so it's been awhile...

i didn't think anyone was still checking this blog, but it turns out that someone is - my blog status page shows that one person checks each day - even after months of no blogging whatsoever. so for that faithful viewer (and for you others who received the email notification saying "COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK IN HER (2nd) BLOG DEBUT, KATIE, THE GIRL WHO NEVER WRITES ANYMORE!" haha)...

so i have been wondering how to re-enter the blog world - do you address the long absence? do you need to write something that will change lives? do you ignore the fact that you haven't written publicly for 6 months? these are the questions and the problem is that i don't have answers. honestly i am not sure what happened. I had been so faithful - blogging about thanksgiving every day and then i missed a day and then one day turned into two and three and four and so on.... this type of things happens to me occasionally so i shouldn't be to terribly surprised...

"I am going to be a runner!" you announce to the world. so you train and run a half marathon and then a year goes by and looking back you can (shamefully and quite literally) don't need a full hand to count the number of times you ran...

"I am going to eat Paleo!" so confident, so sure... well maybe i'm going to eat Paleo on weekdays (weekends are so hard) but Friday counts as the weekend right? and my favorite day of the week is Thursday so my weekends sort of begin then. but Mondays are just so hard anyway so probably i shouldn't add to that stress. i mean is Paleo really worth it if i only eat it two days a week? probably not... hey Katie, do you want to go to Chuys? Mr. Chopsticks? Chick-fil-a? Roosters?..... why yes, yes i do.... i'm sorry Paleo who?

not that i don't ever stick to anything - i guess maybe it has to really matter to me. and i'm not saying this blog doesn't - but maybe that i forgot that it mattered? ya maybe that's it...

for the most part, i do consider myself a loyal person - for example i am incredibly faithful to (and defensive of) my family and friends. because honestly i have the best ones around. and when i look at the last several months, i am overwhelmed at how they have been there for me in difficult times and in times of celebration. one will call just to check in on like the worst day i've had in awhile. one will schedule a 2 hour phone date so we can (finally) hear what is going on with each other and then she'll ask questions that tell me she knows my heart and cares so deeply for me. one will help celebrate small victories (because she knows that for me, they are not small). one will cry over the phone because, even a couple hundred miles away, she simply knows. one will call to see if i'm going to Bible study and when i say no (for no good reason), she'll show up to pick me up. several will meet me for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, coffee, dinner, dessert, wine, or whatever works because we don't want life to pass by and us forget to know each other. they will sit with me on patios, in restaurants, at my apartment, at my mama's house, by the pool, in a coffee shop and they'll ask and then they'll listen. gosh. one thing i know for sure is that i am blessed by the people around me.

so what has been going on in the last several months? well in some ways it has seemed like the longest stretch of time there has ever been. and in other ways i feel like it absolutely flew. isn't time bizarre? 

well i moved, had a sweet family Christmas, went to California by myself (best trip ever - maybe more on that later, but i'm not making promises...), went to Abilene (a couple of times), went to Galveston, celebrated many birthdays, went to OKC, went to Canton, started my own business with Mary Kay (WHOA - talk about a whirlwind), celebrated my childhood best friend getting married, celebrated the first "four blonde" baby (and the second on the way EEEK!), applied for new jobs, found out about several babies on the way (please let ONE of them be a girl!!), celebrated engagements, studied the book of James with incredible women, joined a home group (who am I?), laughed a ton, cried a ton, drank more coffee than anyone should ever, read several books (goal for the year is to read a book a month and i'm happy to say i am well on my way :), listened to new music (thanks, Jenny!), caught up with blogs i love (one of which reminded me yesterday that the purpose of her blogging is to document life - like her own little scrapbook - thanks, Shay! - which is what this originally was for me anyway...) 

i will say that i am so happy that it is May :) warm weather in the afternoons and cool evenings is heavenly. i plan to spend the better part of this month outdoors - either on a patio or by the pool or walking around Canton (see you Saturday!) i have plans to spend time with good friends and am gearing up for summer which is my favorite time of year. (hello, Fourth of July!!! ...visions of fireworks dancing in my head.... yes, fireworks dance, okay?) so thanks for hanging in there with me and thanks to my incredible friends and family for just being there - sometimes "there" is all i need :)

happy May Day, team!

here's to new beginnings!

ps if you haven't heard, Starbucks is so excited about May, they are bringing back Frappy Hour! Half priced frappes from 3-5 on May 1-10! :) you are welcome.

sample girls

Today is a very special day. Not only are we still celebrating 21 Days of Thanksgiving but it is also Monday, which means it's...

