The Good Life

Oh the life of a dog...

While I spent the better part of my morning cleaning my room, Tinka spent hers in the usual fashion...

Must be nice :)

Beautiful Day, Beautiful Song.

Oh, what a beautiful day it is to sit on the porch and enjoy a Sunday afternoon! Here in the South, it is widely recognized that there are indeed only two seasons...mildly chilly and blazing hot with a side of humidity. So it truly is a blessing when every so often we get to experience a glimpse of what our Northern neighbors might refer to as "Spring." And today just so happens to be one of those days :)

I want to share with you the lyrics to a song I recently came across while reading a friend's blog. It is sung by a Christian artist named Francesca Battistelli, and it sums up perfectly what I hope the prayer of my heart remains as I move forward in this little adventure.

Jesus, I pray that you will "Slow me down, show me around

I wanna see the world that I’ve been without
I am here and now the future is out of my hands
I trust in you and how you move
I won’t forget that patience is a virtue
You’re teaching me to hang on tight

Cause I don’t know how the story ends
But I’ll be alright cause you own it
And I don’t know where the highway bends
But I’m doin just fine
Cause your in control
Even when I don’t know
Where my life’s gonna go
You’re keeping me guessing

Seasons come and seasons go
But you decide"

Amen.

Have a beautifully blessed Spring day, full of sunshine and happy thoughts!

He is RISEN!

"Blessed be the LORD who has not left you this day without a Redeemer!" Ruth 4:14

Happy Easter!!!

You Can't Always Get What You Want, But If You Try Sometimes You Just Might Find You Get What You Need

What a great song. But after a year of ups and downs and learning things the hard way, I think a better way of saying it would go "You can't always get what you want, but if you wait on the Lord, you just might find HE'LL give you what He knows you need." And man, oh man has that been a tough lesson to learn!

This year has been a constant cycle of "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" (and, I must admit, he hath had to taketh some things quite forcefully from my stubborn little hands). But he has always known exactly what I need and graciously provided it for me. Thanks Jesus :)

Last week, He blessed me beyond anything I could ever hope to deserve and placed me in my NUMBER ONE choice of groups to work in over the next two years! I will be working in Charlotte in the INDUSTRIALS group which will give me some wonderful deal experience and allow me to learn more than I can probably even imagine at this point. I will officially begin work (starting with 6 weeks of training) on either June 7th or 14th, meaning I will most likely be moving to Charlotte at the very end of May. I cannot believe how quickly it is all approaching and the fact that I am actually moving away permanently has yet to really hit me. This time won't be like the summers I've flittered off to Paris and New York for a few months, but it will truly be the start of a new life...

I can remember the last time I felt like this...it was over 4 years ago as I was finishing up my senior year in high school. I was so excited and so nervous at the same time, having no idea what to expect as I looked forward to the beginning of a new life at Auburn. But God knew. And what He had in store for me was so much more amazing than anything I could have ever imagined. Although my college years certainly did not come without rough patches, tears, or heartache, the journey was more than worth it and I wouldn't trade those precious years for anything. So today, as I look ahead to a new city and a new career with those same mixed feelings, I have peace and confidence knowing that my Savior is just as much in control of the next chapter as He was the last time. And He already knows "just what I need."

Queen and the Queen City

In order to retain sanity during our late night painting-fetes (that's party en francais) in Dallas, we quickly learned that music was a must. Not only did it serve to drown out the incessant droning of our top-of-the-line air conditioning system, but it also created a nice rhythm to our brush strokes. Over and over and over again...I mean maybe its just me, but sometime around 3AM my beautiful red cabinets began to resemble something more like the time I scribbled all over my mom's pristine white walls with a magic marker as a 5 year old. Long story short, I was most grateful for the music.

And not just any music....the best of 80s ROCK bands became the theme. Journey, Boston, Bon Jovi, Foreigner and most especially QUEEN. I found "Somebody to Love" in Freddie Mercury and the rest of the crew as we danced around on a newly built stage with paint brushes and mops as microphones. Oh the memories...

