A Year in Review

January

-Moved from Postpartum to full-time (day shift!) position in Labor & Delivery; something I'd been working towards since graduating nursing school!!

February

-Celebrated Valentines day.... what can I say? February was pretty blah.

March

-Andrews Womens Hospital opens, marking the end of the "calm" days in L&D

April

-Visited San Antonio for the first time since moving to Texas with our fab friends Holly & Wade.

-Started blogging

May

-Spent a night in the Emergency room with Jordan after he was unable to keep food down for 3 days.

-Took a trip back home to Georgia to see my older sister get married.

June

-Turned a year older; celebrated Jordan's birthday too

July

-Celebrated our 2 year anniversary with a trip to San Diego, California

-Got my wisdom teeth pulled, the first of a very long battle with my teeth (still bothersome!!!)

-Finally put a name to the problem that had been plaguing my eyes for months; Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis. That was also a long, frustrating battle!

August

-Started the last year here @ seminary

September

-Made a second trip to San Antonio with my mom- her first trip anywhere outside of DFW (in Texas, that is...)

-Started running and set a goal to run a half marathon by February 2009. Mom's coming into town again and going to run the Cowtown with me.

October

-Made our first trip to the Texas State Fair and ate some country fried bacon. Yes I had indigestion for the next 4 days.

-Spent Halloween with Cameron & Ava, who dressed up as a pirate and cheerleader, respectively.

November

-Took a weekend vacation with some good friends to a Bed & Breakfast in East Texas and spent the entire weekend eating & scrapbooking.

December

-Took only the second trip to Georgia this year to celebrate Christmas with our family

Pics from Houston

A new jacket & an iPhone? Santa was gooooood this year!

Cameron's breaking in his new scooter

Sweet Ava

Cameron is "helping" Ava open her present

Weird face... but I love my necklace

Cameron is helping mommy hand out everyone's presents... and then he'll help everyone open their presents too. 

The end of a (short) Era

After much consideration, I've deleted my work blog. 

There were several reasons why I did it, I'm sorry to those of you who were avid readers... and dont worry- the best of stories will still be told. I love my  job and will continue to talk about it as often as people let me. 

Dont even try and click on the old links... it's really gone. 

In other much more depressing news, It's back to the dentist again tomorrow. Man, I hate that place. I think my tongue is starting to improve some more- I am beginning to feel cold things again. It's really subtle, but it's there. I've checked with my dentist again and again about whether or not this is ever going to go away, and they've always reassured me that one day the numbness will wear off. One day. So it's off for a crown-lengthening tomorrow. I still am not totally convinced it's necessary, but I cant get a crown on until this is done and I'm SO DONE with the dentist. I just want to hurry up and finish and never go back. (Not really never...) And what's the worst? I broke a tooth (a different tooth, mind you.) a few weeks ago. I am so unlucky- and my stinky husband takes horrible care of his teeth and never has problems. I take really good care of my teeth and I cant seem to stay out of the dentist! Noooooo Fair.

Today's the first day since early this month that I haven't had anything to do. No work, no traveling, no errands to run, nothing. So what did I do?? I went shopping with Samantha. It was awesome- I even meant to run at some point today and didn't do that either. Shame on me. I'm proud to say I got some really good deals at American Eagle... sweaters for less than $10? That's pretty great! After looking around the Gap, I (for the first time in years and years) had a longing for a job there just to get the discount again. I even tried a few things on, which despite being super on sale were poorly fitting and thus, stayed on the racks. 

My poor hubby is feeling under the weather, and ladies out there, we all know how sick hubbies are.... so I'm off to force fluids and push pills!

Current Song: Love Story by Taylor Swift

Merry Christmas!

O come, let us adore Him

Clean!!

Our bags finally arrived today around 4pm!

After going for a quick run & cross training session, I hopped in the shower, brushed my teeth, etc. etc. etc.... it was so nice!  Praise Jesus for the little things!

Catch Up

So we're home from our trip to Georgia- 1 Christmas down, 1 to Go!

This recent trip has really got me thinking about a lot of things.

But before we dig into the most recent of revelations, it's back up time. Jordan's sent out somewhere around 20 resumes now to everywhere around the country. It's exciting to know that seminary is coming to a quick end. While I love it here and couldn't be more happy to take a job up the street and stay in Fort Worth forever, I received some well-needed & well-heeded advice from Mrs. Kaye Harmon, our sweet pastor's wife. Pastor Larry & Kaye have also been seminary kids and loved Fort Worth as well. So after I told her how bittersweet it would be to leave if we were called out of Texas and she said to me, "Well, Hollie, it is so easy to stay in a place where you are continually fed and surrounded by people who build you up. But you cant stay there getting fed forever, you have to get out and be the one who builds & feeds others. It may be bitter to leave, but it's sweet knowing you're doing what God's called you to do." What a simple, sweet, convicting message. I've always hoped that God would send us wherever we were needed, regardless of our feelings of the new place. I mean, at the start of this seminary journey, Fort Worth was not my ideal location. But over the years, I've grown to love this area, God has shown His faithfulness to me in a new way. Because I know how successful we've been here in Texas, I am not afraid to go another new place- I know God will provide & protect us. So we've finally started the job hunt process. And behold! We've already gotten a call.... from First Baptist Church in Roswell, New Mexico.

This trip to Augusta has been one of the best we've had since we moved to Texas, and shame on me, we brought the camera and it never came out of the suitcase. So good, infact that I can almost see myself coming back to Augusta to serve. For so long, with everything that's happened, Augusta has slowly dropped on my personal list of ministry locations. Blame it on failing friendships, hard times with my parents, missed opportunities. All in all, I was completely disinterested in coming back to Augusta to serve in ministry. However, I'm so encouraged by my most recent time there, I am seriously reconsidering what i think about going back to Augusta. Goodness knows, there are plenty of opportunities there now- and we have maintained a great network with West Acres. I cant really put my finger on what has changed- I can only assume that God's changed my heart a little. I see where He pulled me away from Augusta- kicking and screaming- to protect me and teach me the invaluable He is all I need lesson. So now, saying that I'm actually interested in coming back to Augusta may be a little wishy-washy, but I see it differently.

