Good News

I love the Today Show. I am also growing to realize more and more that this is a love shared by many a stay-at-home momma or woman who gets to go to work a bit later or works from home. Sometimes, some struggle with choosing The Today Show or Good Morning America - but for me, it's always been the Today Show.

Saw this a few weeks back - thought it was amazing, and then stumbled upon it again this morning when I was perusing the Today Show website (looking for a recipe!).

This video also ties into my love for Laura Bush (well kind of, I guess) but it is wonderful. It is a hopeful and I think, delightful, side of "politics." The side that involves real lives and real memories being made.

Enjoy!

Fun times in Little Elm

Abi and I journeyed up to Little Elm yesterday in our bi-monthly commute! (Jen and the boys come down here the other weeks of the month) It is so fun to watch Ben and Abi play together - compare and swap notes about what foods are yummy, how nap time is progressing (or sometimes not progressing!), have lunch and laugh!

The cousins competing for the toys (Ben is always very kind and shares easily - Abi is working on this concept as she is right now into the "taking.")

Oh, Brett is SO much fun right now - swapping pictures.

I was going to videotape Brett's little dance move that he's been working on. It's qutie impressive - look out Dancing with the Stars! Alas, my battery died on the video camera. Next time!

Hmmmm...never any adult pictures. Such is the case with mommyhood.

Baseboards

Well, it sometimes truly is the small things in life. Donald and I are over the moon about our baseboards. Never before this experience would I have imagined getting so excited about baseboards. Truthfully, I never have really noticed them before. But now, oh, I love my baseboards! In the bedrooms we decided to keep the original baseboards, but in the bathrooms and the main area we redid them - they still need to be painted, but their presence will keep me excited through the week for sure!

Yep, that's right - me using a saw. I was really quite scared and intimidated at first. I wore my vest to try and look like Ty from Home Makeover.

Abi helped too:

MLK Day

One of my favorite reasons for MLK Day - Donald gets the day off. Three day weekend - WOOHOO! But, in anticipation for tomorrow, and in general thinking more about this man - I am so happy that we set aside a day for rememberance of his life. He truly was a great man. He stood for beautiful principles and served a loving God - I believe he truly loved people.

A paragraph from one of his sermons, I found it really interesting and poignant.

"You have allowed the material means by which you live to outdistance the spiritual ends for which you live. You have allowed your mentality to outrun your morality. You have allowed your civilization to outdistance your culture. Through your scientific genius you have made of the world a neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual genius you have failed to make of it a brotherhood."

Oh the fun of one year ago, a truly great weekend:

The Elliots

I feel as though this post is a compilation of many thoughts, hopefully not too random. My thinking about Jim and Elisabeth Elliot became more frequent when our dear Roses had the opportunity to meet Elisabeth and her husband Lars. Then the thinking was accelerated when I got to hear the 'live' story from their lips about what it was like to meet such an amazing woman - and what that was like for Katy personally. And then I stumbled upon this article, written a few weeks ago - and it has brought their lives to my mind even more frequently. Goodness, I am far too easily satasfied; I am often content with mudpies. I am so thankful for their lives.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

http://www.scriptoriumdaily.com/2009/01/08/today-jim-elliot-was-killed-1956/

Date Night

Donald's parents were fantastic and came over last night so that donald and I could go out and be crazy in dallas. That equated to dinner, a movie and Wild about Harry's. Ohhh, but it was so nice. With the joyful chaos of the holidays and with moving, it had been such a long time since we could just be the two of us. Dinner - just perfect, sitting and talking with my best friend. The movie - oh so sad - but so good. Somehow, donald came out of it still not wanting a dog. So much for that plan of mine. And Wild about Harry's - I was too cold to get out of the car (haha, so embarassing for someone who grew up where it actually does get cold!) But in my defense - we had heated seats and personal temperature control! Now, our car does not have those delightful features - but the 2009 saab that sewell is currently loaning us while our little saab-y is getting fixed does! Quite the sales tactic - bring your older car in - and then get romanced by this flashy newer version of your trusted friend. Sadly it worked on me - but reality's pull is harder! Sidenote - our warranty expires on Valentine's Day! Talk about good timing!

Update

Happy 2009! It's been a busy couple of months in Dallas - marked by saying farewell to our first home together, moving into the house (and not having internet for about 6 weeks), a trip to Michigan, running the White Rock half marathon, celebrating Abi's first Christmas, and lots of time with friends and family. Through pictures:

Goodbye dear apartment...

Hello, New Home!!

My parents' backyard - beautiful in the winter!

On Thanksgiving morning

Spending time with my dear friend, Lindsay (who got engaged the next day, WOOHOO!)

Abi loving time with her Grandma and Grandpa Zo

Celebrating Thanksgiving back in Dallas, the way the Pilgrims and Indians did

Happy Birthday, best hubby! Here we come, White Rock Lake!

Celebrating our wonderful nephew's first Birthday! We love you, Josh!

On our trip to meet Santa, oh she is so pretty.

Spending time with our good buddies, Kristian and Katy. Abi was so excited to meet them.
Merry Christmas!
Spending time at the arboretum - Dallas has been blessed with some truly awesome weather for December.

Celebrating Christmas and New Years with wonderful family in Little Elm
Our fantastic nephews, Ben & Brett

We are thrilled (me especially - donald had access at work!) to be back into the internet/blogging world! We are looking forward to the blessings of 2009 with eagerness and are thankful for the joys that we've been given in 2008.