Too Much Fun

This was at work.  Is your work as much fun as mine!  P.S. nothing was caught with that net.

Not a bad song to have stuck in my head...

And it has been there since Drive.



I won't complain.

Behind the curtain...

What do you do if the dryers in the building don't work well and you don't have a drying rack???

Use the shower rod!! Notice the shower curtain sitting on a ball on the floor...

My current favorite song...

This was sung on Sunday at church and I loved it.  I tried to find the exact same version as what they did on stage at Buckhead Church but couldn't find it.  So, the original will have to do.  If I ever do find the BC version I'll quickly upload it!

PS.  The original rocks too!

My current favorite playlist...

Thought you would like to see my current favorite playlist.  This is almost in constant rotation when my computer is open.

Enjoy!

Customer Service and my local Target

I'm not sure how you have felt about your shopping experiences lately but I have to rant here. I've gotten to doing more and more coupon shopping. I'm not as good as some, but I do fairly well with my coupons.  Target, however, hasn't been very nice about accepting coupons.  So I wrote this to their customer service department.  Let's see if they respond...

I have to let you know about an experience I had with Cynthia at 8:30am today. She was AMAZING!!! She greeted me when I walked in the door and was the nicest checkout person that I've had the pleasure of working with at Target She was sweet, helpful, friendly, talkative, pleasant, took my coupons without hassle and got me laughing in the checkout lane. I'm horrible at remembering names but I won't forget Cynthia!

I have to be honest, with the service that I've experienced lately at that Target store I had all but written Target off. The thing is, Target is on my commute to work so its convenient and would love to have positive shopping experiences when I go there. My experience lately at this Target has been sub-par, dare I say worse than Walmart (and I can't stand Walmart). I will print Target coupons from your website and bring them in and have to argue with the cashiers for them to take them. I've even had to argue with a manager... over $.50. Really? Would you rather keep $.50 and lose a customer? I have to be honest, there is a CVS, Publix, Rite Aid, Walgreens, H Mart, Walmart, Kroger, etc all within a few miles of me that I have been frequenting more often just because they treat me better.

Growing up Target was like the Nordstrom of grocery stores. I loved shopping at Target. Now when I walk in I feel like I must be prepared for battle. I have a hard time finding someone on the floor when I have a question or can't find something. And I have to fight to use your coupons. One lady even told me she couldn't take my coupons because (and I quote), "Target is in the business of making money." That was her explanation for why she didn't want to take the coupons I printed from your website. The basic feeling I get is that the employees want to "stick it to the man." Except, I work for a non-profit and I live in Atlanta, so needless to say, I'm not the man. I need to save money where ever I can and I'm so glad you have store coupons. I just would love to be able to use them without hassle.

Please, please, please hire more people like Cynthia. If I had today's experience every time I went into Target I would be doing nothing but raving about your store... I'd have you right back up there with Nordstrom.

God's Love

I hit on the fact recently that I have a personal journal. Well, there's a lot of raw material in there.   The me that I like to keep hidden in the pages that no one else will see.  In there I fight with myself and ask God lots of questions that as a Christian woman I feel I shouldn't have the, well, balls to ask.  And I've been asking God to open my heart and to show me trust.  Today he showed me a little bit.  I what may be a reverse prayer (and yes, I tend to write out my prayers in the pages of my journal, I feel that I have a stronger voice in written word... maybe that why I have continued to blog when so many other things come and go).

I have been struggling with the idea that God, who is so right and pure and true would ever want to have anything to do with me.  I believe God is who he says he is and that Jesus his son came to earth, lived, died and rose again.  I believe.  That's not where my struggle has been.  Mine has hit more on trust.  Why would God love me?  Who can love the mess that is me?

And in my private journal I found something, this reverse prayer, that I feel like I'm not the only one who needs to hear it.  So, if you read and it touches your heart, maybe you are the one that its been put it on the blog for.  If not, feel free to skip over it...

Yes, you are mine.  I created you and I love you not just the way you are or in spite of the way you are but bigger and deeper and wider and longer and so much more unconditional than you will ever comprehend.  Even if you were to never open the door I'd still continue to knock.   

