Lessons Learned From Letter

My father built this really awesome shelving unit for my mother. Well she no longer needs it so I became the lucky winner of the shelves. So last night it was delivered into my office.

So tonight I began cleaning it and organizing. A huge monumental task if you know what I still have to unpack for the house. While unpacking boxes and boxes I came across a small box full of letters. I was curious and opened it. They were letters from the year 2000.  Now here is the really interesting part, I have moved at least nine times since these letters were written and received. Although I have moved so many times I have not seen these letters since I packed them away in 2000. I obviously kept them for a reason.

I proceeded to open the box and read every letter making sure to organize them so not to read them out of order. It felt weird reading them, like I was reading from someone else's life. It seems like a million years ago. I realized how much I have changed and how much really I haven't. Not sure how good that is though.

So it got me thinking about decisions I made in my past. Choices I made then have definitely shaped my future into what it is now. Do I regret things - I would have to say maybe things I said. These things hurt people and I never want to hurt people. But God shapes our lives and these happen to teach us a lesson and help us to grow.

The fate of these letters has actually been sealed. I debated on whether to keep them another 9 years and possibly revisit them later. But I realized I am unable to move forward while still holding on the past. So I threw them away. It felt weird, strangely easy. Finding these letters has made me realize that the past holds us back to a certain extent. I need to let go and move forward. A simple lesson learned, all from a small box tucked away in the garage that was accidentally kept for nine years.

So I thank the author of theses letters for teaching me more than you will ever know! THANK YOU!

Conversations with my mother

So this is how it all went down

Mom: "Do you want any of these Jade Trees? I have to dig mine up"

Me: "Sure, that would be good"

Mom: "I will transplant one and bring it over"

Me: "See you then"

The next day this is what arrived in my backyard

She assures me that it will recover. Only time will tell

Creative juices are overflowing and have no where to go

So I have this amazing friend who is getting married in 24 days. Not that I am counting or anything but I am kind of looking forward to this. She sent me this link for her engagement pictures and one link led to another and 90 minutes later I am so itching get out there and take some pictures. I am taking a little road trip tomorrow to pick up my brother/handyman. Hopefully there will be some great photo opportunities on the way over there.

For those who are wondering Bentley is getting huge. I guess Kurt was right and we should have named him Rambo! His head now is the size of his whole body when I brought him home!

More to come later. Hopefully some good photos to come. And to Salmon the pictures are awesome and I can't wait for the wedding!!!!

The Moments That Make Me Smile

Throughout the 24 hours of each day there are an abundance of moments that make me smile.  I start each day with wonderment about what moments are awaiting for me. There rarely is a time during the day that I am not smiling. I decided to compile a list of things that have made me smile (past and present).

1. Children laughing

2. Bentley's morning greetings

3. My morning time with Bentley

4. The guy walking the giant dogs on my morning commute

5. Random pictures I receive from my cousins of their kids

6. Almost every moment at my job

7. Henry Weinhard's Root Beer

8. Seeing my brother succeed

9. Chocolate Cake

10. Music - All Music!!!

11. Friends - the show and the real thing

12. Sunrise

13. Sunset

14. God Moments

I am sure there are more and I will continue to update as I come upon things that make me smile! Because smiling is good for your health!

And because I have the most precious baby boy in the world, here we go!

And I name you Lake Bentley

So it has been raining here for days (well actually the last two days have been rain free). Anyways I came home last Saturday and noticed my backyard was full of water, no really it was. I decided since Bentley loved to play in the giant puddle I would name the ever growing Lake in my yard Lake Bentley and so it has been Christened. Here are some pictures of the next sought after vacation spot!

25 things about me........

25 things about me..... 

25. I have curly hair - I get up 2 1/2 hours before I have to be at work just to straighten it.  

24. I just bought my first house - All by myself!  

23. I got a new puppy - His name is Bentley and he chews everything!  

22. I love to be lazy and could sleep all day if life would let me!  

21. I love my job and career I can't imagine doing anything else for a a living  

20. I was way too serious in high school - I missed out on so much but still had fun!  

19. One person befriended me in high school and showed me all it takes is one. Thank You  

18. I love Thai food - even though it took 2 years for Sarah to convince me to try it  

17. i believe my lobster is out there I just have to swim in the sea a little longer!  

