The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to it's flaming all-attracting place at the center. ~ John Piper
Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature. ~Hebrews 1:3
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ~2 Corinthians 3:18
Grow. Grow strong. Stand tall. Yours is a valued treasure. ~Max Lucado
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Bible: Well, I struggle with it.
Soooo, I don't know how reading the Bible is for you ... dry, boring, exciting, interesting, dumbfounding? ... I think it has been ALL of those for me at different times, and in emailing a friend about it this morning, I wanted to put some stuff out there that has REALLY helped TRULY make the Bible come alive for me... Make me WANT to get in it, read it and DIG IN to what things really mean. SO, if you're interested, keep reading. These are the things that have ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS worked for me (even if you and I are completely different, it can't hurt to try it once or twice :O) ).
Getting Started
If you're new to reading the Bible and don't really know "how" or even if you've been reading for YEARS, I want to share what helps me HUGELY and really, really helps me connect EVERY TIME I open the Bible. When I do this process, it is always really rich:
- Before you open the Bible, pray and ask God to open your mind and heart to hear anything that He has for you. I PROMISE there is MUCH He wants you to know and asking Him to speak to us before we open up the Bible really helps to quiet our hearts to hear from Him. This may sound weird and new to you, but again, it can't hurt to try :O)
- Once you have prayed, read through the verse/passage in front of you and write down the things it says about God.
- Soak that in. What do those things say about God ... really think about it. If there is a specific thing that impacts you, sit and talk to God about that... speak/write OPENLY as you would a GREAT friend... if it doesn't make sense/is hard to reconcile, TALK to Him about it. If you LOVE it and wonder if it's too good to be true, TALK to Him about it... if you just want to CELEBRATE that THAT is part of who God is... do that!!! There is no 'time limit' on this... you just keep engaging with Him as much or as little as you want.
- Then, in that same passage, write down the words/phrases that impact you. Once you've identified them, you are going to do the same thing. Talk to God about why they impact you. It REALLY helps me to do that through writing because it helps me stay focused.
- And that is IT. It really IS that easy!!! Sometimes I read something about God and can't get past that because I am so impacted by it, sometimes I whiz right on through and take a little something with me. Either way, there is no 'rule' to this, it is just to help really engage my heart with what I am reading.
Also, when you come to the Bible, come with an EXPECTANT heart... EXPECT to read something that really impacts you! LOOK for it!
Okay, Digging Deeper:
Crosswalk.com is the website I use to REALLY dig into scripture. If you want to dig even deeper, see what different people in history have to say, see what the core meaning of the words are, check out this site... it is my FAVORITE and I'll tell you why. I'm going to use Jeremiah 29:10-14 as an example: http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?new=1&word=Jeremiah+29%3A10-15§ion=0&version=nsn&language=en
- SO, as you do the "Getting Started" steps and certain words impact you, you go to the link above and can click on that word (if it's underlined in blue) and it will take you to the original meaning of that word. Since the Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek (I think Greek, but that doesn't sound right to me), a lot of times the English language isn't able to catch the DEPTH of the word.
- Soooooooo,when you click on this link it will take you to the depth of meaning, like this with 'plans' ... if you click on the word it pulls up this page: http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?new=1&word=Jeremiah+29%3A10-15§ion=0&version=nsn&language=en Which really breaks down the word and you see even MORE of God's intentionality in that one of the meanings is 'design' ... that feels SO much more personal to even me. Be sure to go to that link, but there are SO many other words used there!
- Anyhow, with SOME words there is an original Hebrew that the word came from... a root of the root if you will... and with 'plan' that is the case. At the page above that explains 'plan' deeper, look up and to the right and you will see "Word Origin from" with a number that is blue. That number represents the core, core, core of the word. If you click on THAT you find:http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Hebrew/heb.cgi?number=2803&version=nas
And all of this is just with ONE word! I love, love, love doing 'wordstudies' on words that impact me/make me wonder, etc because once I dig deeper it gives me even more to talk to God about, gives greater impact in explaining the verse better, and can really resound with me more.
Okay, so that is JUST words.
