A Birthday to Remember...

I had the most amazing weekend!!! I turned the big 23 on Saturday, November 19th. I had such a good time this weekend with family and friends...
Friday I got pampered over a much needed haircut. I got to eat lunch with my beloved grandparents-they are the best! Jack, Christine, and I went to Holiday gift market at church for just a little bit...I always have fun with that baby Jack! My mom and I went and got pedicures and of course my eyebrows waxed...birthdays are made for pampering!
Friday night I was treated to a incredibly fun dinner with the fam. Mom, Dad, Tine, Matt, and Jack (lil bro Brad was MIA) and I ate at the Melting Pot. If you haven't tried it-you must! It is a fondue place, and it is so much fun. We had some incredible cheeses, and then of course the most amazing dessert fondue:) After dinner, I went to the movies as a third wheel of course with Tine and Matt...we had a blast.

YUMMY...chocolate s'more fondue!I mean, really...that plate made all my dreams come true!
Jack preferred a lemon to fondue...silly boy. Check out that sour face. My mom and dad are the best-they made this b-day too much fun! I love you guys:)
(all this happened the day before my birthday!)

On Saturday morning, I was awakened by baby Jack. He spent the night, because his parents went to this marriage seminar thing Saturday-don't worry they are not having marital strife...So Jack stayed with us, and he loved coming in auntie's room early Saturday to say Happy Birthday-well, he tried to say it. We watched some Baby Einstein together in bed and my mom got me some gourmet Burger King breakfast-yummy:) Later that morning, I got ready and headed over to Dallas to pick up my dear friend, Jena Massie. Her and Shawn came in town from Midland, just to wish me a happy birthday...too sweet! Jena and I went to the Galleria and shopped the day away, and we enjoyed some much needed time together. We ate lunch at like my all time favorite place-La Madeline. Jena is such a precious friend. Saturday night, I had a big birthday date...with the Mavericks;) Another one of my precious friends, Kylea, got Mavs tickets and took me along for some birthday fun! We had a great time, and the Mavs basically killed the Pistons. Jena and I at the galleria...the lady taking the picture like gave us information and a history about this Christmas tree...it was funny-if you have any questions just ask!

I love this girl!

Well, I did get a birthday kiss...from a girl.

Oh, Kylea...I pretty much keep this face the whole time we are together. She is a hoot, and well-this is not a good face for me. But there is no doubt fun was had!!!

Well, as you can see my birthday weekend was such a blessing. As we approach Thanksgiving week, I am definitely reminded of all the numerous blessings I have to be thankful for. God has undoubtedly blessed me with a God-fearing family that I take for granted too often. God has also blessed me with so many special and extremely dear friendships. I had so many phone calls Saturday-from my dearest friends and family. Thank you all so much for making this a special birthday! I don't deserve on bit of it!

'Tis the Season...ALREADY!

I had a meeting last night at work/internship (whatever you want to call it...) and I was pretty pooped as I began my drive home from Aledo back to the big city lights...but oh, my-when I got in the car and turned on the radio-silver bells filled my ears. CHRISTMAS MUSIC...and it is not even Thanksgiving. Oh, I am not complaining-it was a nice way to end a long day. 94.9 KLTY (Metroplex Christian Station) is already playing Christmas tunes all day/all night-all the time from now until the big day. I am sure that between now and December 25th, there will be days I may be a little sick of hearing Jingle Bells, Frosty, O Come all Ye Faithful...and I know you all know the rest-but last night it was great to hear the joy of the spirit Christmas! It was a cool 70 degrees outside-ha!, so I had my windows down to keep me awake on the drive home. I had the music up-windows down. I pulled up to a stop light, and rather than pimpin out my stereo with something like, "my humps"...or "go 'head girl, go 'head get down"...(you know the cool songs that are typically blasting out from a cool persons car-like me) all those stopped at the light got to get down with me, my rolled down windows, and something like "Hark of the Bells...Sweet Silver Bells...ding/dong..." you know the rest. I kind of giggled to myself, rolled up my window, and turned down the tunes. But, then I changed my mind and rolled them back down, and let the spirit of Christmas be heard on the streets of North Richland Hills (it is probably better to pimp(i mean share) Christmas songs than that other trash I unfortunaltely sometimes listen to)...so, i hope you have all found your Christmas stations, and trust me the fun/seasonal music is sure to brighten your day!!! The last song I heard as I drove up to my house (well, my parent's house-the one they let me live in as I mooch off them a little longer:)) was Chipmunk's Christmas song-CLASSIC! I think my sister, brother, and I lived for the Chipmunks Christmas Record (yes record)"Okay, boys...ready Simon? Okay Dave...Ready Theodore? Okay Dave...Ready Alvin...Alvin...ALLLVVVINNNN!!!"
On a side note, I always thought it was a little odd that a grown man had three chipmunk sons?!?! Any thoughts?
As in the words of the Chipmunks...Christmas is a time for joy..oh, and have a great Thanksgiving, too:)

