The new love of my life...

There are only two children in my family, my brother and me. My brother and sister-in-law have been in seminary for almost a year. A few weeks ago i got a call that made me pretty much the happiest woman on earth. I am going to be an aunt!!!!!!!!! Shanny, my beloved friend, is two months pregnant with their first child. I absolutely cannot wait. I don't think November will get here fast enough. Now those of you who know me and how much i love children can probably imagine how unbelievably excited i am and how ridiculously spoiled this child is going to be. Imagine being the first grandbaby on both sides. THis child will probably never learn to walk because we'll just want to carry him around and play with him all the time. I don't think there is a child on earth who is loved more. So congratulations to Matt and Shannon. And to mom and dad who get to be grandparents (don't you feel old?). And to me, because i just get to be the cool, fun aunt who dotes on her niece or nephew. ok, i'll stop rambling now. YEA! What do you think of "Aunt Rin"?

I love the Beach...

Now i am not one for laying out. And though most of my extended family lives within 20 or 30 minutes of the beach i don't spend much time on the beach. So, i was a little worried about a whole week of staying directly on the beach with 8th grade girls. BUt i must say it was a blast! We had great weather most of the time. It was warm but not hot so we could lay out in the sun and read or sleep without sweating to death. The water was too cold to swim. My bathing suit only got wet once! We played our share of frisbee although the wind and our lack of talent sometimes made this difficult. I attempted skim boarding and have a nasty bruise/scratch from the very graceful fall i took.(although now i am determined to learn how to skim board) We ate ice cream pretty much every day. We played DDR (dance dance revolution) a lot. I read a lot, much to the dismay of several girls who claim that they "never read, unless it's magazines or school work."
And i have come to the conclusion that i need a condo on the beach. It was so relaxing. Even if it had rained everyday i would have been content to sit inside and stare at the ocean, or go out on the verandah and breath in the scents.
Ok. enough bragging about the beach.
Oh, but we did kind of get stalked by two guys who were staying in our condo, and the lady who killed her pastor husband was found in Gulf Shores which is where we were.
NOt to mention that all of us but two dyed our hair, and several of us got tattoos (henna of course).
It was a walk on the wild side for me.
So that's what last week was like. this week was much more business as usual.
HOpe everyone's doing well.
Tune in soon for some very exciting news...

A Little Story...

A long long time ago, when i was still in teenage angst i went on a little trip to see my friend Jenise (who is pretty ridiculously cool in case you were wondering)at her awesome school FSU. As it turns out i was not the only one going to visit her this particular week. Some preacher's kid i had never met before who i felt had no right to be friends with my friend Jenise was going as well. Now this may sound a little harsh but to defend myself, this girl was thinking the same thing about me. Her name: Shannon. So we go to pick her up at her house, and you should know at this point i am committed to not liking her, but the first thing i notice is that she's really tall. I think that's cool b/c when i was a teenager i was taller than pretty much everyone i knew (except katie kirkpatrick). Anyway in the two hour drive we had we didn't really talk to each other at all. But somewhere between the ride in the car and about 7pm that night we became friends. Not just casual friends but like instantly past the acquaintance, hang out every now and then stage to the tell all, be girly together, email each other every day kind of friends (yes, sadly we lived 5 hours apart).
So the three of us did some major bonding, and even got kicked out of Gap(aww what a fun memory). Then we returned to normal life and we all lived apart from each other. naturally Shannon, Jenise and i found ways to hang out. one particular way was when we went to Tampa with Shanny's youth group the next year for spring break. I won't tell much about this story because ultimately it holds embarrassing memories for me. Anyway our friendship continued until she started dating my older brother. It got a little rocky for a couple of years, just cause it's weird when one of your best friends is dating your brother because you don't necessarily want to hear about the kisses and whatnot. (not to mention that my brother has always felt more comfortable sharing things with me than i have felt hearing them).
So anyway, to wrap this story up, they got married almost two years ago. She is now officially my sister (in-law) and we have thoroughly enjoyed being related. (and don't be thinking that Jenise isn't part of the picture anymore because she's always been a part of my family. I actually thought we were cousins til i was like 13 and she's pretty much the coolest one of us all).
Why do i tell you this story? because today is Shannon's birthday!
I love you Shannon. I am so thankful that we met and became friends. And you have no idea how glad i am that you are the girl my brother chose to marry (because as you know all his other girlfriends were dorks)I hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane.
Happy Birthday!
OH, and now i get to post a picture since that's what i do for everybody's birthday...

