On a completely unrelated note, here are two pictures of the precious Smith family taken at our wedding. I need to send these pics to Emily because they are precious. Could Tobin be any cuter??
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sleep Sitter
That's right. I sit in my sleep. It happens fairly often. I will jolt up in bed panicked that I have overslept. I don't even know I have done it until I wake up enough to realize I am sitting up in bed and it is still the middle of the night. I look at my phone, make sure it isn't time to get up, and lay back down. I go back to sleep almost immediately, so sometimes I don't even remember these little incidents. Recently I had one of these sitting incidents where I suddenly sat up on instinct, but I guess I never really came out of my sleep state enough to realize what was going on. So I just sat. And sat. Who knows how long I was sitting and sleeping, but I guess Greg woke up and saw me sitting. "Um, why are you sitting up?" "Oh...um....I don't know...why AM I sitting up?" Weird.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
5 Mysteries of Our Apartment
1) Undershirts. What I am baffled by is not the fact that the "white" shirt fits in better with the colors than it does the whites, but it is the grapefruit sized hole or the series of teeth mark type holes covering half the front that is such a mystery to me. Um, did a beaver escape through your undershirt Greg?
2) The sock-eating monster known as our dryer. This is nothing new to me, I have always battled the dryer for my socks and never come out victorious. But I still don't understand it. Even number go in...odd number come out.
3) Why do we go through 13 bowls in 4 days? There are only 2 of us, and I am the only one who eats cereal in the morning. Do we really eat THAT much ice cream? Shoot.
4) Why is Greg the slowest ice cream eater in the world? He is like the kid on Christmas morning who opens his gifts at such an irritatingly slow speed, that everyone else has to watch enviously after they are done while he still has a whole pile of presents left.
5) Our thermostat. Is it set on 60...or 80? The bar on the thermostat is so huge that it spans about a 20 degree range. Granted we keep it hot enough to melt the Reece's peanut butter cup sitting on our counter (literally), but we do use the AC a bit at night and when guests come over :).
2) The sock-eating monster known as our dryer. This is nothing new to me, I have always battled the dryer for my socks and never come out victorious. But I still don't understand it. Even number go in...odd number come out.
3) Why do we go through 13 bowls in 4 days? There are only 2 of us, and I am the only one who eats cereal in the morning. Do we really eat THAT much ice cream? Shoot.
4) Why is Greg the slowest ice cream eater in the world? He is like the kid on Christmas morning who opens his gifts at such an irritatingly slow speed, that everyone else has to watch enviously after they are done while he still has a whole pile of presents left.
5) Our thermostat. Is it set on 60...or 80? The bar on the thermostat is so huge that it spans about a 20 degree range. Granted we keep it hot enough to melt the Reece's peanut butter cup sitting on our counter (literally), but we do use the AC a bit at night and when guests come over :).
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Memorial Weekend Fun
We had a great 3 day weekend. I got some fun girl time in on Friday night which included a belly showing presented by Abby :) And as a disclaimer it was at my request, she didn't just start flashing her belly around. Pregnant people are so cute! And I am just always so curious to see what the belly looks like. On Saturday Greg and I had a date night, and we tried out a new healthy restaurant. Turned out to be vegan (and fish). My salmon-burger was surprisingly delicious. But then we balanced out the excessively healthy night with a cookies and cream homemade milkshake. Sunday we got to hang out with some friends and had such a fun time. Monday we went to Hermann park in the morning to take pictures and read outside. Greg takes really cool close up shots, so I wanted to get some good pictures to frame. I am thinking of doing 3 big pictures in thick black frames above the couch in our living room. Haven't decided which ones to use yet. I put our favorites below. We wrapped up the weekend at my parent's house. The highlights included my Dad doing a cannonball in the pool and my Mom hula-hooping. Thanks for the fun day Mom and Dad! Greg also took a shot at the hula hooping. He did it pretty well, but exerts about 20 times as much energy as actually required to sustain the hula hoop motion. His body was definitely moving like a cyclone.
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Hunt for Furniture Continues
We are slowly buying furniture for our apartment. When we got married, the only furniture I had was bedroom furniture. Here is a list of items Greg brought to our marriage:6 plastic cups
1 clip on reading lamp
4 tv dinner tables
2 frisbees
1 vented microwave plate cover
So we had nothing. We have come a long ways in the past months. We now have a kitchen table and chairs, a couch, some throw pillows (a necessity!), a tv stand, a bookcase, and a coffee table on the way. Greg thinks we are done. I keep reminding him we don't have an end table, arm chairs, lamps, wall decor, and there is a bike in the middle of our living room.
