so...i realize that to lots of you, the news of our move is coming as quite a huge shock. it's all happened pretty quickly for us, too. we've had a few days for the news to sink in, although it wasn't absolutely certain until this morning. (when my husband walked into my work with a starbucks cincinnati mug...a souvenir of our stay here...aw!)
on monday, aaron was offered a position as the operations manager of the gc in san francisco...we had a little bit of time to think it over and pray about it, and by that evening, we had come to the conclusion that this was something we just couldn't pass up. it's a GREAT opportunity for aaron's career, and he has deserved something like this for a long time now. he's been working so hard and doing an amazing job...we've lived every day knowing that a call could come at any time and he'd be offered something that could take us very far away. i've been in denial for some time now, because i've grown accustomed to cincinnati...i love my job and i LOVE people i'm with every day and just thinking about leaving them would make me cry to let myself think about...especially right now!! so i won't. but i can honestly say, finally, that i love it here (in ohio?????), and it has truly become home to me. so, at first, i resisted any idea of making this move. half of me was thinking, "baby, you HAVE to do this!" and the rest of me was saying, "NOOOO!!!" with a lot of tears and letting go, God's voice finally broke through all of my fears and worry...in His own way, He let me know that He would take care of us! there are so many things that i'm unsure about, but i know that God will help us figure all of that out when we need to. i'm relying completely on Him, knowing that He's in control, and we're in His hands. there really is no better place to be. :)
i know there will be some meltdown moments, and i'm going to freak out from time to time, especially when the actual move gets closer. it is going to be SO hard to leave my friends here, especially you, angee! :( i have about a million great memories to take with me... :)
so, if you will, please keep us in your prayers...i know our minds can hardly fathom what a huge move this is...how really far away we'll be from our family, etc...it will be hard, excited as we may be. please pray for us!

i'll end with this song...i heard it the other day, in the midst of God working in my heart about all of this...it really means a lot to me now. :)

"hope now"
by addison road

if everything comes down to love
then just what am I afraid of
when I call out Your name
something inside awakes in my soul
how quickly I forget I'm Yours

i'm not my own
i've been carried by You
all my life

everything rides on hope now
everything rides on faith somehow
when the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

when my life is like a storm
rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

everything rides on hope now
everything rides on faith somehow
when the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

i'm not my own
i've been carried by You
all my life

everything rides on hope now
everything rides on faith somehow
when the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
You've become my hearts desire
i will sing Your praises higher
cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

...i want to share with you my favorite pecan pie recipe! :)
this is adapted from my betty crocker cookbook...the one my mom got for me for christmas a few years ago! it has so many recipes that i want to try, and i look forward to taking the time to make them my own. i love to take recipes and tweak them to make them mine...i want to pass down recipes to my children and grandchildren someday...and i would love it if they were recipes that no one else has, that have been created by me! i think that is so special. i certainly hope that my recipes are good enough that my kids and grandchildren will want them! :) and i really love using recipes that my mom used when i was a child...every year i make her christmas cookies, and it makes me feel close to her when i'm here in ohio, baking!
anyway, on to the recipe! i am SO very picky about pecan pies...and this one is the BEST!

first, i use frozen pillsbury pie crusts...i haven't mastered pie crusts yet, and i rarely have the time to go all out like that. for instance, tonight i'm trying to bake two pies before i have to go get aaron from work! baking in a hurry...gotta love it. :)

ingredients:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter (i use salted butter in this recipe...it keeps it from being too sweet!)
1 cup corn syrup (i use dark)
1/2 tsp salt (the most essential ingredient!!!! i can always tell when a pecan pie doesn't have salt in it...ew!)
3 large eggs
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (watkins is aaaamazing)
1 cup pecan halves or broken pecans

1. heat oven to 375 (i love that my cookbook doesn't say pre-heat...what is pre-heat?? HA)
2. beat together all ingredients but pecans with wire whisk or hand beater until well blended. stir in pecans. pour into pastry-lined pie plate.
3. bake 40-50 minutes or until center is set. (you can tell it's done when you jiggle it and the middle is firm)

i absolutely love pecan pie...it's my favorite. i must've inherited that gene from my momma. :) i hope you actually do try this recipe, and enjoy it as much as i do. :)

LOVE and happy thanksgiving!!!!

What is in the back seat of your car right now?
there's really no telling...scary thought.

Name 3 people who made you smile today?
the day has just begun, let's leave some more time for that! :)

What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
just waking up, and saying goodbye to my husband.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
hm...eating some leftover brownie sundae from larosa's.

Favorite board game?
clue! (memories of the lake...)

