No Really, LET IT SNOW!!

It is December 13th and the current temperature is sixty-one degrees. This is kind of crazy. We're had highs this week of seventy-five degrees. How are you supposed to get into the Christmas spirit when you're too busy sweating your socks off? No, literally, I've contemplated wearing flip-flops all week! It's supposed to snow this weekend, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Swimming may have improved my lung capacity, but I refuse to test it on Tennessee's idea of "snow".

Sam and I are headed to Asheville this weekend with the puppy to visit my Jenny Lynn! I can't wait! She's got a pretty little baby bump! I'm excited for her. Eva had her baby. Gorgeous little Jayda was born Friday, November 30th. Eva, Jay and the baby are doing well. Life has certainly brought unexpected blessings to their lives.

Life is going really well here. My relationships are truly developing into something beautiful. While I love my family and can't wait to spend the holidays with them, I am finding myself heartbroken at the idea of leaving my Tennessee family for a week. It comforts me to know that Jax will take good care of Sam while I'm gone. :)

Jax... Oh me, oh my! He's almost seven months old and a complete terror. I love him to pieces! He has not destroyed anything in the house, which is a miracle considering he's a boxer puppy. He's absolutely gorgeous! We registered him with the AKC. He is officially Jax Rian Romanov. Within the next few months, we will start showing him. We want to see how he does in shows before we consider breeding him. If he's not the perfect picture of a boxer, we don't want to hurt the breed. I am not worried about that, tho! He meets all the standards and has the perfect temperament! Sam is fascinated with the dog and constantly comments on how big he's getting. At the age of six and a half months, he weighs 43 pounds and continues to grow... We're looking at a future BIG DOG! :)

My first grad class is complete. I had my final on Tuesday night. Overall, the class went well. I hope that the rest of my grad classes are a bit more of a challenge. Next semester, I intend to take three grad classes. I will also be working full time. I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but I love a challenge. I also want to graduate with my Masters by May of 2009. This can only happen if I bust my butt. It's worth it to me.

Well, that's a pretty decent update. I suppose that's all for now. I'll be back eventually to contribute to this again. I hope you all have a blessed holiday! Merry Christmas!

What Do You Get When You Mix a Snarl With a Smile?

A smarl? I have every reason to be happy, but I'm grumpy right now. I need to just get over it...It doesn't help being sick, but still. Test-run tonight. We'll see how that goes. Pray for me...

It's Been a Long While

I think I stated earlier that I'm not always the best at keeping up with journals of any sort. Point in case...

Life is really great right now. I am so glad that I moved to Knoxville! God has big plans for me here, but I admit I'm struggling a little bit in getting motivated.

The Brackneys have moved back to Michigan. That breaks my heart. Sarah, Sydney and Landen were like my nieces and nephew. I babysat for them for the last time in TN on Tuesday. Landen has a perfect record for going to bed pleasantly. That child is going to be the most laid back, funny kid on the planet. The girls are gorgeous and, with any luck, they will be as spunky and awesome as April and Miss Rita.

I have a new addition to my family! Three and a half weeks ago, I got a beautiful little boxer puppy. His name is Jax Rian! He's the cutest thing ever! Sam and I agreed to get a dog. He has a house and no one else to share the space. What better to complete his redneck personality than a big tough dog?! Actually, Jax is a big push over. He's very smart and we're having a great time training him.

Sam, Jax and I are headed to Michigan this weekend! I'm so excited! We're going to spend time teaching Jax how to swim at Grandma and Grandpa's. Then, Sunday, we're headed up to Mackinaw City with Mom, Dad and Dan. We're going to camp and then walk the Mackinaw Bridge on Monday! Sweet deal, yo! I'm pumped about being back in Michigan. It's been too golldarn hot here!

Well, back to work... Of course things pick up right when I'm getting ready to go to lunch... Alas...

Faith Without Deeds

Sometimes life takes a little more strength than we alone possess. That’s where God, family and friends come in. I’m not implying that my life is at such a point that I am struggling to cope. By no means am I in that place. I wonder what would happen if I got to that place? Would I admit my weakness and ask for help? I’m not sure… But I digress…

Lately, I’ve been feeling some tugs on the heart strings. I’ve got questions about love and commitment that I have no answers for. Surprisingly, my little sister has been a great help in this department. How can she be so wise?! Amazing! With patience and reliance on God, I’m sure things will pan out how they’re supposed to. However, I keep coming back to those sermons about faith without deeds. What am I supposed to be doing and what would be forcing things? Becky has her own opinions on this, but I have not formulated my own yet. Time… It seems like I’ve already given so many years of my time to this, so what’s a little more? :)

I had an amazing weekend! I went camping and whitewater rafting with Jenny and her family. It was fantastic! I think I would love being a river guide. Water, sunshine, outdoors, a good workout. Sounds like an awesome summer!! We’ll see. Some of that depends on those heart strings, I suppose.