And today, I am reminded of the lyrics to another one of their famous songs...and you all know how it starts. You're bopping along and all of a sudden you hear the infamous "dun dun dun da da dun dun". And without a moment's pause you find yourself spontaneously screaming "ICE ICE BABY! OMG I love this SONG!!!" (ok, maybe that's just me again). But no...you my friend have been punked. Instead, its those Queen guys with their rendition of "Under Pressure." And today I am starting to feel the pressure...

Tomorrow morning I will be flying to the Queen City of Charlotte, NC to meet my new analyst class and speak with each group in the Investment Banking division in order to determine where I will be placed for the next few years. In actuality, I am much more excited than nervous, but like they say "first impressions are everything" and I hope to make a great one! So please say a prayer or two if you have a spare moment this weekend. Can't wait to report back with my official position!

Happy 96th Muddie!

Yesterday we celebrated my Muddie's NINETY SIXTH Birthday!!! What a fun time to gather with extended family and have a party for my very special great grandmother. She truly is amazing and we are all blessed to have such a wonderful example to follow. Love you Muddie :)

Oh, and I must give an honorable mention to the Edgar's Strawberry Cake...heaven on a fork. Yummmm.

Rain Rain Go Away...I want to go home sometime TODAY!

Trapped.

Its Friday afternoon and time to go home. But, as my luck would have it, cats and dogs have begun falling down outside of my office window. So, here I sit. Because, as we all know, should I be so brave as to attempt the trek from the door to my car umbrella-less, I will undoubtedly melt into a small puddle on the pavement. Sigh.

Ok, so maybe I won't actually melt...just wilt a little bit.

Wish me luck.

I'm sorryyyyy, so sorryyyyy...

Hi there.

Yes, I know. Terrible. Unacceptable. No good very bad. I have been gone much too long. I apologize for the neglect.

I have missed you blog world! I enjoy writing my little love notes to you and filling you in on the silly nuances of everyday life. Unfortunately though, those little nuances have been quite mundane as of late. My schedule has become a comfortable mish-mosh of work with Dad, running, and evenings spent cuddling up with Mom and Tinka...with a few little spatterings of visits with old friends and trips to and fro mixed in there.

And surprisingly, I am beginning to appreciate the for-lack-of-a-better-word boredom. It has been absolutely wonderful getting to spend days with my Dad under a the new context of "working relationship." I think we have each gained a newfound respect and perspective of the other, and I am {ahem. choke. gasp.} learning a lot from him. Whew, that was hard. Kidding. Sorta...

It has also been wonderful spending oh so much time with Big Mama :) I love my Mama. She's super great. I would be no where without her. Oh, and Tinka...

So there. My life lately. I told you, not all that exciting. But I did enjoy our little chat. Hope you did too. Promise I'll be back soon. Really, I do.

Merry Christmas from the Elves!

After months of practicing some very complex choreography and hours upon hours of voice lessons (some of us needed it a little more than others), I truly believe we were able to bring a whole new life to these familiar Christmas tunes...don't you?

Merry Christmas and lots of love from the girls :)

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Found It!

It is absolutely amazing to me how much life has changed in the few short months since I began writing this blog. My purpose has been to seek God's will for my future as I navigate through this very exciting, yet often uncertain time... and, as we all know, one of the most important areas in which I have been seeking His guidance has been in the always challenging job search.

Well I am VERY EXCITED to report that I have officially accepted an offer to join Wells Fargo Securities as an Analyst in their Investment Banking/Capital Markets group this Spring! I am beyond humbled that God has allowed me this wonderful opportunity in such a challenging job market, and I cannot wait to begin my career.

In addition, I will be living in the beautiful Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina. I cannot imagine a better place to call home for the next few years. The city is the perfect mix of Southern Charm and Northern Influence to challenge me and expand my horizons, but still leave me feeling right at home! This is such an exciting time and I am looking forward to all of the fun new transitions and experiences soon to come!

