We went to a neighborhood behind my families land but no one knew whose it was. Everyone said it looked like "pancho’s" dog…but pancho’s dog was in his yard. So we ended up taking the pup home. He was really quite sweet, but a little stinky! So i made him sleep on the back porch. The next morning Jeff put our flyers and 10 min later got a phone call. The owner had been looking for "pancho" (thats what we called him) all night! And it was someone in our neighborhood!!! They live in the very back of the hood which means that little dog went almost a mile from home to have ended up at my families land! What an adventure that must have been!

So they were super grateful! Come to find out, they’ve lived here for a year but dont really know too many people. So we talked about grilling out together sometime, and i think we should.

Cool thing is that in knocking on so many ppls doors, we got the opportunity to meet so many new ppl and even invited some to church! Its amazing how a sweet animal can bring so many ppl together! Everyone we met was so helpful. One lady even drove around w/ us for 15 minutes or so, helping us! So kind!

Anyhoo…"dustin" as the dog is called (or after a haircut "wolf-man") was a sweet little treat to our week! And hopefully we’ve made some friends w/ our neighbors! Doesnt get much better than that! Good deed for this week: check!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

When I got to the church that friday evening, April introduced me to lots of people and hung around w/ me. She made me feel really comfortable. And so, i had found a new church. Now, i was only 14 and my family didnt go to church there, but the youth pastor lived right down the road from me and picked me up most sundays and wednesdays.

I became good friends with a group of girls (Angela, April, Ashley, Lindsay and Tanaya). They were an established group of friends, but they made room for me.

Then, on December 10th I accepted the Lord as my savior. Let me preface by saying that I had prayed a prayer as a child (6 years old) but didnt understand fully what it meant to give my life, i only wanted to accept Jesus. So I may very well have already have secured my eternity years back, but it was in December of that year that I felt confident that my heart belonged to Jesus.

And just as the isralites wandered in the desert for many years even after being rescued and released from slavery, I, too have done my wandering. And not to say that I have found my promise land and that my journey is over, but  there is steady growth. Well, mostly steady…haha.

And its all because a 14 year old girl chose to be friendly. To show me Jesus through her attitude and caring spirit. To be persistent to love on me and make me feel welcome. She never laid out the gospel to me, but she brought me to the place where I could hear. Not only her, but that a group of girls loved on me, included me…and a youth pastor made time to pick me up. So many people have played a part in the story of my life!

I wonder…has my life impacted anyone elses in this way? Most of us will never know. But as the Lord brought to my mind this week (in dicipleship w/ my four 14 year old girls) and prompted me to share with them what obedience to love on others could produce, I felt the urge to let April know what an impact she had on my life. And i’m forever grateful.

An expectant heart is truly a breeding ground for the miraculous (darlene from hillsong). Are you expecting great things from God in your life this week? Do we really believe that if we are obedient to just invite our co-workers and friends to church that God will move in their lives? Sometimes I dont. But i want my heart to be a breeding ground for the miraculous, so I’m going to try to choose to expect the unexpected. Pray for the miraculous. And watch and see what unfolds.

Stay tuned to see how God answers this! I’m excited…

My mommie used to sing that to daddy every year on their annivesary and I have picked up the tradition with Jeff. I’m sure he’s pleased.

haha!!! So today we have been married for 7 years. First of all, i totally regret getting married so close to my birthday cause i always get punked out of a gift. I’d also like to give the disclaimer to Jeff that he is a wonderful husband and a terrible gift giver (for the most part…he’ll pull a wild one now and again but it’s usually a bust). This year was really no different for my bday but on our annivesary he said i could go pick out a storm door for the front. I know that is awful domesticated and all and not at all exciting to most, but i really LOVE storm doors and HATE keeping my solid door closed all the time cause I cant see out and its dark in the livingroom. So i’m stoked about my gift. And he’ll install it (hopefully this weekend).

Since it fell on a monday this year (blast those leap years that kept the 7th yr from being on sat. like it should have been!) we kept it all low key and just went to eat mexican for dinner. We’ll do a nice dinner later, i guess.

And i’m stoked cause we’re starting the Dave ramsey course on Sunday at church. Good times…rice and beans are in our future, i fear!

So in recap: I love my hubby. He loves me. We’re a happy family. With a dog named spud and a home we’re blessed you see. We’re a happy family.

