Pedaling as Fast as I Can

The other day my mom reminded me of the funniest story:

One night when I was in third grade my family was eating a normal family dinner at the table. Well somehow my dad started choking on whatever it was we were eating.
As soon as my dad started choking I was so freaked out that I jumped up from the table, ran into the garage, jumped on my bike, and just pedaled around the neighborhood as fast as I could. Then when I felt like the coast was clear and my dad was all better I came back home, sat down at the table and finished my meal.

I do not remember this event at all but I was laughing hysterically as my mom was telling me about it.

Not only was this a stinking hillarous story but it was also a great reminder to me:

There are many times in life when I want to get on my bike and pedal as fast as I can and then come back when the coast is clear.
But as we all know this doesn't always work - however we are able to place our faith in Something so much bigger than us and let Him do the 'pedaling' for us. Leading us back to the place in life where 'the coast is clear' even if it is just through feeling his peace. This story was a great reminder of that illustration for me.

On a side note: I still get SO freaked out when I think people are choking. If I am eating with somebody and they so much as cough I go into a tail spin trying to find somebody to perform the Heimlich Maneuver. It is ridiculous. Luke is a grown man and I will not let him eat Gobstobbers (his favorite candy snack) around me. Seriously....hard little balls the perfect size for getting lodged in the throat?!?!? Who thinks up these death traps?

Weekly Weekend Update

This weekend was a fast-paced fun one!

Friday after work I went and picked up my dress!!!! Yay!
I have been a bit nervous about it, my dress was a month late!!!! Which resulted in the owner of the store calling me more than once to apologize and let me know that it was on its way, only to call me the next day and let me know that it was on its way again. Finally on the last day he called me to let me know that it was being overnighted and it would be here the very next day. Overnighted? That doesn't sound like very safe travel for a precious dress!!! I considered calling UPS and asking that they alert all of their drivers via those cool little phone they carry to please be careful with ALL packages that day because there is an important dress somewhere in there....but then I figured that would get me officially entered into the crazy house, and there are much more important things to worry about! I'm not that self-centered. (most of the time)

So, needless to say I was relieved Friday when I got the call that it was in the store and ready to be picked up. I had to drop it off again this morning at another location to be altered and have my bustle added. I still don't know whether I will wear my hair up or down....decisions decisions. I so wish I could put a picture of my dress on here. I love it so much, but I will wait.

Friday after I picked up my dress I went and got my first massage at a local spa. It was amazing. Enough said! I plan on doing this once a month.

Saturday night Luke and I went to a wedding of a high school friend of mine. First of all I think Saturday June 28th was the night for weddings. I know of like 10 weddings that took place that night.
It was such a beautiful wedding, simply for the fact that not only was the love between the two people evident but also their love for their Creator was so evident. It was beautiful. It was really a great reminder to me to STOP stressing about all of the little things. I am so thankful for this reminder. It is so easy for me to let my priorities slip, but it is nice to be reminded why we are even having this celebration. Uniting two people in Christ. Beautiful

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Here is a picture of us before the wedding.

Julie - we are going on our honeymoon to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. We are excited to spend our time relaxing on the beach!

1 Month To Go

One month from today I marry my love!

"We are able to love because he first loved us" 1 John 4:16

I Can't Help it....I'm Just a Product of My Upbringing

Do you remember the first time you realized that something your family has always done or said wasn't exactly normal? It may have been sometime in high school, or when you first went to college, or maybe it came later in life but chances are it probably happened.

For me it occurred more than once. And it was traumatic, to say the least.

The first time it happened I had just gone to college. I was a young girl venturing out into the real world on her own (because college dorms, living with friends, staying up late, and parents still paying for everything equal the real world, hm...) So anyways here I was at college with new friends trying my best to make sure that I appeared completely normal so that these friends would 'stick'. Well I remember the fateful night my 'true colors' were shown. We were watching TV and I very casually asked for the switcher.

Do you know what a switcher is? Well in my family it is the thing you use to SWITCH the TV channels and volume - I mean how obvious is that THE SWITCHER? Well apparently everybody else in America calls this little contraption a Remote Control. This seriously threw my life for a tail spin. What? You don't call it a switcher? What? Are you making fun of me? Oh yes my friends, I was made fun of A LOT for that one. In fact this little word still pops out from time to time and Luke reminds me just how bad it sounds.

