Adore Him

This is my favorite Christmas song this season.

Merry Merry Merry Merry CRAFTING

Here are some of the things I have made and failed to post over the past four months or so.

Terrible.

I know.


I made these for a little girl we know to take to her school's Halloween party. The idea was not my own; I got it from here, and I am sure that the originals put mine to shame!


No, I did not home-grow these pumpkins; however, I did pick them out, with the help of my sister. I loved the way they looked stacked up. And, I was able to use one of my pumpkins after Halloween ended. I did this by making some minor modifications, as pictured below:

All it took was the original pumpkin, a scrap piece of fabric, some shrubbery from the bush outside our neighbor's door (don't tell!), a little scrapbook paper, and about eight inches of twine. And... voila! :)

I made this at Fired Up recently. As is evidenced by the picture below, painting ceramics is not necessarily my forte. The time it took to paint the tree was time well-spent. Andrew went with me and painted a wonderful plate. I wish I had a picture of that! The whole experience made for a great date night for Andrew and me. Fun for all ages! Truly.


Several weeks ago, Andrew and I stopped into Goodwill, and stumbled upon this set of stocking holders. I intended to use them for each of our stockings (obviously); however, I later realized that Lady needed a stocking holder too, and I could not find a third one to match these two. I devised another way to hang our stockings, and I actually like them better without the holders. So that these would not go to waste, I made these little hanging ornaments. The tools I used to create them? Hot glue gun, pine cones, twine, scrap fabric pieces, old sheet music, and spare wrapping paper. It took all of about four minutes.
The tree took slightly more than two minutes, but turned out nicely. Three days before Christmas, it is still light-less, but much improved from when I opened the tree box for the first time. And yes, our tree is artificial. Moreover, it is a hand-me-down, three foot tree. It is perfectly proportioned with our 600 square foot apartment!
I made each of the ornaments, and the topper, by hand. Well, technically, I used a Cricut machine that my husband bought me. And I LOVE it! I will save that story for another time.

Before you ask, these berries and pine cones are also NOT from our own yard (since that would be impossible, seeing as how we do not have our own yard).
I saved the best for last. The Christmas countdown is my favorite creation of the season. Tools used: 25 match boxes (the tiny kind), hot glue gun (essential to every crafting endeavor), wrapping paper, rubber stamps (for the numbers), fabric (for the bow on top), and old sheet music (for the star on top). I surrounded the countdown tree with the quintessential pine cones and berries. What can I say? Resources were limited!

This idea was not my own. I wish it were, because I absolutely love the final product. I got the idea from the 2009 Christmas issue of Country Living.

Merry Christmas!

I believe in weekends! :)

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happiest girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day. And I believe in miracles." - Audrey Hepburn

My husband emailed this to me, saying that he, "saw it, and was reminded of," me!

What a sweet reminder of how much I am loved!

Have a happy Saturday!

Daily Reflections

Andrew and I have been married just over a month now. It has been a wonderful month; full of ups and downs, and learning new things, and messing up, and starting over, etc., etc. Life as a married person thus far has brought so many new joys into my life, as well as new challenges. I am soaking up each moment, and falling more in love with Andrew, and with Jesus Christ, each day. Andrew is such a determined, hard worker. He is gone teaching during the day, and usually works three nights each week and weekend. He is exhausted. But he still makes being a wonderful, God-fearing husband his top priority. He remembers how important praying together is, even when I feel too tired. He remembers to kiss me on the cheek each night when he gets home from work, even if I am already asleep and do not even acknowledge that he is beside me. He shares my hopes and dreams with me, and encourages me to pursue those dreams, no matter how silly they may seem to anyone else in the universe (if, in fact, they were privy to my hopes and dreams, which they are not). He also bought me a dog. A perfect, 4.3 pound, 7 year old, toy chihuauah. Her name is Lady. She has an overbite. Due to the condition of her mouth, my dad calls her "Bucky." I think she is adorable. And precious. And sweet. And I love her.

There is an explanation for my absence from the blogging scene: We do not have internet access in our apartment. Due to this lack of internet access, I am a bit out of touch with the blogging world these days.