There is no one more special, more important to me than you.  Even if you never change and the ways you hate so much about yourself stay the same for the rest of your life I don't care, Ill never leave you.  I see you as good, as pure, as lovely, as noble, and admirable.  You are so breathtaking to me.  I am ENTHRALLED by your beauty.  I am yours, my sweet child, and you are mine.  Remember the woman by the well?  Remember Mary and Martha? I didn't condemn them.  I love them. And I love you too.   

I am literally willing to go to the ends of the earth and to die to protect you.  In my death I set you free.  Free from guilt and agony and shame and pain.  I set you free from the constraints of sin and of this world and I placed a power in you to do such mighty things.  Because I know you are capable.  I know you are strong enough and you have me by your side to always encourage and honor you.  No matter how narrow the path, I'm with you.  I may even carry you.  No matter how heavy the backpack, I'll carry the load.  No matter where you run or where you hide I'll be with you.  With the most pure, faithful love.  You are my beloved.   

See all the beauty on the earth? Its there for you.  Bask in the colors of the sunrise, in the smell of the ocean breeze, in the ease of a lazy Saturday and the sound of the music you listen to, in the feel of the warm sheets in the winter and the sun on your face.  Enjoy the taste of food.  Enjoy the love of friends and family.  Enjoy everything I've made, because I made it for you.  Because you are worth it all and so much more.   

I have a plan for you.  And don't worry about it right now.  When I want you to know I'll tell you.  Right now work on experiencing my love.  Just be there and rest in that.  Just like you must just be when you are in yoga.  Just be in me.   

Remember the unconditional love in Cambodia?  That's real.  That's a reflection of my love.  Its not forced or manufactured.  And it's not mass-produced. It's personal, its relational and it's just yours.  You are so uniquely made.  And your life is unlike any others.  DO NOT COMPARE your life to others.  Don't measure successes and failures the same way others do.    

I've created you with a purpose in mind that only I know and it will be fulfilled.  And to do it and to prepare you for it and to ultimately show you my love and how strong it is I've allowed you freedom to experiment and to try and to run and to learn.  And slowly I've brought  you back to me.  Because I need you and you need me.    

Open your heart to me.  Understand it's a slow process.  When it's tough lean into me.  I'm unbending and can support you.  When it hurts know I cry with you.  Know when its scary I protect you.  Know no matter what the circumstance I'm with you, I'm in you, I'm surrounding you.  Just like the wind you may not always feel me or see my but know I'm there.  I'm touching and surrounding you because you mean so much to me.  And there will be a day when we stand face to face and we will embrace.  Where ever you are, you are home and you are with me.    

The love I have doesn't even understand or comprehend the words stop or quit or end.  It doesn't understand limits.  Even when you would be willing to quite or give up, know that in that moment my love just got stronger.  Because it in your weakness that I'm made strong.  I get to hold you and wrap my arms around you.   

If only you would view yourself in the way I  view you.  But my view would frighten you because I have you on such a pedestal.  You are my child and I see your potential.  I know your capabilities.  I know how strong you really are.  And right now, in days like today, you're learning a little bit about your strength too.  Most 'normal' people couldn't go thru what you do and have your attitude.   

You are finally learning to be honest with me in who you are; and be honest with yourself.  You aren't coming to me with perfection saying 'look what I did' but coming to me in humbleness saying I need you.  You have fears and doubt and trouble and sadness.  The walls you built up to try to keep all that out... how are they working for you? You've managed t trap yourself inside of them haven't you?  With my help they won't just be removed but we will tear them down and build and build a bridge out of those bricks.  These bricks will pave a way to a world  you can't even fathom on your own.  Because I know what your capable of and remember, I know your strength and I'l never ask you to do anything you can't bear.   

My love, my beloved, you are amazing, outstanding, and I'm simply overwhelmed by you.  If only you could see you in the way I see you, ahhh, what a change that would be.  What a paradigm shift.  Your focus would forever be changed.  What you deem important now you would look at like yesterday's garbage.  Because what I have for you is so much bigger. 

But don't be overwhelmed, we'll go at your pace.  Remember, I have all the time in the world.  And I'll use it all with you.  Use me to fill you up.  Use me to get what you need.  I'm always here.  Always.  You will never need an appointment to see me.  Don't worry about having the right answers, keep asking the questions.  Never give up and I promise I'll never give up on you.   

I love you.  Abba.  Your Father.

What my roommate and I wear when you're not watching...

