Still..."Party of 1"

This is not a pity party. Just a party of one. I like being single. Wait! Let me restate that. I've learned to like being single.

My time is all my own. I don't have to check in with anyone, cook for anyone, clean up after anyone. I can eat Fruity Pebbles for dinner in my bathrobe and slippers and go to bed at 8:30 if I want. I don't do that, but I can. Okay, maybe I do that every once in a while. :) I'm free to go and do whatever God calls me to. I'm a modern day Paul-ess. I get to focus 100% on God and not be distracted by a husband. Although I will say, there are some mighty fine not-my-husbands out there that are still a major distraction. I digress. I am seriously boy crazy right now. (Which should not be allowed for anyone over 30!)

All this to say, something about this time of year makes it really tough to be single. It's cold and I would kind of like another warm body in the bed with me...even if it snores. I put up the Christmas tree this past weekend and just about broke my back trying to drag the darn thing up the stairs and then put it together. A Mr. would have come in pretty handy right about then. And then there are all of the holiday invitations that are pouring in for Ms. Prewitt & "guest". Umm...guest? If I take anymore girl friends with me to company events, they are going to think I'm gay.

The biggest blow came from my company. Let me preface this: I love my job and am pretty sure I work for the best company ever. BUT...if you are single, they only allow you to bring one guest to the company Christmas party, whereas, if you have a family, you bring them all. If I had a Mr., this would be perfect. But I don't. I had invited my mom and dad to come before I knew about the "1 guest" rule. Did I mention that I am going to be featured as the "employee talent" this year and will be singing a solo in front of hundreds of people? People that I don't know. No personal cheering section for me.

Once again, this is not a pity party. I'm just hoping that one day I will be able to cheerfully say "plus one" instead of "party of 1".

I'm live! (again)

So my new website was FINALLY launched this past weekend and I was so excited to get the domain that had my whole name in it this time. Something about 'jaimepphotography' just didn't roll off the tongue quite right. So, with no further ado, let me introduce to you...

http://www.jaimeprewittphotography.com

I was finally able to upload all of the pictures I've been taking over the past year. And I can guarantee you that many more will be showing up in the near future, as my little side business has been booming. Thanking God for giving me this fun creative outlet that I love so much and for all of the people who are giving me the opportunity to showcase my gift!

WE DID IT!!! WE ACTUALLY WON!!!

That's right! Me and my gorilla from the Dallas Zoo took away 2nd place in the annual Feathers, Fur and Scales Photography Contest! To say I'm excited is an understatement. I've never won anything for any of my pictures before. Of course, I've never entered any of them into a photography contest either. But in a small way, this was confirmation.

Just last weekend, as I was sitting at Stabucks recharging my camera battery due to a small glitch during a photo shoot, I was questioning myself and God about whether or not I should pursue my love and passion for photography. It seems like every time I've scheduled something lately, chaos has ensued. But as I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself, a friend of mine called and left a message saying her sister was getting married and would I want to be the photographer. Now, maybe that wasn't God audibly speaking to me and saying "Go forth with your camera and capture the world", but it was a realization that I have a gift, there are people who need this gift, and if God continues to provide opportunities for me to share that gift, why in the world would I let a few chaotic moments take that away from me???

And to top things off, there will be a reception in my honor (well, actually it's for everyone who won) at the Dallas Zoo on October 24th. Can't wait to see my big gorilla blown up and on display for everyone to enjoy. :)

I might have a crush!

I recently finished reading a book by Donald Miller called "Through Painted Deserts". It wasn't intentional. I had gone to Barnes & Noble a few weekends ago looking for another book by Luci Swindoll, since we all know I've had a girl crush on her ever since I picked up "Doing Life Differently". If you've never read this book, I would highly recommend it.

But back to Don. I had read his book "Blue Like Jazz" years ago and remembered enjoying his different take on life. Don is a theorist. He doesn't live within black and white lines like most Christians. He questions things that are often in the gray. And he's not afraid to question God. His new book that I picked up was no different. It is the story of a road trip he took with a new friend from Houston to Oregon.

