its been a month

well. its been a month since I last posted. and today I can finally say I am DONE. DONE. and DONE. with Senior Project.

today we had 45 minutes of presentation and questioning our work from the entire semester and its over.

I am so thankful to be only a week and a half away from walking across that graduation stage and waving the ‘peace out’ sign to the entire audience….ok so I wont do that…maybe.

I still have one more small presentation and a test tomorrow, but decided I could procrastinate finishing up those to blog real quick!

More updates coming soon on wedding planning, life after, and everything in between!

Cant wait to share---love you blog world!

Katelyn- OUT.

a heavy heart for Haiti

Tonight when my family got home, some kind of animal had invaded our trash and there was a huge stinky mess. I got a trash bag and went to help my Dad pick it up. The stench was horrendous, but so familiar to the constant smell that surrounds you as you drive through the streets of Haiti. Immediately my heart was reminded of them.

When I returned from Haiti, my heart was often heavy for the people there during the most mundane tasks. Brushing my teeth with clean water. The power not going out during a hard rain. Driving on smooth pavement.

Its hard to not be cliché when you describe an event that absolutely changed your life forever. Its hard to turn a blind eye to people who have held your hands.

Its hard to forget little girls who you had absolutely no language communication with yet the bond you felt them was undeniably straight from the Lord.

Tonight I’ve been thinking about Haiti even more heavily as the news talks about Tropical Storm Tomas headed straight for them. It literally breaks. my. heart. as I think about how most of the country's living conditions still look a lot like this:

I often find myself praying and reflecting in the weirdest moments and tonight as I was washing my face, I was praying fervently “Father God I believe You can change the course of this storm. You can weaken it. You can stop it completely. Please God for the people of Haiti, save them, protect them, from this.”…..God reminded me of His will, and my thoughts not being His thoughts and so I prayed further … “God bring comfort and peace to the children who touched my heart so deeply. Surround them so they will not be afraid.”

It was then I noticed the bracelet that has been on my right hand wrist for the past 3 months. My team made bracelets with the children with beads to remember Bible stories from the story of Noah, to the 10 Commandments, to the story of Christ.

One of the beads was a fish to tell the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. A story of provision.

I pray that tonight as the winds blow, and the rain pours that those children will be reminded of Gods grace, love, provision, and purpose for their lives. I pray they will remember Noah and the covenant God made with the rainbow. I pray they remember the story of Jesus and His love and sacrifice for THEM. And I pray they remember the story of the 5000 and Gods provision for His people.

I pray that they feel the prayers of me and so many others for their safety and strength.

WU #2 (Wedding Update) VLOG!!!

Here is the second installment of our wedding updates! I cant believe how fast time is flying. School has been pretty hectic for both of us and we are so excited for the day when we can settle into our jobs and real life together!

WU #2 (wedding update) from Katelyn on Vimeo.

Hope yall enjoyed it! <3

life lately

Life has been super busy lately. Daniel and I have had exciting stuff going on pretty much every weekend, and we've been 'flip-camming' like CRAZY!!! We cant wait to share videos of some fun adventures with great friends and another WU sooon after that!

Meanwhile, we have a few tests and other school stuff to get through first!

WU #1 Vlog (wedding update)

I know I haven't written in a while….but the end of the summer was nuts and then school started and yada yada….but then Daniel bought me a flipcam and so I’m following in Jitneys Journeys footsteps and “vlogging”. I’m going to start documenting major steps along the wedding process and try and turn this into a more combined “soon-to-be-wed” blog…...so if you enjoy this, stay on top of me and make me keep doing them!!! haha….enjoy!!!

WU #1 (wedding update) from Katelyn on Vimeo.

Boxes.

Through the years several people have used the word “boxy” to describe me. I compartmentalize…everything. Boxes make things neat, organized, and efficient.

For a long time, I compartmentalized God. He had a very large box of course, but a box none-the-less. Because His box was so big, it was easy to say he was an active part of my life…but really…when “things” are in boxes, they are not active---they are contained.

Soon after Daniel and I started dating is when I finally woke up to this Power that I was containing.

Daniel challenged me in so many ways---ways that forced me to open that box and relay fully on God instead of just using Him as decoration.

For the past two years, it has been a daily struggle to be aware and awake to the awesome God I serve. To work to ensure that I am not compartmentalizing Him in certain aspects of life. I still fail at this so often, but I am so thankful that God is showing me these places and giving me opportunities to rely fully on faith.

