Bosses

Y'all. I have had some great bosses in my day. Seriously. First off, I know, I'm only 23. I haven't worked a ton, but I've had a few jobs and even more bosses. Specifically, about 7 jobs (9 if you count that I worked at 3 different Office Depots) and about 11 bosses. That's not even counting assistant managers/bosses. I really really enjoyed most of them. Most. :) Currently, I thoroughly enjoy both my work environment and my bosses. Isn't that neat? That's such a blessing. I don't want anyone who hates their job to think I'm rubbing in this, I just realize that it truly is a blessing. I mean, I spend sooo much time at work.

A lot of people ask me what I do/what my typical day looks like. Well, both of those are weird answers and sort of make my job seem shady. I'll do my best to fill you in. The random-ness is one of the things I cherish about this job because doing the same thing every day is bo-ring.

Over the last few weeks I have:

• Sat in meetings and took notes. 
• Scheduled things. 
• Learned...well am learning, how to self publish a book and an e-book.
• Ordered books. 
• Gone to the news to help with client interviews. See one here if you're that interested. 
• Gone to a chapel event at a medical facility....also, I got blessed an anointed with oil at one of these when I first started. Not kidding. I've been to a lot of churches and that hasn't happened to me before. Check that off my list.
• Delivered pies to local medical facilities between here and Bentonville.
• Written Christmas/Holiday cards. 
• Learned about how/what companies make Deal Piggy and stuff work on the back end
• Blog/facebook for a few clients...I get to start Pinterest-ing soon I hope! 
• Written legal docs to start up an LLC. Yes, written.
• and more. :)

Guess what I'm doing tonight? Making more laundry detergent but with a new recipe! So excited! Seriously. I'll keep you posted.

Lovey love.

Today

Today, y'all, I miss India. A lot. I miss the children (who are nearly 2 years older now! That means that this brand spankin' new baby  is probably walking now!) and the women and even the chaos a teency bit. I miss how dependent I was on the Lord during that summer. I dearly miss my Chelsea and Priyanka. Please note, it is not easy to live there, especially when you're from America. So, I'm certain I'm remembering the best only, and not the frustration, and not the missing Justin and my family, and not the inconvenience of every single thing in that country, but still I miss it.

Today though, I am also very thankful for my job. I am so blessed to have a job that I love, y'all. It changes a lot, and I. Love. Change.

Today I am sore because I went rock climbing for the first time ever. Y'all, it was fun, but it was hard. You have to be so strong to do it! Katie, my friend that was showing some us the ropes, could gracefully swoop across the wall as if it were no big thing. So impressive. I am very aware today of how un-strong I am.

Today, in like 5 minutes, I get to babysit some of my faves. Y'all, who knew you'd miss kids you babysit when you don't see them in a while? Well, ya do...or I do at least. #giddy

Also, for your entertainment:

Lovey love. Happy weekend.

The last year of Ever

Welp, rumor has it that this is the last year ever. Sorry 'bout ya, Mayans, but my guess is that you are mistaken. I mean, I could be wrong...but I also couldn't. What if it was the last year of Ever though, y'all. It could be scary to do that, but also really stinkin awesome. You could justify quitting your job, doing whatever the heck you want, spending however much you want, going wherever you want, wowie. Here's what I'd do:

1. See. My. Chelsea. Lordy, I miss that girl.
2. Travel my face off. All the continents y'all. (Although I hate cold, I'd go to Antarctica for the Polar Bears). Also, if you're a realist like me, this would be paid for by the mondo loan I'd take out since I wouldn't have to pay it back.
3. I think I'd shave my head. Maybe not. Idk.
4. On the polar bear note, I would have to snuggle one. I'd just have to.
5. Then again, the world would probably just go crazy before then and everyone else would hoard up all the funds...so I'll stop my silly list now.

We're officially moved into our new apartment. It's starting to feel like home to me. The first night we were here watching a movie it felt like we were house sitting or something. I'll show you some pictures soon. My sweet Justin hung up a ton of stuff for me, but there are still a few things we need to do. Currently, I'm deciding where to place the bassinet. The one we bought for the wedding to be a drink cooler, which then became a blanket holder in our home, and now won't fit in the living room. Justin says we should save it for a baby (y'all it is weird to think there may be a baby in my belly or our house one day that we are responsible for. Yikes.) It's cute and neat because it was at our wedding, but it's also only gonna used for a short period of time and who knows if we'll even be here then. You know I'm not taking that thing out of the country.