Happy Birthday...

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Katie,
Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!!!

Hey Katie,
I hope you are having a wonderful birthday. If i had a picture of you i would post it on my blog, but don't have a digital one. Sorry. I have filled out your card, and it even has a stamp on it but i haven't made it to the mailbox yet. I just want you to know that i am thinking about you on your special day!
Happy Birthday!
ps. what does it feel like to be 23? i need to know cause it's sneaking up on me fast.

trying again...

well i wrote this whole long post a few minutes ago but then i was trying to deal with a lot of calls on the office phone and look something up at the same time and i lost it.
So this is going to be a shorter, less enthused version of my original post.
I am writing because i was talking to two of my very dear family members the other day and they informed me that they were bored with my blog because i hadn't posted in a few days. So, Matt and Shannon, this is for you...

I am incredibly tired. Once my sleep pattern gets off track (i.e. staying up past midnight two nights in a row) i have a hard time getting back into the rhythm of things and falling asleep when i should.

Saturday i had the joy of babysitting for two different families, one in the morning and one in the evening. It was my first time to babysit the kids i kept in the morning. They were almost three and almost one. I had to take them to a birthday party for the little boy's friend. It was a bunch of three year old boys and their moms. i was so self-conscious, but i think it went okay. THe little girl was precious, and the little boy was good for the most part, he had his moments of complete toddlerhood.

I haven't had to teach sunday school in a few weeks and i must say i am thoroughly enjoying my time off. Sometimes i can get excited about my lesson but the last time i taught was horrible and i am still recovering from that. Thankfully it will be at least a couple more weeks before i have to be back up in front of the class.

I have been watching a lot of FRIENDS in the last few days. I forgot how witty and hilarious that show is. I have been watching the first two seasons, and i always know what lines are coming next so i laugh before the characters even say them. I think the second season might be one of my favorite seasons. I know the show has more than its share of inappropriateness and i hate that, because it is sooooo funny.

Sorry i don't have any exciting news to share, it's pretty much the boring every day me stuff right now. Although, we did get two cats this week. And we have big machinery in our back yard because they are trying to level it out and build a new porch. I am taking the two girls in the family i live with on a date this weekend. We are going out to dinner and a movie. I am excited, although i haven't told them we are going yet.

well, i think that's about all i have. I am having a really really tired moment right now, so i am just going to post a random picture and then sit at my desk and stare into space for the next three hours! c-ya.
Shannon i hope you are feeling better soon. It stinks to have the flu!

For the Heck of it...

Sometimes i want to post just for the heck of it and that's what today is. I don't have anything particularly specific to say so i might do a little rambling.
I got to go home this past weekend for part of a missions conference. I loved seeing everybody but i get really frustrated that my time is always so short and i always manage to leave somebody out or say the wrong thing. My friend Amanda, who is going to Spain for a couple of years, was speaking and i got to introduce her and pray for her twice. I think i am starting to get a tiny tiny bit more comfortable being up in front of people. For some reason a classroom full of junior high students is way more intimidating than a sanctuary full of all ages, or a fellowship hall full of women.
I think i am scared that i might be called to the mission field. I say scared not because i am not willing to go, but i think i am less willing to give up such ready access to friends and family and comfort. Which makes me take a look at my heart and realize i am not fully trusting and delighting in God.
On the flipside i could also see myself doing youth ministry long term (maybe) or working with young, scared, pregnant women; or doing ministry to battered women and children. Any way you look at it i feel that i am called to some type of ministry. It's just a matter of what it will look like.

I have had to face a couple hard things in the recent past (as in the last couple weeks)--one with a dearly loved friend, and one with a dearly loved student in my youth group. I've realized that there can be joy in anguish. In both cases i was driven to my knees before the Lord, helpless to do anything without His strength. In both cases i had hard things to say and a fear of how they would be received. In both cases, even when i was miserable about what it might mean for me, i found a peace that GOd is in control and that He can use me even when my words are too many, or my words are wrong. He is sovereign! (not that it takes away my responsibility but it sure lightens the weight on my shoulders).

