holidays

are crazy! although, this Christmas we only went to 7 places instead of the 10 we were expected to go to. blah! i hate running around everywhere in fear of angering relatives.

i have a secret...

i can't even believe this

a while back i posted about a lady who had been on Fox news because she was protesting soldiers' funerals. recently, a young man from warren was killed in the line of duty and his funeral will be tomorrow. guess who'll be there?

i'm alive

and that's enough. this past week, a member of my step-mom's family passed from this life to the next. she wasn't afraid to die. she knew the Lord and she knew where she would spend her eternity. i still think she was too young, but God makes all things beautiful in their time. when someone close to you or to someone you love dies, it makes you think about your time on this earth. it all goes by so fast. i hope to make the most of my life. i care less and less about what other people think, partly because i don't have time for it. i'm doing my best. all we can do is trust that God will lead and guide us and help us make the best decisions. why get all caught up in drama when there are people around you who don't know the Lord? i'm not perfect...i never will be, but i can strive to be better. i trust God to take care of me and my family. i'm so thankful for the time i have here, but i know this isn't my home.

ministry is not at all what i expected it to be. when i was a teen, i thought, "how great it would be to be at church all day!" and it is. it's an amazing blessing and honor to work among so many Godly, upright people. it's always encouraging. but, there is a side to ministry that most people will never see. lorin and i have had to grow up big time. it's not easy. and from what i can see, it never will be. but, this is where God has called us. i love being in the ministry. i love how it stretches me, even though in the midst of change and heartache, it can feel like it's not even worth it. but, it always is.

tuba ruba

this was one my my sister and my favorite games when we were kids. it's also what she asked for, for Christmas this year.

r-e-s-p-e-c-t

what makes someone deserving of respect? i know it's not perfection, because if that was the case, none of us deserve it. growing up, we all learned - or should have learned - that you respect your elders. (Leviticus 19:32) it doesn't matter if you don't agree with them...you respect them in spite of it.

respect: willingness to show consideration or appreciation; polite expressions of consideration or deference.

Proverbs 24:21
fear God, dear child—respect your leaders; don't be defiant or mutinous...

funny...it doesn't say respect them if you agree with them. it doesn't matter who you are...if you disagree with the president, it's fine, but you have to respect him as our nation's leader. what happened from the time i was a teen until now? it blows my mind.

our society needs a lesson in responsibility.

Romans 13
To Be a Responsible Citizen
1-3Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you're trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.

3-5Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you'll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you're breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren't there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That's why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it's the right way to live.

6-7That's also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders.

8-10Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love.

11-14But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!

neil...this beats yours

Do you know how to go?

my top 5 on itunes at the moment

1.tonight - jeremy camp

2.when it's over - adie

3.drifter - decemberadio

4.the time has come - hillsong

5.say the word - classic crime

not feeling creative

yesterday, we had a bonfire for jr. refuge...it was perfect! the weather was beautiful, the teens loved it, we made hot dogs and s'mores and played kickball and football. couldn't have asked for more.

crave is coming up...i'm so excited!! joe hohman's coming!!

stuff rolling around in my head

joe mackey is one of my favorite people

i'm married to the perfect man

nestle crunch dark choclate stix are really good

i can't control a darn thing, except the response i have to everything around me

i wish i was turning 24 again...instead of 25

i love our woodburner

lorin's grandma can't say fajita...she pronounces it like "fygeeta"

eastwood

if you haven't seen the eastwood mall in a while, drop what your doing and go! you'll wonder if you've lost your mind!

holidays

lorin and i are going to florida to be with his mom for thanksgiving this year. i'm really excited to get away for a while, relax, and eat some amazing food. it's my kind of holiday because i only have one place to go.

last christmas wasn't even fun for us because we ended up having to go to 9 places in 2 days. i realize now that we are never going to make everyone happy. what's the point in killing ourselves to get everywhere when it's never enough? this year, we're only committing to seeing our parents. i want to enjoy my holiday and focus on my husband and what christmas is all about.

kashi

my new favorite granola bars. i love fall and eating one of these pumpkin spice flax bars is like packing the season into a snack and eating fall. that sounded a little crazy...but, i don't care! they're good!

