100th Post Giveaway!

Make Mine a Mojito is hosting a 100th post giveaway! I absolutely love reading her blog....definitely check it out if you haven't already. Click here to enter her great giveaway to win some super cute jewelry!!

My first tag!!

I've been tagged for the very first time! I'm super excited. When I first started blogging I told myself that I probably wouldn't have any readers, but that writing down thoughts just for the fun of it would be just fine. Now that my followers have built up to a whopping 4...I am just ecstatic:) While it seems that I'm joking, I assure you I'm not. Thank you so much to those of you who have stopped by and who do read and comment. I appreciate you so much, and I am so thrilled to have some blog friends!

Thank you especially to Nina for this wonderful tag. If you haven't stopped by her blog, you should check it out {Nina's Blog}. It's always interesting and fun!

Four Wishes:
1. That we could spend Christmas day with my family and Jonathan's at the same time
2. That we could save enough to build a house next year.
3. That we could get a better car for Jonathan to drive
4. That I could go back to Thailand to visit our friends asap

Four Places I want to Travel:
1. London - to visit my best friend Jayma
2. Italy
3. India
4. NYC at Christmastime

Four Careers I want to be involved in:
1. Teacher - High School English
2. Nutritionist
3. Hairstylist
4. Stay-at-home mom (sometime far in the future:)
5. Editor of a fitness magazine (I had to add an extra!)

Four Things I Would Like God to Say to Me at the Gates of Heaven:
1. Well done good and faithful servant!
2. Dog's DO go to heaven!
3. I forgive your sins (I know He forgives us already, but I would just LOVE to hear Him say it!)
4. I love you

I Tag :
All Things in Moddy - Hollie is so funny, and I enjoy her blog so much!
Simple Yet Classic - I love to get Weight Watcher tips from her on Wednesdays!
Tales of the Trees - I found Megan through my best friend Jayma. She is very witty. Her blog always makes me laugh or gives me new perspective.

Sorry if I tagged you and you've already been tagged!

ponytail or no ponytail

So, when we decided to get a Yorkie, Jonathan made me promise to not make it wear a ponytail on top of its head because he thinks it looks stupid. I promised... and I fully intend to keep that promise - but I never said I wouldn't try to change his mind about the whole matter. Now, her hair is getting so long that it's kind of hanging in her eyes a bit. So, just for fun, I put her 1st ponytail in this morning to see how it would look. What do you think? Stupid or cute? Be honest, it won't hurt my feelings:)

What a crazy weekend

I can't believe I haven't posted in over a week! Last week was just so busy. We planned a surprise 50th birthday party for my mom, so every second of spare time I had went to planning the party and making a scrapbook for her.

This past friday night was great fun! If you haven't ever been to Stillwater for OSU homecoming, you should really give it a go next year. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law came up Friday, and I made taco soup and OSU cupcakes! It was super good. After dinner we went to walk-arounds. The fraternities and sororities create giant floats out of tissue paper...which are really pretty cool. My favorite part though, is just walking around and seeing friends and people I haven't seen in awhile. I got to see one of my best friends - Elyse, as well as several other really great friends whom I haven't seen in forever! We took Olive this year, and she was so cute! She walked part of the time, but when it got crowded she just got scared and would crouch really low to the ground and not move. So, then she got carried of course:)

Olive in her homecoming outfit

This is what she was going to wear, but we decided she looked a little silly:)

Jon, Olive and I before homecoming (my cupcakes in the background:)

Elyse and I at walk-arounds

Anyway...after walk-arounds, we packed up and drove to Harrah. My mom's 50th birthday was on Sunday so we had her party on Saturday, which went really well. She was really surprised and I think it made her happy to see everyone. After her party we went bowling - me, Jon, Cristen (my sister), my mom and her new husband, my little cousin Addie and my other little cousin Ashton with his girlfriend. We had so much fun. Bowling is just fun no matter what! I love it.

The family at mom's party

Me, my mom, Cristen

Cristen, me and Addie
Jon and I (it was freezing in the bowling alley so I put on this random sweater)

Sunday was a little more low key. Jon and I got up early to do our long run for the week. It was our last one before the race this Saturday in Tulsa. I think we're ready for it. Anyway, then we went to church and to my mom's favorite restaurant, Alfredo's, for lunch. The rest of Sunday we just relaxed, gave my mom her gifts and hung out. Jon, Olive and I drove back to Stillwater Sunday night just in time to hit the sack. It was such a long weekend, and I was so tired! It was so worth it though! I just love spending time with family.

