I can't believe the blog hasn't been shut down for inactivity.

Hey, there, hey!

Anybody out there? Seems like it has been a life time since I've posted anything on this here blog thing. My life has changed a ton since the last time, anyway.

Aaron graduated from preaching school and we've been working with a local church for over 2 years. We've added three more years to our marriage (AWESOME!). Even better... we've had a baby!!

I'd like to attempt to keep this blog up again. I say attempt because who knows what will happen. We don't even have wi-fi at home! Also, you can see what happened when I made a couple "things I want to accomplish" type list posts. I think I just straight up deleted one because I was so embarrassed I didn't do like ANYthing on the list... so much for my 28th year. :P Maybe now that I'm almost 30, yes its true, I'm more mature and can be a more consistent blogger... maybe.

Mainly I want to write about our daughter. She is so amazing I can't believe it. The goals I've listed on my about me page still remain true, but they are goals. Things you work towards. So again, MAYBE I'll write about other stuff.

In brief, the life which I now live is... Christian, wife, stay-at-home mama trying to do better every day. My dream come true! Well in my dream I'd be a master seamstress...

I think I have 5 official followers. I checked YOUR blogs, you followers... pretty much all (5) of you let your blogs go, too. That means you probably won't even know I'm updating my blog now! ha ha! Maybe someone will do a random Google search and find this blog spot and leave a comment and make me feel stupendous.

I think later I'll give a more detailed update about life lately (for myself obviously) then write about the road to parenthood. Its sorta neat.

This has gone on long enough.

Until next time... could be three more years or 3 more hours. Check back and see.
(Like anyone is actually reading this! So does this qualify as talking to myself?)

Okay. Bye.

Highway 78

Aaron and I are packing our bags again today to make the long drive south on Highway 78 towards home. The drive is long, and very DARK at night. We are always so thankful when we finally make it to our destination. This weekend that is to my mom and dad's house to celebrate my birthday! Last weekend, Aaron and I were with his family. They are so sweet. They celebrated my birthday there, too! MIL made me delicious Southern Beef Stew, YUM! A personalized "L" shaped birthday cake and that's all I didn't have anymore sweets that night and S'mores by a fire later in the evening. I have been dying to have S'mores ALL winter. I had two then thought I was going to be sick. Don't you love that feeling?

 I've gotten 22 out of 28 things for my 28th year. The closer I get to 28 the harder it becomes. This is not to say there aren't a million things I should and need to do to better myself spiritually. It's sort of challenging to sit down and list them all out. I will keep thinking.

Tomorrow morning my mom and I are headed to the local cupcakery to pick out my birthday cup cakes! I expect them to be very delicious! Think "GiGi's Cupcakes"! Thanks, mom! Tomorrow is going to be sort of my last hoorah in the sweets/dessert department. I have really been thinking about how I gave up Dr. Peppers and all other soft drinks. I can most certainly give up sweets and desserts. I won't completely eliminate refined sugar out of my diet completely, at least not right now. However, I know doing so would really put me over the edge in my weight-loss journey. When I work out consistently during the week and eat well and eat enough, I feel really good and the number on the scale even goes down. BUT my middle area just isn't changing much. Hello, sugar! Doesn't sugar cause you to gain/keep weight in your abdomen?

Daddy is grilling pork chops for me tomorrow! I LOVE when he grills pork chops. He said he special ordered some thick cut chops from the butcher. He's such a sweetie pie.

Well anyway, tomorrow I am going to enjoy that those cupcakes, and probably a waffle at Waffle House in the morning. After that, game over. If you see me at the next bridal/baby shower/birthday party and my eye is twitching or I run and hide while I hyper-ventilate, it will be because I'm trying to say NO to all those goodies luring me to them. Ha, as if they have some sort of super powers...

Sunday, Aaron and I have our second job try-out. We are excited and thankful to God for the opportunity. In our minds we think we know how we would like our future to look. Ultimately, God knows what is best for us and where we will be the most effective. I am so thankful for THAT!

Have a blessed weekend "all" you readers! Seriously, the fact that anyone reads what I have to say makes me all giddy inside!

Leading Up to the List

I just want to cry when I think about the past 27 years of my life. Happy tears, of course! When I try to think back and figure out how I got where I am today, I can only think about my God and His wonderful, merciful grace and love. My life has been relatively easy and carefree. God blessed me with a mother and a father who provided my every need and beyond while under their roof.