This being said, I did stumble upon something that is, at least in my mind, pretty neat. There are a lot of mornings when I dash out of the apartment so quickly that I do not read my Bible before I leave for work. And I can always tell the days that I do this, because those days just never seem to turn out quite right.

Here are daily reflections, scripture readings, and suggested prayers (for all those days when you simply do not know where to start on your own. I have lots of those.) The reflections and verses are usually short, but they are not usually "fluffy." In other words, despite their brevity, they are also substantial enough for you to ponder throughout the day.

The scripture posted for the reflection today is Psalm 14:2. They posted The Message version. Here is the NIV version of that same scripture: "The LORD looks down from heaven, on the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God."

I do not always understand. Actually, the times and things that I understand are probably far outweighed by the times and things I do not understand. But when the Lord looks down from heaven (and how awesome is it that the LORD of the whole universe and everything in it cares enough to look down on us from heaven?!) I want Him to see me, and to thing, "OK. She is seeking me. She is searching and learning me. She is living a life that is focused on pursuing me."

Unfortunately, there are many days when, if God were to look down from heaven at me, He would not think that at all. He would probably think something more along the lines of, "Wow. Look at all those, silly, pointless things Logan is getting distracted by. Why in the world is she focusing on how messy the house is, why so-and-so does not seem to like her, what she should make for dinner, what time she needs to wake up in the morning, what she should do this weekend, or how she is going to make that payment? Does she now know that worrying about those things in futile? It is the devil's way of distracting her eyes and heart from me. LOGAN! PAY ATTENTION TO ME! DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?"

I often do not understand the depths of God's great love for me. His love should overshadow every fear, every worry, every worldly thought, every selfish ambition. In His compassion, He loves me through my misunderstanding. In His patience, He waits for me to return to Him.

My prayer for today? God, grant me understanding. Teach me to learn to trust in your ways, to focus on them always, and to walk in them each step of each day.

The Big Day: Part 1

Chesley, the talented photographer who took our engagement pictures, also took photos during our wedding. She did a remarkable job. For more of her pictures of our wedding, go to her website. I cannot stop looking at the pictures she took, and I can't wait to see the rest!

This is precisely pre- Daddy-losing-it. Andrew's eyes were a little foggy too. It was precious! I, on the other hand, held it together quite well throughout the entire morning (we were marriage at 10am!)

This is a picture my cousin took during the ceremony.

Sean Cook, such a man of God, served Andrew and me communion, and prayed a prayer of blessing over our lives together.

:)

My athleticism in action.

Rehearsl and Rehearsal Dinner: Part 1

I am MARRIED now! And the whole wedding day could not have gone more perfectly. Everything and everyone was beautiful. My only dilemma now is what to do with my spare time since all the wedding planning is behind us! That being said though, I am glad the actual wedding is over so that I can begin my life with the man I love. I could not be happier.

Believe it or not, I took VERY few pictures on the actual wedding day; however, here are some shots that some friends took!

During the rehearsal dinner, people who wanted to stood up and said a few words... words of encouragement, blessing, or special memories of Andrew and/or me. This picture was taken when my sister was talking. Her speech was priceless. I was in shock that she actually stood up to say anything, but on top of that, what she was incredibly touching. I just lost it.

My sister was the maid of honor, but these girls were just as big of a help in the whole process. Jennifer (to my right) made the banners that we hung in the fellowship hall for the reception. She has been a dear friend since we met our freshman year of college. Calista and I traveled to Guatemala together. She and her husband, Alex, were just married in May. We are starting this journey together. Lucky for me, she had a little head start. I will need all the pointers on married life that I can come by!

My aunt took this picture after the rehearsal ended. I think Andrew was probably starving by this point, but he was a trooper, and posed rather willing for a final picture.

Daddy looks calm and collected here, but don't be fooled. Saturday morning was a different story. Real men cry. It's a fact. And I love it.

There are many more pictures where this came from, so stay tuned! :)

Favorites for the Week

I fell in love the moment I saw this picture. The bright colors are cheerful as can be. This is a really small space, yet there is so much going on in it, and it is incredibly multi-functional. Somehow, at the same time, the designer manages not to make the area look overly-cluttered, or too busy. There is extra seating, a great eating or writing surface, and awesome lighting, via the window (which is adorably curtained), and the lamp, which takes up virtually no space in the room at all.



