Cat/Dog Fight

Yesterday our day did not go according to plan and we had to learn to monitor and adjust to the "childrens" needs. (Our children are our pets). I really learned a valuable lesson that when you have kids you really put your life on hold when they need you!

When I got home I went to play with Duke and I noticed his eye was swollen. I didn't really think much of it but when Patrick got home he said it looked bad so we headed to the emergency vet. We thought maybe he had gotten bite by something or stung by a bee. We arrived at the vet at 7:30 and 2 hours later we found out that our cat, Lexy, had scratch Duke above the eye and he needed an antibotic shot in the spot of the eye. They had to give him some medicine to calm him down and then give him a shot and we have to give him medicine every day. Our dog is very hyper and never stops and when they brought him back out to us he was so tired. I held him like a baby the whole way home. He was so out of it. When we got home we put him on a towel in the kitchen and he used the bathroom without moving and he didn't even know it. He looked so sad. He slept for a good 8 hours! Needless to say Lexy and Duke cannot play together that much anymore. Usually she does not put her claws out and just taps him, but the other night she got mad and put her claws out. We thought it might have hurt him but he didn't make any sounds or anything. I told Lexy she owes me some money! :)

This morning Duke was still kinda out of it, but better. He was just sitting outside looking at everything like he didn't know where he was!

Our new entertainment center was delivered yesterday (Thanks to my parents for the wonderful gift) and we never had a chance to hook anything up! Also Patrick's parents were coming home from the beach so we were going to go to dinner with them last night, but that did not happen. Patrick and I didn't eat until 9:30 last night. They did stop by the vet for awhile to see us! Thanks John and Alice! Sorry we did not get to visit!

Patrick and I got our first taste of parenthood last night and WE SURVIVED! :)

Blessings

I am reading a book and a character in the book started a journal where she writes her blessings down. I think that is a good idea to list things blessings or things I love so here is some of my list!

Blessings or things I love
1. good health
2. Loving and caring husband
3. Wonderful family
4. I am close to my family and enjoy spending time with them.
5. good job where I get summers off
6. Nice house
7. sleeping late on sat.
8. watching movies with Patrick
9. spending time with Caroline and Eli
10. The way Caroline says "Ali Hold u".
11. attending a wonderful church
12. getting a job closer to home
13. taking walks with my family when we are home
14. Good friends!
15. days where I can spend all day in my pjs!
16. shopping with my mom and sister
17. SHOPPING!
18. having Matt and Crystal in columbia to hang out with!
19. I am blessed for the time I spent with my Mimi!
20. VACATION!!!

Have a great day!

Lindsays party!!

Here are some pictures from Lindsay's Party!

Thanks for a great night out girls!

I'm so ready for SUMMER!!!!

My sister told me I needed to post something else so here it goes! I hope she will post something new as well!!!!!

Well everyone I know is out of school and I still have another week. We don't get out until next Thursday and I AM SO READY! I have already started planning stuff to do during the summer. I am so excited about painting our house and decorating everything! I am also going to watch some movies and read some good books. I am so ready to just relax.

On the way to school this morning I was thinking about how I have almost been married for a year. On June 10th Patrick and I will celebrate our one year anniversary! I am so blessed to have had a great first year. Patrick and I have learned alot about each other. Lindsay asked us the other night what is the best and hardest thing about getting married. I think the hardest part is learning to live together. When we first got married we had to get use to each others routines. Like in the morning you don't talk to me until I have had a shower or I will yell at you. Patrick sure did learn that pretty quick. Patrick also likes to play music at all times! I had to get use to that! He also likes to play playstation every once in a while and could play for hours! At first I thought that he didn't want to spend time with me, but now I don't mind him playing because sometimes we need to be apart and that is ok!
The best part about being married is also living with each other! I love being able to come home and know that he is going to come home and not leave. I use to hate having to say goodbye to him every night and one of us would have to leave each other's parents' house. Now we don't have too! It was also so hard for the 6 months he was in Lexington and I was in Spartanburg, so the first time we went to "our house" and didn't have to say goodbye, I was so happy!
We have now also lived in Lexington for a year! At first I was not happy about us moving, but now I am so glad we did! We have become so much closer because we have to depend on each other when things go wrong. We can't go to our parents house! I learned how to cook because my mom can't cook for me! We miss everyone but sometimes it is great to be away! I also enjoy being away because you see how much your family means to you! I really enjoy visiting Spartanburg because we get to spend so much time with our family. Patrick and I are very blessed to have such wonderful caring families.

