Even though I don't have a job right now, ( god will provide in His time) I SO look forward to weekends because it means I get my Joe to myself all weekend long. At the new job here in PA, he works LONG hours and is so tired by the time he gets home, so the weekends are nice to relax and get to work on projects ( I know, those two don't exactly go together). The weekend is almost over, but I had a great time with my man... he makes me laugh so hard.
Some of the funniest things came out of his mouth this weekend...
- We were at the furniture store looking around (sometimes we just like to look- he looks around while i plot out my new someday-couch to replace the "lima bean"). Joe saw the new Paula Deen line of furniture and said "Look, Paula Deen, I wonder if they mix butter into the paint?"
-Joe is trying to work on "words of encouragement"- my love languages are quality time and words of encouragement. He called me Friday from work and asked me out on a date and told me to get dressed up. We tried out a very nice Italian restaurant about 30 minutes away and we're holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes, candlelight setting the mood and sweet hubby looks at me and says, "katy, you're so ...special, but not short-bus special." Killed the mood but we had a good laugh! He tries:).
We tried a new church this morning, bought a new desk for the office, got things more organized for the garage sale of the century, and just spent time together inside since we have had so much rain that our backyard looks like a swimming pool at this point.
Great weekend. Looking forward to a short week since Joe will get a 3-day weekend for Easter!
If you want to know how to pray for us, please be praying for:
-Katy to get a job that I will not have to work too many late nights or weekends so I can still spend time with Joe.
-Joe to do well at his job, to have integrity and that his character would show.
-That we would find a church home quickly where we can plug-in and serve.
-That we will continue to make progress on getting out of debt and that God will reward our faithfulness and help it to go more quickly than we think
-That God will lead us and give us direction on big life decisions to come...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Thank you TBCH!
I don't know how they do this, but somehow, the Texas Baptist Children's Home found my blog and the quote I made about "God is a God of chocolate-covered strawberries" when I wrote about Joe's suprise birthday grill... look here for the link! Very exciting! Since they are listening, I'd like to say a personal thank you:
"Dear Don Cramer and TBCH Family,
I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did for me and my family. You gave hope, you gave us a chance to get back on our feet, you showed us so much love, and you were 'Jesus in skin' to us every step of the way. When some people hear our story they are shocked and start to say that they are sorry for us, but I quickly assure them that this was God's very best plan for us at that point in our lives. When we look back on those days, I don't remember all the terrible things going on with an absentee father abandoning us or the fear of becoming homeless or not knowing where our next meal would come from. Rather, Chris(my brother) and I remember some of the best times of our lives. I remember feeling like we were at a year- round summer camp, and I remember that is where I really believed for the first time that Jesus loved ME and was going to make sure that I was taken care of and loved no matter what. You cannot possibly ever know the true impact you make on the lives of everyone who passes through your doors. When I got engaged and we started talking about the wedding planning, there wasn't a question in my mind where i wanted my wedding- TBCH of course! They became like family and we are forever grateful for you love and selflessness. Thanks for the best time of our lives in the middle of some of the worst storms. You are passing on a legacy that will touch countless lives to come. God bless you all- thank you for everything you do- stars on your crown in eternity!! Love you all so much!
Love, Katy Stein....."
Welcome to our Home!
Although some rooms still look like this....
....we have made significant progress in most rooms- enough that i am willing to share pictures of the house with you! So as promised, here are pictures of our new Pennsylvania home...enjoy!
This is the front of our home...i put this wreath up when there was still snow on the ground because i was SO ready for spring!
Due to the fact that i could see who was walking by outside from my couch, I frosted the window on the front door with some film I bought at Lowes that you apply with a squeegie...genius!
I couldn't find a coat rack or halltree that was in my budget, but i found this great little bench with storage underneath at target.com...it came in two days and was super easy to put together. The frame and wall hooks are from Hobby Lobby...the scarves are from my own collection :)
This is the dining room which I guess is technically an eat-in kitchen. I love the molding and the open floor plan in the downstairs.
The kitchen...
The sacred kitchen aid mixer... I use it all the time!
The stove
Half-bath downstairs
This is our big green couch that I affectionately refer to as Joe's lima bean couch-- he bought it by himself right out of college and picked it because, in his own words, "It's a great napping couch." This would never be the reason that a girl would ever pick a couch! Oh, boys.
Joe put up blinds throughout the house... since we only have windows on two sides of the townhome, being a middle unit, the windows we do have are huge and the house stays pretty bright. ( Can you tell that Tex is trying to get in as many pictures as he can!)
I hated the look of all the DVD's being in one tower, but i still needed some kind of storage on either side of the tv, so I got these ladder shelves at Lowe's that matched the tv stand perfectly and got two DVD baskets at Target that hide all the movies so I don't have to look at them all the time.
Here is a close-up of the bookshelves so you can tell that they aren't cluttered...Joe's not convinced- he thinks there is too much "stuff" but I think they turned out cute! ( The black wooden block with the quote says " Today's Test is Tomorrow's Testimony")
This is the master bedroom- we have a platform IKEA bedroom set that my aunt and uncle got us for our wedding, which looked fine in the last house, but this house has extra tall ceilings and it looked dwarfed in the room, so I found fabric that matched and upholstered six canvases and then got some plaques to go in between. I saw it on HGTV.
Guest bathroom that has already had a broken toilet , broken vent, and nails popping thru the shower insert! Geesh!
