Cash and I have been in the middle of some super heavy decisions...and it just makes me realize even more how God has blessed me. I can't begin to imagine living life with someone else. But instead of doing a State of the Union today, I decided to throw in a curve ball.

Pretty much, I've been crying lots of tears of joy lately...and here's why:

• I got to come back to the States, alive. And that means so much.


• My dear friend Amy asked to move in with me. Such a blessing!! I was about to try and sell my house, because there's no way I'd be able to live there alone ever again.


• I have been able to spend a total of 4 weeks with Cash when I originally thought I wouldn't even see him the entire summer.


• Cash's mom asked us to go to dinner last night, because I wouldn't see them for a while. Although it was a challenge for me to pick the restaurant (I'm no good at decisions...), it was so sweet to know she cared enough to be with us.


• My niece and nephew are starting Kindergarten. Wasn't it just yesterday that I drove 4 hours to watch Braeson's birth? How is this possible? But I'm so happy to be so close to them...for now. :)


• Everything about Razorback football puts me into a state of excitement.


• I'm getting Pathwise trained and pray pray pray for a student teacher next spring.


• The director of the MPA program at a certain graduate school told me my hours from the University of Arkansas would transfer no problemo to his program!


• Basically, no graduate classes this year...so I can take some time to just enjoy every moment of Arkansas for the next year or two or three. We'll see! :)


• My {maybe one day} sister-in-law is hoping to go to War Eagle with me this year. Yeah yeah!


• But before that...she's having another little girl!! Nieces and hairbows all around!


• I got a new shed. This is like 5 Christmases rolled into 1 for me.


• Today is payday. Can I get an amen?

Okay..I have so many more things that are just pretty awesome right now. But I also have 40 mintues to shower and get ready before my rock collector gets here for lunch. Eeek! Wish me luck!!

Sewwww What?

Y'all, I just sewed myself an apron. I've never done this by myself, only under direct supervision from my grandmother. But I brought my serger down here to the Lonestar State with the hopes that I could teach myself.

Before you see the wretched pictures, I want to point out that I learned how to completely thread a serger today. That's a HUGE step for me! However, I have decided that I don't like patterns or cutting fabric. So I really breezed through those steps. Apparently you can't do that.

Also, I ran out of some thread on one spool halfway through my project. I had some other thread but it was a completely different color...I went for it anyway. It really adds to the unfavorable look of the entire apron.

Okay. Without further ado...here she is in all her glory.

Don't pretend she's not glamorous. You know you want to sport it.

I put her in Cash's kitchen for decor. He's going to just love it. I can hear him now, "This is ridiculous. You are a moron." And that's really what he'll say considering it was supposed to be his apron.

Yep, that's really how I attached the strings. That's really how good I am at making things even.

Okay, okay. I know it's not an Etsy best-seller. But I'm pretty dog-gone happy about my first project. And when I'm famous and can outsell Ralph Lauren, don't call me asking for favors. Not happening.

A Few Highlights

Just a recap of our past week:

*Cash finished his first cycling race! Day 1 was from Midland to Big Spring. Day 2 from Big Spring to Post. I drove down to Big Spring (yep--all the way from the Natural State!) to meet up with Cash on Saturday night. Sunday morning I dropped him for his big day. I felt so, so bad leaving him there. He was so tired and sore not to mention how early it was! It was as if I was dropping my kid off for the first day of school, and he didn't want to go. He just wheeled his bike up to the tables and sort of waved with the saddest look on his face. But by the time his parents and I got to Post that afternoon, he was all smiles..and sweat. I was SO PROUD of him!!! Now we're on the hunt for a new bike after he pawned his off to his brother.

Finish line!

5 hours for the last 75 miles

I'm so proud of him for cycling for MS! He is an amazing guy!!

