My first...

...speeding ticket. It's true. On the way home, I got a speeding ticket. In a town about the size of my little neighborhood in Dallas. A notorious speed trap. I had been driving for about 5 hours already and was getting to the point that I was VERY ready to be out of the car. I had the music up, singing at the top of my lungs. Confession - I'm pretty sure it was *NSync's Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays song that I was singing at that exact moment when I just didn't notice the speed limit sign telling me to slow down. I wish now, that I had the blogging foresight to take a picture of myself with the cop car lights in the background while he was writing up my ticket, but I didn't. He was a cute old man. I couldn't get mad at him. He reminded me of my great uncle Bobby. So, there it is. I made it almost 27 years without a ticket. Now that record is broken. I hope I don't start breaking more of my records, like no cavities, I would be sad. SO, defensive driving here I come!!

Going Home...

I'm headed home in a couple of hours...and I am so excited to be there. Rebekah arrived from Philly on Saturday and Deborah got home last night. I am the missing piece. My car is loaded, filled up with gas, and has a fresh oil change. I will be hitting the road as soon as I get off work today. The last time we were all together was in Santa Fe over Labor Day weekend before Rebekah left for Mission Year. I'm excited to spend time with the whole family, be out of Dallas, and just relax a little.

Next Monday night/early, early Tuesday morning, I will meet a bus full of high school students at a truck stop in Amarillo and head to Copper Mountain. I can't wait to be skiing down the mountain - oh how I love it!

And just because I like to have pictures in my posts...here's one from our small group Christmas party. I love these girls!

ICE!

My roommate Julie organized a big group of people to go see ICE! at the Gaylord Texan on Friday night. It was tons of fun to walk through the 2 million pounds of ice in the -9 degree temperatures! Good thing they gave us parkas, because it was REALLY cold! There was an ice gingerbread house, an ice Santa, an ice slide, and most importantly an ice baby Jesus! The only non-fun part of the evening was the parking - it took about 45 minutes or something absurd like that. I think Laura has some pictures of that on her camera, but for now here's some pictures from the fun part of the evening.

Roommates!

Student Ministries friends!

me & Laura

Laura, Karla, Sarah & Jen

me & Shawn

And ice baby Jesus!

My Favorite Things...

Here are a few of my favorite things right now. I'm not sure why...I just felt like sharing them with you!

1. My Sewing Machine - I'm making a lot of my Christmas gifts this year. Me and the sewing machine are spending a lot of quality time together at the kitchen table!! I'll share what I've been making after people get their gifts...I don't want to spoil any surprises!

2. Point of Grace: A Christmas Story - every Christmas I spend countless hours listening to this CD. It's my all time favorite Christmas CD. Mock me if you will, but I LOVE it!

3. My new boots - I've been wanting real cowboy boots for a while now, but have never been able to justify spending the money on them. On Friday, I was checking our message board at work where people post things they want to sell. Low & behold there was a pair of size 9 Justin cowboy boots. The girl had only worn them twice. I rushed over to her building at tried them on and wrote her a check on the spot. And they were a deal!!! I'm wearing them today, and they are fantastic!

4. My Camelbak water bottle - I've always been a Nalgene girl. For some reason, a couple of weeks ago, I decided I wanted a bottle with a straw. I bought this adorable thing, and I don't think I'll ever go back. It's just the right size. It doesn't spill, even when the straw is open. And I just think it's cute!

5. The Pioneer Woman - This website is great. This woman is a hilarious story teller in the "Confessions" portion of her blog. But, what I'm enjoying most is the "Cooking" section. This weekend I made the Pasta alla Vodka and it was SO good. I've been enjoying the leftovers ever since. In the cooking section, she takes pictures of the whole process and makes it really easy to follow her instructions. If you like that kind of thing, you should try making the Chocolate Sheet Cake, it's fantastic! And I really want to try the Cinnamon Rolls...they look absolutely delicious!

Christmas

I know that pretty much everyone has posted this video on their blog. And, honestly, I've stopped watching the videos that people post because I'm just kind of tired of them. But, I finally sat down and watched this one, and I honestly can't get it out of my head. I spent some time on www.adventconspiracy.org and I'm actually inspired by it. Their slogan, if you will, is simple.

Worship Fully

Spend Less

Give More

Love All

Sounds fairly simple, but I know I get so caught up in the giving and receiving at Christmas. And I don't think the giving and receiving is bad, but I'm working on stepping a little out of my comfort zone this year. I'm making some of my gifts in an effort to spend less. It sounds small, but for me, it's a step. I know there are so many more things I can do, and I want to figure out what that looks like for me. BUT, what it boils down to, is this video challenged me, and I think it will do the same for you if you give it a chance.

