I love dogs!

Doesn't matter how you bring them...I love dogs!!!! After our amazing service at church today, some amazing friends and I were playing in Houston when we stumbled across the coolest animal shelter that I have ever wondered in. I wanted to adopt all the dogs! One was brought in as a puppy b/c it's previous owner had abused it and severed it's leg bone clear in half...horrific! I donated $50 for her b/c I couldn't take her in. (I should have done more but I spent the rest shamelessly at one of my favorite stores...Anthropologie!) You have to save a lot of money for that store! :) I wish I could save all the hurting children and animals out there! I hate when the helpless ones are hurt...the innocent. But I returned home from my adventures to find that my dad had brought home 2 new, male bird dog pups from his recent hunting adventures in Kansas. Please welcome Samson and Chief! I love them already...but not as much as I love Linus and Lucy and Pooka! Linus and lucy didn't know how to act...especially since Lucy is 6 months older than they are and half their size! :)

One less payment...

Five years and 98,000 miles later, it's all mine!!!! I finally paid off my Nissan Xterra and I officially hold the title to my own car now! No more payments! Yay! I feel like an un-burdened adult now! :)

Birthday Girl's re-Cap

On my Birthday...I woke up and poured myself an amazing cup of Christmas blend Starbucks coffee (of which I have stocked up on), and had an amazingly sweet Quiet time with my Lord! I asked Him to please tell me that He delighted in me (I never do that) and lo and behold, He did! I was reading through my Psalms devotional and I was on Psalm 147. The writer was talking about, A Father's Delight, and he said, "No father loves his kids the way God loves His. He is delighted with His children when they respond to His love, etc." Hallelujah! Well, after that sweet reply from my sweet Savior, I proceeded to talk to Him about what I wanted that year, what I was thankful for, etc. You see, although I was getting older, I wasn't sad. I was grateful for all that God had saved me from in my 28th year. But for the first time in my history of birthdays, I was ready for what He had for me in my 29th! I am excited about it! So after my intimate time with Jesus, I got all dressed up and headed out the door for a day in Houston with my sisters, mom, nieces, Amanda, and Ryan. We began by eating at Kona Grill in the galleria (where I par-took of some amazing sushi:Spicy yellowtail, tuna, salmon, and a sunshine roll!) Yum! Then we headed out for some serious shopping. (See pic of me in hat at Sax 5th Ave. I like to pretend that I am Audrey Hepburn sometimes! If only... ) I got 2 new purses (a must have...take a look at one), a new bracelet, and a new sweater (and none from Sax.) I also got a bag of delightful candy at Dylan's Candy Store...my idea of a small glimpse of heaven! Ryan's take of the day..."I didn't know that it was possible to shop for 5 hours!" Ha! He was the only boy. Then we headed to dinner at one of my favorites, The Taste of Texas. There we met my dad (bill payer) and my nephew. We played during one of the briefest waits that I have ever had there and then I indulged in all their goodness until I almost threw up b/c I was so full. But I had to have a piece of their slice of heaven cake, a woo-woo and cinnamon coffee for my birthday! It was worth it. May my jeans think so today too! :) From there we finally proceeded home (exhausted) and opened up my presents. I was blessed! Included is a pic of my new Uggs. I am trendy and warm now. :) I ended the night in my parent's hot tub with Ryan and my pups sitting near by, gazing peacefully up at the stars and thinking back to my Quiet Time in Psalm 147 that morning..."He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name." A full circle, amazing Day...yes, indeed! All in all, it was one of my favorite birthday's! You can find me next year on the beaches of Hawaii as I leave my 20's (gasp!)

On my Birthday....

I have been vacant for awhile. I got really sick over Christmas, was so busy (which is probably why i got sick...run-down), then I left for new staff YL training in Georgia, and recently I have been playing catch up. But today is my birthday and so I had to write! I had to write to say that although this is my last year in my 20's (gasp!), I'm not sad. And yet I nearly died when I turned 25 b/c I thought I was so old! Ha! That is when my body changed though...dang it! But today I am not sad. I am blessed! God has brought me so far with Him and I am so thankful for His faithfulness! I am blessed today! This year He has my heart! And He has been wanting it for so long! And I have been wanting to give it to Him for so long! But it's been a rough walk through the pains of the past. But today, that is just what they are...the past! This year my gaze is focused straight before Him! I give Him me this year! I have so much more to write but I have to get ready for my big day...shopping in Highland village and the galleria with my dear loved ones, lunch at RA sushi, dinner at Taste of Texas...Yes! But this one if not only for God...it is for you to Amanda! I finally wrote a blog...per your request. :) Get ready girl, b/c I have started writing my book too.....Thank you for saving me in so many ways, Jesus!!!! :) I love you!