THE CLIMB

I can almost see it

That dream I'm dreaming but

There's a voice inside my head saying, 

You'll never reach it, 

Every step I'm taking, 

Every move I make feels

Lost with no direction

My faith is shaking but I

Got to keep trying

Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain

I'm always going to want to make it move

Always going to be an uphill battle, 

Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose, 

Ain't about how fast I get there, 

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing, 

The chances I'm taking

Sometimes might knock me down but

No I'm not breaking

I may not know it

But these are the moments that

I'm going to remember most yeah

Just got to keep going

And I, 

I got to be strong

Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always going to be another mountain

I'm always going to want to make it move

Always going to be an uphill battle, 

Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose, 

Ain't about how fast I get there, 

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb

Keep on moving

Keep climbing

Keep the faith 

It's all about

The climb

Keep the faith

Keep your faith

"He who began a good work in you - will be faithful to complete it" (Phil 1:6)

GOD hears our prayers!

I copied this post from MckMama.  I could not have said this any better!  Please read this entry-it is worth every second.

God answers prayers. Just not always in the way or in the time frame we want. God answers prayers, but the outcome we hope for, and beseech God for, is not always the outcome God has in mind.

God hears our prayers. But God still does what He, in His sovereignty, is going to do. He listens to our prayers, hears us each and every time we speak to Him, think to Him, or even groan to Him. God is affected by our prayers and He wants us to pray. 

But God is still God and our prayers do not change God or His mind, at least not in the way we sometimes think. He knew we were going to pray before we ever prayed. He knows the past, present and future all at once. He listens to our prayers, but our prayers don't change things. God changes things. 

Yet nothing changes for God, per se. If God changes His mind, because of our fervent prayers (Which He very well, might, so please keep praying!!), it will be something that God already knew would happen. He knew we'd pray. We still should pray, still need to pray, but God knows what He is going to do already.  It is our job to communicate with God, to love Him, and, ultimately, to trust that whatever He decides is best. 

Did you know that prayer can sometimes do amazing things for the one who is praying, too?! Prayer is talking with God. We are to talk to God. If we love Him, and have a relationship with God, we will want to chat with Him, and tell Him how wonderful He is, and beseech Him with our requests.

And, in the end, God will do what God alone wants to do. 

These can be hard thoughts to swallow, and even more difficult concepts to understand fully. And it gives me peace that I cannot fully understand God, or how prayer actually works, or what His will really is.

All I need to do is to know God. That is enough for me.

See, God is GOD. His ways are higher than mine. I am human, mortal, made of mere flesh and blood. Sure, I have the Holy Spirit living inside of me, and a very capable brain, but I am still made right now for this earth. It is impossible, literally actually honestly impossible, for me to ever (while still treading this earth that is not my ultimate home), understand God in the same way that I can understand a mathematical equation.  

RYLAN and DYLAN

Not Me! MONDAY

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I DID NOT have a great day today.

I DID NOT workout hard with Hannah today.  

I DID NOT eat lunch at Moe's yesterday.  (Janice I saved my lunch for tomorrow)

I DID NOT start cramping the minute I got home.

I DID NOT come home to a CLEAN house.

I DID NOT study all night while the husband cooked supper.

I DID NOT enjoy what he cooked.

I DO NOT want to start back exercising every single day.

I DO NOT like running and I DO NOT miss it.

I AM NOT excited about applying for Nursing school.

I DO NOT miss my Mom and Dad.   It has not been forever since I actually got to spend some time with the both of them.  Friday night wasn't enough.

I DO NOT miss sleeping in my bed at their house.

I DO NOT miss my Maw-Maw.

I DO NOT have a pile of clothes for her to iron when she does visit.

I DID NOT find the cutest pants at Old Navy Sunday.

I DID NOT remember I have a test tomorrow and I have NOT been studying.  I should not be doing that right now instead of typing on this blog.

I DO NOT love this blogging stuff.

I AM NOT fat!!!!  I do not feel fat anyways!!!

