another weekend full of fun!

We had another fun-filled busy weekend.

Friday night, Matt & I went with one of our co-teachers at Catawba, her husband and three kids (and another couple & their kids) to the drive-in movie in Belmont. This was my first drive-in experience and it was fabulous! We saw Meet the Robinsons and it was quite cute. They will be playing Shrek 3 there this summer and I can't wait to go see it!

Saturday morning, Matt, Paul, Kelly, & I got up fairly early to go to the Herald's yard sale. It was SO worth it! We found lots of good stuff including three disc golf discs for only $7, a cell phone case for $7, a SC Native license plate for $1, some sponge paints for 25 cents, and a candy machine for $35. Let me tell you about this cool candy machine that we got. We saw it and Matt was like "I want it" so I told him to go ahead and get it. It still had old runts in it but also had money in it. The lady had lost the key and never bothered to get another one/get someone to open it. We instantly thought the candy machine would be a fun purchase and Matt could put it in his classroom. So, we bought the candy machine. Once we got home we figured out that there is no way to get another key for that lock, so we called a locksmith. We took it over to this locksmiths house (he works out of his van) and he drilled the lock off for $5. At this point we have invested $40 in this machine. Matt & I then head home to count the money. Matt was driving and I was holding the machine in my lap. Well, the top of the machine kept falling off (because the lock was drilled) and then the bottom kept coming off because it was all unscrewed. Needless to say, we had old, nasty runts flying out off the top of the machine and quarters flying out of the bottom. I was trying my best to hold it all in but I didn't do so well. I wish I had a picture of that! Anyway, we get home and count the money and there was $43 in the machine! So, we made a profit of $3 and got an awesome candy machine! Woot woot!

Later that afternoon Kelly's friend from high school, Julie and her baby Jade came to visit. We had a blast loving on her!

That night, we all went to see Merry Pranksters put on their play "Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner". We had a blast and laughed a lot!

Needless to say, we had an eventful weekend.

Here are some pictures that pretty much sum it all up.


I got into grad school!


Matt's candy machine


Loving on baby Jade

What cuties!

Merry Pranksters (that's our friend Tim as the king)

good news!

Got the letter today...I got accepted to grad school (Southern University of New Orleans)! Another step towards moving to New Orleans! Masters in Social Work here I come!

Hump Day Update

Day two of running is done. It feels SO good to run and I just feel so much more energetic the rest of the day. I am so lucky that I don't have to go to work until 9:30 am. I had been sleeping in and just getting up in time to get ready for work. Now I am waking up at 6:30-7 am and running and spending time getting other things done before I have to get ready for work. As much as I love sleeping, this is a major accomplishment for me. It makes me feel like I get so much more accomplished during the day. Let's hope I keep it up!

Matt & I have some good news...we finally got health insurance. We've been without for a while because Catawba doesn't offer it. Matt's mom has a coworker whose husband sells insurance, so she gave him our phone number to contact us. We met with him last night and worked out a short term insurance deal that will be affordable to us yet cover the things we need it to. The awesome thing is that this man is a Christian and was so interested in hearing about Matt & my plans to move to New Orleans and our passion for the people there. He even prayed for us--for our future goals and dreams. It was an amazing experience because he truly cared about us and was not just trying to sell us some product. So, our insurance will start by the end of the week. Praise God!

We are progressing in our plans to move. We are setting up job interviews for the first week of June, when we'll head back to New Orleans. I am excited about that trip because my parents are going to come with us! We are about 90% sure that we'll be moving the first week in July. I can't believe that it's all coming together!

God is good and He knows what is best for His people.

Let's get this started!

As of this morning, I am hardcore getting back into my weight loss/fitness regimen. I was doing so great until Thanksgiving/Christmas and then I just slacked off. I have decided that I want to take up running. I went running this morning and it felt great! My plan is to run 3 times a week as well as go to the gym 3 times a week. And I am starting back on Weight Watchers. I really need to discipline this as a lifestyle and not just "if i lose weight i can eat what i want" kind of thing. Matt & I have two months until we move and I would like to lose at least 10 pounds by then. I want you guys to keep on me about it--I need accountability and support.

I had a wonderful weekend. Friday night I hosted a Pure Romance party (www.pureromance.com) which was SO fun! Many of my old friends/roommates came and it was great to see everyone. Saturday morning I left for Clemson for Amy (my sister in law)'s baby shower. I met up with Matt's mom and both of his grandmothers there. We had a great time at the shower and spending some time with Amy. I cannot wait until June 15th when baby Will arrives! After the shower we headed up to Black Mountain, where all the guys from the family were hanging out. We spent the night at Mimi & Papa's and then went to church with them on Sunday at Montreat. All together, it was a great weekend of fun and fellowship with family and friends.

As I sit here, Peaches (our cat) is attacking Charlie (the rabbit) through his cage. Poor Charlie is running around his cage faster than I've ever seen! And Peaches just keeps at him. Our animals are so active and fun!

I also want to say Happy Birthday to my dear brother, Stephen! He's 25 today (wow, we're getting old).

Tragedy

I know that all of you know about the tragedy at Virginia Tech by now. I just felt burdened to post. My heart truly hurts for all those effected by this. As I sit here writing this (and watching the news), my eyes are filled with tears. Oh how our country needs the Savior and God that I know and love.

"But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant. Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me" (Psalm 86:15-17).

We're home!

Home, sweet, Rock Hill...for the next couple months atleast...soon it will be Home, sweet, New Orleans! We made the drive in 12 hours. It is only supposed to be 11 hours, but we hit that crazy Friday afternoon Atlanta traffic. It took us almost 2 hours to get through Atlanta. Oh well, we're home and that's all that matters.

Tomorrow Kelly & I are throwing our good friend Jen a baby shower (she's due May 25th). And then my parents will be stopping thru Rock Hill on their way home from Columbia.

It's going to be a busy weekend.

Matt & I are definitely still on the "New Orleans buzz"...googling everything about New Orleans and reading up on all that we can. I'll leave you with this quote Matt just found. It's quite moving to me--I embraces the compassion and urgency I hvae for the city of New Orleans. New Orleans is truly something that I live for.

"Everytime I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine--I look right into the heart of good old New Orleans--it has given me something to live for." ~Louis Armstrong

Last Day in New Orleans

Matt & I enjoyed our last day in New Orleans, but we are sad to leave. It is very bittersweet as we are excited to go home to our cats, friends, and jobs, but we cannot wait to be back in New Orleans.

We slept in this morning and then went to lunch with Kay, Karina and the other staff/missionaries from the Friendship House. We went to an Italian restaurant and I got pasta jambalaya. It was delicious. After lunch Matt & I said goodbye to Kay and Karina (one of the hardest parts of leaving) and headed back out to Cypress Creek Apartments (one of the apartments in The Creeks that we saw on Monday). After seeing all we saw this week, we came back to this one...we would love to live there. So, we took a look at the apartments again and got applications. It feels good to have found a beautiful, safe place to live that is pretty affordable.

Then we went back to the hotel and took a nap (the joys of being on vacation!). We got up and headed back down to the French Quarter and got cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe du Monde. We then walked on the riverfront some more hoping to take the ferry across just to see the city at night but the ferry wasn't running. We went in a few more shops and then headed back to our hotel.

We're pretty much packed up and ready to make the long drive home tomorrow. Pray for our safety and that we will stay awake and alert as we drive. Thank you all for your prayers and support in the beginning of this journey that awaits us. It means a lot to us that we have you all to support us. We are truly blessed to have wonderful friends and family!

