Happy Friday!

linking up with Ashley for Friday's letters

Dear Husband, I love how excited you are about our move to Oklahoma! Who would have ever thought that us, the born and raised Southern California Beach Bums, would move to Texas and then Oklahoma! I guess Texas was preparing us for OK. Life outside of California is really amazing. Dear my personal trainer, thank you for motivating me and always pushing me to be better. My new PR today hurt felt so good and I cannot believe how far I have come this past year. WOOHOO for turning me into a BEAST! Dear Mrs. DT, thank you for being stationed where we are moving! haha! God is so great and I knew there was a reason we have been staying in touch! God always has the perfect plans and I am so thankful for all of your help and so ready to hang out and do life together up there!! Dear Ziggy, thank you for still being a cuddle bug even when Valor tries to rip your leg off and play. I promise to take you on a nice long play date this weekend. We know how much you have missed them.  Dear Valor, this teething stage is really annoying. I would say I want you to grow out of it soon but your just so darn cute! Dear Readers, I hope you have a wonderful Friday. I hope you know that there is something about you that makes you stand out..something undefinable. Use it. Don't be afriad of it. God has made you unique because if we were all the same- life would be boring! Every time I read a blog I think- wow, there is justsomething about her that makes her different. makes her real. makes her who He created her to be. It is God's favor and it is His blessing to see you use the unique talents or characteristics that He blessed you with. Never be afraid to shine and never be afraid to stand out. March is almost over- lets finish it strong.

Have a blessed Friday!

{{Vet Emergency Clinic. Only to find out she was being a cry baby about "breaking her leg". Right when the vet walked in she got up and walked!"}}

{{Playful pup}}

{{From CA to TX to OK. Glad you are my adventure buddy!}}

Yesterday

Yesterday was one of the most exciting days. I submitted my thesis= graduate school is almost OVER. We found out where we will be living the next few years (separate post on that soon)

When you give it all to God's glory, He sure does return it back in even greater amounts. I do not believe in coincidence. I believe in God's plan. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I know that God has the perfect plan for me and every time I experience just one aspect to it I am in AWE. Everything fits perfectly together when you put Him in control. I've experienced both worlds, and His world, is perfect. His plans are unbeatable. His goals for you are unfathomable. Ask me 3-4 years ago where I would be today....I couldn't have even imagined this. :)

Something we do in this house is we make sure to celebrate big wins. Celebrate when a breakthrough happens. Celebrate when a hardship is over. Celebrate when a prayer was answered. CELEBRATE. Last night- we prayed, we laughed, we ate really good bad for you junk food, we stayed up later, we celebrated the good news we received.

Don't ever get too busy conquering your goals that you forget to celebrate realizing God's perfect plans for your life.

Well, I am off to training. I got my personal trainer and his family some ActiveFaith swag. ActiveFaith is a faith based workout gear company that was started by a SUPER talented guy in our LifeGroup and its getting HUGE. NBA players have his gear, stores nationwide are carrying it...its AWESOME. Do yourself a favor and check it out- you will love it!

{{A photo I took of the swag}}

{{Go to www.myactivefaith.com and check it out }}

Have an awesome Tuesday!!!!!!

Smile, it's Sunday :)

Happy Sunday everyone! This Sunday's post has lots of pics :) Our weekend was pretty relaxing. On Saturday, our life group brought home the championship at the Kickball Tournament. Woohoo!! Our team, X-Factor, rocks. I love these people. The moment my hubby moved here one month after we got married, we went to life group. We do life with these people. We love it. One of the most difficult things about leaving this wonderful city will most definitely be leaving these people. We have learned so much about us, about our God, about being married, about friendships, about family, about how we are not the only couple that eat way too much for our own good, about Wii Michael Jackson dance game (get it if you don't have it), about praying for each other, about feeling each others pain, about celebrating each others victories, about holding each others hands when all you can do is just be there for the person, and so much more I could go on and on and on! I strongly encourage you to get plugged in to a life group, wherever in the world you are, find people that have your same belief, that can encourage you, and that you can learn from and start doing life with them!

