Anxious

Ok, you all remember me mentioning that my brother-in-law, Jon, got married in October. The wedding was great! Why am I bringing this up? Ryan has suggested that I make a little scrapbook of the pictures and memories. While I think it is a GREAT idea, I am quite anxious about it. I mean, this is someone else's wedding pictures. Sure, I work on Ryan's Navy pictures, but that is NOTHING compared to someone's wedding pictures! I just don't want it to look cheesy and them say, "Uh...thanks." I want it to be something that is meaningful to them. Anyway, I think I'm safe in posting this because I don't think they read it. If they do, well...Jon & Corena know that it is a gift of love. I hope it meets your expectations!

I print the pictures tonight & will get started this week. I have put it off too long, and need to get it started so they get it before their 1st anniversary! :) So, wish me luck!!

Still going!

Monday I got all of our laundry done. It was so nice to have it all clean and put away. Yesterday Ryan got to work on the computer room. I feel confident that it will be spotless by the weekend! Progress, progress! Since I have started in getting control of our apartment, it has been quite uplifting & is keeping me going. I'm not sure what caused me to get in such a place where I didn't care, but I really didn't. The only time I cared what our place looked like was when people were coming over. Then I would work myself to death getting it presentable. Now it is nice actually living in a clean apartment!

As far as not having a washer and dryer goes, I cannot wait until we are able to have an apartment with one again. We actually own a washer and dryer, but this apartment does not have a hook-up. So, it is stored in Paducah at Mom & Dad's. Laundry is actually one of the house chores that I enjoy doing. I guess it is because I can watch TV or a movie while I do it. I don't have to give 100% of my time to it. Anyway, I can't wait!

Monday afternoon I got to go to a couple of scrapbooking places. I've been wanting to go for a couple of weeks, but haven't really been able to. Over Christmas I got several stickers & papers from my mom & mother-in-law. It was so fun getting all of it! I can't wait to actually be able to start using some of it. BUT I haven't been able to yet. AND I am out of storage space. So I went Monday looking for something else to help me store the paper and stickers. I found a couple of things!! One, I got another expandable folder to keep my paper. I put my solid paper in one and the printed paper in another. Then I put all of my stickers labeled in a smaller one. The thing I am most excited about is a tote. It is large enough to keep all paper, stickers, pens, scissors, etc of the current project that I am working on. Of course, I'm sure I'll have to go back to the others from time to time, but this will keep me from having to drag everything out when I want to work on it for just a little bit. Yay! Now that department is more organized, too. Man...I'm on a roll!!

I am determined for this year to be a better year. Usually I just say it, but this year I am determined! I want our home to be organized and nice...something I can be proud of. I want my weight & body to be something I am comfortable with & healthy. So, although at times I REALLY don't like working to get me to these places, I can't wait until December 2006 to be able to say that I did it! I have turned a corner & I am happy about my goals!

It seems like all of my friends are keeping their goals & are excited about 2006. I am so thankful for that. I really believe it is because of each other that we are able to do so well! I see Summer and her organized house and it inspires me. I see Crysty & how amazing she's looking on Weight Watchers & I am inspired to keep up my diet and exercise. I see Tricia and the amazing wife she is to be cooking & cleaning after a hard day at work and I am inspired to do the same. I see Maria and the thousands of things she accomplishes in a day & am inspired to do more with my down time. There are many others, but I have to be back at work in 2 mins. so I better quit. Thanks to each of you for keeping me inspired to keep my goals & go beyond them. I love each of you & am so thankful you are in my life.

