2 years

Tomorrow I celebrate my two-year workaversary (yes it is a word!) with the International Speakers Bureau. I have to say that I am suprised I have been here this long, not that 2 years is a very long time in the grand picture but it was never my plan to still be at this company or even in this city.

My plan was to move to Portland January 2008 and start saving the world with a non-profit or something really selfless like that. God always has a bigger picture though and not that I think Dallas is a very big picture because to me its more dirty and old and get's smaller and smaller everyday but I know God has plans for me, us, Eric and I, and Bowie. I count the cat as part of the family these days.

What's happened in the last two years... well...
-I've received 5 raises
-I've worked directly with over half the people in my company
-Job title has changed twice
-I've moved buildings once
-I've moved desks 4 times
-I've grown my hair out by about 5 inches
-I gained 10 pounds then lost 22 pounds
-I got married
-I've moved houses 5 times

Dog

I've heard two opposing opinions on when to get dogs. One says to get a dog before you have kids and the other says to wait until you have kids and they are at least a couple of years old. I am of the opinion to get one today. A neighbor has been out of town and we've been walking her two dogs since Wednesday and with her coming back today I need to fill the void and just bite the bullet and get a dog. Eric & I have been talking about it since November so my rash dicision isn't overly hasty.

Here are pictures of the two we are looking at, or should I say, two that I am look at. Eric needs some convincing.

Australian Shepherd / Blue Heeler mix









Lab / Collie mix

Getting Inked

I have two wedding rings. One is my mother-in-law's former wedding ring, a gold band with 41 little diamonds nestled in it. The other ring is one that matches Eric's. Doing what James Avery does best, the ring is very descriptive and well, Jewish. It says in Hebrew Ruth 1:16-17... “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” Of course that all is very condensed so to fit on a one-inch band.

Eric and I have been talking about getting something similar tattooed on us, maybe on our ring finger that would hidden under the ring. We talked about doing this on our one-year anniversary but it looks like we'll do this on his birthday in July instead. It would be his first tat and my second. Granted my first tattoo, a bell that resembles the Taco Bell symbol or a condom, is regrettable I think this will be much more meaningful. So I've decided to get it written on my foot in French, because anything in French looks pretty.

Here's how it will look: où vous allez je vais aller

Comments? Concerns? Suggestions?

Austin's awesome snowcones

A few weekends ago Eric and I took a road trip to Austin to be with some friends, have a little fun and most of all: relax. I knew before leaving Dallas that by the end of the weekend, if not by Saturday, we would both want to pack our bags and relocate there.

If I could create a city that is perfect for me, Austin would have most of what I'd put in it - sunshine, hills/landscape, activities, community, water, culture, music, food, family-friendly places, dogs everywhere, kyaking, hiking, camping, good Mexican food and by far what Austin does the best of that I've ever had - SNOWCONES!

I seriously think they put crack in the styrofoam cups. The way I described the snowcones in Austin to the man working in the little white trailer parked off Barton Springs near Lamar: "It's like what every skier wants to sky on, but in a cup, with syrup."

I’m baaaaack!

A combination of so many friends blogging these days, like days of old, and a feeling of needing to write again, I have reclaimed a blog. Well sort of. My old blog is formatted, well in an old format, so I thought it might just be easier to start fresh and new. Now, where to start?

Will you forgive me if I start with a somewhat sad entry? It’s sad but it’s also such a powerful and amazing example of what love means and what perseverance is.

When I first moved to London for Soul Time, a 6-month church discipleship program, I was both excited and scared. Excited because I was going to get to live in London and learn under Soul Survivor how to “do church” but scared because really I didn’t know anyone and this was my first time far away from home, family and familiarity. This fear was greatly eased the first day I arrived. That evening at dinner I overheard a fellow Soul Timer ask another where she was from. Her reply was Dallas. Her name is Lauren, well it was Elizabeth back then. After Soul Time and moving back to Dallas Lauren and I stayed in touch and hung out from time-to-time. Then years went by.

I heard she had gotten married. Then I heard she had a baby and no sooner after that I heard her husband had tragically passed.

When I got married I invited Lauren to the wedding and was ecstatic to see her there. Unfortunately that weekend marked the one-year anniversary since his accident. It hit me a few days after the wedding that her being there was a big step and she must be pretty strong to be able to do that.

Then I started to read her blog and the extent of her loss and the struggles and journey she has since faced really showed me what a testimony of faith and trust in the Lord this young lady has.

I don’t think I have a point to sharing any of this besides saying that she has reminded me to be thankful for what I have today. She’s reminded me to not take anything I have, especially the ones I love, for granted. She’s reminded me that God is always in control. She’s reminded me that strength is not a muscle but an act of faith.

Thank you, Elizabeth.

In case you're wondering, the scotch tape man had enough faith to pull down a street sign. Yes, it's quit true and very well documented.