Happy Day

I would like to take this opportunity to say "thank you Jesus" for all of the small, wonderful details he adds to my life. I think it is so important to remind yourself each morning of the blessings He has so lovingly bestowed upon each of us...so here is my short list for the day:

1. AUTUMN! Each year, I get so excited when the seasons change! I always tell people that I love the "in between seasons" best, and I really really do! There is something so familiar and comforting about the fall...I always know it will bring with it some of my very favorite things like pumpkin spice ANYTHING, great wool jackets, and let's not forget, FOOTBALL!

2. Opportunities and options GALORE! I am so blessed to have the greatest job I could ever ask for during my last semester at Auburn. Working with Special Events fills my days with joy, fellowship with amazing women, and beautiful beautiful flowers! We just finished creating the arrangements for an event at the President's home tonight, and it was just wonderful. Flowers = therapy for me, and I truly enjoyed getting my hands dirty this morning while styling some gorgeous fall arrangements.

I am also so fortunate to have the opportunity to interview with some wonderful companies over the next month, from Dallas to Charlotte to New York! I cannot wait to meet with each of them and discover the career path that God has intended for my life.

3. Friends who are ever so faithful and a family who unconditionally loves, strengthens, and supports me. I am constantly surrounded by my betters, each person teaching me new lessons in their very own way. I have become a combination of the personalities who have shaped me, and I thank God for the inspiration and encouragement they each bring to my heart.

I am truly, truly blessed.

Trust Fall.

Trust in the Lord. Something so very simple, yet often impossible to grasp and hold on to. How often do we put our trust in Jesus, only to revoke it minutes later? Our moments of faith are so easily washed away by the waves of doubt and uncertainty, leaving us feeling desperate and distraught over and over again. 

If we are truly honest with ourselves, trusting God as provider is often one of the hardest things to do. Instead, we sit and worry, allowing fear of the future immobilize us and leave us searching for answers. But this is not the way the Christian walk was meant to be! In these moment, I am often reminded of the words to one of my very favorite hymns:

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,  

Just to take Him at His word; 

Just to rest upon His promise,  

Just to know “Thus said the Lord.” 

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er! 

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh for grace to trust Him more! 

Beautiful. How many times in my own life has he proved Himself capable to guide me and protect me? Our God is GOOD. Through and through, he is 100% GOOD. And he never changes. Never Ever Ever. We can take him at his word and rest comfortably in his promises. What a blessed assurance! Each day I trust Him, I find myself longing to lose more and more of myself into His will. I long for the grace to trust Him more! He has provided everything I have needed in the past few months, and I am so grateful to have a father who knows what is best for his child. I know He has been telling me to stop searching and listen to His small still voice of wisdom. Thanks Jesus for the peace and direction and blessings upon blessings you so lovingly provide when I finally do :)

And what a blessing this beautiful fall weather has been! When I walked out of my front door this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the crispness and chill of a new autumn day! I am so looking forward to going home Thursday to grab some of my fun fall clothes before heading out on our trip to Knoxville this weekend! 

Drastic Measures.

Instead of pretty fall dresses and cute blazers, I have decided that this would probably be a more appropriate uniform for the semester. Points for creativity, right. . .???

"Raindrops Keep Fallin on My Head"

This past week in Auburn we have found ourselves in the middle of monsoon season...and I am happy to report that  "Singing in the Rain" has been my theme song. The rain has brought so much joy this week, so comforting and invigorating at the same time! The little girl in me has loved the fun and sense of freedom that you get from just letting loose and splashing about in a rainstorm. 

Thursday I set out for one of my runs, and although the clouds looked somewhat threatening, I decided to just go for it. Well, little did I know that 2 miles into my run I would get caught a mile away from home in one of the biggest downpours of the week! I seriously considered seeking shelter under a nearby awning to avoid getting soaked, but as I continued to move forward, I ended up having one of the greatest runs of my life. Completely drenched, hair soaked, shoes full of puddles... big huge smile on my face. It felt so great to forget all of my cares, not worry at all about what I looked like, and just continue to put one foot in front of the other. 

