Padres Visit

Last weekend, my parents came to Louisiana to celebrate Mom and my birthday's! We had a wonderful time. I absolutely, love my padres. I am so thankful for the people they are. :)

They came in Friday and met me at work. I have changed a lot in my office, and so they were able to see all that I had done! I think it is still kind of surreal to them that I am a 'professional' with a real job in a real office that has four walls and a door. Let's be real, half the time it is still surreal to me! Anyway, we went to eat a Newk's, which is by far one of my favorite places to eat in Shreveport. After lunch, they dropped me back off at work and ran some errands and stopped to visit some friends. We met back at the Mission and followed each other to Arcadia. By the time we got home, David was off work. We had dinner at JR's in Simsboro, and hit the hay early. David and Dad had big plans for early morning bulb hunting!

David and Dad got up before the sun and went searching for bulbs and other various flowers/plants. I love that my husband and dad both share the love of gardening. Growing up, that was always something I loved to do with my dad. We would go to Callaway's, Lowe's, Home Depot, and pick out things. Dad would always let us pick out the "prettiest" flowers and then we would go home and help him plant them. Now, I get to do the same thing with David. :)

Mom and I spent the morning in Bossier attending the Shop for a Cause that the Junior League of Shreveport puts on. We found some wonderful finds, including some great new skirts for me! I got some birthday money, so I treated myself. (Not that I didn't get plenty for my birthday!) Anyway, I always enjoy spending time with my mom.

Once David was off work, Dad was done playing in the yard, and Mom and I made it back from Bossier, we had Subway for lunch and then went to pick up Aunt Char for our afternoon adventure. We headed south to Briarwood. It is about 160 acres of natural gardens. We were about two to three weeks early to really enjoy anything blooming, but did enjoy the time we had there. Everyone enjoyed the tour and riding on the golf cart. The tour guide was over 80 years old and had been giving tours there since he was in 7th grade! The best part was that it was so incredibly peaceful. I told David that I have decided we are going to have a log cabin one day that we can have as our winter weekend getaway! Naturally, I would also like a lake house that can be used for our summer weekend getaways. Hey, you might as well dream big! We are living like no one else so that we can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE! :)

After our tour, we headed to Ruston and went to eat at Portico. David and I were the only ones that had been there before, so everyone else was a little skeptical. However, after the appertizer was devoured, they knew there main course was going to be delicious. Portico was a success and will be repeat!

Since this was a birthday celebrating weekend, Mom and I had found a cupcake bakery that was set up at the Shop for a Cause and got six different cupcakes to share. After dinner, Dad and David dropped off the girls and they went to get the cupcakes from our house and pick up some ice cream. We split each cupcake in half and everyone was able to get to taste them. It was the perfect way to end a great day!

Sunday morning Mom and Dad packed up and headed back to Dallas. But before they left, Mom taught me how to make Baking Powder Biscuts. We have several containers of jelly that people have made locally, and Mom asked why we hadn't opened any of  them yet. I told her we didn't have anything to eat with it. She fixed that! We had a wonderful breakfast and the biscuits will be repeat for sure. While we were cooking breakfast, David and Dad spent the morning outside. We had tilled up a part of our flower bed to expand it, and they were finishing it up. The new flower bed looks wonderful.

Their visits are always too short. We can't wait to see them again at Easter in Dallas. Thank you for everything Mom and Dad! We love you!!

The following are a variety of pictures from the weekend:

David and I SOOOO excited to go on the tour at Briarwood! ;)

Us <3

 Everyone in the golf cart!

 My handsome man.

 Yours Truly.

 Dad taking it all in. Richard was a wonderful tour guide. Pretty sure he could give that tour blind folded!

 Mamasita and Me

 The inspiration of owning a log cabin one day.

 My precious Daddy and me. I love that man so dearly!

 Two of my most favorite men. :)



25th Birthday!

My birthday celebration started on Wednesday, March 16th. One of my best girlfriend's and I went to this place in Shreveport called Painting with a Twist after work. You pay $35 for the evening and they supply all your art materials (blank canvas, 3 paint brushes, and paint) and you can purchase all the wine/beer your little heart desires. April and I had an absolute blast! I am by NO means "artistic" but I love "artsy-fartsy" type things. This evening was just enough artistic to be enjoyable and equally relaxing. Thank you for inviting me April!

This is the finished product. I proudly have it displayed in my office.