Now, we're going to go back to the very first page: http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?new=1&word=Jeremiah+29%3A10-15§ion=0&version=nsn&language=en.
- At this page you will find on the left all kinds of study options. I think you might REALLY be interested in commentaries. Commentaries (if you aren't familiar) are what people who have studied the Bible, the history of the time, etc, in depth have to say about the passage you are looking at.
- Once you click on the word 'Commentaries' a slew of options come up. Ones I would recommend: Matthew Henry's, Wesley's Explanatory Notes (at the bottom of the page), and the Geneva StudyBible. The others I really don't know much about.
- When you click on a commentator's name, you will then be able to see which books of the Bible they have made remarks about. Just click on the book you're interested in and you can read what all they have to say.
And that is really just the beginning of all of the tools you will find at Crosswalk! I LOVE THIS SITE! So, anyhow, let me know if you have any questions about anything, would like other suggestions, just whatever :O)
I really pray you have fun talking to God about this. That you enjoy this process!
I love the freedom we have in talking about everything with God, and especially about the Bible. To be honest and say, "This is GREAT!' or "God, I really struggle with this, I don't understand." and to ask Him for His guidance, to keep digging deeper, etc.
Soooooo, that's that. This is what I love, and, again, always makes me walk away glad I did it.
I hope you have FUN!!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Red letter, or really BOLD letter, day... or both?
God changed my life today and it began with Psalm 139. I’m not even kidding. Now if I can just STAY in this!!! GUARD THIS TRUTH!
Let me just be honest and say that I’ve been very bored. Bored across the board. Heh. Seriously though, in our Small Group last week we started this new study and in it you write down ALLLLL of your “I wants.” The next step is to group them together and make a theme. The last step is to take your theme, which is your core desire, and ask the question “Why.” Like, “Why do I desire this?” until you get to the very, very core of what you desire and why it is you desire it.
I.E. I want to travel. Why? Because I like experiencing new people and new things. Why? Because it’s fun! Why? Because I’m created in the image of God and it seems that HE likes variety if He created it. *GASP!* That must mean it’s okay to have these desires!!!
And so it went and so it went… In the ‘final’ stepping back and looking at my core desires I realized I am BORED!
So, then we are in Staff Meeting this morning, and I had forgotten about the study and epiphany up above, we broke up into smaller groups and the first question they asked was, “What is most difficult for you in your current position?” My VERY first thought: I’m bored.
Is that WILD?! I hadn’t even thought about this or realized they were the same until I sat down to blog about the bored at work thing. The REASON I sat down to blog about it is because of what God has done in the 3 hours since I said it out loud.
So, backtracking to this morning, before the staff meeting, I had read Psalm 139 and was SO refreshed and invigorated and excited to be reminded of all of these things! “I see you, I know you, before you were born, etc, etc, etc”
Then, I go to staff meeting and declare, “I am bored.”
So, THEN, this is when God started really opening my eyes and doing His thing. My coworker is leaving staff and she shared something she’d journalled that she felt she needed to share with us. She began to quote the verse where God says, “I can do exceedingly abundantly more than all you could ask or imagine.” And she begins sharing how 1 year ago she had felt strongly called to a certain ministry and how God instead led her to this position where for the past year she has plotted and toiled. She shared how there is SO much that she learned, and could have only learned through this position, that prepared her for the steps that she would take now in this new life God is calling her to.
As she was saying all of this, it was all I could do not to start sobbing crying. I so LONG for that and I so FEEL like I’m in that ‘preparation’ time and just want to weep and cry and have my little tantrum. But what is WORSE:
I know, at least in part, why I am in my current job and I am not being faithful to those things. THAT was the Holy Spirit slap and it hurt and it was good.
Once I came to that, I felt like I needed to grab her and share how impacted I was and when I did, she said, “That’s really weird because I thought about you very specifically this morning… about your first day here.” And shared a bit more. I know who I was then and who I am being now and it only affirmed what God was saying, “Anna, you are not being faithful with where I have you and why I have you here.” But almost more than that, well not MORE, but yes, more. “I see you. I know your every thought. Your every desire. I know your words before you even speak them. I know how you are feeling. I am telling you I have a plan for you in this and it is more than all you could ask or imagine."
