Enjoy the rest of your labor day!

double dose..

2010-08-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

This verse appeared in my life twice last week and each time I read it, new meaning and truth was reavealed to me. I think it gives good insight to what true community looks like and how we are called to live as God's children. Enjoy this verse and please spend time seeking what this looks like in your own life.

Romans 12:9-21

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Happy Friday!!!

snuck up on me...

2010-08-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

The new school year seemed to sneak up on me this year. I moved rooms ( yet again) so I didn't make many purchases ( with the fear of moving again next year) butt here are the things I purchased to hopefully make the year go a little more smoothly...

These will be on my feet every Friday...

I write with these constantly...

for my extensive data collection...

thank you Sara for introducing me to the 'teacher sweather'...

and the magic smoothie maker... none can compare to my dad's though...

Happy Wednesday!

bittersweet

2010-08-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day that I would like to call.. bittersweet. I had the blessing of meeting Kristen on my trip to the Dominican in June and we instantly became friends. Its so wonderful when God places people in your life and you just 'click'. After we got back from the trip, God called her back to the Dominican for at least a year. I always tell her that she will probably be there at least 2 when she gets to spend every day with these precious children :). Since she accepted the calling in early July, I have gotten to walk beside her in this journey of preparing to make the move. It has been AMAZING to see how God has had his hand in every decision and everything has worked out. She has raised 3/4 of her support, in the process of renting out her house, etc. She has been teaching in a private school for her past few years and will now have the opportunity to literally teach the teachers at Makarios and oversee the curriculum and lessons. I dropped her off at the airport yesterday morning and it was very bittersweet. So sad to see her leave but so awesome to know that she is doing this for the kingdom and the many lives that she will touch and the miraculous things God will do through her.

So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers and pray for her role there and the leadership position she has accepted. Please pray for her safety and God will continue to protect her and provide for her. Please pray for the relationships that she will build and the impact she will have in the villages. Please pray that God continues to bless her and provide strength when she is weak and joy, peace and comfort when things become difficult and she misses home.

tomorrow...

2010-08-15T04:10:00.000-07:00

I feel so blessed to spend 9 months teaching my precious children but feel even MORE blessed to have 3 months off to travel, see friends, and enjoy life. As the new school year approaches, I wanted to do a little recap of my summer.

family vacation to Colorado

time in the Dominican loving on these precious children

celebrating the arrival of baby Ella..

4th of July with these lovelies and all the wonderful members of WFG

girls weekend in Fredericksburg

lake time with some favorite Austinites

family time at the horse races

enjoying Austin!!!!

truth...

2010-08-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

I am reading "lineage of grace" and came across this great verse tonight that I could not help but share...

Isaiah 55:8-11

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

⁹ "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isn't it great to know that I have faith in a God that has plans far greater than mine...

my new home....

2010-08-04T07:57:00.001-07:00

girlfriends....

2010-07-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks I have realized how blessed I am to have such great ladies in my life. These are girls that I have known for 12 years down to just a few months. God has specifically placed each one in my life for a different reason and is using them to bring me closer to him and life up his name here on earth.

Happy Tuesday!!!

childlike faith...

2010-07-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

This picture speaks volumes in my life as I reflect on my time in the Dominican. Makarios has built so many special relationships with surrounding villages that so beyond what the eyes can see. The first day we went into the village to do VBS with the students, I offered to walk through the streets gathering the children. I had no idea how much this simple decision would impact me and my walk with Christ.

So we started to walk through the streets and a teacher with us spoke with the children and parents and invited them to come along. I know very little Spanish so I did not know exactly what she said, but I knew that it didn't take long for the kids to agree to come along for the afternoon. Before I knew it, we each had a kid in each hand walking with us to join the rest of our group.

That evening as I was processing my day, I began to think of these children and the faith they had in us. They had no idea who we were, where we had come from, but because of the impact of Makarios and the relationships they had built, these children trusted us and what we had in store for them that day.

