My Dog

Randomly yesterday, my darling husband says, "Lets get a dog". 

It was out of no where. I mean, we have discussed a dog before, and he knows my desire to have one, but our conversations hadn't been recent. I think it may have had something to do with the fact that while in Target yesterday doing some couponing, I made a trip to the baby clothes section - have you seen the baby summer clothes? OMG!

Anyways, we did some looking last night on the Humane Society websites, and let me tell you... There are some CUTE puppies out there. But my heart fell in love with Woody, a 10 year old Miniature American Eskimo dog who is going blind. 

I am really trying not to get my hopes up here, because there are a lot of dogs and they cost money and time, but it is REALLY hard. Just look at him:

How in the world could you not fall in love with this little guy? We are going to visit him Saturday. I guess we'll see!

Couponing again...

I think I am getting better at this.

I paid $1.60 for the hot dogs - 8 packages. And I only paid $.07 for all this - 6 toothbrushes, 2 water bottles, and shampoo and conditioner.

Dang, I love this!

Preaching

I got to preach today.


I really struggled writing it (see past blog). I had so much to say, so much God was speaking, and couldn't seem to put it on paper in any form that made sense.


Finally Saturday night, I finished. It consisted of James 2 and Hebrews 11. It was all about Faith.


Basically, here's the deal. Faith without action = dead. Thus, if there is no deeds, action, works, to go along with our faith, its simply useless. We as Christians have a whole lot of words about having "faith", and not a whole lot of action. I have to then question our faith.


In Hebrews 11, it takes about the "Hall of Faith". It names people who by faith, did what God asked of them, such as Moses, Abraham, and Noah. It then goes on to say that God was not ashamed to be called their God and He called these men and women, "men of whom this world was not worthy".


Can I look at my own life and say, "God would want to be called my God. He is not ashamed to be called my God."? Honestly, I don't think so. Not to say we have to be perfect, but I need to be doing more- more serving, less complaining, more prioritizing, less indulging, more getting outside of myself, and doing what God has asked of me: To love Him and to love people.


I loved preaching. It was like myself was shut down and God just began speaking through me. Its a riveting feeling, and an exhausting one. But I think its important that we all, myself included, strive to live a life focused on making it so that God is not ashamed.

Sermon

I've preached once before. And this week, I get to do it again. I have known what I have wanted to preach about for a long time, but here it is, Thursday, 3 days before I am supposed to stand on a platform in front of my church and preach, and I only have half of it written. 


It shouldn't be that hard, right? I mean... its kind of like a speech. Obviously, different, but still. I can't give away my secrets, but Hebrews 11 is where I am coming from on Sunday, but there is so much I want to say. There's so much that God has been speaking to me. So much that I want to share from my heart. 


Gosh, I wish I was a better writer, speaker, anything to stress the importance of what God is saying. Dang you, English language, for not having the hard hitting words to help me out. And dang you, brain, for not knowing what to say or how to put it together. 


I guess we'll see what happens on Sunday. Jesus, help me.

Untouched

I have never seen a tornado a mile wide. I have never had my home demolished. I have never watched my car float away in a river of water, debris, and people. And I have never been afraid to walk down the street because the last time I did, a car bomb went off in front of me. So sometimes it is hard for me to fathom the damage done when I hear about the disasters happening every day. 


Luckily, in Oregon, we remained mostly untouched by these kinds of things. Tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and car bombs are not things we experience often. But that shouldn't mean that we don't care about these tragedies happening to human beings in our country and our world. 

Its hard, though. How can I be as sympathetic as possible when I have never gone through it and do not understand the toll it takes? Obviously, I see the pictures, here the interviews, and for a few days, I am saddened and hurting for those people. But Japan is still picking up the pieces from their devastated country, but they no longer make the news. Haiti still hasn't recovered, but there are days I go by without thinking about them.


I don't want to be self-centered, nor do I want to dwell on these problems. But, I think it is important for us to remember that the cozy life we have is not to be taken for granted. The lack of natural disasters in my life are a gift, not the norm. And I am grateful... So very grateful.

It's the End of the World as we Know it....

Really? Tonight at "supper time" Jesus is comin' back, y'all. I thought of a few good things about this:

1) I'm done with this diet/exercise crap. You think I am going to be fat in heaven? Heck no. So Jesus coming back just saves me the trouble.

2) I don't have to go to work or school ever again. Ever. Woop Woop! No more finals, pain-staking notes, time consuming reading, stupid essays. 

3) I heard there is a feast and a party when we get there.... I'm down.

4) I am pretty sure I will be way better at basketball... I will be able to dunk.

5) And whats this I hear about a mansion? Beats my old apartment.