 My biggest birthday present, or so I thought, was going to be us paying off debt. We no longer have any credit card bills!!!! We have paid off EVERYTHING except our cars. Praise God! We are continuing to move towards being debt free. :)

To my surprise, David had a surprise up his sleeve. He totally pulled off surprising me with my very first, very own gun! YA!!!!!!!!!!! Just for clarification - I am NOT a redneck, and I will be taking proper gun safety courses. I am super excited that I have my very own hand gun. I really enjoy shooting. I have a long way to go before people start calling me Annie Oakley, but I am improving.

One of the things I wanted to get with my birthday money, was a pair of Vibram shoes. I am so glad I did! They were quite the investment, but I love them. :) 

 I also have been wanting to get new glass frames. I just so happen to stumble upon these frames from the Beehive for $5! I already had my prescription so I just had to get them filled. Total cost for new glasses, frames included: $35! YA!!!!!! How awesome is that!? What do you think? David LOVES them and says, I look very "professional". LOL.

 First thing when I arrived at work, I had a delivery waiting for me at the receptionist desk. To my dismay, Aly and Matt sent a wonderful arrangement of tulips. I was totally shocked. Of course, David knew that they were going to send them to me, but wanted me to be surprised. :) Thank you Aly and Matt!

 I had a lunch meeting on my birthday. It was catered by Counter Culture. My favorite part of the meeting was that dessert was a small cup of frozen yogurt, colored green (for St. Patty's Day) and I got to put sprinkles and mini m&m's on it! Happy Birthday to me!!

David shocked the socks off me with this GORGEOUS display of flowers. They arrived at work while I was at a lunch meeting. They were breathe taking. I had NO idea that he had ordered these!



This is a picture of David and I before I headed to work for the day. I love this man with all my heart. He makes my day, every day so much brighter! Thank you for such a wonderful day. This truly was the best birthday ever!! I felt more love than I deserve.

Unprocessed

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. All churches that have a continuous history extending before AD 1500 observe Lent. The ancient church that wrote, collected, canonized, and propagated the New Testament also observed Lent, believing it to be a commandment from the apostles. (See The Apostolic Constitutions, Book V, Section III.)

This information was compliments from: http://www.kencollins.com/holy-04.htm

I understand not every church, domination, or person participates in Lent. I grew up in the United Methodist Church, and this was common practice from the church I attended in Dallas. I want to make clear that I am not condemning you if you don't participate in Lent - that is your preference and well, so be it - luckily, that is between you and God.

For the past month or so, I have been really praying about what I am going to 'give up' for lent this year. The closer my relationship gets with Christ the more I desire to be healthy, live clean and seeks purity in my life.

The verse 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (NIV).

There is no secret that I have been really trying to get healthy and achieve several fitness goals. With this verse continually coming to mind - I figured God was trying to tell me something. I have gotten better about listening to Him and being aware of what He is trying to tell me. I am making progress people! :) Anyway, I started to do some searching. I knew I wasn't desiring some crazy new fad diet, but something that I can truly implement as a healthy and balanced lifestyle and habits for eating. David says that I have a little hippy/tree hugger living inside of me that is just screaming to come out! Some of these 'little hippy/tree hugger' moments include gawking over local farmers market, seeking out preventive care versus waiting until something is wrong to go to a doctor, wanting to use natural/homeopathic practices versus modern (western medicine), and the list goes on and on. With that said - I finally discovered what I am supposed to do will be a true life style adoption. I no longer want  to eat processed food or carbonated drinks and run every day. Living where we do (no Whole Foods or Central Market here) I know this is going to be a challenge within it's self. Well, have no fear, I am determined to in the next 40 days to grow closer to Christ and seek Him when I am tempted or struggling. This is no small feat, but I know if anyone can help me through this - Christ is the one! And that is just what I plan to do.

The next forty days will be ones of challenge and true intimacy with Christ. It is no secret that I am obsessed, maybe even addicted to bread and cheese, neither are desirable foods - both have there place, but not in the capacity that I consume them. I will continue to stand by my words of balance and moderation, but I do seek healthier living. This is one more small step to continue to move forward with progress. Every step I take to move forward, is made one at a time and done with support and love from so many; most importantly Christ,  my husband and friends/family.

May the next forty days find you well and anxiously anticipating the celebration of one of my most favorite Christian holidays ever: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ aka Easter! There is just something about the broken being restored and redeemed through Jesus, that is simply incredible!!!

 

Parties & Fasting

After living in Louisiana for almost 2 years now, Mardi Gras is no joke. This celebration is alive and well throughout the entire state. David and I both get time off from school for a "mardi gras break" and some businesses even honor this holiday by shutting their doors for the day. Crazy right? Please excuse my ignorance; there is no denying I gladly particpated in Mardi Gras parties, but I honestly never took the time to learn the what and why were we celebrating this holiday? Well, don't worry - this year I got educated. lol.