simplify

the weather was gorgeous yesterday, so i went for a drive. i went alone and it was completely refreshing. i drove around vienna for about an hour and a half with the sunroof and window open. it was just me and God...me thanking Him for His handiwork, Him ministering the peace i needed. it's amazing how uncomplicated life feels in His presence. i've learned i don't have the slightest clue what i'm doing...and it's ok. He knows. i've given up on any plans i think i should have. He'll tell me when i need to make a move and He certainly makes it clear when i shouldn't.

proverbs 19:21
"many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

c3 continued

c3

here are some pictures from this past weekend

love it...drifter, specifically.

this weekend

lorin, mikel, mackey, janine, and i got back from georgia yesterday at 10:30am after a 15 hour drive. my head is still in a fog. there is so much i could write about, but i'll leave the good stuff for when i get the pictures from janine. free chapel was the church where the conference was held. one word - gorgeous.

we hung around the church after the conference was over and met some amazing people who showed us around. we saw the stage, backstage, editing suites, everything. it was so fun!! one of the guys we met, let lorin and mikel take a couple t-shirts based on pastor franklin's series:



if you've noticed that the title of my blog is in italian, it's my ode to joy.

In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored

When You call I won’t refuse
Each new day again I’ll choose

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos, in confusion
I know You’re Sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will

When You call I won’t delay
This my song through all my days

All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord Forevermore

c3

we (me, lorin, mikel l., and janine) might be going to this. I'm so excited!!

**edit**

we are definitely going and mackey's coming, too!!! woohoo!

Pastor Thom

my weekend

was so fun! bcf had our first annual fall festival yesterday. it went better than i expected...we had over 1,000 people sign up and come to the spaghetti dinner alone! the weather was amazing, the food was great (cliffy made french fries, hot dogs, and jalapeno popcorn!) the only thing i didn't like were the bees. i had to man the hot cider station and literally killed over 100 bees with my plastic folder. that part was crazy, but overall, this weekend was an enormous success!

my husband and his boyfriend

got milk?

lorin and i have switched over. we no longer consume milk. the more i read about the way milk is produced, the more i want to puke. it was actually lorin who decided we should no longer purchase our normal gallon of fat-free milk...which really surprised me. we buy silk now and it actually isn't as bad as i thought. lorin can just drink a glass of it, but i haven't come that far yet. the more i think about it, it's really gross that humans are the only mammal that continues to drink breast milk after infancy...and it's some chemically injected, sick as a dog bovine's milk we're drinking. ew. so, if you're ever visiting the foster's, don't expect milk with your cookies...maybe we'll convert you, too!

expect the unexpected

i always thought that was a dumb saying. it seems to be an oxymoron, but that phrase carries new meaning for me. it's amazing how quickly life changes from one year to the next. looking back over the last year, i never would have guessed things would shift and change the way they did. i feel older, wiser, more grown-up, i guess; and in some ways, not at all. i don't know if i can be surprised anymore. when things happen that you never expected, it forces you to expect the unexpected. like when your friends tell you they're moving to australia.

i still can't believe steve irwin died...it reminds me of a song...crrazay...

it's funnier in my head

i think this story could very easily be funnier in my head than in writing, but let's find out.

yesterday being labor day, my dad invited us over to my aunt's house for a barbeque. there were 9 of us there: my dad, step-mom, sister and her boyfriend(matt), my aunt, 2 of my aunt's friends, me and lorin. everyone wanted to play volleyball, so matt and my aunt set up the net. since there were 9 of us, i volunteered to sit out. they played for a while (that alone looked like a game of catch the chicken, palsy-style), and after the ball rolled into the neighbor's yard, my dad decided to kick the ball 30 feet into the air, only to have it land peacefully atop a very large tree. everyone (except me) scrambled to find something to knock the ball down with - some had sticks, some had large rocks. lorin was the first to attempt the virtually impossible. as he threw the small log up into the air, i noticed it was headed not for the tree directly above him, but the neighbor's car! it came down with a loud crash and everyone came barreling towards me...i started running for fear of being trampled, but turned around just to catch a glimpse of the madness. i cannot describe in words how hilarious it is to see 40 and 50 year olds running in panic to hide like children. when i turned to look, i saw each of them running like bulls, nostrils flared, cursing aloud. my sister ran into the house and sat on a couch, to act as though she had nothing to do with it. eventually my dad and lorin walked over to assess the damage...turns out the neighbor didn't hear it and no damage was done. the rest of the night was spent trying to retrieve the dumb ball. we never got it down.

