Live Laugh Love

Man, these last few days have made me so reflective. I am so thankful for my family and the people I love. We take these people for granted WAY too often in life. I know that I do. You never think that something bad or life altering will happen to you or you loves ones. But so often, it does. I believe that family is the most precious gift that the Lord gives us on this earth.

I have run into a couple stories this morning of a young couple who lost their 11 month old baby girl. Three weeks ago, they thought she had a bad ear infection and on February 8th or 9th, cancer took their sweet baby. Another family lost their 14 year old son a few days before during a surgery cause by a complication of a recently found cancer. After reading these stories, it opens your eyes to the pain of this world that we are oblivious to a lot of the time. Sorry to be a downer, I am not trying to be depressing. I just wish everyone took every opportunity they had to love, reach out to, listen to, care for, laugh with or give a little bit of themselves to the people around them. Live without regrets, live a life of love.

I spent all day Sunday with my niece. I can't look at her sweet face without feeling overwhelmed with love for her. I can't be near her without wanting to touch her soft skin and squeeze her with hugs. I can't think of her without a longing for her to know how much she is loved by her family and by the God who created her. I can't hear her precious voice without thinking about all the things she will accomplish by using her voice and standing for what she believes in. I have a deep desire to see her fulfill her destiny, be anything she wants to be. I am so thankful for her, and I hope I love her the best I can, everyday.

I grew up with 3 sisters. I am starting to appreciate them more everyday as I get older. They are all so unique. I can't stand to think of my life without each of them. I can't think of them without being so proud of what each as accomplished and all the things they will accomplish. I can't talk with them without praising God for how different He made each of us. I can't hug them without recalling all the times they have loved me and stood by me throughout my life. I can't see a picture of all of us when I don't know how extremely blessed I was to be born into a family where I would meet three of my best friends. I am so thankful for each of them, and I hope I love them the best I can, everyday.

The foundation of my sisters and my niece is my parents. At times, they have fought to keep our family together, and I am so glad they did. We didn't have a perfect family. A perfect family doesn't exist. But through everything, they taught us the importance of family and of love. I admire their faith and the ministry of each of their lives. I love to watch them change and grow in their knowledge of their faith. I know that my parents love me and each member of our family. I know that they will always be there. I know that they would do anything for our family and I know that they will leave a legacy to me, my sisters and their grandchildren. I am so thankful for them, and I hope I love them the best I can, everyday.

Now, loving your parents and siblings is a natural love. You are born to love them. You never remember a time in life that you didn't have them and love them. And this doesn't take away from the intensity and authenticity of that love, but later in life comes a different type of love. A love you choose. I choose to love D. I was afraid of this love until I met him. This past Valentine's day, we exchanged cards. The card he gave me was sweet, silly, funny, encouraging and full of words of affrimation. It was perfect and it was totally D. The card I gave him was long, lovey-dovey, adoring and meaningful, and it was totally me. I laugh at our differences in how we show love, but am so thankful that we can just be who we are with each other. The gist of my card was that I never knew how much I needed the things he brought into my life before I met him and how it would be near impossible to live without now. The whole point of this is that I choose to love him, appreciate him and show him love and respect everyday. He is the person on this earth that I trust my heart with more than anyone, I trust him to accept who I really am, because he chose to love me just the way I am. I never want to take him from granted. I am so thankful for him, and I hope I love him the best I can, everyday.

1. Sorry for my lack of blogging. I had a discouraging blogging set-back, and now I just have nothing interesting to say.

2. Did you notice that I imported all my old posts from my old blog? I missed them. But, I am super sad because it didn't import all my comments with the posts. So write new comments!

3. On my way back to work today from lunch, I was doing my drive-thru Starbucks, when I look in the window and see my 2 bosses and my friend. I got jealous so I parked and went in to join the party. Sad thing was that my bosses got to stay at Starbucks....but I had to go back to work.

4. The basketball season is almost over. Praise the Lord! BUT if they win both their games this week (which they most likely will) they will be tied for the league title and will have to play a "tie-breaker" game on Saturday, which will make me REALLY angry because....

5. I have a super fun date on Saturday! I can't wait. D is taking me up to Seattle and we are going to go to a bunch of the different islands and ride the ferries (is that how you spell that word? idk)!

6. I have all the blinds in my office open today because it has been snowing. I am ready for another couple snow days.

7. Back to #4, if they win the league title then we have to go through playoffs and all that. bleck. I would be happy for the kids though. I like them and they work hard.

8. I was trying to find some information about the Tualatin Heritage Center yesterday and ended up reading a lot about Tualatin history and it was so fascinating. I love history. And just a random fact for you...when Tualatin was first founded, it was spelled Tualitin. I like the "a" better.

9. Why does so much of life revolve around money? I know you can't get around it, but I hate it. Money stinks. Think about how much more joyous and cheerful people would be if money wasn't a factor in life....just a thought.

10. Speaking of money, I seriously need to cut back on my coffee consumption.

11. On home game nights, I always have dinner ready for D so he can come home and eat between the JV and Varsity game. But tonight, I am making dinner for J too, and it should be fun. Kinda like the (not-so) old days.

