I'm feeling a bit lost lately... to the point where sometimes it is weird even talking to friends. Like I don't know what to say. Which is odd b/c there are times with friends where I am full of joy too. Like Tuesday night for example. I haven't laughed that much with Julie and Emily in a long time. It was such a great time... we laughed, played the dance game, got a bit too competitive playing the Nascar game (ok, maybe just me)... good times. But then the next day, I'm back feeling lost again. Maybe a little displaced on what my role in life is. At times, I feel like I'm a nuisance to my parents. Or it could be that joyful time of the month. (TMI?) I'm just ready to find the job that God wants me in... or the patience/peace if it happens to be my current horrible job. I'm ready to find that "someone" out there who was meant for me... or once again, the patience/peace if I'm meant to be single for years or forever.
I finished book 5 in the series today... there was a verse that was mentioned that I am just going to take ahold of. I just need to depend on God and have Him lead me in the direction I need to go.

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying "I have loved you with an
everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindeness."

- Jeremiah 33:3 NAS

Holidays...

I hope that everyone had a very wonderful Christmas! Mine was pretty good... I got a great scarf and mittens from Nicole! And a great calender of Paris, which I will use as framed pictures once I'm through. I also got a very nice scrapbook that is way cute from my aunt Judy - you can't ever go wrong with a gift from her! Some other things I got were movies, a new "dressy" watch, and some jeans! Nice huh? I was definitely spoiled this year.

Anyways, I'm on vacation this week so I'm not sure when I'll post, so have a very happy and safe New Year's!

Ok, so this is a horrible pic but this was the only one that would fit on a disk and I had a grumpy father helping me... here's Gus chewing his rawhide in between a ticked off cat and one cat that is trying to ignore the fact that he is sitting next to a dog. And me, with my eyes closed... you can't really tell my hair color. I'll try another pic later this week. 

Christmas snow in the courtyard... 

You know its a good day...

• when you manage to wake up in a good mood...
• when there's a couple of inches of snow on the ground...
• you see a little dog frolicking in the snow...
• you get to eat sausage balls for breakfast...
• you get to drink hot chocolate

And the number #1 reason why you know its a good day......

President Wilson announces that everyone can leave at noon for the day due to the snow! WOO HOO! I'm hoping that we won't have to come to work tomorrow!

Be awaiting a picture of our courtyard when I get home. And have a wonderful day!

Tulip

Which Flower Are You?
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Tea Time!

So I'm reading this series, and lately tea keeps getting brought up. (I'm on book 4 Nicole - let me know where you are at...) It just seems so relaxing. That sounds a bit odd probably. The woman that mentored me for a bit, Kelly Randles, had tea time once at her house. Kelly and her sisters went to Ireland to see where they came from. They actually met people that were distantly related. But she brought back a tea set and stuff. The one time she made me tea -- complete with cream and sugar-- it was so good. So maybe some day I will purchase a tea set... maybe it sounds old-fashioned but it sounds comforting to me.

I'm ready for Christmas! Last night, Emily and I opened our stockings. I'm an impatient girl when it comes to seeing how people like their gifts! (And I must admit, I don't mind receiving them.) My favorite thing in the stocking was this snow globe ornament. Snow globes rock! It had half a Christmas tree, and the other half was the cross. And it said something about how when all the tinsel is stripped away, all you have is Christ. Isn't that a good reminder?

Please continue to pray for me job wise... and really just in general. I just need to have faith that God will lead me to where He wants me to be and to fulfill all my needs/desires. :)

I'm sure I'll post again... work is even more dull than usual. Have a blessed day!

Morning!

I got this verse in an email devo that I just had to share... Its from the book of Nahum, which honestly, I haven't checked out much.

The LORD is slow to get angry, but His power is great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet. Nahum 1:3

Isn't that an amazing verse? At first its a bit scary/intimidating. I know that even right now that my lack of obedience means that I deserve great punishment. Of course, when do we not deserve great punishment! My favorite part of the verse is the last line though. I had read a series of books once and the "lead guy" had mentioned that part of where the clouds are the dust of God's feet and I never knew where it came from. I just like that because its a great reminder that God is always there. Its something that you can remember when you see an amazing sunset...

I feel kind of like a mom tonight...

I'm being so productive. I'm rather proud of myself tonight... it is something I need to make more of a habit. You ever have times where you look at things and think "This doesn't look so messy, but then it really is..." So tonight I cleaned up the dishes, the dishwasher is going, and cleaned out the fridge. Now I need to take out the trash but I'm waiting for someone to come home. Gus + Nighttime and the alley = Trouble

More of my productivity: I'm on my third load of laundry, took Gus for a short walk, a tape back to Blockbuster (Gus tagged along for the ride), and I'm making snacks for tomorrow. Since we practically had to beg my boss to do something, he decided that we could bring snacks tomorrow to celebrate the holiday. Yep, he's present-day Scrooge. So I'm making tortilla roll-ups (cream cheese and hot sauce- YUM!) and pigs 'n a blanket (Double YUM!!) ...

So that's my night... now I just need to clean the house this weekend and I'm ready for the holidays! This weekend's adventure is trying to be like Martha... Christmas gifts being made for friends. YEA!