Jury Duty

Tomorrow I will fulfill my civic duty and report for jury duty. I’ve never been to jury duty. I have to admit, although hesitantly, that I have been summoned before. I misplaced the paper and when I finally found it realized that the date had passed. Oops! I hope I didn’t just incriminate myself!

Anyhow, since I received my most recent summons, I have received many suggestions for how to not get chosen for the jury. Some of them are quite hilarious. Some just normal, but here they are for your entertainment:

• Act like you actually want to be picked for the jury.
• Say that you have a family member who's been killed by a drunk driver. (Seriously!?)
• Call the Dallas police the Dallas Gestapo.
• Tell them you love Jesus.
• Have a seizure. Yes, someone really suggested it.
• And just act flat out insane.

I'm thinking I will stay away from all the above tactics. Not that I want to be chosen, because I don't, but I'm just going to let the system take it's course. I'm praying I don't get picked, because my coworker just went maternity leave, and if I get chosen Amy will be left to fend for herself, which would definitely not be good for her mental state.

I'll let you know how my jury duty experience is. Should be interesting for sure!

Celebrating Laura

So, I realize there has already been a birthday related post for my dear friend Laura, but I thought I should post about her celebration we had Tuesday night. And I needed an excuse to step back into the blogging world after my little break from the month of craziness posting!

Anyway, we went to Mattito's for dinner to celebrate Laura. Lots of laughs, good conversation, and of course Bob Armstrong Queso filled our evening. It was a fun night with lots of fun girls!

Ann, Birthday Girl, and Jen

Cutest community group ever (behind ours, of course!)

Britni, Stacy, Laura, & Ashley

Kristie, me & Stacy

Laura with her birthday present from me

So, Laura's present from me, if it had a title, would be "The Road to the Cupcake Tree". She has been wanting one of these for a while. I told her she probably needed to know how to make cupcakes first. SO, my present is all about equipping her to master the baking of cupcakes, so that she can someday have a cupcake tree. I made the apron with way cute fabric I got in a store in Granbury over Thanksgiving. And then I gave her a coupon for a free cooking lesson and Sprinkles cupcake mix so that we could start with a little help. I'll let you know how the cooking lesson goes whenever we get there!

Leaves!

Today Julie came home from church and decided she wanted to have a photo shoot in the leaves. She is always full of crazy ideas, but today, I humored her. Here are some of the pictures! We pretty much look like cheese heads in all of them!

Happy Birthday Fitzers!

Today is Laura's birthday...I call her Fitzers. She is 26 years old today. We apparently don't take pictures together, I had to go back to February in my iPhoto to find this one. Sad. Laura and I met at a GroupLink at church. We didn't end up in the same community group that day, but somehow the friendship that started there has stuck around. Laura is such a faithful friend. She makes me laugh...oh, how she makes me laugh. She is one of the few people in my world who I can be completely myself in my full out goofiness, and she still loves me, and even joins right in. She has also become a source of accountability and great encouragement in my walk with the Lord. She has walked with me through hard times, and been such a consistent and faithful friend! I am so thankful to call her one of my best friends!! I love you Fitzers!!!

Faithful

One of the character traits of God that has always resonated with me is His faithfulness. Even when I don't feel it, or even when I don't see it, he is ALWAYS faithful. I love this song. I sat and really listened to the words last Saturday in front of a fire at the lake. And today I was listening to it again sitting on my grandparents back porch looking at the river. And I love it. I long to be faithful even when I can't see or hear Him. He has taught me that He is always faithful, and I long to be the same.

FAITHFUL
There’s distance in the air

And I cannot make it leave

I wave my arms ‘round about me

And blow with all my might
I cannot sense you close

Though I know you’re always here

But the comfort of you near

Is what I long for

When I can’t feel you

I have learned to reach out just the same

When I can’t hear you

I know you still hear every word I pray

And I want you

More than I want to live another day

And as I wait for you

Maybe I’m made more faithful

All the folly of the past

Though I know it is undone

I still feel the guilty one

Still trying to make it right
So I whisper soft your name

And let it roll around my tongue

Knowing you’re the only one who knows me

You know me

Show me how I should live this

Show me where I should walk

I count this world as loss to me

You are all I want

You are all I want

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have spent a wonderful Thanksgiving sitting outside on my grandparent's porch, eating with my family, playing games, and just enjoying being here with everyone (except Rebekah who had to say in Philly). A few of the many things I have to be thankful for this year:

• My wonderful, supportive, loving family.
• Friends who are faithful and are the hands and voice of God in my life.
• A relationship with my Savior who loves me, guides me, provides for me, and has saved me!
• A job in the midst of economic uncertainty.
• A church where I am spurred to grow and supported in my walk with Christ.
• And.....finishing the last book in the Twilight series so that I can now have my life back.

