So True.

My mom has a job interview in Midland tomorrow. I am so excited for her and my dad both. We have all been praying that something would come her way.

I know that she is excited too; however, I also know she is very apprehensive. It's that bittersweet feeling once again. I think she wants to move to Odessa to be with my dad, but she really had herself convinced that she wouldn't get offered a job and would (get) to stay in Midlothian. While the idea of something new is fun and exciting, she would rather not experience the change. Understanding how she feels, one of her friends said "If you didn't want God's help, you shouldn't have asked." Genius statement if you ask me. My mom has been praying for something to happen, and when God worked it out, it wasn't exactly what she had planned.

This is so common for all of us, I think. My roommate and I were talking about it the other day and we agree that we beg God for solace and answers, but then are not always happy with the results. I remember being in the situation (more times than I would like to admit) where my heart was so broken that I was drowning in both pain and self-pity. I could not, nor did I want to, pull myself out of it. I would ask, plead, bargain and beg the Lord to "please just help me let him go" and then days later he (whoever "he" was at the time) would walk back into my life. I couldn't help but wonder 1. Is this a test? or 2. MAYBE God is telling me NOT to let go of him! Truth be told, I almost always leaned toward the latter only to be disappointed time and again.

When we pray, I believe we almost always have stipulations-- mostly unintentional. "Lord, please help me move on (BUT make it easy for me)." "God, please put a new job in my path (but make it one with high pay and little work)." We love to bargain!

God has a plan for us... And when we ask Him for help, He will always come through, giving us what we NEED. If we could just push our wants to the backburner, I think we would be able to approach God more humbly.

Oh Night Divine.

The other day, one of my students said something that has really stuck with me. I am not sure what brought up the conversation, other than the fact that Christmas was right around the corner. She was talking to another student about the holiday that so many people love when she said, "I like God and all, but I really think Christmas is stupid." I was appalled.

So the more I think about it, the more I am bothered by her statement. Are we really not teaching our kids the true meaning of Christmas? How does one "like God," but hate Christmas? After all, He is behind all things Christmas. It is a celebration of the most precious gift ever given: His son, Jesus Christ. It is the basis of all things I believe. If there were no Jesus, our world would be mass chaos and we would not have anything to look forward to after death.

I am also compelled to think of her comment from another point of view... What if she has a point? What if she doesn't really hate the meaning and purpose of Christmas, but hates all of the things that Christmas has become? We, as a society, have become so consumed with lights, trees, Santa, and showering each other with so many presents that we forget why there is a Christmas holiday in the first place. I am guilty of this... Letting myself get so stressed thinking about all of the things I must accomplish. I know that if I just took a step back, I would be able to see through the tinsel and stacks of neatly wrapped silver presents with perfectly tied bows that match my house decor, and see the "reason for the season."

Sometimes we just need a reminder, and I thank my student for giving it to me. I just pray that she will be able to push aside her hatred for the secular Christmas, and remember why it truly is such a wonderful time of year.

Movin' on Up!

My dad left for Odessa today.

He was offered a much-deserved promotion that he has worked so hard for and I am so proud of him. I just wish the job were a little closer!! The bright side is that they have told him that they do not expect him to be in Odessa longer than 12 months, and then he'll be back in the metroplex. So, in the grand scheme of things, 1 year is not that long. My mom will stay here until she gets a job there.

Please pray for my family, especially my mom and dad as they adjust to a new lifestyle. I can't imagine how difficult it is for them to be apart for weeks at a time... They have been married since they were 20!

At the end of the day, we know that God is in control and that all things happen His way and in His time. We find comfort in that.

VACAY = Success!

We're back from San Francisco and we had a fabulous time! Despite getting sick sick with an upper respitority infection just days before we left, we made the best of our trip.

Our plane left at 7 am last Friday, so we had to get up at 4! All this after spending 2 hours at Carenow... I was whipped! When we arrived in California, it was 8 in the morning (that two-hour time change is rough), so we got 3 full days there.

