These are a few of my favorite things!

SPRING

CRAFTS

FRIENDS

SISTERS


picnics

SINGING

Chocolate Chip Cookies


camp fires

WEDDINGS

Cosby Show



RAIN

Just call me J Lo

Well this weekend I went to Dallas to be the Wedding Coordinator for a new friends wedding! It was quite the experience! I didn't fall in love with the groom don't you worry. I did do lots of the other things JLo did though. It is crazy the amount of things that go into making sure a two day event goes smoothly. This was a pretty big wedding! We had the rehearsal dinner in Deep Elum at this mexican place, the wedding at the Perkins Chapel on SMU campus and then the reception at a ballroom in downtown Dallas. It was all beautiful and went perfectly. I learned so much about what types of communication goes on between the various wedding venues (dj, photographer, caterers, ballroom director, and chaplain)I was incharge of all of that which was quite overwhelming at first! It went over great and lots of people were surprised that it was my first wedding so that was very encouraging! I definitely can see myself doing that as a profession eventually so that's exciting!

The weekend was also great because I got to spend some good time with Brent, Linds, Linds B, Cody and Emily which was just great!I'm glad to be back in Austin ...Oh I got another part time job working at Bath and Body Works in the Aboretum! I'm so excited I think it will be fun!! It's such a cheerful happy place...I think I will like it there!

Good Things March 2006

Well I have clearly not followed through with my theme for my blog as well as I would have liked...so I'm coming back and committing from this day forward not to forget about Martha Stewart's magazines..(not herself) but the themes of them and how they apply so perfectly to my life right now.

CONTENTS:

Kids
Well I am still working at Brentwood in the afternoons and I love it. I'm with K-2nd for the first hour or so and then my 3rd-6th graders come in and we do "study hall." I like this age group of kids b/c they do not TADDLE as much...they can carry on a fun conversation with you...and they can remember that my name is Ms. Perry not Ms. Henley. (The little ones have trouble with that sometimes). It's fun to be in a school environment and not have to be the teacher all day!


Food
Well my new goal when it comes to food is when I go to the grocery store I need to buy one thing at least from each food group and then every day eat one thing from every food group. The hard thing to remember is that chocolate chip cookies are not a food group and it's important for me not to make them multiple times a week. My last batch I botch up so maybe that will teach me!!


Living (Sewing 101)
Well in the arts and craft world of Rosalyn Perry I have moved in a new direction. Yes that is right I am now making clothes. After watching Project Runway I decided it was time for me to make my own collection of clothes...well atleast one skirt...which I did and conquered in about 8 hours...yes it took forever but the final product is GREAT I think! I wore it yesterday and loved it! My next project is making curtains for Jen and my apt...more to come on that...

Body and Soul
Well lately I've been talking to a few of my friends about how great God is. Right now so many of us are in a place of uncertainty with jobs, relationships, where to live and not to live, where to go to church, what to do when family members are sick and their are scares of cancer or heart failure. Life throws so much at us that we just can not handle it alone. One of my friends commented on how it's not surprising how many people just end their lives b/c of this or that...when you do not have the Lord what is there to live for. Who gives you peace...who reminds you there is life after deaths or life after break ups or life after college who gives you confidence in your gifts and talents to go find a job or peace to know you'll figure out how to use those gifts somehow..who reminds you that you are not alone...who surrounds you with fabulous families and friends...who is it that feeds you with little blessings throughout the days or weeks...how blessed are we! We forget so often how lucky we are to have a God who is so loving and so patient and so strong...this week I was reminded to stand back and look at life and think HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD! And of course I cried b/c He is.

Weddings
Well a few little blessings have been thrown my way since I've been here in Austin. I volunteered with the Red Cross this past month and a half. I assisted their event planner in putting together a Heroes Celebration fundraiser. We had over 300 people there and raised lots of money for the red cross. It was a great event and I learned so much about event planning and working for a non-profit. I also became good friends with the event planner and now she has asked me to be her Wedding Coordinator for her wedding that is coming up in the next month. I'M SO EXCITED!!!! I'm also going to be Cody's sister Cayce's coordinator for her wedding in the fall which will be so great b/c I'll get to be on the majority of the planning which will be so fun! So things are opening up for me in the event world...slowly but surly and I'm excited!!!


Do not worry I won't go through every category each time I blog just this time to catch you up!

Saturday Shower...SIGGIES....Sing Song...Sunday Sadness

Well a WONDERFUL Abilene weekend come and gone.