The Road to New Orleans: Day 5

Matt & I just got back from our interview in Metaire. It went really well, but is not quite what we want. It is a great opportunity--we would be working in the Boys Home and they currently only have 3 boys living there. It is a pretty good salary considering it includes living expenses (we would be live in). The thing is, Matt & I would not have the same days off. It would be a 5 days on/2 days off schedule and we would each have to work one weekend day. So, it's a start and definitely something to fall back on if we need to. We're going to keep searching though. We also look at a couple apartments in Metaire. I really liked the area, but not the apartments we looked at. The first ones were not in a gated community and don't allow pets. The second ones were relatively cheaper but the square footage is much less. I keep going back to the apartments we looked at on Monday in The Creeks. I really liked them and think it could be a good place for us. We've just got to make sure we have jobs that pay enough so we could live there. We're making lots of progress and checking out many different avenues for jobs and places to live. Keep praying that God will give us direction in this journey.

One thing we have noticed in New Orleans is that they have an abundance of Winn Dixies! We thought the whole chain had closed, but apparently not, as we have seen tons of them driving around. We were excited about that, because we like Winn Dixie and they are cheap! We have also found out that non of the Wal-Marts around here are 24 hours. Most of them close at 10 or 12 pm. You would think it would be opposite in a city this size, but it is because of a lack of workers.

We are learning lots and lots about the city and loving it more and more. I cannot explain it, but I truly have a peace here and feel like it is already my home. God truly works in mysterious ways!

We're not sure what we'll be doing this afternoon/tonight. It is finally sunny outside, so we will probably drive around checking out some different areas and might head to Audobon Park for a while. Tomorrow we will be going to lunch with Karina and Kay (my other friend who is the director of the Baptist Friendship House). We have pretty much gotten everything done that we wanted to while we are here, so now it's "play time". :)

*Oh, I just remembered something interested that we saw yesterday. Every time we come to New Orleans we see people walking around the French Quarter with their pets...and these are not your everyday cat and dog here. Last time we saw a lady walking around with a goat. Yesterday we saw a man walking around with his miniture pony. It was so funny! He was just walking down Bourbon Street talking to people and went into a bar. Haha. Quite eccentric people that live here!

The Road to New Orleans: Day 4

I am quite tired and a little tipsy from that Hurricane I just had at Pat O'Briens, but I want to update for you all.

Matt & I went out to Slidell this morning and looked at two apartments there. The second one we looked at are *really* nice and a little cheaper than the ones we saw yesterday, but it was like a 45 minute drive and that was when the traffic was good. We will just have to see where our job is and stuff.

Then we went to see my friend, Karina at the Friendship House. We hung out there for quite a while and just had fun talking with everyone there.

We then headed down to the French Quarter and ate dinner at Margaritaville. We both got a Cheeseburger in Paradise. They were yummy. Then we walked around some more--down Bourbon Street and then we went to Pat O's for a Hurricane. This was the first time Matt & I had not shared one hurricane and they are huge--so we are both feeling pretty tipsy now. They are yummy though. Definitely a classic thing to do when you're in New Orleans.

We then navigated our way back to our hotel after missing a turn, but we are learning the city quite well. Now it's time to get in our pj's and head to bed. We have our meeting tomorrow morning at 9 am in Metarie, so we will leave the hotel about 8 am.

I'm too tired to post pictures now, I'll post them tomorrow.

The Road to New Orleans: Day 3

Matt & I had a quite busy morning/early afternoon looking for apartments. We first went to this apartment community called The Creeks. This community includes five different apartment complexes within it's gated community. As soon as we saw it, we were impressed. We went to four out of the five complexes and looked at their apartments and got their rates. They are all very nice--lots of space, huge closets, some have garden tubs (now *that* would be nice!) and the landscaping is absolutely beautiful with creeks and fountains in each complex. If we are able to afford it, we would love to live here. It seems very safe and has a strong sense of community.

We then drove to Gretna and looked at a couple apartment complexes there. The first one had an extremely tiny master bedroom and only allows one pet, so that is out. We went to another complex which seemed okay, but nothing out of the ordinary. It's still a possibility.

By then it was 3 pm and we stopped by Wal-Mart to buy some food and stuff and then we headed back to our hotel. We were exhausted from our apartment hunting and crashed. We planned to nap for an hour and then get up but by the time I got up we had slept for 2 1/2 hours! I woke Matt up and now here I am in the lobby updating. Matt wants to stay in tonight because Prison Break is on tv. We'll save some money and eat PB & J for dinner and head out to the city tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning we'll head to Slidell to look at some apartments there and then we're going to stop by the Friendship House and see my sweet sweet friend Karina. Karina is a friend of mine that has known me since I was in 7th grade and she was going to school at CIU. She was my Sunday School teacher and turned into my mentor and best friend. We have kept in contact since then and she is a missionary at the Baptist Friendship House and has been living in New Orleans for about 7 years. Karina is the one who gave me the opportunity to come to NO for the first time and she shares my passion for the city and its people. I cannot wait to see her. She is one of those friends who you only get to see every couple years but every time we are together it's like nothing has changed.

I'm posting my pictures on my facebook account..here's the links. Sorry I can't hyperlink them right now so you will have to cut & paste.

Day 1: http://winthrop.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033117&l=8390c&id=45500189

Day 2 & 3: http://winthrop.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033281&l=520ff&id=45500189

N'Awlins funny

I'm sitting here in the lobby cafe area drinking my coffee and checking my e-mail. A man just walked up and got some coffee and is talking to himself. I have no idea what he is saying, he's just mumbling. Then he walks over to me and proceeds to push some buttons on my macbook. He said "you have to push this to turn the sound on". I said "hi" to him and then he walked away and started playing with a suitcase nearby as well as some tv wires on the wall. He is now sitting at a table nearby and continuing to talk to himself. This is why I love N'awlins...I want to know his story...who he is and why he's here. The people of N'awlins are truly diverse and I love learning about them.

The Road to New Orleans: Day 2

Here I am, sitting on our bed in our hotel in New Orleans. But let me recap what has happened since my last post.

After the incident at our hotel yesterday (see my last post), it got worse. Matt & I awoke at 5 am with a man unlocking the door to our hotel room and opening the door. Fortunately, we had the bolt on so he could only open the door a few inches. He said, "Hello?" and we both said "Hello" back. At that point he closed the door and we hear him say to his friend "They put us in a room that already has people in it!" Kinda scary. But we went back to sleep. When Matt went in to check out today, he found out that we were put in the wrong room and that really was those other guys room. And our room was supposed to have a fridge and the internet (we just got it sporadically in the room we were in). Oh well, life goes on. I was so glad to get out of that motel hotel though!

After checking out of our hotel, we headed back into the city of Atlanta to go to church. We ended up at this church called "Midtown Gathering". This church is a simulcast of Buckhead Church (a branch of North Point Church) and was held in a really nice movie theater. Basically the service from Buckhead Church is put on the movie screen. They call it a "cinematic spiritual experience". I really enjoyed it. They had two movie theaters full of people and everyone was very involved in singing, clapping, brought their Bibles, etc. I was very impressed. After church we stopped at a coffee shop across the street and I got a Mocha Latte. Yum.

We then began our long journey from Atlanta to New Orleans. We made quite a few stops along the way so it took us about 8 hours to get here (instead of the 6 hours it should have taken). We stopped in Auburn, Alabama and went to an Old Navy and took some pictures with a couple tiger statues. We made lots of gas station stops because we didn't plan well. We should have gone to the bathroom and gotten gas at the same time, but no, we didn't. The drive was quite pretty once we got down to MississipIpi...lots of wetlands and marshes.