Friday, we drove around the city because it was raining. We found a yummy place called First Crush to have dinner and I'm pretty sure we were in bed by 10. Friday was a LONG day! :)

Saturday was incredible. We got up early, had a huge breakfast, and headed to Napa Valley. It was just as amazing as I had anticipated... Easily the most beautiful place I have ever visited. I was so excited to go to the Sterling Vineyards, vineyards that you had to ride sky trams to get to! The view from the top was breathtaking! Then, we had a picnic at the V. Sattui Vineyards. They had the yummiest wine!! We stocked up! :)

Sunday, we shopped like crazy at H&M. It's the coolest store ever... I'm not sure why they don't have any in Texas, but hopefully they will be soon! We had the BEST clam chowder on Fisherman's Wharf where you could see Alcatraz from the restaurant. Then, Sunday night was the best part of all-- David Gray concert. Just like Napa, he exceeded my expectations. We had a blast!!

Monday, we had lunch on the pier and then headed back to the airport. San Francisco is such a fun place, with way too much to do and see to fit it into 3 1/2 days! We HAVE to go back... And hopefully when I'm not sick!

Who knows... Maybe we'll get married in Napa?! :)

Bring It On.

I decided to give my blog a new look at 3:00 this morning. Why was I up at 3 am, you ask...

Well, let me tell you... I started feeling yucky yesterday, and since we are leaving for San Fran on Friday, I decided to drug myself up to fight the sickness. Apparently there is something in Mucinex that doesn't let you sleep. I dozed off for a couple of hours, woke up at 2:30 and NEVER went back to sleep. I looked at the Mucinex box and nowhere does it say, "may cause restlessness." Hell, restlessness is an understatement... More like insomnia!! I am definitely not happy with the makers of Mucinex. I may just write them a nasty letter.

So, needless to say, I still feel like poop......... and now I am exhausted. Terrible combo, especially since I am boarding a plane for San Francisco in only 37 hours!! But, mark my word, I am going to fight whatever the heck sickness is trying to get to me, and I WILL WIN! :)

Bring it on.

Counting Down!

6 Days 'til San Francisco!
Check out my favorite video of David Gray on youtube, "Sail Away." How cool is a music artist that sings along with their own song instead of lip-syncing?!? :)



Love to love him.

Weekend Celebrations

We had an exhausting, but wonderful weekend!!!

Saturday night, our friends Stephen and Tiffany got married. All I can say is "It's about TIME!" :) They have been dating for a loooong time, and we were all so happy to see them finally tie the knot. They had a beautiful ceremony and the reception was a blast.
Here are a few pictures.

My man and I. We don't get dressed up very often, so I like to take lots of pictures! :)

Matt was cutting a rug with the groomsmen. So funny!

Two-stepping together... I'm a terrible dancer, but I try!

Then Sunday, my daddy turned the big 5-0!!! Mom decided a few months ago that she wanted to do it up big. After much planning, we decided to make it a family ordeal and have it be a surprise party. While the boys played golf, Mom and I ran around town getting a cake, balloons and tons of 50th decorations! The family all arrived right on time and when my dad got home, he was SO surprised! We had a great time and my dad got some great presents! :) I have a wonderful family and it's always nice to spend some quality time together.

Lighting the candles! Love you Dad!My dad and his brother and sisters...
All the cousins... Minus Sarah and Emilee.

Congratulations, Stephen and Tiff. Happy Birthday, Daddy! We missed you, Uncle Boo Boo.

I <3 San Fran

So...

About two weeks ago, I noticed that my favorite music artist in the world, David Gray, just released a new cd. I know, I know, if he's my favorite artist, why didn't I know?? Well, truth be told, I just haven't been keeping up with him lately! Terrible!

Anyway, I went to download his CD on iTunes (loooove it by the way), and decided I was going to browse around on his website. Low and behold, when I got to his website, his tour dates were posted, complete with like 12 U.S. city stops! If you don't know much about David Gray, I'll tell you... He's a British singer, who made his first (absolutely incredible) CD in his apartment. So, needless to say, even though he appears to be a very big deal in his native country, he does not make his way to the United States very often. In fact, since I've been a fan of his, he hasn't been to the U.S. even once! So, in the midst of my excitement, it took me about 2.6 seconds to realize (damn!) that he's not coming to Texas. Aren't we like one of the biggest states in America??? Sheesh.

Matt just happened to be sitting next to me and undoubtedly noticed the excitement/disappointment in my face and voice. I'm frantically thinking of ways that we can afford to make a trip to New York, Boston, or hell, even Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

I (kind of) dropped it for the night, but it was all I could think of for the next couple of days... Until finally, I had to talk to Matt about it. So, I approached him and before I could get the first couple of words out, he interrupted me... He had been trying to surprise me with a trip, but knew that I would never wait to be surprised. Oops! :) So, we decided that it would be our Christmas presents from each other.