Shower
We had Camille's girly shower this weekend which was so fun! I love being a girl and I love when tons of girls are in the same room at the same time and get to act like girls! This shower was so great b/c everyone we love or have impacted and been apart of Camille's life were there..(minus a few we knew who wouldn't be coming in for sing song which were missed) It was a great start for a great weekend! Of course I loved decorating it with pink and green and polka-dots!


Siggies/Sing Song
I will not go into all the Sing Song drama go read...Austin...Cassie..and Jen's blogs and you will know exactly what happened and pretty much how I feel about it all as well!

I will not lie, though I probably was a little too emotional about the whole event. I'm not sure if it's a problem that the little penguins brought tears to my eyes not once but multiple times through out the night ...the first time was when they opened their little orange beaks and began to sing and they ROCKED the stage and then the second time was when I saw all them walking down the hall with awful looking sing song faces after the shock of the results...I took the results a little too personal at first, VOCALS ....give us fourth in costumes...or originality...or props (which were all amazing as well) but VOCALS that was ridiculous and it hurt my stomach to see the girls after that announcement that's what we work the most on and feel the best about and are good at. They all handled it so well which made me so proud to be a siggie and proud of them! Our girls knew they had a GREAT show and knew they didn't need the judges to prove that to them...they worked hard and had great attitudes. I loved what our sponsor Linda Wallace said on the scene before the show.."our girls prepare in a unique way for this show" and that's true and that's why we can win or loose and still be ok! No one will understand that though except us and that's fine! I love Sing Song.... I love Sing Song Face ...and I love Siggies!

Sunday sadness
It's so sad when everyone has to leave. I love Kenli's blog about Abilene and ACU and how fabulous it is and how great it will be to come back year after year. I know I'm from Abilene so it's a little different for me but I am out in the real world now and get to go "home" to Abilene and I love it! I was sad to leave and sad not to be able to see all my friends more. I wish we could all live in the same city again...... and have fun themed parties.....and stay up late and skip class (not work)....and go to clyde's pizza...and eat cookie monsters every night...and go to intramural games for hours every night plus a ton of other things as well! But I do love life after college and I do love the friends I have here in Austin...so I wasn't sad for a long time just a little! I'm ok with the reunions at Sing Song and Homecoming and random others in between...they get me rejuvenate until the next!


What a GREAT weekend of friends and memories!!!

mrs. perry meet ms. perry

well i am the librarian at austin elementary school in abilene right now! my mom had some surgery this past month and i'm filling in for her as the lrc specialist! what fun! it actually has been great so far. the kids think it's so fun to call me ms. perry and let me know that the other librarian's name was mrs. perry too...even though they do understand that it's my mom. they are cute. it's fun to see my kids from last semester but it's weird not having jev here to see in the halls everyday.

this week i have been reading this book about rosa parks to all the older kids which is so cool and i learned a lot myself from the book...it's weird to go from that book with fifth grade to my FAVORITE book "if you give a pig a party" with the kindergarten classes. Completely different moods and tones but both books are winners!

one little girl who was checking out a book yesterday said, "i have to go to the doctor today" i was like, "oh what for?" she leaned in and whispered..."you see i have a uterus around my belly button and i've had it since i was born and they need to look at it" i was so confused...i think she thinks she is the only person in the world with this "uterus thing"...it was so funny!

anyway it's been fun so far. i think i'm getting a little cold which is no good...i've gone to bed the past two nights at 10:00 WHAT? i never go to bed that early...that's how i know i'm coming down with something! don't worry i'm drinking tons of orange juice.

Me and Mopac

I was driving in my car today real fast down Mopac and my mind was going miles a min...like my mouth usually is. Anyway, I was thinking about what the HECK I am doing here in Austin and what the HECK am I going to do with my life? Which direction should I go with a job?...How much should I volunteer?...Is it crazy to volunteer when I do not have a job? Does my job really need something to do with events or can it be whatever so I can pay bills? Will Brandi ever pay me? If she did then this? If she doesn't then this? Should I go home for a few weeks and sub for mom? or do I need to stay and look for a job? Why does this station keep playing all the same songs over and over? AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

now I'm fine ...and I'm calm...and here is what's going on in my life....

