I just have ONE thankful thought for today. Not that I couldn't think up more...I could do that easily! But the one I have today is such a big deal that I don't want to add any more and take away from this one.
I'm thankful for....
My parents
And their 38 years of marriage as of TODAY! What a great example they've set for Ian and me of what it means to be a Godly couple. I'm so proud of them!!!
I love you mom and dad!!!
Hooray! I got my curtains in my office done!!! That's one thing off my list :). Last night I had a really good night. Not only did I get the curtains finished, but I cooked a REALLY good dinner....and it was just thrown together! Don't you love it when you do that?
We were going to have steak, but they weren't thawed out yet by the time I got home, and I had some thin sliced pork left over from another night, so I threw that in a pan with a little tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic, onion and a beef bullion (dissolved in water) and a tiny bit of seasoned salt and let it cook for quite a while on low heat. Pretty soon the meat started breaking up and we took that and threw it in tortillas and wha-la! a yummy pork burrito!!! mmmmmm
I also got a good start on laundry...I'll be folding stuff & matching socks today when I get home (my least favorite part!) and before I know it I'm sure I will be caught up!
Now just to get those Christmas decorations put away!!! hehehe.
...get the curtains for my office done.
...put away all my Christmas decorations.
...get the database recommendation for the church completed.
...order my website/graphic design software.
...catch up on laundry.
...call the hospital to see what the weird charges are on my bill.
...get on my treadmill at least twice.
...say kind words to my husband as soon as I walk in the door.
...spend my Friday doing things that benefit my marriage instead of wasting a day.
...enjoy the sunshine (or rain if there is no sunshine!).
...smile.
...remember to do my Thursday Thanks Tank.
...be ready to tell the story at HOME Group this week.
I can do it!!!!
Our betta Sunny died today. I don't know exactly how long we've had Sunny, but I know that we've had him at least 2 1/2 years, which is a long time for a betta! He's been sick for quite a while, he didn't really swim around for the past 6 months. Today Ian found his lifeless little fishy body at the bottom of his tank.
I wanted to see if I had blogged on MySpace about getting Sunny, but I did find Bunny's Obit (Sunny's would be similar except I have no idea how many fish have proceeded him in death now!):
April 15, 2007 - Sunday
RIP Bunny Snyder
Current mood: 
gloomy
I have very sad news...our beloved first pet, Bunny (the betta) has passed away. I bought him for Ian's 31st birthday and he's been with us through thick and thin.
Bunny had a nice long life, he enjoyed hiding in his plant, eating round balls of food, and attacking his own mirror image.
He was proceeded in death by a zebra fish and three guppies. He is survived by Ian, Julie, one guppy, two neons, a cleaner fish and Barnabus the cat.
If you haven't gone to Knock Off Wood yet, you really need to go there and check out all the cool stuff this woman does. It seems she has taken it upon herself to teach every woman in America how to make pottery barn furniture!
So she's giving away two gift cards! If one of you win (and tell her I referred you) then I win too! Fun huh? I think this could get me the supplies I need to finally finish my night-stand/end table!
Fun huh?
We had a great HOME Group tonight. I hadn't been picked to tell the story for the night yet and I'd been prepared every night so Jamie had me to it tonight. We told the story of Moses going up to Mt Sinai and receiving the 10 commandments from God.
I did well :)
And Alabama won the BCS National Championship. Not that I had any ties to Alabama, but I told Jane Anne I would cheer them on. Now my husband says I'm a traitor because his grandpa lives in Texas. I have never met his grandpa in Texas. I don't even know what he looks like. When I meet his grandpa, then I'll consider cheering on Texas!
So here's my thankful thoughts for the week:
1. My office is ALMOST done! Tentative move in date...January 15th! WOOHOO! Now I have to figure out how to get my desk painted white by then. And fabric purchased for curtains and windows and such.
2. Our bread machine. I've been trying recipes for breadsticks. I have olive garden in my mind, and I am trying very hard to make ones similar. I haven't got there yet, but I will! Plus it's a lot of fun eating the...attempts.
3. Feeling better. I'm getting over this stupid cold Brian gave me. I can't wait until I stop coughing and blowing my nose!
4. Ian's first week of school. He's working hard and excited. I can't help but be happy for him :)
5. Candy Apples...I need to find the link, but I found a place that is giving away a free sample candy apple....I'm excited to get a candy apple in the mail!!!
6. Jeni & fam arriving safely in GA. Too bad Lillie got sick, but I'm glad that they're all safe!
This Christmas was a little different for us. Instead of meeting at someone's home, we met at the rec center at the community where my Uncle Ron lives. It was a nice big place for all of us, and we even got a few pictures in! Here are all my cousins on my mom's side of the family (spouses not included). The food was awesome, and it was a lot of fun seeing family that we only see once or twice a year :).
