Where did '08 go?

Let's sum up my 2008 in pictures, shall we...

January: Celebrated beginning of '08 with the fam in NC February: Lisa got engaged!

March: Happy St. Paddy's Day

April: Epic Road Trip May: Aloha!!! June: Said good-bye to Cali...single tear

July: I met the 26th year of my life August: Ladies Reunion in A-TownSeptember: Disney Wedding in Cali October: Snyde/Tice Wedding in Cali

November: Fam visited Austin for ThanksgivingDecember: Visited the Fam in NC

2009, Bring it!!!

Pho-Dawgs Rock

Confession: I stalk blogs. I stalk mainly photographer blogs. I think I started appreciating the art of photography probably several years ago. 2 of my close friends (one a roomie and one expecting a baby in May!!!) are photographers so I guess having it around a lot helped me develop the appreciation. So now, I stalk photographer blogs. I have a few faves for different categories of life.

Jasmine Star - Jasmine is going to be my wedding photographer...if/when that joyous, momentous day ever comes for me. I don't even have the male part of the wedding, but your darn tootin I have the photographer. She's rad, real, Californian, and loves Jesus too...can't beat that!

Amy Wenzel - Amy mainly photographs kids. Granted, I won't need her till even awhile after I've hired Jasmine for my wedding, but I LOVE looking at her pictures. She's got this vintage style splashed with bright, vibrant colors. Love it!

Jeremy Cowart - Cowart has a unique way of capturing pictures. He has shot a lot of celebrities and media pictures, but he's also shot all over the world capturing faces and scenes of people just like us, but in completely different situations. Not only is he an incredibly unique photographer, he has a passion for justice and helping those in need, and uses his gift of photography to bring awareness to that.

Jamie Lynne - How can I list great photographers and leave out Jamie Lynne Lapeyrolerie. =) Jamie's one of those close friends I mentioned who is a photographer. It's been fun to see this side of photography and all that goes into a career like this. She's passionate about what she does and you can tell that in her photos. SO, if you or anyone you know is planning on getting hitched, you need to contact her. She does an awesome job and I promise you won't regret it!

Jessica Lynn - Jess is a newfound Texan friend and coworker. We are in the same community group and she helped me get the job I have now. She's super awesome, artsy, and fun! She insists that she's just starting out, but I personally think her work is incredible and just exudes her personality!

A Very Merry Christmas

My recipe for Christmas '08:
-relaxation with the fam
-rejoicing that my brother was able to be home from overseas
-games, games, and more games
-margaritas and white Russians...mmm....
-consistent laughter
-eating...LOTS of eating
-a day in South Carolina
-and shopping
-oh, and an iPod Touch!

All that put together makes for an AWESOME Christmas this year!

Do you know what rocks my world? Sonic slushes

Do you know what rocks my face off? Half off Sonic slushes everyday during Happy Hour from 2 to 4.

I'm in North Carolina right now and the temperature is a bit nippy. BUT it's just never too cold for a Sonic slush when they're half off. I'm almost positive that the slushes are just that much sweeter when they're half off.

Frodo siting!

Yes, I'm a nerd and get excited when I see famous people out and about...which has now been like 4 times and always in airports.

So guess who was at the Austin airport on December 19, 2008, at approximately 2:45 pm??

Modernization

I secretly wish that the old skool Nokia phones would come back.

I mean, I REALLY wish they would come back.

I had a phone just like this one shown here. I loved the chunkiness of it. I love the clacky sound it made when you pushed those plastic buttons. I would change the cover and buttons on mine every couple of months. My favorite combo was clear with clear buttons. Oh, how I loved you, Nokia.

Doesn't this phone just bring back mems??

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems

I hate money. I really do. I hate the burden that it is to me. I hate how it makes me feel like I need it to survive in this world. I hate that I find it so easy to see it as my sense of security. I hate how it effects my moods at times.

Money is one of my main enemies right now and I feel like I'm trying to win this battle over it on my own.