What is the last thing you said aloud?
lasagna lasagna! (to the cats, haha)

What is the best ice cream flavor?
i'm really liking ben & jerry's cake batter...mm!

What was the last thing you had to drink?
dr. pepper...what else?

What are you wearing right now?
some shorts and one of aaron's old t-shirts :)

What was the last thing you ate?
i think i already told you that.

Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
nope!

When was the last time you ran?
yesterday...softball...i suck. haha!

What's the last sporting event you watched
some of the olympics...but football is starting soon!! :)

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
a beach in mexico...

Who is the last person you sent a comment on myspace?
my mom-in-law!

Ever gone camping?
exactly twice. that needs to change! (and it will soon!)

Have you ever lost anything down a toilet?
haha, no.

Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot?
probably too much. :) (see??)

Do you drink your soda from a straw?
at work, yes.

Are you someone's best friend?
i think so!

What are you doing tomorrow?
working 8-5...boo!

Where is your mom right now?
in indiana...too far away from me. :(

Look to your left, what do you see?
emma sleeping on a cozy fleece blanket...she's such a dear.

What color is your watch?
don't wear one, actually.

What do you think of when you think of Australia?
danielle ♥

Ever ridden on a roller coaster?
yeah.

Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
i hate going in.

Do you have a dog?
not yet! but i want a sweet little mutt dog! someday.

Last person you talked to on the phone?
i don't know...i don't like the phone.

Any plans today?
none except laundry...what a good day. :)

Are you happy?
yeah. i am.

Where are you right now?
on the couch.

Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
probably something petty and dumb, so i'd rather not say.

What were you doing at noon yesterday?
getting ready to go play softball! (aka putting my hair in pigtails!)

Last song listened to?
"collide" is on a movie right now..."doot doot do do..."

Last movie you saw?
hehe, i'm watching "the perfect man" on tv...such a nerd.

Are you allergic to anything?
ragweed pollen, and feeling every bit of it right now. thank you, zyrtec for helping me with that.

Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
my beaded flip-flops from j crew...of which i should have bought two pairs...one for next summer too!

Are you jealous of anyone?
of course! basically just people who get to go shopping a lot. :) i'm shallow.

Is anyone jealous of you?
they'd better be! i have the best, cutest, sweetest husband!

What time is it?
11:50 am

Do any of your friends have children?
do any of my friends NOT have children? not many.

Do you eat healthy?
not really, i'm ashamed to say.

What do you usually do during the day?
work at chick-fil-a, man.

How many kids do you want to have?
ideally...i'd like one set of twins...and three other children. :)

How old will you be your next Birthday?
one year closer to 30...

How did you get one of your scars?
probably doing something dumb like bumping into something, hehe.

i haven't done a survey in a long time. thank you for inspiring me like always, steve. :)
i'm off today...trying to finish up some laundry and make myself relax. not an easy task!
i love you all...hope everyone is well. ♥

nichole nordeman
"this mystery"

say goodnight to the light of the setting sun
one more day, one more way
of keeping track of all i've done

i run this race, keep this pace, i'm doing fine
i won't stop until each box
gets checked a second time

and life becomes the 'round and 'round
revolving door that won't slow down
it won't slow down

do You wish, do You want us to breathe again?
say goodbye to the lines that we've colored in
brown and gray from day to day

do You cry, do You hope for all things made new?
try and try to invoke us to live in You?
that we might be the hands and feet of this mystery

this routine is nice and clean from dawn to dusk
i rise and rest, i do my best
when will it ever be enough?

and life becomes the bigger noise
drowning out Your little voice
Your little voice, Jesus

we take stock, and we punch the clock
and we make sure all those
zeros have balanced in the end

do You wish, do You want us to breathe again?
say goodbye to the lines that we've colored in?
brown and gray from day to day

do You cry, do You hope for all things made new?
try and try to invoke us to live in You?
that we might be the hands and feet of this mystery...



i feel like i'm in a hamster wheel...running and running...life is passing by and i can't catch up. i know i am meant to find purpose and meaning in where i am right now, but honestly, i just feel frustrated. i want more than the average monday through friday (and occasional saturday), 8-5 regular life. is there anyone else out there who understands me??? Lord, what am i missing? teach me to be content, while still dreaming big...