As we were driving into New Orleans on I-10, we remembered the devastation of the east side of New Orleans that we had seen last July when we were here. Nine months later, this side of town pretty much looks the same. There are still tons of abandoned buildings-- homes, apartments, hotels, restaurants, etc. There are still apartment buildings that have "Help" written on the roofs. Hurricane Katrina hit over 1 1/2 years ago and some things still remain the same. It is a reminder of what so many people suffered through...losing loved ones and their homes. Please continue to pray for those still rebuilding their lives from Katrina...it is a long journey.

Matt & I checked into our hotel and were pleased to have found it a beautiful hotel with a huge room including a refrigerator, dressing room, couch, etc. This may be the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at (and it wasn't that expensive). After getting all of our stuff in our room, we headed out for dinner. We decided to walk to this barbecue place right down the street from our hotel. The name of this restaraunt is "Igor's Barbecue Mama". Haha. I thought that was a funny name but they sure did have some good food! We ate pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans and fries. Yum.

We have no clue what we're doing tomorrow. We have lots of apartments to look at and we will just plan to visit different areas of town on different days. There are many adventures to come!

The Road To New Orleans: Day 1 (Atlanta)

Matt & I got up this morning and Matt headed to Goodyear to get the oil changed in my car while I finished packing. After all of our final stops in Rock Hill (the Post Office, CVS, McDonald's) we ended up leaving about 10 am. We had a nice drive and got to Atlanta somewhere between 2-3 pm. While we were driving, we decided we would try and go to the Georgia Aquarium. We made our way downtown and found parking after a few minutes of driving around. We found out that tickets to the aquarium were sold out until 5 pm and in order to get tickets for 5 pm you had to get there at 4 pm. So, we had some time to kill. We walked around the Olympic Centinnial Park and took and then headed to the CNN center and walked around there. Eventually we made it back to the aquarium and there were still TONS of people there. And then we saw the sign that said tickets for adults were $24.00. That ended our adventure at the aquarium. We decided that was too much money to spend when it was so crowded. We'll go back another time. We then drove around trying to find Underground Atlanta...we were unsuccessful even though we had a map. So we decided to head to our hotel. This begins the next part of our adventure...

We get to our hotel (a Days Inn) and it looks kind of sketchy. We walk in and have to wait for a few minutes because the desk staff was cleaning rooms (apparently they were running late with the cleaning schedule). We get our room and start bringing our stuff up to the room. Matt went back down to the car to get my bag and I stayed in the room. I then stepped out the door to tell Matt that the curtain was broken and we needed to change rooms. As soon as Matt saw me step out of the door he told me "Get back in the room" in quite a stern voice. At that point, I knew something dangerous was going on. Matt then continues to tell me that there is a man with a gun downstairs. Turns out that two of the staff (a male and female) were fighting over their job duties and being worked too hard. The man then starts threatening the girl saying "I'm going to blow your head off with my gun" (I've left out a few choice words). Another man nearby was trying to calm him down and the lady got out her phone and was calling the police. We don't really know what happened after that. We stayed in our room and never saw the police. We're not sure if the man really had a gun or if he was just threatening her. Matt went downstairs later and the girl was gone but the guy was still there working. Guess he calmed down. That was quite scary though. We definitely contemplated going to another hotel. Good thing were only staying here one night!

We were planning on going to church tomorrow for Easter but the churches we were thinking about (Perimeter or North Point) are both 50 minutes away from where we're staying. We're googleing churches in the area now. We'll be heading to New Orleans after church (if we can find one to go to).

Life is good!

I got a new computer today...a Macbook Pro...I love it! And to make things even better, Matt & I are leaving for New Orleans TOMORROW! AND...Matt & I have a meeting on Wednesday with the director and programs supervisor for a children's home in New Orleans about a possible job. :) We'll be updating from the road!

Spring is in the air!

Oh, how I love Spring! It is without a doubt, my favorite season and I thank God that I do not have allergies. As I see the dogwoods, bradford pears, and forsynthia in bloom I am reminded of how blessed I am to haves a Savior who has given me new life and continues to renew my soul. I am so thankful to know the God that shows himself through His creation.

Healthwise, I am feeling much better. I ended up having to go back to the doctor to get a stronger antibiotic, which worked miracles on my ear infections. I feel better now than I have felt since January. I feel like I have been given a breath of fresh air.

A week from now, Matt and I will be headed to New Orleans (with a pit stop in the ATL). The anticipation continues to build in me as we are going to go look for a place to live there. My dream is coming true. I cannot wait to see how God continues to work out the details in this great adventure. We have a few job leads with some children's homes/group homes as residential counselors. Just to think that in less than four months Matt & I will be living in New Orleans truly makes my heart sing. I am truly blessed!

It was quite a crazy week at the daycare. The kids were just out of control and we had picture day on Thursday which was pure madness. My kids were so precious though and total hams. I cannot wait to see their pictures. When I have children, I am going to be such a sucker for school pictures. I am going to want to buy every pose.

That's a recap on my life. Life is good. :)

update

I couldn't go back to sleep. My ears hurt too bad, so I decided to go to Riverview and see the doctor. I have ear infections in both ears. This is so not fun!

Life goes on.

Why am I awake and posting a blog at 3:45 am, you ask? I'm sick. My ears hurt so bad and have so much fluid in them that I feel as if I am under water. I have decided that I'm going to take today off from work and go to the doctor (for the 2nd time this month). Sure does suck not having health insurance and having to pay a whole freakin lot for a doctors visit and meds! I'll update on my health status later.

Winthrop lost against Oregon. Stupid Ducks! We didn't play our best game though, couldn't make any shots. I know the boys tried their best and played their hearts out. I am proud of them!

With all this said, life goes on.

NCAA Pot of Gold

Check this article out (from the espn.com front page): Winthrop grabs luck of the Irish in first-round win

Let's go Eagles!

WE WON OUR FIRST NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME! GO EAGLES!!! *If* we win on Sunday, Matt, Kelly, Paul, & I might go to St. Louis!

ONE

ONE--this organization has been in the public eye a lot lately as a lot of celebrities are supporting them. This campaign is one that not only celebreties should support, but each of us should stand behind. There are so many living in poverty and with hiv/aids in this world. I encourage you to go to www.one.org and check out this organization--we can truly make a difference in the world.

exhausted

I am incredibly exhausted, but I feel like posting. Here's what has been happening around our world lately...

*I was pretty sick with a sinus infection but now am thankfully better.

*Matt was sick with a sinus infection & an ear infection and yesterday got a horrible stomach bug. Please keep him in your prayers--he is incredibly weak and cannot get up for more than a few minutes at a time. Pray that his body will heal quickly and that I can be an encouragement to him (his emotions have been worn thin through all this sickness).

*Winthrop won the Big South Championships and are heading to the Big Dance! We are actually ranked #22 in USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and #24 in the AP poll. Top 25 in the nation baby! I'm so proud to be a Winthrop alum right now!

*I am still going through Beth Moore's Bible study on Daniel and it gets more and more incredible each week. It is so amazing to see the prophecies written out in Daniel as they have played out in time. God is so sovereign and I continue to be astounded at His glory!

*I realized today that God-willing, Matt & I only have 4 1/2 months left in Rock Hill until we move to New Orleans. Time sure has flown by! I am ecstatic about the move, but I now it will be hard to leave our family and friends here.