So I found this furniture store called Color & Tailor on the corner of Westhiemer and Montrose. Has anyone heard of it? I first learned about them through seeing their advertisements on Craig's list. Should that be a sign? Do reputable companies advertise on Craig's list? But then I got to thinking, if I started up a furniture store and was thinking of ways to get my name out there with inexpensive advertising, Craig's list would be a great way to find young people looking for cheap stuff. So maybe that isn't so horrible. It is a very small store with no convenient parking. They carry 1 of each style, then you choose the fabric you want, and they make it for you in-store in 4 days. And it is VERY cheap. Well, for furniture that is...and I have done a lot of shopping around. They claim on their website to have lifetime warranties, and they use hardwood - not particle board, etc. What is the catch? Should I be scared to buy my furniture there? My mom says I should. I have tried to find reviews online, but have found nothing. I think they have been in business less than a year. But we need some chairs at a low price, and I really like their style, so I am thinking of buying 2 matching arm chairs from there. Does wanting to risk buying suspiciously cheap furniture from a possible sketchy store make me a fool? Or a genius? I think I may do it. Somebody stop me. Or check it out for yourself at www.colorandtailor.com
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Preach on Piper!
For those of you who don't know, I love John Piper. He is such an amazing bible teacher that loves loves loves God's word. His preaching is amazing and God has taught me so much through listening to his sermons. For 7 1/2 years he taught through the book of Romans to his church.
For the past few years I have been doing a bible study with 4 amazing ladies studying the book of Romans. We are only half way through! Granted we have had moves, job changes, engagements, marriages, and pregnancies so we have taken breaks, but we are still going. I am so blessed by those girls and this study. Piper's sermons on Romans are one of the resources we use. James Montgomery Boice's commentary on Romans is the other. Anyway, this is something I shared with the Romans girls a couple weeks ago, but it continues to be on my mind.
Piper was preaching on what the root of sin really is. It is not just that we hurt others or ourselves when we sin, but it the fact that we are rebelling against the God of the universe, showing no regard for His commands, and trampling on His glory. Piper states it better.
"What makes sin sin is not first that it hurts people, but that it blasphemes God. This is the ultimate evil and the ultimate outrage in the universe...The infinite, all-glorious Creator of the universe, by whom and for whom all things exist (Rom. 11:36) – who holds every person's life in being at every moment (Acts 17:25) – is disregarded, disbelieved, disobeyed, and dishonored by everybody in the world. That is the ultimate outrage of the universe. Why is it that people can become emotionally and morally indignant over poverty and exploitation and prejudice and the injustice of man against man and yet feel little or no remorse or indignation that God is so belittled? It's because of sin. That is what sin is. Sin is esteeming and valuing and honoring and enjoying man and his creations above God. So even our man-centered anger at the hurt of sin is part of sin. God is marginal in human life. That is our sin, our condition."
Wow. That really hit home. I am angered at hearing of injustice in the world. Of children being mistreated, of horrible crimes committed, of families torn apart. I am enraged at these things...and rightly so. But why am I not equally indignant at sin because of its stealing of God's glory? I watch things in movies, or I hear someone tell me a story of something that is blatantly in rebellion against God. And I laugh. When it should disgust me. We should hate sin. It should make us angry because it is against the creator of all things. But before we get judgemental, the sin we should hate the most is the sin in ourselves. I hate my sin. But not enough. Otherwise I would turn from it at all costs. I have a long way to go. I love teachings like this. Piper's stuff is good stuff :)
For the past few years I have been doing a bible study with 4 amazing ladies studying the book of Romans. We are only half way through! Granted we have had moves, job changes, engagements, marriages, and pregnancies so we have taken breaks, but we are still going. I am so blessed by those girls and this study. Piper's sermons on Romans are one of the resources we use. James Montgomery Boice's commentary on Romans is the other. Anyway, this is something I shared with the Romans girls a couple weeks ago, but it continues to be on my mind.
Piper was preaching on what the root of sin really is. It is not just that we hurt others or ourselves when we sin, but it the fact that we are rebelling against the God of the universe, showing no regard for His commands, and trampling on His glory. Piper states it better.
"What makes sin sin is not first that it hurts people, but that it blasphemes God. This is the ultimate evil and the ultimate outrage in the universe...The infinite, all-glorious Creator of the universe, by whom and for whom all things exist (Rom. 11:36) – who holds every person's life in being at every moment (Acts 17:25) – is disregarded, disbelieved, disobeyed, and dishonored by everybody in the world. That is the ultimate outrage of the universe. Why is it that people can become emotionally and morally indignant over poverty and exploitation and prejudice and the injustice of man against man and yet feel little or no remorse or indignation that God is so belittled? It's because of sin. That is what sin is. Sin is esteeming and valuing and honoring and enjoying man and his creations above God. So even our man-centered anger at the hurt of sin is part of sin. God is marginal in human life. That is our sin, our condition."