The next story isn't something my family says but it is something my family does. Every person in my family sleeps with a fan blowing in their face. Not a ceiling fan, nope that doesn't cut it. Instead we sleep with a stand up fan blowing full force in your face. This was something that I thought was normal when I was little. I thought that everybody's dad slept with a big white fan blowing gusts of air in their face while they slept.

Well this habit is not an easy one to have. For example when we went on our cruise EVERYBODY had to bring their own fan (because sharing one would just be absurd, how can it blow directly in your face at the speed of light if you are sharing it?). So here we are loading up on the cruise ship with each individual fan. Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Well let me ask you this, have you ever been in the back seat of a Honda Accord? That is about how big the cabins are on the cruise ship. Not a lot of room for everybody to have their own individual fan.
But let me tell you: my family made it work!

I must admit: I still sleep with a fan blowing in my face. I tried to break the habit recently but I couldn't go to sleep. There is just something about a loud motor running in my ears and gusts of air blowing in my face that creates a good sleeping enviroment for me!
What can I say? I'm just a product of my upbringing!

Random stories I know: I am still on security duty at church. Bored out of my mind.
I am still trying to figure out how I got in this position....

Confession

I have a confession to make.
Ready?
I am OBSESSED with checking my mail. See, a couple of weeks ago Luke and I sent out our wedding invitations. It was a glorious weekend. Well a couple of days after that we started receiving RSVPS. Can I just tell you how much fun it is to go to the mail and to see stacks of rsvp postcards!!!! I love it so much. Sometimes I come home from lunch just to check my mail. Who cares that gas is $4 a gallon and it takes me about 35 minutes round trip. I need to check those RSVPS!!!!

Currently I am sitting at Real Summer Nights at my church (it is our version of VBS). I love watching all the kiddos. They are so stinking cute.
For the past two days I have been at a conference at work. Every person that works on campus attends this conference. I met so many new people. It was really great.

Lately, I have been dealing with insecurity. I don't know where it came from or why it popped up. Actually I do know where it came from. I have an enemy who tries to bring me down and uses any tactic that he thinks will work. Well lately I have given him my security and traded him for it this annoying insecurity that drives me crazy. I have let things bother me that never would have bothered me before. I have allowed statements that were made as joke to sit and eat at me, when normally I would let them slide off my back. I have become insecure. Yuck.

Heather, a fellow blogger shared a piece of her heart on her blog and it really got me thinking about my insecurity and how it is time to get rid of it.
This week at the work conference and at RSN (VBS) I realized that we are all the same. Whether we are small children trying to make friends or 'fit in' with kids in the classroom, or we are adults sitting at work trying to develop friendship with coworkers we are all the same. We are all creatures searching to belong, and until we allow ourselves to be seen for what we are, a beloved child of God, we will continue to search. Nothing can fill this void. We must find our self in him, not in what others think of us. I love people I love getting to know people, but lately I have allowed myself to be robbed of these opportunities because of insecurity. Tonight I choose to recognize that I am missing out and to live in freedom! Oh how great that is!

Ok lots of random comments. I am sitting at church with lots of thoughts going on in my mind.
I am supposed to be security. Seriously? One of the kids just jumped up at me and scared me. Security at its finest.

Weekly Weekend Update

This weekend was a really great weekend. First of all it was beautiful weather. Gotta love that! My mom, sister (Kati), and baby Maxton came to stay the weekend with me. It was so much fun! I love having visitors come and stay with me. They arrived Friday around 5 and then we headed out to go shopping. I have gone shopping 2 weekends in a row. Oh how I dread a joint checking account (just kidding!).
Saturday morning we woke up and went to go grab some breakfast:

Here is me and my mom eating at Panera

Kati and Maxton, he was asleep and we didn't feel like waking him up just to take a pictureSaturday Luke and I had another wedding shower given to us. This one was hosted by the wonderful women at our church. It was such a great shower. We are very blessed. We received lots of great home items!

After the shower we headed to my aunt and uncles for a little food, fun, and swimming. It was a great time! I love the outdoors in the summer! I have been blessed with a body that doesn't sweat. I'm telling you. It has to be R-E-A-L hot for me to feel it.