All the while, God is trying to get a few things across to me:
-Do not let the burden of money control you
-I alone am your security and survival in this world
-I am bigger than your worries and closer to you than your problems
-Unload on Me your burden and have faith that I will take care of you

I type those out, but that definitely doesn't mean I'm fully living it out. My brain knows this, but my heart needs to truly believe it through obedience.

Argh, how I hate money.

"I got worms"

(20 points to anyone who can name what movie that was from.)

Within the last couple weeks, we have had sporadic worms randomly appear, mainly in our kitchen and I just caught one in our living room. EW. I was going to post a picture of one, but I think they are truly disgusting looking. Yuck.

I have no idea where they come from or where they are going, but they need to get the H-E-double hockey sticks outta here. Gross.

Anyone have good worm repellent advice???

Here I Go Again

My friend received this in an email but decided to post it on her blog. I thought it was fun, dandy and a great use of time. =)

1. Put your iTunes on shuffle (or windows media player).

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

4. Make a fun/silly/witty comment on your answer.

1.What is your motto?
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Well, I wouldn't consider myself an uptown girl, but I'm not sure if I'm a downtown girl either.

2.What do your friends think of you?
Again - Needtobreathe
They are consistently thinking of me?! How sweet, guys!!

3.What do you think about very often?
La Bamba - Richie Valens
Apparently I think in Spanish.

4. What is 2+2?
Electrical Storm - U2
Math does cause an electrical storm of happiness in my brain.

5.What do you think of your best friend?
Final Countdown - Europe
I'm counting down until they're gone???

6.What do you think of the person you like?
5,000 miles - The Proclaimers
Awesome, they're far away from me....that does me good.

7. What is your life story?
Emotion - Destiny's Child
Well, I am a very emotional person...that makes sense.

8.What do you want to be when you grow up?
Sea Breeze - Tyrone Wells
I want to be refreshing...

9.What do you think when you see the person you like?
Surely we can change - David Crowder Band
I guess I don't think too highly of them as they are right now

10.What do your parents think of you?
Everything is Beautiful - Starfield
That is just so stinkin sweet!!!!

11.What will you dance to at your wedding?
Next Episode - Snoop Dogg
Holler, Shot Caller!! And it's so romantic too...

12. What will they play at your funeral?
Hangin Tough - NKOTB
That's just rad.

13. What is your hobby/interest?
Return - Needtobreathe
Umm...well, I'm really at a lost for words with this one.

14. What is your biggest secret?
Salvation - Charlie Hall
Sadness! That's my secret?!

15. What do you think of your friends?
Good People - Jack Johnson
Awww...that would be cute if it were true. =) J/K I love you guys!

16. What's the worst thing that could happen?
The Moon - Kendall Payne
Maybe I'm just not meant to ever walk on the moon...bust.

17.How will you die?
Everything Glorious - David Crowder Band
Entering Heaven will be a glorious thing...

18. What makes you laugh?
We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
Not takin crap from anyone! That's what makes me laugh!

19.What makes you cry?
Marianne - Matt Wertz
Well, I do have an Aunt Maryann, but I wouldn't go as far as saying she makes me cry.

20. Will you ever get married?
Vogue - Madonna
Crank up the vogueing, and the men will come... Got it.

21. What scares you the most?
Lightning Crashes - Live
I actually love lightning so this is a complete falsehood.

22. Does anyone like you?
Make That Money - Robi Rob's Club World
Yeah, but apparently just for my money....ha!

23. If you could go back in time, what would you change?
Peace Train - Cat Stevens
I'm actually a huge fan of peace, so, again, falsehood.

24. What hurts right now?
The River - Chris Tomlin
Mmm...no clue.

25. Now for the title of this blog entry...
Here I go Again - Whitesnake
It fits since I just did the Picture Tag post.

26. Lastly, what is the one thing you regret?
Remembering You - Steven Curtis Chapman
Ouch, that's gotta hurt...

Picture Tag aka Blog Funness!

Thanks for the tag, Sheena!!

So here are the rules of this game:

1. Choose the 4th picture folder on your computer

2. Choose the 4th picture

3. Explain the picture

4. Choose 4 people to do the same

My photo:
So mine is kind of boring. This was at LAX when Jamie, me and our friend Lena were heading to none other than great town Austin, TX for a mini vaca in 2007. I think I took this pic because it was like the butt crack of dawn and I was just amazed at how crowded the airport was. I think there were also some major flight cancellations and that added to the chaos. I normally love LAX, but I can't stand the crowds.