*Since Cash has to work all week, I stay home with Jett. Typically, I lay out by the pool. But last week I wasn't feeling the pool action. I was being a little Debbie Downer. I did, however, get caught up on some much needed rest. I'm trying to get myself motivated to do some projects this week. We'll see. haha

*Jeanne's good friend Ember got married Saturday. So Aaron and Jeanne came in Thursday night, and we got to hang out with them and little Lena. This Naynee loves her Lena!!! She was the life of the party Saturday night and danced until her grandparents took her home. It was fun watching her. I loved just being with Cash too. There's nothing like it! A slow song started at one point, and he asked me if I wanted to dance. You may not know my boyfriend, but he's not a get up and dance kind of guy. But once we got out there it was as if the rest of the world just stopped. I love being with him and talking and forgetting that someone else even exists. I had one picture of us from the wedding, but it's on Cash's phone. So just use your imagination! You know he looked handsome as always, and I had on my new pink pumps...so that pretty much tells you how awesome the picture was!

They had a mariachi band at the reception! So fun!

*Last night we had friends over to Cash's for a pool party. We worked all afternoon cleaning the pool, mowing the yard, sweeping, watering...you know the routine. Cash isn't typically up for a big party, but once everyone left he said, "That was a lot of fun!" I love getting to be with his friends, because they are all such good, good people. Aaron and Jeanne had also decided to stay another day, so they got to come with Lena. They were the last ones to leave, and when they left I just started bawling. I can't believe Lena will be a big sister next time I see her. And Jeanne will be a mommy of 2! The time I have spent here this summer has flown by. I love love love my family, but I'm so blessed that Cash has such a wonderful family too. Jeanne and I have become such good friends, and I can't imagine what I'd do without her!

Once everyone left, we were trying to take one picture. We did a terrible job, but I'll leave you with one just for grins...

Pretty tragic..we know. But it's okay.

Shop til you {Drop} A Lot of Doughhh

Notice I didn't say you dropped a lot of Cash. Because I don't want you dropping my handsome rock collector.

Apparently since I came home from the Middle East, all I need is therapy. Retail therapy that is. Because I have spent more money than a teacher should in local boutiques, city malls, and even stands on the side of the road.

I found some napkins at a local Midland store yesterday that read, "Shopping is better therapy than a psychiatrist." Can I get an amen?

But I've found some insanely cute clothes--and even some good looking watermelon. I had to share! So...drumroll please.

With the purchase of these Tom's (yep...ca-yoot Tom's!) I went against my better judgement of buying peeped-toe wedges towards the end of summer, but I knew trips to Midland called for new shoes. I try to counter the arguement with the notion that Texas has longer summers. So I'm safe. I wanted a reason to wear these awesome blossom shoes, and it led me to the realization that yes! I do need that dress from BR. And perhaps these crisp white shorts from WHBM. Seriously. I never realized how much I needed these white shorts in my wardrobe until I had them.

Seriously. You can wear them with a light tank, a polished blouse, wedges, pumps, everything! Almost everything anyway. At WHBM my sis and I got in a knock down drag out about who should get the last small cardigan on a rack and who should get the medium. Being the person who found the shirt, tried it on, and purchased it I felt as though I deserved it. But being older she felt she needed it. However, I wasn't going to roll over and let some 29 year old chica beat me down again. I wanted the shirt. I bought it. I kept it! Does everyone else still fight with their siblings? Or is that just us?

Anywho, one last thing before I hit the heat of West Texas. Cash and I were going swimming in San Antonio, and I felt as though I needed a hat. You can pick one up at your local Target. I so so so wish hats were in for people my age. I l-o-v-e the fancy hats at Dillard's and would wear the mess out of them if I wasn't 25. Maybe I will anyway. I did rock this at the neighborhood pool...

I was so pumped about this floppy hat! Before long I'll have feathers sticking out of my way too formal hat. You'll ask if my grandmother bought it for me when she was 14. And I'll smile as big as Texas, because I'll just be glad to have a hat on. What do you think about hats?