Today Luke and I went and bought living room furniture and a new bed for our apartment! I am so excited! Luke moves into our apartment this weekend. We have a lot of packing to do! It is much more difficult than it sounds. How do you convince a 24 year old man that he doesn't need to save his football pencil sharpener even if he has had it since 2nd grade. Seriously I am still trying to figure out why he even brought it to college with him? I thought everybody used mechanical pencils these days!?!? I need a lot of patience this week......

Currently I am listening to Luke and his roommate sort through their video game collection talking about each game and which particular game belongs to which boy. I hope I am not expected to discuss video games in our new apartment!

Thanks to everyone for your prayers on Friday afternoon I went to the Dr. and he gave me medicine for my migraines. He was pretty confident that the migraines were related to stress. Me Stressed?? Nah!!!

I need to go to bed now. I have to be at work at 6:30 in the morning. I'm pretty sure that isn't legal. I am convinced that nothing productive can happen before 9:00am.

Happy Monday!


P.S. When Luke and signed the contract for our apartment they told us that we will get free cable. I seriously cried. I think I am that emotional girl that gets on everybody's nerves!!

Prayer Request

I'm going to be a little selfish for a moment. I am asking that you would please pray for me. In the past week I have had 4 really bad migraines. I have not had a migraine in over 2 years and for some reason this week I have been attacked with migraines. It has been horrible.
I am going to the dr. today to hopefully get some medicine to stop the pain.
I am sure that it is due to stress. As I have stated before I have a hard time surrendering my issues to God and I try to carry everything myself. Clearly I am trying to carry too much.
Thanks for your prayers. It is appreciated.

3 Random Stories....

Did you know that your car key heats up when it is in the ignition? Well I had no idea and today I took my key out of the ignition and went to check the mail and put the key in my arm pit. OUCH. It seriously burned me. Weirdest thing ever.

Luke and I have an unspoken competition of turning on the other persons seat heater when they are not looking. We like to see how long it will take before the innocent person begins to get really hot. (yes we are mature). Luke is really good at it and always gets me. I hit about 200 degrees before I notice it is on. Me on the other hand - I'm not so good at it. Lately when I am in the car alone I practice my swift 'cat like moves' to turn his seat heater on without making a sound. I think I am getting pretty good at it.

I have a cute picture to share but it comes with a story. When Kati was a senior in high school she went to the animal shelter and rescued a dog from being put to sleep. She named the dog Daisy. Daisy instantly became attached to Kati as if she knew that she had rescued her. They became best friends. When Kati left the house Daisy would go through seperation anxiety (yeah weird). So needless to say we were worried when Kati became pregnant, we didn't know how Daisy would react having to share her best friend. Luckily Daisy took Maxton under her wing and loves him just as much as she loves Kati. Here is a picture my mom captured. She walked into Kati's room to find Kati and Daisy checking on Maxton!

I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Tagged!

So I was tagged by fellow blogger Insight, Insanity, Imagination! So much fun!
Here Goes:

Me from A to Z

A. Attached or Single? Attached - about to be hitched

B. Best Friend? Too many to name. You know who you all are. Love you all!

C. Cake or pie? Easy. Cake. Hands down, cake any kind I love it all!

D. Day of choice? Sunday

E. Essential item? Contact Solution

F. Favorite color? I would have to say brown and pink. Those colors consume my life right now

G. Gummy bears or worms? WORMS! yuum. Now I am craving them!

H. Home town? Somewhere in OK

I. Favorite indulgence? Brownie Batter

J. January or July? July. I would take the hot over the cold any day.

K. Kids? Someday.

L. Life isn't complete without? Love

M. Marriage date? 07/??/08

N. Number of brothers and sisters? 2 sisters

O. Oranges or Apples? Apples, but with peanut butter

P. Phobias? sankes, elevators, balloons, getting my eye brows waxed, fire.

Q. Quotes? I'm drawing a blank at the moment

R. Reasons to smile? Puppies, babies, friends, love, family, pay raise, new clothes, etc. etc. etc.

S. Season of choice? Fall, until it starts to get cold, then I just get grumpy.

T. Tag 5 people: Anybody who wants to do it! Go ahead do it!

U. Unknown fact about me? I desperately wish I could sing well - o wait everybody knows that hm....I took piano lessons for 4 years. I wish I never would have quit. If I would have stuck with it I could be Luke's key board player :-(

V. Vegetable? um........I should eat more of those. Probably broccoli or carrots

W. Worst habit? Worrying. Me and the Big Guy upstairs are working on it.

X. Xray or Ultrasound? Well I have had like a hundred Xrays in my life - but I've never had an ultersound.

Y. Your favorite food? Pizza.

Z. Zodiac sign? Pisces - if that is how you spell it. I haven't read my horoscope since I was in 7th grade in the back of a Seventeen magazine to see if I was going to get a boyfriend that year and make good grades.