Meet-Someone-New Monday

Don't worry, I have a great plan to combine the two. Tonight I was blessed to spend a wonderful evening with two incredible friends. You know how every once in awhile friends just click? Like Bert and Ernie or Robin and Lily or Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston? It's just meant to be. Well these two girls would fall into that category. They have known each other since before their awkward stages and endured the absurdity of middle school together (how any of us survive that trauma is beyond me). They have gone through rocky phases where they didn't know if they would remain friends or even be acquaintances and now they are rooming together in a quaint little apartment in Dallas. They have hard moments, but they understand each other. They laughed hysterically tonight as they told stories of the things that go on in their apartment - little quirks that they both have and how hilarious they think each other are. They have been through a lot. And somehow, through the grace of a loving Father, they ended up in the same city and sharing the same space. And they know that it is a blessing. At different times tonight, they each expressed how much they love that they get to live together and I was filled with a sweet kind of comfort as I listened to two girls, who are younger than me, share what they think about this bizarre stage of life we are all in. They are wise. They battle the world together and consistently remind each other who they really are and that work does not and will not define them. They are defined by so much more. I'll let you meet them separately: one here and the other here but if you ever get the chance to hang out with them together, you should. You can probably find them at Central Market, where they have become known as the sample girls, or at Starbucks, drinking coffee as they discuss matters of the heart. These girls are such a blessing to me and to each other. I am so glad I know them and even more glad that they are only a short drive away. I am thankful we were able to sit down and talk and laugh and express fear and anxiety and share wisdom and laugh and talk and laugh some more. So so very thankful. Actually thankful doesn't even begin to cover it...

Thweet, Wheels and Yougs together again. Love you ladies, more than you know :)

Thanks for Being My Friend

Today I am so thankful for old friends who know the truth and aren't afraid to speak it. I sat at dinner tonight with a girl I have known for most of my life. We met around the third grade when I wished that I could be her because she had way better hair than me (beautiful, thick, red hair) and could still a crowd with her voice. She was given (completely deserved) the lead in our church musical and I was overcome with jealousy. I sometimes think that I am more gifted in the singing department than I actually am and in the third grade, when she got to sing the solo in "Thanks for Being My Friend," I thought my life was over. It wasn't. I survived and we moved on and became inseparable in early high school. Since then our paths have crossed at divine times. She boldly speaks truth into mine and I laugh hysterically at her stories and her passion. She loves the Lord.
Tonight I was letting her in on my struggle with discontentment and consistent wondering if I am making the right decisions and she calmly listened and replied that we have much to be thankful for because our decisions don't really matter. This, of course, caused me pause because I have developed the destructive habit of thinking that my decisions absolutely have the power to perfect or destroy my life. Oh how wrong I have been. My decisions do not determine my joy (just imagine the turmoil that would cause); it is the Lord who is constantly at work in me for his glory alone. Hallelujah. She quoted to me Isaiah 54:10 (which I am now looking up in my Bible):

"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

In other words, regardless of your situation or circumstance, no matter where you find yourself or what turmoil is occurring around you, the Lord is steadfast. He has compassion on you and he will not remove his covenant of peace. His covenant of peace... I don't understand this completely, but I am confident that it is truth and I am choosing to remind myself to be thankful - for grace and mercy and peace - all given to me regardless of my ridiculous mess or behavior or anxiety.
For Jesus said:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Peace, dear friends. Today, I am thankful for peace.

making a list.. checking it twice...