I want to have this kind of faith with my Jesus. I want to hold tight to him and trust him no matter where he takes me and what he has in store for me because I know that he is GOOD and has taken care of me this far. I am continuing to build my relationship with him and trust him because he has brought me to where I am today.

my week in pictures...

2010-07-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

I decided to post pictures from the Dominican now and over the next week I will add stories from my trip and how God is continuing to work in my life even after I have arrived back home. ( I don't have internet at my new house either, so that is my excuse:)) Enjoy the pictures and please pray for these sweet faces and the relationships that are being built between Makarios and the people in the villages :)

donations...

2010-05-30T10:05:00.001-07:00

As most of you know- I am headed to the Dominican Republic at the end of June to work in a school for 9 days. The school was founded 3 years ago through a organization called Makarios. They have sent us a 'wish list' of items they are need of in order to effectively run the school. I don't know who reads this blog and know that you could be anywhere but I wanted to post this list in case you felt led to give and bless these children. I will be in Dallas the middle of June and back in Austin the week of June 13th-18th so I could arrange to meet you. These things sound so common and easily accessible to us, but for them this is not the case. So please look over the list and let me know if you have anything that I could take over and use to further the education of these precious children.

Once again, here is the link to look at the organization:

www.makarios international. com

Needs for school:

· constructions paper (large and small)

· children's books in SPANISH! (only Spanish)

· Suggestions for SPANISH books:

o rhyming books (dr suess type books)

o El Loro Tico Tango

o Where the Wild Things Are

o books about different places/people

o books about different seasons

o map book of dominican republic

o books about animals

o beginner reader books ("see spot run" type books)

o BIG books (large sized)

· khaki pants-ONLY for skinny kids ages 3-7

· tennis shoes-ONLY for kids ages 3-7

· underwear-ONLY for skinny kids ages 3-7

· composition books (the ones with the binding, and lined paper)

· wooden puzzles (ages 3 and up)

· Lysol wipes (to clean the kids' tables)

· whistles (for teachers)

· small hand soap dispensers for school bathrooms--preferably antibacterial (no foam soap please)

· Large containers of hand soap that we can refill the small ones with

· washable paint

· play dough

· superglue

· poster board

· card stock (all colors)

· white printer paper

· stickers

· Lincoln Logs

· Small Tactile Letters of the Spanish Alphabet (Multiple Sets)

· Sponges

· Spray bottles (class set)

· small storage bins (shoe box size and larger)

Requests for the Makarios house:

· Washcloths-crucial need!

· Melamine Plates [square] (available at Target)

· Drinking glasses (thick plastic)

· Muffin tin trays

· Bread pans for baking

· Tupperware (bigger sizes)

· Toaster-crucial need!

WISH LIST:

· laminator that is able to laminate thick lamination but can be just a one page laminator (if anything comes in battery or re-chargeable form that is the best since we don’t have electricity all the time)

· die cut cutter

· Program called Board Maker by Meyer Johnson

The only thing that stands between...

2010-05-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

me and graduation is ONE PRESENTATION!!!!

I have obviously procrastinated so my goal is to start and finish everything today and tomorrow in order to get it turned in on Wednesday.

This is what I will look like for the rest of the day.. except for a few hours to enjoy the sun :)

Happy Sunday!

sweet summertime..

2010-05-28T19:31:00.001-07:00

Summer is here and it feels rather bittersweet...

It was hard to put my kiddos on the bus today and tell them goodbye for the next 3 months but I am pretty anxious/excited/nervous/thrilled for what will be taking place in my life from now until August.

I wish that I could put pictures of my kids on here but I had a great year in which I changed roles about 50 times but loved every minute of it. I lost kids, gained kids, created TAKS alt, played interpreter, subbed for teachers, continued learning about Autism and the components of STAR program, and grew so much as a teacher.