This was the second weekend in a row to get to spend with family. Last weekend we went to Duncan to hang out with my in-laws. Let me tell you - I have the best in-laws ever. We always have a great time with them. It's so sweet how much they love Olive too. Last weekend they got her a bed, a Tshirt and Pedipaws. She is a spoiled little dog and so adorable!

My father-in-law and Olive - tug of war!

Jon trying to use Pedipaws on Olive - it just needs some getting used to:)

This is what I found in my purse one morning last week. I don't smoke, never have, don't know anybody who does smoke and had only been carrying this purse for two days. What gives?

So sad it's just wrong

Who all has seen the movie P.S. I Love You? For those of you who have, was anybody kind enough to warn you about how dismal the majority of this movie is or about how heavyhearted you would feel if you watched it?

Well, no one cared to warn me. I thought it was a sappy happy love story. And...during some parts it is, but there are the other parts...oh, I'd say about 85% of the movie that is just downright brutal. So, for everyone out there who hasn't yet seen this movie, this is your warning. You will cry like you've never cried before. At times you will ask yourself "why did I want to watch this movie?" However, if you're like me in any way, when it's over you will sniffle, wipe your eyes, and then get on your most convenient social network and add it to your faves.

Let me tell you about my first viewing of this movie. Jonathan and I's (someone please tell me if "I's" is a word. It seems okay to use verbally, but so wrong when you write it out) trip home from Thailand included a layover in Tokyo. So, because it fell so close to our 2 year anniv. of marital bliss, we decided to extend the layover by a couple of days and live it up in this fantastic city.

So, the last night we were in Tokyo, we decided to "officially" celebrate our big day. It was such a great evening. After hanging out on the busy streets-eating, walking, eating, checking out the pachinko places, and walking some more...we decided to head back to our lovely hotel to relax for the rest of the evening. By about midnight, we were super tired and ready to turn in for the night. So, like many other nights, we decided to start a movie that we had brought with us from Thailand. The lucky pick? P.S. I Love You.

So, we start watching it, and I got really into it right away. The beginning of this movie is intriguing. However, not intriguing enough for my husband, who is known for falling asleep during movies. So, as he slept soundly and peacefully beside me, I endured this movie alone and quietly. Until....one scene in which Hilary Swank meets up with her mother and she just cries and cries and talks about how, well I don't want to spoil it, but let's just say she has maybe the biggest breakdown of the whole movie. It was SOOO sad.

Suddenly I just couldn't hold in my sadness anymore. I burst into tears. And "burst" is not an exaggeration. I just could no longer contain the desolation I felt. Of course, my outburst of tears and sobbing woke Jon, who had just settled into that state of sleep which no one should have to come out of. He was so baffled and could not figure out what was wrong - I couldn't explain to him because I couldn't even get a breath in around my wailing! The longer and harder I cried, the harder he tried to comfort me. After about 4-5 full minutes of this crazy business, I began to get a little bit tickled amidst my anguish, which resulted in this outlandish combination of laughter and intense crying. I just began to realize how absurd it was that I was this upset over a movie at 2 o'clock in the morning, and Jon's efforts to comfort me even in his sleepy confusion became funnier and funnier. I just kept saying "I can't believe you left me!" over and over again. The poor boy.

After this went on for way too long, I finally began to calm my hysterics. I was so bushed from the late night (it was about 2am by now), the crying, the laughing etc. that I was finally able to fall asleep curled up tight against my poor husband.

I'm sorry that I have no explanation for why this movie is on my favorites list, but it is. I love it. It makes me appreciate my husband a hundred times over every time I watch it. Let's be honest, we never know what might happen in the future. I know I'm not the only wife who gets nauseated just thinking about what life would be like without our "one and only." This movie just really hit me hard...and I love it! The sad thing is that I scared Jonathan to death and now he won't even consider watching it with me. Everytime I suggest it, he basically acts like he doesn't hear me...it's pretty funny. One day I'll get the energy to force it upon him. Believe me, I'll make sure we watch it at a decent hour next time so I don't find myself having another lonely breakdown.