What's the one thing I still hate about Augusta?

Traffic.

There were several instances that I thought I would lose my religion riding around the city. Augusta is busting at the seams and it's no wonder the traffic is so bad as many of the major roadways have not been updated in many years. And in the other hand, so much construction is being done as well. There is no easy fix for this problem and I dont see it going away anytime soon.

I learned over the week how much more fun it is to run with another person!! My mom & I went out a few mornings and ran together- which was super fun! I'm thrilled to say I've conquered 6 miles now! It renewed my spirit and got me excited to run again. I'm determined to run today if I can ever finish this post.

Our trip home was a little short of ideal. Shame on me, I didnt go to work today as I was scheduled to, only because the day yesterday was completely exhausting. Our flight from Augusta to Atlanta was delayed almost 4 hours. Being that our layover in Atlanta was only 45 minutes to start with, the delay caused us to miss our connecting flight to Dallas/Fort Worth. We were re-routed and put on a different, much later plane to DFW. We didnt get into Atlanta until almost the time we would have originally been in Dallas! I fully believe now that the Atlanta airport is the 8th circle of Hell. We sat on the runway waiting to get into the gate as long as we were in the air on the way there. Being that we sat for so long, we were rushed to get to the next gate for our new connecting flight. Anyone who's been through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport knows that there is no such thing as "rushing." Since we missed our previous flight, it was imperative that we could get seats on this next flight. Thankfully, we'd talked to someone in Augusta about this and had some "temporary" seats set aside if we didnt make our originally scheduled connecting flight. So we immediately reboarded the plane, which didnt get off the ground until after 10pm. (Again, we spent close to 30 minutes waiting at the gate and taxi-ing) So we touch down in DFW around midnight, which is now 11:00 as DFW is in the central time zone. Too bad my body hasnt been in central zone. Did our bags make the connection? No. So we sat around the airport again for 30 minutes waiting and hoping our little red suitcases would come over the little bag claim hill.... with no success. So it's now 11:34 the next day, I have no deodorant, so I stink. I have no toothbrush, so my teeth have fuzz now. We didnt have pillows. I dont have any shampoo (Maybe I should invest in some travel size goodies now!). So after filing the claim with the baggage guys, we caught the bus back to where our car was parked and made our way home. We finally settled into our homey bed (it may be small, but it'll always be the place I can fall asleep fastest), and laid our heads on our decorative pillow sham inserts around 1am (2am Georgia time). What a nightmare. And our bags are still somewhere other than here. Yuck.

I got a few new books under my belt while I was away:

Recently finished:


Being a J&K+8 fan, my mommy was smart enough to include their new book in my stocking! It was a pretty easy read-- all in stream of consciousness which read just as Kate would say it. I was very surprised to learn how deep rooted their faith in Jesus is. Equally surprising was all the hardships they faced on a regular basis with the new babies. I had started to feel some animosity towards the family, feeling they use their publicity to get handouts and freebies. I couldnt understand why a well-meaning mother & father would willingly put their children in front of a camera 5 days a week. However, I feel like I gained a new perspective on the difficulties they face, and more so, who they look to for guidance in the difficult times- Jesus. It was refreshing, lighthearted, and a quick read.


Now Reading:


I've never read anything bad by Francine Rivers, but this book makes me nervous. I'm close to halfway finished and I cant help but keep reading. Maybe because it hits somewhere close to home. It's the story of a pastor and his crumbling family- falling apart under the misguided leadings of the husband/father/pastor. It's scarily real- something that I fear for my own family. A pastor's life is never his own and so frequently, the family bears the insult of this. Jordan and I have frequently talked about this, and he has so many great influences- men who are successfully able to balance their ministry and their family, that I hope this silent fear will never materialize.

I dont know what i'm reading next, but i'm up for suggestions!

Anyway. It never fails, we always run out of time while in Augusta. We got up early every morning and went to bed after 1 almost every night, and despite spending more time up than asleep, we still didnt make it to see everyone we wanted to see. And even the people we did see, were often shorted on time in order to make it to another place to see another person. I was only able to spend 2 hours with my sister! My sister!! I'm afraid people are often frustrated by our hurried time (maybe if we didnt spend so friggin long in traffic, we could fit in some more visits....) and we both hate having to spend an hour here and a half hour there. So I'm happy happy happy to announce that we ALREADY know when we'll be back in town!!! This is incredibly unusual, as normally we have no idea when we'll be able to come back into town. So can you believe we'll be back in March!??! Not only do we know for sure we'll be there by March 15, it's not 6 months past our last visit! Plus- I am thrilled to say we're coming for a wonderful purpose- my sweet husband is getting ordained at West Acres Baptist Church on Sunday, March 15. He'll officially be Rev. Jordan Mims. This is an incredibly exciting time in both our lives. I'm so proud of my wonderful husband and I am thrilled that he will finally achieve what he's been working towards for as long as I've known him. What would be considered the end of our time here will be just the beginning of what's to come.


Man, I'm really starting to smell... hurry up Delta.

Current Song: Just Dance by Lady Gaga

Holidays = Stress

Yikes!!!

I've got so much to do before heading home next week- it's unreal. You'd think that having the last 6 days off from work would've provided me the time to get everything done and accounted for. And you'd be wrong.

What's worst? I work everyday except Sunday between now & next Thursday, which just happens to be the day we leave.... early!! So we're talking finishing the rest of my Christmas shopping between 7:30 and 9pm over the next few nights. Of course, the only people I have left to buy for are those who are hardest to buy for! I love- emphasize this-- LOVE giving gifts. I cant wait to see the faces of a few people whose gifts I'm really stoked about. I'd spend an obscene amount of money on people during Christmas if it weren't for those little things called bills. This is where my hubby keeps me in line- making budgets and being frugal is his specialty. I guess my own obsession with coming up with great gifts puts undue stress on me during the holidays. 

