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Today is Jordan's birrrrthday! He was the last teenager in the Taylor family... Now we're all in our twenties! Pretty crazy, huh? Amy made him an oreo cheesecake that looked amazing. Everyone who ate it said it was delicious! In this first picture he's cracking up while we sing "Happy Birthday" to him. Jeremy was doing his best opera impression, and it was pretty funny :P 

Jordan seemed to really like all his gifts. It was fun to watch him open each one :) This year, Josh did a pretty cool thing - he asked a bunch of people to write Jordan a little birthday note, to tell him how much everyone cares for him. There were about forty notes by the end of it... and I think Jordy loved his little folder. Success!

I did not sleep well at all last night. :( I haven't really felt so good all day, so I'm hoping for a great night's sleep tonight. I'm ready to be back to normal!

Oh, I almost forgot! Troy and Sara (the hosts of our Thursday night dinner club) had their baby today! Little Justice was a couple weeks early, so he's very small and fragile, but his heart rate seems to be doing great! (There was concern that it had dropped too low, which is why they induced labor this afternoon.) So just be praying for Troy, Sara, Justice, and big brother Noah while they nurse Justice to full health. His little heart is in God's faithful hands!

Love you, Jordy :) You're the best brother-in-law in the world. Happy birthday!

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Thankful Thursday: Gifts #282-311

new Ryan Adams music! - Kelli and Jake's wedding ♥ - dinner date with my wonderful Momma! - my sweet friend Emily (Happy birthday to you!) - being silly with Jen, Chelsea, and Emily - feeling better - Barry and Emily's new job opportunities - This American Life - mint infused epsom salt (smells so good!) - being caught up on the laundry - Josh's joy at getting to bike around the neighborhood - learning fun new games! - the Huber's hushpuppies - fun nights with friends - Wahoo - learning Settlers of Catan (even though most of it went over my head) - compromise - this AMAZING artist - last minute hangouts with the Musgrove family - afternoon naps - fresh, homemade guacamole - that life is full and happy - making mashed potatoes from scratch - dinner club - laughing with new friends - being encouraged - waking up to a love note taped on the mirror - wrapping presents (I always forget how much I enjoy that) - Troy and Sara's colorful and welcoming home :) 

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We were going to go a Ron Paul party downtown tonight, but in the end we decided we didn't really feel like driving downtown. So we went to the Musgrove's instead to watch Survivor (and they were gracious enough to share their chocolate chip cookies with us). 

We've been goingoingoing a lot lately. It's been wonderful, getting to hang out with so many great people (some of whom we hadn't seen in ages), but man. I think we're both ready for a few days of rest with nothing planned. I'm a homebody, guys, and this body ain't been home enough lately :P So hopefully after this weekend, we'll get a couple days to just chill around the house and recharge. Don't get me wrong, it's been really nice to hang out with such a variety of friends, but I think we need a little balance in our social schedules. :)

Before I go, here's some beautiful music for your Wednesday evening. Enjoy!

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Cali and Nyk came over this evening, and we had a great time learning new games! Well, first we enjoyed an awesomely mismatched dinner... We learned that Cali and Nyk make some really good hushpuppies. So good. And then they taught us how to play Wahoo (which we both loved) and Settlers of Catan (which Josh loved, haha - jury's still our for me). We had such a great time. Barry and Emily showed up for a little bit too, but they got here late and left early because of work commitments, so Barry only got to play a quick game of Wahoo. It was nice to see them just the same :)

Thanks to Nyk and Cali for being so fun! We like you guys. We'll have to hang more often.

Another busy social week. Life is full and fun!

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I like these pictures; they're cute! Jen, Chelsea, Emily, and me :) 

Happy 22nd birthday to my sweet friend Emily!! (She's the pretty lady in blue) It was also her first day at a new job, so we threw a little party for her to celebrate both of those things! It was fun :) Both her birthday and her first day went well. I'm really happy for her!

Now Josh is watching Ron Paul's interview from The Daily Show and it's super interesting! (Here's the link if you're interested.) A little distracting too, haha. I can't think of anything else to blog about..

