BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

I don't have time to put down all the details....but just wanted to let you know about a big change a-comin'!

I accepted a new position with Discovery Communications, Inc. (Discovery Channel) today!!! I will be working in the Education division. It is a big salary increase and an incredible career opportunity for a very reputible company with a ton of growth potential. I am nothing less than THRILLED!!!

Details to come...in the meantime, thanks for your prayers and support to my peeps who've known about it. It has moved so FAST! God is good and faithful! The first phone call was 3 weeks ago today! WOW!!

So...I guess I'm staying here for a minute!!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARADEE!!!

Maradee, me, Amy-Smokey Joes in Oh-niner-ville (ghetto LR)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.....YOU LIVE IN THE LOU.....YOU TEACH KIDS ENGLISH...AND YOU SPEAK SOME FRENCH TOOOOOO!!!!

AND MANY MORE!!! Welcome to the REAL 30's!!! Yikes~! Miss and love you!

trivia savant

So my girl, Amy K. James got a blog!!! Way to go! Check out her life exploits at:

http://amykjames.eponym.com/blog

I would love to post you as a link to mine...but I can't figure out how to create links or have my profile stay at the top of my blog...any suggestions out there??

So last nite we went to Trivia Nite at Ri Ra-an Irish pub in Bethesda. Our team name was "Tri Harder." (Get it???) We were AWESOME. We missed most of the sports questions (there was only one boy on a team of 7) but we got a TON of Bible questions: A sample of answers--what is-Revalation, Noah, new wine, turning water into wine at a Canaan wedding, Alex! We really did quite well. There were 8 rounds, we only made it thru 4--and we were in 3rd place. After round 5, however, we would have shot up....we stayed for the questions but not the answers, and I would bet the baby with the bathwater that we got all 10 correct in round 5! So anyway....all that to say....in the voice of Molly Shannon from SNL and that dog skit...."I a-dooo like trivia!"

Grateful today for:

1. Small furry animals that keep me warm in my cold basement. My kitties-not rodents, just to be clear.
2. The beautiful sunrise. This morning was STUNNING. I had a moment.
3. Friends who give rides. Thanks, Nancy!
4. Things to look forward to. Who knows if it'll happen, but it's fun to talk about going to Europe this summer or even for a long weekend with friends. My guess is, it'll happen!
5. Hair products. Need I say more?

Silence is golden

So Saturday, I went to a silent retreat at church. 6 HOURS of silence!!! That's a big deal for me! No talking, no singing, no NOTHING! It was actually really, really amazing. Unfortunately, I didn't feel well, so I spent a big portion of the day sniffling and sneezing. At the end, we gathered back together (probably about 100 women or so) for communion. Dr. Norris gave a short sermon, and the we broke bread together--literally. Instead of communion wafers, we tore off pieces of bread and handed them to each other (although my row tore off their own). Horribly enough (blasphemy) all I could think about were the germs that was all of the bread by the time it got to me! Then, they did the cup Catholic style--one big goblet where everyone drinks out of it, then wipes. Don't get me wrong, I think that is such a neat thing! But the Catholics use real wine...which kills germs! AND-it's the middle of flu season!!! The poor girl beside me was probably freaking out, cause I had been sneezing like a machine gun for the whole sermon, clutching my kleenex....lucky for her, I let the cup pass by... I was disappointed that I didn't fully participate in communion, as I have never had 3 hours to prepare my heart for it like I did that day. However, I know I did the right thing not introducing my sick germs into the cup.

Hopefully, I'll get over this mess soon. I haven't started training at all for our April 9th race date! YIKES!!! Wetsuits and bike shorts, here I come!

Stupid metro germs...

I'M SICK AGAIN!!!! How is it even possible??? This is like the 50th time already this winter...and it's been a really mild winter! Killin' me! It's gotta be that giant germ train...GOTTA BE! I have got to get a SARS mask or somethin'!!!

Speaking of the metro, yesterday I'm waiting for my train to go home after work, and I see this couple, my parents age, trying to figure out where to go. Obviously their first gig on the metro....so I ask them where their going and tell them how to get there...on my train. She sits next to me and we strike up a conversation (to the chagrin of the other metro patrons--it's against 'the rules' to talk to strangers on the metro....i say, spend a minute in the south, rude yankees!). Turns out it's their first visit (shocker), she's an elementary school principle from SD here for meetings. I tell them where to go eat, where to stay away from (they were already lost on the green line...headed to Anacostia, when I found 'em!), how to get there, etc... So sweet. It was neat. Made me feel like a local--but a NICE one. ;)

But then, today I feel sick again!!! Stupid metro germs...the more you talk, the more germs you take in! That'll teach me! Actually, probably not....I love to talk on the metro sometimes...if for no other reason, just so I'll remember that I am a Southerner, and therefore full of charm, grace, wit and good conversation! I think I'll go read some Mark Twain now.....