So, in closing, I would fully recommend this movie, but make sure to have a huge box of tissues and someone nearby, ready to comfort you at a moment's notice.

memoirs from southeast asia - part 1

For those of you who don't know, Jonathan and I just got back to the States after spending a year living in Thailand. We worked with Campus Crusade for Christ doing campus ministry in Chiang Mai (north Thailand). It really was as they say "the best of times and the worst of times." Spiritual warfare was at an all time high in my life, and I was terribly homesick, yet the things God taught me and the ways in which He changed m
y heart and my world made it all worth it - not to mention the fun and crazy adventures we got to have, the places we got to see, and the fantastic people we came to love.

Since we arrived home a few months ago, I've thought about Thailand so much. I miss so many things about it. My biggest fear is that I'm going to forget. I don't want to forget the experiences we had. So many moments in our Thailand life contributed to joy in my heart and life lessons that changed me for the better. I gained new perspective, new habits and new appreciations for life. Little things pop up here and there that remind me of times in Thailand. To the average person, these memories might seem insignificant, but in my heart they are connected in so many ways to my experiences there and my love for things Thai. I want to use my blog to record these random memories in an effort to always remember the small things that made a huge impact. A prime example:

The other day I went into Smoothie King. I've heard how great their smoothies are, and I was just dying to try one. So, I ordered my 20oz. skinny vanilla Slim Trim smoothie with the fiber blend added, then stepped aside to patiently wait to pay*. While waiting, I began surveying the different supplements and protein bars displayed around the store. Suddenly my eyes landed on this little bar: the Clif bar. This one insignificant little bar instantly triggered a distinct memory from Thailand.

Tsunami Relief.

Once again - it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Our STINT team, along with many Thai students spent a week on Koh Chang (Elephant Island), located a couple of hours off the coast of South Thailand. It was a tough week: the food, the heat, the dirt (notice my profile description), sleepless nights with bugs as bedmates instead of my sweet husband etc etc. Oh, but the many sweet memories and lessons learned during that week make it an overall dear memory of the past.

Now, don't get me wrong, Thai food is mostly delicious - I love it in so many ways. However, there are some dishes that aren't quite as tasty as others, and our sweet cook just happened to have the menu for the week stocked with meals such as these. I had packed a stash of peanut butter and some crackers and apples just in case I found myself in a predicament such as this. A friend who was also there for the week, Judy, happened to have brought along some Clif bars, as well. I had never seen or heard of a Clif bar until she sauntered up to me one sweltering afternoon and slipped this tasty little treat into my hand. I instantly decided to save it until I really needed it, which I suspected would be the case later in the week. And so it was.

The last day that we were on the island, Judy and I spent the morning hiking to the other side of the island to see the one school that existed there. It was about an hour hike one way, which the Thai children walked every single day.

This was taken during our hike.




This is Judy and our Thai friend who helped us find the way. Sorry the pictures are so small and crappy- it's a long story, but hopefully I'll be able to replace them soon.

Thai children working away at school

So, after visiting the school, we made the long trek back to where we were working that week....just in time for lunch. Now, I try to be really low maintenance (for those of you who know me you're probably having a good laugh trying to imagine that), and my time in Thailand definitely contributed to me being lower maintenance I like to think. But this day, I was so tired from the week of work, so hungry and hot...and all I wanted was something familiar and tasty to give me a little "pick me up." Suddenly, in my mind's eye, I could see that little Clif bar, just patiently waiting to be devoured. So, while everyone lined up to get a big bowl of green rice, I snuck up to my backpack and snatched up the bar. Guys, I made that bar last about 40 bites. It was sooooo good.
Just as I was licking my fingers and savoring the last bit of flavor from my little treat, I see one of the cutest little girls on the island headed for the food. When our group would finish with the meal, there would always be plenty of leftovers to distribute to the people who lived there. The kids LOVED it!! They would get so excited. So, I see this little girl racing for the food with bowl in hand. She had been running around all week, a favorite of ours because of her outgoing, crazy funny personality. Sidenote - she wore this dress about 30% of the time we were there. The other 70% she was a free little bird!

Here she is with her bowl full of green ricey goodness- headed home to enjoy!

Now, I'm not going to say that I regretted shunning the meal for the day and eating my own treasure instead, but God uses a Clif bar every time I encounter one to remind me to pray for this little girl and to remember every second to appreciate what I have here in comparison with what many other people in the world have. That may sound cliche, but cliche or not my perspective is quite different. Good different. Even in the middle of the afternoon when purchasing a smoothie at Smoothie King.

What memories or experiences do you have that have changed you or how you view the world?


*FYI: At almost $6 a pop, you may want to save up for a few weeks before trying this amazing drink. I've decided I'll allow myself the splurge only on major holidays and of course, my birthday.