Do I believe the world is ending tonight? Absolutely not. On a more serious note, the Bible is pretty darn clear about it. Matthew 24:36 says, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father". And Acts 1:7 states, "He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority'". Obviously, when we all wake up safe in our beds tomorrow, we will know this Camping guy who made the prediction is wrong, especially when he is still here on Sunday. "But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared." Deuteronomy 18:21-22

So, not to worry friends. I will see you soon, here on the earth. But it would be nice if Jesus came back today. I have to play basketball tonight in front of a lot of people in my home town, and it will not be pretty. Can we make sure they have an ambulance handy for when my big butt passes out?

Husband :)

Last week, I took a trip to Portland with my amigo, Berry, and this handsome man in the Packers shirt. This picture Berry took of my husband and I in Powell's, which in itself is heaven, but add this incredible man to the equation, and its unbelievable. 


I am without a doubt the luckiest girl around.

Beyond Frustrating

I was on varsity for 4 years. Was I amazing? No. Was I the star? Nope. But I was good enough to letter all 4 years. Why? Because I have been playing since I was 5 years old. I ran all those lines that Coach Steers told me to. I trained off season. And one bigger reason, I was an athlete. I was never skinny, but I was a lot more fit.

Now trying to play basketball, my head knows what to do and my freaking body won't do it. All these things that all these years that I have learned and have become second nature, I cannot do anymore. Why? Have I forgot? Nope. I simply have gained a bunch of weight.

Its beyond frustrating to to tell your body to do something, and finally, 85 minutes later, it does it. This Saturday, I get to play at the alumni game, and I have no idea how well I am going to do. Its embarrassing to get back out on that court and play so much heavier than I did last time I was on the court.

Bad Wife

Sometimes I feel like a bad wife. You know all the stereotypes of cooking dinner, having it ready when the husband gets home, clean house, done by me, sex 5 times a day, breakfast ready when he wakes up, etc. Now, I know a lot of that was old school crap, but I think there is some validity to some of it.

Obviously, I am an individual and a woman and not lesser than Daimian. Yet, my husband loves it when I make him dinner. Tonight we had steamed broccoli, creamy mashed potatoes, and garlic, baked chicken. He loved it. Told me it was delicious and kissed me. Last Wednesday, he was at work all day, so I cleaned the house. I did the laundry, dishes, swept the floor, tidied up, organized our office, and got rid of some of the wedding stuff I still had. Usually, he is the one who is making breakfast, but we won't mention that. And the sex... well no need to mention that either.

The biggest reason I feel like a bad wife is because I feel responsible for Daimian's weight gain since we met. Yes, he is a 21 year old man who can make, and has made, his own choices concerning food and exercise. But I was always the one who suggested the restaurants we went to, begged him if we could go out and went to Burger King instead of Subway. I whined and complained about working out until I convinced him not to work out either.

P.S. I am not a horrible person for saying that Daimian has gained weight - he'll tell you. We have talked about it.

Anyways, when I watched him work out, and he told me how much he hated it, I felt horrible. He lost so much weight and I put it back on him.

So I made him a healthy meal tonight, encouraged him to work out and this, above anything else - breakfast/dinner ready, sex, clean house - helping him regain his life and lose this weight is what makes me a good wife.

Just when you think you're ahead...

One of the perks of being married? A WAAAAY better tax return. That's why I married him! Jokes. With that return, though, we were able to pay off all of our debt besides my school loans... Credit cards, Les Schwab, Daimian's school bill, etc. I even got a new camera! And we had some left over to put away in savings for an emergency fund.

But, just when you think you are ahead, life happens. Last night, after a fantastic day in Portland with my husband and best friend, Berry, we got stranded right off the freeway in Albany due to a flat tire. Really?! We definitely got those tires 6 months ago. So why did it happen? Well, our alignment was so off it murdered my tire. Of course, Les Schwab neglected to let us know any of this when they put the tire on. So $150, a whole bunch of my emergency fund is gone. And, to get the alignment fixed, which we have to do, even more of my emergency fund gone.

Grrrr. I guess this is how life goes, eh? You just get going and BOOM... Life happens. I guess this is adulthood? Not a huge deal, but I would love not to live so close to the edge once in a while. I guess it is a darn good thing that my God is bigger than my emergency funds or my tires.

I guess nothing a peppermint mocha can't fix... for a short time anyway.

Couponing Again :)

This was my trip today: 

This was supposed to be $65.84. We spent $18.95! I actually got the mascara, toothpaste, and pantyliners for FREE. Plus we got $19.50 to use on future purchases between other coupons and up rewards (which is basically cash). 

My trip a couple days ago:

‎$77 worth of groceries for $33 at Target! I got 6 body washes, 6 razors, 24 crystal light packages, 2 hair dye boxes, 2 bags of Halls, & 5 hair accessories

Mother's Day

Everyone says they have the best mom. That makes them liars, because I, in fact, have the best mother. I even have proof:


Julie Ann Morgan gave birth to me on April 21, 1990. She then preceded to give birth to 3 other children (not quite as good as me, but 1 out of 4 is a good number...) every other year after. 


