it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!.. even on my blog!

i just couldn't wait any longer! i changed my blog layout to a new holiday themed one, for free! this lovely design was made and offered by my cousin's sister-in-law, shannon. you can get one, too, at her website, eightcrazy designs. LOVE it! Thanks, Shannon!

she also happens to be the designer that created our wedding invitations earlier this year. she was fabulous to work with and the results were beautiful, more perfect than i ever imagined. here is my attempt at posting a photo of the finished results- i wanted to black out our middle and last names and i couldn't figure out how to do it on the original computer document without messing the whole thing up so i took a picture and then edited it in the paint program... needless to say, it ends up loking grainy after all of the conversions, not nearly as wonderful as the real deal, but oh well! i wanted to share it anyway. once again, it was created by shannon, of eightcrazy designs (see above link).




p.s. if you look closely, you can see the school-cafeteria flooring we have in our house! i laid the invite on the floor to take the picture. good thing we both have a pair of slippers now (see 100 days! post) cause this floor gets cold!

memories...

wow, it's been a while since my last post! i am at my sister's house right now nannying, and the little ones are napping so i thought it'd be fun to post some pics from her computer of tom and i, from the very beginning! the one up above is our first picture together (awwwww!), at the grand canyon. the next is also from our trip there (brrr!), and then there's one of us playing the great dalmuti, and another of us with my two siblings and their spouses. enjoy!

oh, and p.s.-- you should follow the link on the left side of my page to my sister's blog- she posted some of the beautiful new family photos the family j just had taken. i am such a proud auntie!

While I'm Waiting...

The Lord has brought this song to my attention a lot over the last month, and I have found it to be encouraging and pertinent, in my life, my walk, our world. Thought I'd share the lyrics.

While I'm Waiting

by: John Waller

I'm waiting

I'm waiting on You, Lord

And I am hopeful

I'm waiting on You, Lord

Though it is painful

But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident

Taking every step in obedience

While I'm waiting I will serve You

While I'm waiting I will worship

While I'm waiting I will not faint

I'll be running the race

Even while I wait

I'm waiting

I'm waiting on You, Lord

And I am peaceful

I'm waiting on You, Lord

Though it's not easy

But faithfully, I will wait

Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will serve you while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Even the rocks cry out!

We went on a hike at Red Rock Canyon on Saturday with most of The Family J. Becky couldn't come, but we managed to survive out in the wilderness. I was impressed with God's glorious creation!

My two-year-old niece Miss O took this pic of Tom and I. She's got a knack for photos, I think!

The girlies and Mr. Tom, as they lovingly refer to him.

In remembrance of my Grandpa Jerry!... and some other random things.

My beloved Grandpa Jerry died last Saturday at the age of 93. I loved him very dearly. And this picture is just the epitome of him- he always looked stellar, with pressed shirts and bolo ties! This photo of us is from about three years ago, which is unfortunately the last time I saw him not living in a nursing home. He had been in one for 16 months before he died. I feel very blessed that Tom was able to meet him-- twice! Once, in June, we stopped by the nursing home he was staying in. It always seems a little grim in those places, and it hurt my heart to see him look so weak and frail. When I first introduced Tom as my fiance and told him that we would be marrying in August, Grandpa looked at Tom with an amazed expression. "Oh, really?" he said. "Well, Tom, you're getting a good girl. A real good girl. I always thought she'd turn out to be an old maid!" We all burst out laughing at that one- it was just like Grandpa to lighten the mood with his jokes! I'll definitely miss him!

On a completely different note, here are a few things I've been learning while nannying for The Family J, complete with picture diagrams.

#1. When you can't find your almost 3 year old niece anywhere, and you have to bribe her with a snack to get her to make her location known, she is probably in her mom and dad's room, with the door closed. And she is probably not "just cleaning it up," like she hollers to you. She is actually probably doing her own make-up, emo-style. And not only is she applying makeup to highlight her blue eyes, she is also decorating her knees. And putting perfumed lotion on. That's all.

#2. Costco should NEVER have changed the shape of their gallon milk jugs. Even 25 year old college graduates simply cannot pour the dang things without spilling milk everywhere except where they intended it to go. It happens every time, folks, every time. I think it has something to do with the weird slope/dip before the opening. It is most certainly NOT operator error.

P.S. I looked up the weird jugs so I could put a pic of one on here. And I found this. This picture is a LIE. Not as easy at it looks, I promise. I bet you this is an altered photo. It has to be!


The website I found this photo on is called the dieline. And get this, it says that, "apparently consumers may need some re-education about how to most effectively pour from these new jugs... The pouring issue is significant enough that many retailers (including Sam's Club, Costco, and Walmart) are giving demos." Hilarious. And proof that I am not the only one.

addendum to my post from yesterday

to see a prayer you might pray for our country and senator obama, visit my cousin's blog called life outside the city limits.

a must read!

i have been getting annoyed lately at the number of my friends who push their political views on facebook. i've felt like saying: "hey, listen, why don't you go spout your opinion where it actually counts, you know, on your ballot." i didn't think i would get involved-- i believe that my political opinions are just that: mine!

however, i came across an article today that is a must read! of course, read it if you choose to. but please know that it comes highly recommended! let me tell you a little bit of why i am posting it on my blog:

i am and always have been pro-life. i believe that life begins at conception. GOD, Himself, says so in His word.

well, even being the extremely pro-life person that i am, i too became intrigued with sen. obama about four years ago when he spoke at the democratic national convention. i bought one of his books. it was very interesting, he has a way with words. as a result of the book and MANY other influences in the liberal city i was living in, i found my political views growing more liberal as my time in college grew, although i was still VERY pro-life. i found it almost easy to make my Christian views coincide with the liberal agenda (i've learned, now, that they generally do not!).

about a year ago, when barack obama became more of a national figure, i even considered that he may be a great choice for president! after all, it was hard not to get wrapped up in his eloquence, excitement and "vision."

i even went and saw him speak in portland, and shook his hand! thrilling, indeed...

but something wasn't right... that night, in the convention center, he didn't mention his extreme pro-abortion stance. this last wednesday night at the final debate, he dismissed that he is pro-abortion... because, who would be?

i always knew that my pro-life stance was not in cohorts with his views, but how EXTREMELY and FUNDAMENTALLY different our stances are is made clear in this article. please read if you are at all curious as to what stance senator obama actually takes. click the link below:

Robert George article: this man is a professor at Princeton, you can read on the article about his education and smarts and see that he a legitimate resource.