Guest room...the things above the bed are placemats I got at Kohl's and the flowers I found on clearance at Michael's , painted wooden blocks for the background of each, and then hotglued them together.
Guest bedtable... picture of my momma and Dave:)
So that's the house for the most part...selective rooms ( office, garage, master bath, closets, and pantry) have been left out since they are still a work in progress:) Come visit us soon friends! I have a guest room waiting and I promise to cook you breakfast every morning!
On a different note, we fired up the grill for the first time...does this look like summer or what! Can't wait till we have nicer weather!
....we have made significant progress in most rooms- enough that i am willing to share pictures of the house with you! So as promised, here are pictures of our new Pennsylvania home...enjoy!
This is the front of our home...i put this wreath up when there was still snow on the ground because i was SO ready for spring!
Due to the fact that i could see who was walking by outside from my couch, I frosted the window on the front door with some film I bought at Lowes that you apply with a squeegie...genius!
I couldn't find a coat rack or halltree that was in my budget, but i found this great little bench with storage underneath at target.com...it came in two days and was super easy to put together. The frame and wall hooks are from Hobby Lobby...the scarves are from my own collection :)
This is the dining room which I guess is technically an eat-in kitchen. I love the molding and the open floor plan in the downstairs.
The kitchen...
The sacred kitchen aid mixer... I use it all the time!
The stove
Half-bath downstairs
This is our big green couch that I affectionately refer to as Joe's lima bean couch-- he bought it by himself right out of college and picked it because, in his own words, "It's a great napping couch." This would never be the reason that a girl would ever pick a couch! Oh, boys.
Joe put up blinds throughout the house... since we only have windows on two sides of the townhome, being a middle unit, the windows we do have are huge and the house stays pretty bright. ( Can you tell that Tex is trying to get in as many pictures as he can!)
I hated the look of all the DVD's being in one tower, but i still needed some kind of storage on either side of the tv, so I got these ladder shelves at Lowe's that matched the tv stand perfectly and got two DVD baskets at Target that hide all the movies so I don't have to look at them all the time.
Here is a close-up of the bookshelves so you can tell that they aren't cluttered...Joe's not convinced- he thinks there is too much "stuff" but I think they turned out cute! ( The black wooden block with the quote says " Today's Test is Tomorrow's Testimony")
This is the master bedroom- we have a platform IKEA bedroom set that my aunt and uncle got us for our wedding, which looked fine in the last house, but this house has extra tall ceilings and it looked dwarfed in the room, so I found fabric that matched and upholstered six canvases and then got some plaques to go in between. I saw it on HGTV.
Guest bathroom that has already had a broken toilet , broken vent, and nails popping thru the shower insert! Geesh!
Guest room...the things above the bed are placemats I got at Kohl's and the flowers I found on clearance at Michael's , painted wooden blocks for the background of each, and then hotglued them together.
Guest bedtable... picture of my momma and Dave:)
So that's the house for the most part...selective rooms ( office, garage, master bath, closets, and pantry) have been left out since they are still a work in progress:) Come visit us soon friends! I have a guest room waiting and I promise to cook you breakfast every morning!
On a different note, we fired up the grill for the first time...does this look like summer or what! Can't wait till we have nicer weather!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Doing Dave Ramsey Proud...
Before I go any further, you may be confused with me mentioning so many DAVE'S, so allow me to clear it up:
-there is "David" who is the biological father who we don't speak of often
-there is the "Dave" who is my sweet step dad that passed away less than a year ago
-then there is "Dave Ramsey" who is a Christian financial strategist who has a radio show and writes books on how to get out of debt and be a good steward with what you have...
Clear? K, let's begin!
Can I just brag for a quick moment? I think you need people around you who will celebrate life's little victories and cheer you on...so here goes:
Joseph and I were married November 3rd...almost two and a half years ago now! Quickly after getting married, money was TIGHT and we were spending the majority of our takehome pay on interest. We sat down and looked at our finances and we were coming up six hundred dollars in the hole each month! We each came into the marriage with loads of debt- we paid for our own cars, colleges, the wedding, each had several small credit cards, and Joe had a brand new sports car with the price tag to match. Bottom line, we were living beyond our means and were slave to the creditors who could hike our rates at any time for no reason! This was foolishness!
So, we both read a book called the "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. He talks about being on the same page with your spouse on financial issues and making a "SNOWBALL" where you take the extra money each month and build it towards the smallest debt and then when it is paid off, you have more monthly to put towards the next largest amount you owe... so on and so forth til you are debt free and then you get to call into the radio show and scream because you earned it!
Well, we have been living by these principles for two years now and have made significant progress! It isn't always easy, but we are learning to budget and deal responsibly with our finances and someday (una dia) we will be able to get those things that we want and pay cash...no more being slaves to the lenders and the creditors!
Last night, we sat down together to pay bills and we paid off two more entire credit card balances and Joe's truck![We would have both cars paid off at this point, but a week before we moved here, my old Neon kicked the bucket ( it was paid off) and we had to get a new car to drive to PA in.] This was a HUGE victory for us! We have gotten rid of $44,875.24 in debt in two years! I truly think God honors you when you say its all His anyways, and you want to learn to be responsible with what He has blessed you with.
So, for now, the perfect Pottery Barn home and Nordstrom and Coach bags can all wait!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Hearing Loss...