wait that's the wrong holiday...
maybe what I mean to say is... is... are there Halloween songs? I feel like there should be but now I can't think of any... hmmm. well anyway.
I made a list last week on the blog and have had a fun and enlightening week of checking it off. (Literally I kept forgetting what was on the list so I checked it way more than twice...) And this blog post will complete it. I had fun completing all of the things, but I also realized some things along the way... The always funny thing about me is that I think I can fix me. I think that making a list or a change, getting my hair cut or my nails done, drinking more coffee or having a glass of wine, might change me, but I was / am / foreverwillbe mistaken. If I think that it is possible to add value or purpose to my life by making a small list, I've lost track of what I really need. This week was a completely broken and sweet reminder of that. I cannot change simply by adding things to my To Do list. I need a heart change. And that doesn't come from me. I used to wish it was that easy - that I could just do a couple of quick things and I'd be fine, but I know that if I could change myself - if something I did could add value to me, I would lose sight of something so much more important. And that is the fact that there is someone much more powerful than me, who created me, who loves me, and He alone not only says I am valuable, but he makes me valuable (when let's face it, I am the ultimate suck *Thank you 8th grade Bible study for that lesson*). And even though I don't always understand those things and I don't always feel like they are true, I know in the deepest parts of who I am that they most definitely are true. The Creator of the Universe called me and He can see better than anyone else how much of a mess I am and still he covers it - not because he doesn't know it's there, but because he loves me and knows that I could never be enough. Only Jesus is enough. And that reminder was so painful to get to this week, but I know it is true and I will make the effort to be faithful in the small things and try to trust that He is at work in me. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true.

The cool part about a list like this is that, even though there were meltdown moments this week, there were also some really fun moments. Even though a list like this doesn't fix my circumstance or heart, most of these items caused me to slow down and take a deep breath and evaluate and enjoy life - and that was the point. So, make your own list and bravely check things off. Force yourself to take a step outside of yourself and actually see the world around you. I don't think you'll regret it...
I don't have pictures of everything on the list, but I did manage to snag a few:

Here is a picture of Scarecrow Treats. Got this recipe from here - It's Mix and Match Mama :) I have referenced Shay's blog before and truly she has become my go to for fun and simple treats. I did burn my finger on this one, but it healed nicely and I know these were a hit at my sister's Halloween party tonight :) I also made these Sweet and Salty Oreos (not pictured which is unfortunate because they turned out so pretty!) and they were super easy!!!

Here are a couple from the Dallas Arboretum. I am seriously considering becoming a member! It was so wonderful - despite the ridiculous traffic on 635 that made me want to die. Luckily I was in good company and we had wine with us so as soon as we found a spot to "set up camp" we opened a bottle of wine and it was smooth sailing from there!

LOOK AT THESE COLORS!!!! (photo cred to Deb :)

This is my current background on my work computer, which just makes me happy :)

Pumpkin carving was an adventure too... I tend to be a little ambitious when it comes to pumpkin carving... but I usually have a stencil. This time not so much. I just drew it on the pumpkin and started carving. There were panic moments along the way, but overall we were so pleased with all of the pumpkins!

Then last night I had a relaxing hour or so to walk around the children's department of Barnes and Noble. I love that place. It is happy :) The first book I read, I just fell in love with...
Here it is pictured... It's called "The I'm Not Scared Book." I figured I would like it just based on the title alone. And it did not disappoint.
The last page was my favorite:
Sometimes we are scared of things because we don't understand them.
When you are afraid, tell someone why and maybe you won't be scared anymore. The End. Love, Todd
How true and such a good reminder, especially for me :)


And then I got to end my evening with a cup of decaf pumpkin spice - it was glorious, as Ali would say. I want to be clear that even though this list was great and honestly fun to complete, it is not what fulfills me. The list does not complete any part of me and there were still rough moments of this week, as I imagine there always will be... But I am so glad I did it. Sometimes it is so nice to take a step back and re-evaluate and do things that you know are good for you. Like drink coffee and read children's books. Simple. Precious. Life.

PS

saying see ya, September!

maybe a little late ish considering we're a week into October... but still...
September was a month comprised with ups and downs. I thought that there was no way to redeem a month of that much turmoil, but it turns out that even the hardest months can have some redemption. The last week of September came with the small amount of relief that I needed to still have faith in Septembers. And it was awesome.

The week began with the kick off to a much anticipated season. Autumn had finally arrived. To commemorate the day, my roommates and I had planned a Happy Fall Party! We totally stole the idea from one of my favorite blogs: shullfamily.blogspot.com
Shay Shull is a super sweet, really down to earth girl, who has a heartbeat for cooking, her family and the Lord (not quite in that order!) She is great and you should read her blog too. I have tried out several of her ideas, but this one was by far my favorite. Every year she and her friends do a post Labor Day scarf exchange (think white elephant gift exchange). I told my roommates about it and we just couldn't handle it; so we hosted a scarf exchange of our own! And it was way too much fun. We had it in our home and made lots of fun Fall desserts and snacks. We had almost 20 girls come and bring scarves and we laughed as we exchanged them. There were some super cute scarves and these women were ruthless about stealing. (Well most of them. My sweet friend, Brittany, didn't want to steal because she thought that the scarf looked so good on one of the other girls :) I love my friends!!! We had the best time :) The group was made up of different people from different parts of our lives so as their number came up, each girl had to share who they were and how they were connected to the group. It was so fun to bring together women from all different parts of our lives to hang out for one evening. A huge THANK YOU to Shay for this awesome idea :)
Here we are at the end of the party with our new scarves:

