Creativity at its finest

This is our very good friend Hans. He and Courtney (& Ethan) have a really cute site www.thegoogers.com

But this is my favorite thing I've seen in a while. Please get a load of this.

thegoogers.com

Mom and Harold's Birthday...

We were so glad to be able to go home for FBC Pensacola's Disciple Now! We had an incredible time with the Senior High students. The message from Neil McClendon about how much God loves us (and how that makes it easier to love others) spoke right to my core. And worship, lead by my oldest bestie, Jourdan, was fantastic. We had such a good time.

We are also glad that we were able to celebrate my mom's 6_'rd birthday and my little nephew's 2nd. It was a sweet party, filled with goldfish, balloons, cake, games, and good times.

Here are a few moments to behold:

Getting our act together...

there we go!

We also got to stop in Baton Rouge on the way home to visit Courtney and Ethan. We missed seeing Hans, but seriously, Ethan looks a lot like him so it was like he was there.

And now we're back to work and school. At least one of us is graduating this May! Which is very exciting news. So exciting, that like Madison, it makes me want to do this:

living on love,

Karen

I'd like to give a toast

My dear friends, I am married. I married the man of my dreams (and of my prayers) - 3 weeks ago and living with him is the best thing on this earth. He is an adorably strong man who loves me so well and is teaching me (though he does not know it) how to love better. So, we are happy in our home - the tree is up - the rooms are clean (for now), and our closets are full of years of accumulation of books, old school papers, magnets, pictures, receipts, and other things we simply cannot let go of.

The past 6 months have been filled with a marriage proposal, wedding planning meetings, eagerness, readiness, a little arguing here and there, and great anticipation of the day we would be united for the rest of our lives.

So, today - as we embark into the new year with 1 month of marriage (almost) under our belts - I'd like to give a toast to my new husband. There is no man on this earth that comes close to having the heart that Chris has, or the handsomeness, or the smile, or the gentleness. 3 weeks in I am in love with my husband - and am grateful to God for giving me the man of my dreams. So, here's to parents who loves us, a God who gives abundantly to us, and to a life that we can look forward to - both here on earth and in Heaven. To God be the glory! Cheers!

It Finally Hit Me

My roommate and I just finished watching About a boy. it is not unusual for me to cry at the end of movies or at parts that have a resounding moment of relationships uniting or a person feeling like they matter for the first time. But, I just finished the movie and tears from the bottom of my gut continued to pour out while Rach and I discussed why. I realized that kids who have parents who are depressed and suicidal have a lot to carry on their shoulders. I realized that if a kid has parents who are unable to be there for them emotionally or provide for them in financial ways that will upgrade their fashion sense, that life that can be really hard. I realized that the best part of life is that time keeps going. Slowly some days, too fast others. But the point is that if you are depressed or have found yourself in a place that you feel you can never get out of, i would ask for you to hold on. to wait. to consider that the pain that you feel may, in fact someday, go away, if only for a moment. because someday down the road there may be another moment. and then, perhaps, another.

If you do happen to consider yourself an island - as the infamous Will in About a Boy does - then you may be an island. but at the end of the day, islands are beautiful, full of plush, green trees, sand, water that laps up onto the shore, sun that shines only on it. An island may look beautiful on the outside and full of life. But an island is alone. And no man was meant to be alone.

So if the chips are down...and they will be if they are not right now. go find someone. you don't even have to say a word. The mere presence of two or more people leave greater opportunity for new life to occur.

We're gonna watch Hotel Rwanda now. I'm sure i'll have nothing to say afterwards.

until next time.

xoxo.