I think that couples need to constantly be looking for ways to reconnect with each other, which is why when i heard on the radio a few weeks ago that Toby Mac and Skillet were coming to Hershey in concert on the eighteenth, it was something I had to do. See, no offense intended, Mr. Mac or Mr. Skillet, but they are both very LOUD Christian groups, but I knew it was something Joe and I could do TOGETHER and it was a way i could serve him, taking interest in his interests.
So, last night, Joe got home a little early and we headed down the road to Hershey, equipped with earplugs, of course, and set out for a night of fun. I went in thinking i was doing this just for Joe and would suffer through it, but I actually ended up enjoying it more than I had anticipated.
Although neither band is my ideal music of choice, I have so much respect for those musicians for not selling out to be more "Alternative". They preached a very strong message about loving Jesus with all your heart and not losing your soul to the things of the world, and although at times it was tough to decipher the message thru all the , ahem, screaming in to the microphone, I know the teenagers around us were listening 100%. Who am I to judge when they are reaching out to our youth and coming across with a message of hope that teens so desperately need to hear? I say scream all you want- those teens were worshiping and it was awesome.
Here are some pictures of the night.
Joe ready to go into the concert...
This is us doing our best to fit in...we were on the floor, fourth row from the stage surrounded by sweaty teenage boys.
Skillet
The Skillet concert, complete with smoke machines, blasting columns of fire, fireworks, platforms that would project the artist thirty feet into the air...you know, all the ingredients of a good concert.
This is Toby Mac who appeared about four feet from us on a small stage and then crowd-surfed to the main stage...good entrance.
Confetti falling at the end of Toby Mac- felt like we were in the Super Bowl or something!
A good time was had by all!
So, don't call me if you need me for a few days, I won't be able to hear the phone- I think i have permanent hearing loss after last night, but it was worth it.....if you saw how big my Joe was smiling, you would understand!:)
So, last night, Joe got home a little early and we headed down the road to Hershey, equipped with earplugs, of course, and set out for a night of fun. I went in thinking i was doing this just for Joe and would suffer through it, but I actually ended up enjoying it more than I had anticipated.
Although neither band is my ideal music of choice, I have so much respect for those musicians for not selling out to be more "Alternative". They preached a very strong message about loving Jesus with all your heart and not losing your soul to the things of the world, and although at times it was tough to decipher the message thru all the , ahem, screaming in to the microphone, I know the teenagers around us were listening 100%. Who am I to judge when they are reaching out to our youth and coming across with a message of hope that teens so desperately need to hear? I say scream all you want- those teens were worshiping and it was awesome.
Here are some pictures of the night.
Joe ready to go into the concert...
This is us doing our best to fit in...we were on the floor, fourth row from the stage surrounded by sweaty teenage boys.
Skillet
The Skillet concert, complete with smoke machines, blasting columns of fire, fireworks, platforms that would project the artist thirty feet into the air...you know, all the ingredients of a good concert.
This is Toby Mac who appeared about four feet from us on a small stage and then crowd-surfed to the main stage...good entrance.
Confetti falling at the end of Toby Mac- felt like we were in the Super Bowl or something!
A good time was had by all!
So, don't call me if you need me for a few days, I won't be able to hear the phone- I think i have permanent hearing loss after last night, but it was worth it.....if you saw how big my Joe was smiling, you would understand!:)
Friday, March 19, 2010
Visit from " the Madre" (that's Spanish for "the Momma")
Well, like they always are, the visit with mom was too short and I miss her already! It was so good to have her here and get to explore our new state! If you follow her blog (here), you know that she posted not one blog, but TWO while she was here and one since then (over-achiever!), but I am just now writing about our time together...I've had alot going on,k? Geesh!
This was mom at the airport...she is still happy because we didn't realize her bags were in Denver at this point... minutes later, one of my favorite quotes of the trip,"Quick, look for someone about my size with straight hair, their clothes will fit and i bet they have a blow dryer and a CHI-- i can take their bag and make a run for it!"" We made a day out of Baltimore and hung around for about six extra hours waiting on her bags to get flown in, but had a great time and ate our first Maryland crab cakes- my mouth is watering just thinking about them!
The Hanover Reunion where we met up with Dave's brother, Kevin and his daughter Katie, Dave's sister, April, and Dave's oldest daughter, Heather. It was very interesting to see where Dave grew up and Kevin gave us the grand tour...a great day that meant so much to my momma...we're the short ones if you didn't guess!
We spent a day at Chocolate World in Hershey, PA..."The Sweetest Place on Earth"
Clearly, this was where the excitement was! Mom blogging and Joe looking at March Madness probably.
Mom and Joe with his b-day gifts; he got a LED maglite (Light Emitting Diode...we looked it up) and a signed CD from his favorite artist, Todd Agnew, who my mom stalks on a regular basis at sports day I think. :)
Todd Agnew signed this for Joseph...
We had a great time... so good to see her...now back to the gym after all that food! One night we even had a "whoopie pie-tasting"...yum! Miss you momma-- hope to be coming your way soon!
My other favorite quotes from the trip:
-Joe in a Vera Bradley store " So I don't get it, are they purses or like grandma pillows?"
-Little Boy in Hershey who didn't understand the FOUL manure smell "Dad, that sure doesn't smell like chocolate to me! "
This was mom at the airport...she is still happy because we didn't realize her bags were in Denver at this point... minutes later, one of my favorite quotes of the trip,"Quick, look for someone about my size with straight hair, their clothes will fit and i bet they have a blow dryer and a CHI-- i can take their bag and make a run for it!"" We made a day out of Baltimore and hung around for about six extra hours waiting on her bags to get flown in, but had a great time and ate our first Maryland crab cakes- my mouth is watering just thinking about them!