Tonight is cheese party and the Cotton Bowl, but I must admit, I am WAY more excited about cheese party. It's exactly what it sounds like, a party where we eat cheese.

Go Hogs. Woo Pig. 

Echinoderms, hot cocoa, and dental implants.

All 3 of those things are very random, but what I'm currently thinking about. Here's why:

Echinoderms: I thought both hippos and rhinos were those. I was wrong. I thought of it because my twitter background is cutie hippos and my brother's is rhinos. We love big animals apparently. Also, I love polar bears, but yes, I know they'll rip my face off. Thanks for shooting my dreams down to hug one.

Tell me that's not cute. You can't. 

Hot cocoa: I don't really like hot cocoa mix unless it's in milk. Also, I don't really use hot chocolate mix. I use sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and, duh, milk. 

Dental implants: I've been researching them a lot for work. Random, but true. I lovey love my job, y'all. It's random, but so great. I'm so thankful. It's so neat how God provides. 

Family Christmas this weekend, Justin's birthday on Monday, and our work Christmas party on Monday! Woo! Speaking of work Christmas, here's something I do at work: http://www.nwahealthandwellness.com/office-parties-101 Random. 

Lovey love. 

Thoughtlessness, moving, and a Christmas party

Y'all, let me preface this with I'm not fishing for compliments with what I'm about to say. Please don't think I am.

Anyways....One thing I've had to come to terms with about myself is that I don't have the gift of thoughtfulness. I wish I did, y'all. I think I always thought I had it, but I'm not so sure. I'm actually pretty sure I don't. I'm also kind of ok with it. While it's a bummer, I'm glad I at least know, so I can work on it. Don't know what I mean? Here are some examples:
My friends/fam/husband are so good at birthdays and gifts. Justin swears he got me the best Christmas presents ever this year. (I don't have his or anyone else's gift and won't for a couple weeks). Chelsea is so great writing me letters, and she's the one in India. My sweet girlies always get me something I love or have mentioned for my bday and for everyone elses, and I'm lucky if I remember the day of much less the week of their birthdays. It's not like I think of stuff and don't do it, I simply don't just think it. I have to put a LOT of thought into stuff like that. Gift giving - also not my strong suit. That's it. Just a revelation I thought I'd let y'all know.

In other news, we're moving in 20 days! Just down the road...literally about 200 yards. Our current apartment has other creatures living in it, and I just can't deal with it. We're breaking our lease and moving on. (Thank you Jesus that we found a place that would give us the first month free). That makes me think that I've never shown pictures of our first home on here. Here are a festive few.

Sorry I didn't clean off the table from the party...

 Our tiny, but useful kitchen. Not much to see other than the pot rack. 

Our tiny but useful bathroom. 

I love our shower curtain, and it's called Jaipur. Bonus. 

This is us with John, Justin's bestie and our current roommate. He's on furlough from India and is staying with us while he's in Fayetteville. (Yep, we both have besties in India). 

On another Christmasy note, we had a Christmas party here last night! We went to the Square (which was lovely) and took pictures then came here and ate, hung out, and played games. Y'all there was at least 46 people in our apartment at one time. Yea. Wow. Didn't know that was possible. It was great though! People made and brought delicious snacks and dressed festively. It was so great. Here are a few photos from that. 

With sweet, Sarah. Love love love her. 

It was our (Rachel left - Natalie right) 3 year friendiversary! 3 years ago when these girls were wee little freshmen (they're seniors now!) they came over to my apartment and we went to the square to take pictures. (Nat brought Rach. That was when we met.) I have had the privilege of discipling these girls and being their friend for 3 years now. Words can't express how dear they are to me. 

Y'all. Last time Jusitn and I took pictures on the Square it was for our save the dates. Now we've been married for 6 months. Wait, what?!? Who am I?! Happy, that's who. 

This is Sarah and Jason (and Josh pretending he's not in the picture even though he knows he is, and Tim really thinking he's not in the pic). They're sibs. Sarah's my bro's age (and they're friends) and Jason's my age and we have worked together for the past year and half or so. He actually played a part in getting me my current job. I like you Biggs (how do I make that plural?)

Saturday Sweets

So I skipped a week. Already. Oops. Please forgive me. It's been a weirdo week.

