A Long December

Christmas has come and gone.

Sigh.

But it was beautiful! Santa brought me wonderful things!

One was SNOW!!!!!! It has never in my lifetime snowed on Christmas Day and it did this year. It didn't stick, but it sure was pretty falling! Apparently, it stuck the next day, but we were in Jackson when that happened. Mom took pictures.

One was a fun-filled visit from my brother and his awesome girlfriend, Dervon. We were able to do so many fun things besides just hang out and open gifts. We went on a tour of Sloss Furnace, then up to Vulcan, and then to Sips-N-Strokes...all in one day! So fun!

Alas, they have flown back to DC. I am still in Birmingham.

Santa also brought me a Cricut! I am BEYOND ecstatic! Mom and I played with it last night. I cannot wait to cut out all the little things and learn all the tricks!

Ben gave me a beautiful purple sweater for Christmas...perfect to go with his Christmas present from me...LAKERS TICKETS!!!!!!!!! We are going to see the Lakers play the Hawks in March! I'm a genius. Best wife ever.

I also got a North Face rain jacket, GLEE Season 1, CDs, a pretty scarf, new sweaters, and lots more! I am blessed.

Ben's family banded together to give him enough money and gift cards to buy a new TV for the living room since I refused to contribute because the one we had was just fine. We now have a beautiful new 42" TV in the living room. And the 32" that was in the living room is now in our bedroom making it a movie theatre. Geez.

2011 is in two days. TWO DAYS!!!!! I can't believe it!

We are ringing in the New Year with friends in one of our favorite cities, New Orleans! It should be PACKED because it's New Year's (of course) and the Sugar Bowl is this weekend! I will not be letting go of Ben's hand.

Things I'm looking forward to in 2011:

Watching Alabama beat Michigan State on New Year's Day in the Capitol One Bowl.

Watching Auburn beat Oregon in the National Championship.

Watching Cam Newton draft 1st round in the NFL, leaving Auburn in his dust. (HA!)

Building my career.

Helping my husband build his career as he returns to school.

Having my husband's dreams (hopefully) come true in June.

Lakers v. Hawks in March.

New beginnings, wherever the Department of Public Safety puts us.

A return to DC in June to visit my brother.

Our third wedding anniversary on August 30th.

Turning 25 in October.

Another holiday season and the adjustments we'll have to make because of Ben's new job.

Starting to try to start a family. (Redundant, no?)

Let's not forget, though, that 2010 was a great year.

My favorite things about 2010:

GLEE!!!! This season was a fun theme year. The Britney episode was amazing.

Charlotte. She is the world's greatest dog. I don't know what I did before her.

Our summer trip to New Orleans.

My trip with Mom to Atlanta.

One of the best seasons of Top Chef ever.

Having A Pig and A Paintbrush boom.

My favorite trends/beauty products of 2010 that I hope continue into 2011 because I've invested too much money into them (I've included links):

Ulta Professionals Nail Polish - I bite my nails unless they are painted and this is the best, chip free polish I've ever found! Good Clean Fawn and Scarlet Starlet are my faves.

Maybelline Falsies mascara - Makes my lashes so long! Waterproof is WATERPROOF.

My Toms - Buy one pair, and Toms gives a pair to a child in need in a 3rd world country.

Shoedazzle - Seriously.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - If a zit starts to come up, dab a little on this at night, wash it off in the morning, and I swear it's gone. It's a little pricey, but worth it.

Platform stillettos like these - LOVE THEM. Can't get enough of them. Husband is thinking of building shelves in the closet for them.

Motocross boots - Want some. Can't afford them.

Long sweater cardigans - These are adorable and so easy to wear.

So, as 2010 comes to a close, I leave you with a great song. The Counting Crows are one of my favorite bands and this song plays continuously in my head the last week of December every year. Enjoy the brilliance that is Adam Duritz.

Random Trivia Fact: BABY NAMES ARE IN!!!!

Worst Celebrity Baby Name of 2010 - Buddy Bear Maurice (Chef Jamie Oliver)

Best Celebrity Baby Name of 2010 - Grace Margaret (Mark Wahlberg)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Christmas time is here! YAY!

We have been so incredibly busy. I know I've started my last three or four posts like that, but it's true! We have been traveling, painting, shopping, *eating* and getting these two married:

Seriously, the most beautiful wedding I've ever been to. Congratulations, Jayla and Dustin! So proud to be your best friend! I wish many years of happiness and blessings for you both! We will make so many "4 Ps" memories!!!!