A few things to note. Now, more than ever, I am determined to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon one day. I've had the desire to go there and camp ever since my old friend Scott sent me pictures of Havasupai Falls from the bottom of the canyon. There are not words to describe the color of the water there. And what a rewarding trip...to be able to look back and see what you have accomplished afterwards. Don and his friend Paul did this exact thing. They were better men for it.

They also realized the joy of living life without things, one day at a time. They literally sold everything they had, loaded up in an old VW van and headed off on the road. Sleeping in the van, eating rice and beans, and counting on the generosity of the people they met. I can only imagine what it would be like to not have to worry about "things". I don't consider myself to be a materialistic person, but I do long to have a home of my own someday, maybe a nicer car that has heated seats. :) But all of these things are a chasing after the wind. The only thing I am guaranteed is today. I am blessed and am grateful for the reminder Don. Not to mention...I think you are adorable!!!

I smell fried food...

Yep, that's right...it's time for the State Fair of Texas. I'm drooling all over again thinking about the Fletcher's corn dogs, funnel cakes, fried frito pie, candy apples...the list goes on and on. The fried frito pie won 1st Place for the fried food award this year and it was so stinking good!!!

And thanks to my amazing job, I got to go to the fair for free this past weekend. I took my friend Andrea along and we made the most out of the rainy day. We saw the "Monsters of the Sea" show at the IMAX, looked at all of the new cars, and lusted over this super cool Mustang pool table. This would look so awesome in my (future) house!

And speaking of my future house, we went to play Bingo with my company that afternoon and I won a 26" flat screen HDTV. I never win anything, so you can only imagine how ridiculously excited I was. It turns out that there were 4 other people that bingoed at the same time as me, but because I threw my arms up in the air, everyone saw me first. Guess being an expressive person is a good thing sometimes. :) It's still sitting in my closet in its box waiting for the day that I have a place to put it.

And it only seems appropriate to end this happy blog with a friendly wave from Big Tex. It was yet another wonderful year at the State Fair of Texas!!!

A Day at the Dallas Zoo

A friend recently told me about a photography contest that the Dallas Zoo was holding called Feathers, Fur and Scales. So, a few weekends ago we headed off to the zoo to get up close and personal with the animals. I must say, the new Giants of the Savanna exhibit was beautiful! This friendly giraffe got so close she was nudging me. I think she thought my camera strap was food. I love those long eyelashes and chin hairs! :)

The elephants were pretty friendly as well. Although, I think this one might have been playing hide and seek. She put on a show for me while we were there...eating, drinking and just being plain cute!

Next up was the aviary, which was full of birds of all kinds. This one in particular caught my eye with its vivid orange color. And lucky me caught a shot right as it was flying away from its nest. I get to submit three pictures for the contest and this was the first I chose.

I love meerkats! I don't know if any of you have ever seen the TV show "Meerkat Manor" that is on the Discovery Channel, but these little guys are so much fun to watch. They always have one that is on the lookout, and this guy was working hard to do his job. I love that he is covered in dirt and almost looks perturbed at the fact that I was taking his picture. Can't you just see him tapping his foot and saying "Are you done yet?" This was my #2 picture that I submitted.

And last but certainly not least...I could have stayed in the gorilla exhibit for hours. One of the zoo keepers had just put a bunch of hay in the enclosure for them to play with and they were incredible to watch. This one big boy in particular captivated me. I don't know if it was those intense orange eyes or the humanlike hands but I'm pretty convinced we bonded.

And then he got tired of me taking his picture and I'm pretty sure he was pondering ways to escape. You know...that did actually happen at the Dallas Zoo once?!?!? The picture below was my favorite from the entire day and was the 3rd one I submitted. How anyone can look at all of these beautiful animals and not think of our Creator and His endless imagination is beyond me. It was such a perfect day and now I will just wait to see if any of my photos were selected. :)

What does a perfect day look like for you?

I don't know about you, but I dream of days like this:

• Waking up early (and rested) and enjoying a Starbucks hot chocolate or Peppermint Mocha out on the patio while enjoy some quite time with God in the crisp morning air
• Getting all of my laundry done, sheets washed, home cleaned and everything left in order
• Going for a long drive or bike ride with no destination or time constraint
• Enjoy a nice lunch on a patio where I can journal and soak up everything around me
• Go for a mani/pedi/full body massage
• Visit the Arboretum where I can walk around in solitude, curl up on a blanket with a good book, and photograph God's beautiful creation
• Meet up with my favorite girlfriends for a night of dinner and dancing
• Soak in a long, hot bubble bath with a glass of wine
• Curl up on the couch with one of my favorite chick flick movies until I can barely keep my eyes open
• Crawl into my bed between clean sheets and drift off into dreamland

Sounds pretty dreamy, huh?