On a much lighter note, i got my haircut this weekend and i am in a love-hate relationship with it. sometimes i love it and sometimes it drives me crazy. If i wasn't so self-conscious i would seriously consider shaving it all off.

I would like to say Happy Birthday to my friend Damien! Now his birthday was actually yesterday--but i am not totally behind because another friend and i drove to Atlanta yesterday and went to lunch with him to celebrate. We had fun, I hope you did Damien!!!!!!!!!! I think i have a picture of you that i am going to try to post now if i can find it and that will be the end of this very long post...

Ever been bored?

In my house we were never allowed to say that we were bored. If we did let it slip our mother made us do housework which we hated of course. So anytime i hear the words "bored" or "boring" i cringe. (and when my junior high girls say it i offer them the opportunity to come clean my room which-- for those of you who haven't seen it and don't know--is quite the chore.
Lately the only time i have even been still enough to have the opportunity to be bored i have been so tired i couldn't even form a coherent thought. isn't it interesting that sometimes i am so busy i can't even think straight and sometimes i look at my week and think "what am i going to do to fill it?"
All that to say that right now i am voluntarily bored. My mind is too tired to think enough for me to read my book (), and I am sitting at a desk answering the phone which only rings once every little while. There's definitely something to be said for stillness.
That said i am going to check out the news and eat some more gobstoppers. Later!

What the...Princeton!!!???

I would just like to brag on one of my best friends. She is a lovely person. Very small and cute. She is very personable (everybody loves her). She works in the nursery at our church. Her job is to work with Habitat for Humanity. So she is good with people, she has a heart for the poor (or an avid interest in community development), and she was a Maclellan Scholar at Covenant College. SO, why am i singing her praises on my blog? because she just got accepted to Princeton's graduate school program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't that amazing?
I mean just to make it fair to the rest of us you would think she'd have to be ugly, or not good with people, or mean and snobby. But no, she's not any of those horrible things.
She's wonderful and smart and we are so so so proud of her! So here's to Becky Holton, who Covenant College will be more than proud to claim as an alumnus (is that right), and whose friends are all excited that we might now have an excuse to buy Princeton sweatshirts to wear around and dream about being smart enough to go there.
We love you Becky!!!!!!!!!!

procrastination at its best...

So last week i was supposed to teach Sunday School, but i was hitting a brick wall with the material so i just prayed really really hard that the roads would ice over and sunday school would be cancelled. IT was!!! BUt that still leaves me with the problem of having to teach this week. The more i look at the passage, the more i think i am understanding what it is saying, but i still am having a ridiculously hard time figuring out how to put it on a junior high level. You know, add games, movie clips, acting---helping them see how the truth of this particular passage does and should affect the way they live their lives.
I do realize on some level that teaching the Word of God is a joy and privilege that i am unworthy of, but most of the time i focus way too much on the burden of helping them understand and don't trust in Him to work through me. Guess that's an area i have to work on.
I think i am going to post some pictures just for the fun of it... I don't think any of them are too new, but i am seriously avoiding planning sunday school. so here goes...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Hey everyone. Happy Valentine's day! I think i have found a new peace (at least for the moment) with this holiday. For those of you who have significant others i hope you celebrate well together and have a lot of fun. For those of you who are unattached, please remember romantic love isn't the only thing we have to celebrate today. So, tell your family and friends that you love them and do something nice to show them you care!
I love y'all.
Happy Birthday Megan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Ah, the life i lead...

