Confession #1...I listen to talk radio. Driving to UNT a couple of days a week for the past 2 years has left me with a lot of time with myself in the car...and through these long drives I discovered Dave Ramsey's Radio Show on 570 AM. He is a Christian financial advisor. People call up and tell him about their financial predicaments and he gives his advice. He is so wise and loving. I am hooked on the show and I have learned so much. Confession #2 I really struggle with financial organization and self-control. His teachings are based on Biblical principles and always leave me refreshed.

Caleb and I just registered for Dave's program called Financial Peace University at our church. We can't wait. If you have a chance to read one of his books or listen to his show...you will be blessed. He ends each show with, "Remember, there is only one true way to financial peace, and that is to walk with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus." Isn't that awesome! Love it.

I thought I would be fair and balanced and post Miss South Carolina's second answer to the question. I was feeling bad...like when I first heard about "Star Wars Kid" and I started spreading it to my friends because it was so funny... but it did come at one poor teenage boy's expense...so here's to Miss South Carolina giving it a second try.

I've never really believed that the pageant girls truly represent America or women in America...probably because I have nothing in common with them. THe most I know about pageant is from Miss Congeniality. All this to say...I hope this does not represent America nor the intelligence of women. Poor thing! Warning...this hurts to watch.

Confession. I love musicals...this is not a secret. Wicked is my current favorite. Last Friday night while Caleb was painting a room in our house...I retreated to our bedroom and was flipping through the channel and found High School Musical 2. Now, I haven't seen the first one...but I totally loved watching #2. I had to find out what all the little girls are raving about. Was it cheesy? Of course. Did I love it? Yes.

When Caleb and I got home last weekend our house was very warm...oddly warm...way too warm for a house with a working air conditioning unit. So...you guessed it...it broke. Yep, we had to buy a brand new 5 ton AC unit. For those of you who do not know how much that costs (Diana- it is more than $300 and much more than $1000)...it's a lot. When Caleb told me how much it was going to cost I almost fell over. Let's put it this way...it's going to leave a mark. Although it was frustrating...in the end, Caleb and I were thanking God that we were able to pay for it. It still stings a little though.

The word "peace" can mean so many things...tranquility, the feeling of having all of your ducks in a row, serenity, the absence of war, knowing that everything in the world is just as it should be...for the Christian...there is the peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ...



A recent trip to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin illuminated a new aspect of peace that I was lacking in my life...the peace of simplicity. Caleb and I stayed with the Sweeney family, an amazing family we met through Mission Discovery. They live in the country in the midst of corn fields, red barns, and silos off a small county road in the woods. Their home is beautiful...natural light, tall ceilings, an old piano, and an old furnace that gives heat in the winter. In summary, it was beautiful. We talked, read, laughed...we just enjoyed each other.



One night we laid outside and watcher the Persius meteor shower. It was fascinating. It really hit me on the airplane home (12th flight of the summer) that I needed more peace in my life..yes, more of God, more solitude...but also less noise, less TV, less internet, less Nintendo Wii, less magazines...

So...we are the midst of a trial...we have removed the television from our living room and moved it into Caleb's office. We rearranged our furniture and now our living room (which adjoins to our kitchen) has no media. It has been great so far!

I guess I never noticed how all of the noise was sucking the life out of me. I am already so refreshed.

Caleb and I are not animal lovers...there I said it. It's not that we wish bad things upon animals, it's just that it is not our thing. The licking, the hair, the smell...I just can't do it.

Here's the thing...I was jogging the other day and I saw a huge German Shepherd doing his business and then his owner bending over to pick up the big load with a plastic bag. Gross! As Caleb would say, "Did we lose a war?"



We do have a sweet spot in our heart for Sunny, my parent's dog that they have had for over 15 years. He is a Dachshund-like dog with 9 inch legs and resembles Santa's Little Helper from the Simpson's. Sunny and Ella are BFF and I can appreciate how much joy a pet can bring...but when did they acheive people status?

When Caleb's family dog Lady died, the entire family was crying at the vet, except you know who...

We're not robots...We are just people people. We have sworn to each other the only way we would get a pet would be if our kids somehow manipulated us into it swearing it "teach them responsibility."

First it was the original Office (British version)...then it was the American Office...Arrested Development....Curb Your Enthusiasm... and now finally something that can stand up to the brilliance of this type of comedy...it's Flight of the Conchords on HBO...it's about the adventures of Bret and Jemaine...together they are FLight of the Conchords...a budding New Zealand band trying to make it in New York City...they break out in song at least twice an episode...it's great.


And...Jemaine (right) bears a striking resemblance to my brother-in law...sorry Scott...it's true.

The Rules...
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (**if you’re a non-blogger, you can email them!)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

8 facts/habits about me:

1. I love soccer...I played since I was five, played in high school and took it up again last year.
2. I am borderline OCD/neat freak/perfectionist.
3. I don't like any kind of fish.
4. I have always wanted to write a children's book.
5. Morning is my favorite time of day and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.
6. If I don't run 5 days a week I feel like crap...furthest I've gone is 13.1 miles.
7. I love fantasy books: the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and soon...Harry Potter.
8. The first Christian CD I owned was Caleb's.

SO...I suppose I will pass this on to Diana, Bethany Douglass, Kristyn Holleman, Kerri Star, Simri, Caleb, Ryan, Lindey, and Casey.