Write much???

So Luci Swindoll and I have become great friends! She doesn't know this, but if I could stalk her down, I would force her be my friend. I have been reading through her book "Doing Life Differently" for the past month as part of my quiet time each day and she has begun to feel like a best friend. Her stories make me laugh and cry and I always walk away encouraged. Isn't that what friends are for. I'm going to be really sad when her book ends.

I think one of the reasons I like her so much is that we are so very alike, even though we are separated by 46 years of age. We are both stubborn and independent. Share a huge passion for music and the arts. Love travel and photography. And we are both writers. In yesterday's reading, she was encouraging me to write everything down. After all, the older you get, the less you remember. Fortunately, I have been recording my life for the past 18 years. I literally went through my bookcase last night and pulled out all of the journals I have written in. I'm pretty sure some of them are still in hiding, but they made for a fun picture, right?

I haven't actually found the time to sit down and read back through them yet. Maybe someday soon. It's always fun to see how far you've come, the lessons you've learned, and the lessons you are still learning. And who knows? Maybe someday my adolescent thoughts and words will be able to encourage my daughter or neice.

Launch Retreat

This past weekend was completely amazing! I have been to the Launch Retreat with the young adults from Watermark before, but I had no idea what a blessing I was in for when I showed up at Sky Ranch on Friday afternoon. This place is so beautiful and serene and I can't wait to go back in October for the CR leadership retreat.

Launch 2010 was the biggest retreat we have had to date. Over 500 young people showed up on Saturday morning and the rest is history! I met so many wonderful people and have never had so much fun serving. Afshin Ziafat was our speaker, and getting to see him and his wife was a special mini-reunion for me. I met Meredith when I moved to Dallas 10 years ago. We were both involved in a group called Graceplace and it was so fun getting to hear their story and where God has brought them over the past 10 years. Afshin was raised Muslim, accepted Christ as a teenager, was disowned from his family, and is now a full-time evangelist. To learn more about his story, check it out here: http://www.afshinziafat.com/. Be prepared to be blessed!

He challenged us throughout the weekend to put our "all" on the altar (referencing Abraham having to sacrifice Isaac), and to live out the calling that God has given each of us. As J.P. said over and over, "so you are a Christian...so what?" What are we doing with our faith?

I was also blessed to be able to lead the greatest team ever with my co-leader Jason. Not only did we seriously kick some butt during the challenges ( 5 of 5 baby!), but everyone was so open and authentic and I loved getting to share life with them.

More than anything, this weekend was a reminder that it's not about me. Whether I was unloading a billion cases of water, making countless team signs, signing people in, or leading a small group, it was all for HIM. Although I was completely exhausted and utterly used up, I have never been filled with so much joy!

to be a child...

This past weekend was so refreshing. I always love going home. It's not just getting away from Dallas, it's getting away from the busyness of life, the traffic, the demands of friends/my job/life. Home has always been like a cocoon for me. It's a safe place where I can go without makeup, dress like a hobo, where purple fingernail polish that my family hates, cry about my disappointments, and feel unconditional love. And this weekend was extra special because I got to spend some quality time with my two favorite little people.

This is NOT a flattering picture, but was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. I got to babysit Anslee on Saturday morning and the two of us chilled in the hammock for half an hour while I sang to her. Notice those big blue eyes! (I'd like to think she got them from me) :)

And then I got to spend the afternoon with this monkey. We had so much fun playing on his new swingset, chasing butterflies, and jumping around in the water sprinkler. When I'm too old to behave like this anymore, I hope Mason will look back and remember how crazy and fun his Aunt Jaime was with him.

La Vida Loca

What can I say? A lot has happened over the past few weeks. Let's see, two weekends ago, I went to this beautiful place...

And watched a lot of this...

And drank a lot of these...