Wow. That really hit home. I am angered at hearing of injustice in the world. Of children being mistreated, of horrible crimes committed, of families torn apart. I am enraged at these things...and rightly so. But why am I not equally indignant at sin because of its stealing of God's glory? I watch things in movies, or I hear someone tell me a story of something that is blatantly in rebellion against God. And I laugh. When it should disgust me. We should hate sin. It should make us angry because it is against the creator of all things. But before we get judgemental, the sin we should hate the most is the sin in ourselves. I hate my sin. But not enough. Otherwise I would turn from it at all costs. I have a long way to go. I love teachings like this. Piper's stuff is good stuff :)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Marriage Discovery #1
Some differences stay hidden in marriage a long time. Others come out right away. This one was discovered on the honeymoon. I am sure there will be many more of these moments to write about so I am just calling this one #1.
Greg has impeccable oral hygiene. His teeth are perfect. He also is extremely neat in the way he goes about his teeth brushing. It is a whole different story with me. Why after 15 seconds is half of my face covered in toothpaste foam? Greg just stares in awe as the Niagara Falls of bubble baths foams down my chin every morning and night. I have tried repeatedly with intense concentration to keep the toothpaste inside my mouth, but I have accepted the fact that this is an impossible task for me. I usually just hang my face over the sink after the first 20 seconds and let it freely flow everywhere. Am I embarrassed by this? Unfortunately, no.
Is it because I brush too vigorously?
Are my lips just not strong enough to enclose around the toothbrush?
Is it because I run my toothbrush under the water first which creates exponential foam?
I know it isn't due to the amount of toothpaste I am using because I have studied Greg's toothpaste application and we use the same amount.
My only comfort is that last week I asked my sister if she experiences explosive foam also. She has the exact same problem! Sometimes we are so much alike it is scary. All I can say is, Cody, consider yourself warned.
Greg has impeccable oral hygiene. His teeth are perfect. He also is extremely neat in the way he goes about his teeth brushing. It is a whole different story with me. Why after 15 seconds is half of my face covered in toothpaste foam? Greg just stares in awe as the Niagara Falls of bubble baths foams down my chin every morning and night. I have tried repeatedly with intense concentration to keep the toothpaste inside my mouth, but I have accepted the fact that this is an impossible task for me. I usually just hang my face over the sink after the first 20 seconds and let it freely flow everywhere. Am I embarrassed by this? Unfortunately, no.
Is it because I brush too vigorously?
Are my lips just not strong enough to enclose around the toothbrush?
Is it because I run my toothbrush under the water first which creates exponential foam?
I know it isn't due to the amount of toothpaste I am using because I have studied Greg's toothpaste application and we use the same amount.
My only comfort is that last week I asked my sister if she experiences explosive foam also. She has the exact same problem! Sometimes we are so much alike it is scary. All I can say is, Cody, consider yourself warned.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Top 5 Updates
Here are a few updates of what has happened in the last 6 months...
3) I am an Aunt! My sister-in-law Jill had a precious baby girl named Hollyn April 13th.
4) I am about to get a new brother-in-law, Cody. My sister is getting married July 19th! That will make 2 Grosse weddings in 6 months. (Sorry Mom and Dad.) The family is growing...and I love it.
5) Somehow I thought there were more updates...
1) I got married!
This is my husband.
I love being married to Greg! He loves the Lord, loves me, and keeps our home so much fun!
2) I have lived 4 different places in the past 4 months. Greg and I are finally settled in our new apartment. We will be here for the next 17 months, God willing, and who knows where after that. Here is the "before" picture of our apartment taken by Liz and Branden who helped us move in.
3) I am an Aunt! My sister-in-law Jill had a precious baby girl named Hollyn April 13th.
4) I am about to get a new brother-in-law, Cody. My sister is getting married July 19th! That will make 2 Grosse weddings in 6 months. (Sorry Mom and Dad.) The family is growing...and I love it.
5) Somehow I thought there were more updates...
Hello Blog World
I love reading blogs so I figured it was time to join in on the fun and start my own. Now I can freely read and/or stalk all my friends' (and strangers') blogs without feeling guilty because I am now providing a blog of my own. For so long it was take take take. But no more. I am now giving back to the blogging community. My gift may not be worth much, but here it is....take it for what it's worth. I am a beginner here, so I need time to figure out this whole blog thing. For starters, why is my blog so lame? Everyone else seems to have these super fancy-pants headers. How do I get one? I only got 6 fonts to choose from. I have a long way to go. Please don't hate my blog because it is hideous.
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