Love to you all,
Lesli

Refreshed

This weekend was a great weekend for housecleaning! Ryan was in Fort Worth with the Reserves, so I took the opportunity to clean. I use to do that each drill weekend. At least once a month our place got a deep cleaning. But, I have gotten out of the habit of cleaning during those weekends. The weekend was used for shopping, getting my hair done, or anything else but cleaning. So, this weekend I did it. I didn't get the whole place clean, but I got enough to give me that jump start to keep it that way. I redecorated and reorganized cabinets. By the end, it felt like one clean place to live in...well, all of it but the computer room. That's Ryan's department. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind cleaning it. Matter of fact, I enjoy organizing our files and getting it all like I like it. That is the problem. It ends up being like I like it, and not how Ryan wants it. I have to admit, I was quite annoyed when Ryan came home from Kuwait and told me that he didn't like how I had organized our files. I thought it was pretty clever, but he didn't agree. I could have choked him at the moment because it took me FOREVER to get it that way! Oh well. We all have our preferences. So, the computer room is just screaming for him to work in it and get it exactly how he wants it.

It feels so good to have the apartment clutter free!! I'm excited. Can you tell?! Hopefully this will be just what I need to keep it this way. Then I will at least be keeping that resolution.

As far as the rest of my resolutions go, I'm doing ok with them. I have been doing a little better with the fitness portion of my life. I can't say that I'm working out 5 days a week, but baby steps. I'm working out at least 2 days a week. I would LOVE to be working out more, but I keep letting my life get in the way. Although, I have to cut myself a little slack. I was sick last week. So, this week is a new week. I have the apartment clean and laundry is going now. So, I have no excuse for not working out tonight.

Thanks to all of you for the encouragement and advice. I can't wait to start using those recipes and visiting that website! Hope you all have a GREAT week!!

Confession...

I know I will take some heat for this blog (mostly from my brother), but I must confess...I watch Martha. I began watching her new show when it came out. Although I have a hard time believing all of these ideas are her originals, the ideas are still good ones. It is addicting. I don't tape her or anything...I'm not that much of a fan, but I do love to watch when I'm home. I guess some of the appeal is also that she has guests that I enjoy seeing as well. So, there it is.

It has taken me several years to want to become a...well, I can't find the right word. I want to be a wife that likes to cook, clean, and take care of the house. Now, I realize there are few people who like it (yes, Crysty, you are one of the few) ;). But I would like to take some pride in doing it. Before, I didn't really care who did it or how it got done as long as it was done well. That was ok to some degree because Ryan was always home hours before I was & had plenty of time to help. And, to give him credit he doesn't mind doing a lot of it. He's GREAT at helping around the house!! Now, he is taking classes that are consuming his time. So, I need to step it up. Truthfully, I want to step it up. My downfall is that I am tired when I get home from work & typically don't want to start in on house work. So, I don't. (Man, I am confessing quite a lot today! That's ok. It is all true and you are all friends.) If any of you have any ideas on how I can kickstart myself into getting things done, I would appreciate it. I know it will mostly have to start in on it before I sit down when I get home in the afternoons! I will. I will start that today!

So, bringing it back to Martha, you can see why I have been a little more interested in watching her shows. It is also that I am interested in what she is offering...easier ways, better ways, and nicer ways to do things. I never thought I would say this, but "Thanks Martha" or whoever gives her the ideas! ;)

Sickening

We're both on the mend. Ryan is feeling much better today. I ended up catching what he had...the stomach flu...yuck! Today is much better than yesterday. Although weak and still queasy, I am able to be go back to work. Thank goodness!!

I can't stand taking sick days! It doesn't matter if I spend my whole day in the bathroom, I still feel guilty for not being there. I know that makes no sense. You get sick days because they know sometime that year you are bound to get sick, but I still feel guilty. Oh well. I guess that's better than being the type that would take a sick day just to get a day off. Anyway, that has been our world the past few days, trying to get well!!

Hope this blog finds each of you well!

Trip to OK

Well, our weekend trip to OK was ok. Ha! It really was just ok. Ryan ended up getting sick Friday night. He was in bed by 7:30!! So, I watched "Dancing with the Stars" and whatever else I could find to watch. Saturday he put on his game face and we toured the Oklahoma City Memorial & went to Bricktown. By that night he was tuckered out & we ordered Olive Garden and watched "Oceans Twelve" on HBO. Sunday we checked out and headed home. By the time we got home he was sick as a dog & had 102 temp!! So, although it was great to see a new place, I wish he would have been feeling better.

