Thanks

Tuesday, November 24: I am thankful for music. Nathan plays the guitar wonderfully and it is so delightful to sit and listen to him play. I took piano lessons for years as a kid but really haven't played since I went to college. My parents got me a keyboard for my birthday last year and it has been so fun to start playing again!

Wednesday, November 25: I am thankful for my camera. I splurged before our wedding last year and bought the camera I have been wanting for years. It has been so neat to learn more about photography over the last year or so. Traveling to Paris and London this past year has yielded some great opportunities to take some fantastic pictures and learn more about how to take pictures.

Thanks

Friday, November 20: I am thankful for flowers. Nathan is kind enough to bring me flowers at least twice a month and they most definitely brighten up the apartment.

Saturday, November 21: I am thankful for Shutterfly photo books. I loooooove getting to take our pictures and put them in these fun and creative albums. We have decided to make one every year to recap what we have done and then we might make one or two throughout the year if we have big trips or events. So far we have one for 2008, Paris and London.

Sunday, November 22: I am thankful for Real Simple magazine. This is by far my favorite magazine. Whenever it comes in the mail, Nathan knows he will lose me for the next two hours or so. Their creative solutions to organizing different areas of the home always inspire me and they always have really fun recipes to try out as well. Amazing.

Monday, November 23: I am thankful for Netflix. It's more than just movies coming in the mail - we have recently started using their feature that allows you to stream movies to your computer. Nathan got a cable that that hooks up our laptop to the TV so we can watch fabulous movies and TV show whenever we want. It's great!

A Thankful Heart

Wednesday, November 18: Today, I am thankful for one of my professors who keeps me on my toes by giving me at least one good quote to laugh at each class period. He is one of the most opinionated men I have ever met - which says alot coming from me! He also could care less what you think about him, so he says anything that is on his mind. I love his class. I am actually two more classes from him next semester because I enjoy them so much. I don't agree with everything that he says, but they definitely make me chuckle. Here are some of my favorites so far:

"I'd do the Snoopy dance if they caught Bin Laden"

"Anytime someone tells you their role in life is raising awareness, they really mean they are a parasite." (In reference to the U.N.)

"I don't care if Iran has nuclear weapons. Use them badly or against the U.S., cease to exit [due to U.S. retaliation]!"

Thursday, November 19: I am thankful that Nathan asked me out three years ago today. Crazy, right? So much has happened in three years. We started dating, 5 weeks later I had surgery and he awkwardly met my parents in the waiting room as a tornado ripped the roof off a building across the street, I graduated, I moved to D.C., he stayed in College Station to finish school, he came to visit me in D.C., I came to Texas to visit him, we broke up, we got back together, I moved back to Texas, we got engaged, we both got jobs, we got married, I got laid off, he started traveling to Europe frequently, I started grad school. Wow. Alot can happen in three years. I will say, though, that I wouldn't have wanted to experience the last three years with anyone else!

This picture was taken at Alison and Josh's wedding, the night before he asked if we could start dating.

This picture was taken at their rehearsal dinner that same weekend. I'm wearing his coat because I was cold.....I was seriously hooked by that point!!

Texas A&M

November 17, 2009: Today, I am thankful for Texas A&M University. 10 years ago, a terrible tragedy occurred on campus when the annual Bonfire collapsed, killing 12 Aggies. While I was not yet a student, I vividly remember where I was when I heard the terrible news. Entering my freshman year on campus 4 years later, the memory of that collapse still rang strong with all the students. The tradition, the love and the passion that Texas A&M students exude is different than any other college in the country. I became determined to take full advantage of my time at A&M so that I would walk away a better person, regardless of what I learned academically. I joined student organizations that taught me to lead by serving, to love people whom I don't even know and to love my friends with great abandon. My classes taught me to think critically, to evaluate all aspects of politics and to read voraciously. My professors and mentored challenged me to learn more than I ever thought possible. I loved my 4 years at A&M and look back on them wishing I could experience something like that again, but I know I never will. My 4 years there changed my life and have made me into the person that I am today.

Thanks again

Sunday, November 15: I am thankful for funny websites that can make me smile, regardless of how stressful my day might have been. My most recent discover is mylifeisaverage.com. Some of my favorites....

A few days ago, my 7 year old sister found out that 'math' was short for 'mathematics.' Since then, she's been asking for the longer version of words to sound more intellectual. I had forgotten that I told her that the soda Coke was short for cocaine. I only remembered when she ordered cocaine to go with her dinner at a fancy restaurant with our extended family. MLIA.