Steph’s coming into town today! I’m excited! I think I’m going to chart how many different states I touch in the year 2007. Thus far, I’ve hit AR, TN, OH, KY, MI and NC. Today, I’m hitting GA. In July, I’m going to be in CO and I might hit up VA this summer. Eventually, I’ll get down to AL to see Luke and FL to see Reggie and Sarah. Friday marks the one year anniversary of me inheriting Balls (my car). By Friday, I will have put about 25000 miles on him. I love that traveling!

Oh How Things Have Changed

I went to a wedding this weekend. The wedding of a guy that I was super close to during our first semester at Harding. We were road trip buddies and confidants. Rachel is a lucky girl! God is going to bless the two of them in amazing ways in their lives together!

It got me to thinking, tho. Big surprise. Being around Harding people has caused me to be very thoughtful as of late. So much has changed since we all started at Harding. We have changed, situations have changed, Harding has changed, and relationships have changed. Some friendships have grown so strong they will never be broken. Other relationships that started so strong have become strained. I've been blessed to have relationships coming out of college that I know are everlasting. God has been very good to me.

Jesus is unchanging. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That relationship is a constant, although at times, one-sided. What a comfort.

I'm going camping and white water rafting this weekend! I am so pumped! I'm going with a family that I've known since I was born. Jenny and I have been friends since birth. Well, since my birth, since she's six months older than me. That's why I'm Jenny 2. This is just one of those friendships that no amount of time could ever cause it to disappear. Rock on! I am so excited!!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend, kids! Let's remember what this weekend is all about. Monday is not about a day off work, but rather a time to reflect on all those that have done so much to make our lives as amazing as they are! God bless!

That Vitamin C Song

When I was in high school, that Vitamin C song about moving on but being friends forever came out. They would play it a lot around graduation. Now, with Harding's graduation upon us, I've got that song stuck in my head. I can't believe a bunch of my friends are graduating this weekend. We're all growing up so quickly. I was thinking about high school last night and the memories I made then. It seems like it wasn't that long ago. However, in between those memories and now are all the memories I made in college. I still find it hard to believe that I've graduated and I'm out on my own now. It just kind of sneaks up on you, you know? My chest gets a little tight thinking about it sometimes. Obviously I'm ready for it, because I'm surviving, but it's still strange to think about.

I'm looking forward to being back at Harding this weekend. It's been over two months since I've been there. I miss the people there so much! They are my closest friends. It's so different in Knoxville. Harding really is a bubble. Don't get me wrong, I loved every second of it. It's just so different here. Each atmosphere has its benefits and it's frustrations.

Pray for all those people who are now faced with "the rest of their lives." This can be a very intimidating time. God is good and He'll direct their paths. I'll see all of you Knoxville folk when I get back. Searcy, here I come!


P.S. Heather's last day is today... Buhrn on being the only college aged girl in the office... I'm going to miss her! But there will be many a trip to Podunk, North Carolina! :)

Thoughts on Life

Life is a complicated and beautiful thing. There are many things that confuse us, things that thrill us and things that hurt us. Yet, for the most part, people love life. How strange. The things that mean the most to us are often the things we don't understand. God loves us. He gave his only Son to die on the cross for us. His love gives us joy. His love creates a hurt in us, although the pain is different for everyone. To me, God's love confuses me. Yet, I cannot imagine my life without it. To be honest, there would be no point to life without God's love.

Recently, the son of one of the family's at church was in a bad accident. I have become very close to this family in my four months here and this accident hit me hard. Talking to Chele and hearing her pain was terrifying to me. Josh is going to be ok, but something like this will inevitably affect you. I thought of this situation like it was one of my family members in the accident. Life is fragile. You never know what might happen. Look at Job. He lost EVERYTHING! We are all in God's care, but He does not necessarily shield us from pain. He promises to be there to hold us while we hurt. God is holding that family and all of us who were affected by this event. If you think about it, please pray for that situation.

