Circle of Life

Everyone, meet my nephew Oscar:

Oscar is an Oscar (somebody got real creative). He is just your normal fish, living happily in his little aquarium by the couch. I am house sitting for my sister while she is away on business. My job is to make sure the kids are fed and no fireworks are let off in the backyard (i did find a 50 ft. long sparkler that I may make an exception for). The dogs are easy, but I had to make a special trip for Oscar food.

Everyone, meet a dozen Rosy Reds:

The Rosy Reds had no idea their time had come when the green net jumped in and swooped them from their home. The car ride to Audra's was long and quiet. Maybe they new the fate that awaited them. I will never know. For my own piece of mind, I wrote them a goodbye letter. I followed the directions and put them in their net. Over to the tank they went. Some tried to jump ship (thank goodness the dogs don't like sushi) while others laid there quietly. Oscar was ready and waiting with a hungry eye. As soon as they hit the water, the hunt was on.

It didn't take long:

The last time I checked there was one lonely Rosy Red watching watching his back. I leaned close to the tank and told him he was doomed.

Lost

So it has been almost 5 days since I have sat at a computer. I survived but missed SO much!

I am happy to report that Dave Matthews put on a spectacular show Friday and Saturday. Friday was classic Dave. He even played Satellite which was a pleasant surprise (he hadn't played it in over 5 years). Saturday was ridiculous! They played my favorite song (Everyday) and even did a few covers. Pink Floyd's Money, and The Beatles That's What I Want. Tim Reynolds joined them for the weekend. The electric guitar element at a live DMB show was something I hadn't got to experience yet. Between great music, wonderful food on the grill, new friends, women with flaming chains, and filthy feet from camping it was a great weekend!

Last night was dinner with those crazy people I went to New Orleans (plus Leslie who came in Ashley's place). It's always great to see them. Nothing beats watching Jeremy and Nathan give Donna a hard time. I recommend that everyone witness it at least once! On the way home Jeremy and I got to listen to the CD from the service with everyone's testimonys. Tracy was right. Jeremy said "you know" at least 50 times hehe! It was also great to hear Nathan singing his song. I could listen to it over and over and over!!

I have tomorrow and Thursday off so I'm returning to my old stomping grounds...Fayette Co. Free Fair. Tomorrow is the cattle show so I'm going to go watch Phillip, and all the other kids that weren't even born yet when I was in that ring, show!

Scratch that....

This is my new high score. I think that puts me in 4th place (at least until audra posts another score). Ok i'm really done for the weekend!

When Emily Tries To Be Productive

I had a "honey do" list on my desk when I got to work today which I was very excited about. Today is my Friday so as soon as I'm off it's a 3 day weekend full of DMB and long lost friends!!!! The first thing on my list was to sweep. After it there was a big hahahahahaha. I never sweep at work. The last time I did it, Carrie took a picture. The Game Stop guy from the mall even peeked his head in the door and asked if I was feeling OK!

I'm sweeping, minding my own business, and the next thing I know a phone charger jumped out of nowhere and right underneath the vacuum! My first instinct should've been to turn off the vacuum. Of course, it wasn't. I throw the vacuum down and unplug the charger. How stupid could I be? I mean that is like going after a hairdryer in the bathtub! After a 30 second pause trying to figure out if I was still alive, I turned the vacuum off. I had to send Carrie a picture of the smoking vacuum to emphasize my point. The two of us just don't get a long!

Shout Outs

High five to sugar wafers! I forgot how yummy and delectable these sweet crispy treats were. I was trying to pick my breakfast out at Shell this morning. Obviously Mt. Dew was first but what to eat. Something unhealthy and full of carbs of course but what? I was spending too much time figuring it out, and as I glanced down there they were. Fun, strawberry, keebler sugar wafers. SOLD!

I would also like to throw a high five to my peep Geraldine B. She was my first customer of the day and an all around awesome human being! Her stories about bingo, post-its, and life in general just made me smile. People always ask me how I can work customer service. As long as I have a customer like Geraldine at least once a week, I will keep clocking in.