A while ago I introduced my father to my first boyfriend. The only thing my dad said to him was "If you hurt my daughter, remember I have a shovel and woods. No one will find the body." Several months later, he broke up with me. Today, my dad and I were at Home Depot buying a shovel. my ex saw us, and my dad pointed to the shovel. The look on my ex's face was priceless. MLIA

The other day I was thinking about how not all the MLIAs about old people could be true. Then today I got a call from my grandfathers nursing home saying that he faked a heart attack around some of the new nurses scaring the life out of them. Apparently he does this to every batch of new employees.MLIA

Today, the sinks flooded in the girls bathroom, somebody wrote in lipstick "the chamber of secrets has been opened", I love my school. MLIA

If you are looking for another way to waste time I would recommend peopleofwalmart.com. Amazing.

Monday, November 16: Today, I am thankful for Gilmore Girls. I love the small town charm, quick wit and characters who I secretly wish were my best friends. I am fairly convinced that if I ever ran into Alexis Bledel or Lauren Graham we would instantly becomes friends. It's so delightful to come home at the end of a long day of studying to find multiple episodes recorded on our DVR (which I am also very very thankful for....)

Thankful Again

Thursday, November 12: I am thankful for CraigsList. Today, I found a beautiful new dining room table listed on it! For the last year and a half, we have been using an old desk that we sanded down and painted. It was a good temporary fix, but adults couldn't really fit under the table while sitting in the chairs. I finally had enough and started looking for a new one. On my first try, I found a gorgeous table from Pottery Barn for a ridiculously cheap price! It honestly was exactly what I was looking for! Isn't it gorgeous?? It matches our current chairs and everything.




Friday, November 13: I am thankful for Outlet Malls! I know this sounds silly, but they seriously save us so much money. We honestly only buy clothes at Outlet Malls because they are at such a discounted price. The styles may be a few months late and the clothes might not be exactly what I want, but otherwise I wouldn't be buying new clothes at all. I am especially grateful today, because on top of the great deals they already offer, a sweet friend shared with me a 30% off your total purchase at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. We were able to buy so many Christmas presents and needed clothes.

Saturday, November 14: I am thankful for childhood friends. I was so blessed as a child to have a great group of friends around me. Our moms were friends, so we were always playing together. When we moved from Dallas in '98, I lost touch with all those friends. Over the last year or so, so many of my childhood friends have moved back to Dallas. It is such a treat to reconnect with them and rekindle our relationships! I am so loving getting to know them again, this time as adults. What a blessing.

Hallie, Me, Sarah.....just two of the friends I have been able to reconnect with here in Dallas!

Thankfulness

November 11, 2009: I am thankful for country music. Silly? Maybe, but I love it! When I moved to Tyler in 8th grade I didn't have many friends, so country music became my lifeline. In part because I simply loved that their music told stories and in part because it was the only radio station we got. In 10th grade when I started driving myself to school, country singers became my friends on the 30 minutes each way drive. To this day if I am alone in our apartment, you will usually find me singing or humming a country song. In my other life, I would have been a country music super star. My ideal vacation would be spent in Nashville and Franklin, Tennessee looking for country stars. I'm convinced that if I ever met Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley or Kellie Pickler we would be BFF's. I may or may not follow my favorites on Twitter......

Thankful Heart.....

November 10, 2009: I am thankful for my wonderful friends! I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful friends surrounding me. So many times it is easy to bemoan the fact that they are spread out all across the country and that the fun days of living in the same town or going to the same college are over. Even though all my friends live so spread out, I am thankful for the sweet phone conversations and weekend trips to visit them.

The best bridesmaids a girl could ask for! Allison, Kristen, Laura, MaryClaire, Hannah, Alison, Laura



Wonderful high school Bible study girls: Lindsay, Lindsey, Jennifer, Sarah



Delightful college roommates Junior year: Laura, Alison and Courtney



Crazy roommates Senior year: Brittany, Abbey, Meredith



Summer 2004 Wild Woods - best summer working at camp! Emily and I

A Thankful Heart

November 7, 2009: I am thankful for books. My little sister aptly reminded me this weekend that I used to get grounded from reading when I was a kid. Most kids get grounded from TV or playing outside or their friends. Not me. Nope, my mom would take away my books and I would cry for days. My recent favorite books are the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde.

