Heavenly kisses

[pic via]

Okay, I'm not saying that all of my recent grumpiness has been the result of cold, dark days, but I would totally argue that warm sunshine makes me so super much happier!

We had some absolutely beautiful weather this weekend, which served as a much needed reprieve from the dreary winter we've sustained thus far. I woke up Saturday (barely) morning to sunshine streaming through our blinds. And later that afternoon, I joined EmJ and Layla for a walk around the 'hood that resulted in the removal of my unneccesary sweater!

Last night, after a blessed, Spirit-filled Life Group with our Christian family, Brad and I drifted to sleep with our bedroom window opened wide, welcoming the precious gift of nice weather into our lives with prayers of thanksgiving on my lips. This morning, I woke up in the arms of the man I love, with the scent of fresh air clinging to the warm breeze filling our sunlit sanctuary bedroom. What a great way to begin the week.

God gives us new days, and they seem even more wonderful to me when He sends them to us with a kiss.

"If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

No I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When You lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone (yeah oh oh)

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the sufferin' that Your love put You through
And I will walk through the darkness
If You want me to

'Cause when I cross over Jordan, I'm gonna sing, I'm gonna shout
Gonna look into Your eyes and see You never let me down
So take me on the pathway that leads me home to You
And I will walk through the valley if You want me to

Yes, I will walk through the valley if You want me to

Pep Talk

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

*Breathe*

I just need to remember sometimes, I can do this. Life seems crazy. Work is crazy. I feel like everywhere I go there's a new fire I need to put out, and I have zero control over starting those fires, but I (feel like I) have complete responsibility with handling them.

Sometimes I just want to check out. Give up. Walk away. Pull the blinds and lock the doors, shut off my phone and internet so I can just retreat from the world to snuggle with my husband and my pup.

How did I get here? Why do people think I can handle this? I'm just one girl. One very weak, exhausted, overwhelmed, drained, stumbling, tired little girl. How is it even possible to make it through?

But then I remember, I am just a person, and the One who truly matters doesn't actually expect me to do anything at all. Because it's not really me who is doing or handling anything in the first place; it is Christ who lives in me. And together, we can do anything.

So, again, I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

Henry the Neighborly Snowman

Brad and I are too busy (aka, lame and lazy) to utilize all of this Southern snow as it was truly intended. However, some neighbors of ours are smart enough to not let the opportunity pass them by, and I get to vicariously live my youthful, wintry life through them! Check out this big guy that I get to pass on my ways in and out of the neighborhood. Since I don't know what name they've officially given him, I've decided to go a head and call him Henry. I especially like his "bow tie." Haha. These neighbor strangers of ours are very clever.

Have you made a snowman yet this winter? Hope you don't catch a case of the Mehaffeys and miss your chance while it lasts!

Snow Babies

Look at my sweet girls enjoying their first snow!

They're best friends already.

 Sweet Charlie Joy

 Snow Angel, Layla Grace

 This picture of the girls together is precious. (And this picture of Kris panicking, trying to hold Layla up is hilarious!)

 But this sweet one of him and his baby girl makes up for that one.

And here begins the duel meltdown. 

 Poor, sweet girls.

They had enough of that cold snow!

I just love these girls like they were my very own!

The view from here

Throughout the office renovation, this is what I get to see every day: Workers just on the other side of my desk. (That first guy is actually leaning on my counter, but the other one is standing on a platform thing - not my counter.)

Check out this dude on stilts! He seriously stays on those things all day long. I can't even describe his mad skillz. He leans around corners, balances on one "leg," nonchalantly walks around the entire office, etc. just like it's normal. Hilarious. But, I'm sure it does make his up-high work way more convenient.

And yes, I did, in fact, surreptitiously take these secret pictures of the workers as they were this close to me. I was super sneaky, holding the camera in my lap ready, just waiting for the second when they turned their backs so I could snap my flash-free documentations for the blog. I mean, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

It's really starting to take shape around here. The back part of the office is pretty much settled, which leaves only the last phase of the project (aka, my area and the conference rooms) left to complete. I'm so ready for it to be finished the finished product. With the construction chaos and the start of Busy Season underway, it's been pretty wild around here. I'm already beginning to miss my blog community! Not sure I'm ready for the annual hiatus I'm forced to take every first quarter of the year, but I guess I don't really have much say in that. Maybe I'll take it up with Uncle Sam. Priorities, government. Priorities.