Y'all. It was my birthday. If you know me, you know I l.o.v.e. love birthdays. I had a whole thing planned out this year how my birthday was going to be called "CElection Day" because my birthday was on election day! I mean, it's been on an election day before, but I think the presidential election day (let's be honest, the real one) only once (the day I was born - the first George W. I believe). Well, I'd been talking about it forever, since Sarah's birthday actually, but it wasn't until late October our friend Tim gently informed that my bday was not a presidential election day this year. Bumm-er. Seriously. I was so sad. I didn't know what I was going to do (because again, I lovey love birthdays), but I did know Justin was taking me on a surprise date. He does that a lot, so it wasn't super fishy, but y'all I had another surprise party! 3rd one in my life and the second year in a row! Wowie. My friends/fam/hursband are so good to me! Y'all. I was so blessed by it. Check out this video if you haven't yet.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=980898749087

Look how decorated our after-party apartment was!

And, here is my surprise party from last year. Awesome right?!

Pretty mail is another one of my faves this week.

 Technically, this wasn't mail. John brought it back from India for my birthday from Chelsea, but I count it as mail. They're already on the desk....that will hopefully have a top soon, so I can show you!

Mail from Chels and my grandma. I got 2 other mails from Sara and Sarah. They both also involved pink. One was a preshy/weird birthday card, and the other was the cutest little birth announcement I've ever seen.

Another super big fave this week is traveling not in the rain. Y'all. Justin and I drove to Cabot from here in a storm, from Cabot to Hot Spring in a storm, and from Hot Springs to Fayetteville in a storm. We're so thankful to drive in normal weather.

Another fun thing this week is that I got to deliver pies for work. Y'all, who doesn't want to be the bearer of a pie? Who's going to be unhappy about getting a pie? No one, that's who. I lovey love my job y'all. Praise the Lord. I almost took (well, did a second interview) with a degree-related, child-centered job, and every single day I am so thankful I didn't. I'm so glad God is bigger than me.

We had family Thanksgiving today, and that was super. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas food. I love the holidays.

Happy Satur-almost-Sunday! 

Saturday Sweets

Y'all.....all 26 of you.....sorry I'm a blog failure. Not that I think you're spending all your waking moments waiting on me to blog, I just feel like I should be better at it simply because the few dear ones to me that do read it do genuinely care about what's going on in my life. (And, I especially care about those that are dear to me, but not so near. I can't tell them *ahem-Chelsea* to blog more if I don't.) Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about why I blog. It seems sort of vain and prideful doesn't it? I mean I'm generally talking about me and my life and what I do, and really, it's not that exciting. But, while thinking about that, I also thought about my (Lord-willing) future children. Y'all. I would love love love love to be able to read what my parents did before they even knew I'd be their daughter. So maybe so sweet 22 year old girl (or boy, or hopefully girlS and boyS!) will love  at least get a laugh at reading these very sporadic, random ramblings one day.

So, I've decided I will write something at least once a week by posting a few fun/random/favorite things on Saturday. I shall call it Saturday Sweets...because I love alliteration...and sweets (and obviously ellipses). And also that I can also do it on Sunday and it still be alliterated. :)

Here ya go! Volume 1 Issue 1 of Saturday Sweets. (PS, this whole idea is sort of a mishmash idea that I stole from Sara's  instafriday posts and Lauren's (yes, we're on a first name basis) Friday Favorites posts.

1. I just found out Justin is off Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Christmas Eve. Woo-hoo. Y'all, he works at a hospital. That is not common.

2. I got to Skype with Chelsea, and that is always one of my favorites.

3. My birthday is this week! I LOVE love love love love birthdays. Not just mine. Everyone's. I still need to plan something, but I love an excuse for everyone to get together (and on my birthday that means not playing games I hate playing at other parties.)

4. Y'all this video makes me sad, but the last kids on it are SOOOOO funny. They make all the whiney kids before worth it. Let's be real, that's totally what I would've done.

5. This recipe I got off of Pinterest. Y'all. I luuuuurrrrrvvvvveeee Pinterest (like everyone else in the world) and this soup. (They call it chili). It's so easy and so tasty. I'm making it for our Community Group tomorrow.

 6. Halloween's over. Thank goodness. I'm not such a fan of that holiday, but I do love Thanksgiving and Christmas. Did I tell you our tree was up? It is. :)

Happy Saturday, lovies!