It's almost here!

So, today is Friday, May 29, 2009... Not only is this my dad's 66th birthday, but it also is the day before I will get to move into my house!!! This has been a journey that has taken almost a year to complete. Let me start you back at square one. In August of last year I was in search of a place to call my own, I looked high and low, on the internet in the news paper, everywhere! I finally came across a house that I felt was PERFECT for me!!! It was newly re-done, two-bedroom, two-bath, great kitchen, back porch, a yard, and a laundry room! It was everything that I wanted and I put a bid on the house. The day I found this house I also ran into Don Bunker, across the street as he was finishing up on his daughter's newly built house. He told me about another little house that I was not interested in and wanted nothing to do with it because I had found MY house... Two days later after my offer had been refused with no counter-offer, I called Don in defeat to go and look at the house. Well, I walked in the front door and it was over. I had found THE house! It was three-bedroom, 1.5 bath, dining room, large living room, storage, huge laundry room, big back yard, front porch and back patio, garage, and located in one of the greatest neighborhood's in Siloam Springs, AR! We worked out an agreement and a price was set. The down-side was that there was a renter in the house for another 10 months... 10 MONTHS!!! I could not wait that long, but I had to, since this was THE HOUSE! Well, it is now 10 months later and God has blessed me SO much with waiting to purchase the house. I have gotten huge tax credits that I would have had to pay back last year, it has given me a lot of time to get everything I need little-by-little, and it has made me fall in love with the house even that much more! I cannot wait to step foot in the house and it be all mine! I have been dreaming about how I will decorate, where I will put this rug and that table. It is all set in my mind and the move-in is less than 36 hours away!

I just cannot explain how much God has blessed me in the past year... One year ago this month, I graduated from University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, AR with a degree in Strategic Communication. I had been searching for a job since the previous year in October and had nothing. I had sent my application to around 50 places and had no idea what I was going to do, so I moved home to live with mom and dad. In June of 2008, I submitted an application to John Brown University to be an Admissions Counselor because my friend Chad had mentioned that would be a great job for me. I received a phone call the next day and I was hired after two very long weeks! I have now been working at JBU for almost a year and love what I do. Right now is our slow season and I am going a bit crazy, but it's ok because it is made up for in other parts of the year. I now sit at my desk, praying for an e-mail and thinking of what I can do differently in the coming year to bring students to JBU from the great state of Texas. This is my day... I was dating a great guy last year, but the Lord showed us both that we were not ready for each other now, if ever. We are at two completely different points in our lives and it would have been the hardest year to maintain a relationship and work (especially when your job requires a great deal of travel). He and I are now friends and both feel that if God has us together, it will happen when it is the right time. But, I'm not looking for anything I have too much to juggle, as it is!:)

God has given me an amazing black lab named Maddy who daily makes me laugh and daily makes me scream:). Yesterday, I took her to my cousin's t-ball game and for a walk around the baseball fields. As we were getting ready to go, she was crazy with anticipation. Everytime I would say "Maddy, do you wanna go for a walk?", she would jump up in the air and land on her two front feet as though she were going to pounce with her rear high in the air waving like a flag. As I grabbed up her toys, leash, and tennis ball, she waited at the door jumping in circles and waiting for me to open the front door to let her lose on the world. My dog resembles a gazel when she is excited, she takes a running start then flings her self through the air as though she is bounding through tall grass. There are few things in this world that I find more adorable than her "gazel" jump. As we drove to the baseball fields, she got so frustrated with hoolding herself up, she flung herself down on the seat with a big sigh and it was then, that I realized how big she has gotten! She use to curl up next to my leg, in the front seat of the truck and be able to put her rear against the back of the seat and lay her head on my lap. Now, she takes up most of the front seat when she lays down and she is only about 2/3rds as large as she will get. Oh I love that dog with most of who I am. I use to find it funny that people would act like their dog was a person, but now I understan 100%! If something were to happen to Maddy, it would no doubt be like losing one of my best friends. She has brought such joy into my life that I cannot explain to those who do not have animals. God is blessing us in every aspect of our lives!!! I will post pictures when I get moved in and have a chance to breath! Check out this crazy schedule I have in the coming weeks...

May 30-31st - Move-In
June 2-5th - Ohio for NACCAP Conference
June 6th - Ramsey and Aubrey's Wedding
June 12-13th - ERP at work
June 13th - Baby shower
June 18th - Housewarming Party
June 20th - Garage Sale & Bridal Shower
.... and the list goes on!:)