Tuesday, May 31, 2011

You say Fit and Flare, I say Bell Bottoms

Toe-mate-o, toe-mah-toe. I think the proper term is Fit and Flare these days. Whatever you call them, let me just tell ya that I am excited. I love that these are back “in.” I have been waiting to buy Fit and Flare (bell bottoms) jeans for a few months now. Some blogs I follow have now posted about them and I have found some that I looove online. I can’t wait to find a white pair (maybe the Express ones below) and wear them with my chunky wedges!




That Luna Sure Knows Her Stuff

I have been practicing staying calm lately, and honestly, I have had a lot of opportunities to practice. I remember three summers ago listening to a sermon about being slow to speak. The verse is James 1:19 – “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” And not that I have always displayed this, but I have kept it in my mind and tried my hardest to practice this.
I notice that I talk too much (don’t agree with me so quickly) and too quickly. Most of my drama is drama that I created myself by having too many opinions and having them too loudly. When I think about what I love about some of the people I’m closest too, I always come back to this same thing. I like that they are quieter than me. I am thinking about two friends in particular that are just as opinionated as I am but have not hurt others in the ways I have. I know this is because sometimes I can’t just shut up. I am also thinking of one of my sisters that doesn’t just accept what others say. I think I have caused a lot of hurt in my own life because sometimes I don’t shut up long enough to think that maybe what I just heard isn’t right, maybe I don’t have to agree, maybe it’s not actually what I think at all, and maybe I don’t have to say.
My adorable husband and I had an interesting conversation the other day about not just taking something people say for the absolute, non-budging, truth. For instance, why do we all just say things like “marriage is wonderful BUT it is A LOT of work.” I know this sounds stupid. Because, yes, of course, marriage is work sometimes. It’s so weird to me that everything positive has to be followed up with, Yes, it’s great, BUT….What if we all just switched our thinking a little to not automatically follow things up with negative comments? I understand that we all strive to be open and honest people, and yes, you want to make sure that people are prepared and don’t think it’s wrong if they are struggling in their marriage and want to talk about some of the difficulties.  But I just can think of way too many examples of wonderful things that are automatically shifted to the tight mouthed, “yes, but…..” feeling too quickly.
Okay, not everyone, has to take this challenge, but we are.
Because I started noticing that I am too quick to say these things and that I participate in this way too much. “Yes, I would love to run errands with you BUT I am really really busy and have to be back by this time exactly or the world is over.” Or, “yes, I would love to go fishing with you BUT I can only go on Saturday because I have this, this, and this to do Sunday and am way too busy and I want you to know about it.” Why not just say, “Yes, Saturday fishing sounds great!”
I have had a lot of opportunities lately to break down and panic. And every time I choose to break down and panic about something, the next day it’s not so much of a big deal or it’s gone completely. I was actually having a little anxiety about something at work (more on this at a much later date) and was distracting myself by reading Harry (which is quite a defense mechanism lately) and loved Luna’s response to a tense situation. “No, I think I'll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up... It always does in the end.”
So right now, I think I will just go have some ice cream on my deck, or go read a good book or go for a long run, or just be quiet and listen to my friends, and wait for it all to turn up. Maybe if I slow down with my quick (and most of the time, stupid) responses to everything, and focus more on being positive I will feel better about the situation – or, at the very least, I will feel better about myself in the situation. I’m sure it will all turn up in the end.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Long Weekends

I feel like this three day weekend was such a gift. My adorable husband has had something going on after work almost every night of the week for a LONG time. And any night that he hasn't been busy, I have been. This weekend was a much needed break. I caught up with Sister #2 over cocktails and wedding magazines while Dave spent some much needed time with his friends. We then spent the rest of the weekend relaxing, working in the yard (we should have home grown tomatoes and peppers - yellow AND green - in no time!), went to and walked out of a movie (don't ask!), and just caught up with our loved ones. David was able to golf with his dad and friends while I had breakfast with his mom after my morning run. And now we just got back from my parents house where we were able to catch up with Sister #1 and family, Sister #4 who is getting ready to leave for a big deal, 3 month internship, and my wonderful parents. I feel so wonderful and relaxed. And it hasn't slipped my mind for a minute that this gift was given to us to recognize all of our service men and women who have given their lives, or are giving their lives, to keep our freedom. Happy Memorial Day weekend - and thank you to our service people and their families.