So ready to relax and enjoy the sun this weekend in the midst of preparing for Colorado, planning a baby shower, Dominican trip, preparing activities and lessons for the children there, moving, oh and and finishing my LAST presentation for grad school!! yay

Here is a pic from Kelly and I at the Rangers game last weekend:

It's more like...

2010-05-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

falling in love!

I heard these lyrics this morning and couldn't help but dwell on the fact that my Jesus loves me more than I could ever imagine. It's not about following the rules and checking things off our list, but its about a RELATIONSHIP that we have and walking with him through grace, love and faith.

"Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It's like I'm falling, oh
It's like I'm falling in love"

At the stone the past couple of weeks we have been talking about sin and the impact it can have on our mission and calling through Christ. We are not only called 'to him' but also 'for him." It is not an either or but both are equally as important and part of our calling as a Christian. Sunday we talked about dealing with the small things in our life and how that can directly affect the bigger things. God cares about each detail of our lives and is just waiting there with his arms wide open for us to run to him and ask for forgiveness and help to overcome our struggles and truly celebrate freedom from things that have been living deep within us and bogging us down.

HAPPY THURSDAY!!!!

little ahead of myself...

2010-05-08T15:26:00.001-07:00

I may be getting a little ahead of myself but I already have a few favorites as the weather gets warmer and summer is approaching...

1. soy green tea frapp from Starbucks... but without the whip! Kristen introduced me a few weeks ago and it was the perfect drink to have while getting to sit outside and catch up with friends during the 90 degree weather! 2. jean shorts from J. Crew- I have been on the hunt for jean shorts that are not too short but are still cute and easy to throw on and run out the door. I found them at the outlet which made them that much better!

3. whole foods patio on a nice evening.. enough said! 4. last but not least- The Shack. WOW.. this is a powerful book that really got me thinking about my relationship with God and how I view different things in my life and the role that he plays. I enjoyed it and actually procrastinated finishing it because I didn't want it to end. I highly recommend this as a summer read. I would love to hear your thoughts after reading it.

I am sure that more will come as I finish up these next 3 weeks of school and June arrives.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

never alone....

2010-05-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

I joined a new community group recently through the Stone and am continually amazed in how God is using them in my life and his 'perfect timing' in surrounding me with a great group of believers.

Tonight we were talking about trials and tribulations and times when we feel that we are like sheep and have strayed away from God. We feel empty and broken, as if there is nothing we can do in order to gain God's favor. Boy- are we WRONG! This is a place that I feel most Christians have been, some in worse situations that others. I was here around 11 months ago, and have seen God work in my life in only ways that he can. He uses these times of despair to show his goodness and grace. One girl in group said it said so well, ' God never stops pursuing us, instead he is just waiting for us to pursue him." Another guy brought up this poem and the truth that is presented.

Hope this can be encouraging to you today.. never forget that even if we can't feel God, he never leaves or forsakes us.

Footprints

One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
"I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
"When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

...Mary Stevenson

always learning....

2010-04-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

The word of the weekend is: Relax! The weather has been rainy and gloomy the past 2 days and my calendar was surprisingly EMPTY! This is very unusual and I came to the realization yesterday that I don't know how to just 'be still' and enjoy the down time.

Yesterday, I was constantly looking for things to do instead of enjoying the goodness of God and giving me time to rest and dwell in Him. So this morning after church and brunch, I decided to do something that I really enjoy that rarely happens and that is BAKING! I looked in the freezer and found frozen bananas then looked in the pantry and found chocolate chips. This only means one thing: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! So after consulting with my nutritionist, Cheree, I went to work. I needed some advice on using brown sugar instead of white sugar :) Actually, she called right as I had started so we chatted a little but about it and the wonders of baking!

Heres the end result:

I of course tried a piece and it was delicious! The rest will be going to school tomorrow so that I don't end up snacking on them all week and eating the whole thing :)

Here's the recipe:

ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 large mashed bananas

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

cream together the butter and brown sugar

add the eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips

bake in greased loaf pan for 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees F ( I cooked them in a cake pan to reduce the cook time)

not the only one...