So there ya have it!

Now, I tag:
1. Erin Mills
2. Jessica S.
3. Erin McGee (even though you won't get to this for awhile)
4. Amalea (...she's a baby, but I can't think of anyone else who reads this and has a blog and I promised Jamie she can tag Robin) =)

Have fun, Ladies!!!

Bittersweet

After much thought and prayer, I came to the decision to trade in my 4 Runner and downsize to make smaller monthly payments. Trust me, it was a hard decision. I love my 4 Runner. It was good to me; no, GREAT to me. But this was the smart thing for me to do right now. I work for a non-profit...enough said.

Anyways, here's my new set of wheels. Welcome Toyota Corolla! Here's to years of good times and great oldies!!

Not okay

Do you know what this is on my windshield, my friends??

Ice...ICE!!

Not only were ice chips mixed in with the rain last night, it snowed...SNOWED!!

I don't know how I'm going to make it through these Texas winters...I really don't know.

Zoo Friends

This last weekend I went to Houston with Jamie for her company Christmas party. Since we had never been to Houston, we decided to be tourists and we hit up the zoo. It was way fun and they had a good selection of animals if I do say so myself.

My favorite: the giraffe!


Zoo time from Mariko on Vimeo.

He's Back!

Andrew is finally home! He has been in Iraq for about 3 months and flew home (Florida) this weekend.

Thank you all for your prayers for my brother's safety while he was deployed. It'll be awesome to be all together for Christmas this year!

Self Check

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complimenting your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in our lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.
So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, His choice of you.
2 Peter 1:5-10 (The Message)

I know there have been times in my life when I feel like I'm not getting clear direction from God or I'm not hearing from Him at all. Then it leads to frustration and me saying things like, "What's the deal, God?! If I'm supposed to be doing what You want me to be doing, then why don't I know what that is. I'm waiting...etc."

I don't know where I was when I read or heard that a lot of times when we feel like we are at a dead end in our walk with God or our direction in life when seeking God's guidance, we should do a self check on our own lives. This was just so true for me. Now, there are times when maybe the Lord is just teaching patience and it's not something we're doing that is hindering us from "moving along" in the path of life, but I think a lot if not most of the time there is something in our lives that we are doing that does not please God. We need to get to the point of being vulnerable and humble before Him and let Him show us what in our lives is not pleasing Him.

That's where the list comes in.

Are we living with:

• good character
• spiritual understanding
• alert discipline
• passionate patience
• reverent wonder
• warm friendliness
• generous love

I love this list, but it is also painful to go through and see what I am not doing. Nonetheless, I will strive to live that list.

I hope you find encouragement in knowing that God does have a plan for each of our lives and He wants us to live that plan so we can get a taste of His abounding love for us.

I need Africa...

...more than Africa needs me.

www.mochaclub.org

Homie don't play that

Temperature this morning.

I'm pretty sure you can get hypothermia in this weather.

Confessions

My dislikes that are counter-culture:

John Mayer
I know this is blasephemy to some of you. He's a very talented musician, I will give him that, but I CANNOT stand his voice.

Vanilla scented perfume
It causes me to have gagging reflexes.

Seinfield
I've watched several episodes the past several years and I just never thought it was that funny.

My likes that are counter-culture:

Celine Dion
I'm just being open and honest here. I like Celine Dion.

Puzzles
I love doing puzzles! It's very therapeutic for me. The more pieces the better.

Math
I used to look forward to my math homework as kid. There's just something about numbers and solving a problem that sends my insides up in a joyous jubilee.

Song Crush

Song Crush = a song that you just can't get enough of for a certain period of time.

Occasionally I get song crushes. I can crush on a song for any of the following reasons: it speaks to me and where I'm at in life, it has a funky sound, it's random, or because it's just stinkin rad.

My song crush right now: "Washed by the Water" - Needtobreathe

It'll rock your soul!