Aside from having lotsa gifts left to get, I gotta finish up my Christmas cards. I have forgotten over the past year how non-fun it is to dig up addresses and track down people you haven't spoken to since last year @ this time. I've still got a dozen or so cards left to address. I know one thing, I grossly underestimated the amount of cards I'd need to make this year. So, if you were expecting a card and didnt get one (or well, wont get one, as they are all still sitting on our coffee table), I'm sorry. Hindsight is 20/20. Maybe next year I'll make the list before I buy the supplies... what a concept. 

Despite all my whining and complaining, I am thrilled to be heading back to Augusta next week. Those of you who've been keeping up with my blog (or keeping up with previous year's worth of traveling), you'll know we haven't been back in Augusta since May. And even then, we were in town for Jenn's wedding, so we weren't able to do many of the things we usually do while at home. We haven't seen our West Acres family since last December! Surprising as it seems, I'm thankful that the Newman reunion will take place while we're in Augusta. Hello yellow rice  & orange fluff!! I dont think I've seen a lot of that side of my family since our wedding, so I'm thrilled to be able to catch up with those aunts, uncles and cousins. (For anyone who's planning on hitting us up for some visit time, the reunion is Saturday afternoon- so we are officially unavailable for those few hours!) 

I feel better now- a lot less yikes and a lot more happy holidays. How can anyone stay unhappy when there's so much to be thankful for? I gotta come to the realization that the world doesnt revolve around me & my obsessive nature. From here out, I choose to have a better, less stressed attitude towards the holidays, nomatterhow overwhelming it may seem right now. 

Does anyone else feel the pressure of the holidays? 

Current song: Before the Throne of God Above by Shane & Shane

Christmas!

Divine

Is there anything more delicious than an indulgent pedicure???

My poor little feetsies have taken running hard. It's been months already since I've gotten a pedicure and the combination of time and the wear & tear of running has made my feet look a little... rough. I think Michele described it best when she said, "It's been so long since I've had a pedicure and my toenails are so long I think I could climb a tree with my toes!" I dont know about her feet, but mine were certainly tree-worthy!!! But now they're beautiful and well manicured in a pretty burgundy/purple shade. No more trees for these toes. I'd probably better take the night off from running too! I'll make sure to hit the trails hard tomorrow to make up for today.

Jordan's already gotten his christmas present- to the tune of a Taurus 9mm handgun and a new North Face jacket. Lucky guy! I have to wait like the rest of America until Christmas morning (the only time for opening christmas gifts-- for those of you Christmas Eve'rs) to see what special things I'm getting. I've extended my list to include an iphone, a cute pink North Face jacket (that I saw when Jordan got his!), a new lens for my camera, and a pair of True Religion jeans. That's not asking much, right??? haha :) 

I am throughly peeved @ the BCS right now-- as Oklahoma got the Big 12 championship bid and Texas gets a lowly bowl game. Boo. Didnt we beat OU? Mizzou got the other bid from the Big 12 north... and if I remember correctly, we beat them too. That one pesky loss by one late touchdown by those jokers @ Texas Tech has ruined our hopes of any postseason glory. We had a great year, however and I hope next season is equally exciting- Colt McCoy will be a senior, which should make for some gooooood football. I cut my teeth on college footbal, can you tell?

Current song: Listening to the bubbly goodness of homemade spaghetti simmering away-- made up by my husband, which makes it all the more delicious!

Novembrrrrrr....

It's been a while since I've really blogged an update about my life and peer pressure is everything, so here goes. November's been a relatively steady month. Work has seen its share of  good and bad days. Outside of work, things are mostly normal. Still running. Still working on Christmas cards-- although, I finally received my pictures yesterday that will be on our cards, so now I can really get to putting things together. I've gotten a lot of Christmas shopping done- especially yesterday- which I think was my first early morning black friday. I didn't do the 4 AM thing, but we were at WalMart around 6.... and everything was already gone. Those of you who would have received Iron Man are now getting whatever else I could find. :)

We did Thanksgiving @ the Miller's again this year. Fortunately, I didnt have to work! I was certain I'd be there all day, especially when I woke up at 5am that morning and had not received a "you can stay home!" call yet..... that came at 5:05. So I was thrilled to be staying home- even more so after a horrible day wednesday. We watched some of the Macy's parade and made the trip out to Cresson to see Nathanael, Mary & Doug. While there, I discovered another thing I love about the holidays.....

Pomegranate 7-up!! It's delicious!!! Mary always has interesting beverage choices when we get together; flavored teas, sparkling juices, interesting sodas. This year we had pomegranate 7up and it was awesome. While @ Target yesterday, we got 2 bottles of our own! I would recommend picking up a bottle of this seasonal treat before it's gone!!! (I may just have a glass right now.)

I cant very well update my blog without giving a running update. I finally invested in a new pair of shoes--
The guys @ Luke's Locker helped me pick out a great pair-- I love them!! No more knee pain!! It was great, I went in, they measured my foot, watched me run and came up with 3-4 options. After walking around the store with a different shoe on each foot, I decided on the aasics. So the girl is getting everything together and goes, "because you'll need a little extra room when running, I suggest you go with a half to full size bigger for these." So what size did she pull out?!?!

A 10.5!!!!!!!!

I about choked. Now, they feel great and they run great and I think it was a good decision, but dang. That's a big foot I've got at the end of my leg. No shoe looks cute that big. Regardless, it's made running a little more enjoyable and a little less painful. 

Last weekend, we went to the big game-- Dallas vs SanFran. Jordan's been waiting his entire life to see the 49'ers play a real season game and he will wait no longer. 

This was the one & unfortunately only time during the game that SanFran was on top. Dallas ended up winning, which was a bummer, but we still had a great time. We had some really great seats that were very close to the field. Only problem? Almost every play we were on our feet- because so was everyone else!

Being that I'm a BIG fan of Making the Team, I HAD to get some shots of the DCC. We were never super close to the cheerleaders, but I could usually pick out a few familiar faces when they'd dance by. Despite the skimpy uniforms and crude dance, somewhere deep down I wanted to be a cheerleader- maybe it's my inner dancer that is dying to overtake my 2 left feet. Then, reality sets in... I dont know if my neck could take all that hair tossing. 