Now I get to finish the Order of The Phoenix with an iced green tea on my deck.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Thank You To Our Service Men and Women

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." Benjamin Disraeli

Are you like me that you get chills when you see our flag flying at a bank or building on your way to work? I know you, like me, can't get through God Bless America without crying. I admit, I can barely make it through the Pledge of Allegiance. I love our country and do not know how I was blessed enough to be born here. I have been feeling over and over this week, "Why me?" And not in a bad way, but in a completely wonderful way.

Thank you to the service men and women who love our country. I'm thanking God for your example.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Home

There are a few places that make me feel completely at peace and filled with joy. There's this one view right when you make a turn toward The Legends that is completely green in the spring. It always makes me so happy to live in such a beautiful region. There's also a turn right before the bridge towards Columbia that makes me so happy. I love going to St. Louis because it reminds me of visiting my wonderful husband who was my boyfriend at the time, or of visiting my best friend. This turn makes me feel like I'm on vacation. And I love Ashland and Lover's Lane in the Fall. And Krug Park in the winter. And there are few places more beautiful than looking at The Plaza lights from my old apartment's 9th floor view.

I am so filled with joy at some of these places that I don't know how to express it. But my all time favorite place in the world is a little robin egg blue house filled with my adorable husband and a big brown dog. I love everything about our house. I feel at peace and completely comforted every time I turn into our driveway. I can exhale. I will have a hard time moving years from now because of little things like that.

Last night Sister #2 and her fiance had a housewarming party for their friends to share their joy. Their house if beautiful. And you know that it's beautiful because each project was completed with love. They have spent so much time on their new home. They have replaced light fixtures, redocorated the spare room, painted a wall in the stairwell, designed a bar, landscaped their yard, decoupaged a bookcase (ask Kalle what this means since she now knows), and the list goes on and on. And each piece they did together. And if last night was any indication of their day to day lives, I know that their home is filled with the peace and joy that I feel every time I come home.


Friday, May 20, 2011

Bitter is the New Black...and Titles Like That

I have been so intrigued (okay…obsessed) with Harry lately that I completely fell behind on one of my favorite, funny, read this at the pool when you don’t want to think deeply, authors: Jen Lancaster. One of my cute friends at my first job introduced me to this hilarious writer, and hers was the first blog I ever read religiously. She is hysterical. I have referred many women on to her books, starting with Bitter is the New Black. They are the best books to cozy up with a warm and fabulous blanket and drink wine and laugh until it comes out your nose. I think I have told you about these books before; I give Ms Lancaster credit for being the first author to make me laugh out loud, embarrassingly.

This is one of those authors that I would probably really creep out if she knew how I talked about her. Because we are totally friends in my mind. (I also feel this way about Taylor Swift, Jennifer Aniston, – yes I still refuse to see an Angelina Jolie movie and think she’s a horrible person – and Jessica Simpson. And yes, I know I’m crazy and ridiculous).

I revisited her blog today, feeling horrible that it’s been so long, to find that she has published her first novel! Do you think I have or haven’t already bought my copy?

So, here is her hilarious blog, and here is a place to order her new book:

(And just to clarify, she actually isn’t my friend so I’m not getting any credit for promoting her blog or books – I just really do think she’s that funny!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

What I'm Reading Wednesday...One Day Late

I am loving my Harry Potter year five and rushing to finish it before my book comes from Amazon. So nothing new there. I have read some very interesting information on Specialty Practice Management. I met with some team members over two different two hour sessions this week to gather process questions. I work with some of the smartest people. I am inspired when I get to work with them. And then I have the most amazing contacts at the company who is our technology partner - my contacts do things like answer emails after they have worked all day themselves. Anyway, I get distracted.

