tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306483582024-03-12T23:01:15.620-04:00Joy UnspeakableA living Redeemer, truly mine, is joy unspeakable. [C. Spurgeon]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-51169796047921151912012-10-19T12:10:00.001-04:002012-10-19T12:21:51.952-04:00Life in Augusta: "That's where they have the Masters!"Well, it seems like my average time between posts is about three months. Maybe that will change someday... but I'm not making any promises! I usually feel like I should "catch up" on posts, but I'm going to give up on that and just start with where we are right now... and we're in Augusta, GA! We've been here since the end of June, so we are learning the area and making friends. When we found out we were moving here we would usually get one of two responses when we told people we were going to Augusta.<br />
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One was: "Oh, yeah, that's great! That's where the Masters is held!"<br />
The other: "Augusta? Why? Is it for military or medical?"<br />
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After a few times, I learned that if they answered the first, that meant they had never been to Augusta.<br />
The second response meant that they had been there for more than just Masters week. haha.<br />
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Yes, the Masters is here (I pass Augusta National almost every day)... and one week out of every year it is a tourist destination. The other 51 weeks it is an old Southern river city during an economic crisis. It wants to be revived, and has great potential, but is resistant to change. People move here for two reasons: Military (coming to Ft. Gordon) or Medical (coming to the medical school or to work at one of the many hospitals). There are also those who have lived here forever (old money) and don't know why anyone would want to leave, those hit hard by the bad economy and struggling to make it, those trying to revive the downtown, and students at ASU or Paine College. I also don't know how many people have told me "yeah, we were only planning to stay here are year. Now its been [insert number way beyond one]." Oh, and there are the gypsies. Yup, there's a gypsy community. I still haven't seen it, but I will let you know when I do, haha!! <br />
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There isn't as much to do in Augusta as in the Triangle and there are no
white sandy beaches like in Sarasota, but I'm learning to appreciate
what is here. After being in Florida for a year, I enjoy seeing a
little bit more change of season... cool mornings and evenings. I am
teaching dance again and that is wonderful! We took a day trip to Savannah/Tybee Island. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple pictures from Savannah!</td></tr>
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We enjoy spending time with Steve's co-workers, as well as friends we have made in church and in our neighborhood. Augusta is also close enough to drive back to NC for the weekend. I was able to go up for both Joy and Julie's baby shower and I will be able to go up next week after my new niece is born! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and his co-residents when we all went bowling</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-64424129421027502632012-07-19T14:50:00.001-04:002012-07-19T14:50:36.828-04:00Springtime in Florida! Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They don't call it "Season" for nothing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had someone visiting seven weekends between March 1st and
May 31st. It was so much fun and I never uploaded pictures... so I'm
going to do a few posts of pictures from our last few months in
Sarasota. After that, I'll introduce you to our new home!</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First, Jo came for spring break!!</span></div>
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[pictures forthcoming]</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Second, Dan, Joy and the little girls came!!</span></div>
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Yummy Gelato!</div>
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Gotta love the St. Armands Circle statues, haha!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59iPWtkTcZwxbRnGE4MqFQsIfeIyKYWSpSqscORxFInsrMN3zeiJ_JGk2jrIRfhyphenhypheniwDhs7w9Pe0XBZt-WyBYTBEAxzqXuSXSpGbEDuhGvk_DVmTrKLuzRpG1_igXMNnmnH7tftQ/s1600/IMG_1772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59iPWtkTcZwxbRnGE4MqFQsIfeIyKYWSpSqscORxFInsrMN3zeiJ_JGk2jrIRfhyphenhypheniwDhs7w9Pe0XBZt-WyBYTBEAxzqXuSXSpGbEDuhGvk_DVmTrKLuzRpG1_igXMNnmnH7tftQ/s320/IMG_1772.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
One of the advantages of working for a food company... free lunch. One of the best things about working for BH: all the meats, cheese, and condiments are gluten free, so I just have to bring my g-free bread.<br />
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I love the fact that my office building is right in downtown Sarasota. It is only 5 minutes from home and there are great places to walk and sit during my lunch hour! Right behind the building is a little courtyard with tables and benches, I usually try to eat out there if it is a nice day. <br />
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However, eating out there means sitting right next to the constipated sumo wrestler...<br />
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I enjoy my job... I mean, it has its moments and there can be a lot of drama sometimes at this office. My co-receptionist compared our position to a hairdresser or bartender. We are the sounding board for everyone to share their joys, trials, complaints and frustrations (usually the last two)... . . Employees or guests come by and talk and and we can't get our of listening because we can't leave, haha.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-5213750574397208392012-02-09T21:21:00.002-05:002012-02-10T19:38:35.130-05:00AbideRecently I have been feeling that I am not bearing fruit as a disciple of Jesus. I felt like I had lost the vision that I had a few months ago of God's purposes, I was lacking faith for what He was doing in and through and around me. I was on a plane yesterday thinking about this and the Spirit of God spoke to me with the words of Jesus from John 15: "Abide in me... and you will bear much fruit."<br />
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Abide.<br />
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That single word kept coming back. He did not say "work harder" or "try harder", but abide. Dwell in Jesus, spend time with Him. Listen to Him, live in Him. <br />
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I had a lot of time sitting at the airport waiting for flights yesterday and this song was constantly coming to my mind... the first verse and chorus were all I could remember, but I just kept hearing it in my head, so today I looked up the rest of the lyrics. (side note: whenever I think of this song I hear Joe Jackson's voice singing it)<br />
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I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,<br />
<div class="document lyrics"><div class="verses">And it told Thy love to me;<br />
But I long to rise in the arms of faith<br />
And be closer drawn to Thee.<span class="refrain"></span></div><div class="verses"></div><div class="verses"><br />
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,<br />
To the cross where Thou hast died;<br />
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,<br />
To Thy precious, bleeding side.</div><div class="verses"><br />
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,<br />
By the pow’r of grace divine;<br />
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,<br />
And my will be lost in Thine.</div><div class="verses"><br />
Oh, the pure delight of a single hour<br />
That before Thy throne I spend,<br />
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God<br />
I commune as friend with friend!</div><div class="verses"><br />
There are depths of love that I cannot know<br />
Till I cross the narrow sea;<br />
There are heights of joy that I may not reach<br />
Till I rest in peace with Thee.<br />
