Hollywood Studios

The second day of our trip was spent in Hollywood Studios. I hadn't been to this park in soooo long, so I was excited to go back.

Our favorite ride was Tower of Terror. We got fast passes, so we didn't have to wait in line.

  

They had a hall of fame for televison stars. I got my picture taken with Betty White, that was a highlight of my trip! I just love her.

And we saw the Beauty and the Beast show, it was amazing.

We were so hot and tired, that night we went back to the hotel and just relaxed.

I loved our hotel, Disney's Pop Century. It was really nice and so convenient to stay in Disney.

The Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom at Disney World was our favorite park by far. There is something about the classic disney that is so much fun.

We went there on our first day of the trip, and thanks to the extra magic hours we spent 15 hours there!

We ate some yummy ice cream and rode all the great classic rides...

like "it's a small world". I loved this ride as a child and still do!

We ended the night with Disney's electrical parade and fireworks. It was such a great day.

 

I'm Back!

I'm back a day late, but I am home safely! We got into an accident coming home from Florida. It was more scary than anything else. It was raining and we hydroplaned into a guard rail on 95. We spun around several times, but luckily only the car was damaged.

We were mostly shook up and didn't know if we could drive the car home or not. After bending the metal away from the wheel and staying the night in North Carolina we drove it home.

It really makes me thankful for my life, and thankful that both of us are fine. I was gonna post some fun pictures from disney, but that will have to wait till tomorrow.

Florida Bound!

I am finally off to Disney World!

I will post pictures as soon as we return!

Proposal Story

Today over at Kelly's Korner is show us your life, your proposal story. I just had to play along!

Right after Clarke proposed.

I knew Clarke was going to propose sometime soon, but I wasn't sure of when exactly it would happen. So on May 9, 2008 Clarke picked me up to go out to dinner. We were celebrating because I had just gotten into The University of Richmond's teacher licensure program. On the way to his house (I forget why we were going there) he said he thought something was wrong with his car, it was going to the right. Finally, we were in front of his mailbox and he stopped the car. He asked me to get out and help him check his car. I am thinking "why does he want me to check his car, I know absolutely nothing about cars!" But, I got out and he took me over to the mailbox, where we had our first kiss ever. He asked me to marry him and of course I said yes.

His family knew and were taking pictures from the window of their house. I was so happy to have pictures of this moment!

After we told everyone we went to Hondo's for a yummy steak dinner. It is one of our favorite restauraunts.  One of my friends knew we where going there and decorated our car while we were eating. I loved it!

It was such a great day and I thought he did a good job of being creative.

Reach

I just realized the other day that I have yet to write a post about Reach, so I thought I would tonight. Reach is my church's group for young adults. It is for married couples and singles alike. Me and Clarke have been going for almost two years now, but it is not until recently that we have gotten really involved.

Towards the beginning of the year, the pastors realized that there needed to be a leadership team, to help plan events, the small groups and get the word out about the group more. Me and Clarke are both on the leadership team and we are loving it so far.

I am really getting involved and I have met some wonderful people through this group. I have loved meeting other women my age who are married. In my group of close friends I am the only one who is married, so it's nice to have some other girlfriends who I can relate to about that.

I have loved seeing how God is growing this ministry as well. As we try new things, and pray about what steps to take next, God has been so faithful to provide. I can't wait to see where God takes this group next!

Summer To Do List

I am really hoping that by the fall I will have a permanent full time job! I have some prospects, and I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying. So, I have recently been thinking about things I would like to get done before then. I wanna post them, hoping that will motivate me to actually accomplish them.

1. Wrap up things with the house. We need to replace the vanities in the bathrooms and do some other little things around the house.

2. Catch up on scrapbooking. I have let this go, and I still need to do my wedding scrapbook!

3. Finish some art projects. I started a painting before we moved, with the intent of hanging it up in the new house. I still need to finish that and some other things too.

4. Finish cleaning out my room at my mom's house. My mom has been asking me since I moved out awhile ago to go through my stuff. I am almost done.

That is all I can think of for now. I know it doesn't seem like that much, but I know all the art stuff will take me forever.

Oh, and if you remember I would LOVE for you to pray for the job I interviewed for last week. I don't want to say too much, because I might not get it, but it would be the perfect foot in the door type job for me. Great location about 5 minutes from my house, and it's a growing school. Okay, I have said too much, but just pray!!! Thanks!!!

The Kitchen

So, this is my last post about the house for awhile. We still have the bathrooms left to redo, but realistically it will be awhile before they are done. So here is the kitchen:

I just love the stainless steel appliances. They came with the house, we got so lucky!

I also love the bay window. Our table fits perfectly there too.

Our refrigerator. And pantry! I love my pantry so much.

There it is, our new kitchen.  :)

Ellie's Birthday Party

Yesterday was Ellie's 5th birthday! I can't believe she is already 5 years old.