Mad props to Kenny who woke me up at 7 a.m. to show me the coolest racoon on the planet! All black. Really. No stripes, no color, nothing. ALL BLACK and alive thank goodness!

If you are wondering why I am listing all the great things for the day it's because Q just left for Alabama. Boo :( I think it's because I fell asleep before I got to pray. Ok I'm sure that's not the reason, but I'm trying to justify. I pray that he isn't down there for the 3 weeks he wants to be, but I also don't want him coming back in 3 days. That means he found a job and will turn around to leave me for good....

Ok enough of that. Mexican tonight with the moms that need a break from last minute 4H projects. Yay!!

(i just clicked spell check and i had no mistakes. high five)

Mountain of God

*DISCLAIMER* The following blog contains no pictures. Sorry if that bores you. However, there are many links that I hope you all visit....

Yesterday was not a good day. In fact, even with all the good things that happened, I wish I could find the rewind button.

I've been struggling. A lot. With things that are minor, but I make major, even though I know they're minor, then I feel bad because it could be worse, but in my mind it couldn't be (sorry for all you grammar buffs out there. I'm sure that sentence just made you cry). I don't ask for help. The explanation can be found in the first two lines of this. I know this is a problem, but I feel it will be more of a burden after I have let things fester.

My step mom just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Or maybe she thought it was the wrong place at the wrong time after I started bawling like a baby about how "I can't believe I'm almost 25 and this is where I'm at" haha! I don't know how she did it, but somehow she made me spill the beans (my coke did taste a little funny that night). She kept asking me "Well what do you want?" and all I could say is "I don't know".

Once Dad was done doing whatever it is he does when he wanders around the house, we sat down in the kitchen. He reached for the bible, and I began to smile. The reason I don't like to talk about my problems became apparent. It is because I don't use the right source to help me through them. All the troubles, fears, and worries I have seem to take me further and further away from the one with all the answers. I wish I could remember all the verses that Dad and Sue referred to, but my mind was on something else.

I had the answer to Sue's question. I wanted to feel God. I wanted to feel him like I did when I was in New Orleans. Like when I go down to the alter and place my hand on a fellow brother or sisters shoulder. I want to feel this all the time but had never been able to in my life away from the church or since LA. But as I sat there at Dad's retro kitchen table, feeling the fan hit my face because the air conditioning was broken, and listening to Scooby huffing because it was way past potty time, I did. I felt it....

When I got ready to leave Dad asked if I wanted to pray. YES PLEASE!!!! I have prayed with my father and Sue many times in that kitchen, but none compare to the prayer I heard last night. Sue said it best when she said "there is nothing like a parent's prayer". My dad prays that I am blessed SO much that I know it has to be a gift from God. Do you know how awesome it is to hear someone ask that for me? Little old me who thinks her life is over at 25, will probably never graduate college, and has a thing for little guitars? I know that our Father's love is more powerful than any other love we will experience, but last night, hearing my father's prayer for me....well I think we might have to go in to overtime :)

*DISCLAIMER 2* This is starting to get a little long and I'm sorry. If you would like to come back to the rest of it later I understand, but please come back...

I never really leave dad's house till about an hour after the first time I say it. So Scooby's huff's are now directed specifically towards me when Sue says she wants to burn me a CD. I guess I have Courtney to thank because she is the one who introduced Sue to Third Day. I have always been a music lover. I firmly believe that no matter what is going wrong or right in your life, there is a song that puts everything you feel with a rhythm. Mix God into that and it is a win win! Why I never listened to Christian music before is beyond me!

Like a good grasshopper, I listened to the CD just as directed: With headphones! The CD that I have is one of many, but with every song I thought of something.

Sing A Song made me think of Nathan, the song he sang at church, and the many others that are dancing in his head eager to get on paper and to his lips.

Mountain of God reminds me that this journey is nothing compared to what awaits us, and I need to remember that He is with me every step of the way.

The line that I can't get out of my head from Cry out to Jesus is that "He will meet you wherever you are" All you have to do is ask. I think about everyone I met in New Orleans and how strong their faith still is. They spent hours on roof tops without food and water, not knowing if their son/daughter/husband/mother was alive or not, and they wanted to pray with me.