2010-04-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

So I am not the only one participating in "races" these days.. Sophie finished her very FIRST 5k this morning :)

Jana emailed me about the 10th Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk benefiting the Texas Hearing and Service Dogs. We signed the girls up and were anxious to be apart of " bringing the Guinness World's Record for "Largest Dog Walk" back to Texas! :) The brits currently hold the record.. anxious to hear the number of participants they had this morning.

The best part was the the start line was just around the corner from our duplex, so we got a little extra exercise walking there and of course grabbed a breakfast taco on the walk home.

only in Austin... little extreme! haha

only the beginning...

2010-04-12T07:18:00.001-07:00

I completed my first half marathon yesterday!!!!!

Kelly, Sarahbeth, Carolina and I ran a 10k at the beginning on March and decided we wanted to keep going and start training for the Big D Marathon on April 11th. I had been considering running a half but needed more motivation to start training and get the ball rolling. I am soo thankful for these wonderful girls and their friendships. I can't even explain the feeling I had when crossing the finish line and realizing I had just run 13 miles in 2 hours and 12 minutes. Kelly was so encouraging the whole time and I remember telling her several times there is no way I could have done it without her by my side.

The girls at dinner the night before getting our 'carb load' with some yummy pasta!

The morning of with our many 'Gu' packets! These were a life saver but not so yummy!

The girls and our moms! So blessed to have them there supporting us every inch of the way!

Still going strong- our goal was to run the whole thing and we did just that!! yay

WOO HOO- WE DID IT!! SO thankful for these wonderful girls and their friendship!

My #1 fans. So blessed to have them there cheering and supporting me every step!

So excited to see this little guy there... He was dancing for me around mile 4 :)

My precious family!

So I can honestly say this is only the beginning. I am planning to run another half this year and MAYBE even consider a full marathon. It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it and have faith that God is going to push you though and help you succeed.

because of who you are...

2010-04-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Just heard this song come on my Pandora after an exhausting day with the kiddos and I wanted to share with you :)

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.

Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

refreshed...

2010-04-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

It was so great to have 3 days to catch up on errands, spend time with friends, get outside and enjoy the sun and most of all celebrate Easter and have time to relish in His goodness and grace!

heres a weekend recap...

Friday:

*got up and ran 9 miles! ( felt good to get a long run and prepare for the half next weekend)

*lunch with the roomie at a new trailer around the corner (not so impressed)

*bought a new MACBOOK!! woo hooo

*and then ended the night with some much needed bestie time. we had fun making cupcakes, catching up on life and just enjoying time together! I am blessed beyond words to have her in my life and cherish our times together!

( this pic was awhile ago, but all I got for now:) )

Saturday:

*ran a 5k with Jenny which felt great to stretch my legs after the long run on Friday. we headed to brunch at Galaxy Cafe ( a must when visiting austin)

*met up with Stevie and spent time playing volleyball with friends at Zilker then headed to her apt to get some pool time!

* went to Z Tejas with the roomie to celebrate the birthday of a good friend, Teal. We had some yummy yummy food that allowed us to come back, watch a movie and get a wonderful nights sleep.

Sunday:

* met the girls at The Stone for a wonderful service that allowed us to worship and focus on God's greatness. Matt did a great job presenting the message that we were born to die but because of the Sacrifice Jesus made and our faith in Him we get to LIVE!!!!!!

* brunch at Olivia ( another must in Austin)

* ended the weekend with bowling for matt's birthday!

whew! all in all- it was a great weekend with so many WONDERFUL friends!! I am continually grateful for the friends that God has placed in my life and all the many blessings.

still alive..

2010-03-31T05:43:00.000-07:00

So pretty sure its been over a month since the last post but I do have an excuse... my stinkin computer. It has been acting up lately and it is not even worth trying to start it up.
With that being said.. here is a list of posts that will be coming very soon:

1) mom/daughter trip to San Antonio
2) the oh-so-exciting 25th birthday!!
3) my trip home that included some two stepping and a birthday party of a very special 1 year old :)
4) change in community group
5) getting involved
6) Sprouts.. new addiction
7) hopefully.. the start of a new life with a Macbook.....