After checking our schedules with the dates of the tour, we settled on..... drumroll.... SAN FRANCISCO!! I have never been to California before so I am super excited. I get to visit a new place with my perfect man to see my favorite musician! YESSSSS!!!

So, with the help of Matt's parents, we were able to book our trip last week! We have our flights, our tickets to the concert, and we are raring and ready to go! I hope November 6 comes quickly!

Burning Bridges

I have to admit-- I am a bridge-burner from way back.

I like to think that I have only truly burnt bridges that needed burning, but if I'm honest with you and with myself, that is probably not necessarily the case. In my case, I think it goes hand-in hand with my struggle to forgive others. Ugh.

I am fairly tolerant of people... It takes a lot for me to get to the breaking point. However, once I "break," I am over it and over the person that got me to that point. Done and done. I'm not proud of it, but it is what it is.

I began thinking about how bad it is to write people off... How, if I am truly attempting to be Christ-like in my forgiveness, giving up on people and relationships is quite the opposite. So, I have decided that I will work on this... For no one but myself.

What brought this to light: I have inadvertently been involved in some drama lately that made me realize how little you really know people and how during pain and anger, their true colors begin to shine through. It's sad and enlightening all at once. So in attempt to hurt and vent about one of my family members, the persons responsible for the drama have in turn, alienated themselves from my entire family. As with most families, we are a united front and if you mess with one, you mess with all. So, because of petty and immature pointing of fingers, relationships were forever changed. If these people ever try to make their way back into our lives, they have quite a few barriers to break through.

My question is this... Why burn bridges that you may need to cross back over in the future? It's a little something to think about.

On the Same Note...

Keeping up with the sappy "things happen for a reason" theme...
I have to admit my belief of the long chain of events that brought Matt and I together. :)

It all started over 16 years ago.
When I was only 8 years old, my parents dropped a bomb on my brother and I that my dad was being transferred (job-wise) to Fort Worth and that we were going to be moving to Midlothian. (We are originally from a small town on Cedar Creek Lake). Like any normal 8 and 11-year-old, we were bummed, mad, and dang-near devastated. Reluctantly (as if we had any other choice), we moved to a house in a neighborhood called Lakegrove next door to the nicest family anyone could imagine, the Gaithers.
While I was always pretty shy growing up, my brother's personality was and still is that "never meet a stranger" type. So before long, he got to know the incredible girl next door, Lisa, and she quickly became part of our family. She was always at our house and acted as if she were our big sister. We were/are so lucky!

After a couple of years, my dad decided he wanted bigger house, so even though we stayed in Midlothian, we moved away from Lisa and her family. Over the next few years, we moved a few times within the town and although Lisa did not live next door, she stayed a constant part of our lives.
On my brother's sixteenth birthday, we threw him a surprise party. Lisa was, of course, in attendance and brought her new boyfriend, Greg Houchin... A guy she had been crazy about for a couple of years. It was the first time I remember ever meeting him and I thought he was the cutest and coolest thing ever. :) They continued to date for several years and got married in 2001.

In 2003, I graduated high school, moved down to San Marcos, got sick, got hurt, grew a pair, broke it off, decided to go to DBU and moved back to Dallas. From '04 to '06, I got well, dated again, got my pride crushed, picked a new major, did away with bad habits, made new friends, lost my mind, found my soul, broke a heart (or two), went to therapy, found my inner passion, learned from my mistakes, got hurt all over again and learned some more. Whew.

Meanwhile, Lisa and Greg moved to Weatherford for a while, then moved back. Lisa and I reconnected, and in 2006, she and Greg introduced me to his cousin, Matt.

So, long story short...
If we hadn't moved to Midlothian and next door to the Gaithers, if Lisa hadn't met and married Greg, if I hadn't come back from San Marcos, if the Houchins hadn't moved back from Weatherford, if I hadn't stopped my disastrous path and ended toxic relationships, if I hadn't learned from past mistakes, if I had given up on all relationships, I would have never met the love of my life.