</div><div class="verses"></div><div class="verses"><i>There is no friend like Jesus.</i> </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-75463111667535775512012-01-28T11:16:00.000-05:002012-01-28T11:16:29.914-05:00Random stuff I never posted... Part 2:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My friend Christy and I went to a local pumpkin festival. It wasn't quite as exciting as I expected, but we did manage to get this gem of a picture, haha</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1kS38pWyq6gPAYf5V3lZ-jJ6SAUJlOSs5VunGXhjQvWPAzIj22QqEIn04qpjDR4kZ6mojwQ_PNjdK3n3mJmT2qSUOC8hH94yb-1vE6XQ14U60TbC-kaDnE9sSGGziYEmgmEmfg/s320/IMG_1769.JPG" width="320" /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">One of the things I love about Sarasota is all of the art! In the fall there was a chalk festival...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVjFo8IipJkN85jqIEz0ns-NUN4Nxrd-q662m_mAu1HB_lMoGrunAxgg9u5L_yHHWc4r12KcZjz1L1wgu7KrQF6EAdYUZgng5l0a4ZPSxusIKrjKDirr2r1j4qzl6wJi3ZgnI1Q/s1600/IMG_1776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVjFo8IipJkN85jqIEz0ns-NUN4Nxrd-q662m_mAu1HB_lMoGrunAxgg9u5L_yHHWc4r12KcZjz1L1wgu7KrQF6EAdYUZgng5l0a4ZPSxusIKrjKDirr2r1j4qzl6wJi3ZgnI1Q/s320/IMG_1776.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zqz6kCBo588JmNsCvxSNvj5x4x5j5MU57fx0mj3xHuGWDLh2H6WhwaPolm1RzBn3GqqtMi_wwK4ftiV_wlejfURHBvaKhc3I7fcBaFh4ZJ6LFdkZ0MG5InDebjcHiJ0ji8Bkcg/s1600/IMG_1775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zqz6kCBo588JmNsCvxSNvj5x4x5j5MU57fx0mj3xHuGWDLh2H6WhwaPolm1RzBn3GqqtMi_wwK4ftiV_wlejfURHBvaKhc3I7fcBaFh4ZJ6LFdkZ0MG5InDebjcHiJ0ji8Bkcg/s320/IMG_1775.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1KVTjbBp5hNfZ_YILGPq9wVswxWwPCugx2Ri-MdVDpWJWSZWh6OyAiUr_NB_K-LTjQBi9IKhcoJ3jSKUqjCHMhoCxzk3-33AMWi7JIgBQJvfd7N-bRAicSsus4ANZR-w_qvggw/s1600/IMG_1774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1KVTjbBp5hNfZ_YILGPq9wVswxWwPCugx2Ri-MdVDpWJWSZWh6OyAiUr_NB_K-LTjQBi9IKhcoJ3jSKUqjCHMhoCxzk3-33AMWi7JIgBQJvfd7N-bRAicSsus4ANZR-w_qvggw/s320/IMG_1774.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-10467528693535264082012-01-26T21:11:00.000-05:002012-01-26T21:11:50.139-05:00Random stuff I never posted... Part 1:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On "National Museum Day" we visited the Ringling Museum of Art, Circus Museum and Ca d'Zan (John & Mabel Ringling's mansion). It was pretty awesome (and even better that we could go for free)! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGepWWM1-1T9EDGG4S_fJDG7fhZMRWh44lg6PwBKhRVPH82tEe5offGnohR2UWiKkS085w9X_ACgB4n2HxwUbM2KYYjx5lPYs25oHIEiygjszw5UC6FQIorj5Yg3F2cexqjeoQ6g/s1600/IMG_1728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGepWWM1-1T9EDGG4S_fJDG7fhZMRWh44lg6PwBKhRVPH82tEe5offGnohR2UWiKkS085w9X_ACgB4n2HxwUbM2KYYjx5lPYs25oHIEiygjszw5UC6FQIorj5Yg3F2cexqjeoQ6g/s200/IMG_1728.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cLluZeDkf5TlK19z3T5HXt5WmGT90LLda9LirOjLtLofeGSV8cTHJiOuAKxzQTLSHOqxTeUzVNRheb17-WtJu-6Y5LNVPG3n12ET7yS2cx9_6IndKJ2S4hGhDfywBSDfFhH24A/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cLluZeDkf5TlK19z3T5HXt5WmGT90LLda9LirOjLtLofeGSV8cTHJiOuAKxzQTLSHOqxTeUzVNRheb17-WtJu-6Y5LNVPG3n12ET7yS2cx9_6IndKJ2S4hGhDfywBSDfFhH24A/s200/IMG_1730.JPG" width="200" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Ringling was kind of obsessed with everything European, so he modeled his home after a Venetian palace and brought European art over for the museum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbqWP2EBRUAfDmm3pIoi-_E1VFeRF_xUMwrYyAm9gLgHRfNnmaYWPYCbF4muYFzIdzHKfHJeoWfHcP3tdudHnY7WgS7tbfaKtdU9KzZFx3JS9BcY8hqWBDNXZy1f13Yfy5pIf0Q/s320/IMG_1745.JPG" width="240" /><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaAEruMi4pSYiYGZE7NXzN65Pr399XUVaLwk3B_IS70UFtmvbv_GZafaySQgg6y8OCyrxI2ePrSGsl5LT0F_0wbx5BXh0DpniR75p29I2aFBOMdnv8flJjZpYj9GO29GLMRofSA/s200/IMG_1746.JPG" width="200" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The grounds were amazing... my camera was running out of batteries, so I didn't get a lot of pictures, but I did manage to snap a few of the Banyon Trees...</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8df1KtlvudzhwJqbrpreTTGpSCXqNCrcG2sHPtOXHAtnFi_lFN1SDRRSJ-QhOI2qdT5Tj8mRPaDPFQZnZl-aZpeycOeZZhfUsDiurkdHwTO9K-pCuA3gLrCtcdLnNWjoFvBgbg/s1600/IMG_1741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga8df1KtlvudzhwJqbrpreTTGpSCXqNCrcG2sHPtOXHAtnFi_lFN1SDRRSJ-QhOI2qdT5Tj8mRPaDPFQZnZl-aZpeycOeZZhfUsDiurkdHwTO9K-pCuA3gLrCtcdLnNWjoFvBgbg/s320/IMG_1741.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviQQo33nQp-wsWyCSdqX9eim0iQS-upjX9dVvMSh7DVJbNh4W5ZacZkPv2loW25bWDERWRb8BLC5lUmILWkTCTlZ21z9ndgktbmy7J2KxttLF1LsgUTBkiXl1VizIvKgaqeJ02A/s1600/IMG_1740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviQQo33nQp-wsWyCSdqX9eim0iQS-upjX9dVvMSh7DVJbNh4W5ZacZkPv2loW25bWDERWRb8BLC5lUmILWkTCTlZ21z9ndgktbmy7J2KxttLF1LsgUTBkiXl1VizIvKgaqeJ02A/s320/IMG_1740.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The house is literally right on the water! There was a wedding on the patio while we were there...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaGxWtcMrDQRU81eh0RczBoNxV93v7tqJ3H9vHgQl0_KHtPh1MNUVJ4QsZBtnil6SLsqXYWu5h-8AgpEmkSCtMuA5Xfu4OcJKddovM6r-mlQXRoDo4aDfRStOWMWIHNENak_9ew/s1600/IMG_1743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cLluZeDkf5TlK19z3T5HXt5WmGT90LLda9LirOjLtLofeGSV8cTHJiOuAKxzQTLSHOqxTeUzVNRheb17-WtJu-6Y5LNVPG3n12ET7yS2cx9_6IndKJ2S4hGhDfywBSDfFhH24A/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaGxWtcMrDQRU81eh0RczBoNxV93v7tqJ3H9vHgQl0_KHtPh1MNUVJ4QsZBtnil6SLsqXYWu5h-8AgpEmkSCtMuA5Xfu4OcJKddovM6r-mlQXRoDo4aDfRStOWMWIHNENak_9ew/s1600/IMG_1743.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaGxWtcMrDQRU81eh0RczBoNxV93v7tqJ3H9vHgQl0_KHtPh1MNUVJ4QsZBtnil6SLsqXYWu5h-8AgpEmkSCtMuA5Xfu4OcJKddovM6r-mlQXRoDo4aDfRStOWMWIHNENak_9ew/s320/IMG_1743.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here we are at the Circus Museum :) </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucI2WlNQTEcU5Rj7bBQu_gJP7uybqJ-c9uKGcQ7hyQ8w3DDoUIhkZZsvuFjx7u8DU1OrU9_pBc8D0aluFUDwbvPgHnDLfwxINDG2izyEJ9hUIWZZxpi_CeqW4EAADJ9G60OlLFQ/s1600/IMG_1738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucI2WlNQTEcU5Rj7bBQu_gJP7uybqJ-c9uKGcQ7hyQ8w3DDoUIhkZZsvuFjx7u8DU1OrU9_pBc8D0aluFUDwbvPgHnDLfwxINDG2izyEJ9hUIWZZxpi_CeqW4EAADJ9G60OlLFQ/s320/IMG_1738.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGu60feuz_crdpg5f3xc4fntLCtx8ySPtAJhs7Gd9iLbVsqJPqyyk58Y73_LZVe-RmcqXGYBxXtIRaqrqAjqu_kITEWy99KGuMlWKHZS42mpPzskNROrXIB-3z4XzI8cA8BSc9jQ/s320/IMG_1736.JPG" width="240" /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-23874140011628982222012-01-18T23:32:00.003-05:002012-01-19T08:52:17.122-05:00One year ago...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This was me a year ago... me and the last gluten that I have eaten (intentionally at least... there was that pretzel M&M that I thought was a peanut one and a few other "oops" moments).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ah, look at it, so fluffy and soft! haha.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, then I look at myself in the picture and realize that giving it up is worth it. Whew, looking pretty rough...of course, this was just a couple hours after coming out of anesthesia (hence the ghostly pale face)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiollZSseESLxc8v_0bAZWM08NJHeOT5VRgXPm_UGdztd16rII4v8yvKx-3RCdnb6wblRKo_HoRatDKcE6VloOpZq5HbuhW42HrRyVjRpwHiB8SRgQr-7DrBXljblp682aILNtLw/s1600/IMG_1619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiollZSseESLxc8v_0bAZWM08NJHeOT5VRgXPm_UGdztd16rII4v8yvKx-3RCdnb6wblRKo_HoRatDKcE6VloOpZq5HbuhW42HrRyVjRpwHiB8SRgQr-7DrBXljblp682aILNtLw/s320/IMG_1619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have learned a lot this year! I'll write more about that later. But, for now I'll just leave you with a quote that I read this morning... it was very appropriate and encouraging for me today:<br />
<br />
<div class="entry-body"><div><div class="item-body"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div>“Our bodies shared the ruin into which sin brought our race. Mortality and corruption took possession of them. They became subject to pain, and weariness, and disease—in every organ and limb. The one drop of poison coming from Adam’s sin has spread itself out and pervaded every part of us. Our flesh, from the cradle to the tomb, is feeble, broken, ready to faint—the cause and the inlet of a thousand sorrows. <br />
All this shall yet be reversed. Former things shall pass away. This head shall ache no more; these hands and feet shall be weary no more; this flesh shall throb with anguish no more. ‘God Himself shall wipe away all tears from these eyes; and there shall be no more death; neither, sorrow, nor crying, for the former things are passed away.’ ‘He will take these vile bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like His own!’<br />
He who once hung upon the cross, but now sits upon the throne, says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ ‘This corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality, and death be swallowed in victory!”<br />
<cite style="font-style: normal;">— Horatius Bonar<br />
<span style="margin-left: 16px;"><a href="http://gracegems.org/19/Bonar_revelation.htm" target="_blank">The Revelation of Jesus Christ</a> </span></cite></div></blockquote><div><cite style="font-style: normal;"><span style="margin-left: 16px;"> </span></cite></div><div><cite style="font-style: normal;"><span style="margin-left: 16px;">I can't wait for that day!! </span></cite></div><div><cite style="font-style: normal;"><span style="margin-left: 16px;"><br />
</span></cite></div><div style="text-align: center;"><cite style="font-style: normal;"><span style="margin-left: 16px;">Here is a picture of me after a year without gluten! </span></cite></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBk1zUhU2LducOEKCCWb6RYyaVh0Xpv2KI4MJWY3u7yH6B5q1gKNI2cImpQ9KvP5HRPAcXLkqzzV_VJXJMCB5VOex4Mf9ygVrYQo6U-EPLS0ppRKaCwINz34wQKJ5ZJCmpRrqrg/s1600/IMG_1342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBk1zUhU2LducOEKCCWb6RYyaVh0Xpv2KI4MJWY3u7yH6B5q1gKNI2cImpQ9KvP5HRPAcXLkqzzV_VJXJMCB5VOex4Mf9ygVrYQo6U-EPLS0ppRKaCwINz34wQKJ5ZJCmpRrqrg/s320/IMG_1342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><cite style="font-style: normal;"><span style="margin-left: 16px;"><br />
