Random Wednesday Thoughts...

Totally random thoughts from my week (so far)...

1. Monday was busy busy for us at Strength to Stand! We registered 1000 students in one day!  Gotta love discount day.  God has really blessed our conferences over the years - so grateful to be able to serve the Kingdom in this small way.  
2. I do love the group of people I work with.  We are a big family here at SDEA - we love big and argue little.
3. SDEA celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a banquet last Thursday - as soon as I get some photos from it - I'll post them and let you see the fun night!
4. I made taco soup Monday night for dinner - gosh I love that stuff.  Cold weather and taco soup...ahh fall!
5. I have been doing the Chronological Bible Study at church on Tuesday nights.  I love it!  Its my third time to do it.  Funny how the Word is always showing you new things - i.e. living and active!
6. M started a new job last week at Coca Cola.  He loves it - so glad that he is doing something he has aspired to do and proof once again that the Lord answers prayers!!
7. My work email is overloaded with spam.  I kid you not - I get probably 75 a day.  Driving me bananas.  
8. Its been so cold here I cannot help myself - I started listening to Christmas music yesterday - yes I know its before Halloween - but I had to.  Its actually a little late for me.  I usually begin instrumental Christmas music middle of October - so I did hold out a little longer this year!
9. Speaking of Christmas - I always put up my tree around the first weekend of November.  Well - M doesn't see the holidays like I do.  So, my goal is to talk him into putting it up at least the week of Veteran's Day.  If only I could get up in the attic it'd go up sooner ;).
10. Speaking of Christmas music - I listened to Lady Antebellum and Mandisa's Christmas albums today on Spotify (i love spotify) - both are really good!
11. Making my yearly visit with Brandon and Ella tonight as they trick or treat.  I have never missed a Halloween with them.  Always fun to see their costumes and go with them to get candy.
12. Kasey (from work) and I had the discussion about Halloween today and trick or treating.  I am glad my parents allowed us to.  I know some folks don't believe in that (to each their own) but I would have felt deprived if we hadn't.  I loved it.  We never dressed evil growing up.  Always such a fun night with great memories!

Here are a few pics of Brandon and Ella over the years...

Giraffe 2005

Pirate 2006

Spiderman 2007 

Lady Bug 2007

Buzz Lightyear 2008

Octopus 2008

Princess 2009

Big Al and Bumble Bee 2011

Happy Halloween!!

It's a Toy Story Halloween

We had such a fun weekend! On Friday night we went to our friend, Liz's, Halloween party! We had lots of great costumes this year. Michael & I dressed up as Woody & Jessie from Toy Story! Here are some photos...

     

2 years....

2 years ago I did not know what to expect as I was invited over to my friend Mayfield's apartment for dinner after church.  I know what I was hoping would happen - but I was guarding my heart the best I could.

I had met Mayfield, as he was known to us, at church on my first visit to GFBC.  I thought he was a nice guy, but didn't think much about it. My friend Karen and I rode to lunch with him and I looked up at his visor and saw a picture of a girl that I had met a few years before - it turned out to be his sister, Elizabeth. I did not go back to GFBC for another few months. Once I began attending the church we became friends - we ran in the same circles.  As I got to know him better, I discovered we shared a lot of things in common - music, Alabama football, loved our families and most importantly - loved Jesus. Over the next year - we became better friends, hung out more and more and I began to have feelings for him. I tried to deny it and hope that it would go away but it did not. I went to Africa with work and really prayed that the Lord would change my heart about him - He did not.

When I got back from Africa, I started to see a change in his behavior towards me. We were talking more and could it be that he was flirting with me?? After all, there was a 5.5 year age difference (yes I am a cougar), why would he want to go out with me? He could have any girl he wanted - I was not good enough for him. He began to tell me to be careful and ask me over to his apt when it was just us and not with a group of friends. We were watching movies together...was something happening is all I could think about.

Then, October 27, 2010 hit - he had asked me 2 days before to come to his apt after church - he would cook me dinner.  After church we went to his apt, he cooked chicken casserole and we watched a movie.  Nothing happened...so we watched another movie - The Burbs (such a romantic classic :)!!) And we began sitting closer to each other and I saw the arm began to move to the back of the couch.  Then it happened - his arm was on my shoulder.  I was dying inside, freaking out!  This was actually happening!!  We watched part of another movie (please know it was so late at this point, on a work day and he never stayed up this late), held hands and then it was time for me to go home.

