No, we're not having kids yet.

I was very offended today when two separate people questioned me about having kids. Neither of these people really know me well so I can't be too upset with them, but it's the principle of the matter that just seems downright rude to me. One girl asked me about when we were thinking about having kids and after telling her my reasoning she said, "Well, you're days are numbered since you are 25." TWENTY FIVE!!!! When did this become past-due baby having age?! Last I checked 25 did not mean that your days were numbered for the having of the babies.

Oh, just wait, the next one was worse.

Another girl that I go to school with pulled me aside and asked if ::GET THIS:: I was having some marital problems. I responded with an emphatic no but I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't believe me. When I asked why she would think such a thing she said it was because we had been married "so long" without having any kids. Well excuuuuuuuse me! I guess that since I didn't have a baby at 17, that automatically means I'm having marital problems. Because I didn't have a baby and thennnnn get married, it means that my marriage is failing. Because I'm completely happy with my wonderful husband and best friend, doing youth ministry, living in a rent house, training a new puppy, loving my life, that suddenly qualifies me as a divorcee. Humph! I couldn't believe the nerve! That is such a sensitive subject for so many people, I mean, what if I had like a bum ovary or something?!

I do look forward to building a family....one day. I wanna know what you think: Is it ever okay to ask someone about their plans to start a family? 

Days of Grace Two

1. Living in a glorious new house with CLOSETS, CLOSETS, and MORE CLOSETS!

2. Having central heat and air once again, PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!

3. Work that doesn't feel like work.

4. Lovely spring weather that brings afternoons of tennis and softball.

5. Attending Duncan's Red Carpet Prom Event to see all my amazing students strut their stuff.

Blessed To Be A Blessing

I've been wanting so bad lately to start my own 365 days of Grace inspired by my best-good-friend Lauren Germ. I might as well just go ahead and do it, but before I just started listing my blessings I wanted to take take the time to give thanks for my blessings. Each week in our new adult worship service we take the time to say "We are blessed..." and the crowd responds with "...to be a blessing!" It's a statement of empowerment for the week and really encourages me to start my weekly list of thanks. I could not be more sure of what I am doing in my life right now. I'm so not a morning person, yet I manage to wake up early, shower, eat breakfast, and skip off merrily to work with such joy and excitement for the day. Even though sometimes I can get frustrated with situations (that will remain unnamed), I still find myself excited at the end of the day to do ministry, wifery, and sometimes exercise despite how exhausted I may feel. This is due to nothing else but God's amazing Hesed over my life right now. That much I am sure. 

Once a week I have even been waking up extra early to have a breakfast chat with some of my high school girls. The whole purpose of these breakfasts is to encourage each other by sharing how we have seen God in our lives throughout the week. I love these girls soooo much and feel so encouraged in talking with them. I am so inspired by their innocence and youth but also their wisdom and honesty. One of them told me the other day that she had been reading in her devotion about how we should do everything with a sincere heart and to the best of our ability. She went on to talk about how she felt that her attitude had been transformed with this consciousness. Mediocrity is one thing that I hate and so I really appreciated this fresh perspective coming from an age group that most people expect to just "get by."

I am blessed...

1. To have a husband who is my best friend, encourager, and partner in ministry. I'm so glad we got married when we did because I sincerely believe that we do better ministry together than we could have apart.
   
2. By my friend Katie who recently and tragically lost her mother. Not only am I inspired by her resilliance, but I am also reminded to be thankful for my own wonderful mother.
   
3. To live in a town where I can see a billion stars in the sky every night. It's the little things that matter.
   
4. To have had the opportunity to travel to countries with cultures different from out own. I love how deep and wide the love of God is!
   
5. To be able to dream big. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to fulfill one of my dreams of going to cosmetology school. 
   

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Phil. 4:8

Cosmo School: You can't fix stupid

So, I can't write this stuff. I couldn't even make it up even if I wanted to. I am strongly considering calling my friend Tina Fey or Andy Samberg down at 30 Rock Place to see if they can use some of this material in a comedy sketch. Because this is a scene straight out of The Office from the lips of Michael Scott himself. And yes, this actually happened in class the other day, I witnessed it with my own eyes and ears, and am probably minus a few brain cells for it.

• Teacher: "Remember girls, today when you answer the phone you need to use TACK. Just use good manners and above all else use good TACK. TACK. TACK. TACK. That's what we need to be about."
  
• Girl Student: "Umm, what is TACK?"
  
• Teacher: "TACK. You know, like the opposite of being TACKY, but instead being TACKFUL."
  
• Girl Student: "Oh, okay."
  
• Teacher: "Yeah you know the song 'If the devil doesn't like it he can sit on a TACK.' Yeah, that's where that phrase came from. So, just remember to have TACK today."

Wow. There are no words.

Hippo Lingo

This week I've heard/learned the meaning of several new phrases I was previously unaware of. I've tried to use them in everyday convos but usually find myself errupting in uncontrollable laughter which is ironic considering the words in consideration. So, here are the words. Learn them, use them, love them, laugh at them.

ROFLcopter

LOLer Skating

Failboat

I'm roflcoptering and loler skating all over the place right now just typing this out!

Cosmo School: Did you know?...

Fun facts I have learned so far:

• The thumb nail grows the slowest of all fingernails, the middle finger grows the fastest.
• The technical name for the nail is the "onyx."
• Hangnails are also known as agnails and are caused by a disorder called onychocryptosis.
• Skin is considered to be the largest organ in the human body.
• Dark skin is a better barrier to damaging sun rays, (sucks for me).
• The technical name for freckles is lentigines. 

So, me and my face full of lentigines are looking forward to learning about hair this week. Yippee!

Cosmo School: Day 2

I'm so thankful to be reminded that ministry needs to happen outside the church. When I worked at the Merchant I realized that I had had little to no contact with unchurched people for many years. And again I am reminded of this fault. So far it has been an amazing experience and has affirmed me in many ways. Here are a few:

• I thrive on building relationships with people - this is good not only for building my clientele but also in ministry. A perk I did not expect.
• I'm a fast learner. From years of experience in the "I do, you watch, I do, you help, you do, I help, you do, I watch" method I feel very confident in my abilities to follow instruction and execute with precision.
• My OCD does in fact have a purpose and I'm learning to embrace this quirk that God has given me. Obviously sanitation is a must in the field of cosmetology. I am meticulous about each step in the process.
• I'm talented. I believe it's a combination of the creativity I've learned to express in youth ministry as well as the virtue of excellence for which I strive.
• My ministry is through serving others in some capacity. I'm so excited to begin to see that my career in cosmetology will be an extension of my current ministry. I'm excited about where it will take me, who I will be able to serve, and, most of all, who I will be representing.

I can't wait to chronicle some of the characters in my class. I'm making friends and learning to appreciate each of their personalities. Everyday is an adventure.

As for skills learned...we're practicing nail care including mani's, pedi's, and polishing. Some might say that I'm an overly perky person but I really really really really rALLY, reeeheeeheeely, love what I'm doing!