Happy Thanksgiving All!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend! See you girls on Monday!

What are we without our friends?

Seriously, this has been a crummy day from the time my feet hit the floor. Somedays are just like that, some are not. Some days I think, who cares if I have only 2 sick days left for the whole year, I really want to crawl in bed, pull the covers up, and pretend like I don't exist. Who cares if there is a stack of paperwork on my desk so insurmountable that I don't even know if I have a desk anymore? Who cares that my dishes are stacked in both sides of the sink b/c I just didn't feel like dealing with it last night? Who cares? Not me. I don't care about anything b/c life isn't fair, sometimes it sucks so bad I just stop caring.

Then, a friend emails you a link to a book, because she thought you should read it. So you read it, and you remember, there is always some One who cares. He cares for me, even when I don't have enough faith to care for myself. He loves me, even when I don't love myself. He believes in the plan He has for me, even when I don't care what that plan is. And He cares enough to bring people into my life that can make my crummy day, the one I couldn't deal with, okay enough that I can get through it long enough to wake up tomorrow morning and make it a better day. Because He cares that much.

So, thank you Bree for thinking about me.

Christmas Survey

Christmas Survey

I stole this from Jenn!


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper. I'll do a gift bag if it's just to awkward to wrap, but not usually.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
We always had an artificial one growing up,until Mom & David got married, then we got to go pick out a real one. I'm sure my parents loved listening to 5 kids argue about the perfect tree. Trenton and I's tradition is to go get a real one. He would probably prefer artificial, but I love the thought of picking one out with our kids each year.


3. When do you put up the tree?
If possible, Thanksgiving weekend. That's usually the plan!


4. When do you take the tree down?
Before school starts back

5. Do you like eggnog?
Not really. Only about 2 sips of it, then I'm done.


6. Favorite gift as a child?
One year I got an Rainbow Bright oven. It was awesome!



7. Easiest person to buy for?
My sisters- of which I'm not buying for any of them this year b/c we drew all BOYS!


8. question 8 seems to have disappeared!

9. Do you have a Nativity scene?

Yes a really beautiful one that someon got us as a wedding gift! I can't wait to put it up

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Usually mail, I'm not very good about getting X-mas cards out though. Maybe after we have kids...


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
One year, I really wanted a Caboodle Makeup Case. There was a box under the tree that I was sure that's what was in it. Instead on Christmas I opened up a big fuzzy robe with teddy bears on it.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
I have to go with the classics like Frosty, but Trenton makes me watch National Lampoons. We decided last year we were going to start our own tradition of always watching Alvin & the Chipmunks


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Whenever I have the time and money. I pick up things here and there.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Not that I can think of.


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Oysters...soup, fried, raw, etc... :) Thank God I married a man who loves them just as much!

16. Lights on the tree?
Colored and flashing!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I love all the Trans-Siberian Orchestra music. But my favorite him is Silent Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We usually spend the whole day on the run b/w all of our families. Last year, we did 5 Christmas's on Christmas Day. This year, they're spread out a little bit more. I love going to my mom's house though.


19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Sure can! Just ask me!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
We have an angel, but growing up it was always a star.

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning?
At mom's it's on Christmas Eve. I like to wait until Christmas morning, but Trenton is usually too impatient.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
The commericalism of Christmas and how the true meaning gets lost.

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color?
My favorite ornament is the broken cake topper from our wedding. We ordered a heart shaped ornament with our names, date, and a picture to use as a cake topper and our first year ornament, but my sister knocked it off the cake an hour before the wedding. The only piece that didn't shatter is the piece with our name and date on it. So we saved it and will hang it up each year. We still always get together at mom's and hang our childhood ornaments up each year.


24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Noodles and mashed potatoes


25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
In all honesty, I just want for the next year to be better than this year and for Trenton & I to get the chance to be parents.

26. Santa packages wrapped or unwrapped?????
Wrapped, in different paper


Feel free to copy & blog your own answers if you want to.

I'm late, I'm late...well, pretty much for everything

I'm sure in an alternate universe, I would be the person who is always early. Unfortunately, in this world...I'm not. Trenton has been up for work at 3am the last 2 mornings. He was supposed to be at work by 4:30 today. On Saturday and Sunday, I set my alarm as a backup. Not last night b/c he said he didn't want to wake me up since I had school...(can you see where this story is going). Anyway, at 4:06am, I woke up to a husband still snoring away beside me. I can't blame the poor guy, he's exhausted. He hasn't been home until 9 or later the last 2 weeks and when you start your day at 3am...it wears on you over time. Needless to say, I'm not sure his feet even hit the ground or what happened, but he was out the door at 4:11am. However, when I woke up to check the time for him, I hit the alarm button on my phone and shut my own alarm off. I couldn't go back to sleep until he called and told me he was at work which was 4:50. Had I been thinking I should have just stayed up. But I didn't and overslept. I rushed to get ready. Had an important meeting at 8:30. At about 2:30 this morning, I decided, hey I should provide donuts and juice for said meeting. So, even though I was running late. I stopped at Casey's, dropped a whole box of donuts on the floor and proceeded to hurry to school. ONLY 5 minutes late. The meeting was good, but not the best way to start your day. It threw my whole routine off. I have a morning list of things I do every day, today b/c I was running late, I didn't get to do any of them. I have 4 reports staring at me and a difficult parent in my office for 2 hours today.