Weekly Weeknd Update

So my weekly weekend update is a little late - but its never too late.. right?!?!

This weekend was filled with bittersweet fun. Friday Jodi came to spend the evening hanging out with Jayma and I. In less than a week Jayma will be leaving the country to follow the direction that God has placed on her heart. It has been amazing watching Jayma put together the different pieces of her journey that God has given her - and now is the time for her to leave. I will forever hold a grudge against her for not being here for my wedding, ok I'm kidding (sort of) In all seriousness I am so proud and amazed of Jayma. She has listened to God with patience, perseverance, determination and complete willingness. She is truly a woman after God's heart; I can only hope to be a little like her! I am so excited for her, and for what God has planned and I'm anxious to follow her journey.

So.... this weekend was our last weekend to all hang out together before Jayma leaves (insert bittersweet fun)

We kicked it off Friday night with shopping (I mean, what else is there to do when three girls get together?)

This is a picture of Jodi trying to decide which pair of shoes she should buy (the story of our lives). She finally decided with a little help from Jayma. This was not her first shoe decision of the night. She likes shoes.

Next we headed to Olive Garden to stuff our faces. Why is it that when you eat at a restaurant, you eat like you will never have access to food again in your entire life? I did not document this night. Too disgusting.

Saturday morning we woke up and laid out by the pool for a little bit.

Now, laying out has never been something I particularly enjoy (I know, what a travesty) but I must admit that I enjoyed it on this day, although I'm pretty sure the color of my skin didn't change any. And my dermatologist told me to never lay out in the sun, always use a tanning bed - or maybe he said never lay out even in a tanning bed, I can't remember.

Back to the weekend....

After a good hour and a half in the sun and after showering (I had to take a shower, I cannot substitue pee-filled chlorine water for fresh clean shower water, plus a special little ingredient called shampoo, I was called high-maintenance for this. If that is high maintenance then I will take it)

Wow I keep losing focus and rambling I apologize..

So back to Saturday morning - Jodi and I headed to our good friend Jamie's baby shower. Jamie lived with us in the dorms our freshman year and has remained a good friend every since then. She got married the summer after our freshman year and is expecting her first baby girl! She is due on my wedding day so we are certain that she won't be able to make it, which makes me sad. But as soon as I get home from my honeymoon I'm going over there to see that little baby.

Ok, pause. It just hit me that two of my close friends won't be at my wedding. Wow. That is sad...I'm getting sad, I need to continue on...

The shower was a lot of fun (complete with sniffing melted candy bars in diapers. Never again, never again.). She received a ton of cute little girl things!

Jodi, Jamie and Me. Jamie looks so good!

Me and Jodi at the shower

One last picture of the three of us together (Jodi, me, and Jayma) before she leaves. We will miss you so much! I promise to put my wedding on youtube! :-)

So it was a great fun filled weekend! I am so thankful to have such great friends in my life. Make new friends but keep the old, as a former girl scout this is the motto of my life.

Kids Sure Learn Early..

I've heard that kiddos learn earlier and earlier how to use computer/phones and basic modern technology. But this has to be a record. I recieved this email from Maxton this weekend:

HI Auntie Megan!

Thanks for the Broncho shirt and hat. I look really stylish in it.

Love, Maxton Dale

I fully expect him to attend Homecoming 2008 and show off his new outfit!

Life Through Cards

Tonight is Saturday night and I found myself alone and bored. I decided to take advantage of this boring night and begin packing my things for the move next month. Luke will move into our apartment at the end of this month so I will be able to move things over there then. So packing a little at a time and getting it moved week by week makes sense to me.

So the packing began. I began putting my purses in a giant box, packing my winter shoes in a tub, and placing jeans in suitcases. I then began digging at the back of my closet and found a white box. I haven't lived in this room very long, but for some reason I couldn't remember what was in that box. So I opened it up and found cards upon cards. I have always been a person that saves too much and apparently I have saved every card ever given to me in the past 4 years. As I said earlier this night was a boring night so I began reading through the cards. I have never realized how much cards can tell you about your life.