Happy Wednesday!

soar...

2010-02-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew theirstrength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; theyshall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and notfaint."

celebrations...

2010-02-11T19:53:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was full of celebrations!

Thursday night- Saturday afternoon I attended a conference in Austin called VERGE. The Stone partnered with other local churches and put it in on for the weekend. It was fabulous. I was feeling sick Thursday night so I watched it via "Live Streaming" but was able to attend the rest of the time. It was focused on Missional Community and the active role we play. I will do a recap of the information soon because it was so refreshing and presented information that I think needs to be shared. I heard some great speakers such as Matt Carter ( Stone paster), Francis Chan, Neil Cole, Alan Hirsch, Dave Ferguson, Dave Gibbons,John Burke, Hugh Halter, Ed Stezer, George Patterson, and Jeff Vanderstelt. MORE TO COME :)

Then I jumped on a flight and headed to Dallas for Traci's bach party! Kelly picked me up and we headed straight to her house. We had a blast celebrating her last few days of being a single gal. We had dinner at Uncle Julios, a little party at her house then headed out on the town on a party bus! haha I felt pretty 'cool' since this was my first party bus experience. It was so fun to see all the girls and spend some time together. The next time I see them again it will be her wedding in March!

Sunday morning after Kel and I got some coffee, she dropped me off at home to head to hachie to celebrate my Mimi's 89th birthday! She is an amazing woman and we had so much fun celebrating with her on this special day!

This is Mimi and all our her children :)

Chad and B joined us so I got some precious time with my nephew. We missed Sara being there! Then it was off to the airport and back to the ATX! Now its time to finish up a batch of these yummy cranberry oatmeal cookies and head to bed in preparation for our Valentines Party at school tomorrow! New endeavors this week:

1) started boot camp tonight! It's for 4 weeks- 3 days a week! Swimsuit season here I come! Hopefully I can walk tomorrow!

2) I won the first thing on the radio EVER!! I have tickets to Cirque Du Soleil for Wednesday night!

3) I finished " Velvet Elvis" in about 5 days! Such a great book- I highly recommend it :)

4) I am now sponsoring a sweet girl (Lesly) from the DR! I am hoping to receive a picture in the mail soon but I am so excited to become apart of Compassion.

Happy FRIDAY!!!!!

new tradition....

2010-02-03T13:56:00.001-08:00

Jana and I have a new tradition around our house that started 2 weeks ago.

Every Wednesday night after my community group, I stop by TCBY and get us this:

( white chocolate with blackberries and peanut butter cup)and I take it home and we watch this ( from the night before):
* but don't worry- I do normally get a run in that afternoon so I don't feel so bad :)

Sunday Ramblings:

2010-01-31T18:29:00.000-08:00

1) I had a great weekend celebrating my Grandy's life with my incredible family and friends. We are so blessed by the support and encouragement that was poured out on us! It was hard to leave yesterday but I know that God's grace and peace is sufficient and will overcome my pain and sadness.

2) I am secretly loving the cold weather this weekend! I am not ready to put away my sweaters and boots... as much as everyone else is ready for the warm weather to return.

3) I got an email from my general education teacher saying that my kids had made me cards on Friday... I'm sure I will be sharing some of these on the blog. I can't wait to return to school and see my nuggets!

4) As I am taking a break from a paper, only 6 MORE MONTHS TILL GRADUATION!!

5) I think the Ipad is rediculously silly... anyone think otherwise???

6) If I had 3 wishes right now, one would be for a personal grocery shopping and chef. I always put shopping off until Sunday afternoon and it gets more painful every week.

7) I want to start flying with Soph. Anyone have suggestions on flying with small dogs?? What drugs do I need?

8) I am already planning my summer vacations. I really do love my job but after going to London over new years, my traveling itch has gotten worse.