Christmas is coming!

I can't believe that Christmas day is next week! Its so exciting! I love giving people gifts and seeing if they really like them or not! :)

I was thinking... does anyone have any Christmas traditions? We don't... I do try to read the birth of Jesus each Christmas Eve but that's not really a family thing. I still have this little kid book about it. Not really the bible, but hey it can work. Gets my mind on the reason why we have Christmas.

I think when I have a family of my own, I'd like to read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. I've also heard of families that make a birthday cake (or dessert) for Jesus. I think that's cool too. That'd be something great to do when you have little kids in the family... sing "Happy Birthday" and such. Might not go over to well with older kids but hey, I like that idea!

So does your family have any traditions or are there any you want to start??

Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn

Book Club time again! :)

Well, I'm around page 70... probably read more if my boss is gone this afternoon. I'd just like to say that I love the town of Glenbrooke! I don't really think I'd like living in a smalltown type place, I'm not sure there would be enough to do, and I don't even do much... but just the atmosphere... everyone is nice. And her house sounds so cute... I'd like a house like that. Her neighborhood makes me think of that area we went to in Tyler for the Azalea trail... I think I might try to do more stuff with flowers and plants this spring. It just means getting off my butt... and hopefully I'd get a green thumb. My plants usually die.

Your thoughts, Nicole?

Good afternoon!

Well, I'm sitting at work fighting boredom... I may have to watch "Ocean's 11" in a little bit. The boss is gone. I don't have much to say but I thought I'd just update the blog. :) The weather is nice here today... and tomorrow should be 71! YES! I'm ready for spring/summer temps already!

Anyways, if y'all need some last minute Christmas gift ideas, I have a site for y'all. Jewelry, purses, scarf belts, and such... http://www.unameitbracelets.com The "owner" of the site is a woman who's husband is dying of cancer. They have four children... Kidd Kraddick is sending them to Disney World for Christmas before the hubby goes on strong chemo treatments. So if anyone wants anything - people that I know - email me and I'll order something. I want to order 2 scarf belts but there's a minimum of $25 per order.

Well, that's it for now. Have a great weekend!

What a gunzel...

Anyone heard that word before? Mom and I were trying to figure out if that was a "family" word or not... it pretty much applies to someone if they are doing something stupid or being an idiot. That type of thing...

Well, I've been meaning to write in this thing, I just haven't had the energy too. I've thought of a few things but when it comes to actually typing it out, I decide not too.

The past weekend was pretty good. My mom's cuz Jamie came into town so I spent pretty much the whole weekend with them. Ate some good food... went and saw "National Treasure" ( I loved it!), and went to the Carol of Lights. That's a great Tech tradition! I'll try to post a picture or two of it tonight, if I have the motivation. Jamie and I have decided to try to do a two week vacation in Italy in a year and a half or two. So that's pretty exciting.

Pray for me, guys. I'm kind of in a rut... I had an interview for my old boss's job and I didn't get it. I tried not to get my hopes up about it, but I was a little disappointed. I really wanted to go back to there... not necessarily because of the work, but just the people there. Oh well. I did pray that if God didn't want me in that job, He'd shut the door. So I just need to be excited in the fact that I realize he did answer a prayer. :) Plus I'm going through this icky phase where I think it'd be nice to have a guy around... and I don't need to think that way, especially since there's not a million single guys around me! LOL

I'll just keep looking for a job... I'm thinking about trying to find the Children's Miracle Network or Make a Wish and see if they have any openings. We'll see!

I'll try to take a pic of me with the new hair soon... and one of Gus. He's a big boy now. He had his first bday on Friday (12/3)... Ok, that's all for now. Hope you are having a great Tuesday!

Watch The Amazing Race tonight on CBS at 8PM!

A prayer pager...

Rebekah Tauber is a 15 year old girl from Houston who is presentlyUnder going cancer treatment. She is a fierce Christian who attendsMemorial High School.Rebekah is wearing a "prayer pager" (1-800-250-6939) that is beingsponsored by Second Baptist Church in Houston. Please take a minuteout of your busy day to say a quick prayer for Rebekah, her family and herdoctors asking for God's guiding hand to be with them through thisordeal and then call the toll free number (1-800-250-6939) It willvibrate letting Rebekah know that someone has prayed on her behalf.I called the number and it truly is a prayer pager. You only need toput in your zip code, no phone number or name. Lets all give this littlegirl a warm buzz.Call.... it just takes a second or two!

Isn't this an amazing idea? I think its great. I called it and its the real deal.

Have a great weekend folks! I'll write more later!

P.S. Nicole - I couldn't find that book anywhere. I went to 5 bookstores. I guess we can pick the next author and I will get that one.

So question... are my blogs a little too wordy? I was just noticing that they can border on the "rather long" side...


Also, today I thought of a great name for my boy... well, future boy seeing as how I need to find the guy, get the ring, and gain some patience first. Anyways, here it is: Jacob Riley. How cute is that?!

Well, the boss told me today that I can go buy a Christmas tree and ornaments as long as it only costs $200. So I'm pretty excited about that, but it seems like too little money, because the area it will be in has a 2 story ceiling and it will be next to a wall of windows. But I'll do my best!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!