As I was reading the cards I watched the progression of friendships. Cards dating back to 2004 showed the signs of a friendship just beginning, the words a little awkward not knowing what to say, obviously we were just beginning to get to know each other - and a card from the same person from my most recent birthday showed proof of a strong, trusting, dependent frienship.

Other cards showed the decline of a friendship. Cards from a friend that had words written of a friendship that was close and trusting - followed by cards that began to show a friendship that was falling apart, words that lacked emotion or love, simply words written on a card to fill the gap of a frienship that no longer existed, those were the tough ones to read. While reading the card it was as if I was going back in time, knowing that the friendship was falling apart but not knowing what to do about it. As I closed the card it felt like I was closing that friendship once again. All I have now are the words in that card.

Then there were cards filled with prayers from when my lungs collapsed. They were filled with words from friends and family offering, prayer, time, and encouragement. Cards from different achievements in life; graduation and congratulations of a new job. Cards from numerous birthdays. Numerous cards filled with love from parents, grandparents, and the future in-laws.
Cards from a love blooming. I saved every card Luke has given me. Cards from the beginning of our relationship that show two people trying to figure out what they are doing and if they will continue it, leading to cards that show a love that is close, and comfortable and growing every day.

I had no idea that this white box contained so many memories of my life. Cards that made me laugh, cry, miss a friend, feel encouraged by a friend, and most of all cards that made me want to write all of my friends a card to let them know how much they are loved. Because there is nothing better than reading the sweet words that a friend has written you. Years later I would want them to pull the card out, read it, and enjoy the memory.

Halloween Memories

Let me share a great story with you. The story takes place when I was about 13 years old. That year was the fateful year that I decided that I was too old to go trick-or-treating. (do you ever have moments where you wish that you could go back and tell your child/teenage self 'don't try and grow up so fast!!! It will happen eventually just let it happen'). Anyways...I decided I was too old and I was just going to stay home and pass out candy while my sisters went our door to door collecting candy.

So after hours of my sisters being gone and me sitting by the door holding a bucket of candy passing it out to each child that came to the door (probably sneaking a couple of pieces of candy every now and then) my sisters came home. It was at this moment that I realized my horrible mistake of staying home. They had TONS of candy. Me being the sugar/junk food addict that I am became extremely jealous of the amount of candy that they had received.

It was at that moment that I decided I was not too old to go trick-or-treating, and even though it was getting late I needed that candy! So I put on my Sacajawea costume (yes my love for Indians started at a young age) and headed out to go door to door.

NOW this is the best part: about 90% of the people just dumped their remaining candy straight into my bag. It was so late that they figured I would probably be the last costumed child to come to their door and they didn't want to be stuck with all that candy - so they just gave it to me!

SO... I ended up with more candy than my sisters combined (almost)

Moral of the story:
It is ok to wait until the last minute to do thing....sometimes you are even rewarded for it!

The Year it All Went Down:

Just a Normal Conversation

One of the reasons I fell in love with Luke is he always keeps me laughing. He isn't the type that is always cracking jokes, but he is one of those people that is just hilarious without even trying.

Here is a recent conversation we had - just another reason why he always keeps me laughing.

The setting: We were at Braum's, Luke ran in to get a gallon of milk, I stayed in the car - I noticed two women in the car next to us, think they looked like they were in their upper forties or lower fifties.

The Conversation

Luke (getting back in the car) - Um.. did you notice those two women staring at me?
Megan - Who?
Luke - Those women in the car next to us, they were looking at me really weird
Megan - O no I wasn't paying attention
Luke - hm... They must have been Cougars.

You know you are watching too much E! when your boyfriend knows the 2008 definition of a Cougar.

Let's Hear it For the Girls (Part 2)

The continuation of my bridesmaids - the remaining 3 are all good friends in my life. I have been friends with all of them for at least 6 years, and I am so happy to have them stand by me on this day. Let's begin ~ once again they are in the order that I met them.

Kara - Kara and I met and became friends 10 years ago. I started going to the same church as her my 8th grade year and we have been close friends every since. I have soooo many great memories with Kara. She had a pool at her house and we literally spent every summer laying in the pool - we would come inside, eat lunch, and watch the soap opera 'Passions' (yes, I actually admit that) and then we would head back out to the pool. So many church camps, retreats, and mission trips with her. She is someone that I know I can always call if I need advice or if I need to just vent. I am thankful for our friendship. I was the Maid of Honor in her wedding 4 years ago and it is fitting that she would be apart of this day.