As everyone knows I want to do event planning. I want to be apart of some company that throws HUGE events with tons of decorations, flowers, color, themes or I want to help with weddings...I want to learn how to do the flower arrangements, make the bouquets, decorate a reception or rehearsal dinner. I also wouldn't mind working for a hotel or big business doing dinners or even helping out a private event planner as her side kick. I will do whatever leads me to more knowledge of this industry and gives me experience. I want to use my gifts and use my creativity to add something to an event. To make an atmosphere in some venue that people gasp when they see. Something that brings some type of joy to someone else. I want to learn about all the behind the scenes work...all the grunt stuff...all the crap no one wants to do or know about. I want to do that!

I told myself when I moved to Austin that no matter what I did it had to some way prepare me or teach me about events. So I have researched and researched and looked and looked. I am not qualified which I knew (I got a degree in Elementary Education duh). So I have decided the best way for me to learn about that stuff and be more qualified is to volunteer. So I am and I'm so excited! I'm going to help the Red Cross event planner plan this big dinner/reception for all the heros of the Austin area! I'm also in contact with a woman who needs help planning a fashion show to raise money for children in Ethiopia with HIV. She has done many events and parties and I think I could learn a lot from her. The third thing is still pending but I may get to help with the special events at South by South West in March. That would be so great!

So things are opening up for me and I'm sooo excited but the down side is volunteering doesn't bring in any money. Now that's a problem. So now I'm looking for a job...any job...it doesn't even have to do with events. So that's where I am. I love being in Austin and I love living with Jen. It's been so great to see my sister so much and Cassie and Austin. I just need a job ( I do have a part time job with Cas which I love but I need more work) . I know one will come just pray for my patience. I know I will be taken care of I always am. I know I have supportive friends and family and I have all the important things in life. A job is a job and I will find one.

Sorry this blog is more like a novel...I just haven't written in so long and so much is going on in my little head!

Austin, Texas

This is my new home and I'm sooo excited!!!!! Jen and I moved in this past weekend! We love our new place. I'm working with Cassie at Brentwood part time and I'm looking for another job! I love Austin...it's so alive and fun!!! Obviously so different from Abilene, not better just different...I think I was ready for a big town. I'm already finding my way around pretty well, which is abnormal since I still didn't even know all the street names in Abilene. Anyway I love being here...now I just need a job! I'll find one though!! I love Austin!

The UYG

The people in this picture were my bestfriends growing up minus a few who could not make it. We spent every day of every summer with each other for seven years doing mission trips, going on treks, participating in what we called Mission Mondays, swimming or just hanging out at each other's houses. Most of us have been together since birth....gone to preschool, elementary, middle school, highschool and now college together. Over the break we had a UYG (University Youth Group) reunion and it was soooo much fun! I think everyone was a little nervous to come around since it had been so long since a few of us had been around each other but immediately everyone started joking around and throwing out memories that made us laugh for hours. We are like brothers and sisters and no matter what length we are apart we have a bond that is speacial and allows us to feel at home. What a blessing it was to grow up with these people. We were blessed by the community our church had and by the relationships we formed with the each other in our youth group. These friendships are very unique and ones we are all greatful for.

18 hours later.....To God be the Glory!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY...was in bold print on the top of the Cross Plains Baptist Church gym. Mom, Dad, Camille and I spent Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning setting up a shelter for victims and firefighters of the Cross Plains fire with the Red Cross. Mom and Dad just started to volunteer with the Red Cross and this was actually their first time out...Camille and I have actually helped our sister in Austin a few times. We rolled out around 6:00 and had no idea what we would see once we entered this little city of about 1000 people. It looked almost like a battle field. There were little patches of fire everywhere it was dark but we could already see that this fire had devastated this little town...we went there thinking only 20 houses had caught fire, but left knowing 60 to 100 had burned to the ground. We got to set up the shelter at the first Baptist Church there and they were so great. Their facility was incredible a huge gym and then a side activity/kitchen area which was perfect to serve food in. We set up 30 or so cots not knowing how many people we would have that night...Most had been evacuated to Brownwood. The Methodist Church down the road set up a shelter as well but we heard later in the night it burned to the ground. I do not believe anyone was in it though.

We had one family come in the whole night. They lived down the road and they lost everything it was a grandfather, gradmother, two women and a little boy named Matthew. They came in and we fed them, they were in shock. Matthew and I played some basketball and I wanted to pass out. Later though the grandfather started to shake and apparantly had, had a stroke earlier that week...Camille was the only person in the building that had any type of medical training so she was trying to ask questions and see what was wrong...Suddenly though he stopped responding and we called 911 poor Camille lost it ...it was so scary though. They took him to the hospital and he came back later he just went into diabetic shock along with having a seizure.

