It's Friday: A week Review in Pictures

As I mentioned last week, I'll be introducing you guys to one of the blogs I follow every Friday.

Today... Our neighbor and her family over at:

Jo Jo's ramblings

I've talked about her blog before on here but I wanted to tell everyone about her blog again this week because of her recent post about a movie review.  They own a Wildlife poster company and one of their posters was in a movie they were watching! How fun is that?

Also, after next week we will no longer be neighbors. eeeek! Our big surprise I'll tell you about next week! (and no, we are not moving away from Oregon!)

Last Friday night Q and I went on a date.  We ended the night with our friends (and fellow Crash members) at a local arcade.  This was seriously sketchy...like, we had to walk down a dark alleyway to get there, sketchy and of course my husband LOVED it and can't wait to go back.

 Saturday Breanna and I went out shopping at some local 2nd hand clothing stores and ate lunch at one of my favorite restaurants Mucho Gusto AND we got to eat outside!

We have really had BEAUTIFUL weather this week...not Alabama 70+ degree weather but It's been in the 60's and I'll take it!

 

We went to 3 different parks this week!

Two of them we had never been to before.

Journey has started trying to put on her own clothes...It's not working out so well.

We've got to hang out with our neighbors twice this week!

She fell asleep reading.

Brooke's HERE! 

 You can read more about Brooke HERE on Q's blog.

Today, I felt like this:

Today I'll send you back to a post I wrote on November 29, 2009 about Living a Great Life.

It was such a fun post to write.  Have you ever said, "This is the best day EVER?" I have.  Go read about it HERE and I encourage you to live a great life! 

(Plus, it's talking about Donald Miller and my favorite book by him, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.)

Happy Friday!

The start of Q and A

When I think back to when I met Q it's hard for me to remember all the details.  Our lives over the years have meshed so well together into one life.  I honestly can't remember when we first met.  Oh, I remember when I first had feelings for him...  I just don't remember meeting Q. It's probably because we went to school together in this small town in Alabama.  One of my best friends at the time went to Church with Q and so there is a chance I met him there.  One thing I know for sure, the first time I wrote about Q in my journal was 

April 17th, 1997.

It's just a sentence with his name in it about this friend of mine going to his car to eat because her brother and Q were best friends.

  

Q's not mentioned again in my Journal until July 9, 1997 we were at the same house swimming.  I wrote: "I would like Quinton except _______ and him are kind of going out."  He called me Lee's little sister and I joked with him about being Wades big brother.  

On July 21, 1997 we went on the same church beach retreat.  When I think back in my memory of when I had a crush on Q it was this trip.  He mentioned one day about liking bell bottoms and I just so happened to have some on the trip.  So of course I wore my bell bottom pants that night! Why in the world did I own a pair of bell bottoms in 1997?

Church beach retreat. My friend Joseph, Q, Mandy and Me.

Aug 9th, 1997 I wrote in my Journal about how a bunch of us girls got together and called a bunch of guys to ask them to the movies...not really as a date...just a bunch of friends.

I called Q and he said yes but I don't believe he had any idea that I liked him.

The next few months we became best friends.  He would come pick me up and we would meet a group of friends over at the First Baptist Church to play basketball.  He would talk to me about his girl problems.

Sometime early 1998 he asked me to go to prom with him as friends and I said yes but shortly after he started dating one of my friends.  I thought it was only fair that they go to prom together.

Are you wondering where this is going?? Well...

March 8th, 1998... 14 years ago

Q asked me if I would go with him to help plan a date for him and his girlfriend to go ride horses in Mentone, AL.  I know, I know, dumb idea.  Keep in mind that I was 15 at this point and he was 17.

I had no idea if he liked me or not so I figured if I couldn't date him than at least I could be his best friend...so not fair to the other girl.  I was immature, okay!

ANYWAYS, so we ended up driving out to Mentone, AL.

We went to see waterfalls, we found a Frisbee on a roof and Q held me up to get it so we could throw the frisbee around.  We went hiking in the woods and stopped to sit on some rocks and talked about life.

We didn't hold hands or kiss or anything...we just got to know each other better.

He told me later that is when he knew he loved me.  He ended up breaking up with his girlfriend.

Ohhh, horrible, I know!  Geez, Audrey!  

(For some reason I don't have anything recorded for the month of March 1998 in my journal. It would have been nice to have more details but I do remember it well.)

So he ended up asking me out...I'm not sure if it was this night or not but it seems like when we talked about when we started dating, we always said this date.  I did end up going to prom with him.

