Welcome Sunday School Family Baby Keel!

Today was a day of happiness, sadness, and frustration. I guess it is good to have a little bit of everything in the mix, but I could do without the sadness and frustration. Those days seem more and more frequent the older I get.

This morning I went to hang out with my friend and mentor Alison who leaves tomorrow to go on the mission field. We ended up going on a quick trip to Wal-Mart then hanging out at her house, which was a perfect finale before the big move, because that's what we did when she lived here. She is such an encouragement me to on how to be a Godly wife, a Godly teacher, and a Godly leader. I was so blessed by our time together and by her constant reminders to keep my heart and mind focused on Christ. She leaves tomorrow morning to head overseas to share the Gospel with people who don't know Him. It is sad to see her go, but praise the Lord for her and her husband's work. Please keep them in your prayers.

On the complete other hand, we had a Sunday School party tonight and one of the couples in our class is pregnant! The Keels have been talking about having a baby for awhile now- Adam longer than Maegan- so it is exciting to see the process start! I was only a tiny bit disappointed it wasn't us. But that's okay, it will happen in the Lord's time. YAY for them!

Finally, the thing I can't get off my mind- my interview. I still haven't heard (I know, I know, it's only Tuesday.) I just REALLY would love the job. I keep hoping the phone will ring and every minute it doesn't I assume I didn't get it. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I should probably be more patient.

And to finish, here is a picture of the cup I ordered today from Swoozies! Obviously I ordered the Auburn one, not the, uh, blue one. It also comes with my monogram. I CANT WAIT for it to come in! No more sweaty water marks on all of my furniture, and ITS HUGE! :)

Have a blessed night my friends!!

Market Tote Giveaway at Monogram Chick

As I was browsing one of my FAVORITE blogs, Fancy Schmancy Designs, she led me to a giveaway at the Monogram Chick. Sign up by tomorrow at midnight for a chance to win this precious basket. I LOVE these baskets and have wanted one for quite awhile. I hadn't seen this design before, which made it even more exciting. Anyway, check it out!

Old friends, Weddings, and Michael Jackson

I love the weekend! Sometimes it is busier than the actual week, but I love spending it with Brian and just being together. Right now we are listening to Michael Jackson and avoiding school work- I believe you can only do that on the weekends!
My interview yesterday went really well. I am not sure when I will hear and I am trying not to get my hopes up, but the interview itself went great. Thanks for the prayers!

Ahhh, Saturday! Brian and Daddy J (my FIL) replaced the attic fan this morning in stifling summer heat. I felt so bad for them, but I was pretty thankful I wasn't up there myself. Brian says he can already feel a difference. I am not sure if I can, but I am grateful that my sweet husband was willing to recruit his dad and do the work :)

After making breakfast and lunch to thank the men for working, I headed to lunch with Brittany. We ate at Panera and had DELICIOUS bagels. My, oh, my they sure know how to make those cinnamon crunch bagels. Add a little hazelnut cream cheese and you are in for a treat! Brittany and I had a great time. It was the first time I had seen her since she was pregnant so it was exciting talking about baby plans and names and oohing and aahing over precious children as they walked by. AND I was able to give her her Happy Day Surprise- This was inspired from all of those fabric stitched hand towels and beach towels you see in the cutesy shops. Her's was hand made, but I thought it turned out pretty cute.

After eating with Brit, Brian and I spent some time relaxing then headed to Lila and Kevin's wedding. The flowers were gorgeous white and pink based and she looked beautiful. The reception was a blast- we spent the majority of the time with Scott (my BIL) and his girlfriend Fernanda. I love hanging out with them more and more every day, we had such a blast dancing and eating and talking. Sooo much fun.

With all that said, I have to hit the sack. I have a TON of school work to do tomorrow!

Have a blessed night!

Wickedly Awesome Laundry Room

Last night, we put the finishing touches on our laundry room and it is ready for the big unveiling!For as long as I can remember I have wanted a colorful laundry room because I kept thinking it might make washing clothes more fun (realllllllly hate it.) Well I succeeded in being colorful and after putting one load in the washer, I decided I was right. It is more fun. I was a looney toon and didn't take before pictures, but the after pictures are so cute, I don't need them :)

Mental picture- the room was white, there were things scattered on the shelves, and there was nothing on the walls to look at. That pretty much sums it up.

Well, after fixing the holes from the previous owner on Wednesday, painting on Thursday, and "decorating" on Friday, here is the final product!

I ADORE the Broadway show Wicked. Brian brought me to New York for our one year anniversary and we went to see the show on Broadway. It was love at first..... sight? sound? After we saw it in New York, we saw it twice when it came to Birmingham. And even after I have seen it 3 times, I still tear up, get really excited, and sing loudly with Elphaba as she sings Defying Gravity. I just love it. And with that little piece of knowledge, you see the theme of our laundry room.