i'm having a dying to change my hair moment. i saw a picture of hilary duff with gorgeous brown hair...and...*sigh*...i wish i could just snap my fingers and change my hair LIKE THAT! because i would. i KNOW if i switch to brown, i'm just going to want to be blonde again in like a month. how annoying. argggggg.
aaron is stuck in chicago...he was supposed to be back tonight, but it looks like the kitties and i are going to be sleepin' together again! they were BOTH at the end of the bed, where my feet are supposed to be...yeah, both of them were on my side. hehe. little turds.
so i'm just home, missing my husband, hangin' out in sweats...you know. i'm seriously considering going to bed VERY early...eeee...
this was a pointless blog...forgive me... :)

hi, friends. :)
i just thought i'd write a little blog so that everyone knew how life has been lately!
things are pretty good.
grandpa's funeral was a life-changing experience for me. i am back on track in some areas that i needed to be...and it's all because of him. just like God, to use one of His children to change another of His children's lives...even in death. :) i still think about him every day, and i know i always will. he will always be close to my heart.
following the funeral, i went down to florida for a few days to take care of erin's little boy while she was working at a christian retail convention...i had an absolute BLAST. eli is my favorite kid...he's so good and sweet and cute and chubby and FUN. as for my baby fever...it still isn't gone. :)
i had a review with my boss last week, and was given a pretty significant raise, which was awesome. it was needed, and deserved, if i may say so myself! :) i work really hard, and i'm proud of that. it always feels good when someone else notices, especially when they're your boss! :)
then there was my birthday...which would have been a much better day if my waiter at red lobster hadn't been a complete jerk. we've never NOT tipped someone, until then. if you want to know the details, just ask me...if not, the basic idea was that he insulted either what/how much/how bad for us our food/drink was every SINGLE time he was at our table. i left the restaurant crying while aaron talked to the manager, and i got a $25 gift card out of it. but still, it was my birthday, and i was made to feel like i was doing something wrong or being a disgusting pig...it was awful. the zoo was fun, though, and i had a good time there with my hubby!
then last weeked was aaron's 10-year reunion...it was SO much fun. i went to pre-school through sixth grade with a lot of people that were there, so that was so neat. i got to reconnect with some people that i haven't seen in a long time, and also got to listen to aaron and his friends' stories about their crazy high school years. good times. :) (for those of you who don't know, aaron moved to battle ground two years after i moved away, so it's like we just missed each other. we know all the same people, just in very different ways!) it was a very late night, but a very good one too!! (i felt extra pretty thanks to royetta doing my hair and my birthday present dress!)
and THEN, yes there's more, i got to record on sunday for some new waltz for venus songs! it was us and jay and brandy at the studio, and scott and even llama for a while, hehe. i had an amazing time, and i feel so blessed to be able to sing with them. jay believes in me as a singer so much, and it is really overwhelming to me. i don't think i suck, but i guess i don't really think of myself as being as good as other people think i am at times. there's my low self-esteem for ya! hehe. either way, i know i LOVE it, and i am grateful for the chance to be a part of something that i really believe in, with people i care about. you don't find that every day. eee, happiness!
we also got to spend some time with family this past weekend, which is always awesome. i treasure it so much now, having moved away. family is precious, and i can never get enough time with them!
and finally, i have closed the past couple nights @ my store...it's been a challenge, just because i've always closed with another manager, but tonight it was just me! i think everything went well, and i'll find out after i talk to my friend angee, the opening manager, tomorrow! :)
here are a few links for you...thought you might enjoy them...funny stuff! :)
http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
(thank you, danielle! it's always fun to laugh until you're about to pee yourself!)
i'm off to bed...off tomorrow to go to the dentist, and then hopefully take a nice long nap in the afternoon....YAY ME.
love you all...hope all is well...keep in touch!
♥ allison