And that, my friends, is just the beginning! 

It would take WAY too long to explain the next 7 years that we dated...

We got married 2005, had Deci 2007, Journey 2010, and here we are in Oregon 2012! :)

The whole point of this post was to celebrate today. March 8th, 2012.

It's been 14 wonderful years. Almost 1/2 my life I've been with this man and he's made my life SO much better! Go check his blog out! :)

Wednesday's List: Funny Stuff about Me

So, I went to Barnes and Noble over the weekend and got this new Journal:

If you know me, you know I LOVE journals and I LOVE list, so this journal is perfect.  

The inside has questions like this:

I decided that I would incorporate this onto my blog with Wednesday's List!  On Wednesdays I'll try and post a list post.  Some may be random, some serious, but always in list form.  I would love for any of you to drop in at any time and join me then leave a comment and let me know you did so I can check out your list.  

Today's list: Funny (Random) Stuff About Me:

-I've watched every season of The Biggest Loser and a few months ago I started all over again with Season 1.  I'm currently on season 7.  Who does that?? Who watches reality T.V. shows over and over again? ME! I'm a reality T.V. Junky!

-I DESPISE the rain and I live in Oregon.

-I could possibly have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder... Or maybe I'm just a germaphobe...  I've never been diagnosed but I'm sure my husband would say that I'm OCD about washing dishes and how food gets cooked.

-If there is a box of Little Debbie's or Ice Cream in our house it WILL be gone in 24 hours.  I have no self control when it comes to either of these things.

-I'm not even 30 (but will be in May! eeek!) and I knit and love puzzles. 

-I LOVE change...like in the fact that I love when the seasons change.  I love moving. I love rearranging the furniture.  I can hit the scan button on the car radio and be just fine with the change of songs without ever picking one to listen to fully.  

-We eat pizza almost once a week.  It reminds me of my childhood.

-I can be over sensitive and I can over analyze...

-I love LIST! List of "to do" for the day, Things to do in Oregon in 2012, Crossing number 8 off my list, These are a few of my favorite things 2011, In everything give thanks, Bucket list...

If you join me let me know! Lists coming soon:

-Bucket List

-Differences between Alabama and Oregon

 Happy Listing!

It's FRIDAY: A Week Review in Pictures

and something NEW....

Today, along with the picture review for the week,

I'm going to introduce you to one of the blogs that I follow:

My friend, Bryan over at:

bryan-bigdreams.blogspot.com/

If you are into photography or writing, you will LOVE his blog. 

Last Friday Deci decided to take her Bike out for a spin around the block.  I can't wait until the weather gets better and we can do this more.  She's getting really good...maybe this Summer we can even try without training wheels.

 Saturday morning we went to an indoor yard sale at a local church.  All proceeds went to help the high school group go on a mission trip over spring break.  I found this pillow! $1

 Saturday afternoon Q took Deci out to Chuck E Cheese while Journey and I napped. He called at 3:30pm saying she threw up all over the mall floor.  He brought her home and it got bad.  She was throwing up every 10 minutes the first 2 hours so we decided to take her to Urgent Care.  As we got in the car I got sick...in the car.  I know, YUCK! They ended up giving us both medicine.  Q took this picture below:

LOVELY. :) We got home at 8 and went straight to bed waking up off and on all night.  At 3am Q comes in saying that Journey is throwing up.  I was so weak at this point I could hardly move.  Q seriously was SUPER Dad and SUPER Husband. Breanna ended up getting it also but we are all feeling better now! :) We ended up spending the whole week inside though and it was quite a Looooooong week.

Deci wanted to make blanket forts.

Painting!

Below: Pond and the Sun, Apple Tree with Pink Latter, A Monster.

We got this book below in the mail this week from Uncle Wade and Aunt Kerrie!

Deci loves it and I think there is one for Journey on it's way.

We woke up to SNOW one morning!

Deci was so excited.  For some reason she thinks it's Christmas every time it snows. :)

Outtakes from A Photo (or two) an Hour:

This little girl has been working on 4 teeth coming in at once for about 2 weeks now! Yes 4! I think 2 of them are completely in now but 2 are still barely showing through. She has been really fussy lately...especially on this day.  She also decided to draw on the floor...and her foot.

Also, on Fridays, I'm going to start adding A Post From my Past link since I went almost 2 years of not posting on my blog I thought I would give you a chance to read some of my favorite blogs from my past. :) Here's the first one: What to do with a toddler on a Cold or Rainy Day.  This post was over 2 years ago and it reminded me of this past week. Being Sick, Snow, and finding creative things to do inside.  This week (not pictured) we also got out shaving cream to play with on the table. 