One happy boy

Earlier this month, I finally took the first step in the right direction with my camera and took a few photography classes. About an hour into it, I was thoroughly confused. There wasnt much Rick Dalton could've said to make this stuff make sense. Sure, I can rattle off the 7 cardinal movements of labor in my sleep (engagement, descent, flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation/restitution, and expulsion.), but I have no clue what this man is saying.  Eventually things start coming together a little better, and I really appreciated the more applicable lessons; positioning, light, rule of thirds, leading lines.... etc. In the end, I have a greater respect for those who are successful photographers and a little more discerning eye of those who arent.

So December 11 is the first day of our extended Christmas holiday, in which we'll be traveling to Augusta to see my side of the family, Jordan's grandparents and our friends. We'll be there until the 17th, I'll work the 18, 19 and 20th and we'll be off to Houston until Christmas day to see Jordan's family. We leave Houston Christmas day and I work 26, 27 and 28th. It'll be a whirlwind of traveling and visiting and eating- the visiting and eating part will be great. The whirlwind of running around? Not so much. So those of you Augustans who keep up with us by way of blog, save us a little visit time!

We have officially begun (began?) the process of finding a church. Jordan has his resume available to the seminary to send here, there, and everywhere. There are very few jobs posted here in DFW, but there's always the hope of something opening up. I keep telling Jordan he should submit his resume to this church in Charleston, SC! There are many openings in GA, lots and lots here in TX although most are west Texas (out in the middle of nowhere). We both know what we'd like, and we're praying for our desires, but also praying that God would send us wherever His will leads (this includes softening our hearts to another area!!). We'll just have to wait and see!!! Meanwhile, I grow more and more weary of our little apartment. I'm so done with apartment living- I'm ready for a house. 

And finally (this was a long update!), I am completely overjoyed for our friends Jeremy & Michele, who just found out they're having a sweet baby girl!!! It's an incredible blessing!!! Jack will be a great big brother-- we are so thrilled for this sweet family.

It's time for Christmas decorations!!!!

Current song: Crush by David Archuleta

Ps. my hubby just met Shane Everett @ the Dallas Gun show! How neat is that??

Goal...

I have the next 6 days off with no plans and nothing to do, so I'm making a goal to update my blog!!! Hurrah! Updates and news keep piling up and I look for time somewhere and will find some soon. 

...but first? Black Friday.

Current song: that new one from Jason Mraz. I like his music.

Thanksgiving???

What's happened to Thanksgiving?!?

We saw Christmas decorations up (around Houston) before halloween.  Seriously??

I'm certain this post will offend someone and I am unapologetic. I do NOT understand what happened to Thanksgiving! Where did it go??? Who decided that the Christmas season started at 11:59 PM on October 31??? All around us are houses with christmas lights, shopping centers decorated with wreaths and garland- it's only November 16! 

Now, we HAVE already started our Christmas shopping (which may make me a bit of a hypocrite), but in our defense.... we must be finished by December 11! We're taking almost back-to-back trips to Augusta and then Houston for Christmas in both places. Last year, we did the same thing and it was necessary to our sanity to have all our christmas shopping done prior to traveling. We spend 3 days here @ home between the trips and I work all 3 days! 

Anyway. I will never be one of those people who decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving is over. It irritates me to hear christmas music being played already in stores. I love Christmas- it's probably my favorite holiday. I love the lights and decorating my house and the parties and the meaning behind it- the birth of my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ! BUT, black friday is the perfect time for decorating and my harvest/Thanksgiving related home decor will stay right in it's place until that day!!! 

Oh, what else do I love about the Christmas season??? White fudge covered oreos :) 

Current Song: Hosanna by Hillsong

Running Update

Ohhh, running. My pavement love affair.

I'm pretty stoked about the progress I've made over the past 2 months. It surprises me how quickly my body changed and adapted to running- even when I've never been a runner before. I'm easily doing 3-4 miles now- they're slow miles, and they're not pretty, but they happen. With winter quickly approaching (((for those of you northerners-- Texas doesn't really get cold until late Nov/Dec. The day before yesterday, the weather was in the 70's. It's a similar winter to those we had in Georgia. It doesn't really get cold and stay cold everyday until January & February. For those of you who dont know me well, I hate cold weather. Hate it.))), I'm forced to start running more indoors on a treadmill. This may be almost worse than running in cold weather- treadmills are so boring. Sometimes I find I dont run as well on a treadmill, and I think it's purely a mind thing- watching the clock the entire time, waiting to finish another mile and not just running until I'm tired. 

So what's my other downfall recently, besides a lot of traveling around??? My knee. It worries me. In fact, I've already told Jordan that if I need knee surgery, I want an epidural with a PCEA instead of general anesthesia. :) I'm sure this is just my hypochondriac side coming out, and my knee pain is purely an issue of poor fitting, well worn shoes. I'm thinking either today or tomorrow, I'll make a trip to Luke's and get fitted for a good pair of running shoes. If this doesnt help my knee pain, I don't know what will. I'm stretching well before & after, I'm doing some strength training to build up the muscles in my legs... We'll just have to keep going and see what happens! 

Something I'm really excited about-- is finding a running partner! I've been running all by myself, which is fine sometimes, but I think having someone to encourage me while running will improve my final outcome. My mama has told me numerous times that if I dont have a running partner, I'll need a superhuman amount of discipline to get through the 8-9 mile mark. It's amazing how people come out of the woodwork when you take on a new hobby who also participate in that same hobby (or claim to.) Like, when I bought my Nikon, all of a sudden, half our sunday school class was starting a photography business, 5 or 6 girls I work with do photography as a side business, and several other friends are dabbling in photography. Same with scrapbooking, and card making.... I guess it's just because I'm suddenly acutely aware (when I take on a new hobby) of people who share the same hobby. Kinda like when you buy a new car and then all you see are people who drive the same car as you.

Oh, and finally...

Go Longhorns!!!!

Current song: Anything by Mae

Girl's Weekend!

This past weekend I was in Mineola Texas.