Here is my source, as well as one of my favorite blogs!



This picture, from here, reminds me of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Mama Bear's chair, Papa Bear's chair, and Baby Bear's chair! But what really caught my eye were the colorful tiles around the fireplace! Those little pops of color make all the difference. If you are curious to see what the rest of this house looks like, simply click here!


Without explanation, this picture seems random, I know. So, allow me to explain.
My dad has an odd affinity for Saltine crackers. I am not exactly sure why, but he generally likes to have a box on hand. My fiance (to whom I will be married in eight days) is obsessed with his pocket knife. He looks for any excuse to pull it out of his pocket (since he never goes anywhere without having it there) and show it off. Yes, I realize the knives in the picture are more butter knife-ish, and less pocket knife-ish, but, in my book, a knife is a knife. Finally, my mom and I have been collecting glass bottles for months, to be used in the wedding (Did I mention, by the way, that it is a mere ten days away now?) For these reasons, this picture struck a cord on my heartstrings this week.

Summer

Today was an exceptionally busy day. Between doctor's appointments, pharmacy visits, and client phone calls, a single word popped into my mind... A word that carries with it a whole host of emotions. The word?

Summer.

The word itself is loaded with nostalgia, ideals, expectations, hopes.

When I think of summer, I literally get giddy inside. I remember how I longed for summer as a little girl: family vacations, cookouts, pool (or lake) parties, evening boat rides, berry picking, riding in the bed of my dad's truck.

Summer possesses its own kind of sweetness, as do each of the other seasons. Fall is a time of excitement and preparation; of celebration and thanks. Winter is a time of hustle and bustle, of anticipation, of going and doing. Spring brings with it the sweetness of renewal after a long, cold winter season.

But summer's sweetness is extra special. It holds the promise of rest, of warmth, of sunshine. It is a sweet reminder of days gone by, of simpler times.

Of course, now that I am learning to be a grown up, and working full time, other than the weather and my morale, nothing much changes in the summer.

In fact, this summer has been exceptionally busy: graduating from college, starting a new job, moving into a new apartment, planning a wedding, and preparing for married life.

But the ideals of summer still remain.

And something about summertime is still exceptionally sweet.

Coupon Clipping Continues

As some of you may know, I have gone a little coupon crazy lately.

And the mania continues.

McDonald's has, of course, any size drink for one dollar. Andrew and I go there on days when we eat lunch together. We have actually developed a pretty neat little system. We pack our own lunches. We park in the McDonald's parking lot. He runs in and buys two large drinks (although, if you wanted to be really thrifty, you could buy one drink and share it between two people. But therein lies this problem: Andrew loves sweet tea; it makes me want to throw up.) We sit in our car, in the parking lot, and eat our packed lunches. Then, when we have finished our lunch, and before we leave the parking lot, Andrew goes back into McDonald's and gets refills for each of us. Cheating the system? Possibly. Slightly.

I say all of that to say this: This week, if you purchase a drink from McDonald's, there is a sticker attached to the cup. The sticker is good for either a free 12 oz fruit smoothie, or a free 12 oz frappe. Andrew and I each got a drink; thus, we received two coupons.

The deals do not stop there. I discovered a wonderful blog that offers free printable coupons. The author posts anywhere from two to ten or more coupons each day. I have discovered something about these coupons though. If you print and use coupons ONLY for things you would need to purchase anyway, with or without a coupon, then the coupons truly do save you money. But if you tend to purchase items simply because you have a coupon for those items, then this blog might be a deathtrap for you.

So, before clicking here, consider yourself warned.

Speaking of discovering new blogs, here are some photos from a blog that is new to me! I stumbled upon it recently, and love Kate's taste. She provides inspiration, tutorials on DIY projects, step- by- step pictures, and before and after shots!




Enjoy your Wednesday.

Have a smoothie.