16. I have a pool but don't like to swim.  

15. I have a yard but don't do yard work.  

14. My guilty pleasure is romantic comedies  

13. I love to read - a trait I inherited from my mother  

12. I love sports - especially soccer and softball  

11. I grow my hair out and then cut it so I can donate it - I do this every two years  

10. I hate shoes - I wear them because I have to. I take them off every chance I get.  

9. I have a learning disability and never read my own textbooks until grad school - someone 

always read them to me!  

8. I hate needles - my palms are sweating just thinking about them  

7. My mom is my best friend!  

6. I tend to be fairly blunt and sometimes it can get me in trouble  

5. I go to sleep every night watching old seasons of One Tree Hill, Bones or Friends  

4. I have the best family. no really - for evidence see blog below  

3. I cherish my friends - they are the reason I have made it this far.  

2. I am obsessed with music - I have 110 days worth of music on my computer  

1. I LOVE JESUS CHRIST!!!

My eventful but not really weekend

So now that I own my home there is always something to get done. Yesterday  I was woke up at 4 am by my beloved puppy so that he could run around and vomit in every room he could get to. He eventually went back to sleep only to wake me up again at 7 am. This time he wanted to be fed. I guess the earlier vomiting did not effect him at all. I decided to get up and do some things around the house. Basic house care stuff (dishes, clean the kitchen, vacuum, sweep, mop). Nothing too exciting.

Now comes the fun part of the weekend. I am pretty sure I have the best family in the world! I mean really how many of you can say your aunts and uncles come over and spend their weekend painting your house or make awesome quilts for you. Or who can say their brother and dad came over and spent their saturday designing and painting a music/fun room for you. Also how many fathers and brothers would go to Costco with you, load your new entertainment center/fireplace, and then spend hours putting it together. See I think I have plead my case convincingly.

I also have physical evidence my family is the best.

This all completely Zane's idea.

Well I knew I wanted to paint something on

the walls but Zane came up with the idea and

then came over and actually did it. I can't wait

until it is completely finished!!

This is the entertainment center/electric fireplace my parents and brother came down to Costco and loaded for me and then spent the evening putting together. I now learned that my aunt and uncle are getting the same one (Don't worry we all know it was my idea first!!!)

This is what it looked like before I got the new TV and entertainment center. I think it looks better now, what do you think?

I have really enjoyed having the entertainment center/fireplace. Just the ambience of the flame is awesome. I have also enjoyed my new TV and surround sound immensely. Well it is late and now that I have convinced you all out there that I have the best family in the world I am going to bed!!!

Life with a new puppy

I have come to find out that life with a puppy is just as hard as having a newborn. However I think having a puppy is a little more destructive. I sat down with little Bentley last night and saw his latest act of destruction: He had chewed my bedskirt on my bed. I couldn't really get mad at him since I hadn't caught him doing it so I just stewed over it a minute and have jokingly threatened he be taken back to the pound. Don't worry it will never happen!!

The bedskirt with some new holes!

The other side of the bed

There are always toys and things everywhere

He has his sweet moments

He gives such cute looks!

Awwww!

I love this little guy even though he can be a pill!!

I was thinking the other day about how much I love taking pictures. I was sitting (okay I was really laying) on my couch and staring at the moon. It was huge and bright just outside my window. I thought what a beautiful picture that would be. I thought about going outside but soon realized it was FREEZING!!! No really. It has been extremely cold the last couple of weeks. Honestly there wasn't even sunshine for like 4 straight days. I felt like I was living in Alaska or something. So quickly scrapped my venture outside. But I still think about how beautiful a picture that would have been. Not that I am a greatly experienced photographer to be able to get the best shot.

Which brings me to my next point I seriously need to take a photography class. I wish I had more time to find a good class. I will keep on the lookout. Now if I do say so myself I take some pretty good pictures even without being formally trained. So I have attached some to show everyone!

My good friends Luke and Crystal got married!

I saw Tyler Hilton perform on a yacht and got to hang out with him later. It was awesome!!

Enation is my favorite band at the moment and they are super nice guys

My family got together for my grandmother's 79th birthday and I snapped a couple of pictures of her with her kids!

Thank you for taking a look at my photograph's that I took. Updates soon I promise!!!