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Isn't my sweet Momma lovely? I got to hang out with her this evening because she and I went to an old friend's wedding out in Lebanon... I had such a good time. I love my mom, and I love getting to connect with her the way I have since Josh and I got married. She's a great friend and role model. 

Kelli Ward's wedding was so pretty... Josh and I dreamed of having our wedding at the Mill in Lebanon, but it didn't fit within our plan. So I was excited to go see it in action, and Kelli was such a beautiful bride! I didn't get any pictures, unfortunately (I didn't have the right lens with me), but I can tell you that it was gorgeous. I'm so happy for Kelli and her new husband ♥ It was a sweet ceremony. 

The video that Josh and Jordan shot last night is up now! It's really funny... It's called "Facebook Changed Things!" If you're on Facebook, you should totally watch it. Is hilarious. 

OK Josh owes me two week's worth of America's Next Top Model. 

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Josh took this picture! Cute Leeland. Why are you sad, Leeland? :(

We're over at the Taylors so Josh and Jordan can film tomorrow's video! Gonna be a funny one. 

I slept a little better last night, but I'm still feeling kinda blah. Maybe one more night of good sleep will do the trick. I hope so!

This next part is just for Amy:

Once upon a time there was a girl named Amy. Her hair was very pretty and she had the best laugh. Her family and her animals all loved her because she was the sweetest girl around! One day, she was writing an insightful and well-organized article for her school's newspaper when the phone rang. "Hello?" she asked, distracted. The man on the other end told her to come outside if she ever wanted to see her Ella kitten again. Amy was scared, but she ran outside and found the strange man who was holding Ella. He said, "I'm not gonna hurt her! I just wanted to get your attention." Amy was angry that she'd been tricked, so she stomped up to the man and took Ella from him. "Why did you need my attention so bad?" she spat. He launched into a monologue about how he'd loved her from afar for a very long time. And even though she didn't know him, he hoped that she would marry him and she could learn to love him. He reached out to kiss her, but she showed him the gun that she had hidden in her belt and he backed off. "What now?!" she taunted. The man ran away crying, never to bother her again. "That's what you get for kidnapping my favorite cat!" She yelled after him, "I could never love you!" And then she went back inside and lived happily ever after, satisfied to know that the man she marries one day will not be a catnapping stranger. The end. 

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Yeah that's right I'm playing a little LOST Via Domus, nbd. 

Still feeling pretty blah today. I didn't sleep very well again last night, so today I'm feeling super sluggish. Exhausted is a better word, but I can't get my mind to calm down. I don't feel sleepy, just worn out. Y'know? It's frustrating. Josh went and got some melatonin for me today when he was picking up my iron supplement. I've taken one with the hopes that I could squeeze in a nap here soon, and lemme tell ya it's the fastest working melatonin I've ever used. Or maybe I'm just feeling the drowsiness more because I'm already tired. Who knows. Hopefully though that'll kick in for real and I can get some amazing sleep... start healing from this little funk. 

Oh, hey, I won something! I'm exited to get some pretty coasters with the gift card I won... she's got some awesome looking reclaimed poplar coasters annnnd I also like the mix-n-match set of four different woods. We'll see. I'm super excited :D :D

Josh just left to go to his family's so they can make this week's video.. and Jen's gonna be there too :( I'm bummed that I'm missing out. Trying to listen to my body. It's annoying. 

Alright. I'm gonna go lay down. Happy Friday Night, y'all. 

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D'aww. I really like this picture :)

You guys, today's been rough. If you don't want to read three paragraphs from "discouraged Kelli," I suggest you skip ahead to the end :P

Last night, I was worn out and sure that I would have no trouble getting to sleep. That did not happen. Best I can figure, the soup I had at Fulin's last night must have way more MSG than I expected... I knew that it would be in there, but I've had the soup before and I thought I could handle a small bowl of it (and I've been good lately, darn it!). Turns out that my body didn't think so.. Insomnia and upset stomach = no bueno! I'm pretty sure I didn't get to sleep until like four in the morning. And I even managed to strain a shoulder muscle in my sleep last night (???) POOR KEWWI. So... I've been in an MSG-hangover fog all day. 