A Thought to End the Day

"Love is extravagant in the price it is willing to pay, the time it is willing to give, the hardship it is willing to endure, and the strength it is willing to spend. Love never thinks in terms of "how little", but always in terms of "how much." Love gives, love knows, and love lasts." - Joni Eareckson Tada

Quick Recap

After having taken such a hiatus from blogging, this blank screen, just waiting to be typed on, is quite intimidating. There is a lot in my head that I would love to share, but I am struggling to articulate all of those thoughts into actual words.


I think I will start with a list.

Short.
Sweet.
To the point.


Here are some things I have done since my last post, in no particular order:


Begun moving into a new apartment.




Watched fireworks with three of my favorite people.




Baked some cakes.





Baked lots of cupcakes.



Ruined even more cupcakes.... It's a long story.

Attempted grilling.

And failed.

Pretty miserably. Not a long story, but a sad one. No pictures.

Decorated cookies.



Did not fail.

Caught up with friends.

Mostly via bridal showers.




Played the travel version of Connect 4 (which I was given at one of the afore mentioned bridal showers), while not actually traveling.

Rescued blackberries from the dark depths of the forest.

And put them into cobbler... A feat that ended up being much more difficult than it sounds, or that it should have been.

Gotten in sync with nature.

That happened while I was in the dark depths of the forest picking blackberries.

Or, more accurately, while I was standing on a path, near the edge of the forest, picking blackberries.

But close enough.

Unfortunately, there is no photographic evidence of this endeavor, as I was much to busy fighting off forest beasts (aka: bugs) to care anything about taking pictures.

There was, at one point, other evidence that blackberries were actually picked; however, said evidence got eaten.

But back to the list.

Finished pre-marital counseling. Thank God.

Started going to a new church, with my soon-to-be-new husband.

Paid more bills than I have ever had to pay before.

And to this, I also say, "Thank you, God," because that means we had money with which to pay bills.

Opened a new savings account.

Been happier than I ever remember being.

Ever.

And that is saying something, because I am generally a pretty darn happy girl.



Since my job is fairly new, several people have been interested in knowing what I make.



So here goes another list; a list of what I have made so far.



I have made lots of mistakes.

I have made time.

I have made contacts.

I have made friends.

I have made phone calls. Lots of them. Many of which go unanswered and unreturned.

Lots of referrals.

Lots of home visits.

A few hospital visits.



Now, what do I hope to make?

As cliche as it sounds, I hope to make a difference. I hope to make a small, positive impact on the people with whom I come in contact each day. I hope to make their lives a little bit easier, a little bit sweeter.

This is a hope I carry with me, not only in regards to work, but in regards to everyday life... and in regards toevery person that I meet, or live life with, whether I walk past them in the parking lot for a moment, stand behind them in the check out line for three minutes, or come home to them at the end of each day.

I want to make people feel significant.

Because they are.

Have a happy weekend.

A New Week

"Give me understanding, and I will keep your law, and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to Your word."
- Psalm 119: 34-37

I often require some degree of understanding before feeling satisfied or comfortable. My faith is sometimes contingent upon my level of understanding; thus, my level of trust fluctuates as my level of understanding changes: understanding of a situation, understanding of a consequence or outcome, understanding of a particular event or circumstance. In other words, if my understanding of something is greater, my "faith" is also greater, and visa versa. And that is not faith in God at all; that is faith in my own human knowledge and understanding. My obedience of, and faith in, the Word of God should not be dependent upon my own understanding.

In order even to begin to grasp the greatness of the Almighty, I must turn my eyes from things of this world. My heart must be focused solely on Christ. And that cannot happen when I am in the way. When my focus is on me, it cannot be on Christ also. When my focus is on Christ, my life will change. My relationships will change. My work and work ethic will change. When I focus on Christ, my actions toward others will be like those of Christ. My words will be encouraging and truthful, as Christ is. And I will love others with the same love that Christ loves me. But this cannot happen while I am pursuing my own happiness; my own selfish gain. My life must change. I must be willing to sacrifice my comfort, my home, my pride, my concerns. I must be able to let go of myself in surrender to the Lord. Until this happens, my heart cannot be turned away from this world and toward the statues of Christ.

Anything that is not of God, anything that is not for the glory of His Kingdom, is worthless. Everything is a lesser thing compared to Him.