As soon as I heard the first chords of Movin on up I immediately saw the entire worship team at FFC shouting praises (can I put in requests?)

When I heard Creed I thought of Led Zeppelin. Weird right?

After listening to the entire CD I prayed. I prayed good. Really good. I prayed for things I didn't even know I wanted to pray about. I laughed. I cried. I gave praise. LOTS OF IT.

Mountain of God

Third Day

Thought that I was all alone

Broken and afraid

But You were there with me

Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know

That I had lost my way

But You were there with me

Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes

I never knew

That I couldn't ever make it

Without You

Even though the journey's long

And I know the road is hard

Well, the One who's gone before me

He will help me carry on

After all that I've been through

Now I realize the truth

That I must go through the valley

To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road

That You have led me down

You are here with me

Yes, You are here with me

I have need for nothing more

Oh, now that I have found

That You are here with me

Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time

I lose my way

But You are always there

To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from

And the things I've left behind

But of all I've had, what I possessed

Nothing can quite compare

With what's in front of me

With what's in front of me

I thought that I was all alone

Broken and afraid

But, You are here with me

Yes, You are here with me.

Who's your best friend?

My friend Quinton is a typical single, young, man living on his own. The only thing different is that he has about 4 sets of dishes. Not a big deal? Yes it is a big deal when you don't do dishes until every single one is dirty. This is his kitchen when I got to his house today:

GROSS!!! I'm not the cleanest person in the entire world, but really??!! I found dishes from left over Red Lobster. The last time he ate at Red Lobster was with me...A MONTH AGO! I swear I'm going to donate his body to science after he falls asleep one night. That man has to be lined in cancer fighting cells to survive walking through this kitchen everyday and not die. His coffee pot:

Yep...that's mold. I asked him if he wanted help cleaning and he so conveniently brought up just a couple weeks ago when he washed and waxed my car just to be nice....so I did it (after I made him throw in a mac n cheese kids meal from burger king with apple fries and a fruit punch).

If it adds a few more years to my friends life than it wasn't wasted time. Oh, if anyone wants to know what he was doing the while I was risking my life in that death trap he calls a kitchen, he was busy too. He was hooking up the surround sound in his living room and playing an entire game of baseball on the PS3 to make sure it sounded ok....boys

Free Fun!!!

My wonderful big sister took me on a mini vacation, and I had so much fun!!! We drove down to Santa Claus, IN for a trip to Holiday World. First I want to say that they really take the Santa Clause theme and run with it. We stayed Santa's Lodge which was located on Christmas Blvd. Our dinner was catered by St. Nick's Restaurant. There were a million Frosty the Snowmen's and Santa photo ops everywhere! I've heard of Christmas in July, but it's Christmas ALL YEAR ROUND there. I met tons of wonderful people. Some from Audra's company, some locals, and some Canadians hehe.

It ended up being a pretty late night so when Monday morning rolled around the last thing I wanted to do was spend all day in the sun getting whipped around on coasters. So we hit up Splashin Safari first. It was very relaxing. There were a lot of family's with little ones so we were in good company. We did the wave pool for a little bit then grabbed Nicole and were off to Bakuli! The line was very short and went super fast! There was a height requirement, but there were also a ton of little kids in line so I wasn't too worried.....

I now know what a goldfish being flushed feels like! There was a lot of darkness and a lot of spinning! It was not a "let's do that again" ride, but I did recommend it to everyone! It was then time to eat. Did I mention that Holiday World offers free drinks! Really there are Pepsi Oasis's everywhere. You just grab a cup and fill er up! Vendors only sell bottled water because everything is free and unlimited! They also have sunscreen stations so there is no excuse for not protecting your skin! The pizza smelt better than it tasted but oh well. We did a couple water slides next and a few passes in the lazy river. Back to the wave pool for a quick core "workout" (that is kicking my butt today) then it was time for the big guns!

