...signing off...

well, most likely this will be my last most of 2007. I'm headed out tomorrow after church to Corpus Christi for Christmas with the fam. So, just for a brief run down, and stealing an idea from the beloved lainey di, I thought I'd share the things I'm looking forward to while in CC:

• of course time with the fam, esp the kiddos!!! Ashlyn, Cole, Brady & Blake
• of course Christmas day...can't wait for people to see what I got them...especially Kelly's stocking!!! it's quite impressive!
• Christmas Eve with the Darrols (Davis, Berry, Nichols - my dad made that up!)
• eating my favorite fajitas at POETS!
• seeing old friends!
• Jeff & Erin's wedding!!!
• Bachelorette party in Austin!!!
• and just some good chill time, no work, no going to the office, just being with friend and family

I really hope that you all have a Merry Christmas, and that you celebrate the birth of our King with your friends and family!

Super Duper: apartment is looking really good!!!

Super Pooper: still need a present for dad :(

...new office!!!

well, we've moved into the new offices, but I have yet to settle in to my new space. We ordered new furniture for my office, and it should be here next week. So, for the time being, I have a table for my computer and a lot of boxes. It's not a huge deal, but watching everyone else settle in, makes me eager to unpack all my boxes! But hopefully when I get back after New Years it'll all be waiting for me! I'll post pictures once it's presentable.

I wanted to warn some of you about a decision I made, concerning my new office. Allow me to remind those of you whom may have never seen my previous offices, but my freshman year of High School I began collecting ladybugs. My freshman year roommate at Baylor can attest that I had quite a collection and tried my hardest to implement them into our decor. Well after graduating, I decided that my new apartment didn't need any ladybugs, but that they would be a great decorating scheme for my office at the church! So for 3 years now, I have had ladybugs infesting my office. The collection has grown, and to be honest with you, I can't remember the last time I purchased something with a ladybug on it, because everyone feels the need to buy anything with a ladybug on it for me. Well, this collection has been accumulating for over a decade now, and while I love it all, it has come to my attention that the ladies may have seen better days. And that the collection is a bit juvenile. So...drum roll please...I will be downsizing the number of ladybugs in my office, and sending most of the collection home to my parents house! I have saved a select few to stay in the office, but the vast majority didn't make the cut.

Soooo....I have a new office decor that I am working on. Charis assisted me in coming up with the idea. I was telling her about keeping a select few ladybugs, so there would be some red and black in the office anyways. I had also decided that I planned on only using black picture frames. I think this will add a nice clean, unified look to my office. They will be all different sizes, shapes, textures, materials, some on the walls, some on the book shelves, etc. But I'm hoping they will create a simplistic look, that cuts down on clutter. So, as I was explaining this to Charis, telling her that I didn't want just red & black, she came up with the accent color of "ice blue" (hence the inspiration of this font color)...I LOVE IT!!! I don't know if you have ever seen this color combination, but it looks great, and is really complimentary!!! I've already picked up a few items (a ceramic bowl, toothbrush holder (just like a cup, not the one with holes for each toothbrush, sorry, had to explain, cuz it sounded funny to think about putting a pen in each hole...)that I will use as a pen holder, and a candle) in this "ice blue" accent color! I already love it, and can't wait to see it all come together!!! I think I will also matte some of the frames with some "ice blue" paper, and maybe even a few red...we'll see.

So, there you have it! Let the downsizing of the ladybugs begin. I know some of you are going to have a hard time accepting this. And I don't by any means mean that I'm done with ladybugs all together, but rather, that my selection is going to be more refined, and intentional, as apposed to comprehensive and well, shall we say "youthful". I still love my ladybug pajama pants, and my ladybug CD holder, its just the random nick nacky things that I don't have much space for anymore.

Super Duper: almost done with my Christmas shopping!!!!
Super Pooper: apartment is dirty...why is it sooo perpetual?

...the joy of giving...

sometimes it is easy to get overwhelmed with the number of presents still to buy, what to buy, stay in your budget, don't forget someone, hope they'll like it, etc, etc, etc.

I was beginning to get frustrated, not knowing what to get a lot of people in my family. That is by far the hardest part for me!!! I am so intent on wanting the person to like it. Well, yesterday I went shopping, and knocked some major people out!!! I'm soooooo excited!!!! And the best part is, I'm excited about what I got them, not just the fact that I bought them something. I refuse to buy someone something just to have something to put under the tree for them. Everything I bought yesterday, I feel really good about. Which makes giving the gifts sooooo fun! I just can't wait for them to open it, and to see the look on their face.

I was thinking about this, that Christmas to most Americans is about giving and receiving gifts, and at best some might say enjoying giving a gift. But why is this the heart of Christmas? Christmas is in celebration of the birth of Christ! I've always wondered, do we give gifts because:

1. Jesus is God's gift to us, so we are remembering this gift by giving gifts to others.
2. It's Jesus' birthday, so we give gifts as if celebrating someone's birthday.
3. Just like the wise men brought gifts when they came to see the King, we too give gifts?
4. All of the above?