And you guys, He has only continued to AFFIRM that for the past few hours. Number 1, I feel LIFE… Holy Spirit continually being filled LIFE! Two, he has given me NUMEROUS opportunities, just since 11:30, to do the things I LOVE to do and be who I feel is ‘most me.’ THEN, to cap it ALL off, I was just asked to teach!!! One of my very core LOVES!!! MY GOSH, LORD! YOU ARE AMAZING!!!
It is like He needed to deal with my sin, and then confirm, “I know you. Be who you are where you are.”
OH my gosh, THAT’S been the big struggle. I don’t feel I’ve been faithful to be WHO I am WHERE I am and it is across the board. NO WONDER I’M BORED…. I HAVEN’T BEEN LIVING IN WHO I KNOW GOD HAS CREATED ME TO BE!
How can we ever LIVE if we aren’t growing in who God created us to be and living in what He has already shared with us? And this is REGARDLESS of circumstance. This is REGARDLESS of job, responsibilities, routines, relationships, whatever… Lord, how can I be who YOU have created me to be and who you DESIRE me to be in this situation? And am I STAYING connected to Him in that? Another verse from this morning’s staff meeting… “Do not be drunk on wine, but be filled by the Spirit.” Our pastor shared it is a CONTINUAL filling … a one stop shop won’t do it. We HAVE to stay connected to continue to be filled with Him.
OOOOHHHHH, man! Oh, Lord, THANK YOU! I NEEDED this!
In ‘closing’ I am remembering what a volunteer said today which, again, confirms what God is telling me and even builds on it. I had been feeling guilty about not being able to spend time with him and he said, “Anna, I do what I do for you because it brings me life. And it brings me life because I know that by setting up tables and chairs, which I really enjoy, you have more time to do what brings YOU to life!” His saying that was I felt the Lord continuing to confirm in me that we are ONE body and when we all walk in being who we were created to be, doing what He is leading us to do, it is BEAUTIFUL.
Please continue build this girl.
Let me just be honest and say that I’ve been very bored. Bored across the board. Heh. Seriously though, in our Small Group last week we started this new study and in it you write down ALLLLL of your “I wants.” The next step is to group them together and make a theme. The last step is to take your theme, which is your core desire, and ask the question “Why.” Like, “Why do I desire this?” until you get to the very, very core of what you desire and why it is you desire it.
I.E. I want to travel. Why? Because I like experiencing new people and new things. Why? Because it’s fun! Why? Because I’m created in the image of God and it seems that HE likes variety if He created it. *GASP!* That must mean it’s okay to have these desires!!!
And so it went and so it went… In the ‘final’ stepping back and looking at my core desires I realized I am BORED!
So, then we are in Staff Meeting this morning, and I had forgotten about the study and epiphany up above, we broke up into smaller groups and the first question they asked was, “What is most difficult for you in your current position?” My VERY first thought: I’m bored.
Is that WILD?! I hadn’t even thought about this or realized they were the same until I sat down to blog about the bored at work thing. The REASON I sat down to blog about it is because of what God has done in the 3 hours since I said it out loud.
So, backtracking to this morning, before the staff meeting, I had read Psalm 139 and was SO refreshed and invigorated and excited to be reminded of all of these things! “I see you, I know you, before you were born, etc, etc, etc”
Then, I go to staff meeting and declare, “I am bored.”
So, THEN, this is when God started really opening my eyes and doing His thing. My coworker is leaving staff and she shared something she’d journalled that she felt she needed to share with us. She began to quote the verse where God says, “I can do exceedingly abundantly more than all you could ask or imagine.” And she begins sharing how 1 year ago she had felt strongly called to a certain ministry and how God instead led her to this position where for the past year she has plotted and toiled. She shared how there is SO much that she learned, and could have only learned through this position, that prepared her for the steps that she would take now in this new life God is calling her to.
As she was saying all of this, it was all I could do not to start sobbing crying. I so LONG for that and I so FEEL like I’m in that ‘preparation’ time and just want to weep and cry and have my little tantrum. But what is WORSE:
I know, at least in part, why I am in my current job and I am not being faithful to those things. THAT was the Holy Spirit slap and it hurt and it was good.