I'm super bummed that we had to postpone our photoshoot with the AMAZING Bethany Stone-Hall again, but I am very thankful for her patience with me. And I'm thankful that my sweet husband showed me patience too (he had every right to be irritated with me for canceling at the last minute again, but instead he forgave me and loved on me. I'm so blessed!) We are definitely looking forward to Saturday's photoshoot! Gonna get us some hawt pickchas!

I'm feeling a lot better right now than I did when I woke up! I just. Needed to sleep more, I think. And eat more. Shrug. This health journey is frustrating and confusing sometimes. But I have no other choice than to stick with it! Praise God for the healing He's already brought us. May He grant me the patience and diligence to stick with it!

DUDE. Only one hundred more days until I'm done with this blog! I can't believe it! :D :D :D :D :D :D

Hope everyone's having a great night! I plan to curl up and enjoy some TV with my man! :D Life is good.

EDIT, three hours later: HOLY COW, I forgot that today was Thursday. Well, if I'd remembered that, I wouldn't have made this post so long. Oh well. Thankfully I kept a running tally this time! This week's Thankful Thursday is another shorter one anyway, so :)

Thankful Thursday: Gifts #243-281

Halo parties - not having to make dinner (thank you Laurie!) - how cute Amy is - crab cakes - healthy "rice krispy treats" - grace when I'm overwhelmed - the Gator's victory over Tennessee - childhood classic brought to the big screen - understanding more jokes in The Lion King now that I'm older - cinnamon bun scented febreeze - getting to see my family!!!! - the Titans win - skillet-cooked salmon - getting big hugs from my family - hanging out with my "other" family (The Taylors) a lot this week :) - Amy's supercute yellow and gray sweatshirt - being silly making videos - making Jordan and Amy laugh 'til they're doubled over - The Contributer - being able to help out - Jared and Anna's sweet relationship - getting to hang out with great friends - getting to be in this week's Messy Monday video (I had a LOT of fun!) - scented candles - Bethany and David's cute apartment - heavenly ratatouille - hearing other couples' stories - newlywed chats - Fulin's - yummy sushi - my fish eye lens - getting to hang out with Emily and Danny finally (we're bummed that they're moving so soon! I feel like we missed out...) - convincing the Rushtons they should buy an XBox 360 - playing Truth be Told - getting to talk to someone who's done a 365 blog and understands what it's like - my sweet husband taking care of me - my eye getting better - going to sleep early

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I am so saddened that Emily and Danny are moving in less than a month. We all have a lot in common (sushi, photography, puzzle games, and Ron Paul to name a few of the obvious ones), but we never ended up hanging out until tonight. How dumb are we? Because we had a blast. I really enjoyed hanging out with 'em - you two are rad! We wish you guys all the best in Salt Lake City, but we're gonna miss having you around. Thanks for being so cool ;)

Josh also went over to the Hubers this afternoon (I had a few things to get done around the house) and he said he had a good time hanging out with Nyk and Cali. This week has been crazy fun... getting to hang out with all sorts of awesome people :) And the week's not even over! I'm feeling very blessed right now. G'night, friends!

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Look at the cute newlyweds! We got to hang out with Bethany and David tonight for the first time since their wedding! They were adorable. And their ratatouille was deesmishous! I loved hearing a little about their "story" and catching up with them.. It was cool to see them doing so well with married life. They're perfect for each other, and I couldn't be happier for them :)

I hate that this always happens, but the evenings we hang out kinda late with great people are the evenings that my posts are the least detail-oriented. I'm sleepy, k? 

So to recap: the Hales are adorable, we love hanging out with them, and we're looking forward to hanging out with them a lot now that they're no longer planning a wedding ;)

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Oh my goodness. I'm so glad that Jared and Anna got to come over tonight. We haven't seen the two of them together since like, March. We had such a good time! These two have such a great story, and it's kind of similar to Josh's and my story, so it's really cool to hear them talking about stuff and dreaming about the future with them and everything. Thinking, "I remember what that was like!" They're just a neat couple of people. 

