i promise i'm alive (ep. 2)

Oh my goodness.

I just wanted to drop in and say a big hello to all the tens of you that read this blog.

{Grin}

:)

But really.

It's been kind of hard to blog because as some of you know, I don't have a computer at my house. That makes the whole blogging thing kind of hard.

{If any of you want to buy me a computer because you love me and my writing that much or simply because you're the most awesomest person ever and have a generous spirit. Let's talk.}

;)

I would say I'm kidding, but crazier things have happened. I assure you. And...I'm really not kidding. Well...only partly kidding. 98% of me is completely serious.

And I would blog at Mom and Dad's but their computer was shipped off somewhere to be fixed 2 1/2 weeks ago and it has yet to return. They're not expecting it back until the END OF DECEMBER.

How does one survive? Good thing my sister and mom can check Facebook on their phone or the world just. might. end. (And mine too, I ain't gonna lie).

Anyway, so that's why it's been the crickets around here lately.

I had the best of intentions to tell you all about the crazy awesome trip to Deeper Still {if you pause the video at the 45 second mark that's TOTALLY me in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. What's up with my hair? And my mouth? Oh well. Moving on.}

I also was going to tell you about the first Thanksgiving without the sister. A synopsis: having Thanksgiving on Saturday is BIZARRE. And I kind of liked it...but at the same time, I was completely thrown off Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Weird.

I was going to tell you how my Christmas tree is STILL not up. Neither is Mom and Dad's. I still have my wreath hanging on my front door. And there isn't a single bit of me that's freaking out over not having my Christmas decorations up .

Not a single bit.

I was going to tell you all about the most fabulous birthday I've ever had in my life. For real. The. most. fabulous. birthday. ever. The only actual gifts I received were 3 packs of sweet tarts {just because I'm curious, what side of your mouth do you chew sweet tarts on? Let's do a study. I'm serious. Stop laughing.} and a very special ornament with the letter 'R' on it that blinks. Oh, and a WHOLE LOTTA LOVE.

Like, a bajillion people wrote on my Facebook wall. I got just as many texts and phone calls and emails. Having caring friends and family and people that you barely know is SO hard. I mean really. So hard.

And...what else...ummm...I met a ton of cool and awesome people at Deeper Still.

Example 2 {example 1 is the link above} ;)
Melanie aka Big Mama. She was so so so sweet. And I told her how I'm awkward too. That in and of itself is awkward enough. But really. I can be so awkward.

P.S. That is one CRAZY eye on my behalf. For real.

Example 3


Kelly from Kelly's Korner was sitting with the Compassion Bloggers and due to some seating issues we got to sit with them on Saturday morning, but this was Friday night when I was like, "Yeah, I read your blog and Harper is so cute and you're just the cutest little pregnant lady."

More awkward.

And while not a cool and awesome person. How about these cool and awesome SEATS thanks to (in)courage and DaySpring??


And again, not cool or awesome people, but I GOT TO EAT CHIPOTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 16 MONTHS AND IT WAS JUST AS FABULOUS AS I REMEMBERED.


Oh, Chicken Burrito Bowl. I'm quite sure you will be served in Heaven. And guacamole, you too.
Sigh.

Okay, so...that's all I have time for. And there were very serious and spiritual things that happened and yes this post is just fluff, but I had to share. I couldn't keep it in any longer!

OH and I got to meet Lisa-Jo and Ann (we are on a first name basis now...ha.)

And I'm being COMPLETELY serious when I say the first words I said to Ann Voskamp were,

"I LOVE YOUR WORDS."

Yes. For real.

I can't go on anymore. Because really. Those were my first words to someone that writes the most beautiful words that I don't even UNDERSTAND sometimes.

Sheer fabulousness.

And awkward.

But we've established I rule at that.

Y'all have a good weekend.

:)

{Sorry, I just don't have time for more words!}

birthdays, microwaves, etc.

It's my sister's birthday today!! She's the big 22! I thought about it this morning and it made me feel OLD. She also had her 'last first day of a college semester' today. She'll be graduating in May and I CAN'T believe it. Really...it hasn't sunk in yet. :( But I hope she had a GREAT day! One of her really good friends threw her a celebratory dinner tonight and I'm sad I couldn't make it up to Conway for it. You see, Sarah knew they were having a dinner but she didn't know that guests were supposed to go to the Goodwill store and get a tacky shirt and wear it to the dinner! It all stemmed from the purchase of the shirt she has on in the picture below. She got that...shirt, from the Goodwill and wears it ALL THE TIME. She's quite proud of it. Toya and I (and just about everyone else in our family) find the shirt atrocious. But...Sarah likes it so, I guess it's okay.



This picture was taken while Toya and Sarah were out shopping one day. It's also Sarah's Facebook profile picture. We hate it...even though my sister is so cute that she even looks cute in ugly clothes. You know those people? She's one of them.