Me, my sweet friend Catherine, her sweet friend Lacie, and mom-in-law Rita all got together in Mineola for a Girl's only weekend!!! 

We stayed @ the Southern Comfort Retreat B&B!

It was so much fun. We were indulgent and lazy and all around relaxed. The southern comfort retreat is a specialty B&B which allows for hobbies. Miss Linda has special tables in one of the downstairs rooms, which are made for things like sewing, quilting aaannnddd Scrapbooking!!! It was awesome! We set all our stuff up and scrapped and snacked and watched chick flicks all weekend. I got well into our Christmas cards for this year, but I still haven't decided on a picture, so I couldn't really put anything together. So there are a million little pieces in cups & baggies waiting to be assembled once we get a picture picked out and in my hands. I also worked on my anniversary book, which is really starting to come along. I made a few thank you cards, some birthday cards... I got a lot done! 

Miss Linda is the best cook-- well, maybe not quite as good as Nana, but REALLY good. We ate until we needed to unbutton our pants (which, we wore pj's all weekend, thank goodness!). We had breakfast, brunch, an afternoon snack and dinner. She kept goodies in the fridge, pound cake on the counter, snacks in the craft room... it was delicious! The last morning, for brunch, Miss Linda made Sausage Bread (among many other things). Sausage Bread?!?! It was heavenly. Hello, Sausage and Bread?? Probably one of my favorite new foods. :) 

Foods Eaten:

Friday Dinner: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Corn on the Cob, Salad, Bread, Chocolate Cake.

Breakfast: Danish, Croissants, bagels, english muffins, fresh fruit

Saturday Brunch: Sausage Gravy, Biscuits, Fried Potatoes, Frittata, Fresh Fruit

Midday snack: Fresh choco-chip cookies, Black bean salsa, Guacamole & chips

Saturday Dinner: Beef Tips in wine sauce, Rice, Squash Casserole (no thanks.), salad, rolls, Peach Cobbler

Sunday Brunch: Breakfast casserole, Bacon, Cinnamon Rolls, Sausage Bread, Fresh Fruit, 

Movies Watched:

Devil Wears Prada

13 Going On 30

My Best Friend's Wedding

Pride & Prejudice

& 3 episodes of What Not To Wear

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend!!! We had such a good time- and I think I gained 5 pounds easily. We looked into booking another weekend- Miss Linda's booked until April! Of course, there will be a new little addition by then, (baby Strange!) so we'll have to find somewhere prior to baby's arrival. Either way, as soon as Cat & I got home, we wanted to go scrap shopping :)

On the other hand, I haven't run in over a week. I'm so disappointed! I ran last Saturday and had a sore knee for a few days and then a few days turned into a week. I'm hoping to get out today and tomorrow. I was easily doing 3 miles last weekend, which is great! I gotta get back into it though, before I wear out at 1/2 mile!!!!

Current Song: The Entire Maroon 5 About Jane CD. I love them.

Furious

This makes me furious.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa081021_wz_preacherpills.137311785.html

I'm certain Dr. White knew he was going to cause a stir when he said these things- and I'd say it's blown up to a full blown ruckus by now. 

Lets get a few things straight. I do not agree with using abortion as a form of birth control. The morning after pill should not be used as birth control. I'm not a sex outside of marriage girl and I disagree with using abortion to fix a problem caused by fornication. I've even talked a little bit on my work blog about how uncomfortable I am aborting a nonviable pregnancy. I say all this to make the point that I am proooooo life. 

Most medicinal forms of birth control prevent ovulation, some prevent implantation, some do both. The argument is against types that prevent implantation. Regardless, no form of birth control is 100% effective- we all know this. I believe that fertilization and implantation are equally important. It's impossible to be pregnant without both! I can understand the argument that life begins at fertilization- but life is non sustainable without implantation. I'm not undermining the miracle of fertilization and pregnancy; I'm a Labor & Delivery nurse. I find pregnancy to be the most amazing miraculous event. How can anyone know the mechanisms of life and deny the presence of God?? It's absolutely incredible. 

Dr. White himself stated he & his wife at one time used birth control. He now says, "The reason that we did it was my own selfishness, I wanted kids, but I wanted kids — not in God's timing, but in my timing." So, Dr. White, are you saying that birth control pills are stronger than God? That God cannot still work and move and create life while a person is using birth control??? Personally, I believe God is infinitely more powerful than a little pill (or in my case, a 1.5"x1.5" patch.). Just as God sometimes leaves women barren, sometimes he blesses us with children. I may not fully understand either situation, but that doesn't mean I don't trust in God's plan. If I were to get pregnant (as a birth control user) I'm not only certain that a baby would be an incredible blessing in our lives, but I also know that God would provide for us. 

I think it's ridiculous to call birth control pills "murder." There are so many other bigger problems with the church these days, Dr. White, and you are not helping matters. I do not appreciate the negative publicity this has brought to the Seminary and Baptist church. And as if this werent enough publicity, Soul Force is scheduled to be on campus today. (but that's a whoooole other blog.) 

Current Song: ehh, nothing. 

Christmas Pictures

Ok, so this past weekend Jordan and I and Greg went up to campus to take some pictures for our Christmas cards. For those of you who've never been to SWBTS, it's got lots of great photogenic spots for pictures. We were hoping to get some great pictures of the 2 of us, and there are a few that I really like. I would have loved to go take some at a Christmas tree farm all bundled up, but the way our cards will be this year, I gotta get started early!!! (as in 2 weeks from Saturday!) Alas, we got some cute pictures and enjoyed walking around catching up with Greg. I dont think I can say the same for Greg, though- I think he just wanted a nap. :)

So, around the campus there are all these great spots for reading- especially if you go up on the weekend when it's really quiet. This past Sunday was no exception- there were people sitting all over the place reading and walking around. Families with their kids had come out to the pond to feed the fish. And then there was this couple- we could tell they weren't married yet, because they were doing a pre-marital Bible Study (Before you Say I Do-- it's good, Jordan and I have it also!) They were sitting together on a blanket under a tree- very sweet, until you see what's lying next to her shoes.....