My adorable husband and I celebrated our three month anniversary tonight. We went to chick fil a because one of the YWCA's programs benefited from the proceeds (our YWCA is one of only two in Missouri. It is absolutely amazing. I will devote an entire post to this one day instead or putting it here.) Then we went and saw Bridesmaids. I think it was pretty darn funny and cute. We had a great time! Now I am relaxing in my favorite chair with three, that's right - three, Good Housekeeping magazines from my mom! Ahhh, bliss.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

The Life of Pi

Yesterday my adorable husband offered to drive me four and a half hours to visit my best friend and her two month old baby. My best friend and her husband closed on their very first, beautiful, new home on Friday. I couldn't wait to go meet Miss N, her perfect daughter, and see my friend.

I borrowed the audio version of Life of Pi for our road trip. I was completely intrigued and the whole first hour of the trip could only think how I really needed to read this myself instead of having someone read it to me. I was interested in so many things about it. I looked over at my adorable husband expecting the same reaction. To say the least, he was not as interested. I immediately stopped the CD and ordered the print version from Amazon. I will let you know when it's in! I can't wait to share some of my favorite parts already though!

Our visit was amazing. My best friend is absolutely glowing. Why wouldn't she be? Her house is beautiful and I feel like it was designed and built for them. Her daughter is beautiful. I held her for three straight hours and couldn't share. I am so in love with this tiny angel. And my friend is beautiful! Seriously, it's unreal that her daughter is only two months old. I am so happy for her that I don't even know what to say.

And I am so happy that my adorable husband makes these kind of days happen for me. He drove me four hours to visit my friend for three, and then drove me four hours home, bought me mexican food, and let me sleep in this morning. How did I get so lucky?

Wearing her new pink shoes from Aunt Kiki and Uncle D


Look at my beautiful best friend!



And on our drive home, we saw a Bentley. So I felt the need to be creepy and take pictures out the back of our car. I think it was someone famous. That's at least what I'm going to tell people.


Friday, May 13, 2011

Keep Your Hand Up

“Women systematically underestimate their own abilities.”
 
My team leader is an amazing woman, we work for an amazing boss who works for yet another amazing boss, and we work in an amazing company. I feel valued and encouraged. My team leader is a beautiful, busy, successful wife and mother of three. She is a room mother, a cotton candy maker, sits on a number of boards, the biggest fan of BOTH of her sons’ baseball teams. She knows every detail about her children. And she works long, hard hours and is great at what she does.
 
I felt the need to say all of that because I am very lucky and blessed to have strong women role models all around me. My sisters are strong, hard-working, brilliant women. They are well rounded. And they are great at what they do.
 
My mother is a saint. Since I can remember I have known that if I could be similar to my own mom when I grew up that I would be on the right track. She has made our family what it is. I remember her doing the laundry, cooking breakfast and dinner, packing our lunches, laying out our clothes for the next day, cutting coupons and grocery shopping. Did I mention that she was going to school full time and getting her master’s degree? Oh, and in the midst of all of that, making it to everything EACH of us had going on. I think Sister #1 would tell you our mom made it to every choir concert, Sister #2 would say our mom was at every basketball game, and Sister #4 would tell you our mom didn’t miss a game she danced at (and probably had Oatmeal Cream Pies in her pocket at the ready). My mom was my biggest fan when I announced I would be an astronaut. And then she drove me to Kansas City and back when I just knew I would be an actress. She didn’t roll her eyes when I wanted to switch colleges and majors AGAIN. She made funds appear from nowhere for each of us, whenever we needed them.
 
I have always been surrounded by beautiful and strong women. I have never doubted my ability to accomplish anything because I was a woman. My husband thinks I am brilliant and encourages me in whatever crazy idea I have that day. I have been nurtured and have never felt inferior.
 
And then, a few months ago, one man almost crushed all of that foundation. I implement electronic medical records in regional clinics for a health information exchange that just won part of a state bid as the choice in connecting the entire state. But this one man, refused to let me help him learn this EMR because I am a woman.
I am not complaining and I am not letting this one little man get to me. I am just thinking about how important it is to make sure that we continue to surround ourselves with strong women and motivate the women around us.
 
I love this little video clip. I think the statistics are scary and a good reminder. I love her tips and encouraging quotes. I also love that my boss, a man, emailed this to me with the following Subject line: Keep Your Hand Up.
 