My heart breaks when I reflect upon the many worthless things that distract me from Christ each day: What will I wear? What will I eat for lunch? When will I finish a particular assignment or task? How long will I have to stay at Ms. So-and- so's house that I hate going to so much because it smells awful and she does not clean up after her animals? What will I do with my free time this weekend? When is the next time I get paid? These things are so trivial. And they all focus on one thing; they all focus on me.

As I go into a new week, I am going to begin praying for a new focus: a focus on Christ. I simply do not matter all that much. Nothing in my life matters as much as my relationship with my Savior. Nothing is worth hurting that relationship. There is no circumstance or event that is more important than that relationship. There is nothing important enough to interfere with my time with Him.

Passing the Time

Today was just one of those days... Not a bad day, but one of those days when I am fairly certain that all forty-something of my clients collaborated in an effort to completely avoid me. Not one person I called today bothered to call me back. I usually have the opposite problem: a select few clients call over and over and over again, multiple times a day, sometimes for specific reasons, but most often, just to chat. No one must have been feeling very chatty today. I spent the day staring longingly at my telephone willing it to ring.

In my desperation, I turned to blog hopping. This was a temptation that I managed to resist for hours before finally giving in. But, really, my sanity depended on it. I was at my wit's end. Not to mention, I had fallen behind since the weekend anyway. :)

So, here are a few of my favorite finds:

Joy the Baker's wedding cake endeavor is hilariously entertaining. And, I do not know how she does it, but somehow, it is educational as well. She spent the entire week planning and preparing this cake, and that week was not spent in vain! The finished product looks absolutely splendid! The best part? She provides such clear, detailed instructions that I now feel empowered! Her step-by-step instructions, which she provides starting from the very beginning of the LONG process, and continuing all the way to the very end, are easy to read, funny to read, and actually incredibly helpful (say I, who have yet to actually attempt a wedding cake on my own).


Seleta, from Simply Seleta, takes readers through her journey of revamping her foyer. The end result is incredible! I am in awe of how someone can be so creative and so organized as to creative a space that is totally livable, practical, and functional... and adorable at the same time! Everything has its proper place, and each proper place is stunning. My favorite thing? The hanging wall pocket unit, which is actually two units, so if you are decorating and organizing on a smaller scale, you have the option of just having two pockets versus four.

And this picture just makes me happy. For me, a popsicle is a happy memory: a memory of summer, of childhood, of simplicity. When I was a little girl, my mom kept freezer pops in the freezer all summer 'round... And my sister and I ate them by the dozens. My favorite flavors were the pink and the blue. My least favorite were the purple and orange. I used to try to save all the juice for last, so that I could drink it when I got to the end of the popsicle.

from here

On the Prowl

I posted this picture a while back, but I am mentioning it again now in order to let it be known that I am searching high and low for this picture.

Starting...

Now.

Andrew is moving into our new apartment on July first. And I have the PERFECT place for this picture.

There is a breaker box in the kitchen. Yes, it is a complete eyesore, but it will be incredibly easy to cover up with any piece of artwork, a calender, a chalkboard, etc. The possibilities are endless.

While I have a few ideas for what I would like to put there (since I am fairly certain Andrew does not care one iota), Audrey is definitely my first choice.

After a brief internet search, I was able to find this picture here, at Owens Archive, available in different sizes. But I am not yet ready to give up hope that I can find it elsewhere for a more affordable price... I will be tearing the flea market apart next weekend in my valiant effort to find Audrey and put her in my kitchen!



I will leave you with this, which would also be appropriate in a kitchen:

Happy FATHERS' DAY

The first time I came across this website, I was incredibly touched. The photographs are gorgeous; the words of the writer are even more so. Please look at this when you have time to truly reflect, to think upon your own life, and upon that of your father.

There are so many different kinds of dads: Good ones, bad ones, quiet ones, loud ones, silly ones, serious ones, athletic ones, bookish ones, old ones, young ones, ones that leave, ones that stick around, ones that are alcoholics, ones that are in prison, ones that attend every birthday party and softball game their children ever have, ones that plan every birthday party their children ever have, ones that coach every softball game their children ever play, ones that never make it to the softball games because they are too busy working, ones that never make it to any softball games because they live states away, ones that never make it to any softball games because they are serving our country overseas, ones that are unemployed, ones that are homeless. The list could continue.