...A dead squirrel.

Yep, that little brown furball sitting inches from her shoes is a dead squirrel. Now obviously, these 2 were totally oblivious to the fact that there was a dead animal within a few feet of them and we could hardly stifle our laughter. The picture we got (above) was a ploy "to test the lighting." It was hilarious. Poor kids were probably upset at us for laughing so loudly nearby while they were intent on the week's lesson in marriage. We never did go fill them in on their little friend's proximity.

Current song: I Miss You by Shane&Shane

Fall = Fair time!

Friday, we made our first trip to the Texas State Fair.

Is there any way we can go to the fair without talking about fried foods??? Isnt that the best thing about a fair?! Being that this IS Texas, new fried foods emerge every year. This goes way beyond a corny dog & funnel cake people. Among others, we saw Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Fried PB&J's, Fried alligator, Fried cheese curds, Fried S'mores, Fried Oreos, Fried Honeybuns, Fried Snowballs, Fried Snickers, Fried Lattes (dont know how that one's done...), Fried Banana Splits, Fried Jellybeans, Fried Chocolate Truffles, Fried Ice Cream, and the big food winner this year, Chicken Fried Bacon. What was I most interested in????.....

Mmmmmmmm.... Fried Oreos. Delicious. Think Oreo-flavored funnel cake. What was Jordan's fried desire???? A Fried Snickers Bar (see the very first picture.). Who would've thought anyone could fry a snickers bar. Regardless, it was pretty awesome.

Obviously.

Creepy Big Tex. He's not supposed to be creepy, but I just happen to think that a 52' tall talking dickies-wearing cowboy is just a little creepy. I'm just saying.

Of course, we tried the Chicken Fried Bacon.

And it was good.

We aren't big ride people, so we mostly played games, looked @ the exhibits, ate the food, shopped and walked around. It was fun- and now we can always say we've been to the Texas State Fair. We did not stay for Jessica Simpson. I did not see Jessica walking around. I did not see Tony Romo. I did not care to see either of them. 

So 6 hours after making the drive to Dallas, we left $47 poorer, several pounds heavier with sore feet and raging headaches. 

I was disappointed with myself for not running after all those fried indiscretions. Alas, I went out last night and was pretty pleased with myself. I guess all my whining to anyone who would listen has not fallen on deaf ears. I finally broke past 2 miles. You could say I trampled over the 2 mile mark by running 4 miles last night. Yep- that's right 4 whole miles. And surprisingly I didnt feel like ground beef when I was done. The same can't be said today about my left knee though- it hurts. 

What else wonderful happened yesterday?? The Longhorns trampled (and I mean trampled) Mizzou 56-31. It was beautiful. We kept our well-earned #1 ranking, and hopefully will continue to dominate over the next few weeks. The rest of the season's games (Texas Tech, A&M, and Kansas just to name 3) are no piece of cake, so the Longhorns will really still need to stay on top of things to stay on top of the BCS ratings.

Current song: Sometimes I cant make it Alone by Mae

I'm just saying.

Can I just say- those Hillshire Farms "Go Meat" commercials CRACK ME UP!!!

Ground Beef.

Run. Run. Run. Run.

My momma predicted it. "Running will get in your blood," she said. I kind of thought she was crazy when she said I needed to run the Cowtown with her in February, but then again, if she can run a marathon, why the heck cant I? So, I surprised myself by running a lot further than I ever expected to. And now I'm running every day. (well, almost everyday. I haven't run today, but i've been up since 5 and it's raining outside.) 

It seems like it took NO time to go from not running at all, to doing 2 miles/day. But where am I still?? 2 Miles/day. My times are getting faster, I'm doing a 9-10 minute/mile now, which is by no means speed racer, but I think going at a faster pace equals shorter distance before wearing out. So what's more important? Will it all come together here soon? Will I come to the point soon where I have a good pace and distance? I'm certain this will come, but now I'm just getting impatient. I dont have anyone coaching me, just the random encouragement from those who know I'm running and my end goal. Is 3 1/2 months enough time?! 

And yet, I'm still going. 

I am encouraged that this knee pain I've been having is transient, as I'm not hurting any more. Too bad the same cant be said for my sore, recently flu vaccinated bicep. Yowzers that thing hurts!

Current song stuck in my head: Anything by Mae

I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier

Buh.

I'm disappointed in this week's episode of What Not to Wear. It still makes me want to go shopping however. Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy The Soup though?

I've really grown to love our small group. We met again this week (at our tiny apartment!) for dinner-well, breakfast for dinner, conversation, and prayer time. All the couples in our group are pregnant but us, so our conversations usually revolve around pregnancy, labor, and babies. Regardless, I look so forward to meeting again!! 

I ran another 2 miles today. I havent been able to break into 3 miles yet. Halfway through the week, my sinuses started acting up again and I havent been able to breathe through my nose since then, which has hampered my running. 

I am happy to announce that the Longhorns are VICTORIOUS this year against OU!!! Go Horns!!!! It was a great game and all, but the Longhorns won 45-35! I think our friendship with Greg & Kelli may be a little strained now, although I hope they dont hold this against us. I wish we'd taken a picture; Jordan and I were all decked out in our burnt orange gear cheering on the team to victory! Due to this awesome win-- Texas is now #1 in the country!!!! Way to go Longhorns- keep it up! The next couple of weeks are going to be difficult games, but I think we've got it in the bag :)

Current song stuck in my head: All These Things that I've Done by The Killers

Border Bash aint got nothin on this...

It's that time again... for the Red River Rivalry!

Jordan and I have finally broken the very very loose ties with any college team we've favored and pledged our allegiance to the 'Horns! And none sooner- this weekend is the awesome, highly anticipated, super Texas-sized, ultimate rivalry. Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners. A game this big makes the dawgs/gamecocks match up look like pee-wee football. Held right here in Dallas @ the Cotton bowl, it's the biggest game of the year. This year should be no different; #1 ranked OU vs #5 ranked UT- both undefeated so far this year. Should be a real nail-biter. :)

Even my mom couldnt escape 'Horn fever- she has her own UT paraphernalia, which she got while out here a few weeks ago. I'll have to make sure she wears her Longhorn gear this saturday - we'll have to be on our "A" game to bring down the Sooners. Hook em Horns!!!