That's not even the funniest...

I told this story this morning and it was a hit...so despite my embarassment...I'll add it here.

One of my other "b-day downloads" as my playlist calls it, is Usher's "Yeah!" If you are familiar with the song, you'll know the "speaking part" where a guest rapper says..."Take that and rewind it back...Lil' John's got the sound that makes your booty go wack!" Then he repeats it 2 or 3 times....

Dangerous, that rap music. But maybe not for the reasons you would suspect. Picture it.... I'm on the metro, listening to Usher, absolutely CERTAIN noone is watching....and as he sings "made my booty go wack" I slapped my own rear end in sheer exhilaration. IT'S A GREAT SONG!!!! But alas, someone was watching....and laughing....and I rode the rest of the way in humiliation.

My booty did go wack. What can you do...sometimes you just gotta go with it....

random

This has been a crazy week--short, but furious. Busy and tiring, but restful. I've gone to bed early every nite...exhausted! Isn't it funny how these short weeks are soooo LONG??? One of those strange pheomenons that make no sense....like:

-airplanes: they weigh SO MUCH...how can they fly??
-coconuts: they are solid wood on the outside...how does a hollow space get filled with "milk" in the middle of it???
-can and string telephones that kids make: somebody SWORE TO ME that these really work if you aren't too far away??? Is that possible??
-macintosh computers: don't even get me started!!!
-water intoxication: it's true. You can drink so much water that it's like being drunk. crazy.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmm....

iPOD update. For my b-day, I got an iTunes giftcard (thank you amy and john!). Some fun downloads that I highly recommend: Beepers (Sir Mix Alot), Baby Got Back, Sweet Home Alabama by the BAMA Boyz, When Doves Cry, Brass Monkey (Beastie Boys). ...and so much more. You oughta see me on the metro....head bobbin', knee jerking, hip slingin'....flat out trying to pretend I'm not dancing. Priceles.

Speaking of PRICELESS...CHECK THIS OUT IMMEDIATELY...so funny!!!

http://www.unc.edu/~shoyle/BigBibles.wmv

All things considered...

I am so ready for a long weekend, I can't stand it! I'm not sure why...it's not like I have big plans (Shauna's bum knee is messing up our skiing!) but I am still so excited. I think it's likely because it's just been a long week. I'm ready to take a nap or something!

It's been like near 60 for the past few days. I went running last nite after work-in the daylight! Of course, I only had 15 minutes of it, but still! Wore my new shoes and everything! It was nice.

I started out pretty stoked this morning about it being Friday and all...feeling a little blah right this second (of course, it could be the General Tso's chicken I had in Chinatown for lunch) so I think it's a good time for another "grateful" list. Here goes:

1. Orange pants. I love mine. I'm wearing them right now. I love the fact that God made us creative and personality-filled and that there are pants that can express it!

2. Pets. I had a good night with all 3 of mine last nite (2 kitties and Austin, who lives upstairs). What a neat expression of God's love--unconditional and undeserved.

3. Flowers. I cannot wait for spring. I saw some green bulb buds last nite and I'm pumped.

4. Guilt. Don't get me wrong, I know guilt is Satan's tool to use against us...but it's the conscience that preceeds it. I'm so thankful I feel guilt. I know people who don't and they are scary.

5. Spell check. Technology in general, actually. It has some bad qualities....but how easy has it made our lives!

Grateful.

I saw someone's blog that periodically posted 5 things she was grateful for, based on her journaling which required her to list 5 things everyday. I think it's a great idea. So I'm gonna steal it! Here is my gratitude for today:

1. Health. I don't feel good today and my calves are inexplicably crazy sore--but I am healthy. What a HUGE blessing. Too many people wait to live until they start to die...I don't want to do that.

2. Light. I love sleep and nighttime and all that...but I love the light of day. I realized yesterday when I came out of the metro that it was still daylight. That means the days are getting longer. Halleluiah.

3. Grace. When people say they are sorry it's almost better than if whatever they are sorry for hadn't happened to begin with. The pleasure of extending and having grace extended to you is humbling and awesome to me. I hope I can do more of it.

4. Friendship. When it's great, it's perfect. Not even with your family can you experience such a bond as you do with a great friend. No blood ties, yet bound. Powerful. Even when it's hard, it's still great. Life when it is all going wrong is still better than life without it. There aren't too many things you can say that about.