But a dad is a dad.

And a dad is to be cherished... No matter what stage of life he is in,
no matter what physical condition he is in, and no matter what state of mind he is in.

"Honor your father and mother- which is the first commandment with a promise-"
Ephesians 6:2

Words for the Weekend

Courtesy of several sweet souls who gave me money recently for my birthday, I took myself purse shopping today. Only minutes into my purse search, I began to have a difficult time focusing just on purses. My eyes were darting to racks of clothing that I did not need; my feet began walking automatically to the shoe section. And I found myself doubly tempted, because everything seemed to be on sale.

At first, I was baffled by my spastic movements, and my grabbing hands. Then I realized something: Until today, I had not been shopping for anything non-wedding-related in months. Reason being? An unaccommodating budget, both time-wise, and money-wise. Even my perpetual window shopping had gone by the wayside!

I have always considered myself to be fairly stylish; however, I have fallen behind! In the midst of adjust to a new job, getting used to having bills to pay, and planning a wedding, I have forgotten some of the things I used to love.

Scrapbooking. (I am disgustingly behind...)

Reading. (I used to read chapter after chapter after chapter before falling asleep each night; now I am lucky to make it through a paragraph or two before drifting off to dreamland!)

from here

Shopping. (Which generally consists of people watching, browsing, trying on, brainstorming, and leaving on the rack outside the dressing room.)

Goodwill (or any thrift store) hunting. (One of my favorite stress relievers!)

Cleaning. (I so enjoy the feeling of knowing where everything is and exactly what condition it is in!)

Closet Shopping (Sadly enough, I have been rolling out of bed in the mornings and throwing things mindlessly on my body, only paying attention to whether I am appropriately covered).

And, something I would really like to invest more time into? Blogging... I would really like to get good at it!



This picture comes from one of my favorite blogs. Each time I read one of Emily's posts, I feel like she is giving me a little peek into the window of her life. And if you know me, you know how much I adore listening to, knowing about, and watching, people and things which I have no business listening to, knowing about, or watching! Emily makes a living doing what she loves to do: blogging, taking pictures, shopping, traveling, and living her life.

I love my job. But there are days when I cannot help but think I would rather be doing something else: something creative; something that inspires me; something colorful; something that inspires others; something hands on.

But then I look at pictures, and meet people, like this:

from here

And I suddenly remember why it is that I do what I do.

The last years of a person's life are precious. Those last moments can be so sweet.

Social work is creative and hands-on in its own way. Social workers bring to light possibilities that people did not know existed. They make referrals. They make connections. They make changes. They make time. They make room. They make allowances. They make notes. They make phone calls. They make a difference. So in its own way, social work is a creative entity.

By the way, you can click here to see the purse I finally decided on. :)

The Silent Servant

Acrostic: noun. a poem, word puzzle, or other composition in which certain letters in each line form a word, or words.

Acrostics are great. They are quick, but still effective. They are short and to the point, but still cover all the bases. They are easy to write, as well as easy to read. They are the poem for those of us who cannot write poetry, and they are the poem for those of us who do not have the attentions spans or intelligence necessary to adequately read and understand a "real" poem!

Thus, I often utilize acrostics when I do not quite feel up to writing actual sentences of thoughts; when even the idea of writing a complete paragraph makes me literally want to sob; when it has been a long week and I really just want to go to sleep, but I have that one little thing I feel like must be said before my mind can rest at ease. Times such as these are what acrostics were made for. These times are their chances to shine!

So, thank you, Acrostic. You have allowed me to write, and to still get some sleep. You have allowed me to write, get some sleep, and not wake up with eyes that are puffy from crying over horribly disconnected paragraphs. You have allowed me to effectively express feelings and thoughts without spending hours pouring over pen and paper. In some instances, you have allowed me to effectively express feelings and thoughts without actually writing even one complete sentence.

You have served me well, in spite of often being overlooked or forgotten. For your humble service to the literary world, and for your humble service to me, I thank you.