Once I came to that, I felt like I needed to grab her and share how impacted I was and when I did, she said, “That’s really weird because I thought about you very specifically this morning… about your first day here.” And shared a bit more. I know who I was then and who I am being now and it only affirmed what God was saying, “Anna, you are not being faithful with where I have you and why I have you here.” But almost more than that, well not MORE, but yes, more. “I see you. I know your every thought. Your every desire. I know your words before you even speak them. I know how you are feeling. I am telling you I have a plan for you in this and it is more than all you could ask or imagine."
And you guys, He has only continued to AFFIRM that for the past few hours. Number 1, I feel LIFE… Holy Spirit continually being filled LIFE! Two, he has given me NUMEROUS opportunities, just since 11:30, to do the things I LOVE to do and be who I feel is ‘most me.’ THEN, to cap it ALL off, I was just asked to teach!!! One of my very core LOVES!!! MY GOSH, LORD! YOU ARE AMAZING!!!
It is like He needed to deal with my sin, and then confirm, “I know you. Be who you are where you are.”
OH my gosh, THAT’S been the big struggle. I don’t feel I’ve been faithful to be WHO I am WHERE I am and it is across the board. NO WONDER I’M BORED…. I HAVEN’T BEEN LIVING IN WHO I KNOW GOD HAS CREATED ME TO BE!
How can we ever LIVE if we aren’t growing in who God created us to be and living in what He has already shared with us? And this is REGARDLESS of circumstance. This is REGARDLESS of job, responsibilities, routines, relationships, whatever… Lord, how can I be who YOU have created me to be and who you DESIRE me to be in this situation? And am I STAYING connected to Him in that? Another verse from this morning’s staff meeting… “Do not be drunk on wine, but be filled by the Spirit.” Our pastor shared it is a CONTINUAL filling … a one stop shop won’t do it. We HAVE to stay connected to continue to be filled with Him.
OOOOHHHHH, man! Oh, Lord, THANK YOU! I NEEDED this!
In ‘closing’ I am remembering what a volunteer said today which, again, confirms what God is telling me and even builds on it. I had been feeling guilty about not being able to spend time with him and he said, “Anna, I do what I do for you because it brings me life. And it brings me life because I know that by setting up tables and chairs, which I really enjoy, you have more time to do what brings YOU to life!” His saying that was I felt the Lord continuing to confirm in me that we are ONE body and when we all walk in being who we were created to be, doing what He is leading us to do, it is BEAUTIFUL.
Please continue build this girl.
Monday, January 26, 2009
To the ends of the earth!
Friday, Ryan calls at 11:51 a.m. "Hey babe! Wanna go to Padre?"
Me, "Today?"
Ryan, "Yes!"
Me, "COME GET ME!!"
We were packed and on the road by 1 p.m. ... YAY!! We LOVE spontenaety and I don't think we've been spontaneous in a while so this was GREAT!! Here are some pics :O)
On our way ... a beautiful drive :O)
Soooo, the reason we were able to get away is because Ryan's grandparents own this GREAT Texan Guest Ranch (http://www.texanguestranch.com/) where people come for extended stays, so they built a wing for family ... Thank you, Lord!! So, we stayed there, got to visit with his grandparents, and headed to Padre on Saturday.
Pic below, we are ALMOST to the beach and it was the coolest because we were driving to the end of the island and so there were HUGE sand dunes on both sides of the road... the wind was blowing the sand across the roads and it looked a lot like snow blowing acrosss. As we got closer and closer to the end of the island it honestly felt like the Pirates of the Carribbean where they sailed to the end of the earth... FUN! I knew we were going to the 'end' and that REALLY excited me!
Because it was so windy the wind formed these great sand formations with the shells, you can't really tell from the pics but it was soooo cool. We were just thinking, "God is SUCH an artist!! Even with sand on a beach, it forms a cool structure that makes me think of Him..."