According to: http://www.americancatholic.org/features/mardigras/ the following information was found. Mardi Gras, literally "Fat Tuesday," has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the "last hurrah" before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.

Not going to lie.... I am not Catholic and I don't believe in having to go through someone to speak to Christ. However, Louisiana is very much a Catholic state (mainly in the south) and well, it is good to be educated on what and why people do things.

Personally I stand behind these two verses:
Acts 4:12 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (NIV).

John 14:6  ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV).

These two verses are what my truth is founded on. I am not here to pass judgement on others, but speak truth and these verses speak for themselves. With that I stand firmly on my foundation in Christ.

From the website: http://www.churchyear.net/ashwednesday.html the following information was found:
In the Western Church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the 40-day period of fasting before Easter. On Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed, mixed with either holy oil or water, and imposed on the head with the sign of the cross, or sprinkled on the forehead. The ashes are made from burning palm branches blessed the previous year on Palm Sunday. When the priest imposes the ashes he says either "remember man you are dust, and to dust you will return" (see Genesis 3:19), or "turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).


The ashes serve a dual purpose. First, as the above words imply, we are reminded of our mortality and humanity as we begin the Lenten Fast. Second, the ashes are a Biblical symbol of repentance, sorrow, and humility. There are many cases in the Scriptures of wearing ashes as a sign of penitence, often while wearing sackcloth. In 2 Samuel 13:19, Tamar puts on ashes and tears her clothes as a sign of sadness and repentance. In Esther 4:1-3, after learning of the king's decree to kill all Jews, Mordecai tears his garments, and puts on sackcloth and ashes. His fellow Jews do the same thing, as well as beginning to fast. The prophet Jeremiah (6:26) urges his readers to "gird on sackcloth and roll in ashes."

I am looking forward to growing closer to Christ through the next forty days. David and I will have many things to celebrate come Easter this year and we can't wait! Some of them include: being in Dallas and sharing time together with my parents, seeing friends and getting to run in a 5k that supports domestic violence. We are excited to get a couple of things off our plate that will be over by Easter. Life is full of seasons and the next forty days will be no exception. I am ready to take the ride!



Half Way

I always thought of Spring Break to be about the half way mark for the semester, well not in Louisiana. (duh). The half way mark is done via Mardi Gras break (at least year, because Easter is sooooo late). David has Monday-Wednesday off of next week, and I get off Monday & Tuesday (from school). I still haven't got quit accustom to the whole MARDI GRAS thing, but whatever. I definitely celebrated enough to last a lifetime in my more 'hethen' days, though. My Spring Break is the week before Easter, then we go for two more weeks and we will be done for the semester! Seems kind of out of whack to me, but whatever. I am just thankful I still have my head above water and I am doing well in my classes. :)

I am half way through my first semester at LSU - Shreveport! I only have 9 more months to go, before I get to walk across that stage with my degree! Ahhhhh. I simply can NOT wait. This is one goal I never thought I would actually achieve, but God had other plans to help push me towards it. I am so thankful for that, because I really do love what I am learning about. Going to school and learning about something you can apply, that makes sense and I enjoy, equals complete success to me!

LSU-Shreveport does a 'half way grading' thing that basically, gives you an idea of what your projected grade will be if you continue down the road that you currently are on. I can proudly report, all three of courses reported: A's! Who knew? I do in fact have a brain. lol.

My goal is to complete my Master's Degree with a 4.0gpa. Apparently, I like to push myself beyond measure, because I subconsciously get some sick pleasure out of it, since I do it more often than not! Seriously though, I love learning about this stuff and can't wait to complete the task.

David is doing just as great, if not better. Go figure. He began his JUNIOR year, yesterday starting the Spring Quarter. He wont hardly brag on himself, so I pick up the slack. :)

This quarter marks so many things for David:
1. He has completed over 60 hours
2. He doesn't have to take any more science
3. He doesn't have any more 'basic' courses to complete
4. He has more than a 3.2 GPA
5. He has successfully completed his 'beginner' accounting courses - with flying colors!
6. He has been asked to join two different National Honors Societies
7. He has been approached to complete an application for the College of Business (COB) scholarship
8. He has been asked to be a part of the 'welcoming' committee for incoming freshman at Tech
9. He has been asked by the dean of the COB to apply for internships for this coming Winter Quarter
10. He has accomplished all of these things and so many more while still making time to be with me. :)

Every day isn't easy, but every day we wake up and move just a little bit closer to our goals. We are learning all about my word of the year: focus.

