A New Experience

Last Saturday I traveled to Memphis with Jen Howell and Mrs. Lee to the Asian Market. Our goal was to shop for Molly's Tol, or first birthday party. It was quite an experience.






Creepy dead fish








LIVE Blue Crabs. There was a little boy leaning over the tank and I was really afraid for him.







More dead fishies.








Jen trying to decide just which candy to get.








Doesn't the picture make you want to drink the tea just to relax like the lady on the box? Maybe not.

A Good Day

Today I got to watch Zach Howell play in his Upwards basketball game. I loved it! So much action for such small kids. Then we went to Cracker Barrel, a Howell and Hickman favorite. Zach talked me into the biscuits and gravy and I'm so glad he did. Delicious! Thanks Zach!

Then I decided to go home to have dinner with Mom and Dad. On my way I stopped by the Climer's, my adopted grandparent's house. I call them my adopted grandparents because all of my grandparents have passed away. So they gave me my Christmas gift and lots of frozen vegetables. It was a silver spoon that my great-grandmother had given them 48 years ago for their wedding. I don't know that I've ever gotten such a special gift. We cried together. It was definitely a special moment for both of us.

Anyway, after supper with Mom and Dad we watched I Am Legend. Talk about creepy. I still enjoyed it though. Then I exercised. It's only January 3rd and this was the second day I've exercised. Hopefully this will become a new habit.

Merry Christmas!

I've got a lot to catch you up on, friends. First of all, it's Christmas!!! Love it. Secondly, my family has had somewhat of a crisis. My uncle has been in ICU for two and a half weeks now. Tonight he got the liver transplant he needed to keep living! Praise God! Talk about a Christmas miracle. Seriously! I cannot begin to tell you how happy this makes me! I'm so thankful for God providing for us. I know for my uncle to live another person had to die. I've been on both sides of this situation. Five years ago my cousin was killed in a car wreck and his parents decided to donate his organs. And now, my uncle is a donor recipient. Full circle. Please do something for me. If you are reading this, please discuss this with your family. The decision to be an organ donor is a life-giving decision.

I know God has a plan for every day of my life. He orchestrates events and puts people in our lives to teach us and to shape us. He knew I would lose a cousin and I would have an uncle that needed an organ. Three days before my cousin died I signed the back of my driver's license saying I wanted to donate my organs. I had two of my closest friends witness it for me. It gives me chills thinking about how close those two events were. God knows. The greatest physical Christmas present my uncle will ever receive was the new liver they put in him tonight. A second chance at life for him. Please think about it. Donate LIFE.

Beachbody!

Today is Day One of Power 90 from www.beachbody.com. It's a 90 day boot camp for weight loss and muscle transformation. Hard work! I took before pictures but I'm not ready to post those yet. Maybe in a month.

It's also December 1st and the first day of my new work schedule. Now I have every morning free to exercise and run errands. Love it!

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I love seeing my family and eating all the good things they fix. You see now why I started Power 90. :o)

Holidays Already??

So I decided to put my tree up today. This is the first time I've ever decorated a tree by myself. This is my parent's tree. They decided to do a small tree this year. The reason I decided to decorate early is because Beth, my roommate, is having her family over to our apartment for a combined Thanksgiving/Christmas celebration on Thanksgiving Day. I wanted the apartment to be festive for them. So I decorated really early. I usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving.

I love Christmas trees. The ones at Macy's always make me smile. They're beautiful.

Fullness

It started last week when Kris and Jen got the call to go get their daughter in South Korea. Then this past Sunday night during worship at FSM (Fellowship Student Ministries). Then yesterday while watching the video of Kris and Jen meeting Molly Howell for the first time. My heart is full of thankfulness. Thankfulness that I am a part of something bigger than myself. God's hand and purpose has been so evident to me this week. God's bringing me back to Him every day. We talked Sunday night at FSM in small groups about how God is always there and we're the ones that drift. Like the prodigal son was welcomed back, we're welcomed back with open arms every single time. Thankfulness. I look at my relationship with Corey and I'm also thankful. I'm thankful God sent me such a good man, a thoughtful loving man. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of each year. I think we get so distracted during Christmas but during Thanksgiving most of us try to stop and remember what we're thankful for. This year I have much to be thankful for but not just on Thanksgiving.

I'm ENGAGED!

Corey proposed last night! Whoo-hoo! I'm gettin' married!