P.S- Along with my thank-you, I would like to extend to you an apology. I apologize for my complete misuse of you, and for my ignorance of how to employ you correctly. Maybe one day I will learn how to write you in the proper manner; for that is the manner in which you deserve to be written. But until that day comes, thank you for your understanding.

This picture, from Real Simple, has virtually nothing to do with this post; I just liked it, and thought you might too!

LOVEly Birthday!

Today is the love of my life's twenty-second birthday.

So, as seems to be tradition, I am including an acrostic that describes all (or, at least some) of the ways that Andrew expresses his love to me each and every day.

Accepts me.

Notices my strengths, as well as my struggles.

Dreams my dreams with me, no matter how silly or outlandish they may be.

Realizes my potential.

Encourages me toward that potential.

Walks alongside me when things are tricky, just as he does when they are simple.

The list could continue, if only Andrew's name were longer, because he shows his love to me in so many ways. I pray each day that God will reveal to me new ways that I can demonstrate to Andrew my love for him.

I was happy before I met Andrew; I am even happier now that I know him. I am extra- happy to be alive, because it means being alive with him!

My life was rich before Andrew was in it; it is even richer now. He enhances my life just by being a part of it.

I am so glad Andrew was born on this day twenty-two years ago (although any other day would have perfectly acceptable as well). And I will be thankful for each and every year from here on out that I am able to give him a Happy Birthday card... I hope I get to write him one each year for the next hundred years! I am so excited for the years that lie ahead of us; no matter how many or few they may be. I know that my love for him will grow with every birthday that passes.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a NEW thing!!!" - Isaiah 43:18,19

America Runs On...

Allow me to preface this post by stating that, when funds, and/or time, are available, I absolutely prefer to frequent little, independent coffee shops and cafes, or ones that are unique to the Nashville area, as opposed to patronizing chains, like Starbucks or Panera Bread (although I do love both of those places too).

I love [almost] nothing more than going to a local coffee shop, sitting down with a cup of coffee and a muffin, and pretending to read my book while secretly people-watching, and eavesdropping on conversations that I truly have no business making myself privy to.

Unfortunately, the busy-ness of life, a general lack of funds, and a small storehouse of common sense, prevent me from frequent indulgence in this beloved past-time.

Thus, Dunkin Donuts.

By going to the Dunkin Donuts website, and signing up for Dunkin Donuts perks, you can receive coupons in the mail for free drinks. And not just coffee; they offer a wide array of items for which you may use your free coupon. Signing up for the perks is free, and, other than an occasional annoying email, there is no downside to the perks program.

Dunkin Donuts also offers punch cards. My punch card is "But five beverages; get the sixth free." By using my free coupons that I receive in the mail, I am able to earn punches on my card, which, will eventually earn me ANOTHER free drink.

The perks also include things like: Buy a donut, get a medium coffee free. Or: buy a medium coffee and get a free donut. Or: Get a bagel and cream cheese for 99 cents, with the purchase of a medium coffee.

I LOVE the taste of Dunkin Donuts coffee. I love the donuts too... Who doesn't need an extra-sweet kick-start to their day every now and then?! The one thing I would not recommend? Their muffins. The taste is not quite worth the calories. I am a BIG advocate of muffins, but these are not my favorites. I would stick to coffee and donuts if you need a sweet fix.

If, at any time, you do not need your sweet tooth satisfied, Dunkin Donuts does offer new flat breads and wraps. I tried the egg white and cheese wrap recently, and it was surprisingly satisfying! Still didn't compare to a donut, but it only contains 150 calories, as opposed to a donut, which contains upwards of 300, at best!

So, I stopped at Dunkin twice this week on my way to work. Both visits were free. And I will be stopping at Dunkin Donuts on my way to work Monday... for free :)

America's Drive-In

Since I am not yet an incredibly skilled coupon user, I have learned to maximize the deals that I have found.

I frequent two places where, every time I go, I spend almost nothing.

Place number one: Sonic. I am a faithful Sonic patron; I go almost every day. Now, normally, if someone told me they did this, I would think, "How silly! Doesn't she know how much money she could say by NOT doing that?!"

Well, if someone told me that, my rebuttal would be this: "I have gone to Sonic every day for a month, and left each time without paying even a dime. And I have gotten exactly what I came for!"