Really, I have so many things to be thankful for. The Lord has provided for me in ways beyond what I can understand or deserve. And for all the things I have to be thankful for, I give Him all the glory!

Congo...

Rescue those being led away to death;

hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, "But we knew nothing about this,"

does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who guards your life know it?

Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

Proverbs 24:11-12

At church on Sunday, our pastor talked about the crisis that is happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I knew that there was unrest, but I truly had not idea to what degree. Here are a few of the statistics...they are sobering.

• 5.4 million people have been killed in the violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1998. MOre people have died there than in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Darfur combined.
• 45,000 people die every month in what is being called Africa's World War. This is the deadliest conflict since World War II.
• One of the primary weapons used in this particular war is rape. 80% of women living in the Congo today are victims of rape and 75% of all the rapes that take place in the world happen in the Congo.
• The violence has forced civilians to flee their homes and head for already over-crowded IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps where it is virtually impossible to access health facilities, find clean water sources, and locate nutrional food. Most deaths are a result of these types of conditions, an indirect result of the violence.
• The Congo has been named as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for children, whether they are killed by the violence, die from desperate conditions, or are recruited by the rebels and forced into unspeakable acts of violence themselves.

For more information about what's happening in the Congo, watch these videos. One from CBS, one the BBC, and one from our church service Sunday. The BBC one is the shortest, and if you only watch one, watch it. It really is sobering.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3706833n

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7700111.stm

http://www.watermarkradio.com/index.php?id=153&series=113&message=0

For more information on ways you can help and give go to http://community.wr.org/Page.aspx?pid=1274

Celebrating Julie

Tonight we celebrated Julie's birthday at Cantina Laredo. It was a great group of friends gathered to celebrate such a great girl! Here's a few pictures from the evening.

Julie with her cake!

Me & Shawn

My table buddies...Alli & Chapman

Me & SarahBeth

The roommates - terrible picture of me, but my only one with the birthday girl

Three Quarters...

...of the way done! I found out today that I passed the third part of the CPA exam. Praise the Lord is all I have to say! Only one left and then I can put all this studying nonsense behind me forever! I'm hoping to take it sometime in January and call it done!

Tonight the non-stop pace I've been keeping since I finished my test at the beginning of the month is beginning to catch up with me. I'm doing what my very wise friend Jen instructed me to do...spending some time alone. A night for me. For the serious introvert that I am, it is strange to have to be told to spend a night for me. But I'm glad I have friends who know me and see my need for alone time.

Today I had lunch with one of my girls. She has the ENTIRE week off of school for Thanksgiving...it seems completely unfair. The joys of being in high school. When I called her to see where she wanted to go to lunch she said she didn't care as long as she could get Caesar salad. It cracked me up. Who craves Caesar salad?

Okay...sorry for the stream of consciousness post...it's about all I have left in me tonight.

Mesmerizing...

I missed yesterday. I was at the lake...with zero cell phone reception. It was actually quite wonderful. I love getting out of the city. It is SO energizing to me. I love time away, time with friends, and just relaxation.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday morning here...in front of this wonderful fire. Reading, journaling, praying. Just good time curled up in front of a fire.

I was thinking yesterday as I was sitting there about how there are two things that I can stare at for hours. Two things that are absolutely mesmerizing to me. Fire and stars. I love them both. And both I usually only get to experience when I get out of the city. Not that we don't have a fireplace in our house, because we do, we just never use it. And stars...don't even get me started on stars. To me, they are the most amazing, worship inducing thing that God created. They leave me awe struck every time. I've never took a good picture of stars, but I stole this one from google images, but there is nothing like being in a place where you can walk out the back door and be greeted with stars as far as the eye can see. I just love it!
What parts of God's creation just make you want to sing?

Lake & Lyrics

I'm headed to Lake Cypress Springs for our annual leader's retreat with all the girls of student ministries. I am so, so excited about this weekend. It is always great to get to know new leader's and spend time with old friends. I love the laid back schedule and just being out of Dallas. I ALWAYS love being out of Dallas.

Also, I thought I'd share the lyrics from another one of my favorite songs. It's Phil Wickham. Powerful words that spur me to praise Him.

Cannons
It's falling from the clouds
A strange and lovely sound
I hear it in the thunder and rain
It's ringing in the skies
Like cannons in the night
The music of the universe plays

You are holy great and mighty
The moon and the stars declare who You are
I'm so unworthy, but still You love me
Forever my heart will sing of how great You are

Beautiful and free
Song of Galaxies
It's reaching far beyond the milky way
Let's join in with the sound
C'mon let's sing it loud
As the music of the universe plays

You are holy great and mighty
The moon and the stars declare who You are
I'm so unworthy, but still You love me
Forever my heart will sing of how great You are

All glory, honor, power is Yours amen
All glory, honor, power is Yours amen
All glory, honor, power is Yours forever amen

A few more Coldplay pictures...

