Turdface

Last Friday when Jessie had already left for class, I was getting ready for work and I heard noises in the kitchen. It sounded like things were falling off the kitchen counter, so I didn't think much of it. "Hello?!?!" No answer. When I was leaving for work I didn't notice anything that fell either. Oh well. Later that day, Jessie called me at work and said she thought there was a mouse in our house. Sick!!! That seriously disgusts me! I was actually scared of them too. The first thing I said to Jessie...

Back up last April when I first moved into the apartment when I had 3 roommates instead of just 2. I was sleeping peacefully until I woke up to something crawling across my comforter on my legs. I jumped out of bed in the middle of the night, threw off my comforter and screamed, "Something just crawled on me!" Obviously all my roommates woke up. I told them I thought it was probably a stupid mouse that crawled across my legs. They didn't believe me because we couldn't find anything. They told me to just go back to bed. Yeah right. Try to sleep peacefully again after you had something disgusting crawl across YOUR legs! I was paranoid for another few weeks.

Fast forward again to Friday's phone call with Jessie..."It has to be that same dumb mouse that crawled on my legs in the spring." She, once again, didn't believe me because she never once believed me in the first place. We had a brilliant idea to have Trish's cat, Baby Teva, come over and kill the mouse in our house. Fail. We could hear it in our wall behind our refrigerator. Scott and I bought mouse killing food and set it out for the weekend. Before I left, I named it Turdface, because that is exactly what that dumb mouse is...a turdface. I got back to the house yesterday (Monday) from KY forgetting about turdface and excited to come home and relax. Nope. The refrigerator was still pulled out from the wall and the food was still there. Lunch time today we heard turdface playing in the wall once again. Now he is kind of our pet, but a pet we hate. I still yell at him hourly and tell him to shut his mouth. He listens to me too. I take the broom and bang it on the wall hoping he will fall and splatter. He just shuts up for 30 seconds and then continues singing or whatever he is doing. I'm just glad we rent this house and turdface can become Jessie's sister's pet when she moves in in June.

engaged!!!

Scott proposed to me on Dec. 22, 2009!! It was the best night of my life! He popped out of a present and was on one knee holding out the ring...my favorite Christmas present EVER! I knew he was going to propose eventually, but I didn't really know what eventually looked like. If he would have taken me out on an all day romantic adventure, I would have known the whole time. He decided to go for the shock factor instead..perfect choice. I was so surprised! I kept thinking it was a dream when he said, "Janie, will you marry me?" I still can't believe I will be getting married on June 19, 2010...only 6 months away! I still feel like a little girl. I get to spend the rest of my life with the man I've been praying for and waiting for my whole life:) June 19th couldn't come any sooner, but I know when that day actually is here, I won't believe how fast it went and I'll probably be freaking out that I am really getting married. Holy crap. I've always been pretty terrified of commitment. When I used to think of being with someone forever, I couldn't really fathom. God has completely transformed my heart and has given me a peace incomprehensible. Forever makes me so excited now. There is no other man I would rather spend the rest of my life with. Thank you Jesus for having your hand in this the whole time.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Yesterday was my dad's 55th birthday. Whew, he is getting up there;) My dad grew up with 2 older brothers and 2 older sisters. His mom was a solid Christian lady. She passed away almost 7 years ago. She was the one that set a great Godly example for him. Dad didn't become a Christian until he was 20 years old. I kid you not, he began searching while sitting around with a bunch of friends who were passing around a joint. A jewish believer led him to Christ. My mom and dad married young and had five kids (4 older boys and a little girl...me:) They divorced when I was very young. Mom remarried shortly after. Dad remarried about 10 years later. My brothers and I switched off going to mom and dad's every other day and every other weekend until we were old enough to decide where we wanted to stay. We were blessed to be able to spend equal time with both parents. Before my dad remarried, he did an amazing job raising 5 kids in a solid Christian household. He took us to church with him every Sunday, led us in devotions, prayed with us, etc. The only thing he struggled with was cooking a good meal...lots of frozen and canned foods:) Besides that, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I loved spending time with my dad. He played hide-and-go-seek with us and the neighborhood kids, he played basketball with us in our backyard, he took us to Minnesota on vacation every summer to our lake house...we kept him young. As we got older, dad wasn't able to beat Josh and Jeremy in basketball anymore, we no longer had to be spanked with a long wooden ruler, and we were finally able to cook for ourselves. Dad remarried when I was 10 years old. Lynn already had 2 boys and a girl. That meant I now had 2 more brothers and finally a SISTER!! I was so excited. I was an awful flower girl in that wedding though. We no longer had dad to ourselves, but we were so happy dad found a wonderful woman of the Lord. Things changed drastically, but dad still maintained a Godly household with 3 extra kids. He has been my inspiration to have my own Godly household someday and my inspiration to live a life glorifying to Christ. I love him more than words can describe. Now he is 55 years old, but I pray the Lord will give him many more years to continue to instill Godly principals in my kids and my siblings kids. To my hero, my dad, thank you for loving me with Christ's love. Happy Birthday!

"Carry each others burdens..."

I talked to a really good friend this morning at 7:30am to find out her dad passed away yesterday. When the reality hit me a few minutes after I received the text message, tears quickly filled my eyes. He died of cancer. So many thoughts immediately consumed my mind: He was too young to die, he left 4 kids and grandchildren behind, I can't fathom the pain my friend and her family are experiencing, any day could be my last, why didn't I ask my friend more often how he was doing, etc. I am burdened because I know my friend is experiencing one of the hardest things in life: death of a loved one. I can't stop thinking about her and her pain she is dealing with. As believers, we are called to mourn with our sisters and brothers in Christ. We are also called to carry each others burdens. I believe this comes very natural when we try to put ourselves in that person's shoes. When a good friend or family member is hurting, you hurt. I can't imagine ever losing my dad, especially right now at his young age. Most people assume they will live until they are old and gray. That is not reality. If we woke up everyday realizing that today could be our last day, we would all probably live life a lot differently. Even though I'm young, I know that the Lord will take me home in His perfect timing. I want to be ready for that. If you think about it today, tell the people in your life that mean the most to you that you love them and are thankful for them. Keep my friend and her family in your prayers ,please, as well.