I have also started to question the trials in my life. I am blessed with a good family. However, like all families, we have our issues. In the past few weeks, some hard facts and topics have come to the surface. Again, we go back to the fact that the things you love the most are the things that hurt the most. We are limping through it. Regardless of the pain, I love my family and would give anything for them. I know that God is good and we will overcome these hardships, only to be made stronger in the end.

There are other things that I've been thinking about, but they are not as pressing. Something about a biological clock (lol) and an occasional sense of loneliness. These things will be dealt with in time, with patience and God's direction.

Have a blessed week! In light of the season (YAY, GRADUATES) learn to embrace change and look for the blessings in every challenging situation!

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming...

I'm trying to keep my head above water. Ok, really, life is good, but I am EXHAUSTED today! I'm trying not to fall asleep and drool on my keyboard... Gross.. What you can't see is all the backspacing I'm having to do. My brain knows what I want to type, but my fingers are feeling a mite sluggish... Oh well, I'll press on.

Eva made the comment the other day that I am a very busy girl. Why is that? I've been in Knoxville for four months and already I've got a pretty regular schedule of involvement. Being with people in the church occupies a majority of my time besides work. I also spend time at the gym pretty regularly as well as socializing with coworkers and the few other friends I've made here in Knoxville. I thrive on activity. When I was in college (whoa, that was weird...) I constantly had things that I was doing. An afternoon in the apartment with nothing to do was rare, but welcome. I love the downtime. However, if I have too much of it, I risk going crazy... I guess I just like being busy and social.

So where does God come into all this? I fill my time with good things, things that I can be proud of. But is my busy routine taking up my time with God? "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Mt 16:26 NIV) This is my reminder to myself that I need to make my relationship with God the priority. Everything else will benefit from such a decision. Have a blessed week and be sure to make God your #1!

Fat and Happy! :)

I had a fantastic weekend! Actually, I've had a spectacular week and some since I wrote last. I am definitly starting to feel like Knoxville is my home. I am getting to know people and generally loving this location. I spent last week hanging out with a plethera of wonderful people. I taught Adam how to drive my car. He did a great job! Don't let him tell you otherwise! I went to Sundown in the City with some of my coworkers! What a great time! George Thorogood is truly bad to the bone! :) His fans are something else... :) I hung out with Heather and we fed our need for Grey's Anatomy. OOO, and Sonjaya was voted off of American Idol! (I'm a nerd, I know...) Sam and I spent Friday night laughing our faces off. That was a good time. Then, Saturday morning, I drove to Nashville to see Kali! She and I grew up together. Lauren, Kali and I were practically inseparable. Now Lauren's married and in VA, Kali's in Nashvegas and I'm here in good old Knoxville. Anyway, I have missed that girl immensly! We had such a great time talking and being girly! Some things never change! :) We also ate some tasty food, thus the entry title... :) Saturday night, Alan Adamisin came to hang out with us! That was sooooo cool! I haven't seen him in so long. We reminisced about working at summer camp! MCYC!! Woot! Tonight, I went to the CSC with Adam. That group of people is so friendly and genuine. I can't wait to actually be a student at UT (No, I haven't heard yet.)

My life is so blessed! God loves me with such intensity that I cannot even pretend to understand! He has amazing patience, which is a much needed example to me. Please, pray for me to have patience and to trust in God's Will for my life. I have a tendency to rush some things that I get anxious about. Have a superb evening! Remember, GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME! :)

BUHRN

Well, they've done it. They've blocked a majority of sites at work. I'm surprised I got into the blog site... That will probably change in time. The result of this is that I will now have the internet at my apartment. That's assuming my phone line ever starts working. None of my jacks work and they want $95 to come out and check and see why the line isn't working. Ugh... Being technological is expensive... So, yeah, now I can function like the average American. ;) Note the previous entry... My life is ironic...

Life is going pretty well! I get to go see my dad and brother in Pigeon Forge today! They've been hiking in the Smokies all week. Lucky guys... We're going to have a tasty dinner at Golden Corral... Adam, I believe you were the one commenting on the gourmet food at this five star restaurant. :)

Well, it's a fun day of work on a Saturday. Have a blessed week all!!