November 8, 2009: I am thankful for my iPhone. I resisted for a long time but finally gave in when Nathan bought one for me in September. I love having Facebook and Twitter in my fingertips during a boring class. I love having Google maps with me in my car when I am lost. Most importantly, I love Tetris. It's my new favorite game to play. Seriously, I might be obsessed. I dare you to break my high score.

November 9, 2009: I am thankful for my diploma from Texas A&M. There was a huge debacle at the end of the my senior year and I didn't end up getting my diploma for another year and a half. Like I said, huge debacle. I fought and fought for that diploma and am so grateful for it! I wouldn't have chosen to get my diploma the way I did, but I am so much more grateful for it than I would have been any other way!

A Long Year

Wednesday, November 4, of this week marked one year since I have been laid off. One year later I am still jobless. One year later we are still trying to figure out how to get by one salary. One year later we are in a smaller apartment, which is part of trying to get by one salary. One year later and it still hurts. One year later I am still reliving the scenes in my mind from that day.

I thought Wednesday would be harder than it was. I definitely thought about it most of the day, but no snide or sarcastic remarks actually made it from my thoughts to my tongue. But I can feel the bitterness starting to move in. It's like I can feel it crouching in the dark hidden woods around me, waiting to pounce when I am most vulnerable. I can't let it. It's been a tumultuous year to say the least, but I am a better person because of it. There is no way I would want to return to the person I was at this time last year. So in an effort to stay positive and not dwell on the pain of the last year, I have decided to come with one thing I day I am grateful for every day from now until the end of the month. I'll even make it retroactive so that I am forced to find more ways that I have been blessed. So here goes.

November 1, 2009: I am thankful for my wonderful, kind, supportive and handsome husband. There is no way I would have survived the last year without him. Granted, I would likely still be sitting on the couch unshowered and not eating. But in more ways that I can mention, he has dragged, pulled, bribed and loved me through the last 365 days, even when I wanted to give up.



November 2, 2009: I am thankful for my amazing family. They make me laugh so hard that I cry and are always guaranteed to bring a smile to my face. While I do miss when we were all kids and lived carefree lives, I am thankful to be figuring out the grown up world with them by my side. On the topic of them making me laugh, this picture is one of my favorites from the last year. We were trying to take a group picture with a timer but no tripod. As I hit the timer and started running to get in the picture, the camera shifted. So logically, everyone ducked down to still get in the picture. Cause, clearly we would not have all fit otherwise.



November 3, 2009: I am thankful for the opportunity to travel this past year. This last year we have been to Paris, London, and on a cruise to Jamaica and the Grand Caymans. Nathan has started traveling for work and since I didn't have a job, I was able to accompany him to Paris and London. It was fabulous - we now officially have the travel bug. The cruise was for our one year anniversary. Here we are swimming with Sting Rays in the Grand Caymans.





November 4, 2009: I am thankful for the opportunity to go to grad school. I didn't really want to go to grad school - it wasn't in "my" picture of life. I had a bit of a debacle with A&M near graduation so my grades did not end up being very good. But Nathan encouraged me to at least apply so I did. I was accepted to the University of Dallas in their Masters of Politics program. With a 50% scholarship. And with a grant that made up almost the rest of the tuition money. There was no way I could deny at that point that the Lord was clearly pointing me to grad school. And I love it! I am learning so many cool things.



November 5, 2009: I am thankful for a wonderful and comfy apartment to call home. We moved in the middle of the year to save some money but ended up with an even better apartment before. Other than the raccoon that calls our attic home, we love it. Its safe, cozy, close to friends and most importantly within walking distance to Target and our favorite Mexican food restaurant.

November 6, 2009: I am thankful for my new to us car. About 3 months ago I took Max the Maxima in to have her alignment fixed. I walked away with an unaligned car and a suggestion that my car needed $4,500 worth of work. Needless to say, my car was not even worth that much money. So we drove it to a place that buys cars the next day to see what it was worth. The offered us $1,700 which was less than what we thought the car was worth. We walked away from the offer knowing that we had 7 days to think about it. The next morning, my power steering and air conditioning went out. Thinking about the offer over: we took it. The next day Nathan found the most beautiful car I had ever seen. It has been my dream car for about four years and I never thought I would actually own it. My sweet husband traipsed all over Dallas and the internet trying to find one in our price range. We found the perfect car: a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe with 62,000 miles. I love my Fe.