Again, I lamented our lack of a second lamp to balance the light out around the couch. Gotta get another lamp! I'm pretty sure I've been saying that since at least the beginning of the year. I fail at home furnishings. 

HEY YOU, don't forget to watch today's Messy Monday video! I'm actually in this one! Yeah that's right, I'm a total diva now. Where is my room-temperature Evian Water?! Maybe I'm biased, but I think that today's video is really funny. Like. Jordan-strangles-me funny. Here's the link again; aren't I helpful?!What the heck are you waiting for. 

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Dude. Josh is the best husband ever. He got a memory foam thing to put on top of our bed AND a memory foam pillow for me. I slept better last night than I have in a long time... Holy cow. I can't wait to go back to bed so I can sleep on top of that cloud!

I got to see my family today! It'd been two weeks, and I've been missing them so much... Seriously, it was so refreshing to hug my Dad, Mom, and Alex. I miss Joshie, though. He's away at school. :(

The Titans game was one of the more entertaining football games I've watched (I'm not much of a football fan, but it was definitely exciting!). They did great. We're hoping it wasn't just a fluke :)

Now we're at the Taylor's, and Josh and Jordan are working on Monday's video. I still haven't taken a picture.. I meant to at my family's. But I was just so excited to be with them that I didn't think about it until both Alex and Dad had left for work. BUMMER. So. Guess I'll slip in and snap a shot while they shoot the video.

[later] we had a lot of fun making this week's video. You know I'll be linking it up tomorrow! Now it's time to sink into that new memory foam mmmmzzzmmzzzzzz.

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My sweetheart and his new bike :) 

Josh made a video this afternoon with his siblings, so I used the iPod touch for today's picture. I don't know why I never thought of doing that before - for the times I don't want to lug the ol' camera around. 

After the video was made, we all went to see The Lion King in 3D with Sarah and Ashley. It. was. awesome. 

As much fun as this week has been, I am mega ready for a day without plans. But some of tomorrow's plans are a breath of fresh air... I get to see my family! It's been two weeks! I can't wait. 

P.S. Madeline made this super cool video of when her, Amy, Jordan, John, and Sarah made the new swing in the Taylor's backyard. It's kinda long, but once you get to when the music starts, it's adorable... Check it out :)

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Isn't Ella such a sweetheart? This is the most adorable cat I've ever seen. Her left eye is messed up, so she moves her head around in endearing little twitches (which made getting a good picture of her kinda hard, haha). I wuv her.

Barry came over to hang out with Josh/play video games. Then we relocated to the Taylor's house so they could play with Jordan and Amy (and so I didn't have to make dinner :P). Jen and Emily showed up after Cottage Cove got out too :D They talked me into playing "Speed Halo" and... it was pretty fun!

Apart from that, that rest of the day was pretty alright. I had a bit of a breakdown this afternoon.. I get discouraged when I'm not as healthy as I'd like to be (heck, I'd like to just be "normal"). Especially since I'm working so hard to be/stay/get healthy! I know that I am getting better, but it's been such a slow and difficult process that sometimes I get discouraged. Thankfully, I have a very, very sweet husband who holds me and lets me cry when I need it. I don't know what I'd do without his help and encouragement!

Here's to the weekend!

P.S. I updated my "favorite blogs" tab to include my good friend Jen's new blog, An Abiding Anchor. Go check it out!

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AH the new 50mm lens came today! I LOVE it. Isn't this picture of Josh's eye amazing? It took me literally two seconds. I'm going to enjoy things like being able to get close to my subject, and the superior amount of light it lets in. It's much better quality than the one that came with the camera (we bought it on eBay, so it just came with a knock-off brand lens that did the job, but you know..). It was used for both of these pictures (Josh took the cute one of Jen). Man, I'm just excited about it :) Josh is looking forward to using it for a video. And I'm looking forward to playing with it in the upcoming days.