So much goes on during the month of December. Although Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, most of the time we forget about the true meaning in between the mall and the dinners and the gifts...Christmas is a time to reflect on the blessings we've been given, and the most ultimate blessing of all, Jesus.

It clicked with me this year while standing in church one Sunday just how worshipful Christmas can be. If you know me, you know I love some Praise and Worship music. I love my home church and my Birmingham church mostly because of the amazing worship services. There is nothing better than praising my Savior through song.

I get so used to Christmas music by the time Christmas rolls around. We play it constantly at work from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I get numb to it. For instance, Rihanna is singing some version of "Silent Night" that has a Jamaican beat to it. Really? Then there's "Dominic the Donkey" and the dogs barking Jingle Bells, usually followed by Jessica Simpson singing "Santa Baby."

What does this have to do with our Savior? Absolutely nothing, I tell you.

We stand in church services all through the month of December singing Christian carols, but with no emphasis. How many times have we sung "Angels We Have Heard On High" or "O Come All Ye Faithful?" We are so numb to what these songs MEAN.

Some of my new favorite worship songs are Christmas songs. They are applicable to daily life. Take "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" for example. Emmanuel means GOD IS WITH US. God is with us daily. Read the words below:

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appears.

REJOICE! REJOICE!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

We are Israel, in a figurative sense. Have you seen the world around you lately? We are captive to the world. Emmanuel will return to save us from ourselves. Rejoice!

Or "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." The third verse is my favorite.

Hail the Heav'n Born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris'n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die!

Born to raise the sons of Earth,

Born to give them second birth!

Hark! The herald angels sing,

Glory to the newborn King!

We are saved because of the life and death of the Son of Righteousness! Hallelujah!

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" written by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

And in despair I bowed my head,

"There is no peace on Earth," I said.

"For hate is strong and mocks the song,

Of peace on Earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep,

"GOD IS NOT DEAD NOR DOES HE SLEEP!

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on Earth, good will to men!"

How blessed are we with a God who is not dead and is not blind to our troubles! God knows the depths of our hearts and is over everything, even when we feel like He has forsaken us. In the end, God will prevail over the enemy!

There are countless others. I've found myself standing quietly in church, just listening to those beautiful words of triumph and redemption and hope. We worship the One who deserves to be praised, even in the busiest or uncertain of times.

Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. May we never forget why we are here.

Random Trivia Fact: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of the great American poets, only penned this one hymn. It was written amidst the Civil War, after the news of his son being killed in battle, and then losing his wife in a fire. There are two verses usually omitted from the hymn version about the war. He wrote this great hymn in the depth of despair. Yet, he knew our God lives!

Wide Open

My husband is one step closer to being a State Trooper.

He passed the physical test with flying colors.

He went through a background interview with an ABI (Alabama Bureau of Investigation) agent and there was no drama.

He filled out a 350 question psychological test and was handed a time to go take a polygraph (thankfully here in Birmingham and not Selma).

I would personally like to thank the government for giving the DPS a grant to hire a Trooper class. You are making my husband smile like Christmas morning.

Am I freaking out?

Heck yes.

Knowing that this is it is unbelievable.

The uncertainty of the next few months is awful.

All is in God's hands.

Before he left on Sunday, I prayed over him, as I always do before anything like this. I prayed for Ben to be have strength and ability to finish all of his tasks. I prayed he would be calm and confident. I prayed for myself to be prayerful and patient. I prayed that if this is what we are supposed to do with our lives, God would reveal it evidently.

So we are waiting patiently. Definitely not my spiritual gift.

RANDOM FUN FACT ABOUT ME AND BEN: I always, always, ALWAYS pray over Ben before he takes any kind of test regarding police. The two times I didn't, he failed the tests. How's that for faith?

Killing Me Softly

My brain hurts.

I'm helping Ben put the finishing touches on his State Trooper Application.

It's, like, 30 pages long.

Kill me now.

I mean, it wants to know everything about him and me and his parents and my parents and his parent's parents and creditors and money owed and money made and education and units earned...

I'm surprised they don't want my blood type.

SHEESH.

And they made it very clear to be extremely specific and THEY WILL KNOW IF WE'RE LYING.

I should be qualified to be an FBI agent after this.

Congratulations, Auburn, on a spectacular season.

Random Trivia Fact: My brain may explode before the evening is over. So might my house. You should see all the crap on the table that we've had to pull out to write down dates and account numbers. UGH.