{{We make a great team ;) }}

{{ X-FACTOR 2012 KICKBALL CHAMPS }}
{{photo taken during Pumpkin Bowl 2011}}

{{us}}

Dinner on Saturday night was super awesome: Pancakes and Turkey Bacon. I LOVE having breakfast for dinner. My husband really dislikes anything 'meat-wise' that isnt straight beef. He knows when I sub ground turkey for ground beef in anything. So, the fact that he said OK with turkey bacon was a huge feat! Better yet...he ended up loving it! SCORE! 

{{Yum}}

Sunday morning started off like it always should...at church! I snapped a few photos during church this morning. It was AMAZING. Reason #ALot why I love this city: our Church. Its a big church that feels small. It is such a blessing to sit in church service every weekend. Every single time I am there I think "Wow God..You ARE Awesome" The feeling inside that building is incredible. I love the passion and energy that everyone has. Love love love love it! 

Lunch rocked. BALTS: Bacon, Avocado, Lettuce, Turkey Sandwiches. Enough said. Ziggy and Valor even got rawhide chews..mostly so they would leave us alone while we were enjoying lunch :) 

I couldn't pass up an afternoon run in the 90 degree sunshine. So I ran and it felt great! 

{{Where we spend our Sunday mornings}}

{{lunch}}

{{I run because I love it}}

The rest of this Sunday will be spent doing homework. Not exactly an exciting ending to a wonderful weekend but hey you gotta do what you gotta do..right?!  I have a feeling some cookies will be baked during this so called, "homework" time. 

Have a wonderful Sunday evening :)  Smile, you are here for a reason and you were blessed to be a blessing to others! 

Unstoppable Friday

Cuz I know my God saved the day

and I know His word never fails

and I know my God made a way for me

Salvation is here

God above put the world in motion

God above all my hopes and fears

I don't care what the world throws at me now

It's gonna be alright!

(via Hillsong United)

Wake up this Friday knowing that nothing can stand between you and the plans that God has for you. Start this day with strength, with passion and with an unstoppable attitude.

I walked into work today and it just has the atmosphere of "dragging"..you know..like people counting down the seconds until they can go home for the weekend or exhausted from a weeks of heard work..We have all been there.

I challenge you to change that exhaustion into positive energy. Sure, this week was exhausting but think about why it was exhausting. For me, I had people depending on me to hit timely deadlines at work. They trusted me that I could get everything done, amidst the pressure. God placed me here because He equipped me for it. Exhaustion?! No- more like using my talent to its potential.

Wake up with a feeling of purpose, because you are here for a purpose. Walk into work with confidence, because you are equipped for greatness. If something doesn't go as planned, consider it a way to increase your awareness and skills, don't feel defeated. There is a quote that has always stuck with me "Sometimes God calms the storm, but other times, He lets the storm rage and He calms His child." In my opinion, in order to appreciate success and blessings, we have to experience the hard times that got us there. I don't think its ever worth it if its easy.

I hope you have a blessed Friday. Sorry, no pictures today. I will be taking lots of photos this weekend while I watch my hubby in a kickball tournament!

Smile :) Your God saved the day... It's gonna be alright.

Happy Tuesday! I am linking up with Megan @ MackeyMadness today. Go check out her blog..I love it!

Sometimes: I get really frustrated at my puppy chewing my $200 running shoes (like she is right this second)

Always: I say "no ma'am" and once she gives me the look I have to pet her because she.is.so.cute. and i am obsessed.

{{She will be 10 weeks old tomorrow!}} 

Sometimes: I dont like the rain at all...especially when my training is cancelled because it is raining so hard

Always: I love the fresh feeling outside after it rains :)

Sometimes: I miss California.  

Always: I love where we are and even though we are more than 1,500 miles away from the west coast- family is always a flight away :)

{{Fam.bam}}

{{Aren't we a ridiculously good looking family?!}}

Sometimes: I say tomorrow and then I have to remember that...

Always: We are blessed with today. Do what needs to be done today. 

Sometimes: I cannot believe the blessings that God has poured down on my life

Always: I know that God will never tell me to do something until He gives me the capability to do it. I am ready. I am here. and I am going to give everything my 110% best.