This picture was from a cart on the side of the road in New York. We framed it when we got back but it never truly had a home until this room :)

I painted this as a reminder that I am to glorify God in everything- including laundry.

Here is our apron holder. The hook was an ugly picture of a cheetah on the clearance rack at Hobby Lobby. I painted it with our black and green theme and it was the perfect addition to our laundry room!

Finally, my favorite part of the laundry room is this tray. I got this whole selection from the thrift store for less than $6 (including one of the baskets on the shelf.)

Here is the before picture-

And HERE is the after picture-

It's great what a little black spray paint can do!

Have a Wickedly Wonderful Saturday Night!

Show Us Where You Live FRIDAY!

Once again, it is (almost) Friday and time to show off our houses :) I missed last week's post because my laundry room is currently in the process of being redone ( I will post pictures when everything is completed) and I don't have a playroom, so I am even more excited to show my master bedroom (even if I am a bit early)! This bedroom was a huge part of the reason we bought this house- the people before us had a king bed and the room still looked huge which is never a bad thing.

I love my bedding. When Brian and I were engaged, I looked everywhere for bedding that would be perfect for a man AND a woman's room. I knew we wanted something in the sea foam green or robin's egg blue family, but I could not really find anything that was perfect. Finally, we were married and headed to St. John and I told my mom that if she saw something that was pretty, go ahead and get it- and this is what we got! It is pretty and calm and is everything we could have wanted in a bedspread, quilt thing.

This view is from the bedroom door- You can't see it very well from here but the picture above the bed is of a path with trees on both sides. We got it from Ikea (LOVE that store) to replace a headboard and have basically fallen in love with it. (picture below)

(From our bathroom)

(From our closet)

My parents gave us the furniture from my room growing up which was a huge relief financially AND it looks great! Our chair was from Marshall's before they went out of business. I really loved getting deals from that store!

This picture is under the glass on my side of the dresser. I love that he was that adorable, even when he was a little boy. And I got to marry him :) Shows great promise for our children.

Well, in other news, my interview is tomorrow at 11. I am nervous and excited and antsy and really hoping I hear something by the end of the day tomorrow so I don't have to think about it and think about it and think about it all weekend. I haven't been able to focus on ANYTHING practically all week trying to keep my mind fresh on ideas for the classroom. It's been a rough week for the family, so it would be pretty great if something could just go FANTASTICALLY.

Anyway, thanks for the prayers for tomorrow! Hope you enjoyed the master bedroom! Have a blessed Thursday night!

Wooooo Haaaaaaaa!!!

Quick update-
The principal called this morning and I will be interviewing for a 6th grade READING position. I did my internship in 6th grade reading and have LOVED reading for my entire life. I am ridiculously excited. Please pray :)

Another day of frustration...

As I posted before, I am supposed to have a job interview this week. I am excited about it- it will be a change from my past 2 years and I think it could be good, but I still haven't set a time or date. The principal told me yesterday she would call me to set up a time and I honestly waited all day, hoping she would call. But she didn't. Several things had to go through at the board before they could start interviewing and I understand that. I would just love to work at this school so I am waiting with bated breath. Maybe tomorrow :)

Last year, I began reading Breaking Free by Beth Moore with a couple of girls. I only got a few chapters into it then stopped reading for no reason at all. Anyway, this summer I decided to give the book another try and God has really blessed me through what Beth is sharing. As I am frustrated with lack of hearing and with searching for yet another year, I was encouraged to read this section- I hope God speaks to you through it as He did to me....

"In Matthew 14:25-32 in the midst of a storm, Jesus came walking on the water. To his terrified disciples, He said; 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' (vs. 27), but the storm continued to rage until he got into the boat. The point is not that we have nothing to fear but that His presence is the basis for our courage. Christ did not say 'Take courage! I am calming the storm. Don't be afraid.' Instead, with the winds still raging, He said 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'

Christ does not always immediately calm the storm, but He is always willing to calm His child on the basis of His presence. 'Don't worry! I know the winds are raging and the waves are high, but I am God over both. If I let them continue to swell, it's because I want you to see Me walk on water.' We'll probably never learn to enjoy our storms, but we can learn to enjoy God's presence in the storm!"

Once again, I am reminded that God has a plan- He is good and gracious. Everything will work for His good.