No longer a "closet member"

I am a weight watcher. There...I said it. It's out.

Since as far back as I can remember...I've been "concerned" about my weight. I've never had an eating disorder, but I can't remember a time during which I didn't think I needed to lose weight. Translation: I've never been content with my body.

The facts are: #1 I have - let's just say- "not so good" genes. Don't misunderstand...I have great "jeans." Thanks to my sweet husby who bought me the pair I'm currently wearing at full price from Gap for my birthday last year. I love them. But, back to the point: I have not so good genes. My mom has struggled with her weight her entire life. I'm sure she'd enjoy me sharing that with the blogging community. She'll never know. Point is, I'm not a naturally thin person.
Fact #2: I only have to look at ice cream or baked goods (two of my favorites) and I'll gain inches if I'm not careful.

Regardless of the fact that I've always felt that I needed to "lose a few," I've always been a fairly average weight...I think. Am I the only one who sometimes feels that I'm not sure if I'm overweight or not? Either way...I've always been a fairly average weight until my freshman year of college. You always hear about the freshman 15 and believe you me that is not a myth. I gained it by Christmas...and then added on another 15 after Christmas. I felt so miserable, self conscious and uncomfortable. It was not a good time. But, leave it to me and my determination (sometimes to a fault - ask Jon), I got it in gear and lost that weight by the following fall of my sophomore year of college. I felt so much better.
Since then I've just been so up and down. I'd gain some then lose some...but I guess I did a little more of the former because by the time Jon and I got engaged in November of my senior year of college, I was back up about 15 lbs. So, in January my determination set in again and by the time our wedding rolled around in July I had lost about 17 lbs.
So, you see the trend....always unhappy with my weight, always concerned about gaining and losing...always frustrated...always ashamed.
Well, I've decided not to be ashamed any more. I've been doing Weight Watchers online for about two years now- since the January before our wedding. I never want to tell anyone. I've had this misconception that I'm the only that worries about my weight, so I felt like if people knew, then they would think I was weird or that I had some serious problem. In talking to various people lately I've realized that that is a lie from Satan. Many people struggle with and worry about their weight.
When we got back to the States in July, I decided to join an actual Weight Watchers meeting. One main reason was because I need a social outlet. Being a nanny, I've found it to be a challenge to get out and meet people. So, I thought joining WW would be a good way for me to meet people with whom I have something in common with. Yes, as I'm sure you're wondering, I was concerned that it would just be a bunch of "old women" and there are some of those...and they are so nice! But there are also several girls my age who are a lot like me. It's been so fun to attend these meetings every week. The people are so nice and so encouraging. I get great recipe ideas and great ideas about how to maintain a healthy weight while living in a society that, for the most part, does not promote that. I've also had the joy of being a part of the "Lose for Good" program that WW is doing right now. For every pound that is lost, WW will donate $1 to food charities, internationally and nationally. So, while I get to focus on staying healthy and feeling good, I also get to contribute to helping people who are hungry. Another thing that I've really enjoyed about being a WW member is it gives me a goal to work toward. Each week, whether I lose or gain weight, I still feel really good that I'm working toward something that I can feel proud of. And I'm not just talking about being a smaller size, but about preventing a future of heart problems, diabetes, joint pain etc.
Jon has encouraged me to be more vocal about all of this for a long time, but as I said earlier I was scared. However, I finally decided to share this part of my life after my WW meeting last night. Every Tuesday night I go to WW, then Jon and I have date night, which usually consists of eating out, getting ice cream and playing with Olive...all of which we made happen last night. It really doesn't get any better than my favorite person in the world, my favorite dog in the world, and my favorite ice cream!! Here's a shout out for cappuccino chunky chocolate (all in moderation of course:)!

We went to Big Lots and got Olive a new toy before we went home. It's a sheep that bleats....and she loves it, as you can see. In case you can't tell, she is not jumping in this picture, she is hanging from the sheep by her teeth! I promise we aren't cruel...she just won't let go of the darn thing!

Warning!! extremely long post....