Quiet Please

Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town library. The only entrance requirement is interest. ~Lady Bird Johnson

This is just a friendly reminder to all who attend and take part in the local public library; be quiet! I know this is an absolutely crazy concept but people actually do go to the library to study, to read, to write and hey, did you know they have more to offer than just the new release DVDs? I know, it is insane. Public libraries are an incredible resource that every citizen of this country should utilize! In the event, that you do happen to grace a public library with your presence, please remember some of the following:

*BE QUIET

*be respectful of others

*control your children. no one else would like to 'play' babysitter while you surf the net.

*check out the books, libraries have books too! Not just DVD's.

*don't come if you are sick, no one wants your nasty germs.

*the staff are human beings, not servants

*this is not the local starbucks, if you would like to talk loudly, and catch up about the town gossip, kindly step outside so others can concentrate.

Hopefully, everyone is clear when you go to the local public library you do in fact mind your manners; trust, everyone else that is in the facility will greatly appreciate it.

Thank you kindly your fellow patron and tax paying citizen,

Anna

Mama Bear

On Friday night, at approximately 10:06pm there was a knock on our door. Who could it be knocking on our door at this hour? David and I knew something must have been horribly wrong. Naturally, Coach went nuts making sure that it was known that Coach was in the house and you better not enter. At times like this, I absolutely love that dog.

David went to answer the door to discover two Arcadia cops and two cop cars in our driveway. What the heck? The cop asked David if we had any dogs. Really? What would make you ask such a question? Anyone in town just heard the warning calls from the dog that is now sitting right behind David. The cop then asked David if that was the only dog we had? David was like why are you asking? The cop told David that we had been accused of stealing a dog.

*****HOLD UP WHAT?!?!?!?******

Oh how I wish I was kidding. David told the cop that we had 4 dogs. Each one we have owned since they were born and have papers on each dog. None of our dogs are stolen, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. David had each dog come out of our room (because they were all asleep - it was 10:06pm at night). The cop was most interested in Coach. Bring it on son. David asked some more questions (typically I thought it was the cop who did the question asking - not in Arcadia - the cops are idiots and I am pretty sure I would serve as a better cop than any one of them!)

The cop told David that someone had called in to the city to report us taking Coach (the dog they thought was theirs) on a leash and putting him in our jeep earlier that morning. Oh, I am sorry did I mention MORNING? And it is now 10PM AT NIGHT! Let's make one thing clear - the Arcadia cops are a joke - and the only thing they do all day is go from gas station to gas station getting different cups of coffee. So if you had a call come in this morning why has it taken you over 8 hours to come and 'investigate'? Just wondering. None the less, we did in fact have Coach out this morning on a leash, putting him in our jeep because we were taking him to the vet for his annual check up.

To make matters worse, the person who called in seeing Coach - is a friend of the owner that is missing their dog. Lovely. I didn't know there was such a protective nature that was in me, until this cop showed up on our doorstep!

Don't worry, the cop came equipped - he had a picture of the 'so called Coach look alike' AKA the missing dog. This is the best part: the dog was a TAN pit bull, with TWO balls, and CROPPED ears.

Clearly, one could see how Coach, who is a white American Bulldog with two separate patches of  brindle with NO balls, could be mistaken for this beloved dog.

I was livid.

A. that means someone was watching our house and B. I felt like someone was going to steal our dogs.

Once the cop realized we weren't idiots and we had a clue, he was like "oh this dog in this picture don't look nutin' like that one rit der" (looking at Coach). Well, DUH.

Both cop cars left.

I HATE Arcadia, and I HATE owners and their friends that are idiots! AHHHHH

Just for the record, please all, get acquainted with our babies. Yes, they are babies and no they are not yours in any way, shape or form. So, kindly please don't mistaken my babies for your mutt. Thank you much.

First: Father Wisdom. Commonly known as Willie. He is our first son. He will be seven this year, and while his breed calls him an American Staffershire Terrier, he is really a cat. He spends his days sleeping and isn't happy unless he is under as many blankets as we will let him have. He is our pride and joy. He is our beloved kitty cat.

 Next, we have Kate Spade. She is the house boss. She too, will be seven this year. She is a toy shih tzu weighing in at 8 pounds. She calls all the shots and will let any one of any size know what she thinks about you. IF she likes you, you are lucky, if not, sucks for you! She is our princess and knows she is special because she gets to watch her boys every night from her perch on our bed.  