All night firefighters came to eat and sleep and then go back out to fight. They were exhausted...they would almost have a fire out and would run out of water and by the time they got back with more the fire would be roaring again.

Through out the night tons of food came. Walmart and the Salvation Army brought tons and tons of food. It's incredible the response when tragic things like this happen. So many people and organizations called to see if they could help. It's a horrible thing that has happened to this town so many people have lost their homes and what they know of life. Matthew the little boy told us when he woke up this morning that he dreamed his house was back. How does a little boy like this ever understand or comprehend what just happened to him. Throughout the night I just kept reading ...To God be the Glory...and I remembered God will bring good from this. God is faithful and that was already evident through the responses we saw from the people there.

Pray for this town and all the other towns around Texas that have been affected by all these fires.

Chrismukkah and Kylie Webb...Two of my favorite things

Yes this is Seth Coen and Yes I am in love with him...and Yes tonight is Christmukkah on the OC and I am going to pee in my pants...Brent, Linds, and Ashley H this is for you.........."California here we come right back were w started from California...Califonia...here we come.........!" (pretend like I am singing that really loud)

This blog is dedicated to Kylie Webb Lyons:

A. Because she is just as obseesed with Seth Coen as I am and she too has a deep appreciation for the OC!

AND

B. Because she is getting married on SATURDAY!!

I'm so excited about this Wedding Weekend...I get to be with some of my bestfriends for four days in a row and we get to celebrate Kylie and Eric!! I love Chrismukkah and Weddings and how they bring people together.

(sorry i couldn't get this pic bigger)

Top Ten Memories of College and then some....

So on Tuesday night Kat and I watched the Siggie video that Jen made. It wasn't the first or the second or even the third time I had watched it but what did I do???? I cried...I totally lost it...and have done that almost everytime I watch it. I love Siggies....I do not love the name...I do not love the shirts....the sweatshirts.....the grubs and socials...but I love my friends! I love that for no rhyme or reason hundreds of girls were put together to make a group and life long friends came from it. I love that even at the beginning when we got our bids...tons of us were destroyed when our bestfriends didn't get in and we questioned whether we would want to be apart of something that didn't accept everyone. We all stayed in and saw God work through that...whether our friends took other bids...or tried again next year. Those of us who stayed in made more friends and were blessed by that experience. I know tons of people do not understand club and actually hate it but that's fine. Those of us who have experienced it and have been apart of one know and could not imagine our lives with out the experience and friendships that came from it. Being apart of Siggies was a very unique experience and being able to be in a Leadership position stretched, challenge and molded me into who I am becoming and for that I'm thankful!

Ok sorry I got off on club but here are my top 10 favorite memories of college...

* Going Dancing at Oplin or dancing in my house infront of our mirror with my roomies
*Eating BTS Popcorn and hanging out in Gardner Freshman year and creating friendships with some of my very bestfriends!

* Living on Campus Ct. with Linds K, Linds B, Mare, Cam, and Becca
* Kylie's Lake House Freshman Year and getting lost trying to follow Matt

*Going to Tishomingo
*Sing Song/making props..I love that!
*Cassie and Austin's Wedding
*Emily's Wedding
*SBC to San Fran with the Calli Girls
*Singing Opra to Ashley H. at night!!!
* Going to Crimea
*hanging out at the White house
* Studying abroad in Oxford
* Sharing and Caring/PHI MIZE's (I never knew how to spell it) and EOX and everything that goes with those two!

I loved college. The past four and half years have been incredible. I learned how to live away from my parents...(atleast not in the same house) I searched for a faith of my own...I learned how to make and nurture relationships with friends. I figured out what some of my passions and gifts are and what I may want to do with my future. I learned how to serve and how it can not be selfish. I learned life isn't easy and not always what you plan it to be and when you are broken the Lord will bless you with Friends and peace to get through it. I would take up way to much space if I continued to write all I learned during College...we all would if we tried. Anyway...I love ACU I love my experience and love my friends and I'm ready to graduate tomorrow!

If You Give a Pig a Party!