HOME TOUR PART TWO

Here is part two of the Home Tour. This next room is our Movie Room. This was Brad's Christmas this past year. He deserves so much more. I love you Brad!!!

MOVIE ROOM

PROJECTOR SCREEN

STADIUM SEATS

Other things we do in the movie room:

Play games

Playstation 3

TAKE NAPS

WATCH UFC

Looking forward to our next visit from YOU!!!

HOME TOUR

Over the next few weeks I will post some pictures of our house. This will at least give me something to blog about if I don't have anything else.

Brad and Mandy's

Home Sweet Home

Master Bathroom

Shower

(For future references-DO NOT get a GLASS SHOWER- it is so hard to keep clean)
Tub

(that I NEVER use)

I hope you enjoyed your visit!

More to come!

SATURDAY SIGHTS

Saturday was a very rainy day-but Brad and I managed to do a few things.  Including our usual lunch at CFA and we even snuck in a nap. 

CFA in Gardendale

Jayce's Birthday Party

Luke and Cindy's Baby Boy Turned ONE and they are expecting another one in August or September.  Isn't he a handsome little boy-looks nothing like his Daddy.  JK!!

GAME NIGHT FEATURING:

Janice and Sam

Laura Lee and Josh

Me (not pictured) and Brad 

And last but not least LANE

In the middle of the game I looked down at Lane and he had his arms raised-

like he was praising God.

Have a WONDERFUL SUNDAY!!!

Weekly Update

It has been a long week.  Here are my updates for this week.  I hope to get better at this blogging stuff sooner than later.  I have been on Spring Break 2009-not that means anything tome.  Although I don't have any classes-I still have to go to work.  So here is my week:

Sunday

Brad and I wanted to sleep in a little later than usual-so we decided to go to 11:00am church instead of 9:30am.  I am so glad that we went-not that we wouldn't.  But it was the BEST service.  I might have said that last week:)  I know most of you have heard about the Cardboard Testimonies.  Go here to see an example of what took place.  AMAZING!!!  Then we headed to Sam and Janice's for lunch.  We also celebrated LauraLee's birthday.  Yep-you guessed it-I got to see Baby Lane-I haven't downloaded the pics but they are coming soon.  We left around 3pm -to go to 119-I am helping two girls from Briarwood during cheerleading tryouts.  

Monday

I had to get up at 4:15am to go help the cheerleaders.  They did really well.  I ran a little over 3 miles with Hannah and it was so HARD!!!  I am not sure about this race in April-I am so out of shape.  Today was Day 21 so i had to get my blood work done-results come later.  I got to Sam and Janice's around 6pm.  I had a bad headache.  We ended up watching Dancing with the Stars.  Want to know who my favorite couples are?

Tuesday

NO SCHOOL TODAY!!!  I slept until around 7am and loved it.  I didn't get to work until around 8am this morning.  I stopped by and saw my mom at her office.  I still had my dad's birthday present and my nephews that I hadn't given them yet!  I know I am a bad daughter. So I had a meeting that lasted a good two hours and then just worked on things in my office.  I ran with Hannah again today and it was still HARD.  We ran another 3 miles  Will it get any easier?  It was a pretty uneventful day.  I helped the girls again tonight-the get better and better every time I see them.  I left the gym at 8:15pm-Brad had to go to a meeting in Homewood so we got home at the same time.  I got in the bed fast because I had to get up EARLY again Wednesday.

Wednesday

EARLY DAY AND TIRED!!  I could not stay awake today.  I ended up leaving work at 3:15pm-I had one missed call-THE DOCTOR!!!  She had left a message and said my levels were GREAT-and that I should make sure I took a PT because I DID ovulate.  OMG!!  When I got home I was so sleepy but I couldn't fall asleep-maybe nervous about the news I had just heard.  Brad and I left and went to our FAVORITE place to eat ever!!!  

YOU GUESSED IT CHICK FIL A!!!