Steve Madden, commonly known as Maddie. He will be four years old this year. He is a regular size shih tzu weighing in at just under twenty pounds. He is our special needs child. He is a couple bricks short of a full load. He has always loved my Dad more than either David and I. When we are going to Dallas, Maddie could drive the way - he LOVES his Frumpy!!!

Our youngest baby is by far the largest one. Really he could be a min. horse. This is Coach. Commonly known as Coachers. He is an American Bulldog weighing in at 95 pounds. He will turn three years old this year. He is a bundle of energy and I can't wait for him to get out of his puppy stage. However, Coach is by far the reason when David isn't home, I feel safe. As vicious as Willie looks, he is the world's worst guard dog. Coach on the other hand is a great guard dog. Oh and just in case you were wondering - he is ours and no we didn't steal him - we paid a whole freaking a lot for him!!

Moral of the story - don't mess with Mama Bear, she will do things that she didn't even know were possible if you try and mess with her cubs. This is your fair warning. Thank you for your understanding.

Hugs & Kisses,

Mama Bear

Month End.

Theose two words used to control our life. When I first met David, literally in the first night's conversation, he said to me, "I get the first two weeks of the month, and Countrywide has the last two". We had JUST met. I was googly-eyed over this man, did I really care about what that really meant? No.

Don't worry, I quickly learned - he was not lying. You heard people call Countrywide: a legalized sweat shop - we were in 2005 - is that possible? Yes. Our wedding date is December 2nd - it was planned around month end. Our honeymoon was the first week of January in the new year - it was planned around month end. David wasn't lying to me! I can't tell you how many "date nights" we had at Countrywide or that David's employee's became like family or his boss asking when I wanted to be hired to work there or I knew how to input loans and do submissions better than half the staff..... yep, those were the good ol' days of Countrywide Home Loans. While the money was 'good' Countrywide will forever rest in hell.

Haha. Just kidding, but seriously - isn't it funny that you think something is SO important while you are involved in it and couldn't imagine what your life would be like with out it? Even if it was so unhealthy - in so many ways? Crazy thought, right? Not so much.

What is an even crazier thought is when after all those long hours, years of dedication, working Saturdays, late hours every night of the week and the list could go on and on. When you are handed a box and said "thank you for your service - it's not personal, it's business" after 11 years of service, it seems unfair, unreal, unjust. Somehow none of what you thought was important or a priority, is anymore. Is there a world out there that we can live in that doesn't include Countrywide Home Loans/Bank of America? Much to our surprise, there is!

Totally ironic that now neither of us could imagine David still being employed at BOA! God really does sometimes go to drastic measures to help us. While we thought our life was over, (seems dramatic, but some days very real), God was smiling down on us, watching, and saying your life is just now beginning. It still amazes me to think about all the distractions that we allow ourselves to get involved with and then once those blinders at lifted - it is like WOW there is a whole, big, bright world out there! We have come to very much love this world and our life - without the company of Countrywide or BOA. :)

Month End.

Time heals all wounds, well sort of. Now those words are ones filled with delight and a sense of achievement. We get to look back over our goals for the month and see all the ones that we were able to accomplish! Instead of being beat down, we are continually encouraged. I love the freedom of not being controlled by a place of employment. That sounds like a very 'duh' statement, but you would be shocked at how many people still are very controlled by their work. David and I have incredible hopes and dreams of working in corporate in the future but we have learned some new words: boundaries, balance, priorities.

There will be so many things different when David graduates and goes back into the work place. He will have to work hard and probably pay some dues, but he will never be controlled by anyone or thing again - except God. Every month we are one step closer to being debt free, one step closer to graduation day, one step closer to accomplishing another set of goals we made for ourselves. Who doesn't want to be a part of that month end?! It is incredible to me that God really can do a work in your life and mold you to be a better person, wife, friend, sister, daughter and so many more. We are constantly reminded how wonderful our life is and how thankful we are for second chances.

Month End is now a time of celebrating successes. We will forever keep this concept of that small little phrase.

Humbled by a Tooth

Have you ever taken anything for granted? This morning, David had part 1 of a much needed root canal. While employed through Countrywide Home Loans he had incredible (we know that now) insurance - medical, dental and vision. We were both covered and you guessed it, usual check ups - especially David and especially for the routine dentist appointments, he always had something more important to do at work that he just couldn't get away.

Since moving to Louisiana we have both had medical insurance - praise God for that, but not any dental, or vision. Luckily for low maintenance, routine eye appointments that occur once a year, the local Walmart is good enough to check our eyes for glasses and contacts. We budget for that expense and can 'afford' to pay out of pocket.