Honestly, I don't know! But what I do know, is that His birth was miraculous in every way! And I love celebrating that by giving gifts to show my friends and family that I love them, and even more that I love Jesus, and God for giving us Jesus.

Sorry, this was going somewhere. What I was going to point out, is that to me, it is the most fun to watch people open a gift that I'm really excited about giving, even if it was more than I planned on spending. As I thought about this, I think this is like God. Of course on that night in Bethlehem, God gave us His Son, but equally as amazing, Jesus gave His life some 33 years later. Both the birth and death of Christ are a gift. A gift that God must have been sooo excited to give us! Of course, it was hard, and the price was high for the Father and the Son, but the benefit of us accepting the gift of Christ as our Savior, must be amazing! The joy that God receives when we receive His Son as the best gift of all!!! I bet he can't wait to see our faces when we open this gift He has for each of us!!!

Our God is amazing! So often I take Him for granted and argue with Him, or ask Him why or how or when! But in this Christmas season, I'm going to try and just sit and enjoy His gift, His Son, a beautiful babe that ultimately brought me salvation...He paid the highest price, and I gained the highest reward, eternal life with the Father in Heaven!

Super Duper: another day off tomorrow since the offices are still being set up!

Super Pooper: eating waaaay tooo much with all the Christmas parties & dinners

...they just keep coming...

well, i'll spice it up a little and use this festive post that I found on a friend's blog, but then you'll have to put up with more pictures...I promise, I only have a few more Christmas parties

Christmas Questions:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper for sho! We only resort to bags for last minute wrapping! It's a rule at our house!

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial, so much easier to keep up with, and you don't have to buy a new one every year

3. When do you put up the tree? I've only had a tree for 3 years, but I try to get it up as soon after Thanksgiving as possible

4. When do you take the tree down? when i get back in town from my parents house

5. Do you like eggnog? nopers!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember waking up and there being a trampoline in the backyard from Santa!!!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? 2 in fact! one from the holy land, and the Willow Tree angel nativity!

8. Hardest person to buy for? The brother's in law! I never know what to get boys!

9. Easiest person to buy for? varies every year, but the kids (niece & nephew) are usually pretty easy!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? um....i think i've blocked out any bad gifts!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? neither....yet

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone!!! Can't beat that childhood favorite!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I've been getting better at this! This year I started some time in early November!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? You bet! My sister and I give each other stockings, so sometimes I throw random things I've picked up throughout the year...don't worry, i usually end up spending about $100 on her stocking, so a few regifted things are justified!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? wassail (does a drink count?)

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? clear, no contest!

17. Favorite Christmas song? it's by andrew peterson, called "Labor of Love" so sweet, about how it wasn't easy for Mary!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Always home to Corpus for the holidays!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph - I cheated, the person before me had already done it, lame, i know!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? honestly, right now, a cowboy hat, but usually a star, to symbolize the star the wise men followed!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? one on Christmas Eve, and its always pajamas that we wear that night!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? TRAFFIC!!!!

23. What I love most about Christmas? celebrating the gift of Jesus with family & friends! sorry, cheesy, I know!

speaking of...here's a few pics from Staff & spouses Christmas Party the other night...

love these ladies! yes, there were men at the party, just didn't get any pics of them!

Super Duper: free day off today because the church offices are moving!

Super Pooper: Will & Kristi are leaving on Saturday :(

...and yet, more photos...

well, it's official, I'm 25!!!! Here are pics from my fabulous day with Rebs & Kristi, and then the following Saturday in Waco with the fam...enjoy, sorry for all the pics, but something tells me you don't mind...

lunch with the girls to celebrate the big 2-5!

being silly at the mall...reading with a reindeer, duh!

one more festive pic at the mall!

Ashlyn at her party, reading a card that I put a note from "Hannah Montana" on...she really thinks Hannah Montana sent her that card!!! I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a joke! She thinks they are pin pals now!!!

Ash & I on the saddle at Roadhouse, since we're the birthday girls!!! Man, she loved lassoing that napkin. When we were done, Brady said, "I'm coming here for my birthday!" haha, that saddle thing looked pretty fun to him!

Super Duper: feel pretty good about my final today!
Super Pooper: details details details for the new building! fun, but hectic!

...2nd annual Jr Staff Christmas Party...

it's the picture taking time of year, so more photo posts...enjoy!

staff girls & wives sitting outside by the fire with our hot cocoa & wassail! It was the perfect night to be outside around the fire!

silly boys...yes, that's Will in the Santa beard

group shot...as Scott instructed us to look "sore afraid"

FAVORITE PIC OF THE NIGHT!!!! Love these friends and will miss Will & Kristi dearly!

Super Duper: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!!! (I'll post pics and events of the day later)

Super Pooper: Final on Monday that I won't even start studying for until Sunday :(

...Emily's Wedding & Rebecca's Party...

Mr. & Mrs. Mike Cowan

My Girls!

My HOT date! Love you Lainey Di!

Off to the Honeymoon!

Rebecca's Birthday Christmas Tea!

I LOVE THESE GIRLS!!!

You can expect more pictures as the Holiday season progresses!

Super Duper: my crafty Christmas presents are turning out way presh!

Super Pooper: Mall traffic!