Sarah and I on New Year's Eve! We're so sweet. :)

TOMORROW (the 15th) is one of my best friend's birthdays. Margaret will be 23!!!! OH MY GOSH. Margaret, if you're reading this, you're 23!! That's crazy too. Margaret and I go way back. You see, she used to be one of Sarah's best friends but then I stole her and made her my friend. We even lived together for a summer during college. She always talks about how she's sure she was a bad roommate, but she wasn't :) Margaret and I MIGHT be living together again soon! We don't know yet. We'll see. But I know it'd be so much fun :)



This picture is from when Margaret and Emily (another one of Sarah's friends that I kind of made into one of my friends) visited me in Dallas last March. We were sitting on 635 in Dallas at 2:00 on a Saturday afternoon and the traffic was gridlocked. Don't ask me how...I always thought 635 was more of a parking lot than a freeway, but, anyway, Margaret opens up my sunroof and takes a picture (you can see me in the background laughing. She is crazy!! :)



This picture is from February of 2007 when Margaret and I went up to Conway to see Building429 in concert at Sarah and Em's school. Evidently I thought it was a goofy picture and she was serious, for once. See, Margaret likes to act crazy in pictures. I don't know why. She also likes to jump into pictures. She's a camera hog I guess! :) Hog or not, I love her!! Happy birthday Marge!!

Last, but not least, I finally have a MICROWAVE!! I've been without a microwave since moving back to Mississippi and, while I haven't used it yet, I know it's going to make life easier. Some of the teenage girls from church had a slumber party at my house back in November and when I told them I didn't have a microwave, they didn't know how to react. They asked how I cooked anything. I thought it was quite funny. But, this couple that I go to church with (who's (step)son and daughter-in-law are some of my best friends and new neighbors) got rid of there's and bought a new one. Molly (the daughter-in-law) knew I didn't have a microwave so she called me up and asked if I still needed one! SO...there's a new addition to the kitchen. I hear it has a mind of it's own and that I'll probably become frustrated with it quite easily, but hey, a finnicky microwave is better than no microwave at all, right? :)



My 'new-to-me' microwave! Thanks Ms. Pam and Mr. Tracy! :)

I apologize for the 'look' of this post. Blogger is being crazy and I can't center and format things. Craziness. Enjoy anyway! :)

P.S. There seem to be a lot of :) in this post. I guess talking about birthdays and free microwaves makes me happy! :)

one year olds, anniversaries and packing...

Well, I'm a week and a day late, but last Monday was Mr. Levi Hall's 1st Birthday!! I was so sad that I had to miss his ball-themed birthday party (I was in Mississippi for my unexpected interviews), but I DID get to see him on his actual birthday :) We celebrated with some ice cream and ball-pit playing.

Levi in his cool 'Wonder Pets' ball pit!!

The birthday boy and me! (with chocolate ice cream on his chin) :)

I'm sure going to miss this special family once I move back to Mississippi. They know how to have fun! Plus, they're the first people that I met in Dallas that were genuinely just full of niceness (is that a word?) and God's love. Inviting me over to their 'supper club' after having known me for less than 5 hours. Speaking of which...Wednesday, September 23rd is 'our' 2 year anniversary! Two years ago on that date, I walked into Lake Highlands Baptist Church and met them! And we've been together ever since! :) The Halls, albeit, only a little bit ahead of me in years, have become my 'parents', siblings, best friends, etc. while being in Dallas. I go to them with questions about what to do (they've seen a lot in their life), just to hang out, or whatever. So...happy anniversary to us!!

Christy was eating ice cream and made a funny face, so I had her re-enact it. But...it didn't really work out :)

I've been packing up for the past week and I'm ALMOST there. The main thing left is the bedroom, which means, clothes. Can I just say that I do not like folding or hanging up clothes? I'll wash clothes, fold towels, whatever, but t-shirts and jeans and shorts and that sort of stuff? I hate it. I thought the kitchen packing was bad...I may have been kidding myself. I guess we'll see if the bedroom is worse. I've also discovered that you have to have good tunes to have playing while you're packing. My fave albums that have been on repeat are Switchfoot's 'Oh! Gravity.', Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida', Carrie Underwood's 'Carnival Ride', Nichole Nordeman's 'Woven and Spun', and the 'Across the Universe' Soundtrack.

Wow, that doesn't really look like a lot...but it is. What a pain!

Wish me luck with the rest of packing! The moving of stuff happens Thursday!

back among the living

I have mono. And mono sucks. And for 8 of the last 10 work days, I've been home sick. Sunday was my first day back to church in two weeks and boy did it feel nice. Not only did Christy make an awesome banana cake for Billy's birthday, but we also went out to lunch afterwards to celebrate.

Me, Christy, Levi and Billy on his 31st! :)

I'm so glad that I was able to get out of the house because I was about to go stir crazy! Not only that, but to be able to celebrate a fun time with friends that have basically become my family in Dallas is also a blessing.

Later that night we went to Campisi's for some pizza with some other friends and I had to get a picture with little Mr. Levi.

I swear he was looking before it flashed! :)

God has truly blessed me with some great friends here in Dallas and I'll be so sad to leave them when the time comes to move back to Mississippi. They miss you when you're not at church, they call and make sure you're okay, they help you out when you're in a bind and they share in the building of memories that I'll hold in my heart forever.

Just an update on the job search, I'm still in the running for the accountant position I've applied for at the largest rural medical center in the U.S. Please keep praying that God's will be done in this area of my life!

Peace, love and friendship! :)