May 21st I received an email from our campus minister. A mission trip to Haiti through the Georgia Baptist Convention was in the works. July 28th-August 4th. A response was needed by May 26th.

Like a clap of thunder, I heard God shouting “GO” at me before my brain could even process….of course I started sorting through excuses.

School?---My classes would be over.

Work?---I could miss for one week.

Cost?---After reading the fine print---the trip was entirely free to those who were willing, able, and had their passports now.

Amazingly, Daniel and I had received our passports only 3 weeks earlier after applying for them in preparation for our honeymoon next year.

It seemed as if God knew what every single excuse of mine could be and struck them down one by one. I don't think God could have made it any clearer. You’re going Katelyn. I responded “yes, I’ll go” before talking to anyone (even Daniel). I knew God was telling me to go and I didn't want anyone trying to change my mind. 

My heart literally bursts with excitement every time I think about this trip. In my moments of fear, God comforts my heart. In my moments of excitement, I feel like God is cheering right next to me.

Haiti is exactly where I am supposed to be between July 28th and August 4th.

It is a huge leap of faith. It is way out of character for a girl who has never been out of the south east. It is amazing. And it is so much bigger than any kind of box I could ever find.

And I should know, because right now, my life is in boxes. Literal boxes. Since my apartment lease ends July 31st, I must be completely moved out and moved home before I leave for Haiti the 28th.

Right now, I am not sure how I will get it all together and get everything ready and packed for Haiti.

….But I’ve realized, the one thing I truly need for Haiti does not have to be boxed, bagged, or checked…and I praise the Lord for that.  ;)

Pray for our team, and pray for the hearts of the people and children of Haiti.

I'm a big girl now….see my big girl shoes.

Yesterday I accepted a job offer for a full time position beginning in January 2011 after I graduate in December.

Yes it is EARLY to already have a job lined up. Yes, times are tough, but the offer was generous. Yes I can ONLY attribute this to God. He is good. I am thankful.

Suddenly my life has shifted. It has actually squelched some of my senioritis. There is light at the end of the tunnel and the light is good.

I felt grown up as I read over life insurance, medical, and 401k plans.

I feel anxious.

For so much of my last 2 years of college, I have been in survival mode. Just getting by till the next semester rolls around. Trying to take one day at a time, but spending most of the time thinking about what was to come.

Now it is all feeling far to real.

I glance down at my left hand, see my ring, and all I can think about is the dress I will wear in almost 9 months. The one I got last week. The one I would have danced around the store, and worn home if it hadn't been 10 sizes too big. The one I knew was THE ONE after I walked out of the dressing room and saw my mom and sisters faces.

Yes, real life, the life I’ve been praying and anxiously waiting for is coming fast. It is such a conundrum to want to soak up these last 2 semesters of college while also longing for the future.

*Inhale. Exhale. Just breathe.*

My 22nd Year….

So even though I fall on and off the ‘blogging’ bandwagon, I am very consistent with journaling.

I have kept a journal through most of high school and college. There are a few un-written large portions of life, but for the most part every broken heart and celebration is documented.

On April 15th I turned 22.

That night as I got in bed and pulled out my Bible, journal, favorite pen, and highlighter to do my evening quiet time and write about the day, something inspired me to go back and look at my entry on my 21st birthday.

Turns out I hadn't written on my 21st birthday….but I had written 2 days before it…April 13th, 2009….except on this day, I must have been having a day. Instead of a “Today I yada yada yada",  there was a list.

“Things Stressing Me Out” was written at the top and in list/number format I had 10 things that were keeping me awake on that particular evening.

Numbers 1-5 were legitimate stressors.

6 was “I’m ready to be married.”

7 was “I’m tired.”

8 was “Class=gag”

9 was “I want to trust God more in the season I am in right now.”

Then 10 was written at the very bottom line and said “I’m out of freaking room.”

True story.

I laughed while I read and then stopped as I realized I was still letting the majority of the things I had written down be stressors in my life TODAY---2010, a whole year later and it was the SAME things…

I was shocked. and #9 made me be quiet for several minutes as I thought about how much my Type A personality interferes with that happening and how vital it is to remember THAT before I think about anything else that could “stress” me out.

This past weekend Daniel and I went with our Campus Ministry to Secret Church in Birmingham, Alabama where Dr.David Platt is the Senior Pastor. The lesson that night was on The Gospel: Possessions and Prosperity. It would take a series of blog posts to even begin to capture the weight and conviction of this message.