The Hanover Reunion where we met up with Dave's brother, Kevin and his daughter Katie, Dave's sister, April, and Dave's oldest daughter, Heather. It was very interesting to see where Dave grew up and Kevin gave us the grand tour...a great day that meant so much to my momma...we're the short ones if you didn't guess!
We spent a day at Chocolate World in Hershey, PA..."The Sweetest Place on Earth"
Clearly, this was where the excitement was! Mom blogging and Joe looking at March Madness probably.
Mom and Joe with his b-day gifts; he got a LED maglite (Light Emitting Diode...we looked it up) and a signed CD from his favorite artist, Todd Agnew, who my mom stalks on a regular basis at sports day I think. :)
Todd Agnew signed this for Joseph...
We had a great time... so good to see her...now back to the gym after all that food! One night we even had a "whoopie pie-tasting"...yum! Miss you momma-- hope to be coming your way soon!
My other favorite quotes from the trip:
-Joe in a Vera Bradley store " So I don't get it, are they purses or like grandma pillows?"
-Little Boy in Hershey who didn't understand the FOUL manure smell "Dad, that sure doesn't smell like chocolate to me! "
Friday, March 12, 2010
Just call me the "Surprise Queen!"
First off, Joe was out of town this week so it was up to me to hold down the fort on my own... and wouldn't you know, the first day the toilet clogs! I bought a plunger and fixed it all by myself...I was pretty proud.
Okay, on to the big surprise news!
Since Joe was out of town, I had a plan. Maybe your man is like this too...he works SO extremely hard and provides for you but never does anything for himself...well that's my Joe. He recently bought me a Kitchen Aid mixer that i absolutely love and since his birthday is coming, I wanted to surprise him back. Mind you, I am terrible at surprises, so this one was really tough to pull off! Well, Joe recently gave away his little charcoal grill to the neighbor across the street who needed one, and since the weather is getting nice, I took him to Lowe's to look at the new grills. He put his hands on one after looking at them all and said "THIS is the dream grill, but this one is more in our price range." So when he left, I snuck off to Lowe's to buy my hubby his grill (and no, Dave Ramsey, this is not a step towards our snowball, but I did pay with cash thank you very much). As the man at the counter was looking for the item in top stock, I noticed a paper hanging up ( I had prayed before I walked in that if I was not supposed to get this grill that God would make it very clear)...the paper was a safety recall for the very model I was about to buy and listed numerous problems and fire hazards. I showed the salesman, Steve, and he was shocked and said they weren't even supposed to have this out on the floor and for fear of lawsuits, they would not be selling me this grill, understandably.
Saddened, I got my things together to leave empty-handed and Steve said, "Ma'am, can you wait one minute?" He came back with a big grin, put his hand on my shoulder and said "Ma'am, can I ask you a personal question? Are you a Christian?" I said well...yes, why? Steve informed me that this never happens, but the manager had agreed to sell me the DREAM GRILL at the same price since they messed up by having the bad grill out on the floor!!! He said, "You looked like you were praying, that's why I asked." WOW! I was so blown away! Now not only did Joe get a grill, he got THE DREAM GRILL!
So I got a neighbor with a truck to help me get it home, since Joe had taken our truck to the airport, and it took four of us to get it out of the truck and into the house. When Joe got home from Ohio last night, this is what he saw!
He was very happy...he SO deserves it! Happy Birthday, Love!
When my biological father left us when Chris and I were very young, God looked after us every step of the way. He took a homeless, single mom and her two young children and helped us to find a home at the Texas Baptist Children's Home where we were able to get back on our feet- God bless those people! We had nothing- we even went to the commissary for food, but God always provided and we never went without. I remember one year, it was time for the famous Lamme's Candy chocolate-covered strawberries to come out, but a freak ice storm left the trucks unable to deliver their shipments, so they donated them to the Children's Home. Ever the teacher, my mom used this time to teach us a wonderful principle about God; not only was He providing, but He was providing for our every need according to His riches and glory...after that, we always said "God is a God of chocolate-covered strawberries."
When the salesman at Lowe's came out and said they wanted to give me a grill twice as expensive for the same price, I began to cry. I hugged him, hugged the manager, hugged the person helping me check-out. They probably all thought I was an emotional basket-case, but all I could think is "God, you really ARE a God of chocolate-covered strawberries!"
Okay, on to the big surprise news!
Since Joe was out of town, I had a plan. Maybe your man is like this too...he works SO extremely hard and provides for you but never does anything for himself...well that's my Joe. He recently bought me a Kitchen Aid mixer that i absolutely love and since his birthday is coming, I wanted to surprise him back. Mind you, I am terrible at surprises, so this one was really tough to pull off! Well, Joe recently gave away his little charcoal grill to the neighbor across the street who needed one, and since the weather is getting nice, I took him to Lowe's to look at the new grills. He put his hands on one after looking at them all and said "THIS is the dream grill, but this one is more in our price range." So when he left, I snuck off to Lowe's to buy my hubby his grill (and no, Dave Ramsey, this is not a step towards our snowball, but I did pay with cash thank you very much). As the man at the counter was looking for the item in top stock, I noticed a paper hanging up ( I had prayed before I walked in that if I was not supposed to get this grill that God would make it very clear)...the paper was a safety recall for the very model I was about to buy and listed numerous problems and fire hazards. I showed the salesman, Steve, and he was shocked and said they weren't even supposed to have this out on the floor and for fear of lawsuits, they would not be selling me this grill, understandably.
