happy birthday baby brother!

meet my baby brother.
he is pretty stinking cool. he's a boy scout (soon to be eagle!),
he plays the ukelele, and now he's 17.

what the heck! 

how did that even happen??



he also has a lot of really cool thoughts, which you can read on his tumbler.

i speak for grayson when i say the two of us claim all responsibility for the success and awesomeness of our youngest counterpart.
we taught him everything he knows.

 but don't you dare forget:
no one can have a birthday without having a mom.
so mom,
thanks for the baby brother!

be a maker

i'm feeling inspired. 

i watched a TED Lecture this afternoon called "we are makers".  TED is an online forum dedicated to lectures about ideas worth sharing.  my management professors always seemed to find "interesting" TED lectures for us to watch, so watching these videos tend to bring back memories of my 8AM organizational behavior class. it's quite a brilliant website, full of people with great ideas inspiring other people who have great ideas, and thus we are all inspired to become makers.

i want to be a maker! i have so mamy ideas and dreams floating around in my little head.  my lack of ideas is not my problem.  my problem is my lack of follow through.  i've been feeling really convicted lately about my lack of follow through, so when this came up on my google reader, i knew it had to be fate. especially when it got to the part about the singing fish....prepare yourself.

i'm not entirely sure what my version of being a maker is going to be, but when i figure it out i'll let you know. and maybe the (-) 3 people who read this can help keep me accountable on that.

and just because i didn't quite get my singing fish fix from the short clip in the lecture (as i'm sure no sane person would....) i would love to share the full video with you.  i hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me!

p.s. i'm loving my new blog header, and please note the beautiful bruno mars on my playlist.  get ready to get your boogy on.

a sweet surprise

5 things i'm absolutely beyond grateful for today:

1. $4.39 kid's pepperoni pizza at schlotzsky's. yummmmmmm!

2. lemon fresh clorox disinfecting wipes. i might have gone a little crazy this morning wiping down everything in sight (three times over...), but everything is cold and flu germ free, and my desk smells lemony-fresh!

3. pandora radio. gooodness. the perfect work list makes smooths the rough spots of your day right out.

4. my new lauren willig book, "the orchid affair"

5. sweet boyfriend surprised me after work with a giant bouquet of roses and gerber daisies. i am the absolute luckiest lady in all of houston. : )  since i couldn't manage to fit the giant vase under my trench, i picked three of the perkiest daisies and smuggled them up the elevator.  i love me some beautiful daisies! :)

What are you grateful for on this beautiful Wednesday??

prayer is a powerful thing.

a boy from my church got in a pretty terrible accident a few weeks ago, 42 days ago to be exact.  he's been in a coma since the accident.  as far as i know, the doctors are still pretty unclear as to what is going to happen next.

he's 18, strong and talented, loves Jesus with all of his heart, and he's laying, sleeping, in a hospital bed for the beginning of the end of his senior year of high school.

i don't really know Luke, and i don't really know his family, but every time i read what his sweet parents are writing on his caring bridge journal, i can't help but sob and ache for his family, and for his dearest friends.  i'm constantly blown away by his testimony, and the testimony of his friends as they continue to pray for luke, and the doctors, and provide for his family.

i know his family would appreciate your prayers.

luke's caring bridge site