Have a blessed day! :)

Otis Ray McAdams 1994- 2009

This morning, at 5:15, my precious kitty Otis passed away. Though I prefer this to him being in pain and I know he had a long (15 years) and happy (he ate steak last night for dinner) life, it is still sad. I have loved cats all my life. When I was 9, my parents and I adopted my first cat, Otis Ray McAdams. The name Otis was after Travis Tritt's beagle and because occasionally he was a troublemaker, his middle name was Ray, after Daddy (also a troublemaker.) He spread out across my lap on the way home and when Mom and I went in the grocery store to get kitten food, he fell asleep in Daddy's hand. He proceeded to ride freely in cars without complaining and hopped in the shower immediately after Mom got out. He was really a precious cat and barely anyone who met him didn't love him. I am really going to miss him.

Moving on from the debbie-downer post...

I stopped by the thrift store on my way home from lunch with Brian. I found several perfect items to go in my laundry room (which I will be updating as soon as Brian helps me get the washer and dryer out.) Look at my great finds-

The tray was about $1 (to set on the dryer), the small basket was about 30 cents (for dryer lint), the big basket was about $3 (for storage), and the cup was about 50 cents (for spare pocket change). I am going to hit them with a little paint and they should be very cute! I will post before and after pictures once it is done!

Have a blessed day!

Now Hiring- ILTBG, Inc. (I love to buy gifts, Incorporated)

Considering my new obsession with blogging, it has been a long time since I blogged!

Rebecca came to town last Wednesday and was here until Saturday morning. It was a lot of fun- we really hadn't seen each other for that long in several months, so it was a nice change! The next time I see her will be AT HER WEDDING! :)

So, for the longest time, I have loved giving gifts. It has crossed my mind that if there is no hope of my coming out of this state of unemployment, I would love to start a business that I buy and prepare gifts for people to give. It really does make me very happy.

For example, Rebecca's bday gift- I called it her monogram themed basket.

Or Jaclyn and Tom's wedding gift (they are moving back to Ohio after the honeymoon, so they had to have sweet tea!)

Or the future Mr. & Mrs. Tate's wedding gift (shhh don't tell, the wedding is next week :) I found the mat at Michael's and it matched perfectly!

Too bad what I actually want to do and feel called to do is teach. I have an interview this coming week, so pray I will not have to resort to my gift buying business.

With all that said, I must lead you to a blog that was so encouraging to me as I was getting frustrated about my job. At Auburn, I was friends with a precious and wonderful girl, Brittany. Brittany and I were in each other's weddings and though we don't get to talk too often, when we do, it is always a fantastic conversation and such an encouragement. Anyway, we have had similar experiences in the quest for finding the job the Lord wants us to be in. She posted this post yesterday. It was such a blessing to be reminded that God's plan is there whether we see it or understand it or not. Man you gotta love a friend who leads your eyes to the Lord.

Finally, a last thought for the day.

You might see this very tall wall below and wonder what the decoration is on top-

That would be our cat. This is her new favorite place to sleep. She can be in the kitchen, dining room, and living room all at the same time. Not bad for a cat who hates to be alone :)

Have a blessed Lord's day!

Rick and Bubba, Rick and Bubba

Well, I was up and at 'em this morning at 6:00 (not unusual for a school day, very unusual for a summer day) to see Rick and Bubba live. It was so much fun! I pretty much agree with all of their political opinions and def. agree with their stance on Christ, so it was a fun morning! Thanks Mrs. Tami for getting us Golden Ticket Seats :) Here are some pictures from the day!

It was someone's birthday, so we enjoyed a delicious piece of cake!

They let me take a picture at the mic!

I am spending the rest of the day with dear, dear friends- Katie is here working on a website and Peg is coming in town tonight! It's going to be a blast!

Have a blessed day! :)

CMT Awards

This post has got to be quick- I'm exhausted!
Today was one of my favorite days of the year- CMT AWARDS! I pride myself in my knowledge of country music songs and singers and in the fact I can always predict the winners. Boy did I outdo myself this year. Brad, Taylor, I love you both, congrats on the big wins :)

I watched the awards at my parents house. Brian helped Daddy move some heavy furniture upstairs while Mom helped my put the finishing touches on Peg's birthday present. I am super excited about it, but more will have to come on that later.

This morning Tif and I went to get pedicures, then we strolled the antique stores of Homewood. We didn't buy anything because honestly we would have used our entire savings accounts, but it was fun to look around and spend time together. I am really going to miss her when she moves.
(Aren't they pretty?) (Outside antique store #1)

She made fun of me for not removing the little toe seperators several hours after we were done, but you have to admit, nothing is worse than rubbing a toe on another toe then having an expensive but messed up pedicure. Better safe than sorry.

Anyway, Brian and I have an early morning with Rick and Bubba tomorrow so I am off to bed! Have a blessed evening!