Good news is...I'm meeting Sarah and Amee in K-ville after school, so that should be fun! My husband once again won't be home until the late hours of the night and I'm sure will have to be up before the sun tomorrow. (have I mentioned how much I LOVE hunting season). I have seen him for a total of 45 minutes in the last 4 days, if you don't count time when he's sleeping and not exactly the most conversational human on the planet. Sorry for the complaining. Good news is: I have been praying about it. I pray that he makes it to work and back home safe and sound each day!

I am terribly sad that Chad and Laurie will be leaving. I would love for them to stay because I feel that they have made such a positive difference in our community and our church, but I definitely understand the need and desire to be closer to family. Plus, I agree with Jenn, who are we to argue with the Big Guy on what his plan is?

That's all for now......

Ho hum...shallow and deep thoughts from yours truly...

I hate to even say this...my husband would kill me if he heard me say it...but...I'm afraid to admit......

I've been bitten by the Christmas bug. Confession time...I broke out the Christmas music on Tuesday, I started getting stuff out of the attic last night to bring to my office to decorate, and I've started gathering recipes for my Christmas baking. Not like I don't have anything else to do...but gosh darn it, it's been a rough week and let's face it...Christmas is cheery. I would listen to Christmas music 24/7/365 if Trenton wouldn't shoot me for it. After working at Wal-Mart (where they started playing it the day after Thanksgiving in case you didn't know) he can't stand Christmas music. I've resorted to only playing it in my office and am guilty of turning it down when anyone comes in so I don't have to hear about it...but it's been wonderful!

And it's not that I don't love Thanksgiving, because I do. But I love EVERYTHING about Christmas. After everything happened last month, I told Trenton I didn't even want to do the holidays. It just wasn't in my heart to be happy at the time and it's not that I'm happy by any means. I've had some pretty dark days lately, but I do know that Christmas is about so MUCH more. It's about the ultimate gift that was given to us. No amount of loss or turmoil in our lives could ever overshadow that joy and goodness. I found this poem below and love it. As much as Christmas means to me and you and all our families and what the birth of Jesus represents to us, I have never thought about what that day must mean to God. For that reason alone this year, I'm going to celebrate like no year before. I'm going to try hard to not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of checking things off my shopping lists. I'm going to not mourn over the things I've lost, but cherish the things we have gained this year, one being my baptism last January and the wonderful church family I found through it. And even though I'll be enjoying the usual Christmas traditions like listening to music, baking and such...inside I know I have much more to be joyous about that I will ever be able to understand. I don't think, even on the day I was baptized, I understood what exactly God gave up for me and yet He still celebrates the birth of his son. I can't even put into words how I feel about God giving up his son for my sins. Obviously, I know the pain of the loss of a child. But not in a way even comparable to God's sacrifice. He loved us THAT much. Never more has the gift of eternal life meant more to me than this year.

What if this year at Christmas...
I set Santa to the side...
forgo Frosty on the video
and rest Rudolph from his ride.
Perhaps then I'd forget those things
and listen in the night
for the clapping sounds of angel's wings
that caused the shepherds' fright.
And maybe I would start to shine
like that old Eastern star~
And wonder like those three wise men
who traveled from afar.
To pay Him honor, not just a passing nod.
This year I'm going to ponder~
"What Christmas means to God."

Just a thought for the day...

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand....For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:10,13)

Comfort Food

Last night, while eating a grilled cheese sandwich with soup, I realized that I "heart" grilled cheese sandwiches. I only had one last night (mostly b/c we had 6 pieces of bread left and I wanted to make Trenton 2 sandwiches), but I could have totally eaten about 3 more. Obviously, eating 3 additional grilled cheese sandwiches would have only added to the ever increasing size of my ghetto booty...but I digress...grilled cheese is probably my all time comfort food and after a day like yesterday....it was totally worth the butter slathered, melted cheese, calorie ridden little piece of heaven!

What's your comfort food?

Hello?!?!?

Just noticed that I hadn't written a new post in over 2 weeks and I'm sure you are all just dying to hear the latest news from yours truly. Actually, there is no news. Life is busy, school is CRAZY, and some days I think I'm losing my mind! Trenton is working non-stop. We did take a day to celebrate our 1st (yes, it's only been 1 year) anniversary on Monday. I decided on Sunday, spur of the moment, to rent a hotel in Kirksville and surprise him when he got off work late. He was surprised for sure! I had to lie a little bit to get him there, but it all worked out. We spent the evening relaxing in a jacuzzi and watching cable (I know...how romantic, but cable's exciting when you only have KTVO at home) I had a meeting @ Truman early Monday. I was done by noon, so we grabbed some lunch at Wooden Nickel, then killed some time, Trenton went to give blood, and then headed to the movies. We went to see the movie, Fireproof. I have to say it's the best money we've spent at the movies in a long time. It was wonderful, and even if you have a great marriage, it will open your eyes to improvement. It really made me think about how we talk to each other on a daily basis and that sometimes when I think I'm doing something nice for Trenton, I am really doing it for my own benefit and that's not what God's love is about. Anyway...good movie, especially on your anniversary! We went to Wal-Mart and then spent some big bucks on a dynamite dinner at Pancake City (hey is my husband romantic or what?!?!) Just kidding, we weren't that hungry and Napoli's the Italian restaurant we wanted to try out is closed on Mondays.

Anyway, the rest of the week has just been crummy. I'm currently still at work, not doing what I should be doing, but you know when a student tells you to shut up and stop talking...it kinda puts a damper on your attitude! I told Trenton that if there had ever been a night that I needed a drink after work.......today is the day!!!

On a different note, please say a prayer for Trenton & I and a situation we are praying very hard about. I'm sure more details will follow, but for now, just keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we try to take the path God is obviously setting before us and telling our hearts to follow.