Now I have a ton of pictures of Kara and I when we were younger - but none on my computer. When I get a chance I will scan some on my computer.

Here we are at one of my wedding shower's

Jodi - I met Jodi my freshman year of college. We lived in the same dorm and we were a couple of doors down from each other. We pretty much became friends very quickly. The amazing thing was that we discovered that not only did we live about 8 minutes away from each other in our hometown, but we lived on the same main street. Crazy! So while it was bittersweet to leave college and leave all our friends, we were still able to spend the whole summer together! It was great.
Freshman year we used to stay up all night just talking - now, we don't even know what we were talking about but I guess it seemed important at the time - o college. We went from livng together in the dorms to living together in an apartment on campus for 2 more years. We have been friends every since (give or take a couple of months). We still talk everyday - if I don't talk to her I feel weird like something in my day is missing. This friendship is a very important one in my life.
I was a bridesmaid in Jodi's wedding 2 years ago and I am so honored ot have her stand in my wedding.

Me and Jodi at her wedding

Here we are freshman year - when the friendship began - seriously she might kill me for putting this on here!

A recent picture...much better.

Tambra - Tambra and I also met my freshman year, but not until second semester when she moved on my hall. We didn't become good friends quite so quickly, but it happened eventually. I started going to the church that Tambra was working at our Junior year (and now the church that Luke works at) and that is when our friendship really began to develop. Actually I think we were good friends before that, but I guess us going to the same church kicked it into high gear! She is such an important asset in my life. If I have an important cooking, cleaning, or just common sense question and I can't get a hold of my mom, I call Tambra. If Luke asks me how to do something, (example, get a stain out of a shirt) and I don't know how to do it my reponse is usually "call Tambra she will know". Tambra took me in when I didn't have anywhere to live and we were able to live together for several years. She is such a hardworker and probably the most self-less person I know (sometimes a little too self-less, I have to get on to her about it). I am so excited to have her stand in my wedding. Not only because of her friendship with me but, also because she worked with Luke at the church for a couple of years and they share a close bond, it makes it more special!

So Tambra and I have been close friends for many years - yet it is really hard to find a picture of us together, I guess we just don't take pictures. Here are some from a couple of years ago - I know that is so sad.

We have fun together....

Graduation! Woo Hoo! This is at our apartment, you can't tell but this apartment was a little sketchy. I was scared for my life most nights, but Tambra always told me that we would be ok so I believed her. We were ok. Nothing ever happened.

So those are my 5 bridesmaids! All such beautiful, wonderful girls. I am blessed to have such great sisters and friends.

Let's Hear it For the Girl's (Part 1)

Due to the fact that I don't have much to talk about right now - I decided to devote a post to my bridesmaids. They are all very important in my life and I am close to all of them! When choosing my bridesmaids it was a fairly easy decision. Here they are in the order that I met them.

1. Kati (Maid of Honor and my sister)

It was easy to choose my Maid of Honor. My sister is so important in my life and she will always be my sister. I knew that I wanted her to stand next to me on this special day. She recently had her own baby and it has been so amazing watching her develop into a cute little mom.
I was four when she was born - I don't remember much about it other than I was excited to have a baby sister!

Here we are when she was just 3 days old. I look so excited!Here we are in our first home - Apparently we were excited about those pumpkins (I remember LOVING that outfit I have on! ha!)

2. Haley - My next bridesmaid is my other sister: Haley She is the 'Sister of Honor" (a couple of years ago when she was still a little girl, she told me "If Kati gets to be the Maid of Honor then I want to be the "Sister of Honor", it makes me laugh everytime I think about it! She was so serious!) I was eight when Haley was born and I soooo desperately wanted a baby brother - I already had a sister, it was time for a brother. My parents waited until she was born to find out what sex the baby was, so I remember waitng for the call from my mom to let me know that I had a brother - I was SURE it was a boy. When my mom told me it was a girl I was very upset and I think I een threw a little fit! (who me? never!) But now 15 years later I am very happy that she was a girl! There is nothing better than having two sisters. Haley keeps us laughing - she doesn't like us to talk about our family before she was born - she feels left out!

Me with Haley when she was just a couple of days old

Me and baby Haley - clearly it was early in the morning.