Well I need to get back to babysitting my teenagers! Oh when will the day be over! :)
Please pray for sister today she has to go to the doctor at 4:15 for some problems with the after pregnancy stuff!

Now Kelly you need to post something on your website! :)

Weekend Update

This past weekend Patrick and I went to Spartanburg AGAIN! We have been up there alot lately. We are very excited about being able to stay home this weekend and go to our church!
Our weekend was fun though! When we got to my parents house Caroline was there and she spent the night with us! She was so cute! She loves Duke and saying "Come on Duke". We taught her how to say that she was One when you ask her! She also loves to count to 5 but has trouble remembering 3 and 4, but will scream 5!!! She woke up at 7:00 and was wide awake so I got up around 7:30 to play with her!

Saturday Lindsay had her bridesmaid luncheon and it was so good! It was also fun to spend time with friends that I have not seen in a long time! Patrick also went out with Tyler Deal during the day on Saturday so he got to spend time with his friends!

Saturday night Patrick went to Taylor's bachelor party and I went to Lindsay's bachelorette party. It was so much fun for both of us, but we have definitely gotten older because it was hard to stay out late! I was so tired by like 9:00! It was so much fun spending time with friends though! I will post some pictures of Lindsay's party later!

Sunday we went to my dad's church and then my mom cooked a great Sunday lunch! We all took a nap that day as well because we were so tired from the night before! We just sat around all day! It was great to relax! Before we left we went to see Patrick's parents and let Duke play with Daisy!

We had a great weekend and it was so much fun to see everyone! This is the next to last week for me at school and exams are starting so things are getting crazy! I am so ready for school to be out and SUMMER VACATION! I hope everyone has a great week!! :)

This week's events

I am sorry it has taken a while to write. This week has been crazy. On Wednesday morning a senior at my school was killed in a car accident. She was very well known throughout the school and the students have had a hard time with this event. I also had a hard time even though I did not teach her because when I was a senior my best friend was killed in a car accident as well and I have had to relive all those memories this week. It has been very hard for me to have to be an adult in this situation but I have had many people praying for us. Please pray for the family this weekend. She was an only child and was going to attend USC-Aiken next year. The services are this weekend.

My sister sent me an email about something that Andy wrote this week. It is posted below. When I read it I was like wow I have never thought like that before and I hope everyone tries to ask people if they know Christ, because you never know if they do or if they are given tomorrow. Never forget to tell the people you love the most that you love them EVERYDAY!


friday, may 18, 2007:
i have been thinking lately about the passage in matthew where Jesus tells peter and andrew to drop their nets and he will make them fishers of men. isn't that what it means to follow Jesus, to be a fisher of men. it also brings to mind the passage where Jesus tells the disciples that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. as christians, perhaps our top priority should be to bring others to Christ. i feel we rationalize our activities at church as producing kingdom growth, but in actuality, we are usually involved in church for personal reasons, not to be fishers of men. i believe the majority of christians choose what we want to do and then ask God to bless it. and although what we do is often blessed, that isn't exactly following Jesus. what we do often feels good and may even produce results, but are we really seeking souls. it was recently said that someone i know and care about had never been asked if they wanted to accept Jesus. although they did accept Jesus on their own, this person has been involved in our youth group for a while, and if i had truly been fishing for men, i would have asked at some point if they wanted to accept Jesus as their savior. i have asked that question before, but not enough. in order to be a fisher of men and to follow Jesus, i need to ask that question a lot more. what do you need to do to be a fisher of men, a true follower of Jesus?


I hope everyone has a great day! I will post more later about this weekend!

Weekend Pictures

Pictures that we took this weekend! Sorry there are no pictures of our Mothers! The babies are too cute!

Eli's ticklish!

Caroline and Granddad!

CONGRATS

Last night we found out that Patrick's other cousin Matt and his wife Crystal will be having a baby in Jan.! We are so excited because they live in Columbia like us so we are excited about being a part of this special time in their lives.

Also my mother-in-law Alice was named the teacher of the year at the South Carolina School for Deaf and Blind. We are so proud of her! She definitely deserves this award. Congrats Alice! We love you!