So i had a long, but wonderful weekend. And yesterday was my day off. So i didn't set an alarm, thinking i would probably wake up around 9 and get the day started slowly. Wrong. I woke up at 11. It was ridiculous. I usually hate waking up that late because i feel like i've wasted half the day and it usually leaves me feeling icky. BUT apparently i needed it because i felt pretty good. It was the first time in a long time i didn't have a real agenda for my day off. i kept thinking about all the things i should be doing and resisting the urge to do them. I haven't decided if that was good or not. Although i did do laundry, which i am sure eased the mind of the family i live with, since i haven't done laundry in quite a few weeks. I am a firm believer in holding out until absolutely everything has been worn at least twice (except underwear and socks).
I have to teach Sunday School this week and next week. And it is not easy stuff. We are in Romans and this week i get to teach on identifying our idols of the heart. That's a pretty heavy job. especially since no one really enjoys taking a good long look at their sinful heart (i know first hand).
I have to say though, i am not absolutely dreading teaching as i normally do. I think this must be the work of the Spirit. Because my nature is to stay as far in the background as i can get. I was definitely one of those kids in school who never talked in class (except of course for my history class in high school because i had the best teacher in the world and i was comfortable around him).
I know, i know... You're thinking why is someone with that kind of personality doing youth ministry? Well, it is a very stretching occupation at times. I have learned to be able to approach new people instead of waiting for them to approach me. I think i am also learning that it is not the end of the world if things go wrong and my face turns blood red. (Although at that precise moment i always wish it was the end of the world).
And I love my job! I think i am totally inadequate and there are a million things i wish i did better. But i still love being able to hang out with these girls. There is nothing like the feeling you have after having a really good conversation about Jesus with one of my girls. I love the true honest times, and the ones where they share insight they have that i haven't even thought of. God is truly amazing.

lots of disconnected thoughts right now. I am really just procrastinating on planning my sunday school lesson. Pray for me! i need it.

The Lord's Resistance Army(LRA), ever heard of it?

The Lord's Resistance Army is an unimaginably violent rebel group in Uganda led by a man who brings together a potent mix of Christianity, Islam and Witchcraft. He uses his ridiculous reason to motivate his army into attacking and brutally killing many of their own people, and abducting enormous numbers of children to be brainwashed into full fledged murdering members of the LRA. The paper thin defense for his actions is opposition to the Ugandan government. I think one article says he claims to be cleansing his own people, the Acholi. The tragedies that are in progress and have already occured because of this group are too numerous to count. Only the Lord knows fully the trauma these people are enduring. The main victims of this brutality: women and children. I am linking an article and hopefully a website that will help you find out more about this fight.
Why am i writing about it, you ask?
Well, a ninth grade girl with a beautiful heart for missions, has recently heard of the plight of the Ugandan children. They are being beaten in horrible ways i cannot even describe, raped, mutilated, threatened, abducted and forced to kill one another in brutal disgusting ways. They are brainwashed and turned into soldiers, many of them no older than eight to fourteen years. I will stop describing it now because the article i am linking (and the ones linked from that page) will do a more adequate job of describing exactly what is going on.
I am telling you because my heart is now involved and we (the ninth grade girl, her friends and schoolmates and families in the area) are trying to think of creative ways to raise money and awareness for an organization that is trying to raise 20 million dollars in order to provide safe, clean places for these children to sleep, food for them to eat (many of them survive on less than one meal a day), and education that they aren't getting because of this war.
There is a dvd that i would love to show you (except i don't have a copy). It is a documentary by three guys who just decided to go to the Sudan and film a documentary. They went with no organization and no money. They came back on a mission. It is a powerful dvd. I think their website is www.invisiblechildren.com
Please check it out.
IF you have creative ideas for raising money we would appreciate your input!
If you have the space on you prayer list these kids need your time in prayer. So do the leaders---pray for true salvation for the Rebel army leader and his followers. Pray for the mission to help these kids. Pray for protection for the children from the cruel reality that is their world. Pray for relief and rescue for those already abducted and turned into murderers. And pray, for awareness throughout the Christian church.
Thanks.
Here's the link: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/001/18.30.html

Happy Birthday Gran!

Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday dear Gran,
Happy Birthday to You!

Sorry Gran, i know this is a day late, but late is better than never right?
I hope you had a wonderful birthday. I love you very much.
Thanks for being such a great grandmother (and even letting me call you Granny for a few years there). I can't wait to see you again (hopefully soon).
I love you!
love, erin

Ignorance is bliss... or is it?