I know he thinks I'm horrible because since we've been home I've been keeping my distance from him, but I'm trying my hardest not to get sick. My mother proved to me as we grew up that keeping distance from sick family members really does help! Although I didn't quarantine him as she did us, I have been keeping a "safe" distance.



On a better note, we picked up Sam from the vet today. He has a clean bill of health! His back has healed and he is back to his old self. Thank goodness!! He really is my baby! I don't know what he's going to do when a baby does come into the picture! He will definitely have his world rocked. Thank goodness for him it will still be a while. So, for now he's still my baby & a cute one at that!!

I hope your weekends & beginning of the week has gone better than ours!!

Lesli

P.S. Oh, my dad is also sick...sinus infection. He got meds today to take. Please pray that he is much better before getting on the plane on Wednesday!! Thanks!

Prayer request

I have a prayer request for all my blogger friends. My father and another gentleman, Dan Ford, are going to the U.A.E. for a few weeks for a revival/seminar type meeting. Dan and my father will be leading the sessions with a translator (He really is much more than just a translator. He has organized much of this time & gotten the word out.), Philip. They will be in Dubai and India during their trip. Please keep their safety in your prayers. It is so overwhelming to see hearts like theirs. I am proud of them and happy that God is using them in this way. My prayers are that God will keep them safe so that they can speak freely. Also, please keep my mother, brother, and myself in your prayers while he is gone. I'm sure to much extent our nerves will keep us constantly wondering of his wellbeing. Please pray that God will calm our spirits.

Dad, if you read this. I love you! Thank you for being the example to my brother and I that you are. We are truely blessed to have you as a father. There has never been a moment, although I'm sure during my teenage years I expressed otherwise, that I have thought differently. Each moment I have known your love for me and your love for God. Thank you for always showing me that & showing me what it means to be a Christian. Your Christian walk has not always been easy. I have seen people who have treated you harshly for your convictions. Thank you for always holding to what you believe to be true. You are an example for more than just me. People who see you every day who may or may not know God see you & in turn see Him. There is nothing more than I could ask in an earthly father. Thank you for always wanting to be everything He wants you to be. I love you.

And...you know I have to say it. My mother trained me well. "Be careful!!!"

Thank you all for your prayers & for loving my family. I love you all.

Lesli

Exciting weekend

I am very excited about this weekend. Ryan's company is sending him to Oklahoma City on Friday. So, I'm going with him. We're going to spend at least part of the weekend there. I've never been to Oklahoma City & am happy to have the getaway weekend with him. We are always recharged when we get a weekend away together. It doesn't make much sense logically why that is because it is just the two of us when we're home. But it is true, we are much more carefree and easy going when we are away. So, I'm looking forward to the trip.

Great weekend

For those of you who have not been reading my blog long, Ryan and I celebrated our 4th anniversary in September. We tried to decide what to do for our anniversary...purchase bedroom furniture or take a mini-vacation. We compromised and bought part of our furniture and took a mini, mini-vacation! We had a wonderful anniversary, but did have an unfinished bedroom. We bought the nightstands, & two dressers, but no bed. So...Friday night on the way home from Bret & Summer's (thanks again Summer for inviting us and all you girls for a WONDERFUL meal!!) we were talking about what we wanted to do on Saturday. Ryan suggested that we use our Christmas money to get our bed! (Ryan says that's what Christmas money is good for...buying us new furniture! He's SO right. Two years ago we used Christmas money to buy our mattresses.) So, we went to IKEA on Saturday evening to make sure they still had it & asked our good friend John to use him & his Suburban to get the bed home today. (Thanks John!) So, it is now sitting in my living room floor in boxes waiting to be put together. Ryan promised that after he finishes his paper we will put it together. I can't wait!!

I'm taking tomorrow off. Ryan hoped to be off too, but wasn't able to get the day. Although it would be nice to have him home, it will give me some time to really focus on the apartment (start in on that resolution I made 7 days ago! ;) Hopefully with a whole day at home uninterrupted I can get this place squeaky clean!