But one of the MANY things that stood out to me was when he talked about “Speaking Accurately”-----such as not saying words like “I’m starving” or “I’m dying” or “I NEED” because really most Americans have no idea what “starving” is…

I say those a lot….most of the time just joking around of course but it put a lot of things I complain/worry about into perspective.

In my 22nd year I want to follow out #9.

I want to sit in my bed (at that point, it will be Daniel and my bed :)on my 23rd birthday and write in my journal that in the past year I have trusted God each day. That I have sought him, and followed HIS will, not mine. And that by doing those I have learned to NOT worry about days to come, but instead learned how to lean on the promises of God.

Most importantly I ALWAYS want to recognize I do those things (and all others), not because of ME, but because of HIM and his abundant Grace.

Feeling like MacGy(Girl)ver

So you know how its like 11:00 pm, you have a huge work presentation the next morning, and your favorite pair of khaki pants can only be worn with stripper high heeled boots because they are so long and even with aforementioned boots they are STILL too long because you are vertically challenged ???

No? You don't know about that? Oh- well, I’m like a pro in that scenario….and it brought on panic until I remembered how my mom had gotten me a sewing kit for Christmas.

I’m not a “sew-er”…… but the kit has come in handy with safety pins and a lint roller and lots of different pretty yarns that I dream about maybe one day learning how to use….except not last night, but as I dug through the kit I stumbled across a ‘semi-homemade’ kind of girls dream…

Heat N Bond.

Genius? Yes.

Works? YES.

I was so excited because I have several pairs of pants I never wear because they aren't really wearable unless I have super high heels on. The world is brighter for short people everywhere!

And for all you amazing ladies out there who can sew---God bless you. Maybe one day I will learn and be crafty, but until then, it is “Heat N Bond City” on my ironing board.

 

(PS: Thanks to all the sweet new followers I have for your comments. I promise to get back on my game in commenting here soon, but for right now I’m just trying to get back into blogging period! I appreciate you all! <3)

A story about a little something I like to call….

Divine Providence.

Today I had a final exam. I left work a little early. Swung by Chick-Fil-A then headed to the school.

I sat in the parking lot and ate my lunch while I studied. I turned my car off-ish….Like the car was off but the clock/radio was still on. I sat there for 30 minutes, then headed inside and rocked out my test.

Before my test I was talking with a guy, Steven, who I have had numerous classes with. We were discussing “Senior Project”- a class he had just finished taking, and one I’ll have in the fall. (The final huge class before you graduate).

After my test, I walked across campus to see the ladies I work with at my on-campus job. I caught up with them for a while, then made the trek back to my car.

Because of construction on campus, I had to walk through a classroom building to get to the parking deck and I ran into Steven as he was coming out of another test.

We jumped right back into our conversation on Senior Project and both walked towards the parking deck. My car was closer than his so we walked to my car still talking and I offered to drive him over to his.

We got in the car, and I went to crank it.

Nothing. Nada. Just that scary “nnnnnnneeeee” sound which roughly translates to “Um, you’re stuck”

Steven was like “Uh you’re battery is dead. I have jumper cables. I’ll jump you off real quick.”

I look to my left, empty parking space right next to my car. (Which almost NEVER happens in our jam packed parking lot).

I save the spot. He comes back. Jumps my car off. Easy-peasy (or something).

*sigh*. It was such a God thing. It could have been a whole lot more hectic. (1) Since I didn't know of anyone else on campus who could jump me off RIGHT THEN. and (2) Because it would have almost been impossible to jump me off regardless with a car right next to me because the spots are so tight.

Has God shown up and shown off in your life like this lately? And even in situations that might not go as blatantly easy as this one, be sure to look to Him and always know things could be a lot worse. There is always something to be thankful for!

She's Gotta Be.....

Dead? Fully ripped by Jillian Michaels? A blog quitter? Out of the country?

Actually, none of the above. Actually I am still only about 10/30th shredded....(word of the wise: doing the shread 2 days a week is no where near the same as every day....obviously).

Unfortunately the only excuse for my absence is being outrageously busy with work....which is fine, because it has made the past month go by so fast that I was shocked when I realized I hadnt blogged in 4 weeks.

I have missed it, and I have missed having time to comment and read about the lives of many of my favorite bloggers.