Saddened, I got my things together to leave empty-handed and Steve said, "Ma'am, can you wait one minute?" He came back with a big grin, put his hand on my shoulder and said "Ma'am, can I ask you a personal question? Are you a Christian?" I said well...yes, why? Steve informed me that this never happens, but the manager had agreed to sell me the DREAM GRILL at the same price since they messed up by having the bad grill out on the floor!!! He said, "You looked like you were praying, that's why I asked." WOW! I was so blown away! Now not only did Joe get a grill, he got THE DREAM GRILL!
So I got a neighbor with a truck to help me get it home, since Joe had taken our truck to the airport, and it took four of us to get it out of the truck and into the house. When Joe got home from Ohio last night, this is what he saw!
He was very happy...he SO deserves it! Happy Birthday, Love!
When my biological father left us when Chris and I were very young, God looked after us every step of the way. He took a homeless, single mom and her two young children and helped us to find a home at the Texas Baptist Children's Home where we were able to get back on our feet- God bless those people! We had nothing- we even went to the commissary for food, but God always provided and we never went without. I remember one year, it was time for the famous Lamme's Candy chocolate-covered strawberries to come out, but a freak ice storm left the trucks unable to deliver their shipments, so they donated them to the Children's Home. Ever the teacher, my mom used this time to teach us a wonderful principle about God; not only was He providing, but He was providing for our every need according to His riches and glory...after that, we always said "God is a God of chocolate-covered strawberries."
When the salesman at Lowe's came out and said they wanted to give me a grill twice as expensive for the same price, I began to cry. I hugged him, hugged the manager, hugged the person helping me check-out. They probably all thought I was an emotional basket-case, but all I could think is "God, you really ARE a God of chocolate-covered strawberries!"
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Inheritance Giveaway...
I follow a blog called Baby Bangs that is absolutely precious, and although I do not have kids yet, I feel like I can totally relate many days. Her name is Amanda and she is actually one of Beth Moore's two daughters and she has two young children- great blog, I would highly recommend it.
Anyways, I was looking at my Dashboard and catching up on blogs and this one pricked my heart. Her Post today was titled The Inheritance Giveaway. Basically, they are a group of three girls who have all moved on in life and gotten married and started families, but one of the girlfriends is not able to have children and wants nothing more than to be a mother. She and her husband feel like God is calling them to adopt and have been matched with a birth mother and soon will have their own little bundle of joy...but adoption is expensive! So to help offset the cost a little for their friend, they are selling tshirts that say " to the least of these" based off of Matthew 25:40.
Sometimes it seems like everywhere you turn people are asking for money for another cause or another kid has a fundraiser and wants you to buy ridiculously over-priced chocolate or wrapping paper, but this really stuck with me. I feel like I know Amanda thru her blogs and her friend is in need and the shirts are only $25 with tax and shipping included...that I could not resist. I think that it is an awesome testimony that God has such a huge plan for this tiny baby already and I couldn't help thinking about my friends the Himes who just lost their tiny Anna less than a month ago. If it was me, I would want people's help and prayers- every little bit helps. A tshirt is such a simple thing and $25 such a relatively small amount in the scope of things....
Give it a look and maybe you can help too- what great friends this girl has! I know she would appreciate anything, even if it's just prayers that you can give right now.
Anyways, I was looking at my Dashboard and catching up on blogs and this one pricked my heart. Her Post today was titled The Inheritance Giveaway. Basically, they are a group of three girls who have all moved on in life and gotten married and started families, but one of the girlfriends is not able to have children and wants nothing more than to be a mother. She and her husband feel like God is calling them to adopt and have been matched with a birth mother and soon will have their own little bundle of joy...but adoption is expensive! So to help offset the cost a little for their friend, they are selling tshirts that say " to the least of these" based off of Matthew 25:40.
Sometimes it seems like everywhere you turn people are asking for money for another cause or another kid has a fundraiser and wants you to buy ridiculously over-priced chocolate or wrapping paper, but this really stuck with me. I feel like I know Amanda thru her blogs and her friend is in need and the shirts are only $25 with tax and shipping included...that I could not resist. I think that it is an awesome testimony that God has such a huge plan for this tiny baby already and I couldn't help thinking about my friends the Himes who just lost their tiny Anna less than a month ago. If it was me, I would want people's help and prayers- every little bit helps. A tshirt is such a simple thing and $25 such a relatively small amount in the scope of things....
Give it a look and maybe you can help too- what great friends this girl has! I know she would appreciate anything, even if it's just prayers that you can give right now.
God can even speak through HGTV...
In our house, we watch alot of HGTV. Doing the Dave Ramsey thing, he encourages you to cut out anything extra, so for our fist two years of marriage we only had very basic channels, no cable. I so missed my HGTV and Joseph missed his sports, but we had a house to work on and two full time jobs and plus, it saved us about sixty dollars a month to put towards debt.
When we moved to Pennsylvania, the cable was the same price as the basic we were paying for in Missouri and on top of that, they gave us a box, so we get OnDemand and all the new HD channels. Life is good. I have my Decorating channels and Joe got SOME sports, but was bummed to find out we do not get the Big Twelve.