Dental and everything about it, is a whole different animal. It is no secret that most individuals working in non profit are not in this career field to become millionaires. With that said, since the Mission doesn't offer any dental insurance for me, one of the 'perks' is that in the event you have a toothache you can be seen by one of the volunteer dentist that come in to the Mission's clinic on dental clinic day. Thankfully, we have not had to use this 'perk'... until today.

David had been complaining about a tooth in the back of his mouth for a while, he came into the clinic at the Mission and it was decided he needed a full blown root canal. Many dentists that come into the Mission's clinic will just pull teeth, put crowns on, things of that nature. Anyway, the nurse who coordinates all the dentist coming into the Mission, said don't worry - he will get the root canal done. I took her at her word, and went back to my office.

She scheduled through one of the dentist that come to the Mission to have us go to his office and get the work done there. We went this morning. While we were incredibly grateful for the dentist to allow for us to come and have him work on David - it was so unbelievably humbling. You want to appear grateful, because we both were, but both of us couldn't help thinking there is someone worse off than us, or about all those times David had to stay at work for whatever file to go through and now he hardly even talks to anyone that he spent all those dreadful hours with. It is just one of those experiences that makes you so thankful that people do still exist that have caring and giving hearts. While on the other hand, makes you so frustrated you didn't take advantage of the things you had, when you did in fact have them!

Aren't life lessons crazy like that? Believe me, David has already written thank you notes to everyone involved in the process, as well as personally thank them. However, eating a piece of humble pie is never easy.

Having said all of that, David's got a 'special mouth'. Really? Did you think anything less? He was in such excruciating pain because as the dentist was numbing his mouth, his tongue and check went numb but his tooth was still sensitive. How is this possible? Because you have two major nerves in your mouth, one to the right and the other on the left. If you numb it and your tongue/check are numb then naturally the middle (your teeth) should be too... right? Nope, not David's mouth. He apparently has secondary auxiliary nerves that come down from where his ear/jaw meets. WHAT? Ya, so the dentist had to numb literally his entire left side of the face. I can't even imagine how much pain he has truly been in. The dentist was amazed that he hadn't pulled out his tooth by himself! David said, that last night he was sure tempted! Anyway, the dentist got everything cleaned out and it is now medicated with a temporary cap on his tooth. David will go back in to see him in March to finish off the job. Poor thing. You know that has to be the worst feeling in the whole world.

Lesson learned: when you have good insurance - no matter what - USE IT! Make time for those annual check ups, or whatever.

We were just extremely blessed to have God's hand over us to help get David's tooth better!

Day 59

If you are American, I am sure you are no stranger to all the different 'reality shows' that are about morbidly obese people losing weight and making life changes.... Some such shows include Biggest Loser, Heavy, and I Used to Be Fat. I have varying opinions about these shows. I am all for lifestyle changes and healthy habits, but I am not so much a fan of watching disgust, laziness, contentedness, status que, acceptance of pity, or the inability to express oneself through nothing but food. I don't know if it is because of my background and my own personal struggles with food, but I feel as though it is a cop out for most people to be SO overweight.

With that said, this past weekend, David was studying for finals and I had completed all my 'to do list' for the day as well as my homework. (Yes, leave me alone, I am THAT person and slightly OCD). I was flipping channels and the show on MTV (which I hardly ever watch) was on I Used to Be Fat. If you haven't ever watched the show it is about high school graduates that have spent their high school days obese and commit the summer to making life changes, so that when they enter college in the fall they can say "I Used to Be Fat!"

My whole life seems as though I was harder on myself than necessary when it came to my looks. Since last November, I have lost about 25 pounds. I have set fitness goals for myself this year that I know will help me continue to my ultimate weight loss goal.



Watching this show, I felt as though I could relate completely. These kids weren't 500 pounds overweight, maybe 60 or so. One of the things they do at the very beginning of every show is put up a calendar that they look at every day. Each day they rip down the number and do it again and again until they are on the last day. They have 110 days to complete the fitness/weight loss goal they set for themselves. With the help of family and a trainer, this is made possible. Naturally, the person seeking change is the one who really has to do the work and if they do, they are almost always successful.



If I am really going to make my goals happen I decided I needed to pick my efforts up a notch. With the weather being so gross outside, I have pretty much just stuck to a modest portioned eating plan and really no physical activity. Last year, I was really getting into running and then ended up with horribly painful shin splints. After taking the time requested off, I have been anxiously ready to get back on the track. To motivate myself I would count down my days to a goal. While 110 days might be perfect for this reality show, I felt like that was a little too long for me and that I might loose interest. I decided maybe 60 days would be a better fit. I found a calendar and counted out 60 days. It landed right before Easter! I just smiled, it was though God was just sitting on the couch next to me - cheering me on - saying, "Hey! You are getting it! You will be successful! You really are understanding what I am trying to teach you!" (David and I have a lot of random things happening that by Easter they will be off our plate!) With that silent encouragement, I found a dry erase board and put it on the fridge. Monday, February 21: day 60.