Then we left and went to our next favorite place-CHURCH.  Look what I saw -ok so it was missing the "t".  Church of the week!!!  YEAH!!!

We had to hurry and get home tomorrow is another EARLY morning.

Thursday

Up and at 'em again this morning at 4:15am.  Many of you are just rolling over in bed at this time I know but today is the last day.  They try-out today after school.  And then they find out Friday at 6pm.  WHO DOES THAT???  

I was able to pick up my glasses today.  I love them-they are so cute.  They make me look smart--ER!!  haha No really they are super cute.  I did Hannah's QuickFit class and now I can't even walk.  WOW it was hard.  Here is what we did:

5 ROUNDS FOR TIME

10 Push-ups

20 Step ups

30 Sit ups

40 Thrusters

50 Jumping Jacks

Time 21:30

Then I went to Janice and Sam's-we ate Mexican!!!  Yummy -all that hard work was just cancelled out plus some calories added.  Oh well-I was hungry.  Now I am really SLEEPY.  What is new?  Is that a sign?  We will see next week!!!

I will end with one the cutest pictures of my other nephew Rylan-isn't he just adorable.  This picture makes me smile.  I just want to pinch his fat cheeks!!!!

I LOVE YOU RYLAN and DYLAN!!!

TGIF

MAGIC CITY HARVEST

Friday we painted bowls at work.  I had such a great time painting.  I am no artist but I love the bowls that I painted. Go here to see what the Magic City Harvest is all about.

Check out my bowls.

You know i have to represent Chick-Fil-A

This next one is not finished-I ran out of time.

I was writing love is patient on it.

THURSDAY

I haven't updated my blog in a while because I wanted to make sure that everyone had the opportunity to see the Splat Experience. If not go here right now.

So what has been going on in my life-here you go

Monday- Not much happened on Monday. I was able to get home early from work and get dinner in the oven. Brad loves eating before 6:30pm and we were able to eat and relax. Brad watched some fights that he had recorded the night before. I slipped off to the bedroom to watch The Bachelor-and that is a story in itself. I can't believe he chose Melissa and then after 6 weeks decided that he loved Mollie. WHAT!! Who does that? Especially on National TV!

Tuesday- I had to be at school early Tuesday morning-we had a Fitness Day to work. It went well. Not much happened throughout the day. Brad had to work so I stayed at Janice and Sam's house. I was extremely tired-ended up going to bed at like 9pm. We have a BIG day at work tomorrow.

Wednesday- Guess who came to visit us at One Nineteen? NICK SABAN! OH I was so excited-he was so serious. I love him!

Finally Thursday- Today has been BUSY BUSY BUSY!!! I had class from 8-12:15pm and then had to hurry to One Nineteen to get to my eye appointment. I am so super excited. I got some new contacts and a new pair of glasses. They are so cute-Kate Spade. I can't wait until I can get them. Brad may look at me and laugh but they are so cute. I will only wear them at home before bed time.
Janice had cataract surgery this morning-I got a message from Sam that she was doing well. Brad has a kelly day tomorrow--meaning he is off again!!! I really wish I had his job. Not really but those two days off sound so good. Our plans this weekend consist of the following:

Friday-hang out with Meredith and Lee at our house and play PARTINI
Saturday- I hope to run a 5k with my running buddies-BTW I miss them dearly. And then go see Lane, Josh, and LauraLee. I have not seen them since they left the hospital. No way Brad is getting out of that this weekend!

Enough rambling-More this weekend!

Josh this update was just for you! I got your message-I have been so busy as you can see.

THE JESUS PAINTING

You have got to check out this website.  Brad and I made it to church today.  Yes we drove in the snow!!!  It was not that bad out-I am so glad that we went.  Please watch this video.  This is not the one he painted during our service but it was the only one that I could find that was similar.  Here is the one that he painted today.  Oh how I wish I had the money to buy this painting.  Don't ask me where I would hang it-I would find a place.  It costs $500.00  YIKES! Anyways-stop reading and go check out the video above.