Thank you Jesus for the small things.

One and Only.

Lord, let this be the attitude of my heart. Take everything else away from me and leave my heart with Jesus. 

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, 
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I am alone,
When I am alone, 
When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, 
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I come to die,
When I come to die,
When I come to die,
Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, 
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus, 
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world, 
You can have all this world, 
Just give me Jesus.

Day Two: 2.5 miles

On the road again. . .

Well I have decided it is time. . .

Beginning last summer, Toney and I made it our goal to complete a half marathon. We got off to a great start, but slowly life and all its little details got in the way...ie, she got engaged/married and I ventured off to New York. And although I had many plans to continue running while in the Big Apple, long work days and exhaustion turned my grand ideas into something more like delusions of grandeur. Instead of jogging through Central Park each day, trudging the 40 blocks home became enough of  a workout for my little blistered feet. 

But now, I am putting all of that behind me and setting out to pursue a new goal. I am beginning training this week to run a half marathon within 6 months and a full marathon within a year. IT WILL HAPPEN. 

I hope to grow not only physically through this, but also spiritually. This goal is a lofty one, and I hope to depend fully on Christ to complete this work. I would love to hear your thoughts and advice as I begin this process. I am searching for a verse to pray over as I run each day and would appreciate any ideas from all of you! I will make sure to keep everyone posted as to my progress!

Day 1: 2 miles

Today, I Choose. . .

JOY.

over and over again.

Two Very Wise Men.

It seems that no matter the event in my life, be it very happy or very sad, King George always has the perfect song to sing to my heart. This weekend, he reminded me of just how blessed I am to have two of the truest friends a girl could know. Niki and Teresa have been beside me for every joy and held my hand through every sadness. We've twirled and two-stepped our way through the good and the bad and they're the first in my mind when life presents a new twist. When we we're "little girls" four years ago in Texas, we played one George song over and over and over again. And while the lyrics were written for a little more of a romantic relationship, I would like to think that Mr. Strait was thinking of us when he sung the chorus.

You know me better than that
You know the me that gets lazy and fat
How moody I can be
All my insecurities
You've seen me lose all my charm
You know I was raised on a farm
Oh she tells her friends I'm perfect
And that I love her cat
But you know me better than that

Its the MOST special thing to have true friends like that. Friends who have seen you at your worst, and know how great you can be at your best. Friends who have rubbed cake all in your face when you've started to take yourself too seriously, and then proceeded to consume the rest of that cake with you - lazy fat and happy all together. Friends who know your imperfections, share your hopes, encourage you to pursue your dreams, love you when you're riduculous and fill you back up when you're empty. I would not be the person I am without these two, and as long as I have their tan hands to hold, I know we will always be able to walk forward, one foot in front of the other.

But as great as George's wise lyrics can be, and as special as my sweet friends are, no one knows how to speak to my heart like my Jesus. I am the queen of ignoring his wisdom and stubbornly plowing headlong down my very own path. Thank you, thank you, thank you God for being stronger than I. Thank you for yanking me back to your side when I wander away from seeking your plan for my life. Thank you for longing to share my joys when I'm standing on the mountain and walking by my side through the valley. Thank you that no matter how far I run away, it only takes one step to turn around and return to you. Thank you for being my joy, my hope, my peace. My protector, my lover, and my Lord... Thank you for loving me enough to break my heart so that I can bring glory to you. Thank you for being a jealous God and desiring all of my affections and focus. Thank you for holding me in your strong hands and never letting me down. Thank you for being the only one that I can truly trust, truly rely on, and never make a wrong decision when my heart longs to seek your will. Thank you Jesus for loving me like none other.

With this in mind, I have found such peace in the words of another very wise man. St. Patrick of Ireland, who himself had wandered away from the love of God, and through trials and pain was brought back to serve, once wrote these beautiful words. Oh that I could live by them each and every moment of my life.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Thank you Jesus. You are always right.

