The good news: Thanksgiving was great. The bad news: I didn't take any pictures!
I love anytime that I get to spend time with family and this year was no different. We spent a lot of time with my family this year, not really by design but because Clint's family didn't really do much because everyone was going to be out of town.
I thoroughly enjoyed having some good stress free time with Clint. That doesn't happen often, so we took advantage of it this weekend. Saturday I got to spend time with some of my friends from high school. Man, I forgot how much I miss being with those girls. I would love to go back in time and hear our conversations 10 years ago versus our conversations now. It would be hilarious. Those girls helped me through a very hard time in my life and am so thankful for them. They were a God send.
Sunday we were back in Fort Worth. We went to church and had lunch with some friends that we hadn't seen in a long time. It was great catching up.
Clint and I are at a really great place right now. God has answered so many prayers in the last month that have really weighed on Clint and I. It's like He is telling us that He is behind it all because so many things have happened so close together. Fort Worth in itself is a huge blessing. The friends we have met here are lifetime friends. In fact, the 2 couples that we have community with each week, both live less than a half mile from us (which was on purpose) now. It is so nice to know that we have a family here. God has been good. He has heard my prayers. What more can I ask?
Now on to Christmas!!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
First, update then , Book Blog
Well, I am writing this blog entry at 10:45 at night, which is late for me, because I cannot sleep! It could be that cup of coffee I had at 7 but whatever....It was worth it! Tonight we had our small group at our house. I fixed manicotti with meat sauce, dinner rolls, salad and cookie cake for dessert. It was yummy! And as usual the conversation was great. It's really cool because there are 2 other couples and they are all about to live within walking distance of us. We have always joked about living in community with each other and now, I guess it's pretty close to it. Tonight we talked about a lot of different things and we also walked down to Daniel and Claire's potentially new house. I love those guys!
So I just finished Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller. I read Blue Like Jazz back in college (with everyone else!) and I have started this book several times but just couldn't get into it. Finally, I think my spiritual journey led me to this book. It helped answer a few things. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Clint and I were just talking to Bill and Jennee (Clint's parents) about what we felt like church should look like and lots of other things and I think this book helped me with those things. I love Miller because he is a lover of literature and stories. He relates, in this book, how the relationship we have with Jesus is more like a relationship between two lovers (namely Romeo and Juliet). He also talks about how since the Fall, we basically are walking around looking for acceptance, love and intimacy from others because we are separated from the One who provides that for us in a perfect form. I am no expert on theology or theologians but I feel like his ideas are very original. He relates things in a way that is easy to understand even though it is not the easiest concepts. I would recommend this book for sure!
So I just finished Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller. I read Blue Like Jazz back in college (with everyone else!) and I have started this book several times but just couldn't get into it. Finally, I think my spiritual journey led me to this book. It helped answer a few things. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Clint and I were just talking to Bill and Jennee (Clint's parents) about what we felt like church should look like and lots of other things and I think this book helped me with those things. I love Miller because he is a lover of literature and stories. He relates, in this book, how the relationship we have with Jesus is more like a relationship between two lovers (namely Romeo and Juliet). He also talks about how since the Fall, we basically are walking around looking for acceptance, love and intimacy from others because we are separated from the One who provides that for us in a perfect form. I am no expert on theology or theologians but I feel like his ideas are very original. He relates things in a way that is easy to understand even though it is not the easiest concepts. I would recommend this book for sure!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
New Goals!
I was reading my friend Kayla's blog and she was talking about some goals she has set for herself to complete before she turns 25. I thought that was a great idea and came up with some of my own. So here goes!
1. Take a knitting class
2. Go camping (like tent, sleeping bag, etc. kind of camping).
3. Blog at least once a month. (Hopefully more, but lately that has been difficult for me.)
4. Pay off a student loan. We have paid off some of them but we have the 2 biggest left. I am hoping to knock out at least one of them.
5. Train for a half marathon. WHAT?? Yes, you heard right. I have been running since June pretty consistently and the other day I was thinking, why am I doing this, I have no goal. Clint is running a full in the Cowtown (the Fort Worth marathon) so I thought, what the heck! Jokingly I have said that I will run a full when I turn 30 just to prove to myself that I am only as old as I let myself be. So, I am 5 years away from 30 so I better prove that I can at least do this much!!
6. Have my wedding pictures made into an album. At this point, I really don't care about it being fancy or anything. I just want an album that can at least prove that we are married!