Funny how it all works out... How can anyone say that God doesn't have a plan for our lives? I know He does for mine and He's been showing me for at least 16 years. :)

Oh, So Cliche'

Have you ever thought about the many cliches in life? While my cynical half tries to snarl every time someone throws one my way, I do believe in the truth behind "everything happens for a reason." Is it what I want to hear when I'm in the middle of the worst pain in my life? Absolutely not... However, looking back, I can't help but to see how everything in my life has brought me to this moment right here, right now. Lord knows it's been a long 24 years of lessons learned. :)

I first really started thinking about this two weekends ago. My best friend Lauren recently got engaged, and Matt and I went up to Little Rock to her engagement party. We have known each other for 6 years (since our Freshman year in college) and I couldn't ask for a better friend. I love her dearly.
Rewind to the day we met... My parents and I were moving all of my stuff into my dorm at Texas State. I'm sure there was a bit of tension in the air for the sheer fact that my parents did not want me to be in San Marcos. I had followed my high school boyfriend down there (by the way, I will die before I let my child follow their significant other to college-- just so you know). Anyway, we were getting my room all set up, when I heard people coming down the hall. The two girls were moving in the dorm room across from mine... Lauren was one of them. I would like to think I introduced myself to her, but knowing my sometimes "shy/unfriendly" nature, she probably made the first move. :) And the rest, as they say, is history. How about another cliche'?!

We clicked immediately. Shortly after we got all settled in and said our Goodbyes to our parents, we fell deeply into Rush Week. Devastatingly, we rushed different sororities, but our relationship was not affected. We each made new friends, but stayed close to one another. In November, my boyfriend and I ended our toxic relationship (shocker)-- Lauren was there to pick up my pieces. A few months later, I began having thyroid problems, lost a ton of weight, and the doctors thought I might have a tumor on my pituitary glands... Lauren comforted me. We spent New Year's together in Houston, went skiing on Spring Break vacation, threw an outstanding party at her parent's lakehouse, drank too much, made terrible decisions, but leaned on each other through it all.
When I decided in May not to return to Texas State in the Fall, I was heartbroken to be leaving her. I was lucky that she understood that I needed to make a new and fresh start. Being 200 miles apart was taxing on our friendship, but we never let it go. We were unable to be inseparable, but our relationship still grew. In the past 6 years, we've been through so much together. It's easy for me to see why she's my best friend. Still and always.

So where does the cliche' come in? Well it all boils down to my high school boyfriend. We started dating when I was 15, so naturally when it came to making a decision about college, I couldn't be without him. So, despite the lack of approval from my friends and family members, I followed him... I followed him to place where I didn't necessarily belong, a place far away from home, a place where my heart was broken and my faith was almost lost... A place where I met my best friend. That is the only thing in the world that I thank him for. If it hadn't been for my disastrous first relationship, I would have never met my life-changing best friend, Lauren. "Everything happens for a reason."

And for that one reason, I would do it ALL over again. Love you, Lo.

Spiritual vs. Religious

I have a confession to make... I absolutely adore Tori Spelling.

My infatuation started years after her days on 90210. In fact, she might have just been my least favorite character on a show I came to know mostly from re-runs. However, over the past few years, I have been watching her show(s)-- Tori and Dean (Inn Love, Home Sweet Hollywood, etc.). I have come to love her little family... From an outsider perspective, of course. I think her husband Dean has to be one of the sweetest men alive and there are times when Tori is upset, that I feel her pain. I know, I don't need you to tell you how silly this is. SO, because of my feelings toward her and her family, I decided to buy her first book, sTORI Telling.

I have been reading along steadily (in what little spare time I have) and thoroughly enjoying her "no-holds-barred" stories from the inside of 90210, growing up in the biggest house in Hollywood with a crazy mom, and through the trials and tribulations of her first marriage (and divorce). I even forced myself to look past the fact that she and Dean were married when they met and had an extramarital affair before they both filed for divorce from their ex-spouses. Hey, who am I to judge?!

BUT-- She said something in her book that is hard for me to let go in my feelings of who she is as a person. She clearly states that she is "more spiritual than religious." Hmm... If I had a nickel for every time I've heard this mind-boggling statement (more often than not from the mouth of a celebrity), I'd be able to afford the $500 boots I've been wanting from Victorias Secret AND have plenty of money left over.

So what exactly do these much-loved stars mean by "spiritual." My guess, of course, is nothing but the speculation of a born and raised Christian. I believe that it's a half-hearted attempt to say "I believe in something (possibly a higher power, possibly even the same God Christians believe in), but because of my rebellious nature, I refuse to follow any sort of "organized religion." What is it about organized religion that turns people off? Oprah is a very valid example of spirituality vs. religion. She says she is spiritual, not religious, but if you ask me, ol' O is nothing but a fair-weather fan. She has a very large fan base, so she must keep all calm on the homefront... If she has a Buddhist on her show, she wants to seem overly-empathetic of that religion. If her guest of honor is a Scientologist, she will attempt to agree with him or her. In my humble opinion, all she is saying is "I don't know what I believe, so I follow the fad of the day." It's unfortunate if you ask me.

