LIFE as of 10/31/10

"We have a good life." That's what I told Jordan earlier today. Life isn't perfect - we aren't the richest people on the block, we don't live in our dream home, but we have an incredibly good, blessed life and I am THANKFUL! Ruston is still Ruston, but I am learning to enjoy where I am.

I love my job, LOVE it! My co-workers are really great people and my boss is rather fantastic! I am so thankful for them, they are my friends and my little Ruston "family". My office is located in the heart of downtown Ruston, and this past Friday the city hosted a Halloween trick or treat event. The businesses downtown were asked to participate by decorating their "store front" and by passing out candy to the kids that came. This is our first year to be at this location, so we didn't really know what to expect. We all dressed up and passed out candy to the HUNDREDS of kids that came! Our business neighbors told us to expect to run out of candy b/c there would be so many kids, and run out we did. We bought TONS of candy, but there were SO many kids. Cute kids, too, so you can't just give them 1 or 2 pieces of candy! It was a fun time!

After the trick or teat, Jordan & I headed to Shreveport (about an hour away) to see my very most favorite person in concert, MARC BROUSSARD! He is from Carencro, LA (right outside of Lafayette) and I really like his music. He's proud to be from LA and it is very evident in his music. I've seen him several times before, so I knew it was going to be a good show. It was at a restaurant, which is a little different than any other venue I've seen him play, but it was really cool. The room only held like 150 people, so it was a pretty intimate show. We even got to talk to him after! When people who haven't heard of him ask what kind of music he plays, I don't really know what to say. It's not pop or punk or really any particular genre. It's rock/soul/bluesy/GOOD, does that make sense??? Look him up on YouTube and you'll see what I'm talking about. He writes all his own stuff for the most part, and he's written a song for all of his kids, which I think is adorable. In fact, the name that we want to name our little girl is the name of his little girl, too! (NO I'm NOT pregnant, but I've already picked out my girls name) If you want to know what the name is, Google "Marc Broussard song for his daughter" or something like that and it will come up. It will work because I just tried it. :)

Saturday, we woke up semi-early, 8:30 - 9:00 is about as late as I can sleep lately. I don't know what the deal is? I used to be the Queen of sleeping late, but now I wake up around 8:30 at the latest. Jordan ran some errands, and I walked almost 2 miles! I clocked it at 1.7 miles, which is a lot since I haven't done that in a really long time. Seriously, I think the last time I really walked like that was maybe back in June?? I am starting to get back in shape lately, so this was part of that.

After the walk, I went to my inlaws to help Jordan clean their windows. They have like 23 floor to ceiling STORM windows. Storm windows = windows from HELL. Cleaning them is just plain awful. They are really old, and probably haven't been cleaned in about 30 years. (My inlaws have only lived there about a month.) After breaking 3 of the 6 we cleaned yesterday, the storm windows are going bye-bye. Impossible to clean, literally. At least the other part of the windows look really good now.

Today has been a chill day. Jordan's back is hurting really bad today, so we didn't go to church. I went to the grocery store and to get my nails done.

The past few weeks have brought a lot of sadness, so it was good to have a fun, relaxed weekend. Oct. 21, my grandmother passed away. My Mom's Mom was 93. She lived a long life and for the past few years has had to live in a nursing home because she had Alzheimer's (sp?). It is sad to not have her here, but she is in Heaven, healed and whole and with Jesus.

About a week before that (sorry to get out of chronological order) Bro. Dave Ohlerking died suddenly. He was the founder of Children's Cup, the ministry that I went with when I went to Africa. Bro. Dave was such a special man, he truly lived his life for Jesus, loving on "the least of these". He was on his way to Swaziland at the Johannesburg airport when he had to be taken to the hospital because of heart problems where he soon after went to be with the Lord. He always said that when it was his time, he wanted to die in Africa, which is exactly where he was.

Then, this past Monday, 2 men from my parent's church (where I grew up) died. One of them had been battling cancer for a long time and the other had a heart attack and died. Both were 62, had a wife and 2 daughters, and were key people at my parents church. So losing these 2 special people is quite devastating.

One of the ladies I work with, her grandmother passed away either yesterday or today. She was VERY close to her grandmother, so it is really sad for their family.

All of these families are experiencing situations, emotions, etc. that they weren't expecting this soon. So much sadness and grief and heaviness. Thankfully, we know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I've been praying for these families. Praying that the joy of the Lord would be their strength.

So, what's next?? Happy things! :)

I LOVE this time of year! Spending time with family, cool weather, parties, giving gifts, etc. And this year we are going on a family vacation for the first time as a family of 6! We used to go on family vacations just about every year, those times are where most of my favorite childhood memories come from. Now that my brother & I are both married, it's time to make some new family vacation memories! Verrry much looking forward to some time off with family!

I am sounding like a broken record about this whole blogging thing, so I'll just say, I really am going to try to post more often. If I post more often, then I won't have to write a BOOK like this post! :) Til next time...

XOXO - Linny