Our favorite HGTV shows are things like House Hunters or Property Virgins or My First Place. We are not home renovation experts by any means, but being in our mid- twenties and having a demo/reno under our belt and having purchased two homes, I think we are much more cautious/observant than others our age buying their first home. I think what happens when a new home buyer starts looking for that first home, something inside triggers a mechanism that makes their eyes automatically glaze over. They are so intent on looking for everything on their checklist that they forget to remember the important things. My mother-in-law is a realtor and I am sure that she can attest to this... they just have no home-sense, so you have to have the right realtor who wants you in the right house and will talk you down from the ledge of a home that is not right for the home buyers as opposed to a realtor who is only concerned with closing as many deals as they can to benefit their own pockets! A good example of this is a little couple friend of ours here that was looking at a house that was a short sale...nice home, but the previous tenants had absolutely trashed it, meaning a lot of extra work for them should they purchase it. Their realtor was telling them that they needed to move FAST and put in an offer TODAY and they did not, in his opinion, need to get an inspection. WHAT! This realtor does NOT have their best interest in mind. Joe and I tried to gently insist that you should never buy a home without inspection, especially when you know the previous owners did not take care of the place.
So last night I watched the most unbelievable episode I have ever seen of My First Place. The couple was having their first baby and momma was VERY pregnant. Classic case of the eyes glazed over. They love the house, love the wood floors, love the new appliances, and then there is a smell and they walled down into the basement...cue the scary music! There is over a FOOT of standing water. The sewer has backed up and since it is unoccupied, no one notices, but it was awful! I SO wanted to call our young friends and say "turn on the TV-- this is what happens when you don't get an inspection...something like this could happen and you would be stuck with the cost!" But, I resisted the urge and continued on. The unbelievable part was the husband still WANTED the house! He thought this was a great way to get a price reduction on the house! Can you imagine? So, they have the city drain the water and bring in an inspector and the inspector immediately tells pregnant momma to leave--- there is so much black mold that no one is safe and the bank is only willing to give a 3% credit to remedy the problem, even though it will probably cost in the neighborhood of $60-80k for everything that needs to be repaired and all the mold removal.
So, where am I going with this? Well, I just thought, that is so disgusting- why would anyone WANT to live in that home? But, you know, that is exactly what you and I do daily in our hearts. We look so good and churchy on the outside, but inside there is stinky crud everywhere...and this is where we invite Jesus to live! I have been so convicted lately that I do not want to live a life that is fake, but a very real and honest life that others can see how God used me, faults and all. I think that is what turns people off of Christianity altogether- they see through the fake-ness and are disgusted. What they need to see is Christians being very open and laying it all on the line and being real. They need to see that there are no perfect people, just a perfect God who loves us all, even with our stinky filth.
Today I start spring-cleaning in my heart, making it a home that I will be proud to offer Jesus. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
"Come and make my heart your home.
Come and be everything I am and all I know.
Search me through and through, till my heart becomes a home for you.
Let everything I do open up a door for you to come through,
so that my heart would be a place where you want to be."
-Watermark
When we moved to Pennsylvania, the cable was the same price as the basic we were paying for in Missouri and on top of that, they gave us a box, so we get OnDemand and all the new HD channels. Life is good. I have my Decorating channels and Joe got SOME sports, but was bummed to find out we do not get the Big Twelve.
Our favorite HGTV shows are things like House Hunters or Property Virgins or My First Place. We are not home renovation experts by any means, but being in our mid- twenties and having a demo/reno under our belt and having purchased two homes, I think we are much more cautious/observant than others our age buying their first home. I think what happens when a new home buyer starts looking for that first home, something inside triggers a mechanism that makes their eyes automatically glaze over. They are so intent on looking for everything on their checklist that they forget to remember the important things. My mother-in-law is a realtor and I am sure that she can attest to this... they just have no home-sense, so you have to have the right realtor who wants you in the right house and will talk you down from the ledge of a home that is not right for the home buyers as opposed to a realtor who is only concerned with closing as many deals as they can to benefit their own pockets! A good example of this is a little couple friend of ours here that was looking at a house that was a short sale...nice home, but the previous tenants had absolutely trashed it, meaning a lot of extra work for them should they purchase it. Their realtor was telling them that they needed to move FAST and put in an offer TODAY and they did not, in his opinion, need to get an inspection. WHAT! This realtor does NOT have their best interest in mind. Joe and I tried to gently insist that you should never buy a home without inspection, especially when you know the previous owners did not take care of the place.
So last night I watched the most unbelievable episode I have ever seen of My First Place. The couple was having their first baby and momma was VERY pregnant. Classic case of the eyes glazed over. They love the house, love the wood floors, love the new appliances, and then there is a smell and they walled down into the basement...cue the scary music! There is over a FOOT of standing water. The sewer has backed up and since it is unoccupied, no one notices, but it was awful! I SO wanted to call our young friends and say "turn on the TV-- this is what happens when you don't get an inspection...something like this could happen and you would be stuck with the cost!" But, I resisted the urge and continued on. The unbelievable part was the husband still WANTED the house! He thought this was a great way to get a price reduction on the house! Can you imagine? So, they have the city drain the water and bring in an inspector and the inspector immediately tells pregnant momma to leave--- there is so much black mold that no one is safe and the bank is only willing to give a 3% credit to remedy the problem, even though it will probably cost in the neighborhood of $60-80k for everything that needs to be repaired and all the mold removal.