</span></cite></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><img height="1" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/OfFirstImportance/%7E4/INLnzy3knkw" width="1" /></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-624669924428290272011-10-27T20:54:00.002-04:002011-10-27T20:57:17.234-04:00Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in meI have been reading the book <a href="http://cdn.desiringgod.org/pdf/books_bfw/books_bfw.pdf">"Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God"</a>. Each chapter is a mini-biography of a Christian woman who was faithful to God's calling on her life...following him wherever he called her to go. You can read the book for free online and I highly recommend it! I just finished the chapter about Helen Roseveare, a missionary doctor to the Congo.<br />
This paragraph sums up what God taught her through her life there:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>As Helen Roseveare stood by our fireplace and looked into their faces, she reached backward toward the mantel and eased a longstemmed red rosebud from a tall vase. As she spoke, she broke off the thorns, the leaves, the petals, the green outer layer of stem—every elementvthat makes a rose a rose. All that was left was a lithe, straight shaft. The pieces that lay on the floor were not bad things. But, she explained, they had to be removed if she were going to make an arrow. God does this to us, she said. He removes everything—even innocent, good things—that hinders us from being the arrows that he will shoot for his purposes at his intended target.</i></blockquote><br />
This week I have also been reading and meditating on Romans 12. I want my life to be a living sacrifice! This poem was included at the end of the chapter on Helen Rosevear, and is a beautiful prayer in response... <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted,<br />
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard,<br />
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,<br />
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.</i><br />
<i><br />
Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow,<br />
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear,</i> <i> </i><br />
<i>Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden,<br />
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.</i><br />
<i><br />
Not I, but Christ, no idle word e’er falling,<br />
Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling sound,<br />
Christ, only Christ, no self-important bearing,<br />
Christ, only Christ, no trace of I be found.</i><br />
<i><br />
Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying,<br />
Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be;<br />
Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit,<br />
Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me.</i><br />
<i><br />
Christ, only Christ, e’re long will fill my vision;<br />
Glory excelling soon, full soon I’ll see<br />
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling—<br />
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.</i></blockquote> [A. B. Simpson, “Christ, Only Christ.”]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-33910555232342142052011-10-22T22:52:00.000-04:002011-10-22T22:52:41.968-04:00Hello? Anybody still there?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8vvznOJ2qaGEJEn8zGEwWNB0IY1r4M85wtPxO_EPP81uWD2FQuXcg86mJ67e7zlhlVWU3M_ptIruifv89PMNse7QNWWbQQTOmbOo73rhyphenhyphenvQOrmxc5oKGDXAJhrXk52NYW12OAQ/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8vvznOJ2qaGEJEn8zGEwWNB0IY1r4M85wtPxO_EPP81uWD2FQuXcg86mJ67e7zlhlVWU3M_ptIruifv89PMNse7QNWWbQQTOmbOo73rhyphenhyphenvQOrmxc5oKGDXAJhrXk52NYW12OAQ/s400/IMG_1723.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCy_TXxEjK3i7vgqA7ROLYCJlouqNMVAhwl-Es5NXw3H-6v1aVN8_FX0YUhMlRXnMpEil0UeMf2N5ISZwCTNKcZXbqfXadjmKJ9pv9j8p_hyphenhyphenpANX9_-3xIWnDap8ERSirhyphenhyphenEyCg/s1600/IMG_1719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<br />
So, I guess I need to catch up on September and October. I got a job and Steve's residency is in full swing! Basically, we have settled into "real life" here in lovely Sarasota...vacation is over. <br />
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I'm working full time as a receptionist in the corporate office of a company who will remain nameless on this blog. If I give the name, then I have to be careful what I say about them since the marketing department keeps a very close watch on what is said on the internet! I'll just say that they make high quality deli meat and cheese. You can find it at the deli counter in your local Harris Teeter or Kroger... or Publix if you are in Florida. I'm enjoying it and eating a lot. There are over 100 people in the office and no one has a direct line, so things stay pretty busy. Occasionally we get some funny calls... customers usually think they are calling directly to customer service and go into their questions/comments/complaints, which can be interesting/entertaining. There was the guy who claimed that he broke his tooth on our product, the people who call just to say how much they like our products and then finally get to the point and ask for coupons (only to be disappointed that we don't do coupons). <br />
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Steve is in his third rotation at the hospital. His first month was in pain management, last month was in oncology and his current rotation is in the Intensive Care Unit. They also keep him busy with lots of presentations, as well as his year long research project. Steve has decided to pursue a specialty in oncology pharmacy. It seems like we just got here, but we are already looking into residency programs for next year!<br />
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One of my favorite things about Sarasota is the sunsets. Since we are on the gulf side we can go watch the sunset at the beach...they are beautiful! Here are some pictures...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj5R2N9sOhj9yCqXg_TmxOaaJBFurk7oOCE7VEWPo41PZGfurWXe7chXQiPwnqb4k6yBlO1sRea44R6WGuzxvGW5fLGIwQyLjUJ_n173VqR8tmfUBGwyeYN9k2sqLaJ4t_Ng1dA/s1600/IMG_1620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj5R2N9sOhj9yCqXg_TmxOaaJBFurk7oOCE7VEWPo41PZGfurWXe7chXQiPwnqb4k6yBlO1sRea44R6WGuzxvGW5fLGIwQyLjUJ_n173VqR8tmfUBGwyeYN9k2sqLaJ4t_Ng1dA/s320/IMG_1620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siesta Key when Mom visited</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9auy1HDl_l22zjwSbdwbpjvGcKFyps2Dt1hlh3iUYmQtyznEscp4tOxEUfpLrInIcyH4-cqSu_Od4rY4pA6IjzrNHI1mX8KijJcg3c6G5RwrVJ79ORp6xBVen9OdP0s3VX0gWsg/s1600/IMG_1617.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9auy1HDl_l22zjwSbdwbpjvGcKFyps2Dt1hlh3iUYmQtyznEscp4tOxEUfpLrInIcyH4-cqSu_Od4rY4pA6IjzrNHI1mX8KijJcg3c6G5RwrVJ79ORp6xBVen9OdP0s3VX0gWsg/s400/IMG_1617.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgUyf7R5_rshUfG_igRwjM084FF6QECRKhH5zk8B2nKwCSAtl2TUa7wgfIgaXWLsfLkztSDBzdn54thlgtDqmzGkYufeRnscAQiWJCAdm_eIxEBK5wU0UMaSCa3V7bOGnCOipwA/s1600/IMG_1678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgUyf7R5_rshUfG_igRwjM084FF6QECRKhH5zk8B2nKwCSAtl2TUa7wgfIgaXWLsfLkztSDBzdn54thlgtDqmzGkYufeRnscAQiWJCAdm_eIxEBK5wU0UMaSCa3V7bOGnCOipwA/s400/IMG_1678.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lido Key the following night</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu91RDBeRo4XNvSc7TlPcV7cQqw9K6FGpodjuj_yjIJGYTbfW-eqt23goyd-uvoZlbZP-0W3Me8UL7-I6USz9m7e1JbNJTLTwvb_3Rv9eojV11UXePoPrNJNme2R5Hfzp6Q4JFqQ/s1600/IMG_1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu91RDBeRo4XNvSc7TlPcV7cQqw9K6FGpodjuj_yjIJGYTbfW-eqt23goyd-uvoZlbZP-0W3Me8UL7-I6USz9m7e1JbNJTLTwvb_3Rv9eojV11UXePoPrNJNme2R5Hfzp6Q4JFqQ/s400/IMG_1031.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siesta Key on our anniversary</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBvYh9jAkDVCoyWVvSHpF0ttUUlShEt6ilhf1sktvAOiGwRjnqLQM0337Tt3jnU7928OJd4QLnYIBYNsRA6ypnUH4VOsNKfCSlKRQ2uWYLk5cBzxByRC57rw3q-eE2zsZYqr81Q/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBvYh9jAkDVCoyWVvSHpF0ttUUlShEt6ilhf1sktvAOiGwRjnqLQM0337Tt3jnU7928OJd4QLnYIBYNsRA6ypnUH4VOsNKfCSlKRQ2uWYLk5cBzxByRC57rw3q-eE2zsZYqr81Q/s400/IMG_1677.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this was right outside of our apartment.<br />