After a few hours of laziness in the water we were ready to go for The Legend. The lines were really short. Everyone did those rides first and went to Splashin Safari to cool down. Audra and I like to do things backwards, and for once it worked to our advantage! We didn't have to wait in line at all for the coasters! TMI ahead just so you know. I started my womanly week of misery early. Wooden roller coasters+cramps=Bad Idea. I was ready to be done after that, but we had to ride The Voyage. It has been rated the number one wooden roller coaster in the world for like 5 years. Number one wooden roller coaster in the world+cramps=REALLY bad idea!

I would also like to add that Holiday World has also been voted Cleanest and Friendliest Amusent park in the world for the past 8 years! And it was! I couldn't help but notice there were a lot of Emily's that worked there. I'm just sayin...

Why my weekend stinks

Unless you live under a rock, you know what is pictured to the left. It has been the reason I don't want to wake up in the morning. It has been the reason I don't answer the phone at work, and it is the reason behind our horrible sales for the past two days. It is *insert big dramatic music now* the iPhone.

This is Brett Howell folks. He was the first person in Australia to own the new iPhone. Congratulations Brett!!! You just spent an arm and a leg for a phone that is going to make your life a living hell. BUT you did get a big ribbon with the number 1 on it so who cares! Your phone will get, quite possibly the worst service out of any cell you have ever owned, but don't worry because it will be junk in 5 months! Oh and that beautiful picture you took of your daughters first steps, good luck sending that to family and friends Brett. You can't. Too bad you tossed every other electronic you owned because they said the iPhone was all you would ever need.

So here is to Brett and all the other morons out there who stood in line for days because they couldn't live without the iPhone. Good luck living with it now suckers! And don't come crying to me when they don't work because all you will get is "I told you so"

Ladies and Gentlemen

The Anti Christ.....

Steve Jobs

P.S.

Forgot to add that the ear candles were just the beginning of the fun. Watching Madison eat her corn dog was the icing on the cake!

Success-Negative Fun-CHECK!!!

I first would like to say that everyone involved made it out alive!

For those who follow my sisters blog you will know that she has been struggling with an ear ache. Those who don't should know that she takes things way too seriously and has way too much time on her hands hehe. Anywho, I get a text message earlier today that read: "Want 2 help me ear wick 2ngt?" To which I replied: "Duh" Who would pass on a chance to stick flaming things in their big sisters ear?! That's stuff we would've got in soooo much trouble for when we were little!

We actually read the directions! *insert round of applause here* Even the insert that came inside the box got a thorough examination. This could've really taken an ugly turn folks, and I hate being held responsible for things! I felt like McGyver. I need a pie pan, scissors, and a bowl of water! After a few terrifying glances from Audra the fun began. And boy do I mean fun! Really. Look at our faces. They are exactly like the pictures in the box! Such good advertising.

I would also like to point out that while Audra had flames in her ear she was able to talk on the phone with one hand and hold the pan with the other. I was basically there for looks (story of my life). Actually, while she was doing that, I was holding the candle and taking video of Pike doing things he shouldn't. All in all I would chalk this up as a good night. EXCEPT for the fact that the whole thing didn't work.

Go Camera...It's your birthday!

So I am so excited with my new camera!!! Look at my 4th of July pics!! This is my favorite! It looks like an electric underwater blowfish!

This one looks like a palm tree

Warning!

As fun as it may sound to have a makeover party with a 3 year olds make up kit, It is not a good idea. I repeat, NOT A GOOD IDEA. Hehe :) Julie always has those not so good ideas (just ask the doctor who recently preformed outpatient surgery on her) so I take complete blame for waking up with glitter EVERYWHERE! I mean I could've went with the glitter lipgloss instead of the glitter blush and glitter eyeshadow ha! Last night also consisted of me taking all the strings off my guitar (not the kiddie one) because I just knew I had more in the truck. I had strings alright but only E and A. Then the heated (and long) game of Phase 10 began. We started with 8 players on the back porch and ended with 4 in the garage. Audra was declared the winner by default of the game and number of times being skipped, which her little sister had no part in ;).

I shouldn't complain BUT.....

My guitar wasn't quite what I expected. Go ahead and comment. Everyone seems to have their jokes. I may have been disappointed, but I know little Madison will absolutely love it!