Strive...to know I'm blessed

I have a disease. It's chronic and my mother has known I have had it for a long time. It's not terminal, but I'll probably die with it. It's called, I-want-itis. I WANT EVERYTHING!

 I want ice cream, I want Moose to go potty outside, I want the sun to shine longer, I want world peace, I want my neighbors to water my flowers when I'm out of town, I want to be taller, thinner, smarter, funnier, awesomer... 

I want something all the time. I don't want to get the words "want" and "strive" confused because, I strive to be healthier. I want to be thinner. This is the body God gave me so I should be as healthy as I can be, not disillusioned. I should strive to take advantage of sunny days and not pout when it's cold and rainy. I should strive to train Moose to be a good puppy, not expect him to be perfect (although he's pretty stinkin' close!).

I am so blessed to have everything that I do. I desperately need to stop wanting, whining and complaining for something I don't have and need to be thanking God and praising Him for all that I do. 

Job 22:21- Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.

Hebrews 13:15- Therefore by him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 

Psalm 145: 3- Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Summer To Do:

I'm a "To Do" lister, for everything! So, of course Alex and I would have a summer to do list for Summer '12! So far we have accomplished a few tasks/adventures! Without further ado, here is our list:

  Run a 5k
✓Get cupcakes from Jilly's
  Go on a canoe trip
✓Go to Cardinals game(s)
  Go to the Muny
  Play tennis in Forrest Park
✓Learn how to golf (Abby)
✓Do something spontaneous
  Michigan City July 4th week
  Go to the Big Bang
✓Go to Soulard Market
  Do something fun for our anniversary


So far we have gone to Jilly's- they won Cupcake Wars on Food Network. We have gone to two Cardinal games, I have had a few golf lesson's with Alex, Jared and Dustin. Alex even took me to the driving range! Our something spontaneous was getting Moose! And, we went to Soulard last weekend and got a HUGE watermelon and our first peaches of summer.

Reese's EXPLOSION Cupcake from Jilly's...YUM!

Moose and his toys!

Hopefully we can accomplish everything on our list and have a lot of fun stories about Summer 2012!

B I G Weekend

I am graduating! FINALLY! I graduate with honors from the SIU Dental Hygiene program on Saturday. Graduation has never been the most exciting event to me, but I am happy to be done and to be recognized for my hard work. Although cliche, I honestly don't think I could have made it through without Alex and my family. I appreciate everything that you have all done for me and sacrificed for me. I don't think I can truly thank you enough.

On Sunday we are having a get together BBQ at my parents house, so if you're in the neighborhood, stop by! There will be plenty of tasty food and fun!

Next part of the BIG Weekend...

Alex and I are very excited to announce that we are adding 4 more legs to our family! We are adopting a 9 week old pound puppy! He is a beagle poodle mix, a boodle? or a peagle? He shouldn't be too big, 25lbs at the most. His mama was a beagle and his daddy a toy poodle. Anywho, he is the cutest pup on Earth! We get to pick him up from the rescue shelter on Monday.

We are naming him Moose!

Neither of us have raised a puppy. But, we have observed our parents, so hopefully that's enough. It is an exciting, slightly scary time! So far we have a lot of toys for him to play with and a fluffy bed for him to sleep in. We'll pull it together in time for bedtime on Monday...I hope. Although Alex has declared, "The dog doesn't come up the stairs. Ever." I nodded and smiled, but while the cat's away the mice Moose will play! ;)

Since I don't have my license, let alone a job, this is the most opportune time to train him and play with him. We are currently accepting any and all puppy raising advice, so PLEASE leave us some words of wisdom!

Strive...to focus

I cannot do two things at once. Today I was trying to fill my glass with water from our fridge...while reading a yogurt label. Why was I reading this label for the 900th time, I do not know. Needless to say, there was water everywhere! In our bathroom, the cabinet doors under our sink open right at thigh level. I cannot brush my hair/teeth with the cabinet doors open without running into them. My left leg has a perpetual bruise. It's awesome. Alex jokes that it's high enough that people won't get suspicious. Last week I was trying to do homework while watching HGTV...it took four episodes of house hunters to fill out 20 questions. I'm that person who can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Although, my inability to multitask is comical...to those of you without the black-and-blue thigh...it can also pose a problem. I also try and fail at multitasking in my relationship with God. I try to do what I want and think that God will go along with it. But, ultimately His plans are better. I need to stop trying to do the "Abby" thing and focus on on what God wants. I need to strive to focus.

Isaiah 26: 3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

I'm back...for real this time

Its been a month, or something crazy like that, since I've written...oops. But, I'm back and ready to attack! I may do a little less strive writing and a little more chattering on here and letting you know what's on my mind. I am all but one final away from being done with my undergrad!!!! I am so excited to see what God has in store for Alex and I. Yesterday I sent out 30 resumes to area dentists, so hopefully one will want/need me. I have learned a lot about trusting God and knowing his timing. Boards were good for me, in that respect. Oh, ps. I passed my clinical portion! Now I'm just waiting for the other two board exam results. Moving on, we have moved and are nicely settled. Someday I'll take pictures and post them. But, Alex is really enjoying his 5 minute commute and I love having so much more to do at our fingertips. That's all for today, maybe I'll be back tomorrow!

...where have I been??

I feel like most of the blogs I've written lately have started with, "we've been crazy busy!" But, it's true.... We have moved and are settling in and it's becoming home! I really like it here and I'm excited to make new friends etc etc. Last night we went to dinner with some of Alex's friends that he went to school with. It was fun and nice to hangout with people our age. Today we're going in search of a new table! Wish us luck and I (hopefully) promise to get back to a regular blogging schedule...ish!

No, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway.

What's going on in our lives, you ask?
Ok, so you didn't but let me tell you anyway!

School and work are pretty much consuming all of our productive hours. This semester is seriously flying by and I am definitely ok with it! I'm currently in the process of studying for my everyday courses, finding patients for clinic (tiny plug: If you smoke and haven't had your teeth cleaned in 5+ years, call the SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic and request Abby!). Oh, and studying for the biggest exam of my professional career. No big deal...   But, really did you know that Dentistry is the only medical profession that requires a written AND clinical board?!?!? I'm going to start questioning my doctors before they cut me open...remember C's get degrees....

Alex has been an insurance machine!! He's just selling, selling, selling! I'm very proud of how hard he works and  how positive he is 99% of the time! He has yet to complain about driving everyday, so I bite my tongue when I want to...

Moving on, I have found...well WIBI found it, but I bought it...a new devotional. It is by Sarah Young and it's called Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. It is honestly like God has "written a love letter directly to you." It's definitely worth it and I love reading it! I look forward to reading it to Alex every night.

Continuing on... We're Moving!! Yippee! We're headed to Troy at the end of the Month. It's about five minutes from Alex's office. I am so excited, but also very nervous. While Alex's drive has been dramatically shortened, mine has been dramatically lengthened. I will now drive about two hours to Carbondale, three or four days a week. Yikes! BUT, it's only for 9 weeks! And then I will walk across the SIU Arena's Stage (at 1:30 on May 12th) with a diploma and no more commute!

I can't think of much else, but I know there is a lot swirling around in my head. I just want to give a little shout out to my Grandpa- Happy Birthday!! I love you and I can't wait to see you again!!
Also, safe travels to Wayne and Linda. They're abandoning Alex and I for, what would be our 6 year Super Bowl watching anniversary, to go see my cousins Stephen and Beth in Haiti! Enjoy and take pictures!

If I come up with anything else, don't worry...you'll read about it eventually!

Abby