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</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-75681457701328705142011-09-06T20:06:00.000-04:002011-09-06T20:06:32.223-04:00Happy Birthday Steve!<div style="text-align: center;">In August and September I get to celebrate my husband and best friend.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOXhDJNs3U2CUTp9Wkwtj_5NnFOzWdp3xeK0F5PW1kH52DOb13pivZBfk4PehQaLa6-RYW2JwgjYrutRE9r17qHQWbOBk1TMto6TNJy-zDFmgQ70D0zQxXeBW-DapHC6gasd1lg/s1600/stephenandbethanywedding0830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOXhDJNs3U2CUTp9Wkwtj_5NnFOzWdp3xeK0F5PW1kH52DOb13pivZBfk4PehQaLa6-RYW2JwgjYrutRE9r17qHQWbOBk1TMto6TNJy-zDFmgQ70D0zQxXeBW-DapHC6gasd1lg/s400/stephenandbethanywedding0830.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">August 7 was our first anniversary and yesterday was Steve's birthday!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6d6i-xCdryg9VLpFjLvao61pC6li5dF62TRIeaSd_JvutqMHwCY2lTwfYEhEAuelfVNOLa0dcMrqIBhhYHE7H7hGwuLwvmuthFmFvg3tRj3VCdWHWPm_vz8gY4dq58OYFlawQw/s1600/Puerto+Rico+059+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6d6i-xCdryg9VLpFjLvao61pC6li5dF62TRIeaSd_JvutqMHwCY2lTwfYEhEAuelfVNOLa0dcMrqIBhhYHE7H7hGwuLwvmuthFmFvg3tRj3VCdWHWPm_vz8gY4dq58OYFlawQw/s320/Puerto+Rico+059+-+Copy.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Steve is an answer to prayers I prayed and prayers I didn't even think or know to pray. <br />
He is one of the most loving people I know and has helped me to understand the love of Christ in a greater way. He is patient and kind, he is not arrogant or rude, he does not keep a record of wrongs, he is not resentful or irritable, he bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things. He is filled with the Holy Spirit and loves the word of God. He is a hard worker and never complains about long hours at the hospital or the studying he has to do when he gets home. He always makes time for other people.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkYVnx1SvyPAncM49TBijvkvMI4g_ghiY3KI_A6UpI9IdkR4nNT5QoLz2PKxtaJUKEA_qTioT2-ZAj3IFaTntViiGYxWoay4mjoCQlhjT-GaTjq2M8a9PfsREQ7wvUpBefJ6BfA/s1600/Puerto+Rico+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkYVnx1SvyPAncM49TBijvkvMI4g_ghiY3KI_A6UpI9IdkR4nNT5QoLz2PKxtaJUKEA_qTioT2-ZAj3IFaTntViiGYxWoay4mjoCQlhjT-GaTjq2M8a9PfsREQ7wvUpBefJ6BfA/s320/Puerto+Rico+083.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrirqkAyQW7AE40AiQU9GaUR45JTOyyjqUBM4-hoX4gIOj90Ixm2IbsJ7k8x6iACyLvk5ij9dgJClIYAKufpTgIHasgo-w7vBrOvee9SLsPSk7Cs1xRk8xx_QWQjUS4iZp2GUCQ/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrirqkAyQW7AE40AiQU9GaUR45JTOyyjqUBM4-hoX4gIOj90Ixm2IbsJ7k8x6iACyLvk5ij9dgJClIYAKufpTgIHasgo-w7vBrOvee9SLsPSk7Cs1xRk8xx_QWQjUS4iZp2GUCQ/s320/021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"></div><br />
On August 7th of last year when I said "I do", I had no idea everything this year would hold... full of joys, and also some trials, and lots of changes... but I am so grateful God gave me this man to be by my side. He makes life so much fun! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVVzdtUTzHnUXdlDKNfbxnm6waaF6uByKDL257YNh1sSJGngw3H_kR9nghruYy__BN0IqaYy-OaAXa4n1Flyhs8wfza_YAy9aRCN_7R05u7zdhWxyNoO9gJZ0wgarTwfwhFnO1w/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVVzdtUTzHnUXdlDKNfbxnm6waaF6uByKDL257YNh1sSJGngw3H_kR9nghruYy__BN0IqaYy-OaAXa4n1Flyhs8wfza_YAy9aRCN_7R05u7zdhWxyNoO9gJZ0wgarTwfwhFnO1w/s320/IMG_1623.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkYVnx1SvyPAncM49TBijvkvMI4g_ghiY3KI_A6UpI9IdkR4nNT5QoLz2PKxtaJUKEA_qTioT2-ZAj3IFaTntViiGYxWoay4mjoCQlhjT-GaTjq2M8a9PfsREQ7wvUpBefJ6BfA/s1600/Puerto+Rico+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love you cross my heart and hope to live to make you smile,</div><div style="text-align: center;">cause I don't deserve all the times you held me down,</div><div style="text-align: center;">listen to me now, I love you... [Lecrae]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVVzdtUTzHnUXdlDKNfbxnm6waaF6uByKDL257YNh1sSJGngw3H_kR9nghruYy__BN0IqaYy-OaAXa4n1Flyhs8wfza_YAy9aRCN_7R05u7zdhWxyNoO9gJZ0wgarTwfwhFnO1w/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-24832473552991098262011-08-02T21:14:00.006-04:002011-08-02T21:35:45.519-04:00The easiest job in the country<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCw3TWVVHHlqV8hD6kNNByklDBQgD4m_EWyq8GjsUO8Is3x7u5wcJlomKG7DMnfxvGPIchRS_ufXH-or4LUZTLQYxd4aFCCCHTq2hdObF47wcxnRoCkZ_hfuF9ohGyBWSCRHa6Q/s1600/Untitled.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 507px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWCw3TWVVHHlqV8hD6kNNByklDBQgD4m_EWyq8GjsUO8Is3x7u5wcJlomKG7DMnfxvGPIchRS_ufXH-or4LUZTLQYxd4aFCCCHTq2hdObF47wcxnRoCkZ_hfuF9ohGyBWSCRHa6Q/s400/Untitled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636436989283658418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />...is being a meteorologist in Florida. Thankfully the thunderstorms don't usually last very long.Stephen Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441656328009652315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-778289303956955162011-08-02T19:36:00.006-04:002011-08-02T21:14:09.524-04:00Asian Grocery Store Trip - Steve's Inaugural Blog PostFor our next trip to the beach, I want to make something special for Bethany that I used to have as a kid when my family went to the beach called <a href="http://www.justhungry.com/2003/12/obento.html">onigiri</a>. Onigiri are rice balls with various other ingredients. They are a great picnic or outing food.<br /><br />Onigiri can be pretty simple but I lacked one important ingredient. No, don't worry I have plenty of rice. The ingredient I need is a pickled plum called umeboshi. It's not a requirement for onigiri but it almost seemed like one when I was a kid because that's usually the kind we had. My mouth waters a little just writing about it.<br /><br />There are several Asian grocery stores in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. Going to a new store can be exciting but it can be disappointing. I've come to appreciate some Thai, Viet, Korean and Chinese cooking but I am usually looking for something Japanese. Unfortunately, the Japanese section of an Asian grocery store can be quite small.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyomlVR4JZK00TPDtEvqFVLzjy88AfU3uY845YGFRw3jHFvy6ASdxkR61ole3p6Mbn8h_SRwPmGQ6FQnfZOgzij9-IbaUk_7snTfF3K5GyFhih5dgPp0LFlZ_DHJBUsZ_k8ZzyQ/s1600/20110802184951.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyomlVR4JZK00TPDtEvqFVLzjy88AfU3uY845YGFRw3jHFvy6ASdxkR61ole3p6Mbn8h_SRwPmGQ6FQnfZOgzij9-IbaUk_7snTfF3K5GyFhih5dgPp0LFlZ_DHJBUsZ_k8ZzyQ/s320/20110802184951.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636419065191071026" border="0" /></a>I am happy to report that isn't the case with <a href="http://orientalfoodandgifts.com/">Oriental Food and Gifts</a>. I was actually very impressed with what they had. They had everything that I had hoped to find and more. They had all kinds of sauces, noodles, rices, flours, canned vegetables, dumplings, frozen fish (including sushi grade tuna and salmon), mochi and there was even a whole aisle of sea vegetables (I call it that not because I dislike the term seaweed but because it might sound more appetizing to my Western-palated readers). They also had some dishes, cookware and a small selection of clothing.<br /><br />Pictured is what we came away with. Clockwise from top left: nori (the kind of sea<s>weed</s> vegetable that is used to wrap sushi), wakame, bento flakes, wide rice noodles, and in the center is the umeboshi.Stephen Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441656328009652315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-49915468068971162642011-08-01T23:06:00.000-04:002011-08-01T23:06:03.880-04:00The heat is crazy, we are crazier.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my favorite things in Sarasota is the farmer's market every Saturday. Fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, artwork, fresh fish, old guys playing their steel guitar on the street corner, even a booth with g-free baked goods. I love things like this. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIQ5E6kq7drxAHC5rCjXANCqmIcXP9G4_VmS1tmMjs_sitnkH-tUXZ0FImxsWp82yY5hW6kAhAJG4F9sP_pDZdvjHm21eYB8kkpY6e9kvQWrmMFHani7Kba2HGfMFdun7AQQnDg/s320/IMG_1660.JPG" width="240" /></div> In the background is one of my other favorites... Whole Foods!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRTO0YC_PtxKDfYLdFZRD3spCmTL8HCeO_7_iGruTSgyTG8TFXkLgNATIB91y_PSABQjC3PEjoUO8_N-NkbyzcYwaa4ScCGRVDfxyCE_STzO8kgYtjW-SBs6P-zDHYeMcKyAhPw/s1600/IMG_1659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRTO0YC_PtxKDfYLdFZRD3spCmTL8HCeO_7_iGruTSgyTG8TFXkLgNATIB91y_PSABQjC3PEjoUO8_N-NkbyzcYwaa4ScCGRVDfxyCE_STzO8kgYtjW-SBs6P-zDHYeMcKyAhPw/s1600/IMG_1659.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> Steve and I had been talking about walking down there one Saturday morning....well, Steve wanted to run, but then I reminded him who he had married. Anyway, we planned to do it last Saturday... we slept in a little later than planned, then or course I kept forgetting things, so it was already pretty hot when we got started... but that didn't stop us! It was about a 25 minute walk/jog to the Farmer's Market. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRTO0YC_PtxKDfYLdFZRD3spCmTL8HCeO_7_iGruTSgyTG8TFXkLgNATIB91y_PSABQjC3PEjoUO8_N-NkbyzcYwaa4ScCGRVDfxyCE_STzO8kgYtjW-SBs6P-zDHYeMcKyAhPw/s1600/IMG_1659.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRTO0YC_PtxKDfYLdFZRD3spCmTL8HCeO_7_iGruTSgyTG8TFXkLgNATIB91y_PSABQjC3PEjoUO8_N-NkbyzcYwaa4ScCGRVDfxyCE_STzO8kgYtjW-SBs6P-zDHYeMcKyAhPw/s320/IMG_1659.