Last week I ran a total of 7 miles (over the whole week- not in one day!!!). I'm hoping today to run 3 miles. I'm ready again for Junk Food & Jesus (our high school girl's Bible study). I've got a pot roast cooking. I need to do laundry. I'm busy busy making a card for Mr. Mims (whose birthday is tomorrow.... whoops.). I must take a shower. I have a lot to do!!! I need to stop talking so much about football (which is so out-of-character for me anyway!). 

Current song stuck in my head: Texas Fight! haha

Finally, some pictures!

How can anyone not love San Antonio?? It's just so darn pretty.

The recent depressing activity of the economy has got me a little concerned. One of our 2 banks in which we... bank at, have folded. We are now Citibank-ers I guess. I assume that knowing little to nothing about finances makes me more nervous about when all this is going to end and how much worse things will get before they begin the turn upward.  We will soon be in the market for a house (soon as in, within the next year or so.). I cant help but worry about what the economy will mean for us when it comes time to purchase a house. I am thankful that we recently re-vamped our budget and are actively trying to save more & more each month. I appreciate my newly acquired affinity for penny-pinching- it makes me feel accomplished to know that for the past week, we've eaten off of $25 :) (the rest of our budget was spent in San Antonio!) We're hoping that we can save every available penny towards a fat down payment on a house (and a new bedroom! ... and a new tv... and you get the point.). 

I've got to stop talking about money. 

Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner!?!??? Yikes!!!

One thing I'm quite proud of is my new almost-habit of running. My mama is an avid runner and has even completed a 1/2 marathon already. I guess she kind of rubbed off on me a little bit while here- the stinker got up at like 6 in the morning while we were in San Antonio and ran around the city before getting ready for the day. Sure, I'd been running/walking on and off prior to the visit, but it was more leisurely than anything. I am proud to say I've run 2 miles today and I did 2 miles yesterday too! Like, as in I ran the entire 2 miles. I dont know that I've ever run this far before (outside of high school gym class, that is, where we were required to run 2 miles to pass. yuck. highschool.). It's not really a pretty run; by about the last little stretch, I am either ready to pass out or puke (neither of which happen), but shortly after finishing, I assure myself that one of these days I'll look fab enough to fit into those cute jeans again. I look forward to being able to finish both miles without feeling like ground beef. Of course, then it'll be time to tack on a third. 

Current song stuck in my head: Over the Sun by Shane & Shane

Eh, well.

Strange.

It took (again) FOREVER to attempt to load pictures from our trip to San Antonio. So, (again) in the next few entries, hopefully I'll have some fun pictures up from our great trip! I dont know what the deal is with those pictures specifically, but it's darn frustrating. Urgh.

I'm in one of those moods. In preparing the apartment for my mom's visit, I came across dozens of things that have just turned into JUNK. Things we havent touched since moving in. Things collecting dust in corners. Things I have long since forgotten. Things I am NOT going to miss. Therefore, I am in a purging mood. It's so cathartic, getting rid of junk, isnt it? It doesnt help that my husband is a #1 pack rat. Also, I just happen to have a hobby that includes millions of little doo-dads that somehow end up strewn from one end of our apartment to the other. Alas, everyonceinawhile, I enjoy going through all (well maybe not all) our stuff and getting rid of things. Maybe I'll find some ebay worthy items while I'm looking/trashing.

If you're reading this, check out my dearest's jewelry. And my other dearest's jewelry!! I've got dibbs on the turquoise/brown cross necklace. 

I'd better get back to trashing. :) 

Current song stuck in my head: Hold On by Nichole Nordeman

Catch up already!!!

SO much is happening here and I'm falling so far behind on updating my blog! I sat for 45 minutes last night trying to load pictures from our San Antonio trip with NO success. Stupid blog. Still planning on having some cute pics of myself and J and my mommy from this past weekend! (If I can gain the patience to upload pics again!!!)

Work has been wild & crazy and super tiring. We're pushing 500 deliveries for the month of September which is unbelievable.

My family is being shaken up and I dont know whether or not I'm ready to say anything about what's going on. I dont quite know what to think or feel or make of what's happening, so I think I'll wait until my feelings get sorted out before blabbing. That and I want to make sure word doesnt get out before it can come straight from "the horse's mouth." Probably more so the latter than the former. Regardless, I'm confused and disappointed and guilty for feeling disappointed. It's just a jumble of emotions. 

I'm going to bed. 

Current song stuck in my head: Bad Days Better by Shane & Shane

Ode to Sprinkles Cupcakes

Oh Sprinkles Cupcakes. 

While my mom was here in town (see next post for pics of our fab time!) we spent a day in Dallas. We hit Sam Moon, of course. And we also spent some considerable time @ the Galleria. It was my first trip to the Galleria, and I have to say that NorthPark is a much better mall. I digress. The highlight of the day was making a trip to Sprinkles. All the hype is true. I had never had a Sprinkles until that day and it was well worth the hour drive there and home. It was perfection. And so, in honor of the Sprinkles cupcakes that we devoured, here's a poem. (dont make fun of my poetry skills!)

Oh Sprinkles cupcakes, you are so fair.

I gobble you down without a care

Flavors so delicious, you are easy to eat

Such rich cake and icing, you're hard to beat.

Strawberry, coconut, chocolate marshmallow

Cinnamon sugar is easy to swallow

Lemon, vanilla and red velvet cake,

two, no three, no FOUR I'll take!

Oh, why, dear Dallas are you so far?

It takes an hour at least if not more

I guess it's best for me to be so far away

Otherwise, 25 more pounds I'd weigh!!!

tadaaaaaaa  :)

I would totally suggest making a trip to Sprinkles if there is one nearby. What a well spent $13. 

Now, onto books. Doing so much driving back & forth to San Antonio has given me ample time to read and enjoy some new books; check them out!!!