*I am hosting a Pure Romance party on Friday, April 20th. If anyone wants to come, just let me know. It's going to be a fun girls night!

I'm not who I was

If you have a minute, check out this video. It's so true to our lives.

I'm not who I was

(Thanks for posting this Erin so I could steal it)

Winthrop in USA Today

I found it pretty exciting that on the front page of the sports section in today's USA Today is a great article about Winthrop's basketball team. And the pic above is included...check out my hubby in the top righthand corner. Very exciting! The Eagles are gonna make it to the Big Dance again this year! I'm a proud alumni. Here's a link to the article if you're interested (they have a different pic on the internet than the one in print): Winthrop set to make noise

quick update

Thought I'd write a quick update before we head to church.

*Matt & I are still sick...Matt has a sinus infection & an ear infection and after one round of antibiotics (that cost $300!) he's still not better. And who knows what I have. I probably need to go to the doctor but don't want to spend the money.

*Just finished up my third week working at the daycare and I'm still loving it! The kids can be pretty whiney and bratty but atleast they're cute! It's definitely not a job I could do for the rest of my life, but it'll keep me busy until we move.

*I've got the baby bug. So many people around us are having babies and I can't stand it! I know that if I get pregnant now we can't move though, so...I've got to be patient and wait for God's timing. It's hard though!

*Matt & I reserved our hotel room in New Orleans for spring break (April9-13th). I can't wait to be back there! And we're staying in the Garden District this time so that will be nice.

*Matt's laptop is broken. Boo! And the Geeksquad said there was nothing wrong with it (stu-pid)! So, we may be looking into getting a new laptop--I'm hoping for a Mac this time! :)

That's it for now. Gotta go praise some Jesus!

Rock Hill man indicted in money laundering case

Rock Hill man indicted in money laundering case

*this man is a member of the church who's daycare I work at and one of his kids goes to daycare there. Very sad--sad that his family is being torn apart because of greed.

Viva La Louisane!

Here are a few more interesting facts about the Bayou State...

Just in case Hurricane Katrina causing the levees to break in New Orleans is the only thing you know about Louisiana, here are a fewmore interesting facts about the Bayou State:

Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the nation at 450 feet.

The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans is the largest enclosed stadium in the world.

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest over-water bridge in the world at 23.87 miles.

Louisiana 's 6.5 million acres of wetlands are the greatest wetland area in America.

The oldest city in the Louisiana Purchase Territory is Natchitoches,Louisiana founded in 1714.

The first bottler of Coca-Cola, Joseph Biedenharn, lived in Monroe, Louisiana.

Delta Airlines got its start in Monroe , Louisiana (But before it was named Delta, it was Chicago & Southern.)

Southern University in Baton Rouge , Louisiana is the largest predominantly black university in America.

Baton Rouge was the site of the only American Revolution battle outside the original 13 colonies.

The formal transfer of the Louisiana Purchase was made at the Cabildo building in New Orleans on December 20, 1803.

The staircase at Chrétien Point, in Sunset, Louisiana was copied for Tara in "Gone with the Wind."

Louisiana is the No. 1 producer of crawfish, alligators and shallots in America.

Louisiana produces 24 percent of the nation's salt, the most in America.

Much of the world's food, coffee and oil pass through the Port of New Orleans.

Tabasco , a Louisiana product, holds the second oldest food trademark in the U.S. Patent Office.

Steen's Syrup Mill is the world's largest syrup plant producing sugar cane syrup.

America 's oldest rice mill is in New Iberia , Louisiana at KONRIKO Co.

The International Joke Telling Contest is held annually in Opelousas,Louisiana.

LSU "The Ole War Skule" in Baton Rouge has the distinction of contributing the most officers to WW II after the U.S. militaryacademies.

The Louisiana Hayride radio show helped Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash achieve stardom. It was broadcast from KWKH Radio in Shreveport , Louisiana from 1948 to 1960.

The term Uncle Sam was coined on the wharfs of New Orleans before Louisiana was a U.S. territory as goods labeled U.S. were from "Uncle Sam."

The game of craps was invented in New Orleans in 1813 as betting was common activity on the wharves.

When states had their own currency, the Louisiana Dix (French for ten) was a favored currency for trade. English speakers called them Dixies and coined the term Dixieland.

New Orleans is the home of the oldest pharmacy in America at 514 Chartres Street in the French Quarter. These early medical mixtures became known as cocktails (guess they were good for what ails ya?) coining yet another term.

New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz the only true American art form.Jazz gave birth to the Blues and Rock and Roll music.

Viva La Louisane!!!

i have no voice

Literally, I have no voice. I'm still sick and lost my voice yesterday. It's kinda hard to yell at kids when I have no voice, but I'm making due. Pray that I will get better soon. I'm tired of whispering.

I am absolutely loving my new job at the daycare. I'm working with two year olds and they are a crazy hot mess but I love them. It's lots of fun and I get to hang out with some awesome people and see my hubby sometimes. :)

I found out today that my mom has hurt her back. She's in a lot of pain. Please be praying for her as well. If she doesn't start feeling better soon, she'll definitely end up at the doctor.

Matt & I are going to have an exciting weekend this weekend. For Matt's Valentine's present, I got us a room at the Courtyard Marriott in Ballantyne and the best part is we have a whirlpool in our room. Heck yes I am excited! And Saturday is homecoming for Winthrop so that'll for sure be a fun day.

That's all for now.

If You say go

*I've been loving this song lately...and truly trying to make it true in my life*

If You say go, we will go
If You say wait, we will wait
If You say step out on the water
And they say it can't be done
We'll fix our eyes on You and we will come

Your ways are higher than our ways
And the plans that You have laid
Are good and true
If You call us to the fire
You will not withdraw Your hand
We'll gaze into the flames and look for You

tomorrow!

I start my new job tomorrow. I'm working at Catawba Baptist Child Development Center and will be a preschool teacher. I'm excited--just to have a steady job and income. Plus, I love working with kids!

In other news, Matt & I have been sick for the past few days. We've been sleeping a lot and drugging ourselves up with Nyquil and Dayquil. I'm feeling better tonight...hopefully we'll kick this sickness soon.

IT'S SNOWING!!!

Wanted everyone to know that IT'S SNOWING in Rock Hill!!!! YAY!!!

Guess I won't be going to my job interview today--maybe not to my appointment in Lancaster either.

Look out the window, it's so pretty!

job interview!

I have a job interview on Wednesday (10 am) at Thomson Child & Family Focus in Matthews! Please be praying for me...I'm really praying this is the right job for me.

Matt & I (and his parents) are heading to Clemson for the weekend. Michael & Amy are moving into a house, so we're going to go help them. I'm looking forward to this time with them. We found out on Monday that Amy is having a boy (who will be named William Comen) so we have lots to celebrate!

I mailed in my application and essay to SUNO (Southern University at New Orleans) today...hoping it will be the start to another adventure in my life!

The word of God is living and active!

A couple weeks ago I started Beth Moore's study on Daniel with a group of ladies at church. I knew this study was going to kick me in the face after the first night. I have already been taught so many things and most of it has nothing to do with the book of Daniel. I have realized that for so long I have been living out the motions of Christianity without it having any effect at all on my heart. I go to church every Sunday, go to Bible study, pray before meals, etc...yet none of this has brought me to the place where I need and want to be. I am learning that "The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). The last two weeks have been an amazing testimony of what God can do through His Word. I look forward to reading His Word and it changing my life. And as Beth Moore is teaching us, the Word is not always about us, it's about HIM. Not everything in the Bible has to apply to us--we need to take it as it is and know why it glorifies God. I am at a point in my life where I am learning just how sovereign God is and how true He is to his word.

