Bankers can party?

Saturday night, Michael and I attended my work Winter Party. We aren't trying to be politically correct (we used to have a Christmas Party). Last year, the date was moved to January, and since it seems extremely silly to call it a Christmas Party in January, it is now deemed a Winter Party.

The past two years I've been on the planning committee. Basically, my main job duty is getting the table decorations in order. I get a little particular on the details, but my fellow committee members are wonderful about not getting their feelings hurt when I tell them that you can't have bright red streamers at an "elegant" styled event. It just won't fly.

The evening begins with a short social time for people to chit-chat with co-workers and spouses and locate a table to sit at for the evening. We then enjoy a buffet dinner with some sort of yummy dessert to follow. After dinner, the bank executives have a short program which includes announcing the Employee of Year. (no, I didn't win....so sad). Once the program is wrapped up, everyone grabs their free steaks (I think we get 8 of them) and gets ready for the DJ and Cash give-away time. Normally, this is the one time each year when you will see me out dancing away with no fear of judgment for looking stupid. (I often dance silly and totally own that fact - I can do a mean Q-tip dance).

I even won some cash too!! Sweet! Too bad its already spent, but hopefully our Wi-Fi connection will be a bit better on our desktop now. (I totally feel a little ADD with this post...oh look a kitty...)



The evening was a great success. Michael even seemed to enjoy it - I think he just enjoys watching bankers try to dance.

10 Things Most Readers Won't Get

Top 10 Inside Jokes...

1. 256 Baby!

2. Hello Puppy!!

3. That's ok Shelby, you'll catch up...

4. Panda, the Princess of Reveille

5. Happiness isn't happiness without a violin playing goat.

6. Just tell her its Smurfette, or George, or Your Mom, or Bambi, or etc...

7. Keep it Posssitivveee. (gotta sing it)

8. There's a whole bunch of bugs in there, gosh!

9. Can I show them my exercising skills?

10. Julie....I can't read..... (this one still makes me laugh)

These are the days of our laptops..

Well, hubby and I went to the store last night to get my laptop. The cute little thing just looked So. Incredibly. Little.

We looked over the regular sized laptops and realized that for just a couple hundred dollars more (yes I know that's not chump change), we could get a larger one with more memory and more hard drive space. Basically, we didn't want to get home and regret having the baby laptop at home dreaming of the grown up one. Its not like a baby laptop is going to grown into a bigger one. (That's just silly). I kinda freaked out a bit on the inside (no I didn't have a panic attack in the store) (well, almost), but my awesome hubby reassured me that it was a great buy and totally "needed." I think it was a good choice too! I did almost drop kick the sales lady who wouldn't let up on selling me the extended warranty or some other component that is needed for a laptop. I refrained and told her (repeatedly) that we would need to think about it.

Here is my pretty new laptop. I'm calling her Jem. (because she is truly, truly, truly outrageous, the music contagious...whoops, sorry I got distracted by the Jem and the Holograms) I haven't taken the clear plastic cover off the top yet cuz I don't want to get fingerprints on it. I know it's a bit obsessive, but I want to take care of our new addition to the family!

Wi-Fi here I come!!

Over the past few months, I've really been wanting a laptop. Some people would say that they don't NEED one, but they really just WANT one. I'm not one of those people. I NEED one and here's why.

I scrapbook and love it to death. One of my prized scrap booking possessions is my lovely cricut.



If you don't know anything about it, google it. You will be amazed by its gloriousness.

I received the Cricut Design Studio for a present and haven't had the opportunity to use it yet. Basically, the Design Studio allows you to use multiple cartridges and connect letters and do lots of other stuff that I don't know about yet (since I haven't had the chance to play with the program). You plug the cricut into your computer and then just sit back and let the fun times begin. I don't have an area by my desktop to put my cricut and scrap booking stuff. So that's where the laptop comes into play! I can spread everything out on my dining room table with my laptop and cricut and all and just let my creativity go crazy.

So, today my dreams of laptop wonderfulness is coming true.


A friend at work showed me her new laptop, which mind you is small. The smallness factor is actually a plus to me. It will take up less space on the table of scrap booking funness. It has tons of memory and hard drive space plus has Wi-Fi connection which my Ponca City America town just made available to everyone for free. AND, AND, AND - the darn thing is only $350. I know thats a lot of money, BUT when I looked at Dell and priced everything, it would have cost me like over $1000! SWEETNESS!!!

I talked hubby into this being my Christmas present, and I just get it a bit early!

...a little over a month early isn't THAT bad. So yeah!

Real men go to plays.

Plays, musicals, and concerts. Michael and I love them all.