Isn't Jen pretty? :) We had a hot date with her this afternoon. We saw Contagion (it's good and it sparked an interesting conversation on the way home). Spending time with Jen is seriously our favorite... She's family.

And then tonight we had the pleasure of hanging out with a very fun group of people at the Perry's house tonight! Everyone contributed to dinner, and we had a great time laughing and getting to know each other. It's also like a prayer group, which I'm excited about. I enjoyed meeting new people... and it was awesome.

Well, it's Thursday, so you know what that means! I didn't keep a running list of gifts this week, so it's not as extensive as the last couple of weeks' lists. Whoops! 

Thankful Thursday: Gifts #201-242

safe trip home - my sweet, sweet momma's love - having clean house when we got home - pretty pink anthuriums - my sexy husband - hangman - peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - spending time with the Taylors - making silly videos - having "game night" for the first time in a while - watching the guys play halo - easy, yummy meals - that Jen is safe after her fainting scare :/ - Family Ties on Netflix - more mindblowing color photographs from the 1940's  - getting to hang out with the Musgroves - Aunt Linda's Mock Chocolate Eclair! - Survivor premiere - "two pillow Hannah" - "two flower Katie" - bright gray skies - brazil nut macaroons - Jen's new blog! - finding a forgotten $10 iTunes card - having socks that fit - Josh's safety when he's out running/walking everywhere - new Adventures in Odyssey - annnd even more color photos from before 1950 (I love this stuff!) - hot date with Jen - political debates in the car on the way to and from the movies - genuine smiles - fellowship - Sara and Troy's hospitality - that 5 year old Noah asked Jesus into his heart! - positive feedback for the cookies - having a friend who understands my diet restrictions - meeting new friends - it being cool enough to wear the beautiful scarf that Emily got for me :) - being completely safe to be myself with a truly close friend - A car who's A/C and heat not only work, but kick in quickly - New 50mm lens for the camera ♥ 

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We got to hang out with the Musgroves tonight! Thanks, Aunt Linda, for the delicious dinner and for having us over to watch Survivor. It was a good time! I love spending time with the Musgroves - they're just so fun, and I enjoy being around them. I'm happy to have married into a "family" of such good friends. :) Not to mention Aunt Linda's Mock Choc - it is to die for.

Survivor looks like it's gonna be a good one this season. I can feel myself already getting hooked :p 

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta start making some cookies for tomorrow night's Dinner Club. This week is flying by! 

Thanks again to the Musgrove family. We love you guys!

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I like the colors and the lines in today's picture :) I asked Josh if it was boring or if he thought it was kinda cool, and he replied, "Well, it's boring when you first see it, but if you look at it for more than a couple seconds, it becomes kind of intriguing." ...Thanks? Haha. I think I can deal with "becomes kind of intriguing" for now :p

Not much happened today.. I have a little bit of a headache :/ Josh has a couple drawings he's working on.. And... Oh, something did happen today: Josh has a new bike! His family found a good one for cheap at a garage sale or something, so they picked it up for him :) I'm so glad. Josh has really been missing his bike rides since his old one broke about a month ago. 

Parenthood comes back on tonight :) And the rest of the week involves a lot of hanging out with cool people! This week is turning out to be a good one. 

Ohhhhh no... Josh's work computer is freaking out right now. That's not good.. Man, I'm praying that resolves itself immediately. Josh is freaking out, too :/ Ha. I have to admit that the timing isn't completely awful - we just got a new computer this week for in case his current computer conked out. I pray that's not what's happening. But if it is, God's taking care of us. The worst that would happen is that Josh'd lose the current drawing he's working on. 

...

Oh, thank you LORD! The computer saved his work for him right before it froze up, so he only lost a few details that'll be easy enough to re-do! What a relief! See? God's taking care of us ♥ 

That's a good note to end on, I think :D You guys have a good Tuesday evening!