I am still looking for a job and trusting that God has the perfect one for me. This week I will be sending off my application for grad school at Southern University of New Orleans--that possibility truly excites me! I know God has amazing plans for me & Matt, we just have to wait and see what he has in store for us!

how cool is this?!

Another reason why I'm dying to move to New Orleans!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070116/en_nm/jolie_dc

loving the new blogger

so i'm totally enjoying the new blogger where it is SO easy to change your template and have fun with it and also to add links and stuff to your blog. super cool!

life's lessons

I have been wanting to write for about a week now but just didn't know how to put what I'm feeling into words. Well, here I am.

In the past few weeks I have learned a lot about life. I have learned that you cannot always depend on your plans. I had been told that I was going to be offered a with Lutheran Family Services (where I did my internship) and that has not worked out. A few things that have recently happened which are out of my control made the position not available. At first I was quite frustrated as I was depending on this job. I now see that God can use me in other places. I have a couple leads on job possibilities and am waiting to hear back from them. In the meantime, I am fearful. I am scared that now Matt & I will not be able to move to New Orleans next summer. It all depends on my job and if we can save up money to move. It also depends on the job I get as I would only be there until July or so. I am fearful of the unknown. I want so much to move to New Orleans and am scared that we will not be able to do so. I know if it's in God's will, it will happen, He will make it happen. That's where trust comes in. I am learning to trust Him more and more in the plans of my life. Trust is a hard thing to learn to have. God is truly stretching me and growing me in new ways.

Prayer for Jenna's family

Please pray for Jenna Witherspoon's family. Jenna was a precious little girl that went to our church that has been battling brain cancer since 2004. Jenna went home to be with her Heavenly Father yesterday. Pray for her family that they will be comforted in this difficult time. If you want to know more about Jenna and her story visit her Caringbridge site at www.caringbridge.org/sc/jennawit

new year's resolutions

Just read my friend Courtney's blog & was inspired by her to make some new year's resolutions...

*To spend more time with God--in prayer and His Word. This is such a hard thing for me to do. I am not very disciplined at this and it's something I really desire. My mom recently gave me Beth Moore's study on Daniel...I'm looking forward to starting this and really want to stick with it.

*To read more. I love reading. I've got a few books I really want to read and it seems I never take the time to do so.

*Cook more. I really want to cook dinner more for me & Matt. I love it when I do cook, but so many times I am just too tired or don't feel like it. I just need to make it a habit.

*Continue to stick to Weight Watchers and work out on a daily basis. I have done very well with this up until the holidays. I need to get back in the swing of things.

graduation pics!

I am now a college graduate. It feels good. Nice to have three important letters behind my name: BSW. I'll post pictures later--I'm pretty exhausted now and not feeling too well.

blah

So, I graduate in 13 hours and all I can think about is how tired and frustrated I am. Blah.

Christmas picture

This is our Christmas picture...the cats weren't too happy about it and DJ's eyes are glowing green. haha. Oh well.

graduation

In nine days I will be graduation from Winthrop with my Bachelor's of Social Work. It has been a long journey and it's amazing to look back and see where I am now. Four and a half years ago, I never would have dreamed that I would be married and settling down in life. God has brought me through so many experiences to lead me to who I am today. I am thankful for who I am and what God has done in me and through me in the past four and a half years.

These are the girls who I have struggling through this program with...we've laughed and cried together...we are a family. I am so proud of each of them and cannot wait to see where God leads them in their social work careers.

at the Christmas tree farm

this pic is kinda blurry & it was sunny, but still...good times with good friends at the christmas tree farm.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Saturday, we went to Penland's Tree Farm in York to cut down our Christmas tree. It was a wonderful experience and we even ran into some of our favorite people there--the Schnees! Here are a few pics of our humongous tree (it's 9 1/2 feet)!

thought this was cute

happy thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! We have a lot to be thankful for!

a thankful heart

I feel that lately I have been showered with God's blessings.

My internship has been wonderful. I've loved every minute of it and can't believe that it will be over with in a few more weeks. I am blessed to have the opportunity to continue to work with Lutheran Family Services after I graduate. This is an amazing opportunity for me to learn and grow as a social worker.

I have been blessed with amazing friends and a strong support system. Since Matt and I moved in with Paul & Kelly I havecontinued to realize what amazing people they are. We are so blessed to have them in our lives and even open their home to us. I have also been building other relationships with friends and I feel each one is a blessing to me. When Matt and I got married, my life and friendships changed dramatically. It seemed that all of my single, college friends didn't want to hang out anymore because we were married. Yet, we hadn't been married long enough to have married friends yet. It has been a year since we helped start up the young married sunday school class at church and this class has been an awesome way to meet other young couples that are experiencing the same things we are. We have truly met some great people and formed friendships.

I am also thankful for the opportunity to move to New Orleans. This has been a dream of mine for 3 1/2 years now. I am grateful that God placed a husband in my life that shares my dreams and desires for serving others.

We are having a Thanksgiving dinner tonight at our house. If everyone comes, there will be 18 people here ranging from church friends to work friends to neighbors. I am really excited about this time of fellowship.

I just feel overwhelmed with blessings right now. My life is far from perfect, but I can see God's hand moving in awesome ways and know that He is a good God. God is God and God is good.

i got a job!

So, my internship supervisor told me today that she is planning on hiring me after my internship is over in December! I'm going to be doing recruiting and licensing of foster families in the Catawba area (Lancaster, Rock Hill, & Gaffney) for Lutheran Family Services. I'm thrilled!

an old soul

The other day I was talking to my field instructor about my dreams and desires for my life. We were also talking about my internship and how things were going with that. She made the comment that I have an "old soul". This was the greatest compliment she could give me. She stated that while I am young in years, I am mature, responsible, and caring. I attribute all of this to the experiences of my life. I had different experiences growing up than most kids. For those of you who don't know, my dad is a social worker and my brother and I basically grew up at the children's home he worked at. Only a fence in our backyard seperated us from about 80 children placed at the home ranging from age 5 to 18. These kids were my life--my friends and playmates. I spent countless days playing on the playground, in the gym, and riding bikes with them. When I was young, I saw no difference between them and me. As I grew older and built stronger relationships with these children, I realized the pain and struggles that they were going through. I truly feel blessed that at a young age, I was able to realize that pain and suffering are a part of life. All of my experiences and knowledge helped fuel my passion for helping others. My heart burns to help families and children through hard times. I want to share the hope and joy that God can give them no matter what the situation. This is what excites me about my future. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me and my family. While I do take pride in being an "old soul"--I know it's only because of my Creator. He has made me who I am today.

Happy Birthday Kerry!

It's Kerry the cat's birthday. He is now three years old. What a precious cat! If you don't know, Kerry is Paul & Kelly's cat, and now kind of ours since we live with them.

the fray

I just bought tickets to see the Fray on January 22nd! Heck yes I am excited!

quick update

Thought I'd share what the past few days have been like. Matt & I began moving stuff to Kelly & Paul's on Friday and continued through yesterday. We actually still have some cleaning stuff at the apartment and some stuff to donate to Goodwill...we'll get that out tonight. I think moving is a great thing to do every few years. It makes you clean out all your stuff and evaluate what you have. I couldn't believe how much junk we had accumulated. My mom made the comment "Just remember when we brought you to college 5 years ago we could fit everything in one van and now we have to have a big U-Haul"...it's true. Granted, I did get married and accumulate some furniture during that time, but I really do have a lot of junk. Makes me wonder where my priorities really lie sometimes.