5. Water. Cleansing, refreshing, powerful, thirst-quenching, dangerous....nothing quite like it in all of its forms.

Because of who you are.

I'm having a weird week thus far. Forgive my self indulgence. But this week (it's only Tuesday!) I've experienced big high's--lots of exciting things have happened already! I went to my first Sunday school class and will be teaching for the first time on Sunday. It's on singing our worship. How cool is that? I spent a great weekend with friends. And even got to spend Sunday nite with friends b/c I had to be somewhere Monday morning early. That was a big blessing for me. If you know me, you know I find Sunday nites SO DEPRESSING! So what a neat start for the week! I got to do some good shopping-not normally my cup of tea..but fun nonetheless. Lot's of fun things already, and already some neat things to look forward to this week and beyond.

It's also been a hard week. I've been really sleep deprived for some reason. I just haven't slept well. And it's catching up with me. There has been a nagging thing going on, too. I'm not sure how to describe it other than a discontent that I can't explain. It's the part of me that is selfish and self-centered and careless for anyone but myself. Not a part of me that I like. It's the part of me that only sees how I'm being mistreated and misused. All the ways that I'm underappreciated. All the things that I want but don't have and seem so out of reach. The part that wants to destroy who I am in Christ. It's the part that has kept me from doing my BSF lesson, from starting to read my chronologicial Bible that I got for my b-day. The part that wants to rob me of my freedom, my happiness and my hope.

Sometime change has to be spoken to provoke a beginning. My friend Anne thinks (this is my assumption--I'm putting words in her mouth here....but it's based on my actions to her) that I shouldn't speak so quickly to commit myself to something. My word is my bond, and sometimes I speak things without really committing to it. She's right. I think that I take giving my word VERY seriously, but I haven't taken WHAT my word actually means at all seriously. It is EVERY word. Not just times when I commit an oath of a sort. I am quick to say I'll workout 5 days a week; never drink a drop again, etc... But not so quick to speak aloud what I've committed to inside my heart. As a protection against failure, I suspect. To protect myself against embarrassment. To protect my facade of being "okay" and "normal." To keep from having any accountability. Well, today, I'm gonna speak it. I want this year to be NOT about me. I want to love like Christ-unconditionally and un-fearfully with no agenda for myself. Even when I'm not loved back very well. I want to be less concerned about myself. I'm committing it to writing.

Who you are determines what you'll be, right?? I am a child of God. I am forgiven and free. I am unworthy and unable, but chosen nonetheless. It's who I am.

Because I said I would....

Ode to Anchovie....La petite poisson. Sweet friend. Great person. On her way to serve the Lord for a week in Costa Rica. I'll be praying for you! You'll be great. Have an awesome trip!

Back tracking...

I forgot to mention the big Christmas light display in Wheaton. We visited it before Christmas...had a great time! Surprised we didn't get kicked out! We had a hard time NOT eating the lights...to see what we could make glow!

We're glowing!

How lucky is this boy?

I Love the Cotton Bowl.

Roll Tide Roll!!!!!



Gotta love a trophy!



"Let the Swanee Tiger scratch,
Let the Yellow Jacket sting,
Let the Georgia Bulldog bite,
Alabama still is right!
And whether win or lose we smile,
For that's Bama's fighting style:
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!
A-L-A-B-A-M-A

(chorus)Yea Alabama! Drown 'em Tide.
Every Bama fan's behind you, hit your stride.
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave.
And if a man starts to weaken,That's his shame.
For Bama's pluck and grit have writ her name in Crimson flame.
Fight on, fight on, fight on men.
Remember the Rose Bowl, we'll win then.
Go roll to vict'ry, hit your stride.
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!"


Don't cry, little girls....hehehe

Random, but fun...

Here are some random pics from my December adventures. Enjoy!

Me and Kate-->She was the first of my sweet baby girls.

Little Rock got a PF Changs!!!! Sweet!

Christmas Eve at my Granny's. These are my first cousins....well, not all of them. There are over 20...but from L to R, back to front, its:

Mike, Micheline (Mike's daughter), me, Jeff (my bro), Randy, Billy, Tammy, Jimmy, Ronnie

Sitting: Gina, Granny, Tina

It's not a great pic...but fun to have!

My granny. Who celebrates her 90th birthday on the 8th!! Happy Birthday, Granny!!!

Heather is having a little pie!!! How cute are you????

Surprise birthday parties are fun.