Once again, I am just stating my beliefs. I may buy the trendy clothes or cut my hair like Posh, but one thing that is NOT a fad is my belief system. It is unwavering. I believe that my Lord sent his son to save us from our sins.
Do I lend an ear and offer respect to others who believe differently than myself? Absolutely. But will I change my feelings because of a few strong-minded people with valid points? No, because that's not how my religion works... My religion is an unwavering, unchangeable part of who I am... All the way to the core.

Sorry Tori... Tonight we disagree.

Can the Leopard be Forgiven??

I am a big believer in forgiveness. I was raised in the church and on the basis that forgiveness is a Christ-like quality. After all, it is by HIS grace that we are saved. So why is it SO hard?

Flashback to my last semester in college... I ended up having to take a Group Exercise class in order to receive 1 extra credit that had previously been overlooked. I remember thinking, "If nothing else, surely I will get in shape! Have you SEEN Ms. Gilstrap?!" She was the most toned woman I had ever met. So, anyway, I pictured myself doing a little yoga, some aerobics, a bit of weight-training and BAM, I'd have my credit. What I least expected, though, was to walk away from that class with a lifelong lesson.
Ms. Gilstrap had us watch what are called Nooma videos before each class. They are 10-minute videos made by Rob Bell (best-selling author, Christian speaker, and the founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church) that teach life-related lessons. While they are all incredible videos, the one that stuck with me most was called "Luggage." The gist of the lesson was that our inability to forgive only affects and hurts us. We carry the bitterness within us as our baggage and it eventually wears us down. The beauty of being able to forgive is that it frees us. It allows us to just let our anger go. So, again... Why is it SO hard?

I also believe strongly that a leopard NEVER changes its spots. I have always wanted to see the best in people, which is both a blessing and a curse. However, there are simply those people that will let you down time and again, people that are deceitful and careless of your feelings and well-being. I have found this out the hard way. So, because they choose to be "leopards," are they equally as worthy of forgiveness as those who unknowingly wrong us? I think so... I really do. This is something easier said than done though.
I have been battling with forgiving a person who really wronged me a while back. This person is fully aware of what they did, but I honestly believe they could care less. Because of that, I know the burdens I carry do not affect them... Only me. So I'm trying... In all my glory and humility, I'm trying.

Now, forgetting it... That's a whole other story for another day.

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding...

As many of you know, my uncle Bruce passed away last Thursday morning. I have spent the weekend trying to console my family members while also mourning myself. I know the Lord has a plan and a purpose for everything but it has been rough for us all to even attempt to understand. I have faith, though, that we are in His hands through and through.

Bruce was an incredible man. He was my dad's accident-proned, spoiled-rotten baby brother. He was opinionated and sarcastic and never failed to make us laugh. He was my "Unkie Boo Boo" who used to make us sit at the table for what seemed like hours if we forgot to ask "May I be excused."
A quote that my mom wrote on his facebook says it all, "In the end, a person is only known by the impact he or she has had on others." Being at the funeral proved this to be true... He touched so many lives in one way or another and when the funeral began, all that was left was standing room. Amazing.

The greatest impact he had on my life was that he showed me that it's never too late to start over. You see, my uncle wasn't even near perfect, but he'd be the first to tell you so. He was the epitome of learning from your mistakes and it was always a breath of fresh air to hear him talk about it.
One of his high school teacher's quoted something Bruce had just said to him days before, "Failure in my life has taught me to help my children to succeed in theirs. Amazing some have to grow older to learn such things. Guess I just wanted to brag a little to someone about my kids and you came to mind. I know you understand how this makes me feel. Proud!!! I wonder if our kids ever really know."

Bruce, with all his faults, unconditionally loved his family... Especially his wife and 5 kids. They were blessed to have him for the time they did.


Please continue to keep my family in your prayers. We are taking it one day at a time.

You'll Be The First to Know

Just last week, I had four different women ask me, "So when are YOU going to get married, Ally?" My answer is always a sarcastic "When I find out, you'll be the first to know."