"When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
Discretion will preserve you:
Understanding will keep you
To deliver you from the way of evil..."
Proverbs 2:10-12a

I read Proverbs two this morning, and i was struck by the entire Psalm. For many years i was content to accept what others told me about Christ and the Word of God. I did not seek wisdom for myself, nor did i seek understanding. So as i read this morning i was thoroughly convicted and convinced, that seeking God through His Word and through prayer (petitioning Him to grant you wisdom and understanding and knowledge) is not only something we should do it is something we have to do (both on our own in personal relationship with Christ and with fellow believers in fellowship and accountability).I've heard it all my life, but there's something about coming to that point where you make the realization for yourself when God opens your eyes a little bit more and lets you see things you haven't seen before, even though it's been right under your nose. Proverbs speaks very plainly about "fools" and their aversion to wisdom and knowledge. For a long time i guess i was a fool.
These are my weighty thoughts for the day. Hope you find something of worth in them!
As my Gran writes at the end of each of her emails...
PTL!! (praise the Lord).
-rin

Where did my Christmas break go?

It would seem that it is now January of 2006. For all of my proclaiming relief that i am no longer a student i sure do miss the two and a half or so week breaks for Christmas and New Year's. I got 3 days off outside of the actual holidays this year. Although i will say i accomplished a lot in those few days. I got to go to St. Louis and see Matt and Shannon. I got to be in my own home for Christmas day and do our traditional Christmas lunch with our friends from church (which was great). I got to go to Mississippi with a group from the church i work for and do relief work for a couple of days. We painted, and somehow i think more paint ended up on me than on the walls (thanks to some very mischevious teenage girls!)And i got to clean my room, which for any of you who know me will know that is quite an accomplishment. I also have been reading nonstop since i got like 12 books for Christmas, and was already in the middle of another series i had to finish. I love reading. But i let it take over my life, which i could afford to do in college to some degree, but i can't so much anymore. The only thing really missing from my break was the annual trip to Panama City to see my family. I miss y'all so much! sorry i couldn't be there, but know that i was thinking about you!
Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating the Birth of our Lord and Savior! And ringing in yet another new year, which only means we will all turn another year older and learn things we didn't ever want to know. Just kidding i am totally excited about seeing what God has in store for me and y'all as this year swings into gear.
Until i find the time to post again...
Isaiah 40:28-31 (some of my favorite verses, brought to my attention by my beloved Papa, because they were his favorite)

Lifestyle evnagelism or fake spirituality?

I think that lifestyle evangelism in many ways is a valid concept. I think the problem is that we tend to think we have to have our lives in order, have this "joy in all circumstances" thing nailed down before we can actually be witnessing to those around us. That is an unfortunate misconception that will be difficult to correct. Here's my theory on non-Christians. They don't want to see you at your best all the time. If you don't get mad at the customer who is a total witch, or you don't have an occasional bad day they are certainly going to hate you because it will seem too good to be true. it will seem fake. I am not saying that you should deliberately sin, or that you shouldn't pray for the power to be an example of Christ to the person who makes you redo their order 6 times and then leaves no tip. What i am saying is that i agree with meg, it's what you do with the bad days and the sin they see that makes the difference. When you come to them in repentance for the way you acted, or you pray for the strength to smile and be gracious to that certain customer and it actually happens.
What is missing(or maybe was never part of) the lifestyle evangelism concept (at least in this context) is honesty. Total, raw, i am a sinner who deserves to die and can only resist the temptation to sin by the Lord's grace kind of honesty. And sometimes i will fail (in fact a lot of times), and sometimes i will be angry and sad and mean. We are still human, and they need to know that we deserved death just as much as they do. The difference is that we recognize our sin, and we repent and ask forgiveness. We cling to the Lord.
I think humility (as well as the love and faithfulness that megan mentioned)is an integral part of living your Christian faith out. It is one i know i like to forget about. Being able to come before someone and admit you were wrong,and ask forgiveness is something that might bring them closer to wondering what it is you have that they don't(even if they don't necessarily think the way you acted was wrong).
Of course i agree with everyone else, prayer is the best thing you can do for those you interact with, and pray for the boldness to verbally share the Gospel with them, because we can't live life just expecting them to ask. That's not what we're called to do. We are called to spread His Word. (keep in mind i am talking to myself here because one of the hardest things in the world for me is to open my mouth and ask someone if they have a relationship with Jesus!).
So, i know i had a lot to say and it was kind of rambling, but i hope there is something worthwhile and helpful for those of you who are reading it!
you can check out the beginning of this conversation on Lyd's blog (www.sunshineandbubbles.blogspot.com) and can link to Meg's part of the conversation from Lyd's blog.