my grandfather died yesterday morning...some of you know this already...but i'm just letting you know so that you can keep my family in your prayers...especially my grandma and dad and aunt and uncle, the people who were closest to him. my grandpa was the best man i've ever met, or probably ever will. i don't even know how to put into words how amazing he was. i was his first grandchild, something that i was so proud of. he called me "number 1", and it always melted my heart. he knew how much that meant to me. it was absolutely rare to see him without a smile on his face, and he was the best joke teller. he never met a stranger. he was selfless, always willing to serve, to help, to meet someone else's needs. he would laugh so hard that he would cry. he gave the tightest hugs. we used to have a little game when i was little where i would push his protruding belly in and he would tighten it, only to push it back out as i tickled it. it always made me laugh so much. my grandpa was so creative...he could whittle anything out of a chunk of wood. you could always find him with his little white cloth on his lap, and a pile of shavings nearby. he made more santa claus figures than you can imagine, and he gave away almost every one. he believed in me and my talent as an artist more than anyone else ever has, and endlessly encouraged me to pursue the gifts that God has given me. when we would go on vacation in michigan, he would sit at the table and eat saltine crackers spread with peanut butter and jelly, and i'd always have to sneak at least one from him. i knew when i woke up in the morning that i would find Grandpa sitting at the table, reading his Bible. he was a man of great faith. real faith. he wasn't the kind of person who had to tell you about how close he was to God...you could see it in his face, feel it in his love. whenever i was somewhere following a dream, like living in texas, or in canada, with master's commission, a check arrived each month like clockwork...often at the time i needed it most. he always supported me and made sure i knew how proud he was of me. he was always upbeat and positive, even in the last few years of his life, when he struggled with sickness and his body began to wear and slow down. he could still be found with that smile on his face, still making jokes and giving his two cents to every conversation. i know right now he is in a better place, the best place, and that he is no longer fighting to survive...he is no longer in pain...no longer held down by physical burdens...he is free and he is home with his Savior. i know there's nowhere else he'd rather be than at Jesus' feet. his legacy is complete, for now. he lived a life that was truly worth something...he lived with real integrity and character...he was loved by so many...and his absence creates a void in the lives he touched. there will never be anyone else like him.
grandpa, i'm so sorry that i didn't get to spend more time with you. i know i'm not supposed to have regrets, but i'm sorry that i wasn't there more. i wish i had more time to know you, to learn from you, to hug you. i hope you know how much i love you, and how grateful i am for how much you loved me. thank you...thank you for being the person that you were. you impacted my life more than you even know, and i hope i can do you proud and live a life that would make you smile. you make me want to be the person that God wants me to be. i will always cherish my time with you, and i will always hold you in my heart. i can't wait to see you again...i know it won't be long. so, goodbye for now...i love you...

our 3 year anniversary is wednesday, so i just wanted to let everyone know that i may be unreachable in the next couple days. :) tomorrow afternoon we are checking into homewood suites, and we're having dinner at the melting pot! i'm so excited! it's going to be some really fun time spent with my best friend and love. i've been wanting to go to the melting pot with him forEVER, and homewood suites is where we stayed on our wedding night. it's a special place for us. i'm taking a couple of much-needed days off to spend with my dear husband and relaaaaax.
so, everyone, don't call me for a few days. i'll be busy. ;)

for anyone who's interested (you know you are), i had a pretty fabulous evening.

i found out earlier today that family force 5 was playing @ a youth conference just down the street from my work...and my boss was like, "oh, yeah! we're feeding them tonight! you and your husband can wear the cow costumes on stage if you want!" i was like, "huh?" apparently, they love chick-fil-a (i think i already knew that.), and they're from atlanta, so go figure. and i guess they often have chick-fil-a cows spend a song on stage dancing with them, which i think is pretty fun. you have GOT to love the chick-fil-a cows. :)

so, me and my co-worker zach put on the cow suits (my husband dressed me and walked me around, aw) and we rocked out on stage to "love addict". i tried my best to do the guitar head-banging part on the chorus, but it's kinda tough when your head is so huge! by the time i was done, i was dripping in sweat...goodness, i couldn't wait to get that thing off of me. i was absolutely exhausted and so thirsty, but hello! this was the opportunity of a lifetime (sort of!). i'm so glad i didn't chicken out. i almost did. hehe.

i got to meet the guys after, but i felt bad because they were eating their chick-fil-a...zach & i got our picture taken with 'em, so that was fun. (maybe i'll post it later...)
i have to say: xanadu was the best. :)

k, my butt is off to bed! gonna sleep like a baby...oh yeah.
love you guys!

it's been so long
since you felt like you were loved
so what went wrong?
but do you know
there's a place where you belong
here in My arms

when you feel like you're alone in your sadness
it seems like no one in this whole world cares
and you want to get away from the madness
you just call My name and I'll be there
you just call My name and I'll be there

the pain inside
has erased your hope for love
soon you will find
that I'll give you all
that your heart could ever want
and so much more

when you feel like you're alone in your sadness
it seems like no one in this whole world cares
and you want to get away from the madness
you just call My name and I'll be there
you just call My name and I'll be there

you just call My name
you just call My name
call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
the love I have for you is so alive
call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
the love I have for you is so alive

you just call My name
you just call My name
you just call My name

the love I have for you is so alive
the love I have for you is so alive
you just call My name
you just call My name
you just call My name

(it's not really the same if you haven't heard it, but if you go to my profile, you can listen to it yourself...it's so powerful. third day has this thing with writing songs from God's perspective...and they bring me to tears every time. i can't listen to "call my name" without crying. i don't know. i'm a sap, yeah, but imagining that God is singing those words to ME...whoa. and knowing that He actually is? *tears* He feels the same for each of you...and He really is longing for us to know the depth of His love. He is desperate for us to grasp just a tiny glimpse of what He really feels for us. that just blows my mind. alright...i'm done.) :)