Yep, I went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with some of my favorite girlfriends. This was trip #2 with my friend Lilly and I was so glad she was there, as she was the only one who spoke fluent Spanish.
THE GOODS: we went snorkeling, played on the beach, had the BEST massages of our lives, laid out by the pool, held iguanas, ate lots of yummy food, drank even yummier drinks, and just enjoyed the down time.

THE BADS: Let's just say I'm a walking liability! I was motion sick for the majority of the trip thanks to the crazy cab drivers and the winding roads. Had a shell inbed itself into my foot the first day and Lilly performed emergency surgery to dig it out. Got stung by a jellyfish on our snorkeling trip. Lilly had an allergic reaction to some shrimp and had bumps all over her. Oh, and Jennifer and I managed to fry ourselves to the point that we resembled the local lobster. And to save the best for last...after returning from Mexico, all of these lovely bites started showing up all over my body that itch like mad. The verdict is still out on exactly what they are...I'm hoping it's not some parasite that has take up shop in my body.

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After all of that drama, I was more than happy to get back to my crazy life in Dallas. Last Thursday I got to have a lovely biopsy of my cervix, due to some nasty little squamos cells that showed up on some recent tests. Very interesting procedure that I got to watch. Nothing better than having your insides magnified 30x and shown on a TV. Don't worry...I won't be posting any pictures from this little episode. :)

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This past weekend was spent with my sister-in-law and some of the ladies from her church at the Women of Faith conference here in Dallas. Honestly, I went into it exhausted. I hadn't had a day off to recover since my trip from Mexico and was questioning why I ever agreed to go. But God knew I needed to be there and needed the fellowship with other ladies who were seeking Him. The main theme of the weekend, or at least what seemed to keep glaring at me, was the idea of trust. In order to have a real relationship with God, we have to not only love him, but trust him.

This has been something I've always struggled with. I believe God loves me. I know He is good. But how can a good God allow such horrible things to happen to those that He loves. My question for so long has been: how can I trust someone who has allowed so much hurt in my own life? The answer is simple. Because He is God. He knows what is best for me. He is the one who works all things to the good of those who love Him. He never promised that our lives would be easy, without pain, without struggle. He simply says that if we trust in Him, He will sustain us, He will never leave us, He will love us. And that's enough for me. In hindsight, I can clearly see how he was allowing these hardships to strengthen me and build me up. I've spend a lot of uncomfortable hours/days/years over His refining fires. He's still molding me and teaching me what it looks like to love him and trust him.

I bought a few books at the conference this weekend and can't wait to dig in - especially one by Luci Swindoll titled "Doing Life Differently". She is one of those women that amazes me. She's 77 and not once in her life did she desire to get married or have children. She bucked the trend! She simply decided to dream big and do everything she wanted. Her book is all about living in the present and making the most of every second we have. She made a comment this weekend that has been lurking in the back of my mind ever since and will not go away: we need to stop WANTING and start BEING. The more I pine over the past or long for the future, the more of my present I allow to pass me by. So, I'm taking her challenge to start doing life differently.

New FAV song of the moment!

Tenth Avenue North has done it again. They've managed to put out a song that could have been dictated straight from my heart. Praise God that His light meets our dark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m0Z-JcPqEA

So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you're good
And you can't believe it's not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside

So let 'em fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won't disappear

So let it fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now
We're here now, oh

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don't fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

The NEW online dating!

Okay, I have to admit...I'm just a little excited about this. After being let down by Match.com, Eharmony, Plentyoffish, Datetallmen, and Zoosk, this idea just seems brilliant! I'm just wondering how I didn't come up with this first! Imagine receiving one of these cute little cards:

This website is awesome! You go online and create a profile, pay a small monthly fee for them to host your profile, and voila...you receive a fun little collection of these cards to hand out at your
discretion. The rest is left up to the unsuspecting person who receives it. If they go to the website and enter your code, they will be able to view your profile and email you. So the key here is: NO REJECTION! (At least not in person) I.L.O.V.E.T.H.I.S!!!!!

I don't know how many times I've been in Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, or just sitting out on a patio somewhere and noticed someone who sparked my interest. Of course, I'm way too shy to just approach that person and strike up a conversation. [Insert card here] So how easy is it to slip by their table and simply drop off a card with a smile? I'm betting curiosity will get the best of them!

