snapshots of my life: over-load october

I think the camera phone was one of the greatest things ever invented. EVER! Yes, yes there are a few other things that I am thankful for as well: flushing toilets, fashionable lunchboxes, DVR for fast-forwarding through commercials to name a few. But, if your brain functions as mine does, having a camera on your phone has to be one of the handiest outfits. I tend to forget what I ate the day before (most people who use this analogy insert ‘what I wore yesterday’ right here; this usually isn’t a problem for me as my outfits from the past 5 days tend to be strewn about my living quarters of the house. Ha!) let alone remember what all I’ve done in the past 2 weeks. This isn’t to say that I don’t value my time with friends and at events; it’s simply that there is always so much going on in my life and the information gets scrambled from time to time. This is why it always amazes me when I go back through pictures (taken on my phone or real camera) and see everything that I have done and people I have come in contact with.

What’s in your photo log? Mine is a hodge-podge of events, places I have been, covers of books I want to read, design ideas that I think I might like to reference later, bar codes for items I would like to bargain shop for at a later date...You get the idea; it’s all there! So, here are some snapshots of the past 3 weeks of my life:


Starbucks. Yummy, right?! And who is excited that their famous Pumpkin Spice Latte is back for the season?!?! You will notice, though, that I am holding an iced beverage in this picture. It’s still very warm here. I think I have worn socks 3 times this season?! (This is excluding the days that I have to wear socks in my office if I don’t want to freeze to death!)

I have been spending a lot of time at Starbucks lately. I live a good distance from where I work and play and often end up with lulls of time in which I don’t have any scheduled events or available friends. So, I take my handy dandy Bible in 90 Days, grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte (hot or iced) and a seat with an electrical outlet nearby (for plugging in my phone and listening to Pandora) for an hour or more of Bible action. I realized the other day that it’s probably a good thing that I will finish the B90X around Christmas time, right when the Pumpkin Spice Latte leaves the stores!

Shane and Shane led our worship service one Sunday night; how cool is that?! They were amazing, of course, and really funny. After the worship service they gave a free mini-concert. Sorry the picture is blurry....the lighting was terrible for photo opps!


This cracks me up. It scares me a lot, too. These men are doing exactly as it appears: riding down the highway, legs swung over the tailgate riding happily (for now at least) down the road. I passed them as quickly as I could.


Next on the agenda: Halloween. Enter Bon Qui Qui. My talented friend, Heather, captured the entire essence of Bon Qui Qui. From the ‘King Burger’ logo-ed polo and 4 inch nails to her lip liner and attitude she had it down! Have you ever watched someone with 4 inch fake nails put on their tennis shoes??? If not you definitely should. If you can’t find a video, let me know :)


Several of the Sunday School classes joined forces to host a Mystery Dinner Party. It was fun! The whole night I had to walk around in character (a Perfectionist, High School Band Director) telling people they weren’t good enough and trying to figure out who murdered the victim.


Head down to Aggieland and that’s where you will find me next! My parents graciously donated to the Ellen-Has-NO-Pass-To-The-Game Program and gave me their tickets for the Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech game. (They went to Wyoming to see geysers and snow; they were not missing out!)


It was a perfect day for football; the weather was absolutely gorgeous for tailgating and spectating. It was one of those days that I was thankful I had reason to be outside and enjoy the weather.

Flyover: F-16s



Daniel and I had my parents’ seats. To the outsider this may not seem like a big deal but ask any TAMU student or alumni and they know exactly what this means: we got to SIT DOWN!!! Let me tell you this makes any game so much more enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is awesome that the 12th Man stands with the team during the 5 hours of play but there comes a time in a person’s life when balancing on metal bleachers and staring into the sun becomes too much and 8 Advil’s are not cutting it anymore! There were several times during the game, however, where I found myself standing alone while watching the game. What if they need to put me in the game?!


Enjoying the game! Judging by our expressions this picture was obviously taken later in the game when the Aggies started bringing it. The first few possesions were downright ugly; it was pretty tense in the stadium. I’m not sure why or how I got this picture turned backwards nor do I know how to flip it around. Ha!


We got the W!!! This was not the final score (my phone died before the end of the game) but it shows the Aggies stomping on some Raiders. The final score was 45-27. BTHO Texas Tech!


I have been spending a lot of time job searching, researching and networking. I read everything I can get my hands on, talk to anyone who will listen and pray constantly! God is good and He will provide. My verses of the year are found in James and Romans:

‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’--James 1:2-4

‘Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.’--Romans 5:3&4

‘As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.’--James 5:11


My best friend from grad school, Abby, was given some tickets for the Texas A&M vs. OU game! While in school Abby and I went to every game together; she wasn’t always happy about it and we NEVER had time but come every game day I would drug her up with Advil, hand her a frozen water bottle and a clean towel and drag her to the game.


Ok, actually, Abby is the responsible one of our duo so she took her own drugs, froze her own water and washed her own towel; I would usually show up late to our seats and meet her at the game BUT she would not have been there if she didn’t KNOW without a doubt in her mind that I was going to be there soon and talk football with her :) Talking football with Abby is fun and easy: count the number of loose helmets and shoes, count the pieces of trash that land on the field, discuss the flyover and sing ‘Texas, Our Texas’ (She knows all the words!)

It was so good to see Abby and catch up. We have the kind of friendship where we rarely talk to each other but know of each others’ comings and goings through our mutual friends that we talk to almost daily. And we’re okay with this arrangement; we just pick up and talk like we didn’t miss a beat. I am thankful for my sweet friends!

Flyover: helicopters


‘Now forming at the North end of Kyle Field, the nationally famous Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band’


And we have another W, folks! 33-19. BTHO OU!



Driving down my street the other day I noticed this sign attached to a neighbor's mailbox:

Of course I deemed it photo worthy and am happy to inform you that the stands were returned promptly a few days later.



And that, my friends, is why I love my camera phone :)