...from Brooke. What a night!

Coldplay!

Last night I went to see Coldplay with my roommate Brooke and our friend Kelly. I was excited and looking forward to it, but I was tired, so I don’t think I was expecting as much as I got. It was absolutely the best concert I’ve ever been to. The show was incredible. Chris Martin going from piano to guitar back to piano. The band moving to different spots in the audience to play songs. Down to the way the live video of the band was projected on globes hanging from the ceiling. It was all amazing. And even without all of that, Coldplay just delivered. I walked away from last night liking them even more than when I showed up. Here’s a few pictures I took with my phone since I forgot my camera. Brooke had hers, and I’ll have to update with some actual good pictures whenever I get them from her.

Drowning Phones...

The Welch girls have a slight problem with their phones ending up in water. When I was college, I was walking down the stairs in our apartment carrying my phone and a cup of water in the same hand. My phone most definitely ended up in the cup of water. Deborah flushed hers down a toilet. And most recently, Rebekah washed hers with her clothes. We have real talent! So, if you'd like to keep your phone, keep it away from a Welch girl and water - it's a dangerous combination!

100

This is my 100th post. Nothing like posting every day to move that number right on up there. This blogging is getting quite ridiculous, and I'm running out of things to say, so I thought I would post some random pictures. And when I say random, I mean random!

Sarah, me & Nat before she moved out to Nashville. Now she's moving back...oh happy day!

Me & Lisa at the expo for White Rock last year. We did crafts this weekend...different than running together, but it was fun. I like sewing!

Meredith & I at the Launch retreat last year. She got married this weekend. She was a beautiful bride and her wedding was a blast!

Me in Brazil August 2007...I've been thinking about that place a lot the last few days...I love it there! I love those kids, I love being there.

And this is Jen's Halloween costume. We made it. I sewed the skirt...she did the shirt. She was a rainbow that was a part of a thunderstorm. We were kind of proud of out handiwork.

Fun with the Girls...

Tonight I loaded several of my small group girls up in the car and we headed to Richardson to see Taylor in a school play. It was fun to hang out with my girls outside of church stuff, since I haven't got to do much of that with all the studying I've been doing this semester. I think it's funny how whenever they are together, mass picture taking takes place, so here you go, some pictures from our evening!

In line for dinner with Amanda & Maddie.

Rachel, Katie, Amanda & Maddie at our table.

The girls with Taylor after the play.

In the car headed home...this is just a small showing of how silly things got on the way home.

High School Musical

Today I saw High School Musical 3 with Maddie. I'd been waiting to see it, but the opportunity just hadn't presented itself. Since Maddie & I were the only ones in our small group who hadn't seen it, we decided to go today. It, of course, lived up to it's cheesy roots, but it actually wasn't half bad. Favorite ridiculous line of the movie: 'I love you Wildcat'.

My new favorite board game...

Last night I went to a game night and Jen brought a new game. It's called Quelf. It has to be the funniest, most random game that I have ever played. You should take a look at the website. It's hilarious. Here are a few of the crazy things that happened in the two rounds of the game we played last night:

• I had to say everything twice for the remainder of the game.
• Every time someone rolled a four, Sarah had to act like she was videoing the action and narrate it like she was filming a documentary.
• I had to wear Jen's sock on my hand as a puppet for the rest of the game as a sock puppet...I named him Henry.

These are just a few of funny things that happened in the game. It was really fun! I'm considering buying it before Thanksgiving and trying it out on my family!

Just a little creepy...

So, I realize that most of the time when I blog about Student Ministries it's the serious side of things. Today, a little insight on the insanity that are Jr. High and High School ministers. It NEVER ceases to amaze me the skit characters that they transform themselves into. This week at Shoreline (our high school service that happens ever Sunday night), David (our Jr. High director) dressed up as a photographer/videographer. His name was Mr. Boggs. Actually, he had a first name, but I've forgotten it. His slogan was, "I take pictures of you while you're not looking." Need I say anything else to explain the title of the post? I leave you with a picture and the question of whether we are doing more harm than good with our students...

Oreo Cows?!

We went for a walk while we were out at the lake last weekend. It was quite eventful. We ended up on a dirt road. Harper's stroller wasn't exactly meant for offroading! At one point, we definitely carried her stroller! We also ran into some wildlife. Several horses and the most interesting cows I have EVER seen. I swear they look like oreos! Here's a few pictures from the walk.