Happy on the beach :O)
Soooo, after the beach we head to dinner at Blackbeard's and I'm telling Ryan this RIVETING story about how I pretty much got taken out by a 4 year old in the bathroom. Literally, I open the stall to leave and she physically bumrushes me trying to get to the toilet. Anyhow, in the midst of this story Ryan's eye begins to wander and I'm thinking, "What is he looking at?" So, he starts talking about what he's looking at and I'm thinking he's talking about this HUGE shipwrecked boat in front of the restaurant, but then realize he is not. He is talking about this car. (pic below)
Apparently a $300,000 car!! Can you even believe it?! So, I take Ryan's pic in front of it, you can see ANOTHER guy behind the car taking a picture and I walk away laughing about a male's unbelievable innate ability to smell a cool car. He was like, "What do you mean?" And I start telling him I thought he was talking about that huge shipwrecked boat and he says, only proving my point, "What boat???" LOL!! OOOHhhh, love it!
Apparently a $300,000 car!! Can you even believe it?! So, I take Ryan's pic in front of it, you can see ANOTHER guy behind the car taking a picture and I walk away laughing about a male's unbelievable innate ability to smell a cool car. He was like, "What do you mean?" And I start telling him I thought he was talking about that huge shipwrecked boat and he says, only proving my point, "What boat???" LOL!! OOOHhhh, love it!
Anyhow, on the way home there was this gift shop that had the curbside appeal like NONE I have ever seen. If ever you've driven to South Padre you know what I am talking about. The thing behind me was a seashell. They had an entire scene of fish, corral, etc all along the side of the road that matched the size of this shell.
Apparently I love spontaneous and random ... according to the first week of MORPH that is exactly right on for me :O)
Hope you are all well :O)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Sweetness of Reality
A precious WONDERFUL friend of mine in her quirky honesty that I love SO much was dumbfounded about Paul and who he is and the way he writes...
Over Christmas I had asked several friends if they wanted to read through Philippians together and talk about it when Holiday Life is over. So we all got together last night and she so honestly, and kindly announced, "Being a new Christian, can I just be honest and say I don't get this guy?!" OOOOHHHH I love her and her honesty and her QUESTIONS!!! They are so great!
Essentially she was really struggling with/wrestling with Paul ... the way he writes, the fact that he wrote so often and sounded so self centered and I just said, "You are not the only person who struggles with Paul!" (shout out to you AOt) We talked about a few things and then she came back to his being crazy in writing soooo many letteres and wild in the things he said, etc, etc... I realized then how crucial it is to know Paul's backstory.
In sharing with her his backstory, Christ's love for me and the reality of my relationship with him pierced my heart afresh. Oohhhh, I needed it.
I said to her, "Are you familiar with that expression 'He who has been forgiven much loves much?'" and she wasn't so I continued, "I know this will sound weird, but just go with me ... Let's say when I was in highschool I murdered Ryan's mom and years later, even in knowing that, Ryan chose to love me and yoke himself to me. ... That's what happened with Paul and Jesus! Paul HATED people who followed Christ. HATED them, killed them, he was almost like a Hitler to Christ followers" ... and I proceeded to tell her Paul's ruthless history and how on his way to CONTINUE to kill people Jesus Himself confronted him on the road, struck him blind, and asked him why he was persecuting Him. I said, "Paul WAS crazy, Paul WAS zealous and it's because Jesus knew exactly who he was, what he had done, who he had been, and he said, 'I love you! I will forgive you.' Paul NEVER got over that!"
Even as I was sharing I was again becoming in awe at the incredible mystery and UNMERITED grace of salvation.
Talking to Ryan about it last night and even weeping about it this morning I am just undone about this. To remember/realize that that is exactly what Jesus said to us and continues to say to me ... "I know, Anna. I love you and I forgive you, and more than that I have YOKED myself to you. I will lead you, I will cover you, I will be your fighter, your leader. I love you with an EVERlasting love that is not contingent upon what you do or don't do. You are mine." WHAT?! WHY?! Is that wild?! Does that impact anyone else?!
Geez, I fully admit that of late it hadn't hit my heart as deeply as it used to, probably because I don't normally just sit and think about reality. Truly, this is REALITY. I am SO thankful for last night and the renewal of the sweetness of reality.