Well my new favorite book is, If You Give a Pig a Party! This week is the book fair at our school and I fell in love with this book. It's just a play off of one of those books like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or If You Give a Moose a Muffin, they are so fun. This not only includes decorating a party but a jammy jam with all her friends (a jammy jam is a dance party/ slumber party in your pjs, for those of you not into the teeny-bop lingo), too! This book was MADE for ME! Anyway I loved finding that today and thought I should share.

Oh my gosh I've been inspired.....Here I go.....

If You Give Rosalyn a Party!

If you give Rosalyn a party she is going to want to decorate it herself so she will ask you for a Martha Stewart magazine. If you give her the magazine she will not be satisfied with just that one she will actually need a dozen. If you give her a dozen magazines it will make her think of a dozen cookies and she will want you to take her immediately to the United. If you take her to the store she will not just want chocolate cookie dough she will actually want to make a dozen cookie monsters, soooo she will need Blue Bell vanilla bean ice cream to go with it. If you let Rosalyn makes a dozen cookie monsters then she will need 11 more friends to eat them so she will need to send out invitations. If you give her invitations that will remind her she was supposed to be throwing a party and she will need to make a list of more things for the party. If you help her make a list she will realize she hasn't' picked a theme or color scheme and she will want you to take her to Hobby Lobby. If you take her to Hobby Lobby she is going to want to use yellow and polka dots but will realize that Abilene doesn't have any cool crafts or party supplies so she will want you to take her to Austin. If you take her to Austin she will decide she actually wants to have help with the party and will want you to take her to a professional event planning company. If you take her into the event planning company she is actually going to ask for a job.When she asks for a job they are actually going to give her one. When they give her a job she is going to want to throw a party!

Ok I'm sorry that was out of control but actually fun to sit here and write. I think that is how my brain works right now or maybe all the time...I'm all over the place and have no clue what I'm going to do but it's fun I guess!

I heart...

The things I love... (not in any specific order)

• chocolat chip cookie dough
• sweet tea
• anything yellow
• hydrangea
• Martha Stewart crafts
• lanterns
• jeans
• pictures
• polka dots
• snow
• fall
• my sister rings
• lasagna
• basketball
• taking naps on cold days
• S&C
• watching movies on rainy days
• sweatshirts or long sleeve shirts with shorts
• layered clothes
• fun earrings
• Oxford
• cookie monsters
• Crimea/Kazakhstan
• Tishomingo
• Teeny Bop Shows (Too many to list)
• cool hair parts
• TRAVELING
• intramurals
• ACU
• EOX
• Austin, TX (going to be my new home...here I come HP, C&A, and J&H)
• sewing
• Throwing PARTIES!!!!
• FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!
• FAMILY!!!!!!
• JESUS!!!!!!!!

What a blessing life is, look at all the fun things we get to enjoy! So with all these things I probably should not ever really be sad or upset for too long b/c I have all these things to cheer me right back up!

Keep your cats in your house!

So this weekend we had a new little roommate (in our backyard). A little grey and white kitten showed up on our back porch out of no where. Linds, Brent and I were sitting in the kitchen and all of a sudden we start hearing a little pitiful meow. Then this little kitten head pokes up over our door window in the kitchen. First off we are shocked out of our mind that it can climb that high and then second none of us really care that it's a lost kitten. This cat stayed at our house all weekend just meowing and wanting to come in pretty much driving us crazy. Poor thing it was lost it had a little pink collar and little bell, but it should have stayed inside it's house then it wouldn't be lost. You would think with 6 girls living in a house that one of us would LOVE cats...no luck...we all HATE cats and really had no pitty on this little thing. Ashley and Macey tried throwing it over the neighbor's fence....we tried ignoring it ... we didn't' feed it or anything hoping it would just leave but without fail it still hung out in our backyard bugging us to death. I was working on a project where I had to spray paint tons of dots and it was getting all in my stuff.....ahhh! Anyways, I do not like cats. I'm sure you want to turn our house in for animal cruelty but we did give in and start feeding "Tootles" (Brent named her). I even made flyers which I drew a picture of our little feline friend and Linds B. and I put them all over the neighborhood. No response yet but thank goodness for Kristin she saved Tootles and took her home until we find it's owner. Now it will not be neglected any longer. All this to say....if you keep your cats inside then they will not get lost, they will not go in other people's yards, they won't eat my childhood rabbit named Jack, and they will not be a problem.

Weddings: Consider the Key Passed!!!!