Then, I assume said someone, being quite taken aback, might ask, "Well, how do you manage such a thing?"

To which my reply would be, "The lovely people at Sonic make it insanely easy not to spend money there!"

You see, although I do love a good Sonic ice cream (their shakes are buy one get one free anytime), or maybe a burger, I generally do not go there for the food.

Two words:

Diet coke.

I know; it's bad. But it is a great, FREE pick-me-up, just when I am starting to hit my afternoon slump each day.

And now for the free part.

Each time you purchase a drink, you are handed a receipt. On that receipt, there is a phone number. There is also a notification that lets the receipt holder know that, if they call the number listed on the receipt, and complete the survey, they can receive a free Route 44 Sonic beverage.

The surveys take anywhere from one to three minutes. Sometimes the survey is really brief, and sometimes it is more in-depth. Either way, it is worth it.

At the end of the survey, you are given a validation code. You write this code down on your receipt, and turn that receipt in next time you visit a Sonic, in order to redeem your free drink. And guess what?! With that free drink comes a receipt... Need I say more?

The way it turns out, you are basically able to get your drink for free EVERY TIME you order one. You just have to have a touch tone phone, and a pen handy. The validation codes are pretty long.

But a penny saved is a penny earned!

Place number two: You will have to check back tomorrow.

Hope you can stand the suspense. :)

Goodnight!

Coupon Queen

I spent my afternoon with a client today. She and I went to the grocery store together. And she completely inspired me! She walked out of Kroger having paid only twenty-three dollars for an entire buggy-full of grocery items! The shopping process was painfully drawn out, and she was incredibly meticulous; however, she did not purchase even one thing that she did not have a coupon for, or that was not already on sale... or, in most cases, both!

The client walked into the store with a very specific agenda: buy more; pay less. She knew exactly which food items were on sale this week, and she had her coupons in her hand, at the ready. Accompanying those coupons, she had a list. After combining already-on-sale items with her coupons, she ended up paying next to nothing for the bulk of the groceries that she purchased.

Twenty-three dollars for more groceries than one person could possibly eat in weeks.

I was shocked.

And I suddenly realized something:

Bargain shopping takes work. It takes brains. It takes planning ahead. It takes time. It takes organization.

I am a terrible coupon clipper.

Wait... Correction...

I am a great coupon clipper; a terrible coupon user.

I tend to find coupons crumpled up at the bottom of my purse about two months after their expiration dates. Or I hoard coupons until I have so many that I could not possibly NEED to purchase all of the items that said coupons pertain to. Or I carefully guard an "important" coupon until I desperately need it (or until I think I desperately need it), and then, when I am pumped up, and ready to use it, excited for the sense of satisfaction and accomplish that I am sure is just around the corner, I realize that I left it in my other bag, or in the car, or on the kitchen counter. Or, I dig frantically through my purse in search of this all-important coupon, the entire time I am standing in the grocery store checkout line, still not having found it by the time I reach the register, flustered because I know I have a mob of angry shoppers waiting in line behind me, and finally giving up. Then, when I get in the car, I resume my thorough search through my purse (searching less frantically now), and find the coupon in the exact spot where I should have known it would have been all along.

Obviously, my coupon using skills leave much to be desired.

And all these years I thought I was thrifty. Boy, did this client prove me wrong. What she displayed today was sheer talent: Practiced, well-developed, unmatched (at least by me)... talent.

I am inspired.

It is time to turn over a new leaf.

Sneak Peek: Part Two

I just couldn't help it; I had to add a few more pictures. There are just so many to choose from. Plus, I am proud of Andrew, and will take any available opportunity to show him off. God has blessed me so richly through him! Chesley did such a wonderful job with the pictures, and she was so patient with us, and fun to work with!

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up.

But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

I was right when, in a recent post, I said that neither Andrew nor I knows how to be married. Without God's grace in our lives and in our relationship, our marriage will not thrive. But, with God at the center of our hearts and lives, both individually now, and together after we are married, our marriage will stand the test of time; the test of arguments; the test of failures; the test of imperfections; the test of disappointments. Because, "a cord of three strands is not quickly broken."