I brought the rolls. Ian helped me make them and they were a hit!
I love Dance Dance Revolution (or DDR to those of us who are addicted). I'm definitely not as good as Mandi....I don't have the attention span she does...but I'm pretty good. I now have several of the games: DDR Max 2, DDR Extreme, DDR Extreme 2, DDR Revolution, DDR Revolution 2 and DDR X. I'm sure there's another one I have...I thought I had an old one that really was terrible, but I can't find it ANYWHERE so maybe I just imagined it!
My problem with my DDR addiction. My husband has never been willing to play with me. Until this weekend. Why is that a problem? I only have one dance pad!
I need another dance pad!
But what I want as a new obsession.....
What I GOTTA have....
I have a friend.
Well I have a few friends, but this one friend that I rarely speak to anymore...but I read her blog. Jen (this friend I'm talking about) is an amazing writer (She should be, she's been a journalist and a blogger and all sorts of fun writer-y things!), and I love reading about her daughters, her husband, and all the fun adventures they have.
So when she did a recap of the past decade, declaring it the best decade ever, it got me thinking. Was the 00-09 decade the best ever?
I was born in 1981. So really, from 81-86 are all pretty blurry. We moved up to McDowell Creek at some point in there, which I do remember LOVING living there. Actually while I lived up there is when I met Jen, because she went to the same grade school I went to. Fun huh? In, I think, '88 we moved to Holley and I was a pretty outgoing kid that thought that everyone just naturally liked me, but I wasn't as well received at that grade school as I thought I should have been, so that's where I actually developed a little shyness. All-in-all the 80s were good. Lots of changes took place, but it was a generally fun time.
The 90s were also pretty good, but much more of a roller coaster ride. My brother graduated and moved away. That wasn't so great, but it was a LOT of fun going to visit him! We changed churches, where I met Leah, who I don't keep in contact with as much as I should, but I still consider her a close friend. I met Hollie in that decade, and hilarity ensued. I got my first boyfriend, and my first broken heart. I met Mandi (who would later become my best and dearest friend), and her little sister Jeni (who I love just as much) and their parents, who definitely helped shape me into the woman I am today. I started counseling summer camps in there somewhere. Graduation came before I knew it, and starting college! So beyond a few heartbreaks and the normal emotional turmoil that happens in teens, the 90s were very enjoyable!
So on to the 00s. They began with my frosh year of college. New beginnings, new friends. I managed my way through college (moving a whopping 9 times from 98-2003), and spent a little time working at McDonalds, Walden Books (now Borders Express) and then ending up working for Dallas School District. While working at the school a friend of mine introduced me to Ian. I had no idea that we would end up liking each other a whole lot more than she had intended us to....and just around 2 years later we were married! We lived in a dinky little apartment (around 400 sq ft) in Salem for the first year, then I got a job at our church, and my boss asked us if we would like to rent his basement out as an apartment. So we moved into a basement that is approx. 3x as big as our apartment was (I just checked and that Salem apartment is currently for rent....in case you were wondering). We got a cat. I started blogging. We took my first trip to the East Coast. Life is good!
So which decade was the best?
I have to agree with Jen. This was the best decade ever!
I wasn't on the computer much today, we were cleaning house to have my cousins over for New Year's Eve...What a fun night! I guess that's my first thankful thought...I'm thankful for fun and food and family for New Year's Eve :).
So yes, I know I'm actually posting this on Friday...but I'm not much past Thursday so I'm going to pretend I got it done on time :)
What I was thankful for this last year:
1. My first trip to Maine. It was AWESOME. I can't wait to go again :). Plus 4th of July in Boston...couldn't have been better.
2. My two best friends living in the same town as me for at least a week or two. It stinks that Jeni is moving far, far away, but I know that she will be ok. And I can always hope she ends up back here again.
3. Taking a trip to Seattle with my parents. I haven't gotten to go on a trip with them like that since Brian moved to California (We used to go to Boise once a year). It was fun :).
4. No serious sicknesses or injuries for our family. Hooray for a mostly healthy year (aside from this yucky cold I have now).
5. $100 in the mail from an anonymous gifter. Yeah, that was pretty awesome. God gave us $100!!! Plus the groceries that have been gifted to us...it's amazing how God uses people!
6. Huge accomplishments. I think hiking Saddle Mountain counts as an accomplishment! The whole way up I didn't think I could do it, but Isaiah 40:31
"but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
helped me out a lot :).
And finally, and update on Joanne Sargent. She had 12 stitches (did I say that in my last post?) She was told to stay home and no work for a while. She will be fine though! Praise the Lord :) Dick is also fine, he will be in a walking cast for a little while, but it should heal up soon!
Although I'm not sure if in respect to Dick I should or shouldn't make a pun about his heel healing.