Sure my little 9-year-old world was rocked when my family moved from Illinois to Alabama. We moved from an awesome house to an even better one. For many years I enjoyed great friendships in two places. I was able to be near my maternal grandparents.

My teeth are straight. I had a car to drive the day I turned 16. I never remember being behind on the clothing trends at the time, although I am now. Ha ha! I had a cell phone like everyone else. Besides all this my parents loved me daily and supported and encouraged me. (They still do!) They taught me right from wrong. They have shown me what real love and dedication is in marriage. So have my grandparents. Even today I know my parents would do anything for me and my husband. It's a shame that when we are younger we don't really want to be friends with our parents and we think they are so "obnoxious". The older I get the more and more I want to be around them and ENJOY it.

Now, in my adult years, in marriage, God's blessed me with a second family to call my own. I have the greatest family-in-law anyone could have. I pray all married people could have in-laws like me. The greatest blessing of all is to share in the fellowship of Christ with your physical family. My husband's family is amazing. They support us and love us. They care for our spiritual well-being. They are simply fun to be around, too! Oh, and they gave me my sweet Aaron. :)

How did I get the husband I have? It's a wonder. It's hard to wrap my mind around God's providence, but I know it's real. If I never moved to AL, if I never dated that one guy, if I never obeyed the gospel, if I never dumped (or got dumped by, I can't remember) that one guy... well you get the picture. Now thanks to my awesome husband and his desire to serve God we are at MSOP and I've experienced some of the deepest, most genuine friendships I've ever had.

All these things are just the tip of the ice-berg in the "ways God has blessed me" department. It would take me days and days and a reallllly long blog post to list every way God has blessed me. On the other hand, how long would it take me to list the ways I have returned the favor? Not that God is counting every good thing I do, He certainly knows and it is important to Him for my salvation. This brings me to my "28 things for my 28th year". I want this list to be spiritually focused. I want to make my 28th year my best one yet in my Christian life. I want to bring as much glory to God as possible. Now that I am to this point in this post I realize it is getting a little long. Stay-tuned for the complete list: 28 things for my 28th year. Hopefully I'll have it up by my actual birthday on Saturday. I have 10 so far. 18 to go. There is a lot I can do for God and others so I'll have no problem completely this list.

Thanks for reading.

Three years gone but not forgotten!

Today is anniversary number 3 for me and AJ! What have the last three years been like? Amazing! Although, I must admit that nothing has really gone according to plan, ha ha. Whatever the plan WAS I am thankful for where we are NOW.

Since today is our wedding anniversary and I haven't blogged "our story" yet I figured today would be a great day to share! Read on if you dare! (I just rhymed... sorry.)

 AJ and I met in 2008 when we went to the Diana singing with a mutual friend... also known as "the guy I was talking to". When I first met AJ I didn't really give him any thought besides "Wow, he's funny!" and "Wow, that guy knows a lot about the Bible!". Anyway, the three of us went to the singing and had a good time. A few weeks later I wasn't talking to TGIWTT anymore... he dumped me! (Yay!) For some reason after that I got on good ol' Facebook to tell AJ I was dumped. From that moment on we were talking daily and for hours on Facebook and finally on the phone. Less than a month after we met we decided to meet for a date. I can't remember if he asked me or if I asked him.When it came time for us to meet for our first date, I couldn't even remember how tall he was! It didn't matter; I was already hooked. AJ came to Jacksonville to go to a JSU football game with me, and a friend of mine and two of her little girls. I guess you could say it was a chaperoned date. We had a blast and after that AJ and I were meeting every weekend we could, usually half-way in the big town of Talladega. It's where we had our first kiss and where I, according to him, proposed just about two months after our first date. I didn't get down on one knee or anything!! It just came up in conversation and ever since then AJ has been convinced I proposed... maybe I did.

Snap shot of my future husband the day we met!   Sept 12, 2008.      

Our first date! Oct 4, 2008

We are cool, we made a sign for the game!

One of my favorite pictures of the two of us.

Well we officially became engaged in March of 2009; six months after we met! When you know, you know; you know? After six months of wedding planning we became Mr & Mrs! September 25th of 2009 will always be one of the best, most amazing days of my life! We have been moving ever since... seriously!

Engagement shoot, CDP.

Claire Drummond Photography

Honey moon!

Sorry, I don't have a single wedding picture on the computer I am using! 