Don't you just love weekends? That feeling of freedom and relief when Friday afternoon comes to a close is just exhilarating. This weekend was full of events and fun, but also so refreshing!
Friday night I made our favorite dinner - Mexican Casserole. We missed this meal so much while we were in Thailand because I couldn't find the necessary ingredients. So, we just can't get enough of it now. After dinner Jon had to go back to work to take pictures at an OSU event. I was really sad that he had to leave, but I used the time to relax with Olive and read my current favorite book, Eclipse (the third book in the Twilight series.) I was very skeptical about these so called Vampire Romance novels at first, but one of my good friends, Elyse, got me hooked. I just finished book three last night, and I'm hoping to get number four in the next couple of days. I'm going to go broke trying to find out what happens next in the Vampire world! So, in the end, the only thing that could have made Friday night better was if my sweet husby would have been home to enjoy it with me.

Saturday was much more busy and eventful than Friday. We got up bright and early and headed to OKC to do some shopping and visit some friends. When you live in Stillwater, a trip to the city is sure to be a day of fun. We actually hadn't been to the mall since we got back from Tland, and hadn't been to Target in several weeks. So we headed off without a care in the world, other than Olive. We hated leaving her alone in her kennel all day. We never leave her for more than a few hours at a time. So, we planned to be back mid afternoon at the latest. Unfortunately, we're driving along and suddenly we hear an alarming noise - a flat tire. So, long story short, we got a late start by a couple of hours.

Once our day in OKC finally got going we got some great shopping done. We started out at Penn Square where we planned to get Jonathan some much needed work clothes, and me some much needed winter clothes. I absolutely LOVE shopping. I hate to spend money, but I love to shop. This oftentimes creates quite the conflict. So, I started off in Express - where I just ended up incredibly frustrated! I don't know what's happened to me. I think living in Thailand for the past year really affected me stylewise and moneywise. There are about 3 categories of Express clothes for me. 1 - would never wear and can't fathom who would wear. 2 - would wear but would NEVER spend the money to buy. 3 - would wear and can afford, but is out of the sale bin and doesn't fit the ticket for the kind of clothes I'm currently needing (ie. sale bin only contains tank tops.) Not only do I encounter these problems, but I have developed this overall problem of having NO CLUE what's in style and having no clue what I like. During our year overseas, I had no exposure to style or trends of any kind. And, I rarely shopped, other than my occasional purchase at the market. So, I find myself lost and frustrated now...and overwhelmed by the cost of things in America! I heard about this book on Good Morning America called The Lucky Shopping Manual. I might give it a try. Let me know if you've heard of it. I just need some help!

Anyway, we had to leave the mall after only a couple of hours because we had plans to visit my friend, Molly, who just had a baby. It was so good to spend some time hanging out with her and holding her sweet little Lydia. And, it was a nice break from the stresses of trying to improve my wardrobe.



This is Molly and I on her wedding day. She got married two weeks before Jon and I.







After Molly's, we decided to check out Target before we headed back to the mall. What a great idea!! I always knew Target was the place to be...and it did not disappoint. Jonathan found a couple pairs of pants, shirts and a new suit and I found some super cute sweaters and turtlenecks and a hat. Not only were they already great prices, but we had a couple of Target giftcards leftover from our wedding that we thought were empty. Lo and behold, we got to the register and they had about $100 on them!! We were stoked! So, we left feeling really great about our purchases...it's so much more fun to shop when you can actually afford something and feel good about it!

One of the sweaters from Target. Actually, I don't love it in this picture, but I love it on....and it's super comfy!







Anyway....by the time we finished at Target it was already getting late and we were so worried about out little baby at home! So, we quickly ran by Academy to get a hydration belt. We are training for the Tulsa 15K run, and we really needed a way to hydrate during our long runs. We bought the only one that academy had and it was only $20! Then we headed home to Olive. The closer we got to home, the worse we felt about leaving her all day, but she was all wags and smiles when we got home. She licked us from head to toe, which only intensified our guilt! Isn't it so great the way dogs love you no matter what you do? So sweet.


Our sweet little Olive. Jon won't allow her to wear bows - he thinks they make her look stupid. The groomer put this one in right after her first haircut, though. I thought it was really cute...and patriotic!





So, onto Sunday...another relaxing and fun day. We got up extra early so we could get our run in before church. Now, I have definitely not always been a runner. It all started last January. Jon and I were eating breakfast at our hotel in Bangkok. I'll never forget talking about our new years resolutions and I told him that I wanted to try to run a half marathon. The most I had ever run since high school was ten minutes at a time. So, I was a little bit afraid that he would think I was silly or crazy, but he was super supportive! So, once we got back to Chiang Mai we started reading online about running and such and we both decided to give it a whirl! We doubled the training schedule and trained from January until July. We found a marathon called "Run Paradise" that would be held in Phuket (south Thailand) in July, which would be right before we left to come back to the States. While the training was hard and at times not fun (like at 5am on long run mornings), it was so great. After every run there is this feeling of euphoria that I just can't describe. It makes it all worth it. We started out running 3 miles at a time and eventually ran the 13.2 at the half marathon. We ran the entire thing together, and while we didn't get a great time (2:09:20) we finished in one piece without walking, so we were pretty proud of ourselves.