My First Love

As many of you know, a temporary lapse of judgment has led me to take a course in beginning Chinese this semester. While I know how important this class will be for my future in the business world, it has caused me to momentarily abandon my first true love...la langue francaise.

And oh how I adore everything French. Culture et couture. La joie de vivre. The urgency et vitesse with which love and move fluidly through life. And all of it is reflected beautifully in every aspect of their language. I adore the way that there are so many instances in which you can't even really translate some French into English without completely losing some of the meaning. . .it is the most spectacular language in the world and I would love nothing more than to speak it each and every day. So au revoir le Chinois et vive la francais!!! Or at least after this semester. . .

A House Divided. Literally.

While in New York this summer, I took on the personal responsibility to emphasize not only the superiority of SEC football, but also tried to make sure that everyone was aware of the cultural implications of the game as well. I put forth my best effort, but was saddened to find that it is nearly impossible to teach anyone who has never lived in the South the full extent of everything that is SEC football...or of the bitter that rivalries exist between our beloved universities. I did, however, recently come upon an article that I feel does do some justice to my cause. . .

A House Divided

By: Anne Halliday

Jennifer and Eric have been married for 13 years, and they’ve only watched one Alabama-Auburn game together. One was enough.

Eric, a die-hard University of Alabama football fan whose father operated a camera for the Bear Bryant Show, knew he was in for trouble every autumn when he married Jennifer, whose dad graduated from Auburn University’s veterinary school in 1969.

Their rivalry (and their home’s exterior colors) intensified two years ago when Jennifer entered an essay contest sponsored by The Home Depot and the Birmingham sports radio station WJOX. Her 190-word description of their life when the Iron Bowl rolls around won, and The Home Depot painted their Alabaster home crimson and white and orange and blue. With football season just around the corner, Southern Living sat down with the couple to find out what it’s like to live with the enemy.

Where did you grow up and go to school?
Eric: I grew up in Homewood and went to The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Jennifer: I’m from Hueytown and went to Samford University.

When did you start rooting for Alabama and Auburn?
Eric: My dad worked for the Bear Bryant Show in the 1970s, and I’d go to the tapings with him as a kid. Every weekend we’d listen to Alabama games on the radio or watch them on television.
Jennifer: We always had Auburn season tickets. From the time I was about 9 years old we went to every home game and almost every away game.

hy can’t you watch the Iron Bowl together?
Eric: She’s too crazy.
Jennifer: I’m not crazy; I’m just not watching it with you. Alabama won the only game we’ve ever watched together--so you know it was several years ago--and Eric went insane. He’s more fun to watch than the actual game because he gets so animated, running around and throwing things.

Have your kids picked sides?
Eric: Rebecca, who’s 11, pulls for Alabama. Ethan, who’s 6, hasn’t made up his mind.
Jennifer: Yes, he has; he’s for Auburn. Rebecca says she’s for Alabama, but she does that to make her dad happy. She wants to go to Auburn because it’s a better school.

What do you love most about each school?
Eric: Alabama’s winning tradition. When the state was going through negative times, Alabama football was always winning.
Jennifer: Auburn University symbolizes resilience. We were the underdog, but now we have a few of our own awards.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done during football season?
Eric: Entering The Home Depot’s contest.
Jennifer: A lot of our neighbors actually thought we’d painted the house that way. Luckily, as part of the contest, it stayed like that only for a couple of months.

What advice would you give to an Alabama fan marrying an Auburn fan?
Eric: If you can’t work that out, you’re going to have bigger problems.
Jennifer: Honestly, when you’re thinking about spending your life with somebody, should football be the biggest priority?

Crimson and White vs. Orange and Blue
Eric recommends that Alabama fans who want to read more about the Harrells’ house visit www.rollcrimsontide.com/HouseDivided.html. Jennifer says Auburn fans should check out www.auburnfootball.com/a-house-divided.htm.

Case in point...I guess this article justifies my mother's reasoning on "never allowing me to marry an Alabama Fan." 

4 days till Wegl Wegl Time. Hallelujah.