AJ moved to Jacksonville so I could finish school. Next thing we know we are moving to Wilsonville, AL in December of 2009. In April of 2010 we moved to Calera, AL, just two towns over, into a nice new and fancy apartment. We both had really good jobs at that time and could afford it. Later the cost became too high (2 hours to and from work for me... that was 4 less hours I could spend with my sweet hubby each day!) and it wasn't worth it. So we found ourselves moving again in... October of 2010, just after our one-year anniversary, back to Wilsonville. We almost stayed there for a year until AJ finally came to terms with the fact that his desire was to become a gospel preacher. (I was so glad. It's what he has always wanted to do.) So August 2011, we packed up again and headed north to Memphis, TN. Here we are today! We have officially lived here for one year, plus a couple of weeks; it's the longest we have ever lived anywhere since we have been married. Go us!

It's been a little crazy, but crazy is fun, right?! After all the packing and unpacking and telling our parents we are moving for the fourth time I couldn't be happier. I will never mind moving as long as I'm with my one and only. I love you, baby!

What's in store for us next?!?!?  

Babies! Lots of babies!!! LOL J/k... or am I?

Seriously, for now we are focusing on AJ finishing school at MSOP and finding a congregation of the church to work with. Pray for us! :)

How many times have you moved? Anything new and exciting in store for you?

Thanks for reading. You're awesome! 

PS. I don't know why the pictures are positioned the way they are so just deal! Thanks! 

Work out week 2.

Two? Yes, two. I repeated the first week because I didn't feel like I really did everything correctly the first time. Even repeating it I didn't do the 60 min jog on Friday. It is hard for me to get to the gym on Fridays.

Updated. I totally forgot to post my work out for the week. Here you go! 

Week 2:

• Monday – 5 sets of 8: deadlifts, bulgarian squats, lunges. 50: squat jumps,  calve raises.  Plank for 3 minutes, 60 reverse crunches, 60 hanging knee raises (these are almost impossible for me... going to get it.)
• Tuesday – 60 minutes HIIT cycling (:30/1:30 format)
• Wednesday – 5 sets of 8: incline bench press, clean and press, overhead tricep extension, bent over barbell row, concentration curls, upright row.
• Thursday – 60 minutes HIIT running (sprint for 30 seconds/jog for 1:30 minutes)
• Friday – 5 sets of 8: deadlifts, bulgarian squats, lunges. 50 squat jumps, 50 calve raises.  Plank for 3 minutes, 60 reverse crunches, 60 hanging knee raises

Tips: When there aren’t any sets listed for squat jumps, calve raises, planks, and any ab exercises, complete the number of reps/time in as few sets as possible. i.e. 50 squats as fast as possible, before moving on to the 50 calve raises.  Continue to go heavy on the weight during resistance training.

 
I use to really enjoy going to the gym first thing in the AM. Now I would rather go at 1:30 in the afternoon. I have figured out that it is the SLOWEST time for the gym; there are like 2 or 3 other people there at that time. Its awesome. Starting next week I will begin working again, keeping a little girl at my apartment 3 days a week. I will have to go first thing on those days at least.

I am afraid I will have another poor weigh-in next week. Even though the first is a Monday I am waiting until the fourth in order to give myself an extra couple of days. :/ Sad I know. I am going to predict a 2 lb loss. We shall see!

Tomorrow is mine and AJ's THIRD anniversary!!!! Yippee!!!! I love him A LOT! Won't say much about it since I will probably do an anniversary post tomorrow. <3 data-blogger-escaped-br="br">
Wednesday is our oldest nephew Sam's 8th birthday! I can't believe how grown he is! He is in second grade and loves video games, books, movies, Star Wars and all the super heroes. Most 8 year-old boys do though, don't they? He plays soccer, too! I am planning to go home for his birthday party this weekend. I am more than excited about this because it has been awhile since I have seen him! Not only that, but my brother (Sam's dad) and his youngest son, Gareth, are coming from Maryland, too! Its been a really long time since I have seen them. Its going to be a great weekend. The only thing that would make it better is if AJ could go with me. Sam loves his uncle and will be sad AJ couldn't come.

I'll leave you with a couple pictures of the birthday boy.




Sam when he was about two. Photo belongs to his mom.




Sam at 7 and 3/4s with my beautiful mom. Isn't Sam a handsome boy? :)
This photo was taken by my sister-in-law.

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