Your Welcome

After leaving Kroger this was parked next to me.  I was laughing so hard I was afraid *he* would hear me but luckily they didn't and I was able to get this shot.  I'm still laughing...

I'll be back...

I can't say I feel bad about not posting, even though it has been FOREVER.  I've done a lot in the last few months.  I've been to Florida and Minnesota, been sick a lot, crafting, there's been huge winter storms and I have been working on myself.  I have a few things that has been building up (probably for years) that I've been needing to work thru.  I finally got to a point that I couldn't move forward another day without starting the journey to work thru those things, which required private writing as opposed to public blogging.  With lots of help from outside sources, it has been very beneficial and I've learned a lot about myself, God, grace, acceptance and love.  Huge stuff actually.

I'm sure I'll be back soon with new antics, recipes, craft projects and pictures.  Until then, I just wanted to stop by and say hello.

Beautiful Sunset

I thought this was a beautiful sunset and needed to be shared.... Enjoy!!

Busy as a bee

I've been busy.  So of course there has been a lax in posting.   Basically, when I have down time... oh wait, that hasn't been able to happen.  I can't complain though as I have enjoyed everything I have been doing.  Well, except for the laundry I did today. 

Jennie, Preston and I are fully moved in and coming to a routine.  This weekend our power was shut off because of an issue between our management company and the power company however management put Jennie and I up in a hotel room for the night, took care of Preston, and helped us move our food to an empty unit so I can't complain too much.  It did take a chunk out of the weekend however we got a free breakfast at the hotel out of the deal...  and last night Teesha and Joel came over to the hotel to chat and catch up.  I keep looking at the 4 of us in the hotel room, chatting and acting like everything was normal.  And I realized again how lucky I am.  That home for me is not in 4 walls but in my friends who I have surrounding me.  I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends (and one fabulous roommate)!!  And that God provide for me wherever I am.  He can always find me.  Even in a hotel about 2 miles from where I currently call home. 

Last weekend I drove down to Destin, Florida for Labor Day Retreat with my church.  I can't say enough great things about the time we spent down there.  Weather was beautiful!! Perry Noble was the speaker and he rocked our socks off!!

The beach was fantastic!! The socials were great, the food was good, and I had an amazing time catching up with Abby and LeAnn, as we drove there and back together and Abby made me lunches.

I also got to connect with a few guys I've meet throughout the summer at different events and met some new people as well.  I felt so blessed being there.  And, I've uploaded the photos here...

Woa Batman

Wow!! Have I ever been busy.  I thought I would just let you know that I have MOVED into a new place and I now have a ROOMMATE!!! This is the first time in my entire life that I have had a roommate and 5 days in, I love it!! Jennie is my new roommate, you probably know a lot about her already as she and I hang out quite a bit and she was one of the hosts of my surprise birthday party!

In case you don't remember here are a couple of pictures of her and I together...

At my surprise party!

At Kai Lin Art Studio!

Hopefully soon I'll have some pictures up of our sweet new pad!

Week in Review - 7.6 thru 7.7

The holiday weekend coupled with Odessa's wedding makes my work week very, very short!  Like only 2 outfits (I worked Sunday, however I worked from home b/c of the Peachtree Road Race... I couldn't leave my apartment).  So, here is the very short list for this week...

Tuesday

Shirt: Banana Republic

Cami: Forever 21

Black Pants: Anthropologie

Shoes: Victoria Secret

Wednesday

Cami: Forever 21

Cardigan: The Loft

Skirt: The Limited

Shoes: ??

On another note, I got my camera in the mail Tuesday!! Woo hoo!! I have been actual camera-less for a while so all pictures that I have taken have been with my iPhone.  The rest have been pictures that others have taken and given to me.  So, I'LL be taking pictures at Odessa's wedding.  Plan on a future post showing all the festivities of this weekend!!  Yay!!  I'm so excited to have a camera again.  What kind, you want to know...

This is the tiniest camera I have ever owned.  It will fit perfectly inside of any purse.  I have to read the instructions on how to use all the features but that will be fun!  Also, this is the first camera that I have had that doesn't take double-A batteries.  Hahah!!