Today, is day 59.

In the next 59 days I will complete three of the five 5K runs that I have set out for myself to do as well as get to my next goal weight. I am moving forward - slowly but surely. I realize that the very thing that I can't stand watching those 'reality stars' on TV do, is exactly what I was doing. No more self pity for me. Healthy life and eating habits are what I desire. I have the book smarts, now I just have to continue to apply it every day, now and forever and ever. When you look good, you feel better about yourself and when you feel better about yourself you have confidence that just beams from your core.



Moderation and balance are two of the key elements that I am striving to make sure become long term vocabulary.

Cheers. :)

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

**This is compliments from an email I received from LSU-Shreveport. Just thought I would pass it along. Too often people over look eating disorders....

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

February 20 – 26, 2011

Many of us know someone who is constantly dieting. Unfortunately, there are many cases which go beyond dieting, when the concerns become an obsession, with constant worry, restrictive barriers about eating, and compulsive behaviors. These patterns describe an eating disorder, a life threatening illness that affects many college age adults.

It is not dieting and it is not about the food. Eating disorders are a complex collection of emotions, attitudes, and behaviors related to a person’s self-perception and feelings of acceptance. Primarily women are affected; however, it is an illness that is increasingly impacting men and children of all races and in all cultures. According to recent estimates from the National Institute for Mental Health, up to 11 million females and 1 million males suffer from various eating disorders. Many more individuals will develop less severe, but still significantly unhealthy attitudes and behaviors toward food.

If these patterns describe someone you know, please take the time to educate yourself and reach out to them. There is help and recovery is possible. Here are some resources that may be helpful:

o National Eating Disorders Association (http://www.nationaleatingidsorders.org/)

o National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (http://www.anad.org/)

Rolling with the Punches

In the past couple of weeks, the weather has been OUT OF CONTROL. I had NO idea how much I do no like 'winter' weather and much of a tropical person I am! Once David and I get debt free, I really, really, really, want to go to Costa Rica! It is like Hawaii but less expensive. :) Volcanoes and beaches all on one island - how amazingly romantic! I am all in. When we go, this is what I want our view from the room to look like. No pressure Costa Rica!

Did I mention I can't stand cold weather? Well, I can't. Of course David has absolutely LOVED the cooler weather, as he doesn't get along with 10 months of summer sauna weather like I do. What can I say opposites attract? To make myself warm up, I stumbled upon an amazing deal of orange and pink flip flops! They were on sale for $3 and I just HAD to have them. I just so happened to have exactly $3 in change in my purse, so I totally got them. (And yes you just read that correctly, I paid with change). :) I instantly, warmed right up. BRING ON SUMMER. (OK, really like mid 80's and holding would be just fine). While the flip flops aren't exactly like this, they are very similar. Maybe they will help warm you up too if you are still facing dreadfully cold winter weather!

Naturally, while all the winter weather was coming through North Louisiana and we were both home and could do chores around the house, our washer went out. We had a technician come out and replace the pump - thank God for warranties! No charge. We have a very nice washer and it is our intent to keep it for several more years. Arcadia, doesn't have very good filtered water, and so that was the majority of the problem. We now have our washer back and working. Yes, I sure did experience what it was like to wash clothes/towels in the bath tub.... no, I don't have any pictures, but rest assured I am DEFINITELY more appreciative of my washer! :)

We also got a virus on our main PC at the house, and got it to the computer doctor. We now have (knock on wood, and by the grace of God) everything up and working with more memory and updated software for David and I to finish our courses needed for school and not have to drive or go someplace else to complete the assignments! Praise God!

We are slowly but surely, taking one punch at a time and are determined to win this fight! lol.

This is totally random, but I just would like to give a 'shout out' to SUCH a wonderful movie! David and I had dinner the other night with Aunt Char, which doesn't happen very often and we got the movie Secretariat to watch. It was absolutely, incredible. Amazing acting, and such a wonderful story. It was the perfect 'feel good' movie.

***Last thing***

One of the things that I have continued to struggle with is patience; having any for myself, others, life, etc. I come by it naturally :) and I know from watching people in my family that are older than myself, with time and prayer I will eventually learn how to calm down (essentially).

