Tomorrow is September

Am I the only one having a hard time dealing with how fast this year flew by!!!! Oh my gosh it is September tomorrow. September is going to be an awesome month to say the least, Brookie is getting married, then Nat's lingerie/Bachelorette party and then Nat's wedding. I also have a church Ladies Day amongst all of this that I hope to attend. I am excited to get this month started!

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Car for Sale!!!!!

I am selling my wonderful Celica. Yep you heard right. Its kind of sad I love that car :-( I bought a 2009 Prius and I was going to keep my celica...just to keep but really there is no point so I am parting ways :-)

This is the info. If you know of anyone please direct them towards me :-)

2000 Toyota Celica
Red
GTS
6 speed
201500 miles
Great condition
Asking $3995.

Hope everyone has a very safe weekend and relaxes!

Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful. I know that full and well!

What gives me peace

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," Declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The weekend

Well I wrote this updated blog yesterday about my busy weekend and it booted me out! So I refused to get back on yesterday lol.

This weekend did NOT feel like a weekend at all! Friday night I cooked for my father's surprise party we were having the next day. Our food theme was South African food so I made vetkoek and sausage rolls. Of course Nick was right beside me making sure the food wouldn't "kill" anyone...how sweet is he to "help" lol.

Saturday I got up and met Natalie to get our hair done. So all the blond is out of my hair now. I love highlights but my gosh its hard to keep up with. Then I came home got my niece Addison ready and we all headed off to Wayne and Amanda's to set up for the party. I let Aubree and Addison go play (which was so freakin adorable...gosh I love those two!) while us ladies set things up. Everything went so good he had no clue and you could tell he was in high heaven!

After the party Nick went to his football game and Addison and Aunt Mel went to meet my sis in law for a small bite. THEN I went home did my bible study and after NIck got home we went to go hang out with our friends April and Tyler :-)

Sunday was my sister's bridal shower. My mom always pulls through. She has so much talent. I have pics but I lost my cord that lets me download them on a p.c. :-( So I will get them put on a cd soon. We had a good time!!

So from here on out I don't get a break till October! I have meetings out of town, showers, weddings, thinking about all of it makes me want to take a nap :-)

Hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend!

New Obsession

So for some reason I have got a new liking to shoes. I will be the first to tell you fashion is not my thing. First of all because I am SO CHEAP. I have price limits on what I will spend. So namebrands mean nothing to me. People who spend $$$$ on purses shoes clothes etc. well I don't see eye to eye. More power to them!

I had to get some more work shoes and I just wanted to share what my husband calls my "poll dancing shoes" lol which I disagree with. I heart them!!!!!

And yes I took the picture in my car lol.

So my mother in law says she bought me something and gave me these last night!!!!!!!

P.S. As you have noticed, I have not figured out all the bloggin techniques yet so my pics always go in front!!!

Little children and God

There is absolutely nothing more precious than children in bible school! I teach the 3-5 year olds on Wednesday nights and by the time I get to church after a long day I am just worn out tired! But they always cheer me up :-) I just want to squeeze all of them (but I don't because well that would scare them lol) but I remember how I felt about my bible teachers when I was younger and I was always so excited to go to class. I hope these feel the same way. I had 10 last night and had no trouble. Class went smooth and they all paid attention. I know that is one thing that warms God's heart and in this world today, that gives me some peace that God is smiling at his children. They are all so smart as well. Although sometimes they get off track a bit but that makes me smile. I can be right in the middle of a bible lesson and one will raise their hand and tell me "Ms. Melissa, my alarm goes off sometimes during the week" I mean where does that come from? lol And I love seeing little crushes. What I love best is the innocense. They have no worries and no troubles they just want to play or color or just have fun. And another thing I love is that they will come find me on a Sunday morning to show me their new toy, or new shoes or just a picture. I hope they know in their hearts I will always be here for them.

Copying from Aishlea!!! I don't...

Well my mind is going everywhere today so I think I am going to do this to relax and then continue work!