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Happy Monday :) Having some friends over for dinner and games! The guys are all playing Halo. Other than that... not much is going on, haha. I don't want to get the camera out... So here's another photo booth picture. I feel like I'm cheating every time I do this, but I mean, come on... give me a break. :P

Check out Jordan's cousin Freddy Butkis hosting Messy Monday. El oh el. 

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We've been hanging out at the Taylor's for most of the day. Josh actually came over before I was awake... Thankfully, Jen was going over this afternoon too so she just picked me up on her way :) Thanks, Jen!

I can't believe it's been ten years since the WTC attacks. We've been watching 9/11 stuff the majority of the time we've been here. Such a tragedy! That footage is heartbreaking... 

Now Josh and Jordan are working on Monday's video :) Laurie made some delicious lemon brazil nut macaroons and I've been munchin' on those a lot. Really yummy!

And... I don't know what else to say. So Goodnight!

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We said our goodbyes to "our" Little Pine Lodge bright and early this morning. (Bright and early for me, that is. Josh had already been up for a bit before I woke up, ha ha. What can I say? I'm particular about my sleep ;p) We had such a good week up in the Smoky Mountains! We checked pretty much everything off of our wish list for the week: we visited our favorite restaurant, visited Wonderworks, hot tubbed almost every day, goofed off in the arcade, went for the most beautiful scenic drives, talked about visiting one of the little curio shops (but we never got around to it), and spent a whole lot of quality time just hanging out in the cabin. :) Josh even got to ride a roller coaster (sort of)! We had a lot of fun. It was cool to think back to a year ago when we came here for our honeymoon. How much we've grown and learned about each other... Being married is awesome, guys!

The trip back was beautiful (as usual) and we made good time. We stopped once to get gas and once for lunch, but even with that it only took about four hours. When we got home, we found our forgotten pile of clean clothes folded, the whole house vacuumed, and this pretty potted plant on our table! :D My super sweet Momma came in while we were gone so we'd have a tidy home when we got back. ♥ Isn't she sweet? It makes me feel special and loved :)

Now Josh and I are talking about going to see a movie tonight. We shall see! It's nice to be home.

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lol. Not quite a straight shot there, Josh! ;p

Josh went for a run this morning before I was up. He told me where he was going before he left, but I was half-asleep... So when the cabin's phone rang twenty minutes later (I didn't actually find the phone til right after the last ring, though. ha.), my groggy mind went into freakout mode. I was afraid someone had found Josh and was calling to let me know he was hurt or something. Which... doesn't make any sense now because how would they know where he was staying? And even if they did, how would they know the number to the cabin? Then I thought maybe it was Josh trying to get ahold of me, but that doesn't make sense either, because he would've called my cell. I called his cell phone anyway to see if it was him, and the cell phone was in the living room, dead as a doorknob. I was like, "??!?!? why would you go jogging in the winding mountain roads without taking your phone? Do you WANT me to have a heart attack??!?!?" Not a minute later, I caught a glimpse of Josh's white tshirt through the blinds. Overwhelming relief. I opened the door, gave him a big hug, and chastised him for not taking his phone, haha. In that moment I knew that I had overreacted.

It was like God was saying, "There's no need for you to get worked up like that. I'm taking care of y'all!" 

Of course, my behavior this morning wasn't rational - he'd only been gone for thirty minutes. I had no reason to think he was in danger. Now, if it'd been an hour or more, it would've been time to start making sure he was okay. Not to say that bad things can't happen early on in a quick run... or that Josh was right to leave his phone... Just that my worrying was unnecessary. In my half-asleep, husbandless state, I let my imagination and my faith get away from me. I still don't know who called the cabin this morning. They never called back, so... haha. I think it was just so I could re-learn a thing or two about relying on God! :) 

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The Best Veggie Burger in the world! 

"This is... for me?"

I beat Josh so bad that he had time to take this picture of me while I finished our game.

This is his, "I was pwning at Pac-Man until you showed up" face. Oops!