Then the week flew by and I could tell that a change in weather was coming. I was housesitting for my parents and loving the quietness and comfort of the house I grew up in - the only house I can remember from my childhood.

On Friday night, my oldest sister, Abby came into town. Now, I love my family. Anyone who knows me knows that, and I absolutely treasure any time we all get to spend together, but every once in a while a weekend happens that is unreal. We just click and understand each other and things flow so easily. It all just seems simple. And this was one of those. We had sibling dinner at Ali's comfortable home and then went out for pumpkin spice lattes (decaf and in "for here" mugs) and laughed some but mostly cried because sometimes life is more complicated than we expect and sometimes there is more pain than we are willing to let on to just anyone. But in the safety of these sisters, there is comfort and rest - not because of us, but because of the Lord. The One who created us and placed each of us in our family carefully orchestrated each of our minds to be at certain points for that moment and there was pain, but there was also hope. We chatted for a couple of hours that night before we had to head back to my parents to welcome them home from vacation. And then the rest of the weekend was peaceful and joyful. My grandparents joined us and my aunt and her family. We celebrated my favorite man on earth and rejoiced in the fact that he was born 56 years ago and graciously given to us as a Dad. Little man pulled up on one of his push toys and took a few steps with the help of the toy on wheels and the women went to a craft show while the men watched football. And for the weekend everything just was fine - better than fine, actually it was great. We have a gracious God and the love of family and couldn't have asked for more. All of us had endured pretty rotten Septembers. We needed some relief and some hope and just some home - to remind us who we are and who we want to be. And it was given to us. We left that weekend so sad to go, but so thankful for the gift to have had time together again.

September was a rough month and I was so ready to say goodbye, but the last weekend truly redeemed a whole month of questioning and uncertainty. I am thankful for Fall, for cool weather and change, for football and family and friends, and for a God who loves me and meets a need before I can speak a want.

Still, I was okay with saying "See ya, September!" And so happy to move on to October. The weather is remarkable and the people seem refreshed (probably from not having to endure 100 degrees on their drive to work). Maybe a week late, but Happy October, World! I hope you were as happy to see it coming and I was :)

i think i can. i think i can.

Can we stop for a second and discuss the fact that there are doughnuts in the break room? Doughnuts. DOUGHNUTS. They have been sitting there all morning and it's Monday and it's the first day of school and I forgot my lunch in the fridge at home and I really want one. And even though I keep telling myself that I don't need a doughnut. "It's just empty calories (and a lot at that). The sugar would not be good for me. I'll probably be hungry again in an hour. The sugar high would not be a great combo with the caffeine wave I am already riding. Etc. Etc." Despite all of the reasons, they are calling my name (almost audibly), as if they know me or can sense my ever growing want. They're not even the kind of doughnut that I prefer. (I mean once you have a blueberry cake doughnut, the rest pale in comparison). But still, I want. However, I am reciting to myself all of the reasons I should make the healthy choice and whispering "I think I can! I think I can!" every time I walk past the break room. Sure my coworkers are starting to question my sanity, but I am sure I will thank myself later... Or because I was so good this time, next time there are doughnuts in the break room, I'll be having one. Life is too short to go completely doughnutless.

