An early Christmas

J and I wont be together at Christmas this year since he is traveling to New Jersey/New York for family stuff and I am heading back home to Auburn.. So we decided to do Christmas last night.

It was great, I mean great. To start off the night I had him open his stocking and he had me open mine. First surprise, the best "Christmas card" ever. It was a DVD he made that had pictures from all sorts of events we have gone to and things we have done together, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. Oh my gosh I was tearing up something serious during the whole thing. It started with the weekend we consider the start of our relationship (Elizabeth and Caleb's wedding) and went on to events like braves games, Chicago, other weddings, skiing and more. It was the most precious thing ever. I have the sweetest man and am a lucky lucky girl. I will be watching a rewatching that little card forever.

I opened my stocking and found a gift certificate to a spa (NOTE: I have never been to the spa, never had a professional massage, never, not once) I mean I am so excited to go and see what it is all about and get pampered for a lil while. He knows I have always wanted to go but never would buy it for myself so now I get to experience it!

Then we opened gifts. I had a big box waiting for me so I had him open some of his gifts first. He got a USC Under Armour shirt and a cast iron skillet and then a watch. Then I opened my gift.... A KITCHEN AID MIXER! Are you kidding me... Only the best thing ever. I have always wanted one and love baking sooo now I have my very own mixer at my house instead of having to use my Mom's when I go home. Love it! Despite my obsession with pink he bought me a gray one which I love and will look good in any kitchen that I one day move into!




He had a surprise date planned too, dinner and a show, but time was not on our side last night. We made it to dinner and had a great time. Wildfire was the restaurant he chose and the food was so good. Dinner ended late so the show has to be postponed, luckily the show is still going on next week, so we are going to go next week. I have no idea what it is or where it is, but I know he hasn't let me down yet so I will probably love it!

Now he is on his way to Jersey and I am leaving tomorrow morning to be in Auburn until Monday. While I'm sad the plans we had for me to make it to Jersey to see them (we planned on my flying up Christmas night and seeing his family, and going into the city, and spending some of the holiday together) didn't work out, I'm excited to be in Auburn for a while to spend time with my family and friends.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

A whole month!

It has been a whole month (minus one day) since I blogged last. I'm the worst blogger, I mean seriously.

Run down of the last month:

Auburn went undefeated (meaning we beat Georgia, Bama). Last weekend was the SEC championship game. It was yet another rivalry week for J and I. He had a tailgate planned so I tagged along and was the only Auburn fan there. I was also the only happy one after the game :)! We won AGAIN! SOOO Auburn is now going to the National Championship game!!!! Wish I was able to go, but both my brothers will be there to cheer on the Tigers.

I went to New Orleans for a friends Birthday. We had such a great time. Definitely a trip we will have to do again. We had some fun nights out, some really good meals and I actually went into the casino. I dont really care for casinos, all the lights make me annoyed. I did learn to not cut time when trying to make it to the airport, we were running late and were worried we would miss our flight, but somehow we made it with a little time to spare.

The next weekend the family and I had Thanksgiving in Birmingham at my aunt and uncle's house with Mom's side of the family. We only stayed for the day and I spent a day or two in Auburn before heading back to Atlanta. I finally got Maggie back. She had stayed at my parents house for two weeks so that I could go to New Orleans without really worrying about her. Below is my fam (Mom, Caleb, Sarah, Me, Meegan, Daniel, and Dad.)




This weekend I have my company Christmas party as well as plans to go indoor rock climbing with J. I bought some groupon thing for it a while back and we are finally going to go. I'm excited!

Bible study is still going great. We are almost done with our first book and working to figure out what to do next. We added a girl as well, which is always great news.

Christmas shopping is ALMOST finished. I have one gift and a stocking to do, but then I'm done! I hope to finish that up this weekend so I dont have to worry about it anymore... I have spent far more than I hoped to, BUT I bought some fun stuff and think everyone will like it so I dont mind.

I've been listening to Christmas music for over a week now and just love it. You would think after working retail and having to hear Christmas music from late September through December that I would absolutely hate it. I guess that is one thing I will never dislike.

Now, back to work... I have a million things to do before I take my vacation time in a week and a half!

Everyday Blessings

Let me tell you how happy I am to have found the group of girls that I do a bible study with. They are such a great group and I look forward to Wednesdays every week! We always have such a great time doing our study and building a foundation of friendship.

We are currently working through Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You.



The book goes through twelve women who were a great presence in the bible. It goes through their stories, struggles, triumphs, and decisions and relates them to "modern day life." We are on week 5 or 6 now I believe and it is going great. Ruth so far is my favorite woman in the bible, I'm definitely interested in doing a more indepth study of her.