Whew. It's good to be back. But only because it's a short week! :) Now that I've made 2 quick posts regarding Christmas and New Year's, allow me to re-visit the third big holiday of the season: my birthday! So, I flew back into town on Thursday, Dec. 29th (the big day). I started the day off right: I got to see Amy and Kate and Maradee the nite before and celebrate Christmas and b-day with them in Little Rock. Then, Maradee was kind enough to get up at 5 am on Thurs. to take me to the airport! Shauna was sweet enough to pick me up at BWI at noonish--this is quite a feat 'cause BWI is waaaaaayyyy out there....and Shauna was at work, had to take off, etc... (Thanks, Shauna! You are the greatest Best Friend ever!) I wasn't feeling well all day, and the travel wasn't helping, so when I got home at 1:30/2 ish, I immediately went to bed. Slept till after 5 and got up to get ready for what I thought was dinner with Shauna at Portner's in Old Town. That's where we went last year for my b-day, too...kind of a tradition, I guess. I was a tad bit disappointed that my friend Anne wasn't going to be joining us for dinner as well (Anne had flown in from TX on Thurs., also, and wasn't feeling well--she told me she was joining us for desert at about 9-ish). Now my disappointment wasn't so much from Anne not being there (even tho I was disappointed about that, too) but mostly b/c I knew that the girls were getting me an IPOD and that there was NO WAY I was gonna get to open it till they were all there!!! (JUST KIDDING!!! kind of) So, I'm getting ready for dinner, Scott comes down and chit chats with me--never giving anything away. Shauna gets there around 6ish, takes her sweet time, never rushes me, we sit around, blah, blah, blah. We leave for the restaraunt and I'm steadily whining how I don't feel good, when is Anne coming, etc.... We get to Old Town and Shauna's like, "Oh, I have a message from Anne.....she's already at the restaraunt!" So, of course I'm glad to hear that. When we walk in the door, Shauna is looking around for Anne, and the hostess comes up and is like, "Are you looking for the birthday party? They are upstairs." Shauna played it cool hand Luke, man....she's like: "No, we are just looking for one other person." Of course, at this point, I do have a clue....and I'm psyched! We walk up the stairs, and SURPRISE!!! IT'S A PARTY FOR ME!!!!! My first surprise party! It was a blast! I got an IPOD shuffle, cd, books, ipod accessories, calender....all kinds of goodies! And the best part--I was surrounded by good friends. What a blessing to me they are. Both the ones who came and the ones who couldn't make it. I am very lucky. Thank you, Shauna and Anne, for my party. The best b-day party ever! Thanks to all my peeps who made it so special. I am very lucky--and what a great way to start the 32nd year of life--by being reminded that I am blessed. Thanks, peeps.

My b-day party

Blowin' out my candles! Thankfully, there weren't 32 of 'em!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Another Old Lang Syne. Cannot believe it is 2006!!! Where has the time gone!?!?!?! Had a great, laid back New Year's celebration at the beach in Bethany, DE. It was beautiful weather and great shopping with no sales tax! My friends Anne, Michelle, Susan, Lisa J., Lisa O., Kim, Jennifer, and I stayed in a sweet condo and celebrated with movies and shopping! Fun, fun times. Kudos to Michelle and Lisa O. for doing a polar bear plunge New Year's morning (in about 40 degree weather!) into the Atlantic Ocean!!!! CRAZY!!!!!

Michelle, Lisa J., Kim, Susan, Anne, Me, Jennifer, Lisa O.

Those crazy girls running into the ocean!!! I was sick so I couldn't do it...also, I'm WAY more bark than bite!!!

Susan trying to steal my candle-blowing thunder....

Bringing it in right!

I'm Back!

Whew!!! I'm so tired! I need a vacation to recoup from my vacation! What a great Christmas and time at home. I had the chance to spend 6 days at home with family and friends and loved every second of it! Quick rundown:
-Got in on time! Even early! Praise the Lord for smooth, calm travel!
-Spent Christmas Eve at my Aunt's, then at my Granny's for the traditional "Rogers Christmas." So much fun!
-Christmas day at Jeff and Lori's; then mom and daddy's; then went to visit my aunt Barb's fam. -Spent Monday afternoon and nite and all day Tuesday with Heather, Chad and Ella Claire.
-Tuesday nite, my b-day with the fam.
-Said "good-bye" to the fam on Wed. Had lunch w/ Julie, then spent the nite with Maradee, Amy and Kate. B-day dinner at the new Little Rock PF Changs! Bed early, tho, cause of sick. Yuck.
-Made it to BWI on time Thursday to go home take a nap and be on time for my surprise b-day party at Portner's on Thursday nite!

Parker's big present.

Christmas mroning with my boy.

Jeff and Parker Christmas morning.

Parker and Nana

Fun at the park.

Me and Ella Claire Brinkley.

Kate James playing coy...