12. I am just curious, if you had your wedding to do over again, what would you change? And if you are not married, what is the one thing you KNOW you want to do when the time for your wedding comes. (Kristie, I think I know what yours is. Be nice :) )

13. I would love to come up with a way to make money that did not involve me having to work everyday from 8-5. It would be awesome if something that I loved to do could make money for me, but I got nothing.

14. Pray for D's friend Steve. He is having surgery on Friday.

15. I am not buying D a valentine's present, can you believe it?.....I can't believe it. I love buying him presents. But, we are just exchanging cards...which of course is the best part to me anyway. And I am making his card, so it will cost be approximately $0.17. How's that for saving money. I don't know how he is going to top last year's card though...it was perfect and hilarious. We have this weird inside joke....and he found a card that had our inside thing in it. It was AWESOME. He's pretty awesome too.

16. Since we're talking about Valentine's Day. Let me just tell you again how amazing D is. I never want to live without him. I am so thankful and blessed that the Lord loves me enough to allow D to be part of my life. I can tell you without any hesitation, that he is the best man I have ever known. I have never met anyone with the combination of integrity, compassion, wisdom, generosity and kindness that he displays everyday. I am so proud of him and being with him everyday challenges me to become a better person and become all of who God created me to be.

17. So D and I have talked a lot about the life that we want to build together. About how we want to shape our family and about the things that are important to us as individuals and together. We have even written out goals and mission statements for different areas of our lives that include, our relationship together, our family, our jobs, our finances, our giving, our ministry and serving others, etc. So I have an idea.... I want to create a creative date for him that incorporates different things from our written goals. Does that make sense? So like, serving others in really important to both of us, so I will give him something with our written mission statement on it about serving and then I might take him to a soup kitchen to help serve a meal. We want to instill the importance of community and volunteer work in our future kids, so I might take him to the food pantry to stock shelves or go plant trees with the City of Tualatin.... Got it? I want to have an activity that symbolizes the areas we have goals in. Anyway, this might sound cheesy to you, but do you have any ideas???

18. I went out with my friend and some of our youth girls the other night, and it was so fun. After dinner she and I spent hours talking in her car outside my parents house. I can't tell you how many nights we have done that over the last 11 or 12 years. Anyway, we had a great talk. I am going to blog about it soon. Not sure all what the blog will say, but I know that the title will be "Admirable."

Fresh, Fun Start

Alright, here's the scoop. I got tired of my old blog. I needed a fresh start, so here it is.

Welcome to my new blog.

So, on my old blog...this would have been my 100th post! Wow. In all my blog surfing, the most common thing I have seen to celebrate the 100th post milestone, it to post 100 facts about yourself. And since, I am just a common girl, I thought I would do that. I hope I can come up with 100 things, but if not...this will just be a work in progress.