My New Find!

Let me just begin by saying these are quite possibly the ugliest shoes in the world, yet they are the most comfortable things I've ever put on my feet. S.e.r.i.o.u.s.l.y!!!

I ordered them online a few days ago from Vibram Five Fingers (www.vibramfivefingers.com) and mine are the exact same as below, except in all black. Which of course makes me look like I have gorilla feet. But I am convinced that they are the next "it" thing. Not to mention they are going to save my feet from being completely destroyed during all of my volleyball games. They make different styles for running, hiking, rock climbing, etc. So, laugh now, but take my word for it...these things are going to be ALL OVER THE PLACE in no time.

Disney's Desperate Housewives

Maybe being single isn't so bad after all! :)

Online Dating is for the birds...

And while I'm on this little tangent, let me just say that I hate being relegated to even have to go online in search of love. Why is it that all of the really nice guys I see serving in church can't find it in themselves to be interested in a person like me? All I'm asking for is ONE!

After taking the past year and a half off to get my head on straight, I finally decided to put myself back out there. And it's no better than it was 2 years ago. The vast majority of the responses I've received have been from men in their 50's who are 5'8" or shorter with 3+ kids. Really? My only requirements are:

Believe/Love/Serve the Lord
Be 5'9" or taller
Between the ages of 28-40

What in the world makes them think I will make an exception for them? Maybe I'm being mean. But then I have a disaster date like the one I went on last night and it reminds me why I have these requirements in the first place.

Meet Tom. He had a very vague profile (red flag #1) mentioning that he is shy, humble, wants kids, is a Christian, likes travel. But he looks sweet in his pictures so I give him the benefit of the doubt. On our date last night, I find out he doesn't really believe in the Bible, much less God, and has no desire to go to church. Oh, and the kids option...he isn't really sure he wants them. He would much rather just get married and selfishly have his spouse to himself. After all, kids just require more time and effort. And as far as being shy - if throwing himself on me and asking me to spend the night with him multiple times is considered shy, I am not prepared for online dating!

Have you been squeezed lately?

The singles at my church have been going through a study on James for the past few weeks that has been very enlightening. Just last night we studied James 3:1-12, which talks about the taming of the tongue. Or perhaps I should say, our inability to tame it. We were reminded of the power of our words, which was no real surprise. But the idea that our words define who we are was a new concept to me.

I've always functioned under the premise that "my actions do not define who I am." Now, for those of you who believe the old saying "do as I say, not as I do" - this is NOT what I'm referring to. I defer back to God's word in Romans 7:15 where Paul says "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Paul is speaking of our battle with the flesh. We desire to do what is right, but we often give in to our fleshly desires and do just the opposite. However, our weak moments do not make us any less of a Christian, nor do they define who we are as a Christian. They simply remind us that we are sinful beings and that we can only overcome the temptations of this world with God's help. Wouldn't this same logic apply to what we say?

Maybe not.

I found the following article at http://www.boundless.org/, a website by Focus on the Family that I love to read. I love the analogy that is given of the sponge and how what comes out of us reflects what is inside of us.

In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus talks about this as roots and fruits:

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

In other words, our words (and thoughts and actions) are the evidence of what is stored up in our hearts, the fruit of what is rooted inside of us. The circumstances of our lives simply reveal what's taken root in our hearts. When pressed, we either ooze the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of sin.

Author and biblical counselor Dr. David Powlison uses the sponge analogy to help us understand this passage. If you hold a wet sponge in your hand and squeeze it, water will hit the floor. Most of us would come along and look at the puddle staining the carpet and wonder why someone squeezed the sponge. But Dr. Powlison says this passage in Luke shows us the squeeze only revealed what was already in the sponge. If the sponge were dry, the squeeze would not have elicited any water. The problem wasn't the squeeze; it was the contents of the sponge.

In the same way, when we get squeezed by the circumstances of life (an inevitability), we ooze the overflow of our hearts. We usually don't like what we see, so we blame the squeeze. We blame the circumstances. "I wouldn't have reacted that way if I hadn't been tired." Or, "I only said that because I was hot, thirsty, and uncomfortable." That's our default setting: blame the circumstances.