Anyway, we enjoyed it so much that we've continued running. We trying to decide whether or not we want to run a full or just keep doing halves. I'm just not sure if my body is capable of a full. We'll see. Anyway...so the long run Sunday morning was exhilarating as usual, all except when a truck hit an armadillo right in front of us and it went bouncing, hard shell and all, and landed about ten feet away. Sick!! It was very disturbing...I went from thinking that I was going to be attacked by the thing at any moment, to it flying through the air. The weather was perfect, though, and we finished without a hitch. One step closer to the 15k and a great start to our Sunday!

At church we got to listen to a great message about Christ's dying for us on the cross. We're studying the account of His death and resurrection that is found in Luke. It is so interesting and I'm realizing that there are a lot of details I never really knew about. Our pastor is so great about explaining each detail concisely and in a way we can understand.

We spent the rest of Sunday afternoon playing with Olive, trying to make up Saturday to her, taking a much needed nap, reorganizing our budget, giving Jon a haircut (the Candice special:), and ending the night with some relaxing reading. It really was so great to spend the weekend being productive, but also just enjoying the love of my life, the great weather and great friends! I can't believe how long this post is. I'd be surprised if anyone would actually take the time to read this entire thing, but now having written my second blog post, I can say that I love getting to hash out all the happy and exciting things that are going on, if for no one else other than your truly!

It's about time...

So, I finally decided to start a blog. I never used to be into "the blog scene," but I've recently come to really appreciate the many benefits of the blog world. It all started when Jayma, my bff, created "When Grass Pierces Concrete." One of the highlights of my day is when I get to log on and catch up on her life. Her thoughts are always encouraging, inspiring and downright funny! It enables me to know what's going on in her life, even though we are miles and miles apart from each other.

So, after becoming a faithful reader of Jayma's blog, I started reading some of the blog's of people she follows. Even though I don't really know these people, some of their stories and thoughts encouraged me in the same way.

So, I decided to jump right in. While I don't really believe that anything I might make note of would be interesting to other people, I do think it will be a good way for me to sort through the many memories, thoughts, fears, fun moments, aspirations, and lessons that I learn on a daily basis. I hope that I can give something back in some way. We'll see...

So, after deciding to actually start this blog, I knew I needed to come up with a name. Well, let's just say that my creative side is lacking...a lot. For about two weeks I've been racking my brain trying to come up with a name. Between Jonathan and I, there were lots of laughable ideas that surfaced during this process. Some examples: Olive's mom (lol), blogging nanny (lol, even harder:) etc. Then, yesterday I had to drive to OKC to a dentist appointment. During the hour drive there, I was scrolling through my iPod listening to random songs. I came across a song ("Brand New Sidewalk") of one of my favorite artists - Nickel Creek. I liked the sound of it right away, so without actually listening to the song I started contemplating what it might mean.

So, after thinking about it for some time, I decided that this would be the perfect name. To me it brings up an image of a newly laid sidewalk, still wet with fresh cement. This image caused a memory to surface in my mind. During my middle school years, a builder came into my neighborhood and started filling it up with new houses. This presented lots of fun activities for my neighbor friends, my sister and I. Nightly adventures included exploring the insides of unfinished houses, dumpster diving for leftover building supplies, and using the treasures we discovered to build forts and such. One night we went exploring and found that there was some concrete that had just been poured to create the sidewalk to the front door of one of the houses. We couldn't resist. We found an inconspicuous place that was still soft and left our mark. For years afterwards I would smile, thinking about the fact that our prints were a permanent fixture in someone's sidewalk. I love the analogy that was created in my mind while recalling this story. We all have daily opportunities to leave our mark in some way by serving someone else. I know I'm terrible about taking these opportunities and making the most of them, and I'm constantly struggling to become better.

So, as I record the daily happenings and stories of life, I hope to be able to focus on seizing these moments of opportunity to serve and leave my mark in some way. I would love to hear about ways that others have left their marks on the world.

So, cheers! to my new blog.