7. Volunteer at the Humane Society.
8. Get re-certified in CPR.
9. Take a dog training course with Cherry.
10. Make an apron.
11. Maintain my current weight or lose another 2-3 pounds. I have lost like 6 pounds this last year and I really want to be sure I don't gain that back. And, if I can muster some more self control, I want to go for another 2-3 pounds. This would bring me down to my high school weight!
12. Take a multivitamin everyday. I take them some times but not very consistently like I should.
13. Finish decorating my room and the guest room.
Well, I hear a crying baby so I better go!
Oh, and why 13? Because it is half way to 26!
1. Take a knitting class
2. Go camping (like tent, sleeping bag, etc. kind of camping).
3. Blog at least once a month. (Hopefully more, but lately that has been difficult for me.)
4. Pay off a student loan. We have paid off some of them but we have the 2 biggest left. I am hoping to knock out at least one of them.
5. Train for a half marathon. WHAT?? Yes, you heard right.
6. Have my wedding pictures made into an album. At this point, I really don't care about it being fancy or anything. I just want an album that can at least prove that we are married!
7. Volunteer at the Humane Society.
8. Get re-certified in CPR.
9. Take a dog training course with Cherry.
10. Make an apron.
11. Maintain my current weight or lose another 2-3 pounds. I have lost like 6 pounds this last year and I really want to be sure I don't gain that back. And, if I can muster some more self control, I want to go for another 2-3 pounds. This would bring me down to my high school weight!
12. Take a multivitamin everyday. I take them some times but not very consistently like I should.
13. Finish decorating my room and the guest room.
Well, I hear a crying baby so I better go!
Oh, and why 13? Because it is half way to 26!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
From Texas Medicine Magazine
Clint gets this magazine now that he is in medical school and sometimes I will read them. Here is a little excerpt that I found interesting.
"Evidence shows hospitals with policies supporting exclusive breastfeeding are realizing multiple benefits for patients, the communities they serve- and themselves. These hospitals report improved infant health outcomes, lower infant readmission rates and less infant time in the NICU. Mothers recover more quickly from birth while also receiving protection against type 2 diabetes and breast and ovarian cancers. Overall patient satisfaction is increased and hospital costs are reduced...Despite the compelling benefits, the majority of Texas hospitals still lag behind in assessing and updating their breastfeeding policies...The reality is that the short and long term benefits-to both the hospital and your patients-far outweigh the initial costs.
"Evidence shows hospitals with policies supporting exclusive breastfeeding are realizing multiple benefits for patients, the communities they serve- and themselves. These hospitals report improved infant health outcomes, lower infant readmission rates and less infant time in the NICU. Mothers recover more quickly from birth while also receiving protection against type 2 diabetes and breast and ovarian cancers. Overall patient satisfaction is increased and hospital costs are reduced...Despite the compelling benefits, the majority of Texas hospitals still lag behind in assessing and updating their breastfeeding policies...The reality is that the short and long term benefits-to both the hospital and your patients-far outweigh the initial costs.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Update
Yes, Clint and I are still alive. It has been too long since I posted last!! So, what has been going on, you ask? Well in September I opened my own business. Okay, that makes it sound fancy but I started watching a few kids at my house. I have 2 right now and will get a third in November. I absolutely love it! It can be really hard work and sometimes I want to cry right along with them but it is so rewarding. One is about 5 months and the other is 3 months. There is lots of bottles, diapers and rocking to go around! I never thought I would be doing this in a million years! But my thoughts on it are, I knew I could do it because I did it throughout high school and college, I found moms who needed it and I know that one day I can pursue the "professional career". It isn't at all what Clint and I thought up for me but I honestly am content with it. No bosses breathing down my neck, no commute in the morning, I can get stuff done around the house during the day and I am not totally wiped out at the end of the day. I am really thankful to God for giving me this. I have had to swallow some pride. But, you know, I got a great education, something that will be a launching point for me when I decide to jump back into the "real world" one day. And I wouldn't give for that.
Clint is doing well. He is full blown into second year. He is really enjoying this year because he doesn't have class as much, it is more self study so he likes that much better than lecture. He is playing soccer again and he is training for a marathon with a friend. And sometimes he helps me out with the babies. He stays pretty busy but recently things have really calmed down so I get to see him even more which is awesome. I think the third year of marriage is one of the better ones. We are really enjoying our time spent together and have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves despite his demanding schedule.
I have posted before about some of our friends starting a small group. It is 2 other couples besides us and they both came to us from med school. We are so blessed to have them. Being in medical school is a very unique experience, one that makes it hard to identify with other couples. Not saying we isolate ourselves because we do have friends from church but these 2 couples have been amazing. We have laughed, cried, prayed and shared together and it has really helped Clint and I with our own walks. We meet with them once a week for community but we also see each other almost every weekend.