Ellie is my dear friend's little girl. In my group of close friends she is the only one who has a baby. So we all spoil her rotten. This year we all got her swimming lessons. I am hoping to get to go to one.

Ellie had her party at Kangaroo Jacs. It's one of those places with all the inflatables everywhere.

After a small cake crisis, Me and Emily got Ellie's cake. The plan was for me to pick her cake up from Costco. I always use my mom's card there with no problem, except for that day. They wouldn't let me in. After calling everyone I know with a Costco card, we got in and got the cake in time!

I have a picture of me and Ellie from every one of her birthday parties. I love to see how much she has grown in just a year.

After the party, the adults went to dinner at Capital Ale House for dollar burger night. All the burgers are just $1. It was so nice because all of the girls were there. I ate way too many fries, but oh well.

Disney! Disney!

In two weeks we will be in Disney! I just can't wait!

Our customised maps came in the mail.......

One for each park, with our favorite places already marked out.

We have been receiving lots of information about places to eat and fun things to do.............

I still need to book our tee time and make some dinner reservations.

Other than that, we are ready!!

Plan B

I read about this book on a friend's blog recently and thought it might inspire me.

I just finished reading it last night.

I wanted to read this book because I feel I am in the mist of a plan b, when it comes to my career. No matter what I try, it seems I can't get my professional life where I want it to be. I do have a great job, but I don't feel it is where I am suppose to be anymore. I desire more in my career, but for some reason it just isn't happening right now.

What really spoke to me in this book and what I really take away is the message of the cross. Now I've been a christian for a long time, but this book made me see Jesus' death on the cross in a new light.

When Jesus went to the cross He faced the ultimate plan b. It was His purpose, His reason for coming to earth, to die on the cross to save us from our sins, but I think we often forget how incredibly painful that was. He was not excited about it, if He could have done it differently He would have.

But, if Jesus had decided it was too hard, too painful, our lives would be very different. It was in the mist of His darkest, most painful time that God did His greatest miracle ever.

The author relates that back to our lives. It is during the plan b that God does His greatest work in us. God is more concerned about who we are, than what we do as a career. He is more concerned about who we are becoming than where we are going. God cares more about out character than our comfort.

So, I truly believe that God is doing a work in me. I know He has the power to give me a teaching job, and that might still happen. But, I am now more open to other possibilities.

I want to find out what God has out there for me. I want to discover who He is making me into, who He wants me to be.

I desire to glorify God. I often would think about when I get that teaching job, how much glory God would get. That in the mist of this economic crisis God did an incredible work and got me a job as an art teacher. I'm not saying that isn't going to happen. But, I am also saying that is what we all desire. We all want to be the one who scores the winning touchdown, points up to the sky and runs off the field. We all want to be the one who wins the oscar and thanks God first. But life doesn't always happen that way, and as I said earlier, it's during our darkest times that God does his greatest works.

I have come to this conclusion: it's not about what He can do, it's about what He has already done.  

So many times it seems we want God, when really we want what He can do for us. We want Him to come through for us, in the way that we want, and when it seems that He hasn't we are left wondering why without thinking about the other possibilities He might have in store for us.

But in all honesty I do feel extremely blessed with my life. I couldn't ask for a better husband. I have the best friends and family a girl could ask for. I love our church and our church family. We just bought a new home. I am healthy and happy. When I read the awful stories of things people had gone through in this book, a real plan b, it makes what I am going through seem like nothing.

I am grateful for where I am in life. I am finally at a place where I am okay with where I am professionally. I am excited to see what God has in store for me. Who He is shaping me into. Where He will lead me. I am open to the possibilities.

The Den

Here are some pictures of our newly painted den!

I blogged here about the stripes. They were a big accomplishment for me.

I love the blinds. Clarke and his dad put them up one Saturday when I was at work. It was so nice to come home and have that checked off the list!

I also love our new bookcase from Ikea. It was worth the special trip up there.

And of course Betty loves it too!

Blanche

I was shocked when I heard that Rue McClanahan died earlier this morning. To me she will always be Blanche from my favorite show ever, The Golden Girls.

Just last night I was telling my small group how I love the Golden Girls (we were at my house and they saw the extensive DVD collection of mine). It doesn't matter how many times I've seen an episode, it still makes me laugh.

Betty White is now the only Golden Girl left. Estelle Getty died in 2008 and Bea Arthur died in 2009.

It makes me sad.

Click here for a tribute to her life.

(Photos from People)

Master Bedroom

We finished the master bedroom awhile ago. It was one of the first rooms that we finished painting, so we could buy our new queen size bed and unpack our clothes.

I love the light blue color. Before it was a dark brown, made the room seem too small. The trim was beige, so we painted it white. Even the ceiling was beige, so we painted that white too.

I put a window perch on the window for Betty. The dresser is right next to it and she kept stretching to look out. I knew she would love it, and she does.

I also love the his and her closets.

I really love our new bedroom!!