We are loved by THE King. We have been forgiven much, I pray we LOVE Him much. Oh, Jesus, I pray I love you MUCH MUCH.
Over Christmas I had asked several friends if they wanted to read through Philippians together and talk about it when Holiday Life is over. So we all got together last night and she so honestly, and kindly announced, "Being a new Christian, can I just be honest and say I don't get this guy?!" OOOOHHHH I love her and her honesty and her QUESTIONS!!! They are so great!
Essentially she was really struggling with/wrestling with Paul ... the way he writes, the fact that he wrote so often and sounded so self centered and I just said, "You are not the only person who struggles with Paul!" (shout out to you AOt) We talked about a few things and then she came back to his being crazy in writing soooo many letteres and wild in the things he said, etc, etc... I realized then how crucial it is to know Paul's backstory.
In sharing with her his backstory, Christ's love for me and the reality of my relationship with him pierced my heart afresh. Oohhhh, I needed it.
I said to her, "Are you familiar with that expression 'He who has been forgiven much loves much?'" and she wasn't so I continued, "I know this will sound weird, but just go with me ... Let's say when I was in highschool I murdered Ryan's mom and years later, even in knowing that, Ryan chose to love me and yoke himself to me. ... That's what happened with Paul and Jesus! Paul HATED people who followed Christ. HATED them, killed them, he was almost like a Hitler to Christ followers" ... and I proceeded to tell her Paul's ruthless history and how on his way to CONTINUE to kill people Jesus Himself confronted him on the road, struck him blind, and asked him why he was persecuting Him. I said, "Paul WAS crazy, Paul WAS zealous and it's because Jesus knew exactly who he was, what he had done, who he had been, and he said, 'I love you! I will forgive you.' Paul NEVER got over that!"
Even as I was sharing I was again becoming in awe at the incredible mystery and UNMERITED grace of salvation.
Talking to Ryan about it last night and even weeping about it this morning I am just undone about this. To remember/realize that that is exactly what Jesus said to us and continues to say to me ... "I know, Anna. I love you and I forgive you, and more than that I have YOKED myself to you. I will lead you, I will cover you, I will be your fighter, your leader. I love you with an EVERlasting love that is not contingent upon what you do or don't do. You are mine." WHAT?! WHY?! Is that wild?! Does that impact anyone else?!
Geez, I fully admit that of late it hadn't hit my heart as deeply as it used to, probably because I don't normally just sit and think about reality. Truly, this is REALITY. I am SO thankful for last night and the renewal of the sweetness of reality.
We are loved by THE King. We have been forgiven much, I pray we LOVE Him much. Oh, Jesus, I pray I love you MUCH MUCH.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Sadie Update
Thanks for checking in on Sadie :O)
We have realized QUITE a few things in the past few weeks including that she really IS a Johnson. She has so many of the same traits Ryan and I have, specifically being emotional, needing touch, loving people and being very expressive about all of the above. She is PRECIOUS!
Regarding her 'during the day' ... oh man, what was the last thing I posted? Did I post that she CHEWED OUT OF THE HARD PLASTIC CRATE?! I believe I did, just wanted to give you that reminder.
SO, we tried the Metal Crate on Monday, but this time we put it in front of her coveted Guest Bedroom window so she could still see outside. We came home to the bottom frame being bent in, but still a Sadie inside. When we let her out she was shaking so badly I genuinely thought she was going to have a heart attack. I am beginning to wonder if she was locked in a closet or something as a puppy (seriously).
Did the metal crate again the next day and she was A-OKAY ... just really eager to get outside (if you know what I mean ....) It seems we've resolved the, "You WILL stay in a crate during the day."
SO, we're plotting along, plotting along and then she showed us how emotional (and expressive) she really is. Ryan had to work an INSANE amount of hours this week at home in his office with the door closed. So, we go to bed on Thursday night and I wake up Friday morning and go into his office to check the weather for the day ... "What's that smell?" I turn on the light and she had POOPED ALL OVER RYAN'S FLOOR!!! Like SEVEN different spots! This was NOT because she actually had to go. LOL!! OOOOHHHHHH gosh! So, I went into the bedroom and said, "See, honey, Sadie really loves you." He was like, "What do you mean?" "She missed you a LOT this week and showed her disapproval by pooping all over your office floor. Isn't that sweet?"