Things I like about living in Fort Worth/ medical school: lots of stuff to do, not too much traffic, finding more and more local places to eat, meeting new people, our house, indoor soccer (this one is for Clint), being able to walk to museums and ice cream shops, downtown, lots of rain (so far)
Things I don't like: even with little traffic, it still takes at least 15 minutes to get anywhere, things are generally more expensive, I don't feel as safe, learning how to get around Fort Worth and finding places, can be really overwhelming sometimes (though this is getting better)
Oh yes, and I can't forget about Cherry! Cherry says: I love: that mom is home all day, my doggy door, my grass outside (also known as a backyard), my new bed and getting attention whenever possible. I don't like: getting a bath, having my nails trimmed, or being scolded by mom.
Well, I guess that is it. It is supposed to rain tomorrow. I planted some garlic. 3 in the front beds and 3 in the back. The back beds get a lot more sun so I am going to see which ones do better.
Clint is doing well. He is full blown into second year. He is really enjoying this year because he doesn't have class as much, it is more self study so he likes that much better than lecture. He is playing soccer again and he is training for a marathon with a friend. And sometimes he helps me out with the babies. He stays pretty busy but recently things have really calmed down so I get to see him even more which is awesome. I think the third year of marriage is one of the better ones. We are really enjoying our time spent together and have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves despite his demanding schedule.
I have posted before about some of our friends starting a small group. It is 2 other couples besides us and they both came to us from med school. We are so blessed to have them. Being in medical school is a very unique experience, one that makes it hard to identify with other couples. Not saying we isolate ourselves because we do have friends from church but these 2 couples have been amazing. We have laughed, cried, prayed and shared together and it has really helped Clint and I with our own walks. We meet with them once a week for community but we also see each other almost every weekend.
Things I like about living in Fort Worth/ medical school: lots of stuff to do, not too much traffic, finding more and more local places to eat, meeting new people, our house, indoor soccer (this one is for Clint), being able to walk to museums and ice cream shops, downtown, lots of rain (so far)
Things I don't like: even with little traffic, it still takes at least 15 minutes to get anywhere, things are generally more expensive, I don't feel as safe, learning how to get around Fort Worth and finding places, can be really overwhelming sometimes (though this is getting better)
Oh yes, and I can't forget about Cherry! Cherry says: I love: that mom is home all day, my doggy door, my grass outside (also known as a backyard), my new bed and getting attention whenever possible. I don't like: getting a bath, having my nails trimmed, or being scolded by mom.
Well, I guess that is it. It is supposed to rain tomorrow. I planted some garlic. 3 in the front beds and 3 in the back. The back beds get a lot more sun so I am going to see which ones do better.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Now It's Time to be Serious...
Ok, so I said a few posts ago that I have been really thinking about what I believe, why I believe it, etc. This all started well, I guess really, when my dad died and nobody had a good answer for me. But my spiritual journey really got interesting this last year in unemployment, starting med school, etc. I picked up a book called Soul Survivor in August and didn't put it down. I loved it. Suddenly, things that never got answered, things that I just couldn't fit together, did. Here is the analogy I have for all of it, and excuse me for using science, what can I say, I am a nerd. In organic chemistry lab, we would go into class, not really knowing what to expect. Many times we had to take something like a Zantac, and using what we knew about what made up the Zantac, we could eventually isolate some compound in the pill. So we would spend probably 2 hours doing that and then we would be expected to perform experiments on that compound. Now, if we isolated the correct compounds, it should melt at a certain temperature, it should look a certain way, when analyzed, it should come out pure, with no other compounds present. (Now, was that the case for me personally, many times, no. Maybe if Clint had been my o chem partner...) Anyway, I guess that's how I feel my religion should be. I want to isolate it. I want to try to take out all the stuff and be left with what is pure. I want people to be able to test me and analyze me and find nothing extraneous. Just me and my God. I know that isn't possible but that is what I want to strive for. Mainly, I want to provide answers to sceptics and love and peace to everyone. That is what I want. At the end of the day, it comes down to faith. I can't reason with people about God if they don't want to open their minds to the idea of him but if nothing else, I want to love them. I also am questioning our role, as Christians, in war when Jesus preached nonviolence. I am tired of relying on a government to take care of the poor when Jesus told us to do that.