Yes, you should sing that to the barney tune. You ppl remember that, right? Awesome.

Anyhooo….wow, what a rabbit trail. So morgan asked for a more detailed update on my life. I told her she might regret it…

I did post  some pics and a blog below so be sure to read it, but my life has been this lately: busy! Jeff and I had a week off 2 weeks ago and we chose to tile our master bath (pics to come this week…i promise!). It was a bigger job than i expected but i’m glad its done. I think it turned out lovely. It occurs to me that maybe we could have a cookout for our friends and you can all see the updates to our home if you’d like. Its a good excuse to eat, anyways. So let me know if your game. Ok, i’ll admit i’m feeling vulnerable that no one would want to come. I’m hormonal, ok. I write that alot, i know. Its true alot.

I also got my braces off that week (yay!) and then thursday of that week we went to jeffs parents mountain house for a little get away. While we were there, spud got attacked by yellow jackets, got stung on the leg, i gave him advil cause i thought it would help (and yes, i’m dumb) and he started throwing up. Then we noticed another spot where it appeared he had gotten stung…on his ANUS! His poor b hole was all swollen and he pooped on the back deck which he has NEVER done in 7 years. I think he was afraid to go back outside down where he had been attacked. That was the drama for the weekend.

We went and saw hancock (will smith hero movie…charlize theron is BEAUTIFUL in the movie!!!) and it was ok. The little movie theater up there is old and only had 4 shows at a time and it was the best choice. They only take cash. That tells you how old the place is. Oh, and its $5 per person. Nice!

Then it was back to work. I was glad b/c i thrive on schedules. I kinda walk around not knowing where to start when left to my own devices. We have a new assistant at work and i like her alot.

My birthday was Friday and yes, i’ll post about that later too, but at work we do a birthday "hanukah" week cause Dr cohen is jewish and its our take on celebrations. So on monday you get breakfast, tuesday cake, wednesday lunch and thursday nothin but its ok cause you got something every other day. Except for my week which got royally messed up. monday i got nothin, tuesday nothin, wed lunch and cake and pie and thursday breakfast except that everyone else is on a diet so i ate alone which stunk. But i love the girls at work and it was no ones fault…it was just that it was the week back from vacation and it was a ZOO so we were too busy. But they all let me act like a brat cause of it which was nice. They’re great.

jeff started at Walton Alternative School and is the ONLY math teacher so i guess technically he’s the department head, also. Haha. He’s liking it so far and i’m really proud of him.

Oh, and then theres the whole "kids" aspect of life which pretty much controls my every thought but that i dont discuss. I’m really trying to trust the Lord and that His plan is best. I want my faith to override my fear. Thats my struggle every day. So i try not to think about it, except how can i not?

But life is really good. And spuds b hole has healed…it doesnt get better than that!

So hows that for an update, morg?

2 wed. ago i got my braces OFF! yay! So now i can go to CGHS’s 10 year reunion feeling a little better. I was afraid of looking JUST like i did in h.s. and that is NOT fly. So Jeff and I were gonna go to lake lanier beach and water park that day but i was able to get in on a last minute cancellation to get them off so we forewent the beach and traded up for some smooth and slick teeth and a trip to the aquarium. It was our first time and it was nice, but we’ve been to 4 aquariums so they all get to looking the same after a while.

Here is a pic of a group of daycare kids leaving the aquarium. Jeff was so stoked that they were leaving and not coming. No offense, but its not alot of fun to try to get through an exhibit w/ 40 6 year olds!!!

And a couple of nice aquarium pics..

And fyi, our computer crashed last week and i didnt get it up and running until yesterday, hence the lack of pics/posts (excuses, excuses…)

2 fridays ago was national cow appreciation day at chick fil a. If you dressed like a cow (head to toe) you got a free combo meal. If you wore a cow hat you got a free sandwich. I went for the latter of the 2 but was able to talk to of my diciple girls (padawans, i like to call them) to go for the head to toe get up. They were quite creative and were amply rewarded at chick fil a w/ free food!

And i would be remiss if i didnt mention the fantastic petting zoo. Jeff LOVES animals (all animals) and so he really liked it. I’m making him sound like he’s my kid that has to be entertained, huh? haha. But all of this was free (minus the food, of course) and was a blast!

And I thought i’d leave you with this… JEALOUS, guys? I thought so!

 I mean, wow. 

Hope you all had a great 4th as well!