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We picked up a couple things, then headed over to Whole Foods to find some lunch!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZEW5u4kKQ61YJID_8eE1Pq2u-gRaQhx4YTVaq24QKGfHZa_fZp-QjsRlbXdncBU8MtcTmyMCpeQrtTzGO9XZIUWRv9NaiKZ9sZ7FuIBA_mj8mcteJEKAClBpBCLlQCRfvrnqrg/s1600/IMG_1702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZEW5u4kKQ61YJID_8eE1Pq2u-gRaQhx4YTVaq24QKGfHZa_fZp-QjsRlbXdncBU8MtcTmyMCpeQrtTzGO9XZIUWRv9NaiKZ9sZ7FuIBA_mj8mcteJEKAClBpBCLlQCRfvrnqrg/s320/IMG_1702.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> This guy was playing one of those Caribbean drums outside of Whole Foods. Ever since going to Bayfront Park, I thought it would be delightful to go back and have a picnic there. So, we picked took our sushi lunch and walked down there. Here we are nice and sweaty by this point....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpheHzZJpgnGX_QBdbJILcs_SknWDp7ArJVc7ZtbbVekacU0ZClyYvfNPfcAMXvXlYB-3TBFSWB2gwSf13h1lN4Lh7VEii8knuAswhTTjT7pkG3Z7VJBCoi0Il0N2KtthlgV8hvQ/s1600/IMG_1704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpheHzZJpgnGX_QBdbJILcs_SknWDp7ArJVc7ZtbbVekacU0ZClyYvfNPfcAMXvXlYB-3TBFSWB2gwSf13h1lN4Lh7VEii8knuAswhTTjT7pkG3Z7VJBCoi0Il0N2KtthlgV8hvQ/s320/IMG_1704.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">View of the bay from our picnic table....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJYR-j8zssd-Qb43DsdG-zLt1hN2dq3BybrLV1ZnhH_4jAaRCBlce-tsSRelHR6rdTiOoq89RoN-T6p7SNc3YFl4SN7mkTXQdAIu3qdiNQJUXkUHWoC7SohJafEWgn-c8k2MtuA/s1600/IMG_1708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJYR-j8zssd-Qb43DsdG-zLt1hN2dq3BybrLV1ZnhH_4jAaRCBlce-tsSRelHR6rdTiOoq89RoN-T6p7SNc3YFl4SN7mkTXQdAIu3qdiNQJUXkUHWoC7SohJafEWgn-c8k2MtuA/s320/IMG_1708.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Steve really liked the eco-roof on this building. I really like the clouds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoyPaGEqWHzNy7rSt-yjlKqtfuimWbEwXcuHHdWXI02Y_Ss4-giia1pMNvVpA-WD0TljGWOWkIhFHg4u1Tg_obYYB0orzpelnRmGMCPnMGNXNzoEioraAK5qdH8deGz6hQ83l4g/s1600/IMG_1713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoyPaGEqWHzNy7rSt-yjlKqtfuimWbEwXcuHHdWXI02Y_Ss4-giia1pMNvVpA-WD0TljGWOWkIhFHg4u1Tg_obYYB0orzpelnRmGMCPnMGNXNzoEioraAK5qdH8deGz6hQ83l4g/s320/IMG_1713.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0z_rfkZfxYYaDL3IOmrjScg_3HnndLF6d7DhAuP56oxqdaH6R9iUz6o6pgSPTZ1hOyhDcAq9qxKIppwMPmXmNK1lg0oMZf0WyVJbIGHRd9wPqCdN74WAB8Refg-8JyEtXTw60gA/s1600/IMG_1706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0z_rfkZfxYYaDL3IOmrjScg_3HnndLF6d7DhAuP56oxqdaH6R9iUz6o6pgSPTZ1hOyhDcAq9qxKIppwMPmXmNK1lg0oMZf0WyVJbIGHRd9wPqCdN74WAB8Refg-8JyEtXTw60gA/s320/IMG_1706.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After our lunch we were energized for the walk back. There are sculptures all over downtown Sarasota. We saw this one on the walk back...there were a bunch of them, different sizes, in front of the newspaper office building. Kind of random.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfjHc0PJnGeE68EboO2b6h-0QBURvy60j8GfImkkRTqQE9VQMiSBf-BN3QETRhQWr9vTqgOUKDTnI6lzpivGOnlp4_gJ4jum4j9AsdrNVe6LvYclHuOlu36gKS2KYJbxLVbC7jA/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfjHc0PJnGeE68EboO2b6h-0QBURvy60j8GfImkkRTqQE9VQMiSBf-BN3QETRhQWr9vTqgOUKDTnI6lzpivGOnlp4_gJ4jum4j9AsdrNVe6LvYclHuOlu36gKS2KYJbxLVbC7jA/s320/IMG_1714.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bx7onUhG7tcO5vwrpd7l-jfSLaYiJEiDjO4q__7SkkFxeAAuwqBoZWTJkq8kfcNWE67YMAJLtFTxz3TQmuo7dPj8V2vxysrQXLbKS7JX4n70r_GBjATqImestgn65qZe6T3-9w/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bx7onUhG7tcO5vwrpd7l-jfSLaYiJEiDjO4q__7SkkFxeAAuwqBoZWTJkq8kfcNWE67YMAJLtFTxz3TQmuo7dPj8V2vxysrQXLbKS7JX4n70r_GBjATqImestgn65qZe6T3-9w/s320/IMG_1717.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Back home! This path goes from the parking lot back to the little park behind our apartment building. We pretty much crashed after we got home... but it was a fun adventure!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-37350083872647758922011-07-12T22:50:00.002-04:002011-07-12T23:06:21.998-04:00We're in Sarasota!Steve and I are here in Florida and Steve has started his Residency at Sarasota Memorial Hospital! It is a year long residency and I'm pretty excited about <strike>extended vacation</strike> time here!<br />
<br />
I'm trying to get in the habit of bringing my camera with me and taking pictures... haven't gotten a lot yet, but here a few of the things we have done so far. I'll take pictures of our place and post them too... but I need to clean up first. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6enGGLdoY4jMMN30prAb1rq039cmZLMixYKD1EMTyjGt-hppQPfEl1htZdsXmudC7CDKdzIzYO8iBUbk9w9p3Lz-1BPcjHd-kr4ZOPObnWHQQJdRfgvUX5u-ShskS3TvPt0bRQ/s1600/IMG_1628.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6enGGLdoY4jMMN30prAb1rq039cmZLMixYKD1EMTyjGt-hppQPfEl1htZdsXmudC7CDKdzIzYO8iBUbk9w9p3Lz-1BPcjHd-kr4ZOPObnWHQQJdRfgvUX5u-ShskS3TvPt0bRQ/s320/IMG_1628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We live about 5 minutes from downtown Sarasota... one of our first nights here we went down to there to have dinner. We didn't think about taking a picture till it was dark...oops, but can you see the pretty flowers? Sarasota is beautiful!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS30u4GvBleFGkNSj9GjYPUQlm6813Gr-oDPb-141xEjxEwNp1UJEyKRZc2Wt0v6Bcgb6lwH1f08g-CSfbToZokJsdLqQFQ78rDx8V5IafpQtaJ3BX94j0DLoKu38G5Yo4ZAapsA/s1600/IMG_1629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS30u4GvBleFGkNSj9GjYPUQlm6813Gr-oDPb-141xEjxEwNp1UJEyKRZc2Wt0v6Bcgb6lwH1f08g-CSfbToZokJsdLqQFQ78rDx8V5IafpQtaJ3BX94j0DLoKu38G5Yo4ZAapsA/s320/IMG_1629.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf5Kue9PCAUZJjZaJVh98Noj_N1GWUGIochHZ1P_7SGzPugo2QZnyat1TFIf3vomG5ykJuVkLeWiZvBz4RhoRXkWMWO1g5-J1rqz1fhW-SaIbtG7lzmg0x2Lt08GI32e1O39Buw/s1600/IMG_1630.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf5Kue9PCAUZJjZaJVh98Noj_N1GWUGIochHZ1P_7SGzPugo2QZnyat1TFIf3vomG5ykJuVkLeWiZvBz4RhoRXkWMWO1g5-J1rqz1fhW-SaIbtG7lzmg0x2Lt08GI32e1O39Buw/s320/IMG_1630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the closest beaches is at Lido Key, about 10 minutes away from our apartment. We decided it would be fun to go down after dinner to take a walk and watch the sunset....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVI0xM9A2QhaLBnB9KFW9OEjip8lZC7BCIKtQw61aL5FOuUiRXKtKA76AzVhUoc5u-gBA4csKyD1FBPBLvt6ZW8gQ1JG3C9XmPDFKQlFKDrai8cGOaRXeTOnVstgCQSbimK6Dy_w/s1600/IMG_1633.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVI0xM9A2QhaLBnB9KFW9OEjip8lZC7BCIKtQw61aL5FOuUiRXKtKA76AzVhUoc5u-gBA4csKyD1FBPBLvt6ZW8gQ1JG3C9XmPDFKQlFKDrai8cGOaRXeTOnVstgCQSbimK6Dy_w/s320/IMG_1633.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Romantic, right?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQnrFUzbmOJgzgok_Vd-jQmB06P-sgJgLEUUDfGjcTf5a7qKOt-NsrrKPQq5HPn8TMCImfFndWPM8HaDXdEKcdRSN9RGJhHE_QcCXFh9kTrNrm6wef6Ei_0m5voWwBEsjNJHP9Q/s1600/IMG_1635.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQnrFUzbmOJgzgok_Vd-jQmB06P-sgJgLEUUDfGjcTf5a7qKOt-NsrrKPQq5HPn8TMCImfFndWPM8HaDXdEKcdRSN9RGJhHE_QcCXFh9kTrNrm6wef6Ei_0m5voWwBEsjNJHP9Q/s320/IMG_1635.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Until we turned around and realized there was a huge storm rolling in. oops.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwV9qZbqbsfRfzAP34CBfr8o-YHVjVoZFNP8eWbeAA-uu-ACtiUEx6dfpvTgquHQdxbuekT0NLzds3ghEcegVvIUHAFczyjLb3kQ4eJv6dyPyz68sdfiYXz6RLIEbSQn4b8U0tHw/s1600/IMG_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwV9qZbqbsfRfzAP34CBfr8o-YHVjVoZFNP8eWbeAA-uu-ACtiUEx6dfpvTgquHQdxbuekT0NLzds3ghEcegVvIUHAFczyjLb3kQ4eJv6dyPyz68sdfiYXz6RLIEbSQn4b8U0tHw/s320/IMG_1643.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUskILOhLSz4cwoaw9PPhNhbb8_BaifTJOxmwkE2-v3HRB-Nozhcx6bdwgGJfSXxj_1Q2myI3ON4nJU6QZ-klUNMQ1rVYdOyzQucooGlVSN_1pCCPxkuggx7LVca1yxlwaBB__5A/s1600/IMG_1649.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUskILOhLSz4cwoaw9PPhNhbb8_BaifTJOxmwkE2-v3HRB-Nozhcx6bdwgGJfSXxj_1Q2myI3ON4nJU6QZ-klUNMQ1rVYdOyzQucooGlVSN_1pCCPxkuggx7LVca1yxlwaBB__5A/s320/IMG_1649.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It made for some good pictures... you all know how much I love clouds!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULZdmKSR0Cg0Xth-tSLjc8meaqHeju0paboUFYYkpN2aHaPu-lu8VT-_fJ7OqAkIGROh9uc9bLPM55k9Cw4LPdcNkv6-4LawKdrAzvPgX2ggVKfGlt2yDKdilxnrow6XL5fE-Pg/s1600/IMG_1650.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULZdmKSR0Cg0Xth-tSLjc8meaqHeju0paboUFYYkpN2aHaPu-lu8VT-_fJ7OqAkIGROh9uc9bLPM55k9Cw4LPdcNkv6-4LawKdrAzvPgX2ggVKfGlt2yDKdilxnrow6XL5fE-Pg/s320/IMG_1650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stormy.... or sunny? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stay tuned... more of our Sarasota adventures coming soon!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-33121092028041897532010-06-14T22:07:00.004-04:002010-06-14T22:28:36.087-04:00One Year Ago...