Wonderful Weekend

Oh how I didn't want this weekend to end! It started off by me going shopping with Eli, Kelly, and Andy! I had so much fun with them because I have not spent time with them in a long time. I also found out that they are going to the beach with us for some of the week this summer! I cannot wait to see Caroline walking on the beach! After shopping we all took naps and then Caroline came home and she was so cute! Her favorite thing to say now is OK! It is so cute! She was tired so by the time Patrick got home she was asleep, but he bought Duke to meet his cousins Lily and Debo! He had so much fun! :)

Sat. started by getting ready for Lindsay's shower and then going to the shower! That was so much fun! It was nice to talk to people that I have not talked to in a long time! Her bridal pictures were so cute as well. They made me cry! I cannot wait for her wedding!
After the shower we went back to Kelly's with my parents. Caroline was so cute! She LOVES Patrick. She followed him wherever he went! Eli was cute as well. He would smile at Patrick and I! After Kelly's we went to see Brandon and Summer! It was great to see them! They are doing so well and we miss them so much.

Sunday was very busy but very nice! We went to church with my mom for Momma's day. After that we went to Patrick's Aunt's house for the Graham side Mother's Day and Birthdays. That was very nice and I want to thank everyone for my birthday presents! We then went to my mom and dads for my dad's side family Mother day! It was fun!
We all took a walk up my parents rode and Caroline was so good and cute! She walked the whole way up! It was so nice to spend time with family!

Patrick and I are very glad that we live in Lexington, but we enjoy spending time with family as much as we can! We are very blessed with great parents and siblings and families!
This weekend was very busy, but so much fun! We miss everyone!

Please continue to pray for Granddad!

Date night!

Tonight Patrick and I are going on a date. It has been a long time since we have gone to dinner and movie. We have been so busy with everything! I am so excited!

I am taking tomorrow off work. I am very excited about that! I am going to get up and take Patrick to work and come home to spend the day with my sister and maybe Eli. I am so excited. It has been a long time since Kelly and I have spent time together and I can't wait to go shopping! I also haven't seen Eli in a long time or been able to spend that much time with him because of being in Lexington and whenever we go there I am occupied by Caroline. Caroline is spending the night with Andy's mom so she won't be there tomorrow morning when I get there. I hope to see her tomorrow night though.

Patrick and I found out yesterday that his cousin Rob and wife Andrea are going to have a baby! We are so excited. They are the first cousins to have a child on that side of the family, so everyone is excited. Please pray for them during this time!

Also please continue to pray for Granddad. He is still in the hospital. Patrick and I don't much because we aren't up there, but please just pray for him and Ma during this time.

Words to live by

"Think enthusiastically about everything; but especially about your job. If you do, you'll put a touch of glory in your life. If you love your job with enthusiasm, you'll shake it to pieces. You'll love it to greatness!"
Norman Vincent Peale


As the end of the year arrives I have to read this everyday! I hope this is some encouragement to make it through the end especially the people dealing with PACT testing this week! :)

Random thoughts

Today my cousin Shane is coming home from Iraq for two weeks. I am so happy for his family. He has 5 year old twin girls and they are so cute! I know they are happy to see their dad and I know their mom is very happy! Please pray for them for the next two weeks. They are going to travel to Disney world for family time! I know my Grandma is happy because it is her birthday this weekend and she is excited that he is home for a little while!


Patrick and I will be travelling home this weekend for many reasons. We haven't been home in 4 weeks and I think that if we have to go another week without seeing Caroline and Eli, I would go crazy! I am also helping some friends throw our friend Lindsay a bridal shower! I am very excited about this because I am so happy for Lindsay! We have been friends for a long time and I am so happy to see her get married! She is going to be a beautiful bride. This is also the first wedding Patrick and I will be in as a married couple! That is going to be fun!!! We are also coming home because of Mother's Day! We can't go without seeing and thanking our moms! This mother's day will be special for my sister because she now has her family complete after years of waiting! I know she will be happy on Mother's Day. This Mother's Day will also be different for me because I will get gifts. Now, I am not a mother I promise! :) We are going to celebrate my birthday on the Graham side! I am so blessed to have married into a family that is so loving! They have made me one of them! I have never gotten birthday presents in May before, but I am just blessed that they would think about me!
We are also going home to see Granddad. He is still in the hospital so please continue to pray for him!
We also want to show off our dog! :) I can't wait for everyone to see him, especially Caroline because she calls him "Uke" . She thinks of Patrick now as a boyfriend so I know she is happy to see him!
We hope to also see our friends Brandon and Summer this weekend. They have a cute 2 year old girl named Brynn and they are expecting another child as well! We have not seen them in a long time and Brandon's birthday is this weekend so this is a great time to get together.