OOoohhhh Sadie, what a thin, thin line you are treading.
(butwedoloveyou-atleastIstilldo,daddyalittle)
We have realized QUITE a few things in the past few weeks including that she really IS a Johnson. She has so many of the same traits Ryan and I have, specifically being emotional, needing touch, loving people and being very expressive about all of the above. She is PRECIOUS!
Regarding her 'during the day' ... oh man, what was the last thing I posted? Did I post that she CHEWED OUT OF THE HARD PLASTIC CRATE?! I believe I did, just wanted to give you that reminder.
SO, we tried the Metal Crate on Monday, but this time we put it in front of her coveted Guest Bedroom window so she could still see outside. We came home to the bottom frame being bent in, but still a Sadie inside. When we let her out she was shaking so badly I genuinely thought she was going to have a heart attack. I am beginning to wonder if she was locked in a closet or something as a puppy (seriously).
Did the metal crate again the next day and she was A-OKAY ... just really eager to get outside (if you know what I mean ....) It seems we've resolved the, "You WILL stay in a crate during the day."
SO, we're plotting along, plotting along and then she showed us how emotional (and expressive) she really is. Ryan had to work an INSANE amount of hours this week at home in his office with the door closed. So, we go to bed on Thursday night and I wake up Friday morning and go into his office to check the weather for the day ... "What's that smell?" I turn on the light and she had POOPED ALL OVER RYAN'S FLOOR!!! Like SEVEN different spots! This was NOT because she actually had to go. LOL!! OOOOHHHHHH gosh! So, I went into the bedroom and said, "See, honey, Sadie really loves you." He was like, "What do you mean?" "She missed you a LOT this week and showed her disapproval by pooping all over your office floor. Isn't that sweet?"
OOoohhhh Sadie, what a thin, thin line you are treading.
(butwedoloveyou-atleastIstilldo,daddyalittle)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Hip Hip Hooray for Christmas Vacation!
Was it great or was it GREAT?! It was pretty dang great!
Ryan was so so so so so sweet and bought me a new camera and one of those digital picture frames... I had NO idea I would even want one of those, but apparently I did because I opened it and just started CRYING I liked it so much!! Now I can see everyone I love sooooo much just scrolling at my desk all day long. YAY!!!
Christmas night we hung out at Ryan's sister's and the next night we went out with his family to Fogo de Chao. Let me just say, it really IS worth all of the raving associated!!! I went in VERY ready to just eat the heck up on the most choice meat and I DID... Proud to say I ate everyone under the table. *pleased smile, puffed out chest and belly* Pic below is of us after dinner. Some would say it's a bad pic of me, I think that's true and it's probably because I gained an IMMENSE amount of weight with just one meal and was unrecognizable even to myself for the next couple of days. BUT, it's a great pic of the fam so there it is :O)
The next day I rode with my in laws (very weird to say!) to Tyler and then began one of the very best trips of my entire life. Because I was there for 9 days I was able to spend very quality time with people I love so deeply. OH it was so good! So, that's the big picture, below are just some of the pics with 'snippets' I will say, one thing that was so sweet was getting to spend so much time with my family. Absence DID make my heart grow fonder ... and it was already pretty fond.
And on to the snippets ...
1. Time with my nephews. My love for them, what can I even say. Below you will find a VERY happy Gooby (that's me)
Swinging with sweet Noah. He wasn't feeling very well so he sat on my lap so we snuggled on the swingset :O)
Here I am practicing my mommy skills (not pregnant, just looking ahead). This little Solomon is so sweet! I don't know what it is about little legs in a diaper that are SOOOOOO cute!
2. Making my grandmother's authentic Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs. They are supposed to cook for 2 days, but we did the Cliff's Notes verion of 6 hours :O)
and... YUM!!! Chowing down on just a few of the 125 handmade meatballs.
3. Getting to see my mom really enjoy her family.
4. Watching Noah feel like a big boy in showing Gooby how he can push the wagon up the trailer. It is so wild how even now the boy in him looks proud to impress me. Beautiful.