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders.html

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

What I'm Reading Wednesday

Today I spent most of my day reading contracts to decide whether or not we have the ability to use centralized billing the way we want to use it for our acquired clinics. We are trying to figure out if there is a way to extract an 837 file before it hits the clearinghouse. We are also trying to figure out if the claims editing process we purchased includes an important scrubbing piece that some consider an "add on," but we consider completely crucial....

....Okay, just kidding. I know that's not what you want to hear. I am also reading Harry Potter year 5: the Order of the Phoenix. I am half way through it. I know I keep saying this, but I love this one more than the last AND this book is better than the movie even though the movie was amazing. And now, for the last two books in this series, you can assume those two comments go without saying.

One line that stuck out to me in this book, in reference to You Know Who, said, "His gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust."

It reminds me of a few things. First, of course, how the devil is strongest in hurting people when he can separate them from their friends and families. I keep reliving some situations in my life where I could tell for some reason someone was drifting away from me and then later found out they were hurting and needed friends. Maybe they were making bad decisions that they knew their friends wouldn't let them continue making.

It also made me think of work, or any group situation, when the easiest way to get distracted and do things that aren't helpful is when you aren't working as a team. When I find myself caught up in gossip or secluding others, I am least productive and furthest from accomplishing what I've set out to do that day. I think it's something we have to commit to working on each day.

Okay. So now I get to read for a little bit before my sand volleyball game! We thought it was going to storm tonight and instead it looks beautiful. Beautiful for my team to win again this week that is!

Oh, and head on over to Love It All's blog if you are interested in her engagement story I spilled the beans on a few days ago!

"This Heart Still Believes That Love and Mercy Still Exist"

Again, I won't steal anyone's story, but I'm hoping one of my beautiful sisters will share her story sometime soon. I was listening to this so on my run today and thought about what she is doing. I will try to convince her to share with us, but until then you will have to settle for this song. Have a great Wednesday. I will post what I'm reading later.

http://v21.lscache1.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id=ce85ccd494ee7106&itag=7&begin=0&ratebypass=yes&title=Garth+Brooks+-+The+Change+-+WITH+LYRICS!&ip=0.0.0.0&ipbits=0&expire=1305135747&sparams=ip,ipbits,expire,id,itag,ratebypass,title&signature=0D411EA5703552EFF527F7E705625F049B868CB4.256B485B4895BDBAA0C75A0675026E5B58A1CB29&key=ck1

Monday, May 9, 2011

PLENTY of Time

On March 10th, 2009, Abby had to cancel an evening at one of our favorite Plaza spots – Fred P Otts (or as my adorable husband calls it, “Freddie O Potts”). I emailed her that it was no big deal to reschedule, and “we have PLENTY of time to all hang out. You, me, Shane, and David are in each other's lives forever now.” That was the day after David proposed to me.
Today is three days after Shane proposed to Abby.
I don’t want to steal her story, but I couldn’t bear to not post something about my big, great news I alluded to on Friday. I’ve been just ready to burst.
So this post is to say Congratulations and I can’t wait to spend PLENTY of time with my sister and new brother. We are in each other’s lives forever now. To Abby and Shane, congratulations and I see a Freddie O Potts date in our future.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day

I have always been the luckiest girl in the world. My mom has always been my best friend. She knows everything about me, every good and bad detail. She is the most caring and patient person. She has a special place in her heart for loving kids. She is the best teacher and nana to her two grandsons. She is absolutely amazing.

I never thought that I would meet anyone like her. And then I met my mother in law. I can now say, that I have the two greatest women in the world as mothers. My mother in law loves everyone. She has taken the time to truly get to know me. She loves her kids above everything. She is patient and sweet always.

On this Mother's Day, I am so excited to celebrate these two women. Two of my best friends. And to hope that someday I will be just like them.

Friday, May 6, 2011

A Good Day

I have been keeping myself very, very busy all day. Trying to not post about anything. Because I have good news. But I'm not allowed to post it yet. And no, I'm not pregnant. This news isn't about me. So I've stayed busy all day. But now, it's Friday night and I still have two infected eyes so I'm not on my way to Buck Night to watch the Royals with my adorable husband and his family. I am sitting here watching TV shows online to keep me busy. But I wasn't busy enough, so I decided to make David's Birthday Breakfast Casserole AND watch TV on my computer so I would not post anything exciting.

