GG Emergency

Stoney, I know how you feel.

So our internet is muy stupido and has completely jacked up my TiVo. As a result of not getting home from work until 8:30 last night, AND my current TiVo strike, I missed the brand new episode of Gossip Girl. I know what you're thinking, no big deal, the full epidsodes are online right? Wrong. Apparently they will not be putting the final 5 episodes of the season online - a ploy to get more tv viewers? I think so. So I need a recap if you watched it! My iTunes isn't working right now, so I can't even get on there to see if I can buy it.

It's silly, I know, but it's the small things in life, right?

An eventful Monday already

So it's only 10:13 and it's been a pretty exciting Monday.

For the first part, a little background to start off with. In planning our NYC trip, me and mom were chatting about which shows to go see. I threw out "Jersey Boys", as I had heard it is amazing, but she nixed it - not knowing what it was. So this past week I hear an ad that it's coming to the Music Hall at Fair Park, so I tried to get her to bite - she nixed it again. Well an ad comes out in the Dallas Morning News yesterday and she realizes it's about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons so she calls me SO excited and apologizing for not listening. Tickets went on sale today, but to get first pick you had to go to the actual box office at 8 (old-fashioned, I know). Well it wasn't too far from my client, so she asked if I could make it happen. I told her I would try, but no guarantees because I had to be at work by 9.

So I show up around 7:15, to be greeted by a line of about 20 people, all ages 50+, along with the promo team for KLUV - the oldies station. Great. I didn't stick out at all. It was definitely interesting listening to all these people. There were a lot more men there than expected, who were super stoked I might add. A good start to the Monday morning - I got the tickets for the exact seats we wanted...of course that would have quickly made the Monday a horrible Monday had that not worked out. I told mom that next time she's coming to stand in line with all the oldies :).

Second, check out this website. Daily Candy is super fun and always has some great information. The featured "candy" today - titled "Street Cred" is for the artist Ashley works for! Go check out their website and buy some stuff....we have a credit card to pay off :) Only kidding - Ash is really passionate about his stuff and so much of making it big in the art world is having the right person see one piece and falling in love. His stuff is nothing like I have ever seen. Art is definitely a subjective industry, so don't feel bad if you hate it. Ash is the studio manager for Joshua Stone Studio and it's definitely been an interesting ride the past 6 months. Go check it out!

**update**Ash just told me their website has had over 5,000 hits from 100 countries since the article this morning....great news!


Finally (and MOST exciting for me), in my daily blog-reading, I was looking at this blog, and their new post which took me here. I INSTANTLY fell in love. This sweet woman's stuff is so cute and there is just something about handmade gifts that make me giddy inside - even if I don't get to say I made it. I picked up two fabulous items for mother's day for my mom. She doesn't read this, or barely get on the internet for that matter, so I'm safe to share this with you. I'm super excited to get these in the mail, and I'll share pics once they arrive. The icing on the cake is that I included a note with my purchase and she actually wrote back - and was SUPER nice. Most people won't take the time to do this nowadays. It was my first purchase on Etsy, and I definitely started my new predicted-addiction with a bang. Thanks so much Leesa!

1. I am grateful for fun outings with my mamasita.
2. I am grateful to have a gorgeous cousin, Becca, who doesn't know she's as awesome as she is. She will rock the world one day, just wait.
3. I am grateful for the sunshine this weekend.
4. I am grateful for new babies to play with.
5. I am grateful for my dad making us scrumptious dinners every Sunday night (in addition to my no-bake Oreo dessert).

Reflection

These past few weeks have definitely been weeks of reflection and just listening. I feel like my life is just going, and it's going entirely too fast. We are quickly approaching our one year anniversary, when it seems like just yesterday I was freaking out about finals and a wedding, all in a 3-day period. Since I've been working 70+ hours since January, it seems like the past 4 months have gone by in a haze, and I haven't really gotten to enjoy anything since then. I don't like the fact that work is my life right now, but we are working hard to spend time with friends and get our lives back. Ash should be done with school in May, and then I start all my CPA fun, so we still won't be able to enjoy both of us out of school and simply working, but that time will come.

I find that I have to remind myself daily that there is plenty of time. It's such a hard thought process for me to swallow because none of us are promised tomorrow. It's a horrible way to live, but I think I would rather live like today was my last day on Earth than live like I have "plenty of time". I have always had a problem with trying to do too much at once, and I think it is out of fear of not knowing what tomorrow holds. I was listening to my fave morning show yesterday and they played a clip of this speech (heads up: it's pretty long - so set aside a little over an hour if you want to watch the whole thing - if you want an abbreviated version go here and the link should be at the top of the page). I feel like I get so sappy and emotional when anything like this comes up - so to prevent this from turning into a huge, sad post, I will leave you with this. While we are not promised eternal life here on Earth, we are promised eternal life with Christ -so I will live like there is plenty of time. There is plenty of time because regardless of what I accomplish here on this planet, I will have an eternity to enjoy what the Lord has promised us. While my head is constantly spinning with where I want to be in life and where I truly am, I know that whatever is in store for me is what is planned - and I am completely content with that.

Taking the idea from my sweet cousin:

1. I am grateful for a Lord who promises to protect - no matter what the world throws in my path.

2. I am grateful for a loving husband who makes me cheesy eggs at 9:30 at night because I don't want to cook after a long day at work.

3. I am grateful for parents who gave me a life where it was possible to achieve any dream I ever had - and fully supported me along the way.

4. I am grateful for the light of my life - my 8-year-old niece Taylor

- who is cooler than I ever was.

5. I am grateful for a life with problems that seem so small compared to the man whose story was shared above or amazing families like this one.

My sincerest apologies...

So apparently my game was not so fun for some people. My intent was to look at the picture and guess where Ashley was visiting, not where in the picture he was :)

Here's another picture I received at work this week. I was slaving away and he was frolicking.

That's right...NYC and that's Times Square. I was jealous, but don't worry - I will have my fun in that glorious city less than two months from now!

Sorry for all the confusion ladies :)

Let's play a game.

Where in the world is Ashley?

On a happier note

So I decided that last blog was probably not a pick-me-up, so I will share with you what has brought me great joy in the last 15 minutes...

As a past hater of wedges, this is a big step, but I cannot help but to love these. I have been looking for some patent leather red shoes (why? see: shoe addict), and I think these will serve my purposes. Casual enough for weekends, dressy enough for work. Gotta love patent leather....it's my new favorite :)

The free overnight shipping doesn't hurt either.

After a while

I know the war between the head and heart is often a difficult one to fight. It is a war fought daily, in all aspects of life. Through all my blog-stalking, I ran across this blog. I will give a kleenex warning should you decide to explore, it truly is a heart-breaking story and one I've been following for a little bit. It is so inspiring to see how these people have been faced with a situation and feelings I can't even fathom, yet they seem to have the undying faith to get them through it. She posted a new blog with this verse:

4. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all mean. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 4:4-7

It is one I have heard over and over again but it has new meaning for me. I had a huge revelation this weekend that while I say I'm a Christian and know that I truly believe God is in control, I don't let Him be in control. It has always been one of my biggest struggles, but the problems of life are getting bigger, as they tend to, and now not only does my selfishness and lack of letting go affect me, it affects me and Ash, as a unit.

Reading the blog mentioned above makes our problems seem so irrelevant, but it shows me that if she can have faith in a situation like that, there is no reason for me not to let go of all those truly little problems that stress me out. We are obedient - God will provide. So easy to say, so hard to really believe sometimes.

That verse will be my new verse-to-live-by and please pray for me as I continue to truly let go and let God.

Also, keep that sweet family in your prayers during the hard days to come.