Thankful Thursday: Gifts #116-200

helping Josh edit a video (and that he values my input) - being mostly packed a few days before we leave - these amazing World War 2 color photographs - that Josh enjoys grocery trips with me - Naked juice - the honor of helping out with our friends' wedding - big red barns - Bethany and David's fairy tale wedding - silly photo booth pictures - good friends over for pizza and staying late into the night - road trips - snacks for the car ride - the color red - Lincoln audio book - The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (and Other Clinical Tales) by Oliver Sacks - Pigeon Forge - clouds that wrap around the mountain - seeing people walk away from their wrecks - this awesome cabin - hot tub - cute new swimsuit - leaves starting to turn yellow - cooler weather - Josh and Barry's new collaboration - Josh getting to talk to his good friend for over an hour while we were in town - the Smoky Mountains - rain in the mountains - Wonderworks silliness - our fun waiter at O'Charley's (Cory) - running into Ron Paul supporters in unlikely places - strawberry lemonade - L.A. Noire - bottled water - Christian pick-up lines - Super Meat Boy - car people at Wal-Mart who just help and don't charge - rustic charm - Caedmon's Call - windy roads up the mountain (but only during the day) - GPS - trust - spotify.com - fig newtons - chocolate covered almonds - the amazing bed in this cabin (like sleeping on a cloud) - getting to sleep in - the local Kroger's huuuge Nature's Market - that Brian Williams granted Ron Paul like four answers the whole freaking debate (does it count if I'm being sarcastic?) - tactful sarcasm - Foster the People - sweet potato fries - huge bath tub - Bubba Gump Shrimp! - seafood hush pups - the most amazing mushroom veggie burger in the whole world - pirate themed shoot 'em up arcade games - beating Josh at the pirate game TWICE - getting all the Forest Gump trivia correct - Great Smokey Mountains National Park - Little River Road - scenic drives - white rapids - holding hands - arcade fun - PacMan - lols - feeling better - that football is back - Rack-O - awesome copper countertops - watching silly reality TV shows with Josh - Loaded Questions - Passion Tea Lemonade - "the ghost of Chef Ramsey" - Chenbot - that America's Next Top Model starts back up next week - cute grey plaid shoes - making silly faces - PB&J - GlaDos - peppermint soap - fun date days!

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HELLO it is I... me. He who writes to you. Now. JOSH. It's him. He! I am here. This place above be trippin'! It was pretty fun. I experienced a spin-you-upside-down ride that actually made me nauseated. So that was...that. But otherwise it was pretty fun. Lots of cool exhibits and optical illusions and stuff. I don't know. We just kind of walked through it and it was fun. K? K.

Then we went to O'Charley's for lunch, and not one but TWO employees complimented my Ron Paul hat. I know... Pigeon Forge, right?! Who knew. Apparently they are libertarians up here. Actually, if you think about it, people who live up in the mountains would probably tend to be more libertarian in general, huh. Anyways, it was cool.

So now we're back at the cabin juzzzchyllen. We've been playing L.A. Noire which is really fun. And Portal 2. So life is good. That's it I guess. The debate is tonight! You know we're gonna watch that. Kbye. 

----------------------

Now it's Kelli here. Josh wanted to write today's post really bad, so I let him ;) He makes me laugh! 

I'm feeling a lot better today; thanks for the prayers! . It was nice to get out of the cabin and have some light-hearted fun together. Wonderworks had this trippy spinning tunnel that you walk through to get in.. and I've been on things like that before, but this one seriously threw off my balance. I kept running into the rails, haha. So weird! There was also this game that measured your brain waves and moved a marble away from you, depending on how relaxed and focused you were. Josh and I went up against each other, but it was no contest. That marble came straight toward me every time haha - Josh was about as focused and relaxed as a person can be, according to the graphs. That was pretty cool.  

Now I think we're gonna go take advantage of the cold weather/hot tub combination. Loving it. Not ready to go home yet!

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These railings are my favorite part of the cabin's architecture. So rustic and charming! 