hutch!!!

i found your twin!!

ownership

that's what dr. jesse spoke on last night. i love services that force you to change your attitude. it was soooo good. he's hilarious! i don't know anyone who can get away with mentioning his naked wife and 2 bowel problems from the pulpit and not be offensive, but he can.

last night was so much fun. although, we didn't get home until 1:20am...i hated that part. we went to friday's with a bunch of people we met at revolution this year. everybody was so cool. hopefully we'll get the chance to hang out more.

tonight, lorin and i are going shopping to find him some sweet clothes to wear for the 4 services he's preaching this weekend. i'm so proud of him! i'm going to try to be the good little wife and go to all 4, but we'll see how that works out.

popcorn!

tonight, lorin and i are going to canton for ffc's camp meeting. tonight is jesse! (if you've never heard dr. duplantis' story about a car accident and popcorn, ignore the title.) i'm so excited because i've never seen him in person before. plus, we get to hang out with derek and kristen!! popcone!

juicing

while in peru, pastor joe convinced lorin to start juicing. so, yesterday we went out and bought a juiceman by that guy with the huge, bushy eyebrows. then, after the feast of the assumption (which was our last solid meal for the rest of the week), we went to the grocery store and bought tons of fruit and veggies. we planned our meals for today and went to bed. i woke up early and washed our breakfast and lunch. for breakfast, we had carrot and apple juice. the first taste was pretty good, but after a few more, i started feeling queasy. i sat down and literally had to talk myself down off the ledge of hurling. i don't think i'll be having anymore carrots this week. And now, i give you "the father of juicing".

the feast

i am so excited it's friday cause that means sunday is right around the corner. catalyst is going to the feast of the assumption in little italy on sunday and since i love murray hill...i'm like a kid hyped on sugar excited. (my favorite places to go are trattoria on the hill and, after my fill of the most delicious gnocchi ever, i love to go to corbo's across the street - they have the best fresh filled cannoli.) i'll probably eat enough to last me the rest of the week on sunday. wish me luck!

a special thanks to my girl, gabby, for the lovely gift of ginger snaps!

yay!

my hubby's back home and all is right with the world again...ok maybe not in the middle-east, or the uk, ok, anyway...here's some pics from their trip: (lorin took most of them, except the ones he's in)

the last one made me laugh hysterically. they had something like 918 salvations in 7 days or something. i'm so glad lorin had that opportunity, but i'm really glad he's home!

bad day

friday was a bad day for me. actually, it was a bad night. i'm missing lorin like stinking crazy, so on top of anything that may disrupt my happy little world, i've been on the verge of tears for over a week now. so, friday night i thought i had plans, but they fell through. so i decided to go shopping and my mom wanted to go with me, so i was thrilled to have company. after we were done, she asked if i wanted to go to her house for dinner, to which i will forever answer with a resounding yes because the woman knows how to cook! on the way over to her house (we drove separately) my cell phone rang and it was the love of my life. i was so happy to hear from him! about 2 minutes into the conversation, his calling card ran out. i lost all control and was sobbing like a baby without its binky. i kept praying, "God, please let him call back! PLEASE!!!!" he didn't call. i pulled into my mom's driveway, we both got out of our cars and she opened the gate to let her dog (who is about the size of a german shepard) out to see me. he must not have recognized me because he came darting out growling and sunk his razor sharp teeth into my hand. already having an emotional breakdown, i crumpled to the ground as my mom kicked and screamed at preston (the aforementioned dog). we went into the house to clean the blood off my ravaged finger and put ice on it. as my mom was in the middle of praying over me, my cell rang again. rudely, i jumped up and answered it...it was lorin. at this point i was hysterical. i don't know that he understood a word i said. "pre..ston...bit..my...h...and...and...i...miss...you... so...much...." was about all i remember. after i calmed down and ate some homemade greek pizza, my mom and her boyfriend handed me a container of ginger snaps..one of my favorite cookies...that they had bought for me at one of my favorite stores, trader joe's. i was so excited because they were really good. at about 11:45pm, i headed home. i pulled into my driveway and figured i could handle carrying everything in one trip. i put the cookies in one of the bags and slowly made my way to the door. suddenly, my cookies were scattered all over my driveway. i don't know if i've ever in my life shown so much restraint as i did in that moment. i carefully put the items down in the house and went back out to clean up the mess. the entire time, i thanked God that the day was almost over, although i wanted to scream a profanity, instead. i went to bed and woke up to the most beautiful day i've seen in a while. tomorrow, i will pick up my squish and bring him back to our home. it'll be the first time i'll feel normal in the past 9 days.

it's official

i can sincerely pity the leper.

geoducks

i mentioned recently that one of my favorite shows is dirty jobs. well, i watched an episode featuring geoduck farmers the other day and it was by far one of the most disgusting things i've ever seen. geoduck is actually pronounced like gooey-duck. it's something like a clam, but it's got this long siphon thing coming out of it. it's really gross. if a re-run comes on, i recommend watching it. yes, i think it's funny when things are gross. :)

people actually eat these things!!

you think i look like a guy???

i found this website where you can upload a picture of yourself to compare it with celebrity faces and find out who you look most like. i thought, why not? it could be fun. so, i took a picture of myself with my cell phone and uploaded it to my computer and onto this website. it scanned my picture and posted my results. i was very happy to see i had been compared to the likes of anne hathaway and kate beckinsale and then, to my deep dismay i saw that they also compare your face to those of the opposite sex. i do not want to know what guys i look most like!!!! this guy, who i've never heard of was the one they apparently think i look like:

i think i'll leave it at that.

killing me

i hope this isn't too vague or confusing...

i've found that without even realizing it, i've begun to kill the critic in me. i like myself so much more when i'm just a little less critical and a little more loving and accepting. i think i was way to critical as a teen. i can see why people saw me as cold or distant. i'm not that person anymore. i love the things God can do in you when you let go. it's so much easier to let go than to hold on to things that seem important and ultimately will never make a difference.

i had a conversation with my mom's boyfriend last night that really made me think. we were talking about choices that people make. my question is, are the choices i'm making and the things i am doing going to make a difference or matter in the grand scheme of things? i hope so. i love conversations that make me think and change.

dirty jobs is one of my new favorite shows.

cleanliness is next to Godliness

yesterday, i spent all morning and most of the afternoon cleaning my house from top to bottom...i know how it sounds, but i really enjoy doing it when i'm the only one there. lorin was out to lunch with 2 really cool guys, so i had free reign. i love to put on some music (which artist is dependant on my mood-yesterday was allison krauss and union station) and just clean till i pass out. after i was done cleaning, we went to pastor mike's house to swim because it was hotter than a habanero outside. then we went to my mom's and hung out with her and tim. both were fun, but the part i enjoyed the most was getting home and smelling my clean house. there's nothing better than coming home to a clean house and freshly changed sheets. it's my favorite.

so...it's been a while

it seems like forever since i last blogged. i don't even really have much to talk about. camp went really well. i love the fact that the only thing the teens talked about when we got home was how much God touched them in every service. that's success to me. we're gearing up for our missions trip to peru. my husband is going but i'm not. it's weird to think it's been a whole year since guatemala...it doesn't seem that long. well, since i've probably put sang-won su to sleep already, i'll post this picture of our new dinette in hopes it will arouse some interest:













i know...thrilling, right???

kameron

how cute is she??

one way or the other...

she's baaack...and one way or the other she's gonna get burned.

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

3 wonderful years

At last my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last the skies above are blue
And my heart was wrapped up in clover
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I can speak to
A dream that I could call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
You smiled, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
And you are mine at last

happy 3rd, love!

what is it?

i've come to a place in my life where i feel very much in limbo. i'm not sure what i feel i'm missing. it's not like there's some gaping hole in my life. i've got God, my husband, my family, some friends left and i can't figure out why i feel so weird.

i love music and i love when i find a song that expresses the way i feel when i can't find the words myself. for some reason mutemath reminds me so much of guatemala. i'm listening to them right now and this song just happens to be perfect for how i'm feeling:

Come on can’t I dream for one day / There’s nothing that can’t be done / But how long should it take somebody / Before they can be someone / ‘Cause I know there’s got to be another level / Somewhere closer to the other side / And I’m feeling like it’s now or never / Can I break the spell of the typical / I’ve lived through my share of misfortune / And I’ve worked in the blazing sun / But how long should it take somebody / Before they can be someone. / Cause I know there’s got to be another level / Somewhere closer to the other side / And I’m feeling like it’s now or never. / Can I break the spell of the typical. / The typicalI’m just the typical / Can I break the spell of the typical / Because it’s dragging me down / I’d like to know about when / When does it all turn around

babies, babies, babies!

it seems as though some those closest to me feel the need to tell me to start having babies right now. it's not that i don't want to have children, it's that i'm being selfish! i love the time i share with my husband. we can travel anywhere without any concern about the baby we have to care for. i don't necessarily think there's a "perfect" time to have kids, but i do feel there's an "ideal" time. i want to be sure we can financially support a family and still go on vacations. i feel like the best i can do right now is be patient and use wisdom. i want my husband to be ready as much as i am. i know kids are a tremendous blessing and i'll be so excited when the time comes, but i don't feel the need to rush it. i've been married for 3 years and for some reason, people think that's long enough and we need to start a family...i feel like a stinkin newlywed! i know i'm 24, but that doesn't mean i'm ancient! i'm not past my child-bearing years...it'll happen soon enough, but until then, i'm happy where i am. :)

thanks for lettin me rant!

Someone call the psych ward...

this lady's on the loose! i stole this from someone else's blog, but it made me so angry i thought i would share it with that one taiwanese kid.

peace out.

slow down for cryin out loud!

do you ever notice how fast your life flies by? it's crazy! it's already april of 2006. those things that have always seemed so far in the distance seem to always be days away now. i have been graduated from high school for almost 6 years! crap, i'm getting old. i'm going to be 25 this year. if you think back over your childhood, doesn't it seem like that time went sooo slow? i remember thinking days would never end, that teachers lived only to torture me and force me to sit at my desk until i died. now i wish i could make time slow down. i think i've talked about this on here before...i need some new material.

anyway, lorin and i went to see jerry seinfeld a couple of weeks ago...he was hilarious! i didn't stop laughing once. it was fun...thanks, neil!

joy!

i'm so excited!! my wonderful friend joy is getting married tomorrow! it's going to be a beautiful day. she and matt are so great ...they are stinkin hilarious together! anyone who has spent any length of time with them knows how much fun they are.

joy, if you are reading this, i pray only God's very best for you and matt in your new life together. i hope you know how much your friendship means to me. i know tonight and tomorrow are going to be crazy hectic, so i'll just say now that i truly believe you and i crossed paths the way we did for a reason. i'm so happy for you! you've worked so hard to make this day perfect and i know it will be. i'm praying for you!! love ya!

oh...and, amy...you're next!!

blardy blar-blar

i love that saying. and i love lexi for saying it.

tonight is bab nite. should be good.

i'm probably the only person who is ever going to read this. except for maybe some random taiwanese kid who has nothing better to do. sorry, taiwan, i got nothin.

Pressy

my sister sent me some pictures of my mom's dog preston...we call him pressy for short. he is the sweetest, squishiest dog ever.

nothing

i'm not really sure why i'm even updating this thing because i have nothing to write about.

ummm....i really have nothing. you know how you read someone's blog and they're like, "i don't really have anything to write about..." but then they end up writing a whole paragraph on some random topic? i do that.

refuge and jr. refuge went great last night. i love the new seating set-up. i love the new lighting. i love that we can haze again. it felt good. the energy was good, p&w was awesome, mike did a great job. i am so excited to see where God is taking us. this generation is very different than the ones before it. i feel myself loving them more and more. i've never seen so much hurt. if we can be a haven for them, i'll do anything to make it happen. we've got an amazing team. the leaders in refuge are the best in the world. i love them all. it's like they're all experts at what they do. they do it in excellence and they do it for others, not themselves. that's the way it should be. we're just gonna keep getting better.

this is totally off topic, but i'm all over the place today. my husband and i recently started tivo-ing ed young's program. it's so cool. once i start, i can't stop watching. if you get the chance, watch it, you'll be intrigued.