....But I'm back.....and better than ever ready to pick back up right where I left....

I have so many things I want to blog about but I felt like first I owed somewhat of an explanation, albeit a weak one.

Hope everyone is off to a super weekend!

1 day shredded. 29 more to go.

Today was the day. I ate CFA for lunch and promised myself a hardcore Jillian workout tonight.

I go to my DVD player, press open and prepare to pop in the torture.

Only my DVD player would not open….shaking did nothing. Hitting did nothing. and pausing to update my status on twitter really did nothing….

….so I did what any MacGyver engineer would do…

Operate.

After taking the whole thing apart and removing all the doo-dads, I determined that I knew nothing about DVD players.

Sooo I considered forgetting it, turning on the TV and playing on FB all night…but then I looked down and saw Jillians “grr” face and came up with the next best option.

I unscrewed the top doo-dad, put the DVD in, then screwed it back on….who needs those doors anyway…I felt like I was putting a record on a record player…ancient, I know…haha

It was an intense workout, but I think it is do-able. 20 minutes a day isn't that bad, and I am glad that you can increase intensities once the workout becomes easier…I’ll be on level 1 for a while.

happy monday everyone!

<3 katelyn

Quack Quack

This past weekend my family went down to the lake.

The lake is home for me. We absolutely love our neighbors there and have such a great community.

Last summer one of our neighbors bought 6 ducklings. When they were teeny-tiny she left them in a cage in her basement and I got to hold and play with them. I was thrilled to do that until one of them peed in my hand….moving on though….

She raised them until they were old enough to be let go into the lake.

Two of them have gone missing mysteriously, but the other 4 swim around our cove and always end back up on our neighbors dock, then wander into her garden to snack and quack around…

… then my dog Charlie sees that I am obviously in peril and comes running after me to save me from the ducks…

….quickly ending their snack and quack time….

…but none-the-less giving me a chance to try my hand at ‘wildlife photography’…haha..

hope everyone had lovely weekends!!

Panera Freaks Me Out….

Last night Daniel and I went to Target to just wander aimlessly around. It was wonderful. And since I cant go to Target without leaving with something, and because I know you are dying to know what I got;

-Blue 32 oz Nalgene Bottle

-The Shred by Jillian Micheals (Aside: Dear Ms.Micheals, Forgive me but I will not be able to schedule a time with you until like next Monday because I need one more weekend of non-painful muscles and eating whatever I want. K-thanks.)

-A set of 3 pound weights

-The Knot Wedding Catalog Extraordinaire (It was $10 and worth every penny.)

As I was putting it on the conveyor, I looked at Daniel and said “Wow, bet you cant figure out my life right now….” haha. (I’m not really trying to lose weight as much as just trying to get toned up for my Bridesmaid Debut this May.)

Tonight I met a good friend I hadn't seen in a while at Panera. We were going to go to Atlanta Bread Company but she said it made her clothes smell and we wanted something ABC like so Panera seemed like an obvious next choice.

I got stressed out as soon as we walked in. I’m only been there twice. If I cant say a number to order, I’m lost. So I’m having to calculate what all I need to order together to get the most calories at one time.

There are so many trendy choices with trendy names and ah I just cant decide and the guy is just standing there staring at me like “whattt do yooooou wannnnnnt!?!?!?!” and trendy people on Mac books are looking up at the girls giggling at the counter because Panera is apparently a non-giggling zone.

Ah stressful….I think I’ll just stick to (look away Jillian) my Number 1 at Chick-Fil-a….

:)

katelyn

Monday. March. McLinky. and Me.

Mmmmm well lately I have joined a lot of blog hop links to find some new blogs to read and meet some new friends!

My latest new blog read is Alex at Only Human. She did a quick intro post for anyone who had linked over from Kellys Korner, and I thought it was a great idea so allow me to introduce myself.

I’m Katelyn and I’m alllllmost 22 years old. I’m always cold, except when I’m hot. I’d probably be malnourished if it wasn't for Chick-Fil-A. I am studying Industrial Engineering and will FINALLY graduate in December. I met my fiancé Daniel in Calculus class,  and it was love at first derivative (er something). He is studying Mechanical Engineering so most of our arguments involve thinking our own way is the right way…haha. But we’ve learned how to laugh about it and we have a ton of fun together! I’m learning a lot about submission though especially as I prepare to get married. (I also have a lot to learn about wedding planning, because I totally stink at it.)