On a more serious note, tomorrow afternoon we are planning to meet a friend in Arlington for dinner. His name is Mark Cashion. He and Ryan were in Kuwait together. They got to be really good friends while there. Mark is leaving Tuesday to go back active duty. He has volunteered for a special mission in Afghanistan. While I completely admire his dedication to our country, I am saddened to hear that he will have to be away from his family for a year and a half. Please pray for him and his family. Pray that God will keep him strong & safe. Also pray that Maria, his wife, will stay strong while holding the family together and keeping them going for the year and a half while he's gone. I know you were faithful to pray for Ryan's safety while he was gone. Many, many thanks to you for your prayers. I ask the same of you for Mark.

Thanks for being friends and family who can hear our prayer requests and take them to heart!!

Love you all,
Lesli

Getting back in the swing of things

I have to admit, I was not looking forward to coming back to Texas. It was SO nice being with family that neither of us wanted to leave, but that's life. Just like when you dread coming home from a vacation, you still have to. So we tried to head back to our daily lives with optimism. However, it has taken us so much longer getting adjusted back into our daily routine. We have been CRASHING at night! I took the tree down a few nights ago, but that's as far as I've gotten on the house. So...one of my resolutions is obviously struggling. ;) We were so fortunate during our time in KY to be able to relax and not load our days with tons of things to do. Being back to lives that are packed each day, it takes more energy than I realized. So why am I writing all of this?! It dawned on me today that we are crashing at night exhausted & don't even have kids. I guess you can say my eyes were opened a little. I guess I'll find out one day, but I really don't know how people with kids just keep going without falling over with exhaustion. So...kudos to friends of mine who have kids!! You impress me each day.

We're back

We got back in Dallas a little after 6 last night. It turned out to be a long drive and we were happy to finally be home to rest a little before heading to bed & work today.

We had a WONDERFUL visit with all of our family while we were in Paducah. We really miss them all & it was much needed time together. Our Christmas and New Year were great. We couldn't have asked for better!

So, now the holidays are over and new year's resolutions begin. Our resolution together is to get into better shape. We've slacked over the last year & hope to make this resolution stick. I heard today someone say that they hope to make a new year's resolution a daily resolution. I think that's where I go wrong. I think of what I'm going to do this year, but forget it starts with today! Tomorrow turns into the next day which turns in the next day. Hopefully this year will be different. The weather here is crazy! It is supposed to get up to 76! We were planning on going to the gym tonight, but with weather like this we may just have to walk outside. I have to admit. My favorite temperature is somewhere around the upper 70s to mid 80s. BUT in January?! It has this Kentucky girl a little annoyed. To not let it get the best of me, I will make lemonade out of lemons and excercise outside.

It may sound silly to complain about it being so warm, but I LOVE the snow. Before we moved to Texas I told Ryan that we could move anywhere he wanted as long as I would get snow in the winter. And...he picked one of the places that rarely to never sees snow. : ( We get ice if we get anything. Oh well. I'll quit complaining now.

My other resolutions are:

1) Get home more (KY)
2) Be better about how the house is kept. (I'm not the greatest at keeping an ultra clean house!)
3) Shop less!! That is probably my hardest thing! I LOVE to shop!!
4) Be a better wife to my husband. He is more than I deserve & sometimes I forget that. Sorry baby! This one isn't just a new year's resolution, but a lifetime resolution!

Those are only 4 of a list that I could go on about. But those are probably the 4 I need to concentrate on the most.

I've learned that there are some new bloggers from my home congregation!! I'm excited to see that and to be able to keep up better with their lives. I miss you all & hope this will help us keep in contact.

Love to you all & good luck with those resolutions!
Lesli

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Since we are not with some of our family and friends tonight, we just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year! We will head back to Texas this week & will see some of you then. We love you all & hope each is blessed in many ways this coming year.

Love,
Ryan and Lesli