I hope everyone has a blessed day! Smile :)

Twenty Seven Million

Have any of you heard of the A21 Campaign? What about the 27 MILLION men, women and children that are still slaves in today's economy? Moving to Houston, we soon were aware of how this city serves as one of the major ports to Human trafficking.

Last year we were at the Young Adults Conference and one of the days was dedicated towards bringing awareness to this horrific reality. My husband leaned over to me and said "Babe..I need to get involved with this." It was tugging on his heart and he wanted to do something more, same for me. Between spreading awareness and donating, he felt that there was more he could do. Crazy how God works...... Yesterday, when I was driving home I heard a song on the radio- it is called "Twenty Seven Million"- immediately, I Shazamed (which i am declaring an actual word now) it thinking hmm..i wonder if my hubby has heard this. The crazy thing was- my husband and I haven't talked about this in a little while- the A21 Campaign and human trafficking are constantly in our prayers though. This morning, while we were having an amazing breakfast (that I cooked- from scratch), He said "Babe..you know how God and I talk and hang-out, right?" (His way of saying he prays..man did I marry an awesome guy OR WHAT!) I said "Yea..." Then he goes "Well...I'm pretty sure that I need to get involved with changing the human trafficking world, God is telling me to do SOMETHING" in my head I am going "GOD- you are CRAZY- like seriously?! I drive home yesterday and randomly Shazam that song that just so happens to be all about human trafficking thinking my hubby would want to hear it and BAM he brings up this topic?!?!" So instantly I say "Babe..you need to listen to this song!" (more in a O.my.gosh. I was thinking the same thing you were thinking how crazy- we must be married...aka. it was a God thing)...and yea..that was our morning today :)

Check out the A21 Campaign and listen to this song. No matter where you are in life, where you live, what you do or who you are..YOU can make a difference in the lives of those in Human trafficking. I love how it is put on the A21 Campaign website "27 Million is almost impossible to fathom...As long as there is ONE VICTIM of Human trafficking, that's ALL the motivation that we need." 

You have the opportunity and the blessing to bring change to one of these 27 million. Thats one girl, one life, one daughter, one sister, one person. Our generation needs to step out of their comfort zone, find a cause, and attack these terrible realities one at a time. We cannot be a talk the talk generation..we need to be a walk the walk generation. If we want to change this world, we NEED to start with that ONE person. 

Have a blessed Saturday. Thank the Lord that you are here, that you are safe and that you GET TO bring change to the world. :)

Totally Awesome Thursday

Last Thursday I didn't do a "totally awesome" post because I was off at Blue Bell Creamery soaking in its awesome-ness with my friend!

First, we had to do our routine stop at starbucks. I say routine because we are always there. She even got me sucked into using the Starbucks app to pay for my decaf soy sugar-free vanilla latte.

Next, it was time to start our 90 minute drive in the rain to the land of Blue Bell ice cream.

Here are some photos from our trip to Blue Bell, complete with our free scoop of ice cream (photo has been previously posted in this weeks Sometimes and Always post) which made it even more totally awesome.

I think all this post did was encourage you to get to your local store and buy some Blue Bell! But on a more serious note...this line has been on my heart lately and I wanted to share it- so I will make this a second Totally Awesome "post":

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, he's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you. 

I have witnessed this in my own life. I have been devastated when something was "taken" from me only to witness a complete MIRACLE a few months later. God would have never been able to show His ability to bring me a miracle if He didn't allow something to be taken away, changed, transformed, and made even better for me to receive. I am so blessed to have been able to experience that and to tell others that MIRACLES happen. Always follow where God leads you- Go when He says Go- Pray when you aren't sure- and say NO when you know you shouldn't be saying Yes. Be encouraged. Know that He has the perfect plan for you. Whatever you are facing today- adversity, heartache, loneliness, hurt, ANYTHING- God knows what you are going through- He wants you to lean on Him- and He wants to show you that He has a perfect plan for your life. Never give up. Never give in to outside influences. Be you. Live for Him and see how He can transform any situation.