I am really close to my family and my sister Zadie is my BEST friend.  My family has a cat and dog that I pretty much equate to younger brothers and sisters. We love them.

I drink at least one Diet Coke today. I love office supplies. I LOVE FOOTBALL. My TV mostly switches between HGTV, Food Network, Lifetime, and TLC. Grey’s Anatomy is about the only show I faithfully watch- but I grew up loving Friends, CSI, and ER. Right now, as I type this- “Secret Life of the American Teenager” is on because it is sick and twisted in a fun kind of way. Daniel and I sit and laugh as we watch. I’m totally into the Bachelor right now too even though I hate it…in a hate/love kind of way. I’m also the type of girl who will sit and watch any kind of educational program. “How its Made”—yes please!

Music equals Country and Christian. I usually only begin liking a pop song after everyone else hates it and is sick of hearing it.

I love taking pictures much to my family's dismay sometimes since I’m always the one saying “Stop- everyone get together so I can get a picture!” For Christmas I got a Rebel XSi and I have no idea how to use it, but I’m learning….haha

In the summer you can find me on the lake. I looove kneeboarding, wakeboarding, and skiing!

I love the Lord and I have so much to learn about life, but mostly I am learning to put my trust in Him each day. He has always been faithful.

I hope you enjoy my blog! I’m so happy March is here. Spring is around the corner and then SUMMER!!

Follow Friday FINALLY!

So I’ve been wanting to do Follow me Friday for quite some time now….but I work on Fridays and sometimes my blogging is sporadic so I just havent…

….but today I get to because I am stuck at my apartment with a MAJOR leak….walking across my living room is like walking through a marsh.

Awesome, right???

Well….kind of because I got to leave work early and spend the afternoon perusing blogs while the maintenance men vacuum up gallons of water!

 

 

Happy weekend everyone!!! Thanks for coming to check out my blog!

<3katelyn

“The Little (Fill in the Blank)”

I’m short.

At (almost) 22 years old, I am 5 ft. even barefoot and soaking wet. (yes I know, whether or not I’m wet has nothing to do with it…)

Obviously I have become pretty used to being closer to the ground  than everyone else….

 

(high school friends from school)

(high school friends from church)

(early picture of me and daniel showing our height comparison)

Its not just that I hang out with tall people…because well, all people around me are tall…including my 3 year younger sister.

Anyway, most days I deal with it (because I have so many other options right, haha)---but for some reason today I was really aware of my height.

I’m not sure if I was just particularly around that many tall people or the phrase “Wow- you’re so short” followed by “aww” was said one too many times….butttt I started feeling weird about being short.

So tonight I came home and turned on my TV and “The Little Couple” was on and I realized I was not that short at all….and it put things in perspective, and I realized that God made me just the way I am and I am abundantly thankful for that….

But then (yes, this post about “shortness” is not short at all…) I saw previews for another “little family” show on TLC….

and I was like…

Seriously??? TLC has like 4 shows on “little people”….

Ahem; “Little People, Big World”, “The Little Couple”, “Little Chocolatears”, and “The Little Family” (I think those are the correct names, am I missing any???)….

So I ask, what's with all the ‘little-lovin’??? Isn’t it kind of out of control now TLC?

Unfortunately though, I am not technically “little”---I’m just short…so don't look for “The Little Lady Engineer” on TLC anytime soon…..haha!

<3 katelyn

You Know You’re from the South…

when it snows like this….

and the roads are like this……

and the local news begs you to stay OFF the roads…..

   …and all you can think about is risking your life car to go here

…for a chicken biscuit, tea, and some coffee…

Happy Snow Day Atlanta!!!!

:)

oh jake….

Here are some quick thoughts while watching the Bachelor.

*Date with Tenley:

“Wow, I really like Tenley, I hope he chooses her.”

“Seriously Jake, lose the mock turtleneck.”

*Double date with Gia/Vienna:

“Poor Gia is stuck on this awful date with awful Vienna.”

“What is Vienna wearing? And why is she wandering around a castle by herself?”

*Date with Corrie:

“Corrie seems really sweet.”

~Corrie claims her virginity~

“OH MY GOSH I love Corrie. She is such a nice girl. He is an idiot if he doesn’t pick her especially because he is going on and on about how he respects that. Wow I really like Jake because he is being so cool with it all!”