So, where am I going with this? Well, I just thought, that is so disgusting- why would anyone WANT to live in that home? But, you know, that is exactly what you and I do daily in our hearts. We look so good and churchy on the outside, but inside there is stinky crud everywhere...and this is where we invite Jesus to live! I have been so convicted lately that I do not want to live a life that is fake, but a very real and honest life that others can see how God used me, faults and all. I think that is what turns people off of Christianity altogether- they see through the fake-ness and are disgusted. What they need to see is Christians being very open and laying it all on the line and being real. They need to see that there are no perfect people, just a perfect God who loves us all, even with our stinky filth.
Today I start spring-cleaning in my heart, making it a home that I will be proud to offer Jesus. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
"Come and make my heart your home.
Come and be everything I am and all I know.
Search me through and through, till my heart becomes a home for you.
Let everything I do open up a door for you to come through,
so that my heart would be a place where you want to be."
-Watermark
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
My Tex is no Ava!
Really, do they get any cuter than this?
So, my friend, A, who writes a darling blog called threelocketts ( which I would link you to here if i knew how to!) and is always sharing cute stories and pictures...even VIDEOS of her sweet little princess, Ava, and what do I have...a dog who licks his own bottom. Exciting, I know! Someday I hope to have a little baby too, but in the mean time, Tex is our only child. Last night I was catching up on A's blog and little Ava was singing a song on the video-- Tex was freaking out trying to find where this new noise was coming from...he was dead asleep, he shot up and started running around the room searching for where the song was coming from. We were laughing so hard...i bet we played the song ten times to watch his reaction ( and hear sweet Ava's voice of course).
So, A, your baby may be cuter and sing sweeter, but mine is hair-ier and smellier...ok I give, you win on all counts! Man I think I need a baby!
So here is Tex watching Ava sing( he's a little tamer seeing as this was probably the tenth time he had seen it in a row!)...enjoy!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Customer service at it's finest...
I have worked customer service for many many years and I know you can get some ugly customers, so I always go out of my way to be friendly in stores-- they get enough crud from others without me being pouty.
So, this morning, I called Sam's Club. It is in Maryland (only 20 minutes away) and I do not have a membership. Here is how the conversation went:
Me: "Hi, I don't have a membership, but is there something like a day pass to try it out?"
Customer Service Person who woke up on the wrong side of the bed: "Yes."
Me: "OK good, so I can just come in and shop to decide if I want a membership?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: "No. That's not how it works."
Me: " OK can you tell me how it works."
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: "Do you have a guest pass?"
Me: Not yet.
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: " Well then you can't get one."
Me:"What, why? I thought you just said that I could get one?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"Yeah but you have to find one in a magazine or email."
Me: "OK...Is there SOMETHING I can get just for today to make sure I would USE the $40 yearly membership before I buy it?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"Yes, it's called a Browser pass."
Me: "OK how do I get one of those?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: (who is now taking a nasty tone with me)"Maam, you come to the service desk."
Me:"OK I'm just trying to make sure so I don't drive all this way for nothing. SO, you're saying I can come in and get a 'Browser Pass' and shop around for one day, right?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"Maam, (very huffy now) I said you could BROWSE, you know, like walk around, but not actually BUY anything...that's why it's called a Browser Pass!"
Me:" So basically, unless you find one of these magical "day passes" that don't actually exist, you have to buy a membership to buy ANYTHING?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"You got it."
Me: " Why didn't you just tell me that in the beginning?"
CLICK.
ugh! I hope you dont have to call in to Sam's in Maryland...they are not the friendliest today!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Knock, knock!!!
Nothing motivates my young adult heart to hardcore cleaning like a few simple words: "MOM'S COMING!"
I love my momma dearly (and I'm not just saying that because I know she will be reading this) but I just cannot have a dirty home when she comes to visit. Maybe it is a subliminal way to prove that I am an adult now since she had to deal with a very messy version of me growing up. It's almost like I'm showing her that I have departed from my teenage slobby ways and can be a grown up.
So, my momma's coming on Saturday to come visit for the first time since we have been in Pennsylvania and I am so extremely excited! We haven't seen each other since Christmas and I miss her big time-- I always love when she comes to visit because I feel like I get my bearings back- she just gets me ( something you would have never heard coming from my teenage katy mouth!). Mom's famous saying is "Leftovers and house guests get old after more than three days." There ARE some house guests that get old, but my momma( and my momma-in-law for that matter) are not included in that list by any means. They are the "refreshers" that you love to be around and after a few days with them, you feel totally renewed. I want to be that kind of person!
So, mom, looking forward to seeing you and a wonderful visit... Pennsylvania is BEAUTIFUL and I think you will really like it here. I will work on cleaning and getting your guest room ready!:)
I love my momma dearly (and I'm not just saying that because I know she will be reading this) but I just cannot have a dirty home when she comes to visit. Maybe it is a subliminal way to prove that I am an adult now since she had to deal with a very messy version of me growing up. It's almost like I'm showing her that I have departed from my teenage slobby ways and can be a grown up.
So, my momma's coming on Saturday to come visit for the first time since we have been in Pennsylvania and I am so extremely excited! We haven't seen each other since Christmas and I miss her big time-- I always love when she comes to visit because I feel like I get my bearings back- she just gets me ( something you would have never heard coming from my teenage katy mouth!). Mom's famous saying is "Leftovers and house guests get old after more than three days." There ARE some house guests that get old, but my momma( and my momma-in-law for that matter) are not included in that list by any means. They are the "refreshers" that you love to be around and after a few days with them, you feel totally renewed. I want to be that kind of person!