At this point - I wanted to talk - I was not ready to go home - I mean - what had just happened here? He said he'd call me and we would talk on my way home.  So, we did. We decided to pray about it - see where the Lord would lead us - no labels. We had both stated we were not dating just to date. For 2 weeks we prayed and I still had feelings and so did he. So, we decided to go for it.

2 years later - we have been married 77 days.  I love him more today than I did the day before. He is so much more than I had ever dreamed of in a husband. He is the one the Lord had for me, the one I waited for. I am so thankful for to HIM for him!


I love you Michael (aka Mayfield)!

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think - Ephesians 3:20

8 inches...

I have been growing my hair out for over 2 years.  I had a few reasons - 1) - I liked myself with longer hair, 2) its easier - I can straighten it, make it curly, or put it up in a ponytail and go 3) most importantly, my man liked it.  I have been wanting a hair cut for some time - but with the wedding wanted long hair.  I promised myself when the wedding was over - it was time for a cut.  I was ready for a change, tired of sweeping up tons of hair that fell out (so gross) and just sick of it altogether.  Well, I kept my promise to myself - I cut it.  Not only did I cut it - I cut it big - 8 inches.  Gosh does it feel better and it is easier to fix and so far I am not sweeping up hair!

Here is 1 day before the big cut (not the best photo but you can tell their was some length)...

The hair on the floor during the cut...

And the finished product!  I like it a lot!  Thanks Melissa (if you need a new hairstylist - I recommend Melissa at Salon 31 in Gardendale - love her) !!

Good Ole Rocky Top....

We had such a fun weekend! This was our first "just because" weekend away as the Mayfields' and we had a blast!  We took a road trip to Pigeon Forge and went to watch Bama whip up on the Vols!  Roll Tide!  We left after work on Friday and made our way up to the Great Smoky Mountains!  Now, if you know me at all - you will know that Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg is one of my least favorite places to go.  I have a few reasons for this...one - I only go for work events - so every time I go for fun - I think about work; two - I have been there and done almost everything in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge so nothing is new and fun to me (although I will say they have new shows up there now and I have not seen them yet - so that will make it more exciting in the future). I will say this time I was very excited about going.  This was the first trip I have taken for fun to PF in over 3 years and being with my love made a difference as well :).

Here are a few photo highlights...

Michael has Sirius XM in his car.  We always go from the Message to 90's on 90 - he was nice enough to stop for a few minutes on my childhood fave. :)

We stopped in Chattanooga for one of our favorites that Birmingham doesn't have...fast food Italian.  Come on Birmingham - get it together and bring Fazoli's to town!

Our day started with a trip up the mountain to see the foliage.  I told Michael that fall is my new favorite season.  The trees, the cooler weather, the holidays - I love it!  God's design is beautiful!

My handsome husband sitting on the state line!

We had brunch at the famous Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg.  As many trips as I have taken - I have never eaten there and when I saw the line I was shocked - I told Michael it better be good for the line.  And it did not disappoint it was fabulous!  Sugar and Spice pancakes is where its at!

We explored the streets of Gatlinburg and ended up in one of their "malls".  We tried a water massage...different but pretty cool...

We then headed to Knoxville to watch the Tide take on the Vols!  I had never been to an AL away game before so that was a fun experience. TN orange was EVERYWHERE! I will give it to their fans - they were much better than LSU fans.  We had such a fun time and yes while we did hear "Rocky Top" probably 8 times the energy in the stadium when they were singing it was a blast!

Before heading home on Sunday I introduced Michael to the Apple Barn.  I was shocked he had never been there before.  Their food isn't the best I've ever had but its just the atmosphere and just a sweet place to go, explore and eat.  We also made a quick stop to Sevierville's covered bridge.  M and I love covered bridges.  When we first started dating, we spent a day looking for covered bridges in Alabama, that was one of our favorite date days that we had.

We had such a fun weekend in Pigeon Forge (yes I said I enjoyed being in Pigeon Forge) and look forward to many more!