Dead Zone

I love being out here in Ann Arbor. So often in today's world, it's easy to get wrapped up in technology. Now, all of a sudden, you're having a great conversation with your grandparents and your phone rings, so you pause to answer it. Not out here, my friends! Here, at the good ole Burlingame Farm, you get practically ZERO cell phone service. It's AWESOME! Yeah, when I was living here this summer, it was slightly frustrating. Now, I embrace the solitude. Don't get me wrong, guys! I've enjoyed all the "Happy Easter" texts (oh how things are changing), but it's been nice not to get enough service to even be tempted to respond. It's a nice break from a fast-paced world. Out here, in the country, we're surrounded by trees, water and snow (I love Michigan). Ok, so maybe this is a little funny, since I'm posting a journal entry about the lack of technology using the internet. However, I am using dial-up... Practically ancient. :) Anyway, that's enough ranting. So, if I didn't answer a text or call from you this weekend, don't take offense. I was lost in a Dead Zone. Happy Easter!

A Story Aboot a Boot

So, last night, I was in good old downtown Knoxville. Let's remember that I have been downtown in my own car all of two times. I was going to be attending a Bible study, so perhaps I had grace on the brain. Anyway, I parked somewhere you're apparently not supposed to park. I came back after a fantastic experience with fun new people to find a boot on my car. Parking tickets are a bummer, but a boot... Come on now! :) So, Adam kept me company while I waited to have this fun little accessory removed. I was pretty cheerful about the situation. Yes, a $100 lesson is expensive, but one that I won't have to go through again. The nice man came and removed the boot after we waited 30 minutes and I was still smiling. Then, as I'm about to pull out of the parking lot, he yells to me. I roll down my window out of curiosity and he gives me a hearty "Go Buckeyes!" I did a 180... My smile vanished and my jaw dropped... He added insult to injury! A $100 TICKET ISSUED BY A BUCKEYE FAN! Dang, rough night... :) Naw, I can still smile about it. Anyway, note to you. Don't park outside of a frat house when there could be buckeye fans around...

P.S. People with amazing voices make me happy! :)

Let It Snow

So, it snows in Tennessee in late March. Tiny flurries of white and pink adorn the streets, sidewalks and grass. All over, the apple and pear blossom petals fall to the ground and give the impression of snow on the green grass. Yesterday, I was stopped at a red light and noticed that when the wind blew, the petals moved in much the same way as snow in Michigan would. However, this floral snow occurs amidst 80 degree temperatures and has a fragrance that can't be matched. Another reason to fall in love with Tennessee...

God is Good All the Time (fill in response here)

So things are much better! Just goes to show that God can heal hearts and rekindle smiles.

I had a great weekend! Friday, I worked until eight, but it was with Jeff, who can be a riot to work with. Get him started on a topic he feels strongly about (there seem to be a lot) and he goes off. He's intelligent as well, so it's not random, pointless thoughts. Too funny! Saturday, I got to play outside! Yeah, so I'm almost 22 and I said I got to "play"! What of it?! :) I threw a softball and frisbee around with a new-found Knoxville friend. Then, we went geocaching (3/5 logs... not bad for beginners). He then introduced me to an amazing little pizza place called Big Ed's. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... We took the scenic route! I love that Tennessee has so many scenic routes! Sunday, I woke up an hour before my alarm with a smile on my face! It was great! Finally, at small group, there was a birthday cake for Julie and myself. It's hard to remember your birthday when you're in a new place with new people. I'm adjusting tho.

Life is pretty awesome! I get to see my little brother on Saturday in North Carolina. Heather and I are leaving Saturday morning for a fun little roadtrip! Should be a blast!

Who wants to hang out Friday night?

I really want to get a puppy... :) (random thought for the day...)

This is How a Heart Breaks

Please keep both of us in your prayers. This is not easy for either...

In a Funk

I don't know what's wrong with me today. It's like it's hard to be positive about things. The weather outside is beautiful, work is uneventful, Jeremy is here and Jesus died and rose again so I could live forever. Pretty great day, huh? So why am I having such a hard time smiling? Two people at work today have commented on it now. Maybe this is one of those days that I'm allowed to have occassionally, where I don't have to be cheery and peppy if I don't want to be. I think I need a nap...

Otherwise, life is amazing! Jeremy likes Knoxville, which is a good thing. I think now that he's experienced it, although on a small scale, he'll better understand why I don't want to leave this place. I feel like I belong here. It's hard getting used to a new place, but Knoxville has been amazing to me. I really like it. I'm excited to see what other opportunities God will present to me as I experience the town more...