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDmh_J69jXK-xVIqSMHctLnKG-uVzifMbH4NhojwazldJnfnVjL1MKjM3pXqnMMhHfdJ_UW1qfGCy22mzSg0f5mjVy4_NWhlucbE_n6Ixug27NoIgM_Tik_zoFqKFCWMhKZrVSQ/s1600/Engagement+017+%282%29.jpg"><br /></a><br />.... I got a text from my friend Steve asking if I wanted to hang out after a meeting we were both going to be attending. I said "sure".... we went to Borders. I don't really remember what either of us got to drink... but I do remember realizing that I thought he was pretty cute. He asked if I would want to hang out over the summer so we could get to know each other better. I said "sure" again. Over the summer I learned and observed a lot about him... that he cares a lot about people... that he likes the same kind of food I did... that he takes God's word seriously... that he likes sports....that he is patient...that he is very passionate about Jesus and the gospel... and lots more.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1pyYcbv9e1qEGWRUwumi9eU56uKRuRZyja6QylALGFfMfWXmCpXatTbgKTfbrSOvqI12G3kHDSKugvCxG7lE3Yto9Z1c3lsqHGNZ88dZFwn01F_XUU6Cjelhoh3TSrlg28ITPA/s1600/Engagement+014+bright.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1pyYcbv9e1qEGWRUwumi9eU56uKRuRZyja6QylALGFfMfWXmCpXatTbgKTfbrSOvqI12G3kHDSKugvCxG7lE3Yto9Z1c3lsqHGNZ88dZFwn01F_XUU6Cjelhoh3TSrlg28ITPA/s320/Engagement+014+bright.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482820765112869826" border="0" /></a>Now, we are getting married in 54 days!! I am so grateful for Steve. God has been so good!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-87444695596471100332010-01-31T18:47:00.006-05:002010-02-02T20:41:04.107-05:00Catch Up Time....Another epic fail in blogging! haha... so it's a good time to catch up!<br /><br />Since I promised a Meet Lindsey post a LONG time ago, here it is!! Get ready....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNMbpNhiSUL_u25M9IHC5UjBSz1D4OmiQMk7aqLqTMr97Kng4SmZdqz6XbMXROTmY6VV_gcKpprGTj7-h11e9DR4n7nsazhWN0gpvsT6ciV1wNnzhxVVbdePgjPG0Z__a_B29qw/s1600-h/The+Girls+%40+The+Cave.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNMbpNhiSUL_u25M9IHC5UjBSz1D4OmiQMk7aqLqTMr97Kng4SmZdqz6XbMXROTmY6VV_gcKpprGTj7-h11e9DR4n7nsazhWN0gpvsT6ciV1wNnzhxVVbdePgjPG0Z__a_B29qw/s320/The+Girls+%40+The+Cave.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433823619165816546" border="0" /></a>From left - Lindsey, Hannah, me<br /></div><br />FIRST - to clarify, Lindsey should not be confused with Hannah, which happens often.<br /><br />Since she moved here from Florida a little over a year ago, she just experienced her first time driving in the snow/ice! She can sometimes be heard singing 80's power ballads (but never in her classroom - we hope). In fact, she and Hannah just might be singing some right now. When not singing 80's power ballads or teaching middle school children about Africa she is talking about Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators, watching the Florida Gators, reading about the Florida Gators, or buying Florida Gator paraphernalia. <br /><br /> [Vicki would also like me to tell you that Lindsey goes to the best home group ever... and that she loves her!!] Lindsey serves me and Mandy ALL the time! She cooks me lots of yummy food, teaches me how to be organized, and how to decorate the house. She makes me laugh and encourages me to love God more. We think that her dad and my dad were separated at birth, so who knows... we might be cousins.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXEkrnqWnW03gx2q4tP_w9GljZP4a2GJ2Hjef8GqzUidp_ZDFyw_CbHm7ykMlzonSkP64xYezTEWTW1g0M_tMgzaleZiJ9mB0yUYMSX-HD3RtBygmx20ookgZtb1nDRAHdJQcTA/s1600-h/IMG_0956.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXEkrnqWnW03gx2q4tP_w9GljZP4a2GJ2Hjef8GqzUidp_ZDFyw_CbHm7ykMlzonSkP64xYezTEWTW1g0M_tMgzaleZiJ9mB0yUYMSX-HD3RtBygmx20ookgZtb1nDRAHdJQcTA/s320/IMG_0956.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433825113020563266" border="0" /></a>Me and my wonderful roommates!<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-79852033980881380032009-11-18T22:57:00.004-05:002009-11-18T23:31:06.273-05:00I can't wait for Saturday....<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TSJqz0RQ_ax9NNC0DFLK23G9ckGaefk7ncFrQtaGdxSTySflERtFqYtp4gdtXiPUdWyh_uIEAF4rbxhXlSp6dRzYhvEneri0XnpmqD0Rl1RFPUlZCq6ilXUJuUFx9DJ98bzZCQ/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TSJqz0RQ_ax9NNC0DFLK23G9ckGaefk7ncFrQtaGdxSTySflERtFqYtp4gdtXiPUdWyh_uIEAF4rbxhXlSp6dRzYhvEneri0XnpmqD0Rl1RFPUlZCq6ilXUJuUFx9DJ98bzZCQ/s320/IMG_0598.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405659344000640498" border="0" /></a>Two of my best friends are marrying each other...<br />So, so excited for Matt and Kristin!!<br /><br />I have been friends with Matt since we were 10 years old and both our families came to Raleigh to plant a new church. I met Kristin a few years later when her family moved to Raleigh and started coming to our church. We took dance classes together all through high school. We each went different ways after high school and now here they are 10 years later getting married! I have seen Matt and Kristin both draw near to God as they have walked with him through good times and sometimes hard times. If you know them, you can't help but notice that they each have a genuine love for others. I am overjoyed to see them start their life together!<br /><br />The wedding is outside ... I'm praying for good weather! I have heard rumors of bales of hay, caramel apples and bonfires. All of our friends from youth group who have moved away are coming back for the wedding, so it will be a reunion! I'll try to remember to take lots of pictures :)<br /><br /><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-41064142750999794122009-10-10T22:18:00.004-04:002009-10-10T22:49:32.887-04:00Meet MandyThis is a blog about my roommate Mandy (Amanda) Bradley. She is amazing. She is currently a nurse AND in school to be a nurse practitioner. Which means she is much smarter than me. (On a side note, we - Vicki, Jermaine and I - are currently judging the weight of her purse.) According to Vicki she has to "carry all of the pills for the people". Also, Mandy would like to ask all readers to please visit wax-lips.blogspot.com - at least that's what Vicki says. Mandy spent most of the past week taking wonderful care of her brother who had surgery. She loves her family and friends and can usually be found talking on the phone to one of them.<br />She is our GPS since she knows all the roads in Raleigh. Although she is a lifelong NC State fan, she is gracing the grounds of UNC Chapel Hill with her presence. <br /><br />I've been friends with Mandy for five years now and I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to live with her! We've had such great times of fellowship, prayer, craziness, and laughter.<br /><br />Tune in later this week to meet Lindsey...<br /><br />PS: I am trying to get a picture up, but for some reason Blogger isn't letting me upload one. I will try again tomorrow.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-18403939252140106222009-10-09T09:21:00.002-04:002009-10-09T09:26:46.879-04:00I read this today at the blog "<a href="http://firstimportance.org/2009/10/09/learn-to-translate-all-the-good-in-christ-to-yourself/">Of First Importance</a>" and thought I would share it! Such a good reminder for me. Why do I try to live and conquer sin and trouble on my own when I have died and my life is hidden with Christ?<br /><blockquote><br />“In every temptation let us look up to a crucified Christ, who is fitted<br />and qualified to support tempted souls. Oh my soul, whenever you are assaulted,<br />let the wounds of Christ be your city of refuge where you may fly and<br />live. Let us learn, in every trouble which presses us—whether it be sin,<br />temptation, or any other evil—to translate it from ourselves to Christ. And all<br />the good in Christ—let us learn to translate it from Christ to<br />ourselves.”<br />—Thomas Brooks, <a href="http://gracegems.org/Brooks/golden_key.htm" target="_blank" closure_hashcode_hgzx7v="122">The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures</a><br /></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-24157193997760739392009-09-14T11:27:00.001-04:002009-09-14T11:27:21.317-04:00<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>I just figured out that I can post via email… so I am testing it out today! Hopefully this will increase my # of posts per month so that Carroll will link to me, haha. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>Last weekend I went to <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Folly</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Beach</st1:PlaceType> / <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Charleston</st1:City></st1:place> with Kendra, Shaynah, and Kristie. It was SO much fun. These three girls are a blast to hang out with… wonderful times of laughter and fellowship. I always come away really encouraged and built up in my faith when I spend time with them. I’ll post some pictures when I get home tonight </span></font><font face=Wingdings><span style='font-family: Wingdings'>J</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>Speaking of tonight… I start up my dance class again at 6:15pm! I had a break over the summer and came up with lots of new ideas. Now I just have to actually implement them… please pray God will give me grace for that. There are 15 in the class…twice as many girls as last year! I’ll let you know how it goes.