*Date with Ali:

“Ali is really obnoxious and saying and doing everything Jake wants. Shes fake. I dont like her.”

*Rose Ceremony:

“Wow. I hate Jake. He is an idiot for keeping Vienna. I dont like her.”

And then I thought about how stupid this show is and how I shouldn't watch it anymore, and then the previews came on, and I set a reminder in my blackberry for next week.

Mmmmm family time…should be interesting!!

Which girl is your pick for Jake???

How To:

….be a good fiancé.

(1) Invite your sister and a good college friend along for a car ride.

(2) Head to downtown Atlanta (stopping to eat at chow baby first).

….and go to a car show!!!

If you cant tell from the video, Daniel was SOOO excited because he loves cars so much. (and every time he said that, my sister died laughing.) (tay-tay is from a youtube video we had been quoting…haha)

Overall, to my surprise, it was a lot of fun.

Of course I don't know what was more fun---the cars, or seeing Daniel like a kid in a candy shop…

 

….and in the coming weeks, I’ll give Daniel the chance to return the favor with a good chick-flick and shopping date!

;)

allow me to introduce…

So, personally, I always enjoy a blog that introduces all the characters that appear in that blog.

So I have decided to start doing that….maybe I will do someone new every week, or maybe it will be every other, or maybe it will just be when ever I remember…

This week….

Allow me to introduce my fiancé, Daniel.

I met Daniel in Calculus. One of my first memories of him was him asking our minimal-english-speaking professor a question in his extremely deep southern drawl and the professor having absolutely no idea what he was saying….A few weeks later he followed me out of class and invited me to Bible study with him….

Daniel is interested in two main things; guns and cars.

If you are interested even in the slightest bit about either one of these things, he will probably be able to talk to you for hours.

(Chances are though, you could be interested in basket weaving, and he would find a way to carry on a conversation. He has a gift for meeting people exactly where they are. He has never met a stranger.)

Daniel is a clean freak. He cleans his bathroom about every week, and his room is always tidy. (oh and I totally LOVE this about him- haha.)

Daniel is happiest when he is doing something. Playing a game. Going somewhere. Fixing something. ANYTHING- he does not like to be sitting still for long. (Sometimes this is a problem. I love downtime.)

Daniel dislikes two main things; stupid people and stupid things.

In traffic if someone cuts him off, he will pull up behind them and put on his brights….even though I tell him (in the middle of the day) that, that is not effective or Christ-like.

Mostly though, he just likes order and when things are out of order his engineering brain wants to fix it. He (and me) work (are convicted most) on patience and love of others even if they don’t do things the way we think they should be done….

At the end of the day, perhaps the funniest Daniel is a sleepy Daniel.

He typically falls asleep in the strangest places, at the randomest times.

One time at my parents house, he had ‘gone to bed’. A few hours later my sister and I headed to our room but saw the lights still on in his room. I knocked, no response so we peeked in and he was passed out asleep across the bed, on top of the covers and everything….I was just going to put a blanket on him, but first I said “Are you hot, or are you cold?” in which he replied “I’m Daniel…”

My sister and I laughed for about a solid hour after that….

He is funny, smart, and an amazing man of God.

My heart leaps at the thought of marrying him.

He is a definite main character in this blog so I hope you’ve enjoyed a sneak peek into who he is!

just feeling blessed

so i need to go to bed….and yet i cant pull myself away from blogs….and then i decided to go ahead and update my blog as well!

so i havent talked about it much, but i am back working full time currently for my ‘co-op’ for school….basically i take a semester off from classes and, well, work…..full time in a job in my major.

my major is industrial engineering….which means i am working in a manufacturing setting.

i really like my job. it is fun and interesting and i have had the chance to meet a lot of really nice people.

it is also a ‘boys club’ meaning i am pretty much the only ‘management’ woman in my department. (i’m not a manager, but i’m not a plant associate so i work with all the managers.)

tonight i decided i needed some girl time so i called up two ladies i hadnt seen in a while and we spent the evening chatting and catching up.

i am SO thankful for good christian girls in my life to talk to and keep my accountable.

i am definitely refreshed and ready to face another day at the ‘boys club’….haha

and then the WEEKEND!!!

:)

Quick Weight Loss Plan?

A week ago my mom got sick. Real sick with a stomach virus. Neither my sister or I were home so my dad took good care of her but eventually had to take her to the ER  before she was able to get a little better.