Chris and Matt get here on Friday! I'm so pumped! I love those boys! They're on their last roadtrip together before Matt becomes a married man in May. That's crazy. I remember meeting Matt on the front lawn freshman year. We were playing ultimate frisbee and here comes this nerdy looking kid with crazy red hair and smurf blue spandex pants... :) Rachel's a really lucky girl.

Well, nostalgia doesn't always help a bummed mood, so I'm gone. Here's a positive thought... 3 DAYS TILL ST. PATRICK'S DAY!! :)

WOWIE!

Jeremy's here!! :-D

And the Anticipation Builds...

My little sister is getting on a bus in 5 hours to come down here to see me! I am so excited! I have to pick her up downtown at 5:30AM which is kind of stinky, but it's SOOOO worth it! I can't wait to spend time with her! She's awesome, even if she is a little punk sometimes! ;) LOVE YA, BECK! So, the countdown has begun on that excitement.

Just to add to that, Becky and I are driving to Nashville on Friday night to get Jeremy. Praise the Lord that the two of them get along! Seriously, it's not a good thing when Becky doesn't like someone... Ask Kyle... :) After we pick him up, we'll be driving back to Phil and April's and chillaxin there! It's going to be an amazing weekend and an amazing week, as Jeremy is staying until next Sunday! Woot!

Work is going well. I'm really starting to get into the swing of things. It's almost like I know what I'm talking about when I'm helping customers. Not to mention, I really like the people I work with! We have a good time. Let's be honest about the fact that Heather and I rule this office. And when Susan gets back, it'll be a power trio! :) Even Tom will tell you that this office is ruled by women, though we're outnumbered. It's good to be a woman!

I hope you all have a blessed day! Enjoy the nice weather, wherever you are!

On the Road Again

Well, in 3 hours, I'll be leaving for yet another trip to Searcy. Tomorrow is Jeremy's birthday and I miss my friends hardcore! I was silly to graduate early! But, here I am, having the time of my life in Knoxville, TN!

Seven and a half hours on the road doesn't sound like too much fun, but I'll blast some good tunes. I wish the weather was nice so I could ride with my windows down... Oh well!

Pray for my safety please. Also my sanity... Curious? Ask me...

God is good! Have a great weekend!

I'm Not Dead Yet! I'm Getting Better!

Ugh, I quoted Monty Python... Lord help me... I am my father's daughter. I really am feeling better, tho. After a healthy shot of Nyquil Friday night and some good, drugged sleep, I started to feel much better. Then, Saturday, I yelled and screamed at a rockin' Christian concert, crashed Saturday night, Nyquil-free, and woke up feeling much better. Today, my head is only floating a little bit. I need to be healthy for this weekend. It's another Searcy weekend! Woot!

Jeremy gets to come for Spring Break. YAY! Sad that he's 20 years old and we are still saying "he gets to come..." Ah, such is life.

Everyone's back in the office, healthy and happy, for the most part. I've been writing letters to people while I'm working diligently. Imagine that! ME AND SNAIL MAIL! Be proud, Grandma!

I get to cat sit for a little bit! WOOT! I'm pretty pumped! It's like having pets that I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for. I can dig that.

Ok, enough ADD blogging... Have a great day, folks!

Sick Chick

I was not spared from the sickness that is plagueing the general Knoxville area. It probably doesn't help that it was snowing on Saturday and has been roughly 60 degrees from Monday through today. Sweet shocker for the sinuses! So, basically, this is a request for prayers for all those that are sick! Have a great weekend, kids! I'll be in here tomorrow... Woot...

Looking Back

What a great weekend! Seriously! I think I learned more from these kids than they could ever learn from me! It was great seeing how these kids treated Phil and April. I don't know if I'm too harsh on his old youth group, but this one is amazing! They are respectful and they obey. They all hang out together and they are not divided socially into middle school and high school. I just loved seeing them interact!

