We narrowed it down to 2 middle names so we let our dog choose. The first name was the same, but we equally liked the 2 middle name options….so we let the other family member choose….Jett the dog.

The first name is a family name on Chad’s side.  We really really liked it because it gave us the “family name” as well as a unique name.

So there you have it….the little one has a name.

Did you or will you go traditional or unique when it comes to names?

It is not yet finished. I still have the colour and shading to get done….and that magic will happen November 19th. I debated sharing the story after that, but i am still getting people ask the meaning…so what better time than the present.

As many of you know i like to memorialize major events in my life by tattoos…hence the 9 that i have. ;)

This one is the one of most meaningful ones, and not just because it is the most recent but because of the story behind it.

The best way that i have learned to explain it is by getting people to picture the Wizard of Oz and the scene when Dorothy and the 3 companions are coming out of the dark forest and the Emerald City is before them.  It is beautiful.  They are coming out of darkness and all the struggle that happened throughout their time in the forest.  The Emerald City is in front of them, but as you remember from the movie they still have a journey ahead of them.  They still have struggles that they will face, but the worst is really behind them.  The darkness and despair and there is hope in their future.

I have always connected with that movie and i have always thought that part of the movie was the most majestic.  so much hope.

to me, the tattoo represents coming out of the darkness of my past and moving out from the shadow of it and living now and looking into the future.  i came to a point where i realized i was living in the darkness and the pity party and had to make a move out of it.  Through that entire season of moving past it i pictured this part of the movie.  The wonder, hope and awe that would come when i reached the end of that season and began to step forward into the light and all that is before me in my life.  So instead of getting that scene of the Wizard of Oz i had my amazing artist James mesh the concept and feeling i was going for into this.

The girl obviously represents me and the apprehension, hope, awe and wonder of what is to come, pausing at the end of the darkness to remember what was behind and the lengths traveled and the journey that was, but moving on into the next part of the journey.

So, that is the story behind it.

What is your favourite tattoo that you have and why?

That would hurt!!

Have you ever done anything stupid or painful that you just had to keep moving on after?

BLOGS

Design Milk. I am not sure how I stumbled upon this blog but I LOVE IT. I think I found their twitter account via twitter’s recommendation craziness. Anyways, I love looking at pretty things that make my creative juices flow. Oh, and they also have Dog Milk…designed stuff for dogs.

Moleskinerie. To be honest, this is my homepage. I love my moleskine and have used one since Jr. year in High School. I can look back over the past 8 years of my life through them. Moleskinerie makes me enjoy my moleskine (or what I call “spybooks“) even more. And it’s also full of pretty things.

PostSecret. When I was in High School I heard about these books. I would spend hours on end flipping through them at my bookstore. Once I sent a secret in to PostSecret. It was actually very therapeutic for me. Sunday mornings it is the first thing I do when I wake up….turn off the alarm. Go to PostSecret. Get ready for church.

BOOKS

Permission to Speak Freely. Y’all I seriously picked up and read it in a day. Cover to cover. I couldn’t put it down. Yet each day I am re-reading chapters and letting them sink in. Letting it sink into my soul. It is beautifully written. If you have not picked it up yet I would strongly encourage it. Here is a link to push you a little more. ;)

SuperFreakonomics. It is a second book after their very successful Freakonomics. I think it may have been the first book I read after my almost fundamental stage of life. It was the first “secular” books I read after becoming a Christian. I loved the linking of seemingly random things. And it made me laugh. So when I discovered that there was a follow up book I was so excited. So I am reading it and I am just as happy and impressed. It’s a fun good and pretty easy read.

So, there you go. I would love to know what blogs and books you are reading. I’m always looking for good blogs and books. Share on my friends.

Something to be an outlet.

Chad thinks I should take up knitting.

I am unsure about that option.

I just can’t see myself doing this….

What is your hobby? Do you have one?

I stopped.
I started a new twitter account for many purposes but mostly to simplify.
I was over the popularity contest that i saw brewing online.

It had become a lot like High School drama and i was getting stressed over it and i didn’t want to be. I didn’t want stress. Twitter, Facebook and blogging had been my stress reliever, it was the place i went like another world that took me away from the stress of my then job. It was my make believe world that i could escape to and find refuge in.

I went through i time when i really wanted to just focus on living in the now. I posted over on Elora’s blog while she was in Africa something that was making my heart beat at the time. I posted about how i had been living life through 140 characters and to a point i think it hindered my experiences. It hindered what i got out of the moment because i wanted to share it with everyone and break this sometimes magical moment that can never be recreated. You can read it here.

The last couple of weeks I have been wrestling with some things in life like who i am. what kind of friend do i want to be. where did i see me in 5 years. where do i see chad and i in 5 years.

And for me personally the best way for me to spend some time hashing things out is to write. I know i am not the most fantastic writer and i use “…” too much and write in run on sentences that make my English teacher friends cringe (sara and elora), but it is in fact my outlet. And i stopped it.

But i want it back. I want to write again. I want to share my happiness. My struggles. My fears. My failures. My successes. I want to share it with you all.

So i want back. I can not promise i will update daily, but i am going to try and update more often. And it may be more raw as i fight some things out inside of me. I hope that you will join me.

buckle up. it could be an interesting ride.

If you follow me on twitter you know that we watch CSI like it is our job. If we were getting paid to watch it we would be millionaires. We love it! Before we moved we had the first 3 seasons on DVD and would watch them over and over and over and over. We had seen each episode at least 5 times but we would still watch them.

We own up to season 4 now and are in the middle of season 6 via Netflix. Each night we go home after our days and watch a CSI. We have done it for 2 years now. Chad still laughs at me because one Saturday morning I woke up and we were discussing our day and I expressed that I just wanted to “watch our friends”, meaning Gil, Sarah, Catherine, Nick, Warrick. I was partly sarcastic but partly not.

But last night as we were watching Season 6 I was thinking about how this is “our thing.” It would be weird to watch CSI with someone else. It is what Chad and I do. I know, we are dorks, but it is one thing that we can agree upon always.

And those things are good.

What is “your thing?” with or without a spouse.

Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’

HANSON | MySpace Music Videos

Hope you enjoyed!

Each time i see it, it reminds me that we are to be LOVE to the world. How else will people around us know that we have the LOVE of God? If we repel people by offending them instead of loving them where they are what will make them want to come to God, who is LOVE.

I think about my story and how i got into church…i was a rebel, i was angry. I smoked, drank and cussed like a sailor. I had no reference for what was wrong or right in church or as a “christian.” No one had told me. It was a make it up as you go situation. But there were people, to whom i am so grateful for, who came alongside me and LOVED me where i was…and for who i was then. They knew that if they could encourage me to get closer to the God of LOVE that the different things in my life would begin to line up with scripture.

Had they have sat me down and attacked me i would have been so turned off…and to be honest i would still be turned off. I sent this tweet on Friday and i stand by it

“Don’t get me wrong I love Gods truth but if you say it in a judging manner and not in love I don’t want to hear it.”

There is a difference in speaking the truth in love and speaking it with judgement. LOVE compels you to improve while judgment causes you to back off and turn away.

So, i have a two part question….and would love your thoughts….

1.  Is it christians that are turning people away from God with their actions, words and judgement?

2.  As a christian, what could you/we do better?