Speaking of Chipmunks...oh, baby JACK! I can't wait to spend Christmas with this little guy:)

Let the Little Children Come

Okay, so I know I just wrote a blog yesterday(that no one read,ha!) but here are some thoughts from my day today...

Some kids have to grow up too fast...
In my profession, you think I would have already come to terms with this reality, but I have not. Some children due to such harsh life circumstances, are forced to grow up too fast. My morning began with this reality. On the radio this morning, Kidd Kraddick(yes I still listen to him) was talking about how children even with terminal illnesses are required to grow up a little faster due to their incredible medical knowledge and such trying life experiences. Later today, at my internship, that radio thought was played out in real life. I am working with some kids "groups" with one of the school counselors. The groups I attended today were a divorce group and a grief group. Divorce...Grief...sound like grown-up problems to me!-but for the kids today, and the majority of others these problems are their childhood reality. Kids having to be "ping-ponged" between mom and dad, kids whose parents have suffered through cancer, kids that saw their daddy kill their mommy...heart-breaking...
They are just kids...babies. So, yes I once again had a reality check today, but I was also strengthened by the strength these kids showed me. It is rare today to find a kid who has not had to grow up too fast. As I think about not only the innocence of children, but the profound strength they hold as well, I can not help but think about Jesus and how He said "Let the Little Children Come to Me..." As "grown-ups," we think that Jesus' arms are justly reserved for our problems, our needs, our broken hearts, and our worries. But I think Jesus was and is extremely aware of the kids that were also handling pain, but they were handling the same pain as the grown-ups only they are kids...
So I am in prayer for the kids...some by name...and others as "kids". I know that they teach us so many lessons through their struggles, and I know that all kids-all humans-face pain. I want to enable them to see the arms of Jesus, looking past the "important people" and calling out for the kids. And even in the public school setting,(when I couldn't press the issue) I could see so many of these precious children running towards His arms. I am also in prayer for those that work with closely with these children...I pray that we may witness through are actions and may lead them to the Father.
I am not even a social worker dealing with CPS, abuse, or the cruelest of cruels...and I know we have all seen the struggles of a child-no matter our profession. I challenge us to enable them to hear Jesus calling the little children, and I also challenge us all to become like the little children as well...
May God bless them:)

Haunted House...

So, I am a little behind on the posting...I wanted you all to see my Halloween fun from last week...

This is the my Halloween princess...She was all dressed up with no place to go! Mollie is the epitome of a spoiled dog. She is seen wearing last year's Christmas present...












And yes, this is my goofy dad attempting to scare the trick-or-treaters...I think he just gave them all a good laugh! What a silly dad-you gotta love him:)





My little cousins-Melissa Jo and Mary Kate were JoJo and Goliath (from JoJo's circus) Mary Kate was not too sure about putting the candy in the pumpkin...she wanted to hold on to it to be sure no one would take it away!!! Even as a lion, Mary Kate knows a hairbow is a fashion must...These girls are so precious to me!

Okay, so I dressed up a little too! I haven't gotten to wear that crown since my senior homecoming...promise... And being the good cousin I am, I have a dress up box in my closet full of dress up fun so it wasn't hard to put my look together-even over my social worker "costume". My cousin, Melissa Jo, was none other than JoJo from Disney's JoJo's Circus. She is just too much fun!!!

And baby Jack was quite the little pup! He loves "po-po's" translation-puppies! he was quite the ham in the costume, and his auntie couldn't resist giving him candy...oops! I am too proud of this precious boy...I love my little pooter:)


Anyway, Halloween was fun times! My family is so goofy and we are quite okay with that. I am proud to be a member of the bunch...so, the house is not haunted...just full of some silly people! other than that life is going good right now. I survived mid-terms, and I have had some super fun friend weekends with Cassie, Haylee, and Kylea I will tell you all about later! I hope you are all having a great day...and I don't know about you, but I am so ready for the holidays!!!