24 hours later my dad got sick. Real sick with the same stomach virus. (although he didn't have to go to the ER because my mom just shared some of her drugs with him.)

24 hours after that they were better. Weak but better. and my Mom started cleaning* like crazy.

*Some people might read that and be like “yeah yeah cleaning”---but my Mom is the woman who would tell me to clean my room. I would scrub for hours, she would come in, find dust on the blinds and asked me how I LIVED LIKE THIS!!! The woman knows how to clean. She's borderline germ-o-phobe.

Anyway, this past weekend Daniel was working Saturday and my sister had school stuff, so I decided to go home and check in on my parents…resting assured the germs would be gone.

24 hours after I got home I got sick. REAL SICK. Up allllll night long sick with my Mom until about 4:30 when I felt well* enough for my Dad to take me to the ER.

*When I say ‘well’, I mean the intervals between throwing up were about 20 minutes so I thought I could stomach the 19 minute ride to the hospital.

I had to get 3 bags of fluids, and 3 shots of meds before I finally joined the living again.

Today I am SO much better. Still weak and NO food sounds good but better….

Being sick absolutely stinks but I was thankful to be home for my Mommy to take care me….although she said it would have been good in sickness and in health practice for Daniel. haha.

Now my Mom and I are just freaking out because this SUPER virus must not react to Lysol and Clorox or it is hiding in places that our Lysol and Clorox don’t reach….Pray we can get rid of it though and no one else has to suffer from it.

It. Is. AWFUL.

In the end though, our family has lost a combined weight of about 10 pounds from it….I’d rather just exercise….

:)

Hope everyone else is staying well!

dates (and daunting-ness).

The month of January is kind of daunting, especially if you are like me and tend to put life in the perspective of a calendar; 12 months at a time.

The month of January is even more daunting if you are, like me, recently engaged and (in my opinion) embarking on one of the most daunting experiences of your life, planning a wedding.

I’ve caught myself relating the next year (and a little) of my life into specific random days.

There aren't many of them, but these days seem to loom over my head reminding me how quickly 2010 is going to flip to 2011.

Some of the days are TBA. The day I will definitely need to have booked a photographer by…the day I will definitely needed to have decided on a photographer by. The day I will need to definitely begin a search for a real big-girl job. The day I will pick out my wedding dress….

Most of the days however; are legitimate actual days.

April 15th. My 22nd birthday.

May 7th. The last day of my co-op.

May 17th. The first day of my second to last semester of college.

May 29th. My best high school friends wedding, and my debut as bridesmaid extraordinaire.

August 15th. The one year anniversary of the death of my neighbor.

August 23rd. The last first day of my FINAL semester of college.

September 29. Daniels 24th birthday.

November 1st. Daniel and my 3 year anniversary together.

December 11th. One year engaged.

December 18th. Graduation.

December 19th. Real freaking life begins.

But perhaps out of all of these days the one that is pressing into my every thought is the one in which I will become one with someone else. The day I will become a wife.

Yes. The date that all the other days (in my mind) are currently leading up to….the date that all the other days of preparation will finally yield to….

March 5th, 2011.

:)

milk, eggs, and bread….

I’m from the south. I’ve been raised to color dirt in coloring books ‘red’, call any soft drink ‘coke’, and shut down all internal logic/reason with any threat of snow.

Lately it has been intensely cold in the south and even more lately we have had ‘snow clouds’ move through our state.

I am convinced that I experience cold more intensely than most people, so all this coldness has been especially hard on my thin like water blood. I don't like it. I especially don't like ‘in your face’ cold (read: wind).

Regardless of my ‘disdain’ for cold and ice and snow and sleet and freezing rain and wind…I can NOT stop watching the news about the recent snow flurries in my state. It is a sickness.

Evening news. Bundled up reporter. Parking lot of grocery store. Bundled up people……Interviews.

Talk about a combination for some good uh-mazing TV.

Reporter: “So what are you picking up from the store tonight?”

Person: “Oh you know I had to get the staples- milk, eggs, bread…”

WHY? Why are the staples in a snow storm milk, eggs, and bread?

Yesterday, the only thing I was concerned about having (should I get iced in, which I actually am) were diet cokes and Ramen. I knew I couldn't live without the DC (duh) and Ramen is filling and warm. Boom. Done.

If you’re in North Georgia today, stay off the roads and just read blogs all day!

For you more North people who were raised with all this snow stuff- what are your snow ration staples?