1. I have eaten rattlesnake.
2. Just a few months ago, I got a new library card. Replacing the one I had since first grade. It was time.
3. I love McDonalds. I know, gross.
4. D is the person I have been waiting for my whole life.
5. I sleep with ear plugs in because both my parents snore (but neither of them will admit it)
6. I never had one detention in school.
7. I HATE math.
8. In high school, my math teacher told me I was stupid in front of the whole class and I still have not recovered.
9. I can tell a lot about a woman by her opinion of "The Lies Women Believe."
10. I have just one perfectly delightful niece.
11. In fifth grade, I got David Robinson's autograph. He spelled my name wrong and I spent a lot of time after that trying to convince my parents to change the spelling of my name.
12. I love my name, and I love the way it is spelled. Good thing I wasn't successful at convincing my parents when I was 10.
13. My names means 2 things: Perfection and flaming palm tree....
14. I don't have a favorite color.
15. I do NOT like cats or dogs...or any other type of animal inside of houses. It grosses me out and dogs scare me.
16. I broke my ankle coming down from a rebound in the first minute of a basketball game (city league) in 8th grade.
17. I cried at the Dr.'s office while they put my blue cast on (for 9 weeks!)Because school basketball was just about to start.
18. I have always wanted to have twins.
19. I went to nanny school, not too many people can say that!
20. I drive a red explorer, which I LOVE.
21. New Kids on the Block was the first concert I ever went to. Valentine's day...in second grade.
22. Me and this boy got dared to kiss each other at a birthday party in 3rd grade. I finally let him kiss me on the cheek in a red barn and then I cried. I was so embarrassed.
23. I drive by that red barn almost everyday.
24. In fourth grade, we studied the Oregon Trail. I had the coolest dad ever because he brought in some really old guns for show and tell. That would not go over well these days.
25. My little sister and I tried on several occasions to sleep in our tree house over night, but we never made it! Those raccoons and coyotes are SCARY. Good thing the back door always stayed unlocked on those nights.
26. I played A LOT of basketball while I was growing up.
27. I rocked at the Sherwood Elks Club Free Throw contest.
28. One year at that contest, a girl cheated. My dad stuck up for me and wrote a letter to the Elks Club. I will never forget how much that meant to me.
29.Seeing parents smoking in their cars with their children, makes me so irate! LIVID!
30. I hardly ever stick up for myself, but don't mess with the people I love.
31. I still miss the house I grew up in and driving by it still makes me cry.
32. I find all the new development around the house I grew up in almost sinful! Those people living in their giant, fancy houses have no idea what they ruined. I'll get over it someday.
33. I love being creative.
34. High school was weird.
35. Most of my friends have always been older than me.
36. I once snuck several eggs out of the fridge, wrapped them in blankets and put them in a box in the garage. I thought for sure I was get some little chickies. NOT SO MUCH.
37. I am an avid blog stalker.
38. I am addicted to Facebook.
39. I sit behind a desk for a lot of hours each day.
40. I love sitting in the park. Picnics, reading or taking a nap. It is always lovely.
41. I love books and could wander in the bookstore for hours, as long as I am by myself.
42. I hate shopping with my little sister! Sorry Kelly. :)
43. I am really good at spending money.
44. I have a secret dream that no one knows.
45. I hate that my sister's birthdays are all so close to each other and Christmas.
46. I wish I could buy my mom a beautiful house at the beach with an old red and white corvette in the garage for my dad.
47. Sitting on a blanket on the beach is one of my most favorite places to be.
48. I love fireworks.
49. I love the zoo. The Polar Bears are my favorite, along with the elephants and giraffes.
50. Christmas is the most magical time of year. It makes my heart happy and it is my goal to create "movie-like" Christmas' for my family someday. You can never have too much Christmas cheer and love.
51. I have always had a secret fascination with going to the moon. How awesome would that be? Seriously!
52. I'm not going to lie...I am pretty good at Taboo! :) But Kelly and I together are unstoppable! lol.
53. I wish I had a degree.
54. I still pray for a little boy that I met my senior year in high school. His name is Kyle and he was 5. He had no parents and asked if I would be his mommy.
55. I wrote a book and dedicated it to him. It is at the school library.
56. I wish I could sing.
57. I accidentally had one party in high school while my parents were out of town. And it really was an accident...I have never been more stressed out in my life. (don't act surprised Dad, I know I have told you about it)
58. I love to be organized.
59. I am a very bad delegater when I know how I want something to turn out. I would rather just do it myself. It is less stressful that way.
60. If I do need help with something, there is typically only one person I will ask. Because I trust that she would do it like me...or at least know that I will like the way it turns out. :)
61. I had a crush on the same boy from 6-10/11th grade. Now that is commitment. :)
62. Someday I want a whole room in my house to be the library. I want it just stuffed full of books with a really cozy chair and blanket to curl up in.
63. I once drove to Seattle to see Beauty and the Beast at the Pacific Science Center and it was amazing.
64. When I am really upset or hurt, I go for long drives by myself and try to get lost.
65. My favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice. It's amazing. However, I don't understand the book.
66. I DO NOT like to be hot. It's probably the worst thing you could to to me.
67. Grande Mocha Frappucino! Yumm.
68. I have two of the same bridesmaid dress. One in red, one in eggplant.
69. Good moms and wifes inspire me.
70. I LOVE doing laundry. Sorting, washing, folding....all of it.
71. When living with roommates, I hated it when they would use my laundry soap. I don't know why...but it drove me crazy.
72. I love the sound of babies laughing.
73. I love seeing someone do something kind when they think no one is watching.
74. People who speed through school zones irritate me.
75. It makes my day to pay for the coffee of the person behind me at the drive-thru starbucks.
76. I feel like I should be much older than I really am.
77. I don't really like people touching me.
78. I hate, HATE, hate the sound of ticking clocks.
79. Listening to people breath makes me want to scream.
80. I used to cherish time by myself. I really used to love it. But now, I almost can't stand it.
81. I think online shopping is the best thing ever.
82. I am obsessed with gas prices. I usually always know what the price is at at least 5 different stations on any given day.
83. Speaking of gas, I don't get out at Costco while getting gas to punch in my pin number, I just tell the gas attendant what it is. Identity theft, eh....
84. Hardly a days goes by when something doesn't make me think of my Uncle Steve.
85. I have always wished my Grandpa and Grandma Wyland lived closer. Did I already say that?....I can't remember.
86. hmmmm, 86. That is the year my little sister was born.
87. Crickets totally creep me out.
88. I despise the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."
89. I adore the book, "Where the Red Fern Grows."
90. I cried when I learned who my 5th grade teacher was because there were rumors that he threw a desk and a kid out the window. Of course, I ended up loving him. Apparently the rumors weren't true.
91. I wet my pants in first grade and still get embarrassed when I think about it.
92. I turned 16 in Maui.
93. I heart Arizona (October - March....please refer to #66).
94. One of my favorite memories is standing up beside my sister on her wedding day.
95. I hate waiting.
96. I have never had a cinnabon.
97. I am always scared of failing.
98. I often wish that people knew what I really thought.
99. I am cheap but not frugal...go figure.
100. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be.