All three of us

Halloween 1995. My mom made our costumes every year and did such a great job. In fact she did such a good job we always won the costume contests. I was always embarassed because we won every year! This is picture was taken at our yearly neighborhood picnic and I remember being very embarassed when this picture was taken because we had just won. (yes ,I was strange back then as well)

My high school graduation - please pay no attention to my clod-hopper shoes. Seriously were big clunky shoes in style or was I just really out of it??!?!?

A recent picture of us at the fair - a family tradition every year!

The most recent picture of us with the newest addition to the family!

I am so excited to have my sister be apart of the big day! I think they are excited as well, although they are still getting used to the fact that a boy is going to be apart of the family (our dad doesn't count, we have him trained well :-) and Maxton is a boy that was born into the family so I guess that is different).

Ok so those were my my first 2 bridesmaids -

To be Continued with my remaining 3 bridesmaids....

Wedding Bliss

So time is flying by and the wedding will be here before you know it.
If you have not yet noticed I am a person of high anxiety (it runs in the family) and I get stressed out really easy.
Before I was engaged I thought for sure I was ready for this wedding planning stuff and it would be a breeze...

HA!

That was the biggest joke of my life.
There were so many unexpected stressors that I wasn't even expecting - not to mention the stress of how much money is being spent.
So - as we draw near to the day I am trying to focus my mind on not the stress, but on the reason for the stress - coming together in marriage.

I know that this day is not all about 'The Wedding' But about so much more than that. I do know that - but believe me, it doesn't stop me from stressing out about 'The Day'.

But I am trying to get better about it -
So now, I want you to share with me.
If you are married, what is some wedding advice you were told that has stuck with you? It can be about the wedding day or about the marriage. Just something that somebody told you that has stuck with you.

If you aren't married, what is some advice that you have heard before and you thought it sounded good? Or maybe you just have a pearl of wisdom for me?
OR
Share a funny wedding story - maybe something went wrong on your wedding day but now looking back it is really funny.
OR
Maybe there is something that you wished you would have done at your wedding, but you didnt - I want to hear what that as well!

Just any sort of wedding advice/funny story/pearl of wisdom

I Want To Hear Them!


*Even if you haven't commented before (ahem, Jamie or Melanie) I still want you to share a story!*

New Layout!

I was in desperate need of a new blog layout - so after days of trying to figure out how to change it on my own (which I never figured out) I finally found Shauna and she helped me! I think she did a great job! She was wonderful to work with and came up with this cute layout! I needed a cute blog!
In other news...the weekend was a good one. I just went home and saw the family, and the cute little baby boy. (no new pictures, I don't know why I didn't take any I just didn't think of it)
Also... I finally ordered my cake! Woo hoo! My weddding to do list is growing shorter by the day! Praise the Lord!
I hope everybody had a great weekend!
Today is a rainy Monday morning - Is it weird that I love rainy mornings? I just hope that it drys up before lunch. I am starving.

Teenagers

Teenagers scare me. They scared me when I was a teenager and they still scare me.
Teenagers are just different. You know what I'm talking about. You were once a teenager. They just think different, live different, eat different. Everything about them is different.

Every year for the past 3 years Luke has had the opportunity to lead worship for a church at a camp here in Oklahoma (I won't give you the same of the camp but if you are from Oklahoma, and most importantly Baptist then you have heard of it for sure). I grew up going to camp (not this particular camp, but along the same lines). There is just something so great about camp. I remember I would always cry at the end of the week when it was time to go home (remember when I said I cried on the last day of school - clearly this is a pattern in my life). Anyways, camp. It is great. So When I have the opportunity to go with Luke for the night and take in the aura of camp, I jump on it!


Now, this particular camp that I am talking about has something special about it Tambra, my beloved roommate, person who washes her clothes every time she wears them and partner in life (until the end of July) works there. She lives there all summer and enjoys the daily (and most of the times hectic) life of camp. So I decided while I was visiting that I would not bother her by calling her, but instead go search for her and surprise her. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Ok remember the part where I said I didn't grow up going to this camp - that means I don't know my way around the campgrounds - and the campground are huuuuuuuge.

So for some strange reason, I decided to go find my friend, right after worship service was let out; in other words: A time when 10 million crazy teenagers are walking around camp unsupervised.

