i'm still alive! & here i am with life updates...

well it's been nearly 2 weeks since my last post.  i'm becoming a worse and worse blogger over time.  and here i thought i would only get better and better at it!  we are a little overwhelmed, swamped, {insert all other adjectives that mean WILDLY busy}.  just when you think things are going to ease up, you look at your calendar and realize that this schedule is never ending.


i have 6 posts in waiting.  literally 6 but i just can't find the time to finish even just one.  i will do it.  i will!


the fun news that i wanted benny to share was that he got into his program at uk for elementary education!  yay!  it is such a blessing and he will be right on track to graduate when we were hoping, spring of 2012. only 3 more semesters to go! additionally, he has been observing at a local elementary school in a 1st grade class.  it is so exciting to talk to benny after he's been in the classroom.  i think it has really encouraged him and affirmed him that he is preparing for something that he will really love.  i think he possibly got assigned the most awesome, experienced teacher ever and she has let him jump right in to helping kids etc. he will be an excellent teacher someday.  and it looks like that day will be quickly approaching!

don't you want him to teach your kids?

this past weekend me and 3 of my bestest friends went on {another} adventure to visit yet another bestie...shan shan.  if you are friends with my friends you have likely already read about it {here, here or here}.  i miss shannon terribly and LOVED being with her and the girls for the weekend.  growing up is hard sometimes, its really fun that we still get to have slumber parties and road trips. 

.pure joy.

can't you tell?

we hugged & visited

{me & shannie poo}

{walked, sat, adventured, caught up with our friends}

{outlet shopped, people watched, laughed, ate}

laughing & eating comsumed most of our time.

stop judging.

these girls are an amazing testimony to God's grace in my life.  i am incredibly blessed daily by their friendship & their hearts for the Lord.  He knew 10 years ago when i met these 3 girls that they would be instrumental to me knowing Him.  that He would use them for His glory and that they would be women that impact eternity.  i know many people who aren't surrounded by community, people who don't have an example of a godly woman who is passionate and strong.  i know that i am blessed beyond measure to see the gospel lived out in their lives.

the Lord also knew that we would need jenna, she is all of the above, just entered the scene later for us.  she's the friend behind the camera for most of these pics. we were blessed with jenna when we came to college.  she is so gentle, real & humble.  i love her.  and as we found out this weekend, it was a good thing we weren't friends until after high school because the four of us {above} weren't sweet enough to be friends with her yet.  she's extra sweet.

i took this picture. 

look how good i did!  jenna set all the settings and then i pushed the button.  don't i need a camera of my own!? i vote yes!

after my trip i came home to a perfectly clean home & a smiling husband.  ben had spic-and-spanned everything.  it was a treasured gift.  our house is generally a disaster {i'm a terrible housekeeper / clean-as-you-go-er} and ben knows how a messy home stresses me out more and more as time goes on.  i intend on becoming a clean freak to make this tidy house continue.  thank you ben for this awesome gift!  you're the sweetest man a girl could ask for!

this week held / holds 80's club, ridiculous workout videos with little girls, lots of work, reading, a family birthday/halloween extravaganza, errands, biblestudies, lunch dates and more.  i will be checking in sooner or later!