IT'S CAMILLE!!!Well you maybe wondering why would I put a picture of Big Ben on this blog? Well it's only because that is where Camille got engaged this weekend!!!!!! I know it's out of control. On Friday Camille and I drove to Dallas because I was "supposedly" going to be speaking at a girl's retreat for Cody's youth group. Instead though, I dropped Camille off at DFW where Marcos meet us, he surprised Camille with a trip to London. Camille was shocked out of her mind! It was so fun!
They arrived Saturday morning around 7:00 and then around noon Marcos proposed to her under Big Ben looking at the Thames River at this special place they had found almost five years ago when we had been in London before. It was incredible! They spent the rest of the day walking and shopping around London. They of course ate fish and chips and then went to see The Lion King Musical. Saturday night at midnight they sat on "their bench" and listened to Big Ben chime 12 times before they headed home to rest up for their flight home! They then flew home Sunday morning and Lindsay, Cody, and I meet them at the airport!!! It was such a fabulous weekend! Camille will probably get married in May either the 20th or 27th we are not sure yet! Anyway I just wanted to share with everyone the exciting news about Camille. It's such a blessing that Camille and Marcos will get married. They are perfect for each other in everyway.

(I'm sorry I couldn't get this picture to flip
but I thought it was so cute of Camille)
















P.S. We won the Championship rec football game last night!!!!!!!!!! Go Blue!!!!!!!!

I caught the ball !!!!!!!!!

Tonight we had an intramural football game and it was a close game of 3 touch downs to 0 (I'm not sure what that score would be) but it was so fun. This season I play safety and love it. Some games I get action and others not so much. I'm not going to lie I usually have a hard time catching the ball...I think that's why they put me at safety b/c usually girls don't have too good of passing games. So most of my time is spent cheering on the rest of the defense and trying to stay warm by spinning around or doing silly cheers to myself. Anyways to get to the point tonight the ball was thrown in my direction and I got so nervous but relieved when one of my other teammates was going to intercept the ball and I wouldn't have too. (but wait she missed it and it fumbles out of her hands right into mine) hooray I caught the ball and for a moment was unsure of what I was supposed to do next. I quickly realized I was supposed to run and managed a few yards!! I was so excited! I'm not meaning to brag but I haven't' really caught a ball all season and just needed to share my excitement and joy with everyone else! Our team is still undefeated and are trekking along! Dave thanks for being such a great defense coach and cheering me on tonight! For those of you who didn't recognize me that is me in the picture up there pretty cool catch huh?

Blogs

I always forget people's blog names and I can not figure out how to add their names to my links so I'm just going to put it as one of my blogs so I can come back to it. Sorry I'm not computer smart.
http://codyblair.blogspot.com/ Cody Blair
http://chenley.blogspot.com/ Cassie Henely
http://www.andallthatimplies.blogspot.com/ Austin Henley
http://www.erikawatts.blogspot.com/ Erika Watts
http://www.davidsessions.blogspot.com/ Dave Sessions
http://www.kristinsessions.blogspot.com/ Kristin Sessions
http://mrsburns.blogspot.com/ Kat Burns
http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=kah02a Katie Hooper
http://emilywallace.blogspot.com/ Emily Wallace
http://blakeandmo.blogspot.com/ Blake and Moriah
http://www.butididntcare.blogspot.com Mary Beth Timmerman
http://www.ashleymize.blogspot.com/ Ashley Mize
http://kenlishea.blogspot.com/ Kenli Edwards
http://emilywallace.blogspot.com/ Emily Wallace
http://jenperkins.blogspot.com/ Jen Perkins
http://lindsaybarker.blogspot.com/ Linds Barker
http://beccalt.blogspot.com/ Becca Templeton
http://andyzimmerman.blogspot.com/ Andy Z
http://austinpaulaustin.blogspot.com/ Austin L

One Friend, Two Friend, Old Friend, New Friend

Well I have a ton of things flowing through my head right now. I just read Erika's blog where she talks about how crazy it is to be so far away from the people she loves the most but knows it's ok and is being blessed by her experience. Then I read Cody's blog where he challenges us to think and make a list of why we love Jesus. Well I haven't come up with my list completely but of course one of the things at the top of my list is friends. I think why on earth do I deserve friends and not just any old friends but the most extraordinary friends. I'm sitting here going through names in my head of different people who are apart of my life and not one name comes to mind that I could imagine my life without or could imagine who I would have been without their influence. I do not deserve them and that's one reason I'm thankful for Jesus. He has blessed me with so many, some have just meet in the last few years through club or ones I meet my freshman year to ones that came along in High School and then some that go back farther. As long as I can remember I have been surrounded by incredible people and that I am thankful for.