It only rained a little today. Josh wanted to take advantage of the nice weather and go into Pigeon Forge for some fun, but I haven't been feeling that great today, so we hunkered down... I think Josh is bored out of his mind though, ha. I hate that he's bored because of me. But I'll get some good sleep tonight and tomorrow we'll get out of the cabin! I'm looking forward to it :) Will you guys pray that I feel better quickly? Nothing's worse than being sick on vacation, especially since it affects my sweetheart too :/

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It's rainy here. The trees are so green because of the rain - it's beautiful! 

Happy Labor Day! = it's Monday = the newest Messy Monday video is up!! Jordan talks about his new purity ring and suggests some hawt Christian pick-up lines in response to a fans' question. 

We went into town to get some groceries, which gave Josh the opportunity to talk to his good friend Barry (our cell service is pretty spotty on the mountain). Josh and Barry started collaborating on a daily devotion blog today.. Barry started the blog a few weeks ago, but he wanted to bring some dimension to the daily posts... so he asked Josh to join him because they see some things a little differently. Not disagreeing, just different mindsets. (Here is where Barry explained it better than I could.) So each day, they'll present their separate thoughts on a few chosen verses.. Which I think is pretty cool. Check it out! (And don't miss out on Josh's post underneath Barry's on the main page!) 

So yep. A pretty exciting day for us in terms of internet happenings. In real life, it's been very relaxing... Gotta love chilling in the hot tub with my sweetheart, watching the rain fall ♥ 

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Road trip! We arrived safely. And we love this place ♥ This is going to be a fun week!! 

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Bethany is a beautiful bride - her dress was perfect! And David's excitement was all over his face - it was ADORABLE. So expectant. The day finally came! Their ceremony was beautiful and simple, and very them. I was crying before she was even out the back door... When I saw David's face, I was gone. So beautiful. 

Josh and I were in charge of the photo booth at the reception. It was fun (I love this picture)! The reception was so charming... Coffee and pie in Bethany's family's backyard, with lights strung up and lit-up mason jars hanging from the tress - it felt like a fairy tale! It was right at sunset, too! Which was kind of a nuisance for me trying to run the photo booth, haha, but it most definitely was a plus in the ambience department. So pretty. Like I said, a fairy tale!

The first time I saw Bethany and David, I knew they were meant for each other. Her whole countenance changed when he showed up that day - it was adorable. So, needless to say... I am so excited for the two of them. They're each other's best friends and they're gonna do great. I can't wait to start having married-double-dates with them! ♥ 

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What a stud ;)

Dude, Excedrin makes me so jittery and makes me feel real funny... I don't feel like myself at all right now. Gotta train myself to reach for the B vitamins instead of Excedrin when I feel a headache coming on.. This girl can't handle her caffeine worth jack-squat! Pretty pathetic, right? Ha ha ha.

Today's been full of preparations for our upcoming vacation. Totally excited! And I'm feeling pretty organized about it too. We've already packed up almost everything we can so far... it feels good :) Now we've just gotta pack up the cooler and get a good audio book to listen to on the way, and we'll be set!

AH, I can't wait for Bethany and David's wedding tomorrow! I am so excited about them as a couple. They're amazing together - you can't help but love 'em... so precious ♥ I'll be manning the (low-tech) photo booth at the reception, so if you're going to the wedding,  stop by and say hi early in the evening (before we lose the light) and I'll take yo' pitcha fo' free!

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What a good day!

Thankful Thursday Gifts #36-115

the library's holding option - 5 minute chocolate cake - Netflix - Ryan Adams - Adventures in Odyssey - pumpkin pancakes - Vermont maple syrup - people who play Mayberryopoly with Josh - Leeland - my brown cardigan - the corner in the Taylor's couch (wayyy comfy) - unexpected laughs - John's disbelief in Neptune because he's "never seen it" - homemade mashed potatoes - leaves on the ground (already?!) - that my husband loves to talk with me - scrambled eggs - seeing my soon-to-be-married friends in love - homemade pizza straight from heaven - laughter - watching parents interact with their children - obedient kids - hope - acceptance - fruit pizza - genuine friends - hospitality - bