time flies

Howdy world! Where has the time gone? Well, we are back in Greenville, SC and very happy to say the least! Much has happened over the past few weeks – including Sandy graduating from school, a celebration trip to Key West, me leaving my great job at Forest Hill, and a big move back down south (well, 90 miles south). We do miss Charlotte, just a little.

So, what’s next? Sandy is back at his architecture firm, I am doing freelance from home (mostly in my PJs, isn’t life grand?), and we are making plans to do some renovations to this 50 year old house of ours. Life is good! Too good.

church bulletins

These gave me a few good laughs this morning:

These are REAL sentences printed in REAL church bulletins :)

Enjoy.

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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight:
“Searching for Jesus.”
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Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the
recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
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Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale . It’s a chance to get rid of
those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
—————————————————- ———
The peace making meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a
conflict.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at
someone who is hard to love. Say “Hell” to someone who doesn’t care much
about you.
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Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again,” giving
obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery
downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the
help they can get.
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The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will
sing: “Break Forth into Joy.”
————————————————————-
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the
church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music
will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What Is Hell?”
Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of
several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
———- —————————————————
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled.
Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
————————————————————-
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased
person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and
gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM – prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may
be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across
from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies
are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.
————————————————————-
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would
lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
————————————————————-
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the
back door.
————————————————————-
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church
basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this
tragedy.
————————————————————-
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.
Please use large double door at the side entrance.
————————————————————-
The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new tithing campaign slogan
last Sunday: “I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours”

Makes me smile

Here are just a few things that make me smile:

1. The Triple chocolate cookies I just devoured.

2. Having conversations about God and his glorious-ness.

3. Seeing old friends on Facebook.

4. Flowers blooming!

5. My marriage

6. Techno and rap music…really anything fast that’s a got a good beat

7. Bikes rides

8. Babies

9. Subway Spicy Italian subs

10. Knitting

recession…what recession?

{from rock scissor paper}

oh we have had our moments…

how are we going to pay for dog food?

what else can we put peanut butter on? (it’s very filling)

can we afford tylenol?

whose gas light has been on the longest? {to decide which car to take to the grocery store across the street}

how long before our rib cage shows? (haha, just kidding, the $1 menu is very budget friendly and keeps our healthy glow :))

we started a ‘recession’ a bit early…the day we landed in Charlotte. but we’ve survived and learned a TON about saving money and making the best with what we have. we have been extremely blessed to have been in this situation because we will never spend money the same.

so, there is at least one positive to this recession…that people will become smarter spenders, more thankful, and enjoy life without the ‘gotta have it’ mentality.

there is also another take on the recession….humor! {see cards above-courtesy of rock scissor paper}

Things I’ve learned recently about design or ‘takeaways’ if you will….

Here goes:

• to stay calm when people don’t know what they want designed or what they want it to look like…that’s why they come to you.
• there is a thin line between ’simple is better’ and ‘excellence is in the details’ when it comes to design
• to immediately stop tweaking a design and put it on the ’shelf’ to rest for a while. that means mentally too…
• don’t simply give an answer, explain by example and use it to teach someone else
• as with the start of any new project, ask too many questions up front…it will save you lots of time later.

That’s all for now! Hope you all have a fabulous day!

Pictures!

{from The Beautiful Mess, Daniel and Candice Lanning}

So, Sandy decided to surprise me with a Valentine’s Day photoshoot with our friends Daniel and Candice Lanning!!!!

Not only are they the most talented photographer team around, they are so much fun to be around. It was like a couple’s outing in Charlotte with cameras all around! I so admire their determination of making their business a success and am so grateful for the gift they gave us that will last a lifetime. Thanks, Candice and Daniel!

Here they are! {Just Because: Sandy and Andrea}

And, they also made a neat-o slideshow for us: Click here

We are so grateful to know them (and I am thankful for a very sentimental husband). You should also check out their web gallery and go ahead and book them–they will be famous soon :). Enjoy! (Sorry for all the mushiness, but it was Valentine’s Day.)

see anything familiar in this picture?

This is the new graphic for our upcoming series at Forest Hill. Guess who it is? :)

Also, check out our new website here.

facebook and work

Those are my two reasons why I haven’t blogged recently. I know Facebook has been around forever, but I couldn’t ever find a good enough reason to create an account until my sister came in to town and talked about how much fun it is.  So, I joined. The first couple of days were crazy fun…catching up with old friends, seeing my family (mom, aunts, cousins included) all connect in one place, and checking out updated profiles with recent pictures (and their kids pics too)! I’ve had a hard time staying away from it! Fortunately, I have been busy at work and it’s taken my mind off of Facebook. Speaking of work, I am continuing to loooooovve my job.  Besides the fact that I get to do what I love, it’s great being in a routine again.  And, since Sandy and I get a free membership to the YMCA, we’ve been getting back into shape.  He’s running and lifting weights, while I’m training for my first triathlon this Spring (and enjoying the steam room after a nice swim). All in all,  we are enjoying Charlotte more and more each week.  What other place can it snow on a Wednesday and be 70 degrees on Saturday?

{See pictures below for evidence}

snow! (or maybe just a light dusting)

sunny and 70 (3 days later)

random night shot in uptown

love my job (hope you feel the same way!)

Here is a link to my new workplace:

• Forest Hill Church

I have been blessed beyond measure to be a part of this staff and the ministry that is going on inside and outside the walls. There are so many things I could say about it…but I just love what I’m doing and where I’m doing it. For those of you who may not know, I am designing graphics for the worship arts/production team. Design is my passion…though I put it aside for a while, I am happy to be back in it (and *slightly* over my head). I love the thrill of “chasing” a great design. I am so happy that God has placed this opportunity in my lap and even more thankful that it is with a GREAT evangelistic Jesus-loving church. God is definitely on the move there!

Til now, I’ve never reached this kind of satisfaction from a job…and have never felt closer to the Lord than through this opportunity at Forest Hill. Hope you feel the same about your job–whether it be at home with the kids or in the workplace or volunteering or whatever your form of service looks like.

photo love

HEY! I wanted to share some photos with you from our fun holiday season. For those of you who diligently keep up with this (somewhat random) blog, I’d like to say thanks for hanging in there.

Alli preggars and pondering

The Mr. and Mrs. at the 'Kiss'mas party

Piano playin' for Caroline at the Gibbes' household

Makes your heart melt, doesn't it?

Colbie Caillat at 'Kiss'mas Party

Hope to share more memories soon!