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-33186564958685261432009-09-13T00:42:00.002-04:002009-09-13T01:14:12.124-04:00AfricaSeveral years ago the Lord began to put a burden in my heart for Africa. I remember when Sovereign Grace Ministries first started working with a local church in Nagongera, Uganda. They showed clips in their mission presentation video of the work the church was doing and I felt a love for the people and desire to pray for them grow in my heart. I had never really had a specific burden for any particular country or people group until then. Of course time went by and I would forget to pray and the initial zeal kind of left... until in the past couple months I have come across several different things that have brought the Africa to my mind and prayers again. <br /><br />----- <a href="http://www.anoteofhope.com/">A Note of Hope</a> - Carolyn McCulley is currently in Africa filming for her documentary called A Note of Hope. I love what she is doing and cannot wait to order the film! <br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"A NOTE OF HOPE is part music appreciation and part social social-purpose documentary. It can exist comfortably at this intersection because it explores the legacy of the American Negro spiritual, a song form that has always lived there. These songs are the soundtrack of faith and hope in the midst of suffering, and that is still relevant today. A NOTE OF HOPE follows the musical journey of five American jazz musicians who are musical ambassadors for the cause of children left parentless by HIV/AIDS in Africa. These musicians recast the spirituals into the jazz genre, and then — following the example of those who came before them — give of their time and talents to draw attention to those who still suffer today."<br /></blockquote><br />----- <a href="http://www.giveugandawater.org/">GiveUgandaWater.org</a> - A group from Covenant Life Church set up this site after going to Kiburara Uganda and learning that waterborne diseases were the leading cause of death in that town. <br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"Motivated by what we observed, we returned home and by the end of the year raised enough money to build three wells for the village. Today waterborne illnesses are no longer the leading killers in Kiburara. This year our goal is to build an additional three wells in neighboring villages.... <span class="red">$23</span> provides clean water for one person for the rest of their life."</blockquote>----- I've been reading updates from a friend, John Heeley, who is in Uganda with a group from his church serving practical needs and sharing the gospel.<br /><br />Here are a couple of other wonderful ministries serving Africa (links on the sidebar):<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dare to Share - </span>I met Jonathan and Robin Daniel when I was working with Robin at Cary Christian School. Jonathan is from Zimbabwe and started this ministry to meet the needs of his country by providing educationa, social, physical and economic opportunities to children and families in Zimbabwe.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Covenant Mercies - </span>a nonprofit started by members of Covenant Fellowship Church in Pennsylvania that is dedicated to serving the poor in their own community and beyond. Through Covenant Mercies, you can partner with local churches in Uganda, Zambia, and Ethiopia, to assist in their efforts to care for the many orphans living in their communities.<br /><br />It is really exciting to see all that God is doing!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-14737923634053272702009-09-08T21:34:00.007-04:002009-09-08T22:17:03.658-04:00changes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcwiDwMkFqHWbpRmsNmINlv3ItJo-t7e4PR8mk_xt8G8LIx6wgdubdV94UgGZD1sfbMAMagMck3r21PZhKrhrQG2S2r5XuIoToRncurriTzsGm-kttwo9Dm1JVche-f5ifJGjwA/s1600-h/IMG_0789.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcwiDwMkFqHWbpRmsNmINlv3ItJo-t7e4PR8mk_xt8G8LIx6wgdubdV94UgGZD1sfbMAMagMck3r21PZhKrhrQG2S2r5XuIoToRncurriTzsGm-kttwo9Dm1JVche-f5ifJGjwA/s320/IMG_0789.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379277018767753650" border="0" /></a><br />so... I moved!<br /><br />been here about a month and enjoying it... I am living with two great friends - Mandy and Lindsey.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWt_Pa04FK7cmhkqrgY2gl4jzSChD1ua8Rfz8PHMmnFsKRlvTBg_7dyO2QCI__s_XgEBhvkzB7iYFUy60R9wLu-o315EUJYxhTvqlxrsvAJeHrq1nhYtkVxclyT-NemmBHzxUSmg/s1600-h/IMG_0791.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWt_Pa04FK7cmhkqrgY2gl4jzSChD1ua8Rfz8PHMmnFsKRlvTBg_7dyO2QCI__s_XgEBhvkzB7iYFUy60R9wLu-o315EUJYxhTvqlxrsvAJeHrq1nhYtkVxclyT-NemmBHzxUSmg/s320/IMG_0791.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379277439239454370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNLZGoKYcD9ct7Bvq0JpGSXuXJsl3elyqXidzZ9AgA2Sn5ab31jX-cW3G25IwY5mFchfKRTKf7gbnFSx0vvBXlaHt12YyKqXmlZrDMpClbDYuKKTferQPz03wfg3BVqvxrMNlAw/s1600-h/IMG_0849.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNLZGoKYcD9ct7Bvq0JpGSXuXJsl3elyqXidzZ9AgA2Sn5ab31jX-cW3G25IwY5mFchfKRTKf7gbnFSx0vvBXlaHt12YyKqXmlZrDMpClbDYuKKTferQPz03wfg3BVqvxrMNlAw/s320/IMG_0849.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379277794154647362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfrKQvTzG4hPfkfc-96rqbXkeYPaITVBBhPsgg9gAz9AZVPo1Y643ZuAtbkOVkvK_qTyrMYJzjbDElEghf0JD6t3-PnO5zY1NXPrcpTJTm5F9xXn7z398ONUcQjqa0BQQ1GB1JA/s1600-h/IMG_0850.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfrKQvTzG4hPfkfc-96rqbXkeYPaITVBBhPsgg9gAz9AZVPo1Y643ZuAtbkOVkvK_qTyrMYJzjbDElEghf0JD6t3-PnO5zY1NXPrcpTJTm5F9xXn7z398ONUcQjqa0BQQ1GB1JA/s320/IMG_0850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379278197610517970" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-11191401496541051972009-06-15T21:26:00.005-04:002009-06-15T21:58:49.200-04:00May...<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> ...is my favorite month of the year. This May was super busy, but also tons of fun.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Julie Graduated, sadly this was the best pict I could get from our seats.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7w3TPM_SpgPePGgSwiSG6VwXvk6mK2YKEEnMpCj_y8xSE1WMEuY0dSmH_ivMogGl5KoSDXK0muCya89hKWNfvsLvhNJMCjKLZgSr9-Jm2BmDF3iaoRv4kXKZPAuPops3MDY2RQ/s1600-h/IMG_0360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7w3TPM_SpgPePGgSwiSG6VwXvk6mK2YKEEnMpCj_y8xSE1WMEuY0dSmH_ivMogGl5KoSDXK0muCya89hKWNfvsLvhNJMCjKLZgSr9-Jm2BmDF3iaoRv4kXKZPAuPops3MDY2RQ/s320/IMG_0360.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347733601511788114" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I got much better picts when we went to the arboretum for Mother's Day...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-8GkjepbcVdjodZtnVF_Y4UhRTsyugIMIvqeh4bbdIQOffwZk3rNUfHR90tOBKxGxguM_bDNvyDAHUbz6wAAkHW_LBfsERgrJ3XIrLduHxJcskIdrVNOxGu_aidQuBk7twMSdA/s1600-h/IMG_0373.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-8GkjepbcVdjodZtnVF_Y4UhRTsyugIMIvqeh4bbdIQOffwZk3rNUfHR90tOBKxGxguM_bDNvyDAHUbz6wAAkHW_LBfsERgrJ3XIrLduHxJcskIdrVNOxGu_aidQuBk7twMSdA/s320/IMG_0373.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347736056321335346" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-u-Ss1OnlaMx-FgLVSpbwIrLySi4uA_17FPXp3hS05fQoDj3lh-Y0Cmih5ahTo-A7xteVKVdUnHdCAOv7lsmbt_ChBBBp41Xr1k9H6xnT4cMD1C4AwdZDTBrI5WQUIv85B-wBg/s1600-h/IMG_0374.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-u-Ss1OnlaMx-FgLVSpbwIrLySi4uA_17FPXp3hS05fQoDj3lh-Y0Cmih5ahTo-A7xteVKVdUnHdCAOv7lsmbt_ChBBBp41Xr1k9H6xnT4cMD1C4AwdZDTBrI5WQUIv85B-wBg/s320/IMG_0374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347733616847437842" border="0" /></a><br />.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fJNjRoyCRAKOTAmpeav_96UfLDrzkHkHWO12-PcvgmD9Kb_-epFkLaUKFyK3Wcg8jcTgOkURFDb8sRAgLEevKgFAjERJ7TrZrtAUm2M9mHIg5mYffr42YHebU4Qqw6FPDbTgXA/s1600-h/IMG_0416.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fJNjRoyCRAKOTAmpeav_96UfLDrzkHkHWO12-PcvgmD9Kb_-epFkLaUKFyK3Wcg8jcTgOkURFDb8sRAgLEevKgFAjERJ7TrZrtAUm2M9mHIg5mYffr42YHebU4Qqw6FPDbTgXA/s320/IMG_0416.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347733616333803202" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Haha...this one cracks me up. I love my dad!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRw1Nm5aV0sRg96s258Oq590tUsTY_wWRbZRck233qRSCsoE1Hvad0yPKr6w5tLRk0YmhpzIbIwGdPFsBHJtZt-wYvPQPVbVaPzwR38K27SzUm_vdZb2ZOAjZP8un2J63asoiHQ/s1600-h/IMG_0414.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRw1Nm5aV0sRg96s258Oq590tUsTY_wWRbZRck233qRSCsoE1Hvad0yPKr6w5tLRk0YmhpzIbIwGdPFsBHJtZt-wYvPQPVbVaPzwR38K27SzUm_vdZb2ZOAjZP8un2J63asoiHQ/s320/IMG_0414.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347733609823772194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVTaC8C3xeOUbKTKJMq3zz_SGcAHYDZyVrRpFnOjUEwGHwryJWvLqTwaasitahRTOF3429crdfDzSxqmS-FpQ1cvlNz7grKWwEwWpV4_G-tF4p7tLGw-dAnVjnI8_voweN8FwMw/s1600-h/IMG_0364.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVTaC8C3xeOUbKTKJMq3zz_SGcAHYDZyVrRpFnOjUEwGHwryJWvLqTwaasitahRTOF3429crdfDzSxqmS-FpQ1cvlNz7grKWwEwWpV4_G-tF4p7tLGw-dAnVjnI8_voweN8FwMw/s320/IMG_0364.