I don't........
*like it when there are dishes in my sink. It makes the place look like a tornado went through it.
*like it when people tell me that my hubby and I are behind because we do not have children. In fact, I despise that!
*get up right when the alarm goes off. I press the snooze quite a bit.
*like to be without my calendar. (Yep I am OCD with scheduling)
*want to move jobs ever again!
*like it when my bed is not made (same thing as the sink).
*think I could ever have enough friends!
*like the fact that I have lost touch with some of my good friends from college.
*ever completely listen! There I said it! Most of the time I am thinking about what all I have to get done. Been trying to work on that though.
*have a problem speaking in public.
*think I could have married into a better family. Definitely blessed!
*wear a lot of makeup anymore. To me its not really helping haha bless my heart.
*like it when someone is mad at me or upset or hurt.
*like pushy religious people. God tells us to spread His word with love and compassion (paraphrasing) not to beat someone down on the head with it!
*like the words: moist, snot, dollop, slither, hmmmm what else.....oh and puss (*throw up*)
* like it when people smack their food, really I hate any food noises.
*like wet napkins.
*like it when my mother takes the napkins after we all eat and scrapes the excess food off the plate. oh gosh I just got cold shivers.

Yep I think that is it. Well I am sure I can come up with more but well I have to stop now :-)

Esther

So I am doing this bible study on Esther and last night it hit home! This study is done by Beth Moore (who I absolutely adore). I have always thought of the story of Esther to be a fairy tale princess story but I have been learning a whole lot more about it. The main thing that I wanted to point out was in one verse towards the end (I believe its in 4:14 or 15) and Queen Esther says "And if I shall perish, then I perish" and what she wanted us to see that we can do our own blank. "And if _______ happens, then _______ will happen" and she gave a few examples like "And if my husband left me, then I will be in my closet crying all day long" and she went on about how then she would be angry and then she won't talk to anyone...and then she would return to work...and then after time of healing she will be fine. So what she wanted us to get in our heads was this "And if ______ happens, then God will take care of me" and I don't think like that!!! I think well I will just absolutely freak out and never come out of my room lol.

We have just had a lot going on this year and although I think I have come closer to God, I really have not trusted Him with all these things. And last night I just came to a realization that hey if things don't work out in my life the way I think they should, God has a bigger and better plan!

Our weekend

Well first of all, did not last half as long as I would have liked it to! Friday night we just went down to the lake and cooked out with Nick's family. Then Saturday we got up early, Nick went to football practice and I cleaned (fun fun). Then I sat down and tried to catch up on my bible lessons. When Nick got home we got ready and headed up to Chattanooga. First we went to see my niece. She is getting so so smart!!! Gosh I just love her. Then we went on to Mens Warehouse so Nick could be fitted for his tux for Nat's wedding. Then we went on to get Nat's shower gift AND THEN we went for our reservations at the Walden club for our anniversary dinner. We are so spoiled!!!! I love eating there and they pamper you and the food is great. We took our time and just enjoyed Chattanooga and its beauty. Then we went back to the house and watched a couple of movies. My perfect evening! Boring to some but we had such a good time.

Then of course Sunday was the usual, went to church. Visited at Red Bank, my old congregation. I miss so many people there :-( Makes me sad thinking about it. But I hugged a lot of necks and got a lot of old granny kisses so that made me happy. Then Sunday afternoon took a nap lol love those! And Sunday evening went to church again and now I'm here back in routine of the week.

Hope everyone had a good safe weekend!

The Bears Den Cabin in Gatlinburg, TN

Hello to all, I have really been slacking in the networking of the cabin in Gatlinburg. We are running a promotion right now:

Book 2 nights and get $30.00 off your total stay. Book 3 nights and get $40.00 off your total stay. Just say "Blog". Limited time offer through October 31, 2009.

Call now and book for next year January - April, 2010 and get $50.00 off your total stay. Just say "Blog".

Refer 10 people who stay at our cabin and get a weekend on us!

Send me your email and I will send you pics and more info!

2 Years

Yesterday was mine and Nick's 2 year anniversary. My gosh how time flies! We originally had reservations to a fancy shmancy restaurant but unforseen circumstances led us to rescheduling for another day, which was fine.