Kombucha

I have  been drinking Kombucha tea for a while now and buying them at Whole Foods is expensive.  I happened to tweet that the carbonation in the tea shot tea all over me.  And thru a friend I met James who makes his own Kombucha.  I was very excited that he was willing to show me how!!  Yippee. So, a few weeks back I trekked over to East Atlanta (I don't make it over there enough) and we spent a few hours discussing Kombucha. I quickly made a stop to Sevananda for sugar (and because I love that place) and boiled my first batch that night.  Then waited and waited and waited for 11 days...

 
I'm not going to bore you with the recipe on how to make this but check it out here if you would like.  At the end I have added ginger juice (about 1 to 2 tbsp per 16 oz).  My first batch came out pretty well!!  I don't think I let it set long enough though so will let my next batch sit for about 14 days (testing after 10 days). 

To my health!! Haha!!

Hot Yoga!!

It is hot!! Really, I found out today.  And I am hooked.  Thank you Teesha!!

Teesha has been going to hot yoga for about six months now and I finally joined her Friday night at Be Hot Yoga and spent 90 minutes in a 106 degree room.  Once I got used to the heat (and my glasses fogging up) I loved it.  I felt so relaxed all night long.  I loved it so much that I signed up for more classes coming up.  Ahhhh!  I can't wait to go back!!

The rest of last week...

I have to tell you I feel normal.  For most people that means nothing.  For me, this is something I haven't felt in over 2 years.  Seriously.  I was driving around while running errands on a Friday thinking this is what normal people do.  I am generally so exhausted on Friday that I don't want to leave my couch.   Thank God!!! It brought tears to my eyes... literally!! I'm not sure what is the reason... warm/humid weather, heating habits, removing caffeine from my diet, cutting down on my medications or just God cutting me a break but I've never felt so great feeling so normal!!

That being said, here is a recap of my last week...

Sunday night:  Fusion gathering.  I was able to meet a few new people at Fusion that I didn't meet the first week.  I can't believe I waited five years at Buckhead Church before deciding to join.  It's so much fun!!

Tuesday:  Dinner with Erinleigh and George.  This time I made my dad's venison stew with carrots and onions.  Mashed potatoes on the side.  Yummy!

Wednesday:  Girls night with Jennie, Alison and Kasii.  We made tacos and talked all sorts of fun girl stuff.  Afterward Jennie and I watched the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup!!

Thursday:  Fusion pizza party.  More meeting of new people and I got to chat more to one of the leaders, Josh, who is also friends with Eric (of Odessa and Eric).  He was at the Bach party as well.  It's fun when groups collide!

In other news...

What else has been going on... well, better late than never...

Memorial Day - I spent the A.M. hanging out with Preston.  We went for a walk and did some grocery shopping.  Then I headed to Jeff's house to hang out at the pool with him, Jennie and Bennett.  It was so much fun to be out in the sun for a second day in a row!! (the day before was with Erinleigh at the Four Seasons)

Tuesday - Erinleigh gave me flowers!!! They are so beautiful and they came from a bush in the front of her house.  I love looking at fresh flowers inside.

Wednesday - I wanted to work on the cushions for the chair in my living room however I broke the only 2 needles that I had!!  Uggh!  So, now I need to get some new ones so I can try sewing again... wish me luck.

Thursday - Teesha, Joel and I headed up Buford Highway for Peruvian food and Tacos (it just doesn't sound the same without Joel saying it)!  Ha!! We had a blast eating way too much amazing food, chatting, solving the world's problems, and laughing!!  LOL!!!  I'm so glad to have friends who love food as much as I do!!

Randomness...

This was emailed to me the other day.  Not quite sure how or why it was made. Which makes me giggle!

Sunday in the City

After work on Sunday I decided that I want to learn how to grill.  Believe me when I say that I think this each spring, try it once, and decide its not worth the hassle of getting everything together, going down to the courtyard with bags and dog in tow, forgetting matches, going back up to get them, then waiting for the grill to heat up, grilling and then toting everything back upstairs.

None the less, I tried it again this year.  So, after work I went home and got kabobs made.  And after chilling on the roof with Jennie and then us taking Preston for a walk I went down to the grill. And sitting outside with Preston waiting for food to cook made me think I could do this more often.  It was a beautiful Sunday.  Did I do a great job... no.  Was the food good in the end... yes.  Moral of the story...

• Turn the heat down on the grill.  
• Turn potatoes more often. 
• Bring a watch.

Sorry guys, no pictures. What was I thinking??!?