Just Finished:

Turned out to be pretty good; I am enjoying this author more and more. It's a lighthearted read with some funny moments, some serious moments, and a few unexpected twists! A little crude in places, similar to Swapping Lives. The story is much deeper than simply what you can read on the cover, which was unexpected, but happily received. There are some other books by this author that catch my interest and may make the list in the near future!

Now reading:

I started this book at the recommendation of my mom. She'd brought it with her to read on the plane and enjoyed it. I loaned her My Sister's Keeper, and she loaned me 5 people. So far, it's been enjoyable. The author is very descriptive, painting mental pictures of what's going on in the story. I wouldnt classify it as a Christian Fiction novel, regardless of what the subject matter is. 

Up Next: ???????

It's time to throw in a non-fiction, build me up, make me smarter, harder-to-get-through book! I dont know what it'll be yet, but we've got every book John Piper has written (or so it seems.), several John MacArthur, some Stanley, a little of this and a little of that. Any suggestions for a good, Christian non-fiction read? I have some ideas for the next few fiction books- those are always so much easier to make time for, it seems. I told Jordan when we started here @ SWBTS, that I'd be reading lots right along with him. With a huge library right at my fingertips, i've been very bad at reading the things I should be reading, and very good at reading the things I shouldn't.  Alas, I am a sucker for chick-lit. I can hardly turn down a good page-turner. 

Current song stuck in my head: Way back into Love (from the Music & Lyrics soundtrack!)

Open for business!!!

I had a pretty good response from people regarding a labor & delivery blog; so it's now open to the public!!!

Check me out & leave comments about what you think!!!

www.hollieinlabor.blogspot.com

Snot Factory

I am in the throes of a nasty allergy attack. The nasty kind with fatigue, body aches, low-grade fevers, sneezes, snotty noses and raw throats.  One of those where you're tired like you've pulled an all-nighter but cannot sleep. Ick-o. 

So, needless to say, I was pretty disappointed when I got a phone call at 5:11 this morning asking me to work today (I was on call).  I think I actually cursed under my breath when the phone rang. And for what? To take over care of a 23-week-er who delivered shortly after lunch. Since 24 weeks is the "cutoff" of viability, the baby died shortly after birth.  Definitely not what I had in mind first thing this morning; although I'm sure this was not what my patient had in mind first thing this morning either. Very sad.

Ike's on the way and I think we'll be feeling the effects in the early morning and all day tomorrow. I am not really worried about being here and having any issues; however Jordan's parents & sister/brotherinlaw/niece/nephew are in Southwest Houston and have boarded up their house and are preparing to "hunker down" and ride out the storm. We just got word that they've already lost power. We're praying for their safety and hope they have little more than a bad thunderstorm to endure. 

Current song stuck in my head: none. too tired. :P

What's in there???

I took a cue from another friend's blog- what does this huge new purse of mine hold???

The answer?

-Black Sunglasses

-Brown Sunglasses

-Cell Phone

-Keys

-Lipstick

-Lipgloss

-Chapstick

-My ever-loved and needed planner

-My ID badge for work

-Several pens

-A wristlet that holds my cash & change

-Earplugs (a necessity when traveling!!!)

-Eyedrops

-Bottle of advil/tylenol/meclizine/aleve

-Wallet

With room to spare.

Current song stuck in my head: The Huggies commercial jingle.

pisssssssssed.

I am so frustrated!!!!

Recently, I was diagnosed with GPC... Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis. (do not google it. It's not pretty.) Basically, my eyelids have developed an allergy to the protein that my eye creates that gets stuck to the front of my contact lenses. When I have my contacts in, these rough bumps form on the insides of my eyelids and cause my eyes to be itchy, watery and painful when blinking. Also, the bumps get so big that they pull my contacts out of my field of vision when I blink. So, everytime I blink, it hurts, itches, waters and I cant see. If I take my contacts out, there's nothing between these rough bumps and my bare eyeball, so it's incredibly painful!!!! Dont ask me if I can get Lasik. I cant; my corneas are too thin. (I can, however, get a more expensive, painful, long recovery form of refractive surgery. No thanks.) Back to GPC. It will never go away. The longer I wear my lenses, the worse it gets. Unfortunately,  it seems like the length of time it takes now for my eyes to get itchy, watery and painful is a few hours. Thats with being incredibly judicious with my eye care... prescription eye drops ($70/bottle which has approx 20 drops inside.), contact care, lots of glasses time; an entirely too long process just to prevent something that comes 2-3 hours down the road anyway. This morning; on the way home from work, I could hardly see to drive. I've already been to the opthamologist about this (hence the diagnosis) and there's not much more I can do besides changing contact lenses again. I just started a new brand and paid for a year's supply. I HATE this. HATE IT. It's one of the most frustrating things ever; to not be able to see comfortably. And what's more? It'll never go away. What's the solution? Glasses? I have a pair that's probably 5 years old now and no longer the right prescription (not to mention badly scratched) Too bad I've already used up this year's insurance $$ on multiple opthamology visits and a year's supply of contacts that aren't working for me. Right now, scratching my eyeballs out sounds like a pretty good solution to my problem. 

And my tongue is still numb. 

And I just had a root canal too. I hate the dentist. 

Ugh. I'm taking a nap.

Current song stuck in my head: the Safe Auto jingle. (and I thought things couldnt get any worse.)

Reads

Just finished: 

Was good: Relatively predictable, with some dialogue issues. Picked up where Even Now left off, which in my opinion was a better book, but Ever After was still well worth the time & effort. It mostly kept my attention, which isn't easy to accomplish.

Currently reading:

This book came as a recommendation from a friend who also loves to read. I'm probably about 1/3 of the way into the story and I've enjoyed it very much. Some would argue that the composition is very broken, that the train of thought or conversation lasts for a few paragraphs and then the subject or the narrator changes, but, being that I very often have a hard time staying interested in books, it helps to keep my interest high. The dialogue is not insulting to its reader. 

Next to come:

Prior to Ever After, I read Swapping Lives by the same author. It was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to seeing what The Other Woman has to offer.

Current song stuck in my head: Hella Good by No Doubt