The message was awesome! Don't trade your treasure for trash. Live on purpose. Let your faith not only lift you, but lower you. All things that I needed reminded of. It was good to get out of my comfort zone as well. We even danced a little... LOL, no seriously... They taught us this song that was about David dancing before the LORD and basically the song said, "LORD, I'll be undignified for you." Sweet action! Harding would have died. Sorry, David Basel Burks... We dance at Winterfest and your University was represented there... ROCK ON! I also got to see my "little" brother, Dan (or Danny as I still call him). I use the quotes because the kid is stinking 6'1"... Ridiculous. He's so awesome tho! I am so proud of how much he's grown. It's amazing! I really see God working in him. Katie and Chris were here as well. They got to see my apt! How exciting! It was a huge blessing to have them here. I forget how much I miss those two... I got to laugh with Katie and Chris and I got to have our Ben and Jerry's date that we haven't had in months. It was swell! :)

Well, back to work. I had the day off yesterday, which was nice. It was the first time I've had a national holiday off since I was a senior in high school and we got days out of school. Harding doesn't recognize national holidays like President's Day and Martin Luther King, Jr Day... Eva and I celebrated the day off by joining The Rush. Time to get in shape! Woot! :)

Have a blessed day, all!

The Prize

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

I am slightly competitive. Those of you that know me may already know this. :) So, of course, it's in my nature to strive for the prize. When I was in high school, I swam for the prize of first place. I studied for the prize of good grades and scholarships. I smiled for the prize of close friends. So with all this striving, where does Jesus come into it? Am I striving for Heaven?

Going to Harding helped to focus my spirituality. In many ways, I could make my faith my own, not that of my parents. However, the whole University (with some exceptions) was doing this, so I still had that comfort. Now, I'm out on my own, deciding for myself where God plays into the picture. Here's the thing: He should BE the picture.

I'm not sitting here beating myself up. This is just a personal reminder, and maybe a public reminder, that while competition in the world is great (GO BLUE!), we gain so much more striving for what Jesus has to offer. Previous to the above verse, Paul says that he is forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. He doesn't say that he's forgetting just his accomplishments. He's forgetting everything that is behind. Don't let your past create drag (sorry, swimming term). Let it go and race ahead for that amazing prize that will not fade with time, because it shines for all eternity!

The theme for Winterfest this year is "The Prize." I'm excited to discover what God will put on my heart this weekend! Pray for me that I can be a good example to those around me! Have a great weekend, all!

What's in a Name?

So, in high school freshman English class, we were assigned parts of Romeo and Juliet that we had to present with a partner. My best friend Cameron and I were assigned the "What's in a name" scene. Oh, good ole balcony scenes. Anyway, we were required to memorize the lines AND create a mask to wear during our presentations. Being the overacheiver that I was as a freshman, I had my lines AND Cameron's memorized. I also had my mask done in advance. Cameron? Yeah, he made his mask at school the day of the presentation by ganking some leaves from some of the school's bushes and gluing them onto some paper. "I'm hiding in the bushes in this scene. This is perfect! Camo!" His lines? Written on the back of his mask because he had no clue... It was amazing! We got up there and rocked... Or not. Still, good memories.

So, what is in a name? Juliet made a good point. "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." If that's the case, why does it bug us so much when our names are spelled incorrectly? With the first name Genevieve and the nickname Jenny, I am mistakenly called Jennifer all the time. (Probably doesn't help that I spell Jenny with a "J") It bugs me, but people aren't doing it to bug me. It just happens. Do we feel like we lose some of our identity if people mistakenly call us the wrong name? There's a country song out there called "My Last Name" by Dierks Bentley. Part of the song goes "Daddy always told me, far back as I recall 'Son you're part of something, you represent us all. So keep it how you got it, as solid as it came.' It's my last name." Names are important to our identity, they help define us. But let's take it easy, guys. Names are important, but it's the heart of the person behind that name that really matters. If people know that heart, your name is just an added bonus! I might correct you, but I won't ever get bent out of shape over a name again! :)

(Erik, thanks for the inspiration! I never really thought about my name and how I react to it being mispronounced. I appreciate your sense of humor at my bumble! Have a rockin' awesome day!)

Double-Fisted Drinkin and $3 Chinese

So this cheap, questionable General Tso's is HOT! And not hot like Jeremy. Although maybe he's a little spicy... Anyway, point being, I'm currently working on two open water bottles and trying to keep my lips from catching fire. Thought Burt's Bee Balm was supposed to be soothing. Yeah, that didn't help.

Does anyone else feel like it's supposed to be Wednesday? Not that I'm in any hurry for tomorrow to come. My guy is 500 miles away, so it's Valentine's Day with the people at church. Woot! You know there's love there! I really love the church I'm involved in. My small group is so fun, even if I am the only single one. Tonight, we have a women's prayer group. It won't be quite like my Shantih prayer group, but Regena says that they talk a lot, so I'm sure it will feel similar! :)

Winterfest is this weekend. After this weekend, I will have experienced WF as a high schooler, a college representative, and as a youth sponsor. I'm pumped! We're staying in the same hotel as the Rochester people, so I'll get to chill with my lil brother! Not to mention, he has his own cell phone now, so maybe we can hook up around town as well! Crazy... I just hope that I can be a good example to these kids and help encourage them during an already encouraging weekend! And hopefully, I can help them keep the right focus... aka, NOT BOYS! :) Voice of experience...