k, kiddies, that's it for now!

wind

whoa, holy majoley, the wind was psychotic last night. i think i heard that it was like 60 mph. it was so loud it kept waking me up. when i finally woke up to get ready for work, i looked outside and our trashcan was flying down the street! i was in my pajamas, so i wasn't about to be the nutso neighbor chasing down an awol trashcan. i got ready and decided before i left that i'd go get the dumb thing. it was so stinkin windy! i was running down the road fighting the wind and i cannot even imagine how ridiculous i looked. it was like walking against a wall. try to picture it. you'll laugh...i did.

lauren = 400lbs

my wonderful hubby got me an elliptical trainer for valentine's day. i've wanted one for a really long time, so i was thrilled! he put it together last night so i could use it this morning. so, i got up half an hour early and started my workout. i was panting like a dog i was so short of breath. you would have thought i weighed 400 pounds! once i was done, i ran upstairs to take a shower, cause....ew. anyway, when i got in the shower, i was so dizzy i almost passed out like 3 times! i'm really seriously out of shape!

valentine's day

this day has always been kind of an enigma for me. i never really understood the concept. as a kid, you buy valentines, sign them, seal them, and put them in each others decorated boxes. back then the only significance i saw in it was who got the most cards. it was fun. but as i got older the idea of it changed. ok, so this is the day you do something special for the one you love. see...the only thing is, valentine's day will never convince me of something i'm already sure of. my husband does such an amazing job of letting me know how much he loves me. he does it everyday. don't get me wrong, who doesn't like feeling special on this lovers holiday? but the goal should be to make sure that person you've committed to feels special everyday. i guess my point is, i don't need some fancy holiday to prove how much i'm loved. today, i want to be at home, not in some fancy shmancy restaurant, with my husband. i want to cook dinner together. that's all i want. maybe i'm weird, but just being with him is enough for me. i hope i don't sound like a scrooge. i'm just thankful i've been blessed with an amazingly generous, caring, romantic, loving, handsome, sweet husband who shows me everyday how much he loves me. i love me some lorin foster.

relationships

i find it strange how relationships can change over time. it's not always intentional. sometimes it just happens. distance, be it geographical or emotional, causes a gap between people that may have at one point been close. as much as i wish that wouldn't happen, it does. the love is always there, but maybe the relationship has been neglected. i guess that's the way our relationship with God is. you could have at one point been so close to God you could hear His heartbeat, but somehow, over time, the relationship was neglected...only the one being neglectful is always us. He still loves us with all of His heart and it's not that we've stopped loving Him, but we don't put the time in to get to know Him more. just something i was thinking about...

great driver

i went to a baby shower on sunday. on my way there i got stuck behind someone going kind of slow and i was seriously tailing them. as we were driving, i realized they were also going to the baby shower. i felt awful! i apologized and we laughed it off. well, yesterday i was pulling into giant eagle and as i was turning into a parking space, i realized the person on the right hand side had their back door open. i slowed down after almost crushing them and thought i had better apologize to this poor lady trying to put her child into his car seat. as i was getting out i heard my friend joy (who was meeting me there) talking to the lady and i thought she must really be mad because she's complaining to my friend! as i came around the car i saw that it was the same person i was tailing on the way to the shower! i barely ever see this person and in less than one week, i almost wrecked into her twice!!!

oh...and hi, dad!!

just like Him

isn't it just like God to provide exactly what you need when you need it? yesterday was what i needed. He's so faithful. isn't it great that no matter how much we fail He stays faithful. we don't deserve it in the least bit, but He's always right there...even in the small things. i'm not going to get into details, but my dad called me yesterday and said the things i needed to hear and he doesn't even know it. i love that!

my cakes 2

i had to split the posts...

here's another pic of lorin's b-day cake.

these are some of the cookies kelli and i made for Christmas!

this was my last cake for course 3. (it got a little smashed in the car.) it took 4 hours to make the roses and leaves for this cake.

let me know what you think!

my cakes

here are some pics of the cakes i have made over the past 3 months:

this was my very first cake. it's looks weird. it looked better in person - ask josh.

this was a cake from course 2. it took about 9 hours to make all of the flowers on the cake.

this is the cake i made for lorin's birthday.