Now I have always prided myself in being the girl that was completely okay with not knowing the answer to that question. Heck, I'm thankful that I never seriously saw myself married until now... Lord knows I'd be divorced at least once if I had married any of my high school or college boyfriends. NO THANK YOU.

So, what is it about the past few months that have made me especially antsy to tie the knot? Could it be that my boyfriend and I just celebrated 3 years? Maybe... Is it because I'm 5 months away from my 25th birthday? Very possible. Maybe it's because over half of my friends are engaged or married. Likely. It may just be a combination of all three coupled with the fact that I am deeply in love and know with my heart and soul that I want to spend the rest of my life with Matt. Whatever the cause of my newly found feelings, one simple fact remains-- I, Allyson Chapman, am ready to get married.

Wow, I can't believe that I just admitted it. Yikes.

So, to all of the wonderful people in my life that are asking themselves, "Are Matt and Ally ever going to get married?"-- Yes, we will... without a second's doubt. And when it happens, guess what? You'll be the first to know. :)

Miss Chapman

Well it's official... I am leaving DBU, effective July 31st.

I can't believe I have been here so long. I think that, like most people, I became comfortable in my surroundings making it hard to picture myself working elsewhere. However, leave it up to the good Lord to make the picture crystal clear. After some praying and deep soul-searching, I was able to come to the decision that it is time (past time, really) to spread my wings.

Starting in August, I will be teaching 8th grade math. Of course, I would pick one of the most hated subjects in school. :) I am two extremes of excited and nervous all bundled up into one. I have faith that everything will work out as planned and because of that, I'm trying to keep a handle on my anxiety. Needless to say, though, I am definitely going to need some prayers over the next year... It's going to be a long, winding road, but I have no doubts that I will find my way.

My Miracle

3 years ago today, my life changed drastically.

July 1, 2006
Greg and Lisa Houchin had been trying for months to set me up with Greg's cousin, Matt. Being that I had just broken up with someone, it took some time for the idea of meeting someone new to appeal to me. Apparently, it also took time for his cousin to warm up to the idea as well. I later found out that he was afraid he'd disappoint Greg and Lisa if he didn't like me.

So, FINALLY, toward mid-June, we both let our guards down and agreed to meet. I have to admit, I agreed partly because Lisa showed me Matt's photo... Such a good-looking fella.
So, our first attempt was a bust-- Greg, Lisa and I went to see a band play at Greg's mom's restaurant and Matt never made it because he was "detained" at a wedding... I was bummed.

A week or so later, Matt came up with the idea that we should take a trip out on the lake- just the four of us. I nervously accepted the invitation, afraid of what would happen if we didn't hit it off. Because of my nervousness, I woke up that week with my first (massive) fever blister. I did everything I could think of... I bought a $12 tiny tube of Abreva and rubbed it on my lip religiously. I even called one of my best friends and asked to borrow her prescription medicine she'd used to fight off a fever blister right before her wedding... But to no avail. The blister stayed put. I finally decided "Screw it. If this boy doesn't like me because of a fever blister, then he's not the guy for me." Deep breath!

So, on the morning of July 1, I woke up early and put on my swimsuit for the first time that summer, looked in the mirror, and wished I had crashed dieted for at least a week before our lake trip. I shook off my insecurities and headed to Mansfield.
When I got to Greg and Lisa's, Matt had not arrived yet. I'm pretty sure the main thought crossing my mind was "What in the Hades was I thinking agreeing to this?!" As luck would have it, Matt got lost on the way out to Mansfield from Wylie, so that gave me ample time to build up more nervous energy.
I went into their guest bathroom to do one last mirror check when I heard him come in the door. I can still remember the feeling I had as I opened the door. There he stood-- with his long dark hair, gray and white boardshorts, and a Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Camp t-shirt. Dang, I thought... How cute is he?!

It took about an hour on the boat for all of my nervousness to fade. We ended up hitting it off better than I thought would be possible. We stayed on the lake all day and well into the evening. I can say, without a doubt, that July 1, 2006 was one of the best days of my life thus far.

And three years later (through the ups and downs and in-betweens), I love Matt more than I ever thought I would. He is my everything and I thank my Lord every single day that He brought him into my life. I am truly blessed.

He's Not Perfect...

Today is the birthday of two VERY important men in my life... my grandpa and Matt. Both hold very special, but very different places in my heart.

A little about them...