Well, back to the drawing board. Actually, I'm going to write my grandparents a letter to show them I'm capable of "old school" communication. :) Have a blessed day!

Can't Fight It Any Longer

AHHH! THE ADD!! Actually, it's called ADHD now. This has been one of those days. Actually, I only have an hour and a half left. That's not too bad. I'm almost running out of websites to keep me entertained. I get my work done and sit. Granted, my work load has gotten greater since I started working a month ago, but it's still sort of slow... Heather introduced me to online bidding for jewelry... Between that and my blog, yeah. Learning from a girl who has learned how to keep entertained at work! :) Grey's Anatomy tonight! Jeremy calls it my good Christian show. Sarcasm? No way... ;) I need to clean my apartment tonight. Jenny is coming! Woot! I haven't seen her in over a year! She and I grew up together. I've known her longer than any of my siblings. Cool, huh? :) Jenny 1 and Jenny 2. I'm Jenny 2 because I'm younger. It'll be amazing to have her here! Fourth person to see my Knoxville apartment! Matt, Derek, Sarah, now Jenny. I should start a guest book! :) LOL, ok, maybe not... Back to pretending to work. Maybe I can bid on another pretty ring... :-D

All's Well That Ends Well

So maybe that phrase has negative conotations, but not this time. I am talking about the fact that my weekend was, ummm, "well" all the way through! My previous post said I didn't get to see Jeremy this weekend. Psyche! (who says that...) I left work early on Friday and drove to good ole Searcy, AR. His response? Jaw on the floor and an astonished, "What are you doing here?!" SURPRISE!! I also got to see some of my dearest friends. My weekend included a late night in Shores 214 where I laughed more than I've laughed in a long time! It was great being around people! Harding holds such wonderful memories for me! I love it! The weekend ended with a 7 hour drive back to Knoxville on Sunday, starting at 10pm central time... Bad idea, don't ever try that... Luckily I had Jeremy there to talk to me nearly the whole way. What a good boyfriend! :) I made it back in time to sleep for an hour and then go to work! Woot! Now it's back to the office, with my fun group of coworkers who like to drop stink bombs in the office... Way to go, guys! ;)

Sad Times

It's snowing and I'm not outside playing...
Jeremy's not coming this weekend...
It's going to be a busy day at work...
Jesus loves me in spite of my sour face...
Guess it's not such a rough day afterall.

Just Another Day in Paradise

Monday in the office! Woot! :) Actually, it hasn't been that bad. This morning was rough because they changed a lot of the ESAMS system this weekend and we had a lot of calls about bugs in the system. When customers are frustrated, it's hard not to be slightly frustrated.

I had a good weekend. I worked till late Friday and then again on Saturday, which was a drag, but it's all good. Eva and I hung out and ate chinese food on Saturday night, which made me so happy. However, it made me miss the nights we'de order chinese at home and eat it and watch a movie. Ah, family! How fantastic! Sunday, I had church and then Eva, Heather and I went to see "Catch and Release." What a great movie! I'm probably going to have to invest in the soundtrack. Garden State, The Last Kiss and Catch and Release all have pretty awesome soundtracks. I ended my weekend with an interesting small group. When you are the only unmarried person in a group of young married couples... Yeah, interesting...

It's going to be a good week, I have a feeling! Chilling tonight, maybe with people from work and just basically keeping busy this week! Then, Friday (assuming the weather isn't bad, which it won't be), Jeremy will be coming into town! Woot! Hey, check it out... Two posts in less than a week... Doing well!

Here We Go Again

So, here goes this blog thing again. I'm not so good at this journal thing. Maybe working at a computer all day will encourage me to be more diligent. Perhaps this will help keep me sane... Or distracted. :) I have Heather to thank for this outlet. It's the chick thing to do at good ole HGW!

So life is pretty awesome. I'm getting used to Knoxville and once I get done fighting with the people who run my apartment complex, things will be beyond fantastic! :) It's maybe a little lonely here, but I hope that will change with time. God is good! :)