Friends Birthdays. Babies and More!

The spring time means friends birthdays! I organized a group of friends to have a lovely dinner at a new restaurant in Meridian called Twigs for Kathie's birthday. 

I love this photo! Poor Kathie. She doesn't talk about underwear, but we do, so of course we have to bring it up whenever we are around her. I just want to note, I did not get that card for her. Though, I would like to note that I wish I had! :)

Next up was Stacy's birthday! For her actually birthday we went to another new restaurant in Meridian called the Yardhouse. However, the weekend before Stacy, Viki and I had a girls afternoon. We had coffee, got our nails done and had a great lunch at Red Robin. 

And a week after Stacy's birthday, Yesenia and I went to the Yardhouse for her birthday!

Happy Birthday to all my spring friends! 

Now for some random. 

First up - Operation embarrass Alissa with a sea horse pool toy. Mr. Seahorse enjoyed some fresh air by hanging out of the sunroof in Bonni's car as we went through the drive-thru at Panda Express.

There is this website where people post the names the barista's write on their Starbucks drinks that are wrong. We all know my name...well this is what a barista thought my name was...

Mmnnn...the Idaho potato..

This spring has also brought new babies into the world. 

First meet Jackson Harmon Smith, I just love him! I love holding him, even when he spits up on me. I love when he sleeps in my arm, or when he smiles (no it is not gas)! But most of all I love seeing my best friend as a mother.

Next up, Finnely Valor Dukes! This little guy is so adorable and I got to hold him for over an hour in my arms and he just slept there like a perfect angel.

It's been a great spring!

Ladies Retreat

The last weekend in April I went on a Ladies Retreat for work. I was on the planning committee. How I got on the committee is beyond me, I am not a committee person. Anyways the weekend before we were suppose to go someone at work told Bonni that he was looking online at the cabin we use for all our retreats and we were not on their schedule. So, Bonni called the manager and sure enough we weren't on the calendar, even though we had booked the cabin a year ago. Well Bonni decided to be nice and we took two other cabins they had. 

McCall is a beautiful area, I love this small central Idaho town. Our cabins were right on Payette  Lake.

Part of the lake was still frozen!

Our two cabins.

All or our meals were planned, but the best one was for Saturday night - Soto Ayam, which is an amazing Indonesian soup. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Indonesian food?

Bonni frying yummy Indonesian crackers.

Yeah, I pretty much rock at helping... :)

Yum, yum, yum!!!

We want food!

Some more beautiful photos from my balcony.

We may be coworkers, but above everything else we are friends and we cuddle while watching The Amazing Spider Man!

This is the perfect picture of what a retreat is all about...

On Sunday morning it was snowing!

All the lovely ladies. These photos are so fun with the snow falling...

I am so glad I went on this retreat! We did a video series by Beth Moore called Loving Well. It was amazing what God did in our hearts this weekend, it was just what I needed.

Duana's Visit

Wow! I am really horrible at blogging these days and I am just going to go out on a limb and say that I probably won't blog that much once I finish these catch up blogs. In 2 months I am leaving Idaho and I am going to enjoy the last 2 months in Idaho and not in front of a computer. But right now I don't want to write about the fact that I am leaving Idaho (because it does make me sad and when I am sad I cry...a lot.) So, let's back up 2 months ago when I got to see my childhood best friend. 

Duana and I have known each other since we were 8 years old, we became friends in the 3rd grade. Majority of my childhood memories involve Duana. We were inseparable and the best of friends. We had many great times together and many hard times, but we remained friends. After high school we went to different colleges and our lives started to go in different directions. But we still occasionally stayed in contact, though the last time we had seen each other was in 2008. So, when Duana texted me and said they were going to be in Idaho I was so excited.

We were able to get together for dinner and I got to meet her oldest daughter and youngest son. We talked for 4 straight hours and while time has passed we are still friends to the core. I am so blessed that my childhood involved this amazing person and while it has been a few years since we were in high school we can still get together and it is like old times. Childhood best friends are such a great experience!

Trusting

Friday was an emotional day for me. There are many reasons why it was and mostly because I am a girl and because I am a crier. I cried 3 times on Friday. I am dreading the coming months especially as the goodbyes start. As I was talking to someone at work, whom I trust  and look up too, this person shared this song with me.



Sovereign in the mountain air

Sovereign on the ocean floor

With me in the calm

With me in the storm


Sovereign in my greatest joy

Sovereign in my deepest cry

With me in the dark

With me at the dawn


In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you


In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you


Sovereign in the mountain air

Sovereign on the ocean floor

With me in the calm

With me in the storm


Sovereign in my greatest joy

Sovereign in my deepest cry

With me in the dark

With me at the dawn


In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you


In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you


God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

All my hopes

All I need

Held in your hands


All my life

All of me

Held in your hands


All my fears

All my dreams

Held in your hands


All my hopes

All I need

Held in your hands


All my life

All of me

Held in your hands


All my fears

All my dreams

Held in your hands


In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you


In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you


God whatever comes my way

I will trust you


God whatever comes my way

I will trust you


I can feel the fear and the doubt and the anxiety creeping back in, but what I need to remember is that God is with me. I have prayed about this move for over a year now and I truly believe that this is where God wants me to go. While I don't know what the future holds, I trust the maker of the universe.


This song is going to be my theme song over the next few months of drastic change and uncertainty.

Life of a spoiled kitty

There is not denying it, Princess is spoiled! But I just love her so much! Seriously how could you not? 

I like to taunt Princess from time to time. This time I wondered if she would eat her food in her bowl or eat the unlimited supply of kitty food in her container. She is a creature of habit! 

Sleepy kitty

Beautiful big green eyes!!!! 

Sunbathing at it's best! 

Princess has a couple videos she likes to watch on YouTube. 

Stretch...

Doritos are so good...even when the bag gets stuck on you. 

A couple Sunday's ago, I skipped church. Thankfully, I can stream the live service and this time Princess decided to hear the message as well. And some say that animals don't go to heaven. Here is proof they do! :) 

She is such a character and I am so glad she is my precious kitty.