Our cats are adjusting to living at Kelly & Paul's. We sent Tigger (my 21 year old cat) to live with my parents because we didn't think he could handle living with Brogan (Kelly & Paul's dog). My parents say he is doing well. I'm glad. Peaches and DJ have been staying in our room a lot. Peaches stays under the covers and DJ stays under the bed. DJ has been wandering out some and I think he'll feel comfortable being out of our room soon.

My internship is still going well. I got to do my first home study on a foster parent by myself yesterday. That was fun--I'm sure I'll be doing hundreds more during my career as a social worker.

I'm going to walk across the street now and hang out with Jenn & the kids she's baby-sitting. I'm getting my haircut later (just trimmed I think).

this is my life...

As of late, my head has been swimming in a state of being overwhelmed. My internship is very hectic right now as we are trying to get all of our foster homes through the yearly re-licensure process. So, I am busy being a full-time social worker, trying to keep up with all my assignments for my seminar class, working at the gym, and packing up the entire apartment to put into storage for 8 months while we live with Paul & Kelly. It's a crazy week and I really don't know how I'm going to have time to pack everything and get it ready to move on Saturday. I sure will be glad when the move is over. Pray for my sanity this week. Praise God that He is in control.

ink

I got a tattoo today. I absolutely love it! I've wanted this for a long time and it's bee-uuu-tee-mous!!!

Boyfriend cuts up corpse, cooks it

Boyfriend cuts up corpse, cooks it

Have you guys heard about this?

Yes, this is the city that I love and am moving to next summer.

kitty rescue

This is the kitten we are trying to find a good home for.

Emily

check this one out

So, you guys are gonna think I have way too much time on my hands with this one. But really, this is what happens when you work from home...you make your cats webpages.

check out my sweet babies...

Tigger

DJ

Peaches

tragedy

Tragedy and heartbreak has hit Rock Hill this week.

Police search for suspects in shooting death of clerk

'Adults aren't supposed to bury children'

Please pray for these families. I know Lindsey Craven's mother and grandmother. They are just devestated. Pray that these families will cling to God in their darkest times.

big news!!!

Just found out tonight that I'm gonna be an aunt! Matt's brother, Michael, and his wife are having a baby! It's due in the beginning of June...so we might just have to wait to move to NO in July/August. Can't miss out on this baby!!!

See the Morning

I just downloaded Chris Tomlin's new album, See the Morning, from itunes. It's just fabulous. It's got some hardcore good worship stuff on it. Check it out...www.christomlin.com

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

life

Why is it when things seem to be going wonderfully, something happens, you hit a rough spot, life brings the challenges? I think it's a God thing. When the rough times come it seems to knock us back into reality and realize that it's all about Him. It's not about us, our plans, our achievements. It's all about His plans and His grace. Thank you Jesus for once again kicking me in the butt & letting me know that it's not all about me!

When I hit a rough spot, I always seem to turn back to Jennifer Knapp's music. It's inspiring and humbling.

Romans~Jennifer Knapp

Just when I think I've got it,
It's gone.
When I think I know the answer
And I dare to raise my hand it's wrong.
Stop. Stop. Stop this foolish pride of mine.
That dares to drag me far away from you.
When I try to do it my way I always lose.
I always lose your point of view.

I don't have to be condemned.
Jesus saved me from the laws of sin.
If I fall I'll try again.
With the Spirit as my guide
I'll never have to hide again.

I, I, I try to close my eyes like a child
Playing in a game of hide and seek.
If I cannot see the Lord
Then surely Lord
You cannot see me.
As if I could ever
Keep Him from spying me.
All the plans of this man they're nothing more
Nothing more than evil schemes.

another kitty!

Let's add another kitten to the Parks' home...

Today I'm walking out of the apt to go to the gym. I then see a sweet little black kitten on the sidewalk. Poor kitten was just crying as loud as it could. So I call to it and it comes running to me! It's over at that point--there's no choice but to take it in. I'm putting up flyers and stuff hoping it belongs to someone, but it's not likely since it's a kitten. We're going to keep it for now, but we're hoping to find a good home for it. We think it's a girl. She's absolutely loveable and precious!

That makes 4 cats in our apartment though! Whew! We love them all!

i'm bored but excited!

So, I've already completed all the work I need to do today and have 3 1/2 hours until class. I've been searching around on the web for places to live in New Orleans and job stuff. Every day the excitement about moving grows in me. I know that it's going to be really hard to leave our family, friends, and church here but I know that God has amazing opportunities for us in New Orleans. Matt & I are moving in with our good friends, Kelly & Paul at the end of the month in order to save up money to move. It will be a great adventure living with Kelly & Paul since they have 2 cats, a dog, & a rabbit and we will bring along 2 more cats. I'm sure fun times are in store for us! But, praise God that we have amazing friends that are open to us living with them for a while. They are such a blessing to us! I'm not really sure what is in store for me after graduation in December. I'd love to get a social work job but being we will be leaving 6 months later, I'm not sure that is possible. So, I might just keep working at the gym until we move (not that I'd mind, I love it there). So, that's all for now I guess.

Sweet Home Superdome

The New Orleans Saints won their first game back in the Superdome!

Wish I was going to the Saints/Panters game this Sunday, but I'll have to settle for watching it on tv.

Vision

The whole topic of "vision" has been weighing on me since church on Saturday night. Our church is going through an awesome time where things are changing and we're building new buildings, bought some new land, beginning new outreach programs, etc. The entire campaign for our church is entitled "Vision". We have been hearing a lot about vision for the past month or so, but last week's sermon was aimed at our own personal vision. What are we here for? What is our purpose? What can we accomplish here on earth?

I have always had big visions for my life. I'm a big dreamer kind of person. I can remember the first real vision I had in my life. When I was eight years old I had a dream about going to Africa. This was at a time when we were learning about missions a lot at church. Since that time, I have met so many people either from Africa or have been missionaries in Africa. Each person I met inspires me and makes my vision grow even more. This is a huge vision that I have...to go to Africa, live there, and minister to those living in poverty there. I know, God-willing, this vision will be lived out one day.

This leads me to a vision for my life that is closer to being lived out. Ever since I visited New Orleans three and a half years ago I have be drawn to the city. The people, the culture, the land, the buildings...I love it all. I have never understood why I love this city so much. As I was sitting in church listening to Shelton speak the other night, I realized...New Orleans is a huge part the vision I have for my life. God has placed a burden for the city and the people on my heart and that burden is not going away. And I realize that I am so blessed to be married to a man who shares my visions for life. At this point we are making plans to move to New Orleans in June, so that I can begin grad school in the fall. It's all about living out your vision.
So what about you? What vision do you have for your life? Vision drives us to accomplish great things for God. Shelton said one thing that hit me big, "You need to have a vision so big that it's due to fail if God isn't it in". Isn't it amazing to think that we could accomplish nothing without Him. Dream big. Have a huge vision for your life. We can't do it on our own, but God can do it through us.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

The world is Flatt's...

Here are some pics from the Rascal Flatts concert last Friday (9.15) It was a great show!

Here's me, Matti, & Anita.

Matt says that this is such an exciting show he can sleep through it.