I think the hardest thing about leaving college is not trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my life (party planner/teacher) but how on earth can I get all my friends to live in the same city with me. Yes, I do realize that is unrealistic but wouldn't that really be sooooo GREAT! Why doesn't life just work like that?

I know change is ok but it is so hard and sad sometimes. TodayI am going to help one of my closest friends move to Alabama. For the last seven years she has been a constant in my life. She moved here our Sophomore year in High School, I can not imagine how Camille and I would have survived with out her during those years. We all got to go to ACU together, be apart of Siggies and travel the world while we studied abroad, along with being roommates. We have experienced so much and have been so consistent in each others lives and it will be so weird to only see each other a couple times a year.

I do know this is not the end of the world. I know that I am still surrounded by a ton of people I love and I always will be. This isn't the first friend to move and will not be the last. Change is hard for me but God is good and will continue to bless my relationships with my friends whether we are in the same city, state, or country!

So one reason I am thankful for Jesus is because he blesses us with friends, even though he might send them to other states for awhile or even other countries.!

Pink, Brown, & White Polka Dots ....yes please!

Event Planning here I come.................!!!!!!!! Today I found out that I get to help decorate this huge place for a girl's convention that is coming up in a few weeks! I am sooo excited and guess what colors they are using, that's right pink, brown, white and they are using polka-dots!!!! AHHH my favorite! The person I am working with wants to some how hang hula hoops and balloons from the top of the Teague Event Center ceiling. Can you just imagine walking in and looking up and seeing a ton of hula hoops and balloons hanging from the ceiling in there! How much fun! We are also going to try to find a bubble machine!! What? OH my goodness I can not handle it! I love this stuff and think it would be sooooo great to do this profession for forever! One thing that drives me and makes me so passionate about event planning and decorating is the atmosphere that can be created and the way it can make people feel. Can you imagine being a little girl elementary/middle school age and walking into this almost fantasy like place and it's just for you! To me that is so exciting and special!

Anyways, I'm probably making a bigger deal of this than it really is. I'm sure the woman I am helping is going to be like...woa...I just wanted a few decorations....calm down. Hopefully I am imagining what she was talking about! If not I can down size! I just think this will be so fun!

Side Note: This whole week I have devoted a few hours a night to finding myself a job. So far no good! I am just trying to weigh my options and see what I think is best for me and my future of course. Obviously I really want to be an Event Planner or in some way use my creativity. I'm finding though that to do that of course I am needing experience which I'm not sure if all these showers, Birthday parties and black and white parties really count. So I'm just trying to see if I really do need to teach for a few years and get my event experience in the summers and weekends. Maybe I can find a job low on the totem pole in events and be able to survive, that is just what I'm trying to research now. The exciting thing about all this is that I really can do whatever I want. I'm not worried about making the wrong decision or worrying about which one is what the Lord wants. I know which ever direction I choose to go the Lord will open doors for me and will use and bless me along the way! What an incredible God we serve!

Kids-"Ms. she said the "H" word!"

Today they needed me to sub for one of the 1st grade classes for about two hours and it was so funny. 1st graders are so funny and soooooooo different than my 4th graders. They are so needy and so touchy. The whole time they kept calling me Ms. Ms. and poking me to get my attention. I wanted to scream "My name is Ms. Perry and get your fingers off me!" Of course I didn't I let them continue to poke and call me Ms.

It was so funny b/c there was this one little group of girls who were so chatty. I kept having to get on to them for talking. At one point one of the little girls goes, "Ms. she said the "H" word and pointed at the little girl across from her. Without thinking I said, "What's the "H" word?" She continues to say, "who cares." What! (obviously they do not have their alphabet conquered yet) Apparently the little girl told the other one she didn't care about her paper or something. I was trying so hard to not laugh out loud.

Wouldn't it be great if that was the worst thing these kids heard. In reality though we know it isn't. There are so many kids who hear so much worse and have just awful home lives. I have one little girl in my class who actually lives with her 15yr old sister and her boyfriend, b/c her mom is in jail and who knows where her dad is. There is just something not right about that. I just pray daily for these kids and that my teacher and I can be some type of light for these children. I pray that we can love on them no matter who they are or what their lives are like. At least if they are not getting love from home they can hopefully find it in Cristi and I.