Matt is turning 27 only five days before the 3-year anniversary of the day that we met. Is it a good or bad thing that I feel like it's been way more than 3 years?! I definitely have Greg and Lisa to thank for bringing such an amazing man into my life. We have clearly had our ups and downs, but through at all I think we have always known we were meant to be together. It is the most incredible feeling I have ever experienced. I still get butterflies when he catches my glance, I light up when he walks into the room, I smile when I'm talking to him, I miss him when he's gone. Yes, 3 years later I'm still in the silly giddy love phase and I wouldn't trade it for anything. He is not perfect, but he sure is perfect for me.

My grandpa is turning a very young 72 today. He is a wonderful man. He is my favorite cowboy (with George coming in a close 2nd). :) He is strong, compassionate, driven, smart, funny, and I love him more than words could express. After all, I am his favorite granddaughter-- Okay, so I am his only granddaughter, but who's counting?! Obviously, my grandma feels the same way about him as I do about Matt or they wouldn't have just celebrated their 51st Anniversary. What an amazing relationship. I can only hope to have a relationship as incredible. He's not perfect (or so my grandma says), but he's perfect for her.

To Gary and Melanie and Pawpaw and my sweet sweet Mammaw-- Thank you for bringing two men into this world that have made my life much more meaningful.

To my Miracle and my "Grampa"-- I love you both so much. Happy Birthday.

Hold her head up Harold...

I have the best dad in the world. I know a lot of people say that, but I really do. Lucky (or I should really say Blessed) me.

My dad is what I would call a "good ol' boy." He is cordial, he is polite, and he would do anything for anybody at anytime. He hugs my friends, calls them "baby," and even kisses some of them. If you meet him once and treat him kindly, he is your friend for life. He is slow to anger but quick to keep us in line. He came from nothing but has given us everything. He works in boots and very starched jeans and has a massive "sock tan" from playing golf on his days off. He was thrilled when I took Golf class in college and very patiently tried to teach me how to play. He even bought me my own clubs. His accent changes depending on the accent of the person he is talking to. He never lets us forget how proud he is of us. He uses funny and absolutely useless quotes like "Hold her head up Harold, she's headed through the pea patch" and "Shoot low Sheriff, they're riding Shetlans." If we would let him, he'd wear coaching shorts every single day. He taught us to play every sport possible and even coached all of our extracurricular teams. He could build or fix anything you asked him to. He has been a rock in our family my entire life. Most importantly, he loves my mom more than anything and has shown my brother how to be a man and provided me with an outline of what to expect from a loving husband. He is more than we could have ever asked for in a Dad.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy. I love you!!!!!

God Bless the USA

I love soldiers.

I love that we live in a country who's pride is so great that people are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of our freedom. It is incredible.

I have a student who just got home from Germany last week. We have spoken over the phone and through email hundreds of times, but never had the chance to sit down and talk in person. I couldn't help but be excited for his arrival as he has told me many times how much he misses his wife and baby girl. I can't even imagine the toll that it has taken on their family. However, he loves what he does and holds his head high (as he should).

The whole point of our appointment was to get him registered for Fall classes, but that's about the last thing I wanted to hear about! I was too interested in what it was like and how it felt for him to finally be home. He told me how incredible it is to be back in the states because when people find out that he has served our country, they just flock to him, continually thanking him for what he has done. I am glad to hear I'm not the only one who wants to run to and hug and love any person in uniform... And thank them. I hold them to the absolute highest regard.

To anyone who is in the military or anyone who has a family member in the military, Thank You... From the bottom of my heart... Your sacrifices mean more to me than words can say. :)

I'm a Survivor

Like most people, I often forget how truly blessed I am.
I have a wonderful family, incredible friends, a steady job, and a boyfriend who is undoubtedly the love of my life. As I try and find my way through life, remembering how loved I am keeps me afloat.

We spent last weekend with Matt's family. I definitely consider them a blessing as well. For those who don't know, we were introduced in 2006 by Matt's cousin and his wife, who is also one of my dearest friends. How lucky am I to have fallen in love with someone who's family has inadvertently been a part of my life longer than he has? I love it.

So, his parents and their friends began hosting an annual "Survivor Party" last year. We happily joined the party and my team ended up winning... WOO HOO! This year, as fun as it was, kicked my butt. We ran, we jumped, we crawled, we spun, we limboed... I bruised! It was exhausting!!

My team lost this year, but so did Matt's so that made me feel better. :)
Congrats to the Blue Team and to Jennie, who was the day's MVP!
I'm gonna start working out in preparation for next year....... Um, tomorrow!! :)