Something else I have been struggling with lately is...meat. I know, sounds weird. So here it is. I just finished The Lion and the Honeycomb by Leo Tolstoy. Great book even though he is a bit off, I think. One thing he talks about is that he gave up eating meat. Not because of Christianity or anything but because of the treatment of the animals. He talks of going to a slaughterhouse and how horrible it was. I asked myself if I went to a slaughterhouse, if I could keep eating meat and I decided I couldn't. I would probably go running off crying. Honestly, I think it would really mess me up. I can't stand the thought of animals getting hurt. I told Clint this, and I stand by it, that if he killed a deer, I would eat it. My reasoning is because that deer had a good life. He ate in the fields, maybe fought and won over some cute does and then one day, it was all over. That I can handle. Cows being left to walk around in their own poop, being fed a diet of corn (which is not their natural diet and probably makes them sick). Chickens that go their entire life in a pen that is so small, they can't flap their wings. I can't do it. Sigh. So for now, I am not eating meat. I don't know when I will start eating it again, we will see.
Well this is plenty long. Hope everyone is having a great week!
Something else I have been struggling with lately is...meat. I know, sounds weird. So here it is. I just finished The Lion and the Honeycomb by Leo Tolstoy. Great book even though he is a bit off, I think. One thing he talks about is that he gave up eating meat. Not because of Christianity or anything but because of the treatment of the animals. He talks of going to a slaughterhouse and how horrible it was. I asked myself if I went to a slaughterhouse, if I could keep eating meat and I decided I couldn't. I would probably go running off crying. Honestly, I think it would really mess me up. I can't stand the thought of animals getting hurt. I told Clint this, and I stand by it, that if he killed a deer, I would eat it. My reasoning is because that deer had a good life. He ate in the fields, maybe fought and won over some cute does and then one day, it was all over. That I can handle. Cows being left to walk around in their own poop, being fed a diet of corn (which is not their natural diet and probably makes them sick). Chickens that go their entire life in a pen that is so small, they can't flap their wings. I can't do it. Sigh. So for now, I am not eating meat. I don't know when I will start eating it again, we will see.
Well this is plenty long. Hope everyone is having a great week!
Pics of August
Since I have badly neglected my blog, I thought I would go back and post some highlights from August and September. On Labor Day Weekend, we went to Joanna's parent's lakehouse. It was an absolute blast. All the dogs came. Here is Cherry on the bridge that goes down to the dock.
This is Duke, Brad and Stephanie's dog. He loves the water. We were hoping that Cherry would see how great it is, but she never got close to the water. Duke could fetch for hours in the water. He loves it.
This is the back of Brad and Stephanie and Clint and Daniel are on the tubes. Apparently real lake people have tube wars and they try to bump each other off the tubes. I have never heard of that. Stephanie and Joanna represented the girls on this one. They both were able to puch their husbands off the tubes. Way to go girls!
This is Daniel. He has a bug in his fingers. He ate the bug. Yes, he is in medical school. Do I need to say anything else?
This is the new addition to the gecko family that lives in our mudroom area. Welcome, Susie! I hope you don't get eaten by the family of garden snakes living in the grass. Good luck!
Yes, that's right, there were actual fireworks that went off INSIDE the Cowboy stadium. This was the part of the concert where everyone was on their feet, clapping and dancing. And during one of the songs talking about peace, I put up the peace sign and went right on with the crowd...I am not ashamed to say it!
Look at the size of that place! And this was by no means the whole building.
Okay, my one picture of Blair. Isn't she so cute! 6 months on Thursday.
This is Duke, Brad and Stephanie's dog. He loves the water. We were hoping that Cherry would see how great it is, but she never got close to the water. Duke could fetch for hours in the water. He loves it.
This is the back of Brad and Stephanie and Clint and Daniel are on the tubes. Apparently real lake people have tube wars and they try to bump each other off the tubes. I have never heard of that. Stephanie and Joanna represented the girls on this one. They both were able to puch their husbands off the tubes. Way to go girls!
This is Daniel. He has a bug in his fingers. He ate the bug. Yes, he is in medical school. Do I need to say anything else?
This is the new addition to the gecko family that lives in our mudroom area. Welcome, Susie! I hope you don't get eaten by the family of garden snakes living in the grass. Good luck!
Like I said in my last post, mom and I went and saw Paul McCartney. Unfortunately, we were so far away, Paul couldn't see my beautiful mom, fall in love and propose to her right then and there. Oh, well, maybe next time mom!
Yes, that's right, there were actual fireworks that went off INSIDE the Cowboy stadium. This was the part of the concert where everyone was on their feet, clapping and dancing. And during one of the songs talking about peace, I put up the peace sign and went right on with the crowd...I am not ashamed to say it!
Look at the size of that place! And this was by no means the whole building.
Okay, my one picture of Blair. Isn't she so cute! 6 months on Thursday.
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