The Wedding!!

  Here are some pics from Amanda and Bobby's Beautiful Day. What a Wonderful Day...i can't believe it finally came.  It was so great seeing and catching up with old friends! 

I love you guys.  Thanks for sharing your special day with us!

The Bride and Groom!!

Our Handsome Ring-Bearers, Noah & Brayden

Hannah & Surreya kept busy before the wedding...Hannah thought adding some color to her dress would make it prettier...oops!

Me and my dear friend, Annie...I miss you so much!

The Beautiful Bride tries to keep cool

                          The Bridesmaids

Currently Listening Indiana (with Bonus Disc) - Amazon.com Exclusive By Jon McLaughlin see related

Ok, ok, ok....I know it's been forever!

Forever ago, you all had done a list of some of your fav things, so...i decided to make one of my own.  Here goes- some of my very simple pleasures (listed in no particular order)

• Surprise visits from my sister (she's comin' this week, by the way!)
• The crackle of thunder before the big boom
• Being the first one to open the new jar of Jif peanut butter (gotta be Jif...really smells like fresh roasted peanuts)
• Hearing the perfect song at just the right moment
• Time with my family
• El Paso sunsets...seen lotsa sunsets in many other places...they haven't been beat yet!
• Unique architecture
• Listening to a new mix cd for the first time
• Driving with the windows down early in the morn or at dusk
• Spontaneous get-to-gethers
• Big, super-wrinkly dogs (the bigger the better)
• The smell of rain just before it comes
• And lastly...great quotes- i'll leave you with one:

"Every adversity that comes across our path, whether large or small, is intended to help us in some way.  If it were not beneficial, God would not allow it." 

Jerry Bridges

Currently Listening Duets: An American Classic By Tony Bennett see related

 NEW YORK

Hey Friends, I know it's been awhile, but I thought I'd tell you a bit about my New York trip.  I couldn't possibly tell you about all of it, so I'll just mention highlights =).  Well first, this entire trip was a huge blessing because it was a gift from my parents and my sister, and it has been a longtime dream of mine to visit New York.  And, it was extra special because I was able to take it with my sis!

We began our trip with a tour of NYC.  Anyone recognize this building (the one on the left)??                          Need a clue - Spiderman!

In front of the beautimous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center!

The second day, we saw the city from the water.  The New York skyline- what a sight!      

The architecture in NY is beautiful!!  My pictures don't do it any justice.     

Chinatown: the food was excellent! Unfortunately, the people, not so much =( 

Serendipity 3! Famous for their frozen hot chocolates! A-mazing!

Kristen and I waited an hour before they opened just to get a seat.  By the time Serendipity opened, the line was to the end of the block (which, by the way, is like 3 of our blocks)!  We got used to waiting for EVERYTHING- the bathroom, an avg. wait of 12-15 min., the subway, the train, and anything else we wanted to do.  But it was well worth the wait!

   If you look closely, you'll see the Brooklyn Bridge in the distance.

AHH, CENTRAL PARK...  My absolute favorite thing in New York!

Ok, so don't laugh- I found a New Foundland in the Park, but don't worry- he was with his owner =)  Oh, and just to clear something up- New Yorkers are very friendly and helpful.  We met people all over the city from Queens to Brooklyn and they were all wonderful people!

 A night view from the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Bldg.)                                                                                 

                                                                                       Times Square can't be put into words (or pics) -  you just have to be there.  It was just so surreal to be surrounded by literally thousands of people.                 Another favorite!

We got an awesome deal and we were able to go to a Broadway Show- "Beauty and the Beast".  We also saw "Stomp".  A definite must see!

New Year's Eve - St. John's Beach - Georgeous Sunset!                

     We had the opportunity to visit the Sovereign Grace church in Brooklyn!  The interesting thing was that they meet in a movie theatre! Yep, Charlotte's Web was playing next door =) But it was so neat to be able to interact with people whom i had never met, but shared the same beliefs.  We spent New Year's Eve with the Pastor & his wife and several other members of the church.  We went out to the promenade just before midnight and saw the most spectacular fireworks display i've ever seen with a view of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, & the Statue of Liberty!  The fireworks made the water sparkle, and we could here the screams from Times Square when the ball dropped! 

I had an amazing trip, and i'm so thankful for the time with my sister.

Mission Accomplished...

So, in case any of you didn't know by now, I'm an animal lover- in particular a dog lover   Anyway, on Sunday afternoon when I was on my way home from church, I saw this beautiful Chocolate Labrador just about a block away from my house.  I immediately noticed that he was limping (there's a little desert area near my house) and that he had tags. My first reaction was to pull over, especially because he was about to cross a very busy street.  I guess my animal lover/motherly instinct kicked in and all I could think of was saving this dog.  So, here I am chasing this lab in my 3 inch heels (funny picture i'm sure).  I was later somewhat thankful that he was hurt or I would not have been able to catch him.  He finally wandered into this person's gated yard where I was able to corner him.  At first, I just tried to let him come to me, but he was scared.  I decide that wasn't going to work, so i just grabbed his collar.  He let me pet him and get close enough to see that his name was "Tucker" (very appropriate I must say).  His tags said Lubbock, TX on them, so I contacted the vet in Lubbock.  Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do until the next day.  Well, to make a long story short, I knew there was no way we could take another dog in, and thankfully, not long after I found Tucker, his owner showed up!  They had just moved here from Lubbock.  Yea fo me- I saved a dog!! 

Moral of the story...update your pet's tags as soon as you move!!!

(This isn't Tucker, but he looked just like this with those beautifully, sweet amber/goldish eyes.)

Yea, I'm Official!

Hey guys!  So after much prodding, I decided to get a xanga, mostly because I wanted to stay in touch with you all throughout the week.   I don't know how often I will post, considering I'm not on the computer that much, but I'll try to make it more often than not.

On a different note, I wanted to share something I read the other day.  It's a short excerpt from the Valley of Vision.

     "O Lord, May I never fail...to retreat to Him who is full of grace and truth, the friend that loveth at all times, who is touched with feelings of my infirmities, and can do exceedingly abundantly for me; never confine my religion to extraordinary occasions, but acknowledge thee in all my ways; never limit my devotions to particular seasons but be in thy fear all the day long; never be godly only on the sabbath or in thy house, but on every day abroad and at home; never make piety a dress but a habit, not only a habit but a nature, not only a nature but a life."

The 'Nevers' of the Gospel

I hope this prayer is as encouraging to you as it is to me.  So often I am tempted to turn to other things/people to be my source of strength or comfort, and sadly, God is often an afterthought.  It is my prayer and desire to "never limit my devotions to particular seasons but be in (His) fear all the day long..."