The Big Day

So, today was the day Brian has been waiting for for the past week, the day he has stalked fed-ex for, the day he received the thing that will quickly hold his time and love.....

The box sat on the table all day waiting for him to come home.

Welcome Mac!!!

Coffee at 8 pm- What was I thinking?

So after shamelessly avoiding school work yesterday afternoon by grocery shopping (I mean seriously, we have to eat) and cleaning out the pantry (pics attached, I was very impressed with myself!) I decided that I needed to make a pot of coffee to give me energy to finish the assignments I needed to finish this week. Silly me, I didn't take the time to look at the clock. I am one of those people who really love coffee in the morning and early afternoon, but can't sleep when I have it past a certain time. I could drink it anytime anyplace at Auburn, but things change I suppose. I must be getting old. So after I finished my assignments at 11, I decided I needed to find new blogs I liked. I discovered that I love Little Birdie Secret (her crafts are great and I needed new projects) and can't wait to yard sale shop with Rhoda from Southern Hospitality. As you can tell, it was a very productive evening. At midnight, I decided it was the perfect time for a bath. I grabbed my book for class and hopped in. If you have never read Crash by Jerry Spinelli, you should.

It is one of those books that you cringe in the beginning because you hate to think that people are that mean and selfish, but as you move through it, the character changes and you really begin to understand them. Anyway, I finally finished my book at 1 am and went to bed. That is truly the last time I will drink 2 cups of coffee at 8 pm. But it was so yummy :)

Here are some pictures of our newly organized pantry-

It might not look great to you, but there was a lot of shifting and getting rid of plastic bags involved in this process!

I finally made use of an old popcorn bucket. It is perfect for all of the wraps you never have a place to put!

This shelf had the most change. I could never figure out what canned items I had and didn't have. By putting of the Cream ofs.. in a soda organizer we never used from our registry, I see what I have and have room for a lot more!

Well, I am off to lunch! Have a blessed day! :)

Adorable Cake Plate at Fancy Schmancy Designs

This is my first time to sign up for a giveaway and I am so excited! Fancy Schmancy Designs is giving away an AWESOME monogrammed cake plate. She will design it in the colors of your choice and I can't help but think how beautiful it would look in my china cabinet :) All of her work is gorgeous (and you can tell by the magnet on her fridge that she is an Auburn fan- always a plus), so go check it out!

Show Us Where You Live FRIDAY!

So, thanks to Rebecca , Ginny, and my completely online graduate program (ha!) I am really into blogs right now and my FAVORITE blog to follow is Kelly's Korner. I am encouraged by her faith in Christ and love reading about the things going on in her's and Harper's life. Anyway, Kelly hosts Show Us Where You Live Friday and I have been so excited to post my first pictures of my house- I have been looking forward to it all week! So without further ado, our bathrooms!

My FAVORITE room in my house is the master bath. I love laying in the bathtub with a good book. As we were looking for a house, I insisted we get a house with a nice, big bathtub- We succeeded!

This is my bathtub! The TV was on the wall when we looked at the house before buying- we wrote it into our contract :)

In the window behind the tub I have various little knickknacks. The bell is from a cute little shop in Brookhaven, MS- It used to hang from my drawer, but the drawer knob fell off, so it was moved to the window. The bottle was a wedding gift of maple syrup from our friends in Vermont- I hated to throw the bottle away, so I put a J on it and put it in the window!

These pictures hang on both sides of the tub.

This picture was the center piece at my Mobile wedding shower. It was taken the day Brian and I were engaged.

This was a wedding gift from our sweet friend Hillary. It has our monogram and wedding invitation.

This is one of my favorite things in our bathroom. I got an ice bucket from Initially Yours and had it monogrammed with our initials. It dresses up the collection of shampoos and soaps without cluttering the tub area!

The chandelier above the tub.

Finally, these are post cards from our honeymoon in St. John. We had them framed. They are hanging above the toilet.

Next is the guest bath- Though it is small, I think it is pretty cute. I got the shower curtain from Pottery Barn outlet in Memphis for $9.99. The pictures are actually old magazine adds I got at an antique store in Decatur. We had them framed. They hung in both of my apartments in Auburn, then moved to our guest bath in both the apt. and the house. I love the one with the baby's because Brian and I are 2 Johnsons (as I had planned to be my freshman year at Auburn when I purchased the add :), so Johnson & Johnson.

I missed last weeks showing of our office, so I am attaching pictures :)

The office was recently cleaned out. We call it our Auburn room. The loveseat is mine from Auburn. Bodie has decided that the back of it is her favorite place to sleep. It is adorable.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of our home! Come back next week for more!