We've seen several Ponca Playhouse productions over the years and a few Off-Broadway shows in the City (FYI - For those not from Oklahoma, the "City" means Oklahoma City). Its "our" thing, and we both get excited about any opportunity that comes our way to see a new show.

I read in the local paper about a new play that the Playhouse was presenting and had every intention of talking to Michael about going....but...with a crazy work week, I plum forgot. Well, thankfully my awesome mama called on Tuesday and asked if we would like to use her tickets since she and my step-dad (Vic) wouldn't be able to go. Michael didn't need much persuading, and we snatched those tickets up quick!

The play was Steel Magnolia's (like the movie), and I just knew it would be a treat to watch a play version of a movie that I truly enjoyed.



So, tonight was the night. We picked up our tickets,



found our seats, and enjoyed a sweet story about 6 ladies hanging out in a beauty shop. And I didn't mind once that we were missing Grey's tonight.

(we look exhausted in this pic but still had a great evening)



Too much fun!

My List 1998

February 24 1998-March 31 1998 I made a list with my discipleship leader. This list was full of high expectations and lofty dreams. It was written by a girl, that at the time, wanted to feel completely independent and not have a relationship define her nor complete her.

My life was pretty easy in 1998.



Totally involved at the BSU and really learning a ton about myself and what kind of life I wanted to lead, I was a Sophomore at the University of Oklahoma (Go Sooners) studying business and living in the dorms for a second year with a great roomie. Although, at the time, life seemed kinda complicated, in reality, it sooo wasn't at all. At the time I was reading, "Lady In Waiting." This was the first time in my life that I truly understood what it meant to call Jesus my Bridegroom. For some reason, before reading this book, it was just a concept that was a bit weird for me.

From my journal on Jan 21, 1998

"When we fall in love, we give that person our heart. God wants no less! He deserves no less! The fullness of devotion comes from a walk with God in complete fellowship."

Some of that could be quoting the book - not sure - but I know some of it is my words too.

So back to my list. It's a list of qualities (along with verses to back it up) that I desired in a husband. Here it is...

1. Seeks God - is a Christian (Rom 8:5 & 9)
2. He loves his wife as he loves the church (Eph 5:1 & 25-28)
3. Spiritual leader (Eph 5:22-23)
4. Active in some type of ministry (Eph 4:1 & 2:10, Matt 28: 19-20)
5. Good Communicator (Prov 11:9, 20:5, 18:13, 21)
6. Respectful of myself & others (Heb 12:14-15, Eph 5:33)
7. Refuses to jump ahead of God's timing (Psalm 37:3-7)
8. Maintains proper relationships (Heb 12:14)
With family (Ex 20.12)
With other men (II Tim 2:2)
With other woman (Matt 5:28)
9. Has integrity and does not compromise (I Tim 5:21-22, 6:11, Titus 2:6-8)
Integrity characteristics - honest, trustworthy, obedient (to God), pure...
10. Self-controlled (I Thes 4:3-7, Gal 5:2-26, Titus 2:6-8)
11. Provider (Eph 5:28-30)
12. Sensitive spirit - to me and to others (Eph 4:29, II Cor 1:24, Gal 6:9-10)
Speaks my love language
Seeks to understand what makes me tick
13. Understands the importance of feelings and emotions (Col 3:12)
14. Humble enough to be a disciple (teachable) & able to disciple others (II Tim 2:2)
15. Family Man - raises children properly for God's glory (Prov 22:6)

And if this list wasn't long enough, I also had "Bonus items" that weren't really Biblical qualities - just things that I would like in a husband.

*Romantic
*Good sense of humor
*Musically inclined
*Stable family background
*Can be spontaneous (which I have such a hard time with!)
*Can talk with me easily but can also just be still and silent
*Respects my tender/sensitive sides
*Sense of direction
*Gives good back rubs

So, like I said before. This list was from a gal with just crazy high expectations that really seem unreasonable to want ALL of them. However, I knew when writing it that it wasn't something my future husband would be 100% in all areas. I just wanted to see growth or desire in them at least.

Michael and I started dating on April 30, 2004. We were engaged Feb 2005 and married Oct 15, 2005. Sometime between April 2004 and Feb 2005, I found "My List," and read it to Michael. He was a bit intimidated by the whole thing, but with tears in my eyes I explained to him how awesome this was!! I wrote this list, not knowing him, not knowing where my life would take me. I was just listening to God as He put desires in my heart and helped me write them down on paper. Michael fits in all my "categories." He may not be 100% in all of them, but I do know he desires to grow where God leads him and that's what's important.

A crazy, lofty dreams gal who really hadn't lived much life made a list and in turn got to see the hand of God leading her through years and years of life and learning.

I love you honey.