9) At the Stone this morning, paster Matt mentioned that over the next 3 years there is going to be a big push for adoptions. This makes my heart happy. Hopefully I will be at a place where I can make this happen.

10) I am off to get Frozen Yogurt with the roomie because finishing this paper and having some quiet time to prepare for this week!

Happy Sunday!!

dancing on the streets of heaven...

2010-01-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. (Colossians 3:2-4)

I know that my Grandy is not in pain and is dancing on the streets of Heaven. He lived a life on earth that was a true example of Christ and his unfailing love. He was an amazing husband, dad and grandfather that had such a giving heart and was always a joy to be around. He will be extremely missed here but I can't to see him again and worship my Jesus!!

following in the steps...

2010-01-24T07:57:00.000-08:00

of my wonderful sister!

It is easy to forget all the wonderful blessings that we have in our lives to be thankful for on a daily basis!

Here goes:

I am thankful for my WONDERFUL parents that came to spend last weekend with me. It was wonderful for them to be in Austin and allowed me to show them my 'stomping grounds.' We of course had to try a few new places to eat and they were a hit. I cherish my time with them and could not have asked for a better 3 days.

I am thankful for a warm, cozy bed to wake up in.
I am thankful for a precious puppy that lets me sleep in after a long week.
I am thankful for a coffee maker that makes a sweet aroma through my house and gives me energy to make it through the day.
I am thankful for a working stove that allows me to make breakfast.
I am thankful for electricity that allows me to have air conditioning.
I am thankful for a computer that allows me to connect with friends and do school work to become educated.
I am thankful for a church that I get to attend that teaches me about the greatness of God and has a love for the city of Austin.
I am thankful for friends that I am meeting there to worship with and praise Jesus.
I am thankful for my legs so that I can run and get exercise this afternoon ( hopefully :))

These are just a few things this morning that I am so thankful for and so often forget to reflect upon.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful morning and a great start to the week!

" You are the God who saves us, worthy of all our praises, Hosana, Hosana, come have your way among us we welcome you here Lord Jesus!! "

peace.

2010-01-15T05:27:00.001-08:00

it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

London town!

2010-01-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

Over the break, I had the opportunity to go to London with Alli for a week ( December 26th- January 2nd) and loved every minute of it. We decided to buy tickets back in October as a nice get away and a treat to ourselves before starting up a new semester of school. We were fortunate enough to have two wonderful hosts that made the trip so enjoyable and relaxing. David is a friend that Alli met while nannying and is currently a doctor in Cambridge. Paul is a friend that we know through Kristen and actually studied at UT a few years ago. He is a lawyer in London.

Saturday: I flew into Houston and met up with Alli and her mom. We had lunch then headed back to the aiport for our 4 pm flight.

We had to partake in one last really good cup of coffee before we headed out.

Sunday: We arrived at Heathrow at 7 am and waited in the customs line for nearly 2 hours due to the abundance of students arriving ahead of us. We then caught the 10 am bus to head to Cambridge. We barely slept on the flight so we took advantage of this time to get a short nap. David picked us up at the bus stop and we could not have been more excited to see him! He took us to his flat where we had our very own bedroom on the 3rd floor! We got settled in, took another short nap since we hadn't slept in over 30 hours. We went to dinner that night and then came back and chatted until heading to bed.

Monday: We were woken up with hot tea and told it was 'adventure day." David had the day off and so we ate some breakfast and then headed to a Cathedryl in Ely, which is about 20 minutes outside of Cambridge. We took the tour and learned so much about the history of the building. The arcitecture of the building was phenominal. We had a great time. We then headed back and went into the downtown, helped David with some shopping then came back to his house for dinner. We had an array of salmon, bread, hummus, avocados cheese and crisps- so yummy! Paul was in Cambridge for holiday with his family so we met him and some mates at a pub for a bit.

So thankful for the heater in the bathroom after the tour.. it was FREEZING!
classic photo op!