In other news...
Did everyone remember that today is...
Meet-Someone-New Monday

For today, however, we will not be meeting someone, but more of a something... I am all about trying new things. I mean that within reason. I am probably not going to be the first one out of the plane, but if a group of people wanted to go sky diving, I wouldn't be a "no" right off the bat. I have one friend who is always up for crazy. She is completely nuts, but we absolutely love her this way and would never ask her to change. This friend adds a whole new level to life and even though sometimes her ideas are nuts, most of the time, she has enough energy and passion to get others on board. And I love that about her. Sarah has picked up a new hobby this summer and she has been begging me to come to the lake with her, but I couldn't make it happen until this past Friday. I knew she would jump at the chance to go paddle boarding because she's a member and she loves to take people for their first time. So Sarah, her sister, and I met right by the lake just after dusk. I am telling you I thought this was going to be super tricky. I figured I would spend 90% of my time frustrated or in the water or under the board or just laying on the board holding on for dear life, but it. was. awesome. Now just to clear up some common misconceptions, paddle boarding is not the boat that you sit in and pedal, Mama. Paddle boarding is where you stand on the surf board and use an oar to get around (think canoe). So we got to the lake, paid the rental fee, and were given a headlamp and a glow stick - The state of Texas deems a paddle board a boat so you have to have a light in front and back. Then we set out. And yall I was immediately a fan. We paddled around for awhile and then got our boards together, laid the paddles across them to make a raft type thing and enjoyed a firework show. I am not sure if I have expressed my love of fireworks, but they are my most favorite thing in the whole world. I love fireworks. My favorite holiday is the fourth of July and I prefer to go to Rangers games on Fridays; there is just something about them. *sigh* They never get old. So we watched fireworks and then paddled around a bit more. I was loving it and it was actually really easy...
....until I decided to show off my mad skills by jumping around on my board and simultaneously throwing myself completely off balance. I totally fell in and was laughing so hard I got water up my nose and down my throat. hahaha. Even now I am still laughing about it. I was flailing with the best of them.Once I caught my breath, I was back on the board and paddling as if nothing had happened. Except that every so often Sarah or Joy or I would giggle again. Such a fun way to spend a Friday night.

So in case you are thinking this is what you want to do for labor day, here's what you need to know: We went to Grapevine Lake, where they do fireworks every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day (so this weekend is your last chance to see them!). It costs $20 to rent everything, plus $10 if you need a lesson. If you go at night and you want to get a board that lights up, that is an extra $10 (and it's cool, but not necessary - we went with just the regular board...)

To sum up, GO TRY THIS!
And also go eat a doughnut for me : )

what the what?!

July 31... THIRTY FIRST! Is that a joke? I mean weren't we just settling in to Summer and celebrating my favorite holiday (the Fourth :) and starting to plan pool parties? How did this happen? July was completely nuts as usual and it sort of feels like a blur. I am not ready to say goodbye to it yet so I thought I would re-live some of the greatness that was this month...

The month started off with me having a nice short week and looonnnnggg weekend for the fourth.

On July 2, I went to a Rangers game with some great friends. We had awesome seats and ended up being on TV! It was epic :) And it happened to be free fedora night! So we each got to take home a fancy Texas Rangers fedora... LOVE! :)
Then my family hung out by the pool and cooked hamburgers and had a classic July 4th. We climbed on my parent's roof to get a small glimpse at fireworks in the area and stayed up late talking and enjoying the beautiful (not too hot) weather.

Later that weekend we had family date night at the movies and went to see Monsters University (so cute!) My sweet nephew (who's car seat can just barely be seen behind my dad's head...) even wore monster pjs and was so calm and quiet for his first movie theater experience! At just 7 months old, he did great - we were super impressed :)

The next week, two of my sisters and I left for an adventure week in Guatemala! Becoming a "guategirl" was definitely a highlight of my July. We explored the city of Antigua, climbed a volcano, spent a few nights at an avocado farm, and one night at a fancy hotel in the city. Overall it was an incredible experience. We caught up and read and rested and laughed and fought and played. Everyone should go there at some point. You won't regret it!

Then my birthday week began with a roadtrip to Galveston with my two best friends! Spending time at this beach house is always a favorite part of the summer. We fished and read and relaxed. The group consisted of four guys, my best friend (Amanda), and me. Amanda and I acted like the "dorm moms" and cooked the meals for the weekend - with help from her amazing hubby! It is so fun to play house like that :) And I never regret taking a road trip with those two. Amanda and her husband each picked the most incredible people to marry and I am so blessed to call them my best friends!