Ryan was so so so so so sweet and bought me a new camera and one of those digital picture frames... I had NO idea I would even want one of those, but apparently I did because I opened it and just started CRYING I liked it so much!! Now I can see everyone I love sooooo much just scrolling at my desk all day long. YAY!!!
Christmas night we hung out at Ryan's sister's and the next night we went out with his family to Fogo de Chao. Let me just say, it really IS worth all of the raving associated!!! I went in VERY ready to just eat the heck up on the most choice meat and I DID... Proud to say I ate everyone under the table. *pleased smile, puffed out chest and belly* Pic below is of us after dinner. Some would say it's a bad pic of me, I think that's true and it's probably because I gained an IMMENSE amount of weight with just one meal and was unrecognizable even to myself for the next couple of days. BUT, it's a great pic of the fam so there it is :O)
The next day I rode with my in laws (very weird to say!) to Tyler and then began one of the very best trips of my entire life. Because I was there for 9 days I was able to spend very quality time with people I love so deeply. OH it was so good! So, that's the big picture, below are just some of the pics with 'snippets' I will say, one thing that was so sweet was getting to spend so much time with my family. Absence DID make my heart grow fonder ... and it was already pretty fond.
And on to the snippets ...
1. Time with my nephews. My love for them, what can I even say. Below you will find a VERY happy Gooby (that's me)
Swinging with sweet Noah. He wasn't feeling very well so he sat on my lap so we snuggled on the swingset :O)
Here I am practicing my mommy skills (not pregnant, just looking ahead). This little Solomon is so sweet! I don't know what it is about little legs in a diaper that are SOOOOOO cute!
2. Making my grandmother's authentic Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs. They are supposed to cook for 2 days, but we did the Cliff's Notes verion of 6 hours :O)
and... YUM!!! Chowing down on just a few of the 125 handmade meatballs.
3. Getting to see my mom really enjoy her family.
4. Watching Noah feel like a big boy in showing Gooby how he can push the wagon up the trailer. It is so wild how even now the boy in him looks proud to impress me. Beautiful.
We love each other A LOT!
5. SUCH great time with Ryan's friends and my friends and it is so fun because they are now becoming mutual friends!!! We got to have a DELISH meal at Shogun's with my best friend Stefani and a sweet friend of Ryan's (and now MINE), Christy :O)
My mom GLOWING with the girls she loves and a littlelittle embarrassed that she grabbed the sprinkles...
6. GREAT time with my sisters! God opened up so much time with the people I love and I am SO thankful!!!
This vacation was SOOOOOOOOO much more than I had ever hoped for! EVER! Ryan came in on Tuesday and he got to see so many people he loves as well :O) OH GOSH it was so good!
5. SUCH great time with Ryan's friends and my friends and it is so fun because they are now becoming mutual friends!!! We got to have a DELISH meal at Shogun's with my best friend Stefani and a sweet friend of Ryan's (and now MINE), Christy :O)
5. Christmas Baking! Even though we missed pre-Christmas Baking we kept the tradition with Veronica at the reins! She is a BAKE-ER! My mom got her a new recipe book for Christmas so she got to choose whatever cookies she wanted to make :O)
HOWEVER, apparently Lisa and Veronica's cookies weren't artsy enough so my mom grabbed the sprinkles and 'helped' them. Look how pleased Veronica is! LOL!!! That is my mom's best friend, Ms Deborah :O) I LOVE HER!!!
HOWEVER, apparently Lisa and Veronica's cookies weren't artsy enough so my mom grabbed the sprinkles and 'helped' them. Look how pleased Veronica is! LOL!!! That is my mom's best friend, Ms Deborah :O) I LOVE HER!!!
My mom GLOWING with the girls she loves and a littlelittle embarrassed that she grabbed the sprinkles...
6. GREAT time with my sisters! God opened up so much time with the people I love and I am SO thankful!!!
This vacation was SOOOOOOOOO much more than I had ever hoped for! EVER! Ryan came in on Tuesday and he got to see so many people he loves as well :O) OH GOSH it was so good!
I pray your Christmas and New Year's was with people you love too :O)
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