Not only is the study going well, we are all getting to know eachother so much better and it's amazing to have other women going through similar things in life who are there for encouragement, laughs, or whatever someone else needs. I love it. I can see these girls being great friends and definitely there to keep me accountable. So excited to see where this study takes each of us and how we will continue to grow as a group in the future!

Big Changes, New Challenges

Well I feel like it wasn't so long ago that my position at work changed, but here we go again! I will still be working as an account manager, but my region is now the opposite side of the country. Beginning January 1, 2011 I will be the account manager for the West (Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii). Travel will be required so hopefully I will get to visit places like this:






I'm so excited to take on one of our weakest territories and rebuild it to a region that will flourish. I think we can do it. My new team is great and I'm so excited to see what we can do. This region is in serious need to some TLC and a lot of work so my challenges are high, but I will do my best to make changes and grow the region.

Last weekend was my first weekend of travel in the coming weeks. I was in Auburn for the AU vs LSU game. It was such a great trip and I was so happy to spend most of my time there with my best, Amanda. She is such a blessing in my life and no matter how long it is between our visits, we pick up right where we left off. Next trip needs to be planned ASAP. Anytime you need to get away, my place is always open.

I also got to see Elizabeth and Caleb, always a treat! These two are such great friends to me and are so great together. They are a great example of a young married couple, and will definetely have a big impact on my life for now and for the day when its my turn to be happily married like them. They are learning and growing as a couple and as individuals in their new phase of life. I just love these two and hope I am half the friend that they are to me. Below is Elizabeth and I at lunch at Big Blue! I owe you two a lunch next time :)!




This coming weekend I'm heading Columbia, SC. I have so much to do beforehand, so hopefully I get it all done. I need to figure out our Halloween costumes, clean out my car, get my oil changed (this is the first time I will have to pay for this :(, usually Dad is my mechanic), do laundry, pack, make sure Mags is taken care of and has everything she needs, among other things Im sure I'm forgetting. I will not let my list of things to-do or my busy week take any of my excitement away!

Travel Travel Travel

For the record, Toy Story on Ice was so precious! A little cheesy at times, but I still loved it. Barbie and Ken were my absolute favorite characters. Still working on J and I being them for Halloween! Check out the scene where they meet in the movie/the costumes we would have to wear, hilarious!



I'm entering another couple weeks were I will be traveling A LOT. I need to put some work trips in my schedule as well, but for now, its all for my mental health :). This weekend I head home to see my family, friends, and of course my UNDEFEATED tigers play! Oh so excited! This game is a big one, I'll be on the edge of my seat all week waiting.... Is it Saturday yet? I cannot wait to see friends again. If I could up and move my job and bf to Birmingham, I would leave tomorrow.

For Halloween, I will be traveling with Jonathan. Last year we were in Knoxville for the South Carolina vs. Tennessee game and this year we will be in Columbia. I'm excited to spend more time with his college buddies! They are definitely a fun fun crowd. This time I'm going to try to keep up with them, not sure how this will go over.

The next weekend I'm reserving for rest. Well, rest and being "on call" for work (don't even get me started on this, the worst idea ever was putting us girls on tech support duty once every 9 weeks.) It's my last time this year, but it's still really annoying.

My weekend of rest will be followed by a weekend of complete chaos. I'll be in Auburn again to watch Auburn beat up on Georgia :).

After 4 days of work I'll be off to another adventure, New Orleans for a friends 25th birthday! We are going to have so so much fun!

Then Thanksgiving is here so I will go to Auburn and Birmingham to celebrate.

So add in a little travel for work in all that and I have a busy busy month and a half ahead of me. I'm so excited for it all though. Sad we are already 7 weeks through football season, but I still have 5 (maybe 6, maybe 7!) to enjoy!

Oh yea and sometime I need to plan a trip to my pretend home of Birmingham to visit all the girls that I wont get to see during these weekends that I am traveling. Maybe December...

Obviously I love love traveling, sometimes I wonder why I don't space it out a bit though. I'm hoping for a healthy winter so there are no wrenches in my plan.

Big Kid

Guess what I am doing this weekend (other than watching Auburn play).....

Here's your hint:


Oh yea, you guessed it, I'm going to Toy Story 3 on Ice. Haha. I feel like a little kid, getting excited about Disney on Ice. Oh well. I'm going and I'm so excited.

I might even carve a pumpkin this weekend too.

Oh to be a kid again, how nice would that be sometimes!?

Be Still and Know that I am God

I'm struggling again. I like to plan, and plan in advance. I like to know and hate the unknown. I like to be comfortable in where I am going and not wonder where I might end up. I like stability and knowledge.

But that is not God's plan for me right now. My plans and my future are in his hands. He is putting me in situation and making me aware that it is his plan and not mine. He is pleading with me daily in so many parts of my life. He is asking me to trust and be patient, to be still and know that he is God.