 I would love to hear from you what you do with your kids inside when you can't get out.

Life On a Mission as a Mom

Today I'm over at The Williams' Post! My very first time to write a guest post! :)
I'm talking about living my life on a mission as a mom. Go check it out!

By the way, while you are over there, check out her store. I just bought "The Wendy" Envelope Clutch!
100% of the proceeds go to their trip to India.

A Photo (or two) an Hour

Another day in the life of this stay-at-home-mom.

A Photo (or two) an Hour. I got this idea from my sister-in-law Kerrie over at The Williams' Post.

(I do realize I cheated here and put two pictures a few times...I just couldn't decide.)

7:00 my day starts when my 4-year-old wakes up. No picture here.

8:00  

Journey's awake! Breakfast time!

9:00 

We start getting ready to take Deci to school.

10:00 

Laundry

11:00

 Time to go get Deci from School

12:00 

 Lunch Time!

1:00 

 Nap time.

2:00 

Play time.

3:00 

Daddy's home EARLY! YAY! :)

4:00

 We venture out to a local coffee shop for a snack.

5:00 

Shop at a local thrift store.

6:00

 Q and the girls Skype with Pops, Q's Dad, while I cook.

7:00 

 Zach stops by to talk about design stuff for The Beautiful Mess.

8:00 

 Our friend Sharee invited me and Breanna to come over and eat popcorn and watch a chick flick.

9:00 

 Knitting and watching the movie One Day. 

10:00 

Home again and one last thing before bed: Check my email!

Tuesday Challenge

Today I'm linking up over at The Williams Post for the Tuesday Challenge.

Although I did not do the Tuesday Challenge for this week, I'm going to write about life on a mission in Oregon and what God has been teaching me lately.  I'll have to thank Kerrie for making me step out of my comfort zone twice this month and write about something serious! ha! I'm actually guest posting on her blog on Thursday. :)

So about 2 years ago...give or take, we started praying about what God had in store for our family next.  Since before we were married, we always felt the call to "Go".  We've both gone on several mission trips to different places and always prayed that if God called us to move away from Alabama that we would.  I remember when we were engaged, our friends Chris and Lillie from First Baptist Albertville, AL were praying about moving to Maine.  We actually met with them and started praying about what it would look like for us to get married early and move to Maine with them.  We really wanted to go but after praying about it we didn't feel like it was the right time.  Then we started the Church plant (LifePoint) in Alabama not too long after this.  We definitely felt like we needed to be in Albertville at that time and LOVED being there and having a new ministry.  There is nothing like the feeling of being where God wants you and doing exactly what He has called you to do.  After about a year of the start of Lifepoint Church, our friends Neal and April were praying about moving to Oregon.  We started praying with them about us moving with them.  Again it didn't feel like God was calling us there at that time.  So 3ish years later is when we realized it was time to go.  This was about a year 1/2 or so ago.  We told our families and spent the next few months preparing with our team to move.  Last January (2011) we packed up and moved out to Oregon.

Why Oregon?  Well, first off I believe it's a place God placed on our hearts.  After we got here we discovered that the county that we live in is the #1 un-churched area in the United States.  We came out with a Team...our first Crash team in hopes to help with a church plant.  We've been here a little over a year and things are just now starting to come together... not that things haven't been happening this past year.   God had done SO much in the past year in our team.  We've learned what it means to really rely on him.  It's a great place to be when you don't know whats next and you earnestly seek God for whats next.  Honestly I've grown so much.  Oregon has changed me for the better.  To read more about the the past year you can read my one year update. 

I also wanted to say that I don't believe there is anything special about us because we moved to Oregon...and I don't think there is anything wrong with Oregon...or that Oregon is worse off that Alabama.  Or that Oregon has more "sinners" than Alabama... A friend here told me the other day that she thinks there needs to be missionaries sent to the South.  :)   I just want to encourage you to Share the Love of Christ where you are. You don't have to "Go" across the country to be a "missionary". (Check out Crashing From a Distance)

So, we've been approved to use a basement of a church in Eugene to start meeting on Sunday nights....this may not look like a typical church plant at first, with worship and preaching (but who knows) but more of getting out in the community and loving on people but having a place to invite them to join us.

And about what God has been teaching me lately: I need HIM.  I need to seek Him. Jeremiah 29:13 "You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!"  I need to draw near to Him so He will draw near to me. James 4:8

Click the link below to join this week's link up!