it's a christmas miracle!!

ok this is not a joke. i've asked jake a few times for a christmas tree, but after a few conversations, we decided that since we won't even be here for christmas and we're moving soon (i'll post on that soon), we should probably just simplify our lives and forget the tree this year. i was sort of depressed about it because i seriously love REAL christmas trees. it just reminds me of my mom and dad, family, LOVE, joy, happiness and not to mention i'm obsessed with the smell of pine trees. i've had a little prayer in my heart that somehow we'd be able to have tree for our first christmas together. it's kind of important to me. i came home from running some errands yesterday and there was a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l little christmas tree sitting outside of my apartment! while i was running errands, my INCREDIBLE husband went into the woods with rob's ax and chopped down a tree for us. it was nothing short of a miracle for me. so of course i ran to walmart and got some last minute decorations and here we are. i love this tree. it's perfect.

chopped.

so, i cut my hair. i think i have a disorder. everytime i go to get my hair done, i feel this urgency to change something. i mean i'm paying all this money, i might as well walk away looking a little different, right? well, we went a little crazy this time. i cried a lot today because of this hair, but only because i was in a serious state of shock and awe. it's growing on me (literally, ha!!). so, that's the latest news in my life. interesting, isn't it?

you could say we're artists

last monday night, jake and i went over to joe and lindsey dean's house for family night. we had a competition with cameron and brittany long and joe and lindsey...and although their ginger bread homes were pretty good, i just have to say, ours took the cake. jake and i probably took it a little too seriously-- i mean this was pure inspiration people. in the end, all three houses were pretty great. we tried to salvage ours and take it home....and we were doing pretty good until about two blocks away--the entire thing collapsed in my lap. we were ticked. needless to say, it was a fun night. merry merry christmas.

band of the year.

so i've been doing a lot of thinking (obviously...my posts are my thoughts these days), and i thought back on the year 2007 and all that's happened--and i randomly thought, what was my favorite band this past year? what got me through things? so, i'm giving a shout out to one of my favorite bands, the weepies. they give a unique sound--a little folk, a little guitar, amazing lyrics.. they just bring things to life for me. cheesy, but true. anyway, if you don't know who they are...look them up and let them heal you.

thoughts.

i'm transcribing and editing this recorded history on tape for a project at school. her name is audre wells and she was this incredible woman who signed up for the marines 65 years ago and became this famous marine corp women's band leader. so i'm learning her history. while doing this, she said something that hit me and i haven't stopped thinking about it. she said, "life is what you are." i thought and thought about that. life is what you are. isn't that incredible? who says we have to live one way or the other? our lives are centered around the gospel, the ones we love, errands, dinner, cleaning, school--i mean everyone's life is so different. but that's how we become who we are. what makes up the beauty in our lives is what makes up the beauty of us. so, celebrate your life, because its everything you are. and that is my thought for the day. (if it's jumbled, just remember i spent 10 hours on campus today. thank you and good night.)