So we have many reasons to come home and hope to get all this done this weekend! I can't wait to see everyone! I am definitely looking forward to this weekend!

Prayer Concerns

I have a quick moment before lunch to ask for some prayer request.
1 . Patrick's Granddad is in the hospital so please pray for him and his doctors.
2. Patrick's aunt Pam and uncle Bob have a dog named Dixie, and she ran away Friday night, please pray for them and the dog.

Thanks for the prayers for graduate school! I am starting school again on May 30th!!!

Pictures from the beach!

I miss the beach!!



Patrick and I riding the train at putt-putt


Sally and I in jail at putt-putt

Far Far away!!!

All of us on the beach!

Sally is as tall as Patrick!

10 Things you can do daily to make things better

Last year I got this email from my dad and I have it posted in my room. Whenever I am having a bad day I try to do some of these things.

1. Walk into your office or class everyday with a positive, can-do attitude.
2. Say "Good Morning" to everyone you see.
3. Resolve to make at least one situation better every day.
4. Make yourself available in attitude and action.
5. Do your part to help create a sense of joy.
6. Make it a point to bring someone else's accomplishments to the atteniton of others.
7. Ask at least one person's opinion and listen to what they say.
8. Refuse to believe the "sky is falling" when situations look bleak.
9. Freely reveal your goals for the day.
10. Count your blessings- privately and publicly.
SMALL IMPROVEMENTS MAKE FOR A BIG CHANGE!

Patrick and I are leaving for the beach today with his family! I am looking forward to this to be able to relax before the end of the year gets crazy! Teaching Seniors is tough because they don't care anymore and act TERRIBLE! :) I have a prayer request for me. I am trying to decide if I should start graduate school this summer and would like it if you would pray for guidance for me!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!

National Day of Prayer

I heard on the radio that today is National Day of Prayer. I think that is great, but why do we need a day where everyone prays together. Why don't we pray together everyday? I will have to admit praying is hard for me sometimes when things are going great. I do forget to thank God for the blessings, but I am getting better. It seems so easy to ask for God's help when things are going bad, but I need to praise Him when things are going good. My mom made a good point the other day about how our lives are so busy but we need to be thankful that we have the good health and strength to carry on everyday. Even when I get down because I have SO MUCH to do, I am thankful that I have the health to carry on.

So here is my National Day of Prayer for everyone!

Dear Lord,
Thank you for this day that you have given me. Thank you for allowing me to walk and have good health today. I thank you for all the blessings you have given me in the past year! I have a wonderful husband and new family that loves me dearly. Thank you also for my wonderful family that has been there for me whenever I need them. Thank you for allowing me to have a great first year teaching and for Patrick's wonderful job. Thank you for leading us to our wonderful church and sunday school class!
I ask that you be with the soliders today, especially Shane. Lord, thank you for allowing him to be able to come home for a couple weeks to spend time with his family. Please be with him as he travels over here, and please watch over him everyday.
Be with our country as things are changing in politics. Please let your will be done in every vote.
Lord today I just want to praise You for everything that you have blessed my family with. Thank you for our good health. Lord I ask that you watch over the sick and homeless and help them find hope in You.
Thank you for everything!
Amen.

Crazy Months!!!!

Well, after reading Kelly and JuJu's blogs, I have decided to start my own journal! I hope this will be helpful to people since we don't live that close anymore! Patrick and I have had a lot happen to us in the past couple of months. We bought our first house, which WE LOVE! We both got new jobs, he is working for FMI landscaping and I will work at White Knoll High School next year. We bought a dog named DUKE! We have a new nephew Eli, and have starting going to a sunday school class at a church near our house. We are both very happy, but we miss the little ones! I love having picture updates of Caroline and Eli, but it makes me miss them! They are both getting so big! :) We have been very busy so it is nice to know that school is almost out! I was suppose to have jury duty today, but was excused, so I had a great day off work to get things done around the house! We are also going to the beach this weekend with Patrick's family, so it will be nice to get away for awhile! Please pray for us as we start to make Lexington feel more like home to us! I have posted some pictures of Duke and the most recent picture I have of Carolina and Eli!!