But Jesus tells us the overflow is what's already in our hearts. Being tired, hot, thirsty, or uncomfortable are only "revealers"; they aren't the reason we react in anger. We're angry because anger has taken root in our hearts.

I know I have been squeezed quite a bit lately and what has come out of me has not been very pleasant. Honestly, I'm feeling a bit like a lemon at the moment. I can only pray that God will restore me to Himself and allow the Holy Spirit to squeeze all of the junk out of my life so that I can absorb His goodness.

A Fun & Frustrating Weekend!

I love this little guy! He turns 5 on Wednesday and my parents brought him to Dallas this past weekend to celebrate his birthday. We were supposed to go to the Lego Store, have lunch at Dave & Busters and then visit the Dallas World Aquarium. Things did NOT go as planned.

A block from my place, my dad's truck broke down and we spent 3 hours trying to get all of the needed parts and a mechanic to come and fix it. Mason was so incredibly patient and watched movies with his Gigi while my dad and I ran back and forth to Auto Zone. We finally did get around to going to the Lego Store, which was a huge hit! He literally couldn't contain his excitement and just had a look of awe on his face the entire time. We then went to the Dallas World Aquarium, which was sadly a disappointment. I had been there before and absolutely loved it. However, many of the animals were hiding yesterday. Probably due to the fact that there were approximately one million people there. Ha! Mason did get to see some sharks, which were the highlight, before we headed home. Ultimately, he had a fun day and all of the adults were tuckered out, so it was a mission accomplished!

Yesterday was simply a reminder that it doesn't always matter what you are doing, as much as who you are with. I enjoyed getting to see my mom, dad and Mason. And even through all of the kinks in our plan, we still had a wonderful time together. I love my family.

I drive...

Revelation of the week: when everything is not right in my little world, I drive. I literally get in the Jeep, put my foot on the gas and don't stop until I feel better. Does this make me weird?

I used to blame this on the city. I need trees and fresh air to survive so I would drive to where the highway ends, take off down a country road and just soak it all in. Perhaps there is something about the country that gives me a little peace of mind and soothes the soul.

But the tough question remains: where am I going? And what exactly am I running away from?

I drove for over an hour this past weekend. (Good thing gas prices are somewhat reasonable right now!) I was almost to Oklahoma when I finally got everything sorted out in my mind and felt okay enough to turn the car around. Sounds kinda like a country song, now that I think about it. Ha! I'm a funny little person, with odd quirks, but I'm learning to love myself. If driving off into the wild blue yonder is my way of coping, then I'm doing pretty good. Right?

A Bedroom Make-over

This past weekend, I finally decided to get rid of all of the blue and brown in my bedroom. Sure, it's been cozy for the past 2 years, but I was ready for something a little more girly and shall we say, shabby chic! All that to say, I have to seriously apologize for the "before" picture. As a photographer, I'm ashamed to admit that this was the best picture I was able to capture with my camera phone, as I left my big shot camera at the office. However, if I didn't post a "before" picture (no matter how hideous it is), you wouldn't be able to appreciate the after quite as much.

Before (forgive the messiness...I was preparing to paint!)

After

Yes, the blue walls have finally been replaced with a soft gray (Gray Clouds by Sherwin Williams), just in case anyone was curious. And as a birthday present to me, I bought the most A.M.A.Z.I.N.G bedspread ever from Anthropologie! It's seriously made out of sweatshirt material and makes it almost impossible to get out of bed in the morning. And to top things off, I rearranged some of my furniture, scored an adorable desk and chair from Craiglist, and now have room for the coziest little office ever. It just begs me to sit down and write, or edit pictures, or just pretend like I'm Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail". :)

Needless to say, I'm a happy girl in my new sanctuary! Even my new desk lamp/lampshade that was purchased at Tuesday Morning says "My secret place, a place to relax..." Sounds like I may be on to something!

Happy Father's Day!