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347733605978778738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I turned a year older... there aren't any pictures of that, but I do want to say that I was TRULY blessed in many ways on my birthday! When I got to work there was a balloon and card from the girls that included a gift certificate for a massage!! Donna also made me a strawberry pie :)</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Mandy called me on my way to work, Kendra emailed, my family made me a yummy dinner, my dad set off fireworks. It was great. I'm sure I am forgetting all the other things... but yeah, I felt very loved.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I got to have lunch with Kendra, Anne (& Kate!)</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">...and a dance party with Shay and Kendra and Renae :)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Then there was the week of Next-itude, visiting family, and going to Michael & Stacey's wedding. Those pictures will have to wait... because it is time for bed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But...before I go, just wanted to share one more thing. A few months ago I started having these random weeks when I would get incredibly fatigued/exhausted...felt completely drained, couldn't concentrate at work, almost fell asleep at the wheel a couple times, etc. I thought I had pinpointed this as an iron deficiency - so I started taking a supplement regularly, and it seemed to get better - until last week. The same thing happened, I figure maybe I need to go to bed earlier, eat less sugar, exercise more. I scheduled a doctor's appointment in a few weeks. But, then one morning God brought to mind the story of the woman who, after trying every doctor around, touched Jesus robe and was healed. I will still try the practical things I mentioned - but, ultimately, my strength is from Christ. Mickey spoke at church on Sunday about being filled with joy...it was definitely what I needed to hear. No matter how I feel physically or emotionally, God has done great things for me and in his presence is fullness of joy!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Okay, more later...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-72964233664851929872009-06-09T21:30:00.003-04:002009-06-09T21:42:58.725-04:00Failure.<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So,</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> here I am</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> after Kendra called me out for never updating my blog</span>. <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I need a little external push every now and then! (thanks Kendra) I do have more and more friends and family in different cities, states, countries...so hopefully I can do a better job at keeping you all up to date here at the old blog. Honestly, I don't always feel like my life is that exciting or that I have anything really interesting to post about. But... lately God has been reminding me and encouraging me to find joy in what he has given me to do each day and what he has placed in my life right now. He really has blessed me with a wonderful life! Even though my life at 27 years old might not be what I would have pictured 5 or 10 years ago... (working at a construction company? ... it is the best because it is what God had planned for me. I just started a book called 'Just Do Something', so, I am going to 'just start blogging'. I am hoping that it might help me to be more aware of those little things throughout the day to that make life interesting... and the bigger things that make life exciting (like one of my favorite things, decisions).<br /><br />So, what's going on in life? Most of that will have to come later because it is time to get some sleep. For now, here are some pictures I uploaded...<br /><br /><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30648358.post-69760880435648517362009-06-09T20:43:00.013-04:002009-06-09T21:30:06.473-04:00Spring Happenings...<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">part 1...</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">My dear friend Missy moved to Mexico - this is her dream come true and she has waited and trusted the Lord a long time for it! I miss her, though... this pic is from her going away party.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FosOM1AKviESVYp1eOj5mMpikqBMnCnVQrduV9K7Dn6PY9WJSUrOPVaP9cfoWha-HiClHMAHYwVrmjdyyhxSOrHYcDNN-sJkvi7XevpWqcGrMiYlsWlBP_kBH3msGYp0cejhmA/s1600-h/IMG_0163.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FosOM1AKviESVYp1eOj5mMpikqBMnCnVQrduV9K7Dn6PY9WJSUrOPVaP9cfoWha-HiClHMAHYwVrmjdyyhxSOrHYcDNN-sJkvi7XevpWqcGrMiYlsWlBP_kBH3msGYp0cejhmA/s320/IMG_0163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345495927113737714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Jo finished her first year of college and made the Dean's list!!! She also played her first coffeehouse gig. She was great...and I hear a rumor that she might have another one coming up...</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQSS8u6cBzEciwo8nbQjsclYltDCLKNx-MWcZaYL4AeyYyz3OdWKnsbW4IxXzB3OQF64R4RvYdfNlM5g_yLFoAa_6kcyQTtNvdkItGouYnCRHKMVRFCy1GVn3E2368LWgx7plkQ/s1600-h/IMG_0208.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQSS8u6cBzEciwo8nbQjsclYltDCLKNx-MWcZaYL4AeyYyz3OdWKnsbW4IxXzB3OQF64R4RvYdfNlM5g_yLFoAa_6kcyQTtNvdkItGouYnCRHKMVRFCy1GVn3E2368LWgx7plkQ/s320/IMG_0208.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345503893404219042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNalnsmwoSQJiTMc99hhsHuE0aAFx7cH-XDAQq77qctzFkp2sblmlR-O63TRKnfpBnShyphenhyphenNQBXcdPKyGKu3eKiE85uavdSaxGSNNUHaKggCFehUyWkZVrAASXUZvJZ26efNl7ooA/s1600-h/IMG_0212.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNalnsmwoSQJiTMc99hhsHuE0aAFx7cH-XDAQq77qctzFkp2sblmlR-O63TRKnfpBnShyphenhyphenNQBXcdPKyGKu3eKiE85uavdSaxGSNNUHaKggCFehUyWkZVrAASXUZvJZ26efNl7ooA/s320/IMG_0212.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345504501436006770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Julie's Senior Piano Recital - she was AMAZING!!!</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCo-aKRKPGv_zUPPa7BXppcksxSIy5JZdIheVBObNEMue2Nv-Tu4xrNoZK3Py2OPQJPDzrmFLml8RsFWQg-OvCeBdBv-xK1PC_F5B9-Njg-PIVfnkPlS3WBPJiM4isGBbbKcktjQ/s1600-h/IMG_0236.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCo-aKRKPGv_zUPPa7BXppcksxSIy5JZdIheVBObNEMue2Nv-Tu4xrNoZK3Py2OPQJPDzrmFLml8RsFWQg-OvCeBdBv-xK1PC_F5B9-Njg-PIVfnkPlS3WBPJiM4isGBbbKcktjQ/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345499876471474642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LfFYLBfu_YiEgkCyO0QJeHQKnEOzbbQTH_uOIc_Z-e2b6M6Lm6U559MGT40EvRv6hbBRMcaCu5vc5987GWID9wS0akdlCfpcEhJLZv3U3QHTBrz6N7O8QXmtza7C9cAjh40llg/s1600-h/IMG_0280.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LfFYLBfu_YiEgkCyO0QJeHQKnEOzbbQTH_uOIc_Z-e2b6M6Lm6U559MGT40EvRv6hbBRMcaCu5vc5987GWID9wS0akdlCfpcEhJLZv3U3QHTBrz6N7O8QXmtza7C9cAjh40llg/s200/IMG_0280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345500673601917538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">She also graduated! I didn't get any super pictures at the graduation...oops.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Ava turned three and I got to help with the party...but I took all the pictures on Joy's camera. So, instead here are a couple from Easter :)</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjimNeFOUEpTSN0HCFkz9u9ZNlUo5Vo08PtiaSdCf7Vt7t5zCKum5qly1NdfCZDfWekYVXxjQZoInBPP-QOlKgUVOEp6NYtCz7nhgpmPiiz8l7l5yggo3PaM00NJg5laiX5bKhBg/s1600-h/IMG_0321.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjimNeFOUEpTSN0HCFkz9u9ZNlUo5Vo08PtiaSdCf7Vt7t5zCKum5qly1NdfCZDfWekYVXxjQZoInBPP-QOlKgUVOEp6NYtCz7nhgpmPiiz8l7l5yggo3PaM00NJg5laiX5bKhBg/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345502119189270962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SCM7fYmjI4cicIdDLmaEsDrsrVYowZ_ph0MDaKntrxrwAmegORaq2jyMIgEHSEhmbN6TLnvuLu84qofkd_OfaecXGozxwOMp8VVrNRtsBk_cmEeoSqRPTXO3W1cMBkWSPlbesQ/s1600-h/IMG_0322.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SCM7fYmjI4cicIdDLmaEsDrsrVYowZ_ph0MDaKntrxrwAmegORaq2jyMIgEHSEhmbN6TLnvuLu84qofkd_OfaecXGozxwOMp8VVrNRtsBk_cmEeoSqRPTXO3W1cMBkWSPlbesQ/s320/IMG_0322.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345502456037345698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Also...I made Strawberry Shortcake for Easter. I was excited</span>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH91VfEt0-fVKzYuuzMcxaegRDQA79Np5AbOENdLNnOKVpRMAvGYjFRamQNRTikzZtFjynXExw7dCoado9syDRPgFyqaWJnSqzGLpnzV4_aXTNisIFUf4pzfRd_geTUAO4oLK_w/s1600-h/IMG_0319.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMH91VfEt0-fVKzYuuzMcxaegRDQA79Np5AbOENdLNnOKVpRMAvGYjFRamQNRTikzZtFjynXExw7dCoado9syDRPgFyqaWJnSqzGLpnzV4_aXTNisIFUf4pzfRd_geTUAO4oLK_w/s200/IMG_0319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345502905540500290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">May was super busy.... lots of pictures, so it will have its own post.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14383271315121664731noreply@blogger.com0