So, mom, looking forward to seeing you and a wonderful visit... Pennsylvania is BEAUTIFUL and I think you will really like it here. I will work on cleaning and getting your guest room ready!:)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
A few of my favorite things...
I am a gadget junkie...seriously! I love new things that claim to make my life easier, and even more so when they are kitchen gadgets that really work.
So here are a few of my favorite things in the kitchen (besides my new Kitchen Aid mixer of course!)
I love all things OXO and Simple Human- smart designs that simplify my life! I could go to Bed Bath and Beyond and spend hours in the kitchen section looking at all their cool ideas.
This is the OXO Good Grips one handed paper towel holder. The nice thing is you dont have to touch it with two dirty hands when you need a paper towel- just grab the end and pull. Plus, the bottom is weighted, so when you pull it doesn't fall over.
This grater comes with a little tupperware that hooks onto the bottom and a lid so you can grate cheese and then store it in the fridge. Good idea.
This is a green plastic knife that is for cutting your lettuce... they claim that by cutting it with plastic, rather than metal, it helps the lettuce edges not brown so fast- I think it works pretty well.
I registered for this as a wedding gift because my aunt had one and loved it so she insisted that I needed one too. I wasn't sure if I would use it all that much, but I use it all the time-- makes chopping things up so quick.
This salad spinner is so nifty- you rinse in the colander basket and then places inside of the bowl, press til it starts spinning and now your lettuce is clean and dry...so nice!
Okay, this can opener is seriously cool. You crank it all the way around the can and then grab the can lid with the other end and lift the can top off with no sharp edges to cut you!
This avacado tool is from Crate and Barrel. With one tool, you can scoop out the pit, separate the outside peel from the avacado "guts" and then turn it over and mash it up for guacamole- yum!
You've seen an apple corer, well same idea, but this is a mango splitter...great idea! They also make a larger scale version of this for cantaloupes, but I would rather cut it by hand to save space in my cabinets (it's pretty big).
This Simple Human stainless steel trashcan was a major splurge, but it's so nice! Not only is it sleek and clean and easy to keep clean, it has a pedal and when you push it to open the lid, it has something in there that makes the lid close slowly so it doesnt slam... the other nice thing is the trash can has a hidden bin inside that the bag tucks in to so that you can't see the bag hanging over the edges and it never falls inside when you throw away something heavy.
Okay, this is my favorite new one by far! It's a pineapple corer! You slice off the top leafy part of the pineapple and center the tool, stab it in and start to twist. When you get to the bottom of the pineapple, you pull up and not only is it cored, but it sliced it in a spiral as you twisted down- so cool! LOVE IT...
This is the finished product!
Told you I was a junkie... is it totally lame that I get so excited about these kinds of things? Please tell me SOMEONE else gets excited about cool gadgets?!? Anyone?
So here are a few of my favorite things in the kitchen (besides my new Kitchen Aid mixer of course!)
I love all things OXO and Simple Human- smart designs that simplify my life! I could go to Bed Bath and Beyond and spend hours in the kitchen section looking at all their cool ideas.
This is the OXO Good Grips one handed paper towel holder. The nice thing is you dont have to touch it with two dirty hands when you need a paper towel- just grab the end and pull. Plus, the bottom is weighted, so when you pull it doesn't fall over.
This grater comes with a little tupperware that hooks onto the bottom and a lid so you can grate cheese and then store it in the fridge. Good idea.
This is a green plastic knife that is for cutting your lettuce... they claim that by cutting it with plastic, rather than metal, it helps the lettuce edges not brown so fast- I think it works pretty well.
I registered for this as a wedding gift because my aunt had one and loved it so she insisted that I needed one too. I wasn't sure if I would use it all that much, but I use it all the time-- makes chopping things up so quick.
This salad spinner is so nifty- you rinse in the colander basket and then places inside of the bowl, press til it starts spinning and now your lettuce is clean and dry...so nice!
Okay, this can opener is seriously cool. You crank it all the way around the can and then grab the can lid with the other end and lift the can top off with no sharp edges to cut you!
This avacado tool is from Crate and Barrel. With one tool, you can scoop out the pit, separate the outside peel from the avacado "guts" and then turn it over and mash it up for guacamole- yum!
You've seen an apple corer, well same idea, but this is a mango splitter...great idea! They also make a larger scale version of this for cantaloupes, but I would rather cut it by hand to save space in my cabinets (it's pretty big).
This Simple Human stainless steel trashcan was a major splurge, but it's so nice! Not only is it sleek and clean and easy to keep clean, it has a pedal and when you push it to open the lid, it has something in there that makes the lid close slowly so it doesnt slam... the other nice thing is the trash can has a hidden bin inside that the bag tucks in to so that you can't see the bag hanging over the edges and it never falls inside when you throw away something heavy.
Okay, this is my favorite new one by far! It's a pineapple corer! You slice off the top leafy part of the pineapple and center the tool, stab it in and start to twist. When you get to the bottom of the pineapple, you pull up and not only is it cored, but it sliced it in a spiral as you twisted down- so cool! LOVE IT...
This is the finished product!
Told you I was a junkie... is it totally lame that I get so excited about these kinds of things? Please tell me SOMEONE else gets excited about cool gadgets?!? Anyone?
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