This is my dad! A man that I love, respect, honor and admire more than I could ever express. A man who lost his own father at a young age, yet still learned what it takes to raise a family, provide for them and love them unconditionally. My dad is one of the hardest workers I know, always willing to provide a helping hand to someone in need. He is a leader in the church, a grandaddy to his grandkids, a husband to my mom. Although we may not have always had the best relationship or communication, I have never doubted his love for me and he is the one person who I know would drop everything to be there for me. Whether it's driving around the deer woods with him, playing a competitive game of UNO, or remembering him standing by my side when I had a back injection, I have been so blessed to have him in my life. Today and always, I am thankful to be able to call this man my dad and I am grateful to God for giving him to me.

Diapers or Depends?

These were the suggestions my counselor made to me this week. As a way to have my need for touch fulfilled, she suggested I find a way to volunteer with children or the elderly. Not a bad idea actually. Babies love to be held and old people love hugs, right? Definitely something to think about. And as far as my need for words of affirmation is concerned...I'm stuck with writing positive things on my bathroom mirror. :) Otherwise, I'm just going to continue trying to find validation in all of the wrong places, and quite frankly...we don't want to go there.

I was also told that I need to figure out who my "safe" people are. For far too long I've been functioning under the premise that everyone is safe because I'm entirely too trusting. It's been a rude awakening to realize that not everyone will love me unconditionally and not judge me once they find out I'm imperfect.

And not to go too far off on a tangent here, but there is a strange freedom that comes when you realize where you fall in the whole scheme of things. God is God and I am not. He is perfect and I am not. The whole purpose of the Old Testament laws were to remind us that we can never live up to them. Perfection is unattainable BUT grace is sustainable. I'm so grateful to have a "safe place" in my Heavenly Father.

Anslee Kate's 1st Birthday!

It is so hard to believe this sweet little girl is turning one on Tuesday! She is such a bundle of joy that is full of giggles and has just about everyone wrapped around her finger. We celebrated her birthday out at the lake with a delicious cake that Amber made and some fun times splashing around in the water.

Random Roommate Moment of the Month

Driving back from East Texas this weekend, my roommate Pam and I realized that the two of us are trouble waiting to happen. And it seems we find ourselves involved in something crazy every month, so this post is in honor of our craziness! We went tubing with my family on Lake Jacksonville and the lightweight actually managed to toss me off the tube. Fun times Pamelita!!!

Viva Las Vegas!

I love Las Vegas! For a million reasons...the masses of people you see wearing completely inappropriate clothes, the sights and sounds of New York, Paris, Venice...the food, the shows, the shopping, the pools, the gambling! It's like one huge adult playground. My only issue with Vegas is the idea that sleep is over-rated. I'm still recovering!

I flew out to Vegas and met up with my friend Lilly and her husband Eric last Thursday evening. We stayed at this awesome resort called Tahiti Village that was a little ways off the strip and spent the majority of our time laying by the lazy river sipping Captain Dew's...my new favorite drink. :) We had our own individual umbrellas for shade as well as a poolside waiter who was very easy on the eyes to bring us our lunch. Does it get any better? We even splurged and had a massage one afternoon, which of course was my favorite part. And in the evenings, we would get all dolled up and hit the town with the masses of people in the hundred degree heat.

Our first night, we decided to visit the "old" Vegas on Freemont Street since Lilly had never been there. Despite being lit up from top to bottom, it has a completely different feel from the "new" strip...not to mention it attracts a completely different crowd of people. Not only did we eat the worst chicken fried steak of our lives, but we found ourselves riding on a public transporation bus that made me turn green. Not exactly a fantastic evening, but we made up for it.

Night #2 was fantastic! We had dinner at Phil's French Italian Steakhouse at Treasure Island, where I had the most mouth-watering chicken fettucine alfredo ever and went to see the Cirque show Mystere. Perhaps I was just buzzed from the wine, but the way these people can contort their bodies is unbelievable. My mouth was literally sagging open throughout the entire show. I took several pictures; however, my camera was confiscated by the security guard and I was forced to delete all of my pictures. WTH? Seeing these people with their amazing bodies definitely gave me the little push I needed to get back into shape. :)

Our final day is Vegas was pretty low-key. We did a little shopping and I majorly lusted over a pair of Dior stilettos that I will never be able to afford. We then had lunch in the ESPN zone, which was deja vu from when I was in Vegas with Lilly and Eric three years ago. And I gambled and made a whopping $25. I know...I'm such a high roller! We had so much fun and I'm already looking forward to our next visit!