And then BIRTHDAY WEEK BEGAN! There were so many surprises along the way. On Monday night at our weekly bachelorette party, Amanda brought ice cream treats for everyone. On Tuesday night, Amanda and Will cooked dinner for me and then took me to see Despicable Me 2 (because they know I love to go to the movies on a weeknight :) On Wednesday, my roommate and I celebrated National Tequila Day and had Mexican food for dinner. On Thursday (actual birthday), my roommates woke me up in the morning with Starbucks and a Kolache (YUM!). Later, my Dad, Mom, sisters, nephew and Amanda went to lunch and then my friends took me for sushi and a girls night out! On Friday we layed out by the pool all day and then had family dinner that night. On Saturday we layed out again all day and had a golden birthday party that night. All my friends came to celebrate and everything was decorated in gold :) It was a nuts-o week but so so so much fun! Click here to read about some of the awesome gifts I got!

   

Pretty much my July was incredible. Precious time spent with my sisters, my sweet sweet nephew, my mama and dad and my great friends. This is how July is supposed to be. And although I'm sad for it to be over, I am so happy at the way it went. Here's hoping August brings as much joy and celebration!
Hope your July was a time to be treasured as well :)

Erin Condren (and other fabulous designers!)

Okay so I wrote this yesterday and meant to post it yesterday, but I didn't... So pretend like my Monday post actually came to you on Monday...

Hello Friends! Today I will be introducing you to a few new "friends" of mine :) This weekend was absolutely wonderful. From just getting to hang out with my amazing friends and family to dancing, eating, opening presents and laughing, this was one of the best birthdays yet! Despite the fact that my family started to come down with some type of cold on Friday, we persevered and they made the weekend so special. Later this week (or next!) I will be posting a fashion segment about my outfit choices for this epic golden birthday weekend so stay tuned! Until then, I want you to meet some of my new birthday presents because you probably need to look into these for yourself... Or put them on your next birthday, Christmas, Labor Day, Random Tuesday(?) wish list...

drum roll, please... It's....
Meet-Someone-New Monday

To start off with, you should know that my mom is A-MAZING! She is the absolute best at listening ever-so-carefully to us and then snagging exactly what we want for our birthdays - it's awesome - seriously I don't know how she does it! And this year was no different. Other than the first listed below (which I picked out myself), she nailed it. And she finds such joy in finding the perfect gifts for her girls. :)

                   First up: my new Erin Condren planner!

This planner is the planner to end all planners. It comes with sections for keeping track of birthdays and anniversaries (which is a big struggle of mine!) and it is super durable. You can customize it yourself to put your name on it or a picture of your family or pretty much whatever you want - seriously if you need to get organized for the fall, go here: http://www.erincondren.com/store/ and fall in love with that cuteness!

Second: my new Vera Bradley Weekender Bag:

A few weeks ago, my mom and I were picking one out for her and I just fell in love with this bag! It is so practical and will definitely accompany me on all of my weekend trips! My favorite feature is that it has a strap on the back to slip over rolling luggage, for easy carrying in an airport - LOVE! This print is Summer Cottage - simply lovely :) There are several prints on sale right now too! Go get you one! :) 

Next: my new Scout Beach Bag!

In case you are not seeing a theme here, I just want to let you know that anything cute, I instantly think I need :) This Scout bag was SO unexpected! I bought one for my best friend Amanda in the Swirly Temple print *side note: The names of these prints, Vera, or OPI Nail Polish just kill me. I would love to meet the team behind that!* but I had no clue I would be getting one too :) They picked out the striped "Very Canary Island" print. I am not sure how they chose because all of them are super cute. 

I was so blessed to receive several other gifts (some will appear in my fashion segment :)  One gift, not pictured but SO loved, is a picnic blanket to keep in my car - this has been on the "wants" list for about 9 years, literally. Everyone should have one of these! This is a similar one, but not the exact same print as mine: The Best Picnic Blanket

This blanket is so great because it doesn't get grass and dirt stuck to it - you can just shake it off, zip it up and you are good to go - you never know when you might need one around - Thanks, Amanda! :)

I love when gifts are so thoughtful - like my roommate who got me a London pillow, or my sisters filling the beach bag with 25 things for me (including Shawn White gum and a stuffed llama from Guatemala)! Everyone really went above and beyond to make me feel so loved and valued - to the point that I was completely speechless (which doesn't happen often to me)! I could go on and on about the jewelry, clothes, sweet book from my Mama and Dad, figurine from my Granny, lime holder from my cousin, framed picture from a friend, cupcakes, cakes, dinners, etc, but I think it would take days for you to read through all of it. I am so grateful for the gifts, yes, but mostly for the time my precious friends and family put into making sure I felt blessed. They are wonderful and truly outdid themselves.