NARNIA...My new favorite place

CAUTION: Major love affair with the movie going on in this post. If you would rather not have any opinion going into the movie, please don't read this til after you have seen it. i don't want to be responsible for raising someone's hopes only to have them not like it near as much as i did. BUT, if you want my biased opinion based on my first viewing of the movie (there will be other viewings i assure you) please proceed.

I don't know how many of you were planning on seeing The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in theaters, but i have to say it is a very worthwhile endeavor. I had never been to a midnight movie before and i was afraid i wouldn't be able to stay awake. I assure you it was not a problem. I was spellbound.
I read every last one of the books in the last few months in preparation for this movie and i was so glad i had. So much of it looked just as my imagination had pictured it when i was reading.
I was reading an article this morning about how Disney kind of laid low on linking Aslan to Jesus. I have to say i agree with that assessment if i was seeing it from a non-Christian perspective. For me, however, it was such a beautiful picture of what our Lord and Savior endured so that we might live. There is no way to bypass the Gospel because it is spread through every pore of the books. And i felt it so keenly in several scenes in the movie.
Ok i will stop gushing so that i don't ruin the movie for all of you who haven't seen it yet (which should be most everybody because it came out today.
if you want my advice here it is: See it as soon as possible!!!
I left the movie excited because i get to see it again on Sunday and i can't wait to catch the things i might have missed the first time around.

5 reasons i am not a teacher

1. When i have to teach Sunday School i majorly stress for a week in advance. Even when i know i have a good lesson i constantly worry about it and it turns me into a nervous wreck.
2. my face turns unbelieveable shades of red when i have to stand up in front of anybody, much less keep them interested in what i have to say for 45 minutes
3. it always takes me a couple of days to recover from and forget any embarrassing moments from my teaching experiences
4.i am a procrastinator by nature and the more i procrastinate the more worried about my lesson i become and i end up not being as ready as i should have been when the time comes around
5. if i had to go through that every day of the week i would be in a mental institution by now!
All this to say: mom, Patty, Colleen, Daddy, shanny, Aunt Julie, and everyone else i know who is a teacher, I admire you much but i do not envy you!!!
(in case you couldn't tell i am teaching sunday school this week and am stressing about it).

Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday, Dear Sister,
Happy Birthday to You
For all of you who don't know this is my aunt and it is her birthday! If you want to tell her happy birthday you can leave it as a comment on my blog! she is a wonderful woman! If i had to pick one person in my life who was the greatest example of what Christlike servanthood is about it would be her. She does anything she can to make everyone around her happy and comfortable. She has such a soft heart.
So, Sister I hope you are reading this because i want you to know how much i love and appreciate you!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope your birthday is great!

Oh to be a Gilmore Girl (not really, but...)

OK, so i don't know how many of you watch Gilmore Girls at all, but there is a group of us lofters that are pretty dedicated to it. I think the main reason i love it is because the dialogue is so fast paced and witty. They have all these culture references that are funny if you have enough entertainment culture to catch them, and they are always going on endlessly about something that doesn't really need to be talked about. I have to admit that i am totally jealous. Their talking about nothing draws probably millions of viewers every tuesday night. My talking about nothing brings no one but the captive audience of my friends and/or family.
I must say i wish my blog were more like that, but i don't have the talent. So, you will have to suffer for my sarcastic, evil sense of humor, and the not so dramatic events of my every day life. (which is probably the reason i don't post all that often).
We had a retreat this weekend. 64 junior high kids. That was fun. It really was. There was one night where we all went and laid out under the stars on this big field and everyone got quiet for a good 2 or 3 minutes (which is quite a feat for so many junior high kids). Just gazing at the sky was such a good reminder of the vastness and incomprehensability of the God we serve. He is bigger and more amazing than we can ever imagine.
On a lighter note, I am getting geared up for Thanksgiving. I am even kind of excited about the drive down, but i am most excited about seeing my whole family. It will be the last time we are all together this year (since matt, shae and i will not be making it to PC for Christmas), so i hope it is going to be one awesome celebration. I am hoping for some 4-wheeler time, and some sleep time, and some good quality visit with the grandparents, aunts and uncles, and spoil the little cousins time. We shall see...
if i don't post again before next Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!!! if i do, disregard this message.