Alli and I have a new love for 'soldiers'. You boil an egg for exactly 3 1/2 minutes ( as we were told). You then set them in an 'egg holder' haha which we had never heard of before. You then cut off the top of the egg. It should be hard boiled on the outside and then still slightly runny on the inside. To make the soldiers, you toast some bread then cut it into 4 long strips. Cover each with Marmite ( yeast extract) which is shown below, and then dip them into the egg. MAGICAL!!

Tuesday: David had to work so Alli and I had the day to relax and explore the city. He left us a map so we made it to the local supermarket and got groceries to make him a dinner that night since he was such a great host. We also went to the bank for him, and walked around downtown for a bit. It was literally in the 30's everyday, so we layered up whereever we went. I think every day we had on tights, leggings, jeans, boots, two shirts, scarf, coat and gloves! Paul picked us up in the afternoon to hang at his mom's house for a bit. We visited her the last time we were in London, so it was fun to go back and catch up and play a little pool. He then took us home, we finished dinner and had one last relaxing night in Cambridge with David.

Wednesday: We woke up, packed out things, and headed for Londontown. We caught the 10 am train and got to King's Cross in about an hour. We got our oyster pass and jumped on the tube to head to High Kensington. It was nice to know what to do and feel a little more like 'locals' since we had done this 2 summers ago. We sure did miss Kristen, our wonderful tour guide. :( Once we got to the stop, we headed to our hotel, which was only a 5 minute walk from the stop. AMAZING! We dropped out things off and headed to get some yummy Thai food! We then changed and headed to see the family that Alli nannied for 2 summers ago. The kids were precious and so excited to see her and play with their new ' Texas goodies' that she brought them. We had some tea, chocolates, and then they drove us and dropped us off at Victoria to see WICKED!! We got some great half price tickets at our hotel and our trip would of course not be complete without seeing this muscial.

Thursday: We got up and had a yummy breakfast at the Muffin Man. We then walked along High Ken and saw Kensington Palace, did some shopping at H&M, then headed back to get ready for the New Year's Eve festivities. David met us at the hotel and we headed to meet his mates at a pub on the river. We had a great time meeting them, people watching and then getting to see the fireworks at midnight. As soon as we saw them, we headed out to meet Paul and some friends at their house and celebrate the new year.

Friday: We got to sleep in and then met up with David and some friends for brunch. We had some yummy food and then headed out for our 'tourist day'. David used to be an actual tour guide for the London Eye so he had lots of information for us. We walked along the river and saw the Tower of London ( which unfortunately was closed), London Bridge, London Eye, Parliment and the hospital David will begin working in this Spring. We ended the day with Sushi!

Saturday: We got up at 4 to head to the aiport. We got on our 8:40 flight after going through 2 different security checks and patted down by multiple people. Sarah Beth picked us up from the airport and headed to her car to get my car. She was so sweet to let me leave my car there for 2 weeks and take good care of it :) We were sad to be back and it was good to get back in routine and see my sweet kiddos!

Big trucks and cowboy hats... WELCOME BACK TO THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS!

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful friend and get the opportunity to travel and spend some time away. I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and a great time bringing in the new year. I am excited for what this year holds and what God is going to do in my life and in this city!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:11:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day celebrating with their family and reflecting on the birth of Jesus! It is great to look around and reflect on all the many blessings that God has given to us... and enjoy the snow:)

"Long lay the world, in sin and error pinning... Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth."

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

( how I am feeling these days.. overwhelmed but SO EXCITED!!!)

Be thankful!

2009-12-14T15:57:00.000-08:00

My principal sent this out last week and I wanted to share it with you!

Be Thankful
by: Unknown

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something.
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult time.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations.
Because they give you the opportunity for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge.
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and wearu.
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those
Who are also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for the troubles
And they can become your blessings.

HAPPY MONDAY!!

great opportunity...