I'm a cowgirl!

poem

Poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, written in the form of a prayer

Make it so the poor are no longer
despised and thrown away.
Look at them standing about--
like wildflowers, which have nowhere else to grow.

it's a crazy world

So, I got a call from Matt while I was at work last night--his dad's identity has been stolen and someone has tried to charge over half a million dollars on his bank card (fortunately only charged $4000 because all the other charges were denied). How crazy! They had to call the police and file a report, call the bank's fraud department and call all the credit agencies to get it all straightened out. We hear about this all the time but never think it can happen to us. This goes to show, it can happen to anyone.

Other than that scare, things are going well. The gang (me, Matt, Kelly, Paul, Daniel, Jen, & Grant) all went camping in Cherokee, NC for Labor Day. We had a blast and got to do lots of fun stuff. We went rock mining, saw a waterfall, fished, and just hung out at the campsite and ate hotdogs and s'mores. I sure do love camping and wish we could do it more.

My internship is still fabulous. I got to go to Hall Psychiatric Institute (yes, the infamous Bull St) last week. It was a great experience as I had been in private psychiatric institutes before but never the state run ones. It was sad in just the fact that it is run down and just looks so dreary. But in meeting with a psychiatrist and social worker I was encouraged to see that they really want the best for these kids. So, yeah, that was really cool.

This is random, but does anyone else hate the new facebook?

Guess I should get back to working on my agency presentation.

fun times

this is my life

Things have been great the past week & a half. I started my internship with Lutheran Family Services and have truly enjoyed it. I've gotten to go on plenty of home visits and meet foster parents and children. I am truly blessed to have an amazing internship. I'm learning a lot and having a blast as well. We have some crazy kids (hence the fact they are in *therapeutic* foster care) but they make life so fun and interesting. There's never a dull moment with these kids. And the foster parents we have are amazing as well. They are so dedicated and go above and beyond for these kids. It's just great. I'm loving it.

remembering Katrina

This is the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Such a powerful storm that affecting so many lives in our nation. My heart goes out to all the survivors and families/friends of those who lost their lives. My heart truly is burdened for these people.

my favorite poem

Just ran across my favorite poem and wanted to post it. We studied this poem when I was in 11th grade and I fell in love with it and still love it. Take a moment and read it.

Mother to Son
by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor--
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you find it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now--
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

the time has come

Today was internship training. Tomorrow I start my internship with Lutheran Family Services! Woo hoo! I'm on my way to being a "real" social worker! Next step, New Orleans!

randomness

10 more days until I start my internship. I couldn't be more ready! Now that I've studied how to be a social worker for 4 years, it's time to dive in and put all that knowledge to use. I'm pretty burnt out on working 3 jobs as well. Ready for this summer to be over with. This week will prove to be bittersweet as it will be my last week working with Carlos and at the Post Office. I will miss them all so much but I'm ready to focus on my internship and graduate!

Matti, Kaley, & I went to Warped Tour on Tuesday. It was absolutely awesome. 9 hours listening to great bands & going crazy in the mosh pits. Fun times. I've put some pictures up on my myspace page if you want to see (www.myspace.com/ragamuffin4abba).

Matt has started back to school, teaching kindergarten. So far, he is liking it and it seems to be going well. It's a whole lot less stressful than last year.

For those of you who don't know, I started Weight Watchers about a month and a half ago. I was inspired by some ladies at the gym and decided that I just needed some structure to get me on track. Well, so far I've lost 14 lbs and gone down 3 pants sizes! How freakin' cool is that?! I'm pretty excited.

That's pretty much all I have for now. I will try & post some recent pictures soon. I know I've been slack.

Why in the world...

...am I awake at 4:49 am posting on my blog? I can't sleep. Ever since we've gotten back from NO I haven't been sleeping well. I think it's just the excitement of starting my internship as well as the excitement of the possibility of moving to NO. So, here I am, wide awake, when I should be sleeping because I have yet another 13 hour work day tomorrow.

hoping and praying that my dream will come true

Matt & I had an amazing week in New Orleans. I'd have to say that it is the most amazing city ever. Ever since I went there for the first time 4 years ago, I have just been drawn to the city and people there. So...I'm considering going to grad school there. I can't think of a better city to get my Master's in Social Work in. Matt is all for moving there and that makes my heart happy to know that he would love to be there too. Granted, nothing is for certain and we wouldn't move there until next summer, but I'm hoping and praying that it will all work out.

So, that's what's on my heart right now.

Why I love New Orleans and want to move here...

1. Seeing a lady walking her pet goat (which even had a collar on) in the middle of the road
2. Hearing a “street preacher/mental guy” yelling in a megaphone that “The kingdom of Heaven is near!” and putting on the megaphone siren to get everyone’s attention
3. Real red beans & rice
4. The lights and sounds of Bourbon Street (but sometimes it’s a little too much)
5. Biegnet’s and coffee at Café DuMonde
6. Street bands jammin’ out some real ‘Nawlins jazz
7. the people and culture
8. the Baptist Friendship House (and those who work there)
9. Going on swamp tours when alligators eat parts of the boat off (for real)
10. Watching spiders capture bugs in our wonderful hotel room(video to be posted soon)
11. Cab drivers that have a heart for the city they have always called home
12. Being able to walk/take a streetcar or bus anywhere you want to go
13. Water that doesn’t taste so great
14. The fact that the entire city has wireless internet
15. Riding a trolley=free!
16. All the parks/squares in the city
17. Po Boys
18. All the random stuff you can see at the French Market
19. Hollywood Hustler (haha)

And finally…

20. The rebuilding of a great city after a disastrous event…these people have strength, hope, and determination!

taking donations

because Matt & I are drooling over the new toyota fj cruiser!

You wish you were me...

because I'm going to see Rascal Flatts on September 15th! Holla!

prayer

Pray for sweet Riley...

www.caringbridge.org/visit/rileyfriddle

and for Jenna...

http://www.caringbridge.org/sc/jennawit/

Wanted to share these lyrics...

Wherever You Are~Third Day (I get to see them on July 1st!)

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know
That I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes
I never knew
That I couldn't ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on

After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is
I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed

Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

13 hour workdays

So, I'm pulling 3 jobs now. Definitely not planned but it's okay. I got a call from the Winthrop Post Office (where I used to work) saying they were desperate because one of their workers just quit. Who am I to say no? It's kicking me in the butt though--working from 7 am until 10 pm most days. I'm making it though. The money doesn't hurt either since Matt's new job will be a huge pay cut.

Life has been good though. Matt & I have gotten into kayaking lately (with Kelly & Paul of course). We had a yard sale last weekend and what did we buy with the money we made? A new kayak. We'll be excited to take it out on the river this weekend.

We had a wonderful time at the beach with Matt's mom. It was an enjoyable, relaxing week. Matt & I even went on a casino boat and won $60 on the slots! We went to the Pavilion since it's closing in September. That makes me sad as I've been going there since I was a toddler. But we rode all the rides and took lots of pictures.

Tickets for Rascal Flatts go on sale this Saturday! I've convinced Matt that we should go! Whoa...I'm excited!

The new season of Big Brother starts tomorrow night. I'm addicted to that show.

Matt & I are FINALLY getting the internet at our apt on July 3rd. We survived over a year without it but I'm dying. And I need it for my internship since I'll be working from home.

Matt & I also survived our first year of marraige. We've had some bumps in the road but overall it has been so wonderful! I wouldn't change a think. Marraige is such a precious gift from God!

I'm sitting in the 60 degree gym...freezing my butt off while it's 92 degrees outside. 5 more hours until I'm off. :)

banana pancakes

It has been quite a while since I've updated this thing. It's going to be bullet style today...