Another important fact about this camp is they have icee stands where the teenagers ALL go and get icees - a tradition at this camp is to go on an icee date, I have never been on an icee date. After this experience I never want to utter the words icee date again.

The sun had gone down, it was dark, and I was wandering around camp looking like a lost puppy, I had teenagers coming at me from all directions yelling things like "Heeeeeeey" 'How old are You" "Hey come here I want to ask you something, FINE DON'T COME HERE" "Give me a high five, Spread the Love". That last one I don't really understand. Apparently in 2008 it is cool for teenagers to walk by people as fast as they can, with their hand in the air coming towards you, yelling "Give Me a High Five, Spread the Love" Well I had no idea what kind of love I was spreading, but I sure as heck gave them a high five for fear of my life.

Now, as I made my way towards the icee date stands I began to lose focus, "what was I doing here?" "What was I looking for?" "Where in the heck am I?" "I just want to go home." Around this time I entered the pits of icee date misery. I had 3 boys under the age of 14 ask me on an icee date, and one boy - who looked to be 32 wearing a gold chain around his neck ask me if I wanted to join him for an icee. Keep in mind I wasn't walking leisurely, I was walking at about 10 mph trying my best to escape this madness, I think it was the thrill of the chase for them. And for future reference I will never join a 32 year old looking boy who wears a gold chain for anything.

As I escaped the pits of icee date misery I got down in fetal position and called Luke on my cell phone and asked him to come rescue me.

OK totally kidding - I saw an office! It was like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! As I walked towards the office to go find Tambra, Luke called my cell phone and said "Where are you?" To which I responded "I just almost lost my life and that is all you have to say to me?!?!?!?" He then informed me that his car alarm was going off and I needed to bring back his keys so he could turn it off - seriously a car alarm going off? Did the teenagers even notice? I just pictured them standing on the car dancing around it doing some sot of teenage chant, yelling "Spread the Love"

Needless to say I never got to see Tambra. However, I did survive. That I am proud of. And my feelings towards camps have not been change, I still love it and still cant' wait to go back. However you will never catch me alone at night. Never. Teenagers scare me.

I Love to Do Laundry - But Hate to Wash My Clothes

Does that make sense?

I LOVE doing laundry, and all that goes into it.

First I love to take a big laundry basket full of clothes.
Then sort the clothes into necessary piles.
Then decide which one to wash first.
Ingredients: Fabric Softer, Detergent, Water Temperature, then clothes.
Once the cycle is complete figure out which clothes to dry and which to hang - then repeat with the remaining clothing piles.

Seriously. I just got happy from typing those instructions.

There is only one problem. I HATE the feeling of washed clothes.
There is nothing better then a good pair of worn in, comfy, allows you to move around jeans.

There is nothing worse than a pair of stiff, tight, will barley let you breathe jeans that have just been washed.

I have a good friend who will remain nameless. (she has been my roommate for many years now)
She washes each new article of clothing before she wears it.

The first time I heard this I almost had a heart attack. (no, I'm not dramatic.)

She will buy a perfect-ready to wear article of clothing and then WASH IT before she wears it.

I have never heard of such a thing.

Now, you may be wondering. Why the heck is she rambling on about washing clothes?!?!

Well this morning I got up showered, pulled a pair of Khaki Capri's out of my closet, got dressed and went to work. As I was sitting at my desk I looked down and much to my surprise my ready to wear pants that I pulled out my closet, had 3 HUGE stains on them. I have no idea what the stains are, but I know it is something I ate last time I wore these pants.

Maybe I will start washing my clothes more often. Or at least checking them before I put them back in my closet.

Do you wash your clothes each time you wear them? Or do you also enjoy the worn in feeling that I have come to love?!?

Disclaimer: Yes I do wash my underwear every time I wear them. Although I have been known to pull them out of the packet from the store and wear them before washing them.

To make this story even worse, today when I went to lunch with Luke he informed me that I had chocolate stains on my butt. Clearly it is time to wash these pants.

What I did this Weekend.....

210 Addressed Envelopes

210 Inner Envelopes

210 Invitations

210 RSVP Postcards

210 Forever Stamps

210 Postcard Stamps

1 Glue Pen

1 Glue Stick

2 days of stuffing, gluing, rubbing to make sure they stay glued and repeating

210 invitations, stuffed, addressed, stamped, sealed, and ready to go = GLORIOUS SUCCESS!!