So here's a before it's baked picture (yes, I love my husband enough to brown pork sausage - ick!)


Thursday, May 5, 2011

Tea Time

I am surviving on tea this week. I completely believe that tea has healing powers. Here are two that I'm loving right now. My adorable running buddy sent me home with a bottle of this kind last week and I'm totally addicted. Plus, I found out they sell it in my cafeteria at work!

And my fabulous friend, Jessica, gave me this tea in a gift. It came with five bags and I'm already trying to order more. I love it!

Happy 28th Birthday to my Adorable Husband!

Last year we threw my sweet husband a surprise party! It was so fun.






This year, David just took off for a golf tournament for Camp Quality. It is a benefit tournament in his Grandpa's name. His brothers all came to town and his friends joined. I hope they have the best day. I am willing myself to get better so after the tournament I can hang out with everyone and celebrate my sweet husband.



Wednesday, May 4, 2011

What I'm Reading Wednesday

Today I am not reading anything. I am stuck at home with what I thought was pink eye. I went to the doctor and she told me I do not in fact have allergies like I have been saying, but instead a nasty sinus infection that had spread to my eyes! Yes, yuck is right. She gave me a shot, prescribed eye drops that sting every three hours when my husband has to put them in both my eyes, and medicine for the nasty sinus infection that won't go away. I had a dinner planned to surprise my husband with after golf (we didn't get to golf or surprise him). Then I was going to make a surprise casserole to be all ready for him when he woke up, but that didn't happen either. I did give him his surprise gift. You will have to go to his office to see it someday. And now I just hope I wake up tomorrow healed enough to celebrate his birthday with him. My adorable husband turns 28 tomorrow! He gets to play in a golf tournament honoring his amazing grandpa and benefiting Camp Quality! And we are supposed to spend time with my amazing in laws! So cross your fingers for me and pray I can see. The infection spread to both eyes. Did I mention, "yuck"?

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Exodus

Last week my small group read the book of Exodus. It was wonderful. If you haven’t ever picked up your Bible and just started reading, I recommend that you do so. I love the stories, the details, the symbolism, everything!
At the end of our study, my adorable friend MK, gave us three verses that she considered “key verses” for Exodus. Exodus is a great book, and I really enjoyed reading all of it. I love the Ten Commandments, I love how God’s people trusted Him to bring them out of bondage and followed Him for 40 years in the desert, and how when Moses was gone and the people were worshiping an idol, Moses was so furious that he broke the very tablets he had just helped create – he couldn’t believe that these people would make a mockery of his God. But my favorite part was when Moses couldn’t believe that God would pick him to talk for Him. He was scared and argued that he was slow to speak and had a hard time getting words out. God questioned him back with, “Who made your tongue and mouth?” I love how God doesn’t always pick the strongest and “best” candidate to get His work done, but instead uses the less likely candidate to show us all that it is Him working, not ourselves.
There was one part in Exodus that we needed some clarification on and we had good discussion around. A lot of the book is spent on details of the curtains or alter, etc. And we were wondering why on earth God would put this much detail in a so seemingly pagan purpose – aren’t we not supposed to worship material objects or idols? Well in fact, we are not, but this is all before Jesus or the Holy Spirit allowed us to have direct contact with God. This is still in the time when the prophets helped us have a relationship with God and Jesus had not walked the earth yet – disobeying the Sabath to heal a man or encouraging us to speak to our God directly – for goodness sake, they didn’t have the Bible to refer to. So they have an elaborate area that people knew they could sit and learn about God and speak to the prophets about Him and grow closer to Him.
This study made me think about what I am pushing back about. What is God encouraging me to do that I am still thinking, “oh no, you couldn’t mean me. I would be the least likely candidate for that!” What is God trying to accomplish through me that I am getting in the way of?
It was a great study and I cherish my time with this great group of girls. Now, on to Leviticus.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Glory, Glory Hallelujah. Welcome to the Future

May 1, 2011. Almost one decade after the nightmare. I am praying for our country today. For peace to those that lost loved ones. For every soldier that has fought for us and continues to serve our country. For our leaders to have knowledge and strength.