She then put up with me all those years. Me liking to talk and being loud didn't happen yesterday. I have had this big, fat mouth since I came out of the womb. I talked back, yelled, screamed, called names... I was pretty strong too and could chuck things across the room at an alarming speed and with great accuracy. 


In middle school, I decided to try every thing I could.. Basketball, choir, drama, ASB, band... And believe me, a child learning clarinet is not a pretty thing in any way, shape, or form.


As high school continued, between basketball games and track meets, driving me everywhere, then letting me finally drive her car everywhere, I had boyfriends and I snuck out and came home after curfew. I rarely told her I love you or thank you. I was far too busy to sit and chat or have coffee or even eat a meal at home.


As college came, I  moved out, and made sure she knew I was happy to do so. I drank and partied and did stupid, stupid things, while all she could do was pray and cry. 


Finally, when I got my act together, and decided she might be right about a few things, she openly and forgivingly, without judgment or bitterness, accepted me as her daughter again, and told me I had never stopped being "Bertney". 


Now, she is one of my very best friends. We talk every day, all day, about everything. We still fight, but more often we laugh, joke, play games, and just talk while she gives me great nuggets of truth I refused to learn before. She listens too, because we all know I can talk.


When I see the examples of other moms of today, it makes me even more grateful. She never hit me, abandoned me, called me names, chose drugs, alcohol, or a boyfriend over me. She made her marriage work so that I wouldn't have to be a victim of divorce. She constantly is working on her relationship with Christ so as to teach me what a woman of Christ looks like. 


Is she perfect? No. She will tell you that. But she is beyond great. I only hope that I can be half the wife, woman, and mother that she, Julie Ann Morgan, is.

Travel

I love traveling. I want to do it more often. Since Daimian and I have been together, we have done quite a bit of traveling for as much money as we make. We have been to Vegas, Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon, hiking trails and waterfalls... I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I wrote a post a couple days ago about wanting to go camping camping this summer.

Anyways, today, I was thinking about the places I would like to visit. Here's the top ten list I came up with:

1) AFRICA

• Obviously, if you know me, this has to be first on my list. 

2) ITALY

• How can this not be on everyones list? Italian food? Architecture? Sweet Moses, yes.

3) SPAIN

• Believe it or not, my family is from Spain. Bulls, dancing, traditional Spanish food. Are you kidding me? absolutely.

4) IRELAND

• The gorgeous scenery, fantastic pubs, animals... I am so hoping I get to go there.

5) MIDDLE EAST

• So, obviously, this one is a bit harder and more dangerous than the rest, but it is a dream. The culture over there is intriguing and exotic. The people, food, and scenery is outrageous. 

6) ISRAEL

• Speaking of the Middle East, Israel is a specific country I would love to visit. Not only is it as exotic as the other Middle Eastern countries, but this country has serious religious significance for me. The Jewish faith and Biblical history there is a deep desire in my heart.

7) INDIA

• Food, culture, kids... India is absolutely a top 10 place to visit.

8) NEW YORK

• This list wouldn't be complete without a place here in the States. I don't think I could ever live in New York, but visiting, absolutely.

9) JAPAN

• Of all the Asian countries, this is for sure my top pick. 

10) CARIBBEAN 

• How could this be complete without somewhere super tropical?

11) RUSSIA

• Ok, so this makes it a top 11 list instead of top 10, but there's no way I could leave this one out, if only for the breathtaking colors and architecture. 

This isn't too big a dream, I don't think. Someday, I hope I can visit each one of these places. Maybe I should start playing the lottery?

Promotion

Its cliche, I know, but God is amazing. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. Lately, Daimian and I have been living paycheck to paycheck, as most college, young, married couples do. But between our many trips to Lyons for church and Salem for school, plus some medical bills for when I got sick, among other things, money has been extra tight. Now, with school done for the summer, my hard-working husband got a promotion!

As far as details go, I am not certain yet since it happened this morning, but he is in charge of training at Starbucks and is starting the process to become a shift leader! Woo Hoo! This means more hours and a raise. Goodness, I am so glad that God is 9023840293843 times smarter than me because He worked this all out in a way that I could not.

P.S. My husband is amazing and the hardest working man I have ever known. :)

Camping

Working at a Sporting Goods store is a LARGE temptation for me. There are Nikes, camping gear, basketball shorts, summer gear for the pool... I kind of just want to buy everything around me. Recently, I have been checking out the camping gear. I have this dream that Daimian and I are going to get to do some camping this summer. 

I don't want to backpack necessarily, but with only 2 of us, we don't need a ton of stuff to bring. There are camping backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, lanterns... Everything you need! I need some advice though. I have only been camping with family or friends and have never been alone. What are some things I shouldn't forget? What are some tips you all have? How about some places to try? Eastern Oregon? Coast? Southern Oregon? 

I am so excited to actually execute a couple camping road trips with my hubby. I want to take advantage of the few years we have without kids, and this is a beginning. :)