Count Me In...

I caught up on some DVR today because last week was constant go-go-go! This Oprah episode had the cutest little Jack Russell Terrier on that knows how to count! Don't have much time to post much tonight, but watch this quick video and I'll try to be better this week. ;) It's not the greatest quality, but it doesn't take away from adorable little Maggie!

Somewhere Out There...

For those of you out there reading, I'd truly love it if you'd say a little prayer for me tomorrow. It's not time to disclose any information, but just know I'd really appreciate the thoughts! Thank you muchly. :)

Mambo Number 5

Today marks five years. Five years. Where did all that time go?


Five years ago I was fresh out of high school, just starting to get adjusted to "life on my own." Five years ago I was starting to get used to Murfreesboro, and settled into my first apartment, and creating my own daily routine of work, school, friends, & sorority stuff, and keeping a connection to my family and friends (and boyfriend) back home. Five years ago I thought I had it all figured out and enjoying the ride and a new phase in my life. Little did I know, I was about to start a completely different "new phase" that I never dreamed would ever happen.


After about a month of learning a new type of independence, I found myself totally dependent on a number of people all over again. I had to rely on my mom, who was amazing and stayed by my side for I couldn't tell you how many weeks, to take me to each class while everyone else got to walk and meet up with friends for lunch. I had to depend on Lindsey, a brand new friend (which is how we quickly became best friends) to make sure I "ate" enough and had my scissors with me in case I got sick (I only used them once...and not because I was sick, but because she wanted to cut thumb holes in her new Homecoming sweatshirt). I had to rely on my roommate, Leena, and best friend from home, Scott, to drive me around and get me home when I was too afraid to drive alone.


Five years ago I really thought I had it all figured out. I loved my life, I was good with God and everyone else. On the day of my wreck, I felt like I was ready to go. I remember distinctly, as I fishtailed in the puddle of water, "this is it." For the week I spent at home (after the week in Vandy) I don't remember much, but I remember being incredibly depressed. I wanted my boyfriend back. I wanted to be able to eat solid foods. I wanted to be able to walk to the end of the driveway by myself without getting tired or feeling sorry for myself. I wanted my life back the way it was. I was mad at the world, but most of all, mad at God. Why did it have to happen that way? There were a lot of "whys" being asked then, a lot that I'm not candid enough to post...but eventually I got over them. I went back to school after 2 weeks gone to start over, and I was going to make the most of every situation, but the anger still stayed there.


Time passed and the wounds healed, but the scars are still there. But since those five years, I've grown more than ever. I am a completely different person. I'm not just "good with God and everyone else," I'm starting to learn more about the actual relationship with God...and truly, everyone else. Since then I've started to realize more what's important in my life and in those relationships, and I'm constantly learning how to strengthen them all. I've never been thankful for that time, because it was definitely the hardest time I've ever been through, but I am grateful to have grown from the experience. One of the biggest things I've learned is to not settle for anything, especially in my spiritual life. I try to live each day to the fullest and make the most of every situation still, but in a different sense than I did the few years after my wreck. That night was a wake up call, and though it took me almost 5 years to really wake up, I'm wide eyed now.

Tag it!

Uh oh! I was tagged by Mr. New Daddy to an Adorable Baby Boy!

Here are the rules..
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 6 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
4. If you’re tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag.

1. I love chocolate. No, that's clearly not random...but I do have an entire container of just chocolate chips that I keep by my bed. I'm pretty positive I can't go to bed without a hand full.
2. I took voice lessons for 13 years and competed throughout high school with a group of 4 other girls...we were called "Take 5" and were pretty great, if I do say so myself. Anyone that hears that about me now that I'm in the music business thinks that I'm in the business to become an artist. Noooooooot true. The spotlight is not for me, but I sure love singing harmony!
3. My room was pink when I was a little girl (shocker, right?), and by the time I got to middle school I hated all things pink for about 5 or 6 years.
4. I had my dog's name picked out over a year before I bought her...obviously well before she was born. And no, it's not because I'm a fan of Brad Paisley or even the paisley pattern. I just think it's an adorable name!
5. I can't stand scary movies and slept in my parents' room for 2 weeks after I saw Scream 2 in 7th grade. I still can't look at the Scream mask without my blood running cold.
6. I would have loved to work at Disney World through school at some point, but I didn't want to become jaded and not love seeing all the characters and princesses every time I went. And truth be told, I'm a Disney Princess at heart. :)

Now, I tag:
Lindsey
Laurie
Jessica
Rachel
Brandi
Shai

Tennessee River Run..