Here's an article the St Joe News Press ran today:

WASHINGTON — Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces Monday, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run.
Long believed to be hiding in caves, bin Laden was tracked down in a costly, custom-built hideout not far from a Pakistani military academy. The stunning news of his death prompted relief and euphoria outside the White House and around the globe, yet also deepening fears of terrorist reprisals against the United States and its allies.
 

"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said late Sunday from the White House in an announcement that seemed sure to lift his own political standing.
The military operation took mere minutes, and there were no U.S. casualties.
U.S. Blackhawk helicopters ferried about two dozen troops from Navy SEAL Team Six, a top military counter-terrorism unit, into the compound identified by the CIA as bin Laden's hideout — and back out again in less than 40 minutes. Bin Laden was shot in the head, officials said, after he and his bodyguards resisted the assault.
 

Three men were also killed in the raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida. U.S. officials also said one woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a male combatant, and two other women were injured.
The U.S. official who disclosed the burial at sea said it would have been difficult to find a country willing to accept the remains. Obama said the remains had been handled in accordance with Islamic custom, which requires speedy burial.
 

"I heard a thundering sound, followed by heavy firing. Then firing suddenly stopped. Then more thundering, then a big blast," said Mohammad Haroon Rasheed, a resident of Abbottabad, Pakistan, after the choppers had swooped in and then out again.
 

Bin Laden's death marks a psychological triumph in a long struggle that began well before the Sept. 11 attacks. Al-Qaida was also blamed for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.
 

"We have rid the world of the most infamous terrorist of our time," CIA director Leon Panetta declared to employees of the agency in a memo Monday morning.
He warned that "terrorists almost certainly will attempt to avenge" the killing of a man deemed uncatchable. "Bin Laden is dead. Al-Qaida is not," Panetta said.
Retaliatory attacks against the U.S. and Western targets could come from members of al-Qaida's core branch in the tribal areas of Pakistan, al-Qaida franchises in other countries, and radicalized individuals in the U.S. with al-Qaida sympathies, according to a Homeland Security Department intelligence alert issued Sunday and obtained by The Associated Press.
 

While the intelligence community does not have insight into current al-Qaida plotting, the department believes symbolic, economic and transportation targets could be at risk, and small arms attacks against other targets can't be ruled out.
 

In all, nearly 3,000 were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks nearly 10 years ago, the worst terror assault on American soil.
As news of bin Laden's death spread, hundreds of people cheered and waved American flags at ground zero in New York, the site where al-Qaida hijacked jets toppled the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Thousands celebrated all night outside the White House gates.
 

As dawn came the crowd had thinned yet some still flowed in to be a part of it. A couple of people posed for photographs in front of the White House while holding up front pages of Monday's newspapers announcing bin Laden's death.
"It's a moment people have been waiting for," said, Eric Sauter, 22, a University of Delaware student who drove to Washington after seeing TV coverage of the celebrations.


Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Catmint, Veronica, and Coreopsis, Oh My!

Yesterday after my run with a friend, we spent the entire morning doing yard work.

Our front garden area was a mess! I spent the first few hours pulling weeds, raking the woodchips around, and replacing the crooked stones while David did the lawn mowing and weed eating.

Here's a before. Notice the random board in the middle (I have no idea what it's for..), the crooked stones, the weeds in the far section, and the lack of anything pretty (except the hummingbird feeder my adorable husband bought me last summer).


Here's a shot of the during phase. I had pulled all the weeds, lined up the stones, and placed the plants where the wonderful ladies at the Gardener's Fest advised me. They were so cute; they drew it out on paper and then laid the plants out and let me take a picture.


And after. Bo admiring our hard work! These are all small right now, of course.

Join With All Nature in Manifest Witness

I love going to church with my husband. And today we sat with my parents and my in laws. After a weekend filled with sunlight, running, gardening, cooking out with friends, and a best friend's baby being born, how fitting was it to sing Great is Thy Faithfulness at church today?


Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain