Challenge

Since I'm pretty much house-bound while studying hard for the next 2-3 months, I decided to try something to keep me posting regularly. I saw the 30 Day Challenge that some were doing on FB and I decided to try it (or an adaptation of it) on my blog. I don't always have the time these days to sit down and write, but I thought these would give me a little something interesting to write a few days a week. It's great to feel connected even when I'm crazy busy!  So...Day #1...Post a picture of yourself with 15 facts. 

15 facts:

1. I LOVE New York City. This picture gave me a good intro into my first fact. This is on the Staten Island Ferry and that is the City in the background. My aunt has lived in/near NYC for several years and I love to go visit whenever I can!

2. I'm an introverted person. I hate calling new people on the phone and meeting new people is usually difficult for me.

3. I once owned 2 goldfish named Buttercup and Wesley. Anyone know where those names came from?

4. I went on a summer campaign to Scotland in 2000. Amazing.

5. My dream location to travel to would be Italy.

6. I've known I was special ever since I was born. Just ask my Mama.;)

7. I once climbed a silo in the dark in Arkansas. Pretty sure we were trespassing illegally. I didn't really think about that at the time.

8. My favorite food is Italian.

9. I have visited the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, CA. I gotta say the anticipation was better than the real thing.

10. I take a bath pretty much every night.

11. I took a nighttime swim trip with JMK, RMS, and KGC to Heber Springs, AR.

12. The genre I like to read most is historical fiction.

13. My husband is certainly my best friend. 

14. I have never been on a cruise.

15. I talk to my dog pretty much every day. One day I am positive that he will answer back.

Double Digits!

What's that you say?  I have only 99 days of nursing school left?  We're in the double digits??  Heck yeah!  Now, I promise I will not countdown the next 98 days on here.  Promise.  There might be a couple of reminders along the way though.:)  I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Crazy Love

I just started the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Yes, I know I'm behind the times. I know everyone has probably already read it, but I'm just catching up. I've heard amazing things about this book and, just by reading the first few pages, I'm already believing it. I've already been reminded to constantly reflect on Him and think of His wonders:

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Psalm 19: 1-4

Chan said something else I thought was interesting..."God didn't have to create so many kinds of laughter.  Think about the different sounds of your friends' laughs--wheezes, snorts, silent, loud, obnoxious." Isn't is great to think that God is in that detail??

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? I'd love to hear any opinions or thoughts.

Friday Goodness

I got a little bite of reality today and it was pretty scary and exciting at the same time.  Lord willing, I will graduate and be licensed as an RN in a teeny more than 4 months!  Whoa!!  I was really thinking about it this afternoon as I was putting the finishing touches on my resume and getting ready to send my first for real application.  Whoa again!  Can we get excited please??  This is what I will be spending some of my weekend doing.  Do you have big plans for yours?

I hope that your weekend is wonderful and filled with blessings.  The Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you peace!

Would You Rather...

be here: 

in a warm, cozy cabin in Aspen, Colorado

OR

here:

in a warm, breezy hammock on some beach, somewhere?

Me?  The warm cozy cabin is tempting but I think I'm going to have to go with the warm beach.  I love the snow, but really? 

Calling All Design Geniuses...

...and those who just like a pretty room...

This is what has been on my mind lately:

Chris and I have started looking and dreaming about our nest we hope to buy when I graduate. Graduation-coming soon May 7, 2011!  Can you believe it?  Anyway, we have been looking at neighborhoods and houses to get ideas about where we want to move.  We have found some great houses and possibly the house but I'll wait and share that with you when it's definite.  In the meantime I have been dreaming about decorating that house.  If you can't have it yet you might as well imagine, right?:) I love this living room.  I have to snitch and tell you that it's not Chris' favorite.  That's ok, he's entitled to his opinion. Mostly.:) He thinks we need a neutral sofa and I guess I can see his point.  If we wanted to change it I guess we'd be stuck with a red couch, right?  What do you think?  Any ideas on how to get the look but change it around a little?

Another room I like:

Now, you're not just going to walk in any house and find a kitchen like this.  We would have to make it like this ourselves, but I love these colors and ideas.  I'm loving turquoise right now and I think the cream and butcher block look awesome!  Nothing we would do right now, but I love the idea that one day we might!

Bedroom:

I love the feel of this room although there are some things I would change.  Love the coziness of it!

Guest Bedroom:

I like this cheerful color but I have a blue toile-ish quilt that I would like to put in a yellow room.  Too much yellow?  The blue in the quilt I would say is a porcelain blue.  What do you think?  With yellow pillows?

Last but not least...

The bathroom:

Haha.  Yeah right!  I think any space we have this big will be used for something else.  Isn't this bathroom awesome, though?

Thanks for dreaming with me for a couple of minutes!  It's fun to think about our house and make plans for the future.  Happy Wednesday!

Good Things

I've had a little bit of writer's block lately.  Everything's good, just not much to say.  Does that ever happen to you?  It's been a great weekend with Chris and friends and family.  I really start class tomorrow so I'm thinking that is what has been on my mind.  

Just thought I'd share a passage that really impacted me this week.

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father". The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  Romans 8: 15-17

I love that I am a child of God and that I don't have to be a slave to those fears that plague me.  He's my Abba and what a beautiful belonging.