Anyway, hopefully by the end of the month I'll be able to show y'all my new and improved office! Holla!

Back to December

We're only one month out, but Taylor is taking us Back to December in her second single and video from her third album.

I love it. The video fittingly captures the song's mood of melancholy and regret. I think her misery as manifested by sad indoor snowflakes of the mind is so artistic and beautiful. You really get that she's mourning the love that she has mistakenly let go. And besides, I kinda like the straight hair and bangs for a little change, too.

Sidenote: This song is written about her Valentine's Day costar, Taylor Lautner, and is the first time she has ever apologized in a song.

It's electrifying!

This dry weather produces so much static electricity! It's making my hair go crazy, which is totally driving me nuts. However, I definitely don't have it as bad as poor little Chester, whose whole body is completely covered with staticly charged fur.

Our sweet pup likes to "dig" on his blanket when he gets excited (or when he gets ready for bed, or when he's bored, or when Brad riles him up or when they play hide-n-seek). He frantically digs with his paws and rubs his head this way and that across the fleece fabric.

The process alone is always funny, but when it's combined with the staticy surroundings, it results in some pretty hilariously wild hair, as well.

Whoa.

Brad and I had a smidge of sympathy for him, but mostly we just laughed and laughed. Then we threw the blanket right back over his head and did it all over again! (Yeah. We're kind of mean parents like that. But what can I say? That's hilarious!)

Let's look on the bright side. No matter how much this dry, winter air drives me crazy with my clingy, staticy hair, at least I don't have it as bad as my baby boy!

Bare Necessities

Regardless of what the sign says, I believe a gallon of milk in Nashville during a natural disaster "snowstorm" is, in fact, priceless.

Try not to panic.



Winter Wonderland

Nashville has seen so much snow this winter! I just can't get over how beautiful it is. Here's the view from our back door yesterday.

I thought Walter was cold before, but look at him now! All you can see is the tip of his little gnome hat peaking out from under the fresh snow blanket!

According to our calculations, there was a solid three inches of snow on our picnic table. And that was even before it had all finished floating down for the day!

Chester hasn't quite enjoyed this particular snowstorm as much as usual. Since it's so deep, he can hardly trench through it to go potty. And when he comes back inside, he has little snowballs gathered around all four of his legs and even stuck to his belly and chest. He steps into the house and just stands there, frozen, like he doesn't know how to move with all that cold stuff on him. Ha. I think he's so cute. So each time, I try to knock off as many of the mini-snowballs as I can just for him to then eat them up off of the floor. As long as he doesn't eat any of the yellow snow, I think we'll be fine.

Have you guys gotten tons of snow already this winter? I feel like it's coming down everywhere! Have you actually played in it? We've been to lame to bundle up and make a single snow man or snow angle all winter. I'm ashamed of ourselves.

Under Construction

This is what I unexpectedly found when I oh-so-nonchalantly showed up for work yesterday morning:

I had enjoyed a 5-day vacation to ring in the new year celebrate Christmas with visiting family, and was not at all prepared to find a demolished desk when I returned back to the office. I knew it was coming, but had no idea that they would have already made their way around the back of the office and up to the front lobby in my absence. I was under the impression that I'd have a couple more days to relocate my belongings and set up a makeshift desk before this phase of the remodel began.

But I'm not complaining too much. The lack of warning only meant that I didn't have to clear out my area; somebody else did all the work. Muwahahaha! And, since I legitimately didn't have a place to sit, they sent me home for the day! Aw shucks. A 6-day vacation? That was totally fine with me! Definitely no arguments here.

Today, however, has been a little nerve wracking. With the demolition in the lobby completed, the plastic (and flying sheet rock) have been removed from my desk, giving me a spot to work. But the reconstruction is out-of-control loud and stinky. The chaos is absolutely everywhere. The back is currently being repainted and recarpeted, so nobody has any place to go! I so can't wait for it to be all finished. Not only will it look spectacular, but it'll finally be peaceful again!

Happy New Year!

[pic via]

I have a really good feeling that God is going to bless 2011! Can't wait to see what He has in store for us in the New Year!