Innermost Aspirations

Mar 20, 2011

another year older

{linking up my mosaic with Mary}

Last week I celebrated turning another year older...

One of the best things about having a birthday in my family is getting to

choose the menu for the day! I had a very hard time decided on just ONE thing...

But, I finally set my heart on a Rachael Ray recipe for almond crusted chicken!

One word:::aMAzInG!

Dessert was easier for me to choose as I am not much of sweets person.

Tiramisu is a bit of Italian heaven that I believe everyone should partake

of in their lifetime...

Besides the birthday food, I had a great day.

{some pictures that highlighted my day::}

Feeling older already...

reading my littlest sister's homemade card...

I always look forward to seeing what she will design for me!

getting chocked up over a necklace Brooke

got me...

(I think they were tears of joy, or maybe getting

older makes me more sappy???)

And

then

the

gifts

all

gifts!!!

A NOOK!!

[insert squeals here...]

And my "techno-electro" Dad looking on...:)

Looking forward to another great year!!

Mar 12, 2011

completion and a look ahead...

Another busy week has went by...

A week in which I started my new tutoring job, thanks

to a referral by my sister. And a week in which

I completed my 6 week online photography class.

It proved to be immensely helpful, and I have gained

alot through it. I was slightly nervous about taking

the test, as I have not taken a test for about 2 1/2 years!

But...

I passed! :)

With the start of a new week tomorrow comes an abundance of things going on.

So...you will not be seeing much of me; I will be busy with::

Jury Duty (both nervous and excited as to what this will bring)
A jewelry party with EJ
A birthday celebration
A lunch date
Tutoring
Practicing a piano duet for Sunday School
Editing Paul's Senior Pictures
Hanging out with EJ on her spring break (going to a paint some pottery; super pumped; pictures to follow) :)
Another senior photo shoot
CDA homework

So until next week, a quote to ponder::

My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out.

~ Ronald Reagan

Mar 7, 2011

{fun}.with.{family}

[I am late in entering my mosaic over at Mary's,

but this is probably one of my favorites;

so I had to share it...:)]

One dreary, drizzly Saturday (1 1/2 weeks ago), my dad decided on a whim

to take the family out for lunch in Chicago.

Of course, we all jumped at the offer,

seeing as we absolutely love the city!

We had a delicious lunch at Lawry's complete with some amazing prime rib

and out-of-this-world dessert!

{strawberry trifle}

{chocolate bag}

& a first for me...Creme Brulee!! {heaven in a dish!!}

{fun}

.with.

{family}

It was rainy and blustery, and we did not want to window shop,

so we opted to drive the scenic route home.

So hence all the above pictures in my mosaic were taken

from inside a car window!

{which I think adds so much character to them} :)

View more mosaics here!

Mar 4, 2011

I have not been much of a blogger lately... It is not because I have nothing going on; I have just been busy with life.
However, I wanted to take a breather from this bus-y-ness and share something that God has spoken to me through.

If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth.

{Mark 9:23}

The great danger with most of us [me] is that, after we ask HIM to do it, we do not believe that it is done, but we keep on helping HIM, and getting others to help HIM; whether than waiting to see how HE is going to do it.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.

{Psalm 37:7}

So often, I pray and pray and pray and wait and wait and wait and see nothing move. Then, the Lord brought me to these verses and told me to wait...with patience. Patience takes away worry, it takes away weeping, and it takes away works. But most importantly, patience takes away all wants. Sometimes the desire for the thing I wish is stronger than the desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival.

Let patience have her perfect work.

{James 1:4}

And if I left patience work, rest in Him, and believe; then, and then only will enrichment and peace follow.

Feb 28, 2011

A Memory

It has been said that every time you recall something that memory comes to you better than when it was stored. This past Friday at the school's annual Wrestle O'Rama, a certain experience was recalled to my mind from my much younger days...

This memory did not come while watching

the young boys wrestle,

nor did it come to me as I ate and people watched.

Then they brought out the desserts, in which an auction

commenced and the academy classes bid outrageous prices

for some unique items::

It was somewhere in between Mrs. Gentry's divine egg rolls and the world's largest PB & J sandwich that I was suddenly hit with this memory. A memory of years past when I too was sitting among my classmates and yelling excitedly about our auction wins.

Two of my friends had brothers who would practice wrestling moves on them at home. The auction would go on and on, and as little girls, we would get somewhat bored and antsy. We would look at each other, give the nod, then exit the gymnasium giggling.

We ran to a vacant classroom and it was there that we would practice our own wrestling moves and hold our own tournament. We did not have near the amount of fans that the boys had, nor did we have any trophies awarded but...

I can tell you that we had a lot of fun

and

the memory brought to mind my silly childhood days and Wrestle O'Rama's of past...