This year Nick and I started making our own cards for each other. Main reason is one of the cards he got me last year cost almost $5.00 and since I am so cheap I about flipped out haha. So we started making our own cards. They are 10 times better than store bought! My card was priceless this year. He drew the "first year" on the front, then inside was the "second year" and then he drew the future on the back. So sweet it was funny too. I had put the words of the Brad Paisley song "Then" in mine. It's so true, you think that you love someone so much the most you possibly could love them and the next year you look back and think that you barely loved them compared to what you love them at that minute.

I am so blessed. God has provided for me and then some and I can just look at my life and think how does He think I deserve everything I have? I am definitely NOT worthy! I always try to remember to focus on that in my prayers that I am so thankful for having such a wonderful life and being blessed with such a great husband. What is funny is that I had really no interest in getting married and about the time I had decided I wasn't going to date anymore, God puts Nick on my doorstep and it was over :-) I am so excited to see what all God has planned for me in the future and I continue to pray that I hopefully make Him proud in my daily attitude.

The scary and very very sad part is that there have been quite a few divorces with couples that were married close to the time Nick and I were married. We have had a blast so to think that these couples have already given up on each other just makes my heart ache. Marriage is hard work that takes 100% from both people. One of our Elders who gave us our marriage counseling before we tied the knot told us that "Praying couples stay together" and Nick and I pray a lot together. If we get annoyed with each other (which seems to be before dinner???? Not sure maybe we are just hungry lol) Nick will pray and say something like "Lord just please give us patience with each other" or something like that and I will smile and by the time we say Amen we both just look at each other and roll our eyes and move on.

I continue to pray for this year. It has been a very strange year, I am not going to say bad just a lot of hills to climb but Nick and I have climbed them praying that God will hold us the entire time.

Closer to God

Isn't it amazing how you can just be living your life and all of a sudden something happens and brings you to reality that you have been slacking in your personal relationship? That has happened to us recently. Without going into detail, we have had somewhat of a rough year, which has brought us closer to God and each other. I also realize how I am slacking in my "spreading of the word". I just don't bring it up enough. I keep quiet when I know that I should talk and in the bible it clearly says that is a sin. I heard a preacher the other day that said wouln't it be awful that on the day of judgment one of your friends or family members looks at you and says "Why didn't you tell me?" That gives me chill bumps. I have just been very thoughtful lately about the things that are going on in my life and I realize that some things are bigger than you are and that is when you hand them over. And really when you hand them over, you feel peace and you can be assured that it will be taken care of.

Korean??

I know I just posted lol but I just thought of something that I wanted to share. Nick and I went to eat Chinese a week or so ago and when we went to pay the lady behind the counter asked me what kind of asian I was hahahaha (this was mixed English of course). Now this is not the first time this has happened. It is probably 1-3 times a year that I get asked if I am Korean or Asian along those lines and my mother gets the same thing. I never understood it either. To me I look just plaino jano and apparently I looked mixed to some people. My doctor asked me what mix I was. Nick seems to think it is the "African" in me.....Oh and this is my life with this man ;-)

Weddings and Babies

So we went to our third wedding this year, Ryan & Tanza Watkins. I can say that there has not been a more precious and heart felt wedding than this (except mine hehe). You can really tell when two people love and respect one another and you can really tell when two people love the Lord and these two individuals show exactly that. I can't begin to describe the wedding. Ryan sang to Tanza and then Tim and Rod also sang a song. Not only did I get to experience this day with them but I got to see so many people I have not seen in a while. I love that! I love seeing people that I have not seen, I wish I could have spent more time with everyone but we had to rush off (hence the name of our blog that our lives need to chill a little!!!).

I just wish Ryan and Tanza the best. Lately, I have been hearing about a lot of divorces going on between couples that got married either just before or just after Nick and I. Its sad, for whatever reason it is sad and it breaks my heart.

Next event is my sister's wedding shower on August 16th. Then its Brookie's wedding which I am so excited for as well.

Reason why I had a co title "babies" is because there are 10 more ladies pregnant now lol not really I tend to dramatize. But I also pray for their healthy pregnancies and that they cherish those little ones.

Love to all.