2009-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Trade as One is an organization that purchases and sells handmade items from men and women in impoverished countries at fair trade prices. If you have not finished your Christmas shopping, look here! It is a great opportunity to give back to those in need at the same time your are crossing people off your shopping list. If is great we have these opportunites to support countries that have people struggling financially and generally live off $1 a day!!! wow

( just one example of something you can purchase)

http://www.tradeasone.org/

Happy Tuesday!!

Christmas festivities

2009-12-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

Austin has many wonderful Christmas festivities happening and tonight was the Christmas Tree lighting in Zilker Park. Jana and I had roomie time and headed out there since we have never been. We were convinced it started at 7, but we quickly realized after arriving that is had started at 6 since the tree was already lit and people were starting to leave. We stayed for a bit and walked around. They had several booths with hot chocolate, kettly corn, cupcakes, and even a fire pit to stand around!

Standing in the middle of the tree- looking up!

Such a fun night complete with some dessert from the new frozen yogurt place that recently opened up around the corner from us :)

remembering the reason...

2009-12-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

This morning at Stone, we had a WONDERFUL worship experience. We sang about 4 songs that are popular around the holiday season, but we were encouraged by Matt to not just sing them like we always do but to really realize the words that we are singing. This is something that really spoke to me this morning since I had spent the Saturday running around town finishing up my Christmas shopping. I was blown away by the power of these words and just amazed at the thought of how many people sing these songs every year without realizing what they are saying.
This is a favorite of mine and I challenge you to stop and listen to these words the next time they are played and thank God for what he has done and the real reason for the season!

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

first sign of christmas....

2009-12-03T21:23:00.000-08:00

It's officially Christmas at our house!
Kristen came over and we hada night full of trailor park tacos, nice walk to congress for 1st Thursday and WREATH MAKING!!
As I mentioned in my earlier post, I went to hobby lobby to get all the materials on Tuesday. Our project got put on hold the last couple of days and with Kristens help we finally got it together tonight!
You must stop here when in Austin to get fried avacado and portabella mushroom tacos!

Don't mind the crazy hair after a long 12- hour day!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

whats new??

2009-12-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

10 tidbits:

1) its really cold in our duplex because the heater is NOT working. I am currently waiting for the landlord to come over. Looks like it will be another night of sleeping with multiple layers on.

( This is what we feel like! haha)

2) I had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and could not be more thankful for the life God has given me! An update will be coming as soon as I get some pics :)

3) I am a little obsessed with Twitter! What a great way to stay on top of the news, get new recipes, know whats happening in Austin, and find out what is on Kelly Rippa's daily agenda :)

4) I supported AIDS research by getting a yummy soy pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks yesterday- it's always great to have a 'reason' to get a $5 cup of coffee.

5) I have a new love for clementines. We bought a box of them at the store on Sunday and I have had one with nearly every meal. They are a small fruit that curves your sweet tooth, doesn't make a mess and you get some vitamin c!

6) I got a plethora of materials at Hobby Lobby yesterday to make my very first wreath- let the craft night begin!

7) I could not be more blessed by my community group through the Stone. I look forward to Wednesday nights and getting together with friends that I get to walk through life with and exerience God in a whole new way.

8) I am so excited to see Blind Side on Friday- I've heard so many wonderful things. It is always a plus going to the Alamo drafthouse too!

9) I have only bought 2 Christmas presents- ahh! I tend to get stressed with Christmas presents because I hate to give people 'stuff'. It is easier to ask people what they need, want or even just plan to spend time together and enjoy the company. Many people get so wrapped up in the business and forget to celebrate the reason for the SEASON!!

10) 3 weeks and 3 days till LONDON TOWN!

It's official....

2009-12-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

( lame pic but only one I could find)

ITS OFFICIAL- Alli and I have signed up for the Rock n' Roll half marathon in Dallas on March 14th. This is great since it is the weekend before my spring break begins. Don't worry- Alli and I have also begun planning our day of pampering for the following Monday :)

Let the training begin!