In case you don't know that song, it's by Darryl Worley (who's originally from the area) and the video is shot on the lake that I go to...Pickwick. In one of the verses it talks about jumpin' off the Yellow Creek waterfall...I've done that! :)

In a typical summer, I go home at least two or three times a month and get to stay out on the water all day. Unfortunately, this wasn't a typical summer so I was only on the lake 2 times: 4th of July and Labor Day, and those are huge lake weekends. The water is usually pretty choppy because of all the boats out on holidays, so that means no skiing or wakeboarding for me, but it does make for great tubing water!

Reed and Lindsey...This was right before Reed bailed off. I'm not sure why he likes to tube and not have fun... yet another way we're polar opposites.

Though I didn't get to spend as many days on the water as I would have liked, we made the most of the last lake weekend and had a great time! I love going to the lake and am already looking forward to Memorial Day weekend next year, when I can be right back out again!

Room Update

I'm getting so close to having my room complete. Here are pictures from when I promised in the summer project checklist.

Doesn't the chandalier that Laurie got me for my birthday look so awesome? I love it.

Here is the bench that my parents recovered for me, and you can see the bedside table that Lindsey painted as well.

I still need to figure out what is going on the walls and where. I have a few things in mind that I want to do differently with some cool pictures, and I'm probably going to make a headboard, but you can practically say it's complete now! :)

Havin' A Party...

Again, I know it's been over 2 weeks since this happened, but I just got all my pictures loaded to my computer from my camera, so just bare with me while I catch up. :)

The Volunteer Appreciation Gala for Cross Point volunteers was amazing! This was the first year I've gone (obviously, since I've only been going to CP for just over a year), so I didn't know what to expect...but it was awesome! Here's a picture of some of the incredible staff...these guys are wonderful. They could so easily just say "thanks for volunteering guys" and call it a day, but they go all out for us and I'm so thankful for that!

The theme was "Cross Point at the Movies" and I so wanted to dress up, and even bought a cute dress and had intended on being Annie, but I backed out last minute and got to wear the dress Lindsey got me for my birthday instead! Here are some of the girls after it was all over (and we got our cute new t-shirts!). :)

Rachel P., Lindsey, Rachel M., Jes, me and Krista

I Am The Eggman...

So Laurie came over one night a few weeks ago for some dinner and just hanging out. Linds and I made dinner (we actually ate at the table...that hardly ever happens!), and Laurie brought brownie mix to make brownies for dessert.

Now let's go back to a few days before, when our dear friend, Justin, told us about some trick he heard... The trick was that if you hold an egg straight up and down (little part up), you can squeeze the egg and because of the pressure (or something...), it won't break. Justin apparently demonstrated the "trick" and it worked. Well, the funny part of that story is that Justin's friend, Tanner, tried to squeeze as hard as he could with two hands, and egg exploded into the air over two laptops.

Jump back ahead to our Thursday brownie-baking. Lindsey got the eggs out and squeezed. Perfection. I'm no cook or baker or anything but a cleaner in the kitchen, but I've always loved cracking the eggs, so I take one from her to break it and decide to kind of squeeze the egg...not even hard. Yep, of course you see where this is going...egg yolk went everywhere. Countertop, floor, my clothes, stove top...you name it. It was quite a sight and the three of us cracked up (no pun intended) immediately and called to tell Justin. After cleaning up (and trying to keep Rocket & Paisley from eating raw egg off the floor), Lindsey and Laurie finished the brownies. I guess I'll really stay out of the kitchen from now on...

bee eff eff

Can I please tell you (whoever "you" may be...) how amazing my best friend is?

My reasoning, at this exact moment, in saying that is because she knows how much I love Bread & Company's fruit tea. She had a lunch there today and brought me some back! Granted, we do have a standing agreement that whenever one of us is there without the other, we are supposed to bring back fruit tea...but she tends to forget things occasionally, so that makes it even better today! Thanks, Linds!

Secondly, she makes me laugh all the freaking time. I'm usually the only one that laughs at her jokes, so we work well together. :) We can always be silly with one another, and I think that's great in a friendship...to be able to relax and be the goof balls you truly are together!