With that being said, I have been in constant prayer (or so it seems) about this sense of myself being impatient and unsettled. We have so many blessings upon us living here in North Louisiana, but for whatever reason I couldn't keep focused on those countless items, instead I was constantly being distracted by the few things that drive me nuts, or worse the daydreaming problem of 'the grass is always greener on the other side'.

This Winter Quarter for David - has flown by, for me it seems to have drug on with no promise to ever end! Dramatic I know, but this is truly how I have felt. Anyway, David was taking a test a couple of weeks ago and was really stressing. I was trying to be supportive, but I have no clue about Business/Accounting courses for college as I didn't ever take one during my undergrad! So really other than encouraging words and being quiet so he can study, that is really all that I could offer.

David was being advised a couple of days later after this big test and wanted to go over what courses he should take this spring. Naturally, I am all about planning and seeing what and how the 'future' will play out. So I was all game. We planned to make a date night out of it and figure his schedule out over sushi. Everything is better with sushi!

That day before our date night, while I was at work, something happened. All of a sudden it hit me, that while I wasn't vocally expressing 'hurry up', 'finish faster', etc. it was though God just made me realize that I was putting un-do stress and pressure on him because of MY own impatient issues and not being able to be content. After discovering this, I happen to come across this prayer:

I have heard this prayer a thousand times, but not until that day did I really understand and realize what it meant. I instantly had a calming peace come over me. It was as though God came down and hugged me. I was going to be OK, we were going to be able to live here and survive, be successful and could be 'content', while being able to enjoy ourselves living in North Louisiana.

That night at dinner, I told David what had happened. He just smiled and while not voicing the truth of me pressuring him, without saying it - I could tell he was relieved and grateful.

Don't we do that all too often to loved ones? Or is it just me? That we can be so consumed and wrapped up in our own thoughts, desires, etc that we unintentionally put pressure on our spouse. Maybe I am the only one. When all of this came to light, I apologized profusely.

David is taking 9 hours this quarter. He will be in class Tuesdays and Thursdays only and he is SO excited! We are both very much learning together. He wouldn't let me take as much of the blame as I wanted too, but I can honestly say, God touched my heart. Because of that, I have found myself having a lot more patience with people and life. I am continuing to embrace who I am called to be in Christ and moving forward. I don't have a deadline on us to move, but to enjoy. This season will be over soon enough, there is no sense in rushing it.

Everyday we learn something new and different about each other and something we like while others we don't. We aren't trying to change one another, but simply be able to lift each other up through Christ. While we may not understand things at the time, we have to believe and trust that we are part of so much more than our little box. God is over the universe, how dare we box Him in!!!

Love on A Shoe String Budget

Valentine's Day

February 14, 2011

After discussing that this year we wouldn't do anything expensive or elaborate to celebrate Valentine's Day, I came home to this note on the door.

David was still at work when I got home, so I went and finished my audio tape in the car. Once he got off work, he greeted me at my car door and escorted me into the house. He said he wanted me to feel as though I was a queen and we were fixing to eat a 5 star restaurant. :)

Lucky for me, I knew not only the Valet Boy, but turns out the chef was pretty hott too!!

He was working hard making a delicate dish called: spaghetti. He was so proud to use a spoon my Mom gave us while she was on one of her trips (I think to Canada) that has a slit in the handle to fit on the pot!

While I waited for the main course to be perfected, he gave me some reading material to pass the time..... it was a wonderful Valentine's Day card!

Apparently I have got one amazing man! (DUH) He got me potted tulips, which I love because then you can plant the bulbs outside once they finish blooming inside! He also wanted to make the evening romantic, and found a single candle. He couldn't find any candle sticks but compromised with a mason jar and filled it with dirt. I honestly, couldn't ask for anything more incredible. :)

He went all out with improvising a real table cloth with some pink sheets I had just washed. Our 'every day' dishes are Fiesta and so he collected all the red plates, bowls, etc to make the perfect color combo table display.

He worked hard at making our dear friend Josh's famous spaghetti sauce (homemade!) and a side salad, complete with Ranch dressing and Texas toast. It was a wonderful meal and time.

Just when I thought dinner was over, he pulled out dessert. He wanted to make my Dad's famous cheesecake, but ran out of time. So, he decided (which I completely agreed) that the choice of Cookies 'N Cream or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough would be just as good.

I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my Valentine's Day evening. After dinner, David had checked out from the Library World War II Love Songs CD and we danced in the living room. He is such a romantic!

We spent a total of $37 for the entire day and both of agreed it was the best evening ever: in and together. It was exactly what the doctor ordered!