• I finished up my classes. Got my grades. Got all B's this semester which is pretty good considering I'm married, working 2 jobs, and going to school full time. I was excited that I got a B in Statistics and Nutrition. I'm glad this semester is over with. Now all that's left is my internship. I'm also going to take a Photography class next semester, just for fun. I'm excited since I have always wanted to take a photography class and now I've got the chance.
  
• Matt has 5 more days left of teaching. I know he is relieved since this has been a very stressful year. He is still looking for a job though so pray that doors will be opened.
  
• We had a wonderful weekend. I had strep throat but struggling though it all. Saturday we went to Carowinds with our Sunday School class. It was exhausting but still lots of fun and good fellowship. I was feeling really bad after that so Matt & I went home & crashed for a while. Then we went to the Winthrop baseball game with his parents and grandparents. We had an enjoyable time. Sunday morning we went to church at the Parks' church (Christ Ridge in Fort Mill) and to our great surprise Jeff Ferguson was preaching. After the service we went back to the Parks' house for a delicious lunch. It was Mother's Day but also Mr. Parks' birthday so we celebrated both. We listened to some more war stories from Matt's dad and realized how thankful we are to have him home. Later we went to Paul & Kelly's & hung out, went to church with them, and had dinner at IHOP. It was a busy and exhausting weekend but we had good times with good friends and family.
• Right now all I'm doing is working--at Impact and with Carlos. I'm working about 45 hours a week total but still have plenty of time to relax. Many days I don't have to go in to work until 5 pm so it's be nice to sleep in, go for a walk at Cherry Park, go to the tanning bed, and shopping. :)
  
• So...I'm in a contest with this lady at the gym to see who can lose the most weight by July 1st. We started yesterday and I've done great with the balanced eating and exercising since then. I really have no problem exercising since I work at a gym 5 days a week but it's the eating thing that kills me. I love french fries, hamburgers, chicken strips...any kind of fast food. I'm really working on it though. This competition is good for me because it gives me some motivation. It'll be fun!

Guess that's it for now. I'm headed to Cherry Park for a walk.

and it begins...

One exam down, three more to go. And then there's nothing left but my internship! Holy mess I'm exchited!

Indulgence

I had the most glorious peppermint mocha from Starbucks this morning. It was smooth, mocha-ey, and peppermintey. :) Who cares if I paid $4 for one cup of coffee. It was devine. Sometimes you gotta live a little!

the promise

He humbled Himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death - death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

When human hands fastened the divine hands to a cross with spikes, it wasn't the soldiers who held the hands of Jesus steady. It was God who held them steady. Those same hands that formed the oceans and built the mountains. Those same hands that designed the dawn and crafted each cloud. Those same hands that blueprinted one incredible plan for you and me.

Take a stroll out to the hill. Out to Calvary. Out to the cross where, with holy blood, the hand that placed you on the planer wrote the the promise, "God would give up His only Son before He'd give up on you."

Max Lucado
Six Hours One Friday

Why I love my job...

This is why I love working at Impact...last night one of our members called me at the gym just to tell me who got kicked of American Idol since they knew I couldn't watch it. I sure do love those ladies!

aaahh...papers!

If I have learned one thing in college, it's how to bust out some papers quickly. I am a master paper writer. Yesterday afternoon I wrote a 6 page paper in about 75 minutes. Then last night I wrote a 7 page paper in 90 minutes. Only one more paper to write this semester. My paper writing madness is coming to an end.

encouraging quote

“If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we'll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner." ~Beth Moore

It's Friday!

It's Friday...finally! And it's a beautiful day as well. Matt's on Spring Break now. Unfortunately I have quite a few papers and projects due next week. At least we'll get to spend a little more time together.

Tonight we're having a cookout at Daniel & Jen's with Kelly & Paul. Fun times with new friends. It's fun to have more married friends...we're "adults" now. Scary!

Life is still crazy. I've just got to keep reminding myself...

"Satan, get thee behind me!"

a little sad

So, Mandisa got kicked off American Idol last night. Boo! That's okay though because I heard she already has a record in the making. Now I'm rooting for Chris, Kellie, & Taylor.

In other music news, I've been addicted to Carrie Underwood lately. Matt bought me her cd and I'm loving every single song.

Matt's still looking for a job. Continue praying.

praise you in the storm

So Matt & I have been really blessed this year. We have had a wonderful first 10 months of marraige. I was starting to wonder when this "rough 1st year marraige" stuff was going to happen. And then it came. Last Thursday Matt was informed by his principal and assistant principal that his contract with the district would not be renewed after this year. Matt is apparantly an "incompetant teacher". Whatever. The entire dismissal packet is full of lies. The school never did anything to help Matt this year. The first year of teaching is supposed to be an "assisting year" and the second year is the "evaluative year". No assisting happened to my husband this year. The superintendent and the assistant principal (his "mentors") would come in to observe him and give him no feedback at all. How is he supposed to improve if he is given no feedback. Anyway--this is the part where Matt & I are pretty bitter. He was fired for no good reasons at all and most of the reasons they gave were lies. This leads us to figuring out where our future is going. Matt doesn't really want to teach anymore and is looking into many options. I will be working at Impact full-time this summer to save up money for my internship in the fall. Please pray for Matt & I as we make these transitions. Also pray that we will not be bitter about this whole situation. We know that God has a purpose and a plan for it all. We are trusting in Him. He is in control.

And I'll leave you with my life song right now...

Praise You in the Storm by Casting Crowns

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
And stepped in and saved the day
Once again, I say Amen, and it is still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear you whisper through the rain
I'm with you
As your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll Praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
You are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will Praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find you

I lift my eyes into the hills
Where does my help come from
My help comes from the Lord
The maker of heaven and earth

encouragement

"My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."
Psalm 63:8

This verse has been such an encouragement to me recently. There are lots of things going on in and around my life and right now I just don't know where it is all leading to. But that's not for me to know. God knows the future and holds me in the palm of his hand. What a comfort!

We interrupt this marraige...

I saw this bumper sticker the other day that said, "We interrupt this marraige to bring you racing season". What truth this bumper sticker holds in how our society looks at marraige. We interrupt our marraiges for anything. We put anything and everything, including our kids, in higher priority than our spouse. This is not what God intended. When I married Matt, I made a covenant with him and with God that I will love him and be his wife until "death do us part". Nothing, except God himself, should be held in a higher priority than this covenant. That is why I had the word "hesed" engraved in Matt's ring. "Hesed" means covenental love...not just love in the good times when I feel like it. A hesed type of love is not just a commitment, but a covenant. Our society has made marraige a covenience, not a covenant. This saddens my heart.

In other news, Winthrop won the Big South Championship again. Go Eagles! Going to the "Big Dance" once again.

I am so thrilled about my placement with Lutheran Family Services for my internship next fall. I will be working with their therapeutic foster care department. Basically, I will be doing home studies for families who wish to become foster families, home visits and check-ups on foster homes, and mentor some of the kids. I'm so ready for this new adventure!

Next week is Spring Break. It's hard to believe the semester is more than halfway over, but I am thankful. I'll be working Monday and Tuesday but on Wednesday I will head up to Lake Waccamaw to visit my parents. I haven't seen my parents since January and couldn't miss them more. I truly hate the fact that they live 3 1/2 hours away and I work all the time. I'm going to leave my sweet husband in Rock Hill and spend some quality time with my parents. It kind of sucks that Matt's Spring Break is a month after mine. But I am excited to see my family.

End of my ranting.