Case in point:

I've been thinking a lot lately about what makes a good friendship, and these are some (but not nearly all) of the things that I think are important:

• trust, honesty & openness
• loyalty
• support, faith & accountability
• communication
• fairness

I do not think that a good friend is only around to help when it benefits them or to "save the day." Instead, I think a good friend should be there through thick and thin and is willing to help when things get bad because they care about you. I don't think a good friend should be a "one-upper," but should celebrate with you and for you. I'm so thankful for the good friends that I have...they're truly the greatest and I love them tons!

Baby, One More Time...

I posted on Pete's blog the other day that when I was little, I used to say that I wanted to be a babysitter when I grew up. I think I was probably laughed at then, and I know I laughed about it as I got a little older and had a more realistic "career" goal...but truth be told, I have "grown up" to be a babysitter. I love kids so much. Throughout college, I didn't babysit pretty much at all and I really missed it. One day I was at Anne Taylor Loft and kind of in a bad mood because the outfit Mom had given me didn't fit and I had to do an in-store exchange and couldn't find anything I wanted. So I started to leave thinking it was a wasted trip, but in walks Julie. Julie and I both grew up in Selmer and our families are really close, so I went over to say hi and love on her adorable baby boy (then about 4 months old). I am so thankful for that "wasted" trip now, because had I not gone, I may not have run into them and started keeping the sweetest little boy in the world! That family has become so important to me in the past year, and I honestly don't know what I'd do without them now. I keep William about once a week...sometimes more, and I can't wait to start keeping Baby #2 in a few short months! Seeing Julie that day was just the beginning, and now I babysit for them, several of Julie's friends, and my work and church friends! Here are a few pictures from the past few months of some of the kiddos I have kept...including some of my sweet babies in the nursery!

How cute are Emma's little hands when she sucks her thumb?

These boys are SO much fun! After a "rip off" experiment last time, I made sure to test this one before I took it to them. We had so much fun with the cornstarch and water experiment, and I'm so thankful we did it outside! They were hosed off before they could go back inside, but I think that was Brewer's favorite part!! What a fun way to spend a summer night! (**FYI: the clothes were washed and the boys were spic and span after it was all over!**) :)

Cooper, Parker and Carter, and baby sister Lucy below.

I can't say enough how much I love this kid.

My sweet nursery babies!

It's Been A Long Time Coming...

I have been a terrible blogger. Almost as bad as this one, but not quite that much. :)

Just thought I'd post a quick update on things since I last wrote, and then hopefully I'll get my pictures loaded onto my computer correctly so I can do a little backtracking.

• First of all, I'm so sad Labor Day has come and gone. Where did the summer go? I had so much planned for the summer and had intended on quite a bit more happening than actually did...but that's life, right? Time flies!!
• I've done a ton of babysitting this summer, which has been wonderful because I love my kiddos so much. But also because it's helped SO much in keeping me afloat after dealing with all the lovely car issues from the past few months.
• I might also add to the car issues that this weekend my battery completely died on me. Shouldn't there be a warning or something telling me that it's going dead? But no. Fortunately it was while I was in Selmer, after filling up at the gas station which is about 2 minutes from my parents' house. So my wonderful dad came and helped me out and took me to get a replacement. Thanks, Daddy!
• Things have been changing a ton at work lately too. That is a story within itself that will just need to hold off for a bit. Let's just say I'm trying my best to be patient, but patience wasn't exactly one of my God-given natural qualities...
• Also want to say how EXCITED I am for 3 different couples: Chip and Mallory are finally engaged and I'm a bridesmaid! Can't wait. The two of them are so great together and I love them bunches and bunches! Second, Will & Beth are going to have a baby in March! I'll be a pseudo-aunt...how fun! ;) They are so amazing and will be incredible parents! Finally, Julie & Tom are expecting too!! I've actually known about this for quite a while, but didn't want to say anything. William's new baby brother or sister will be born in December, and my money is on a little girl! I'm super excited about this baby, too, because I started keeping William when he was about 5 or 6 months old, so it'll be so much fun to keep one from the time it's born!
• Finally, we had a great weekend in Selmer this past weekend. I got to see Reed's very first ever high school field show. It was fun getting to yell for him and he did such a good job! I don't get to make it home for a lot of things that he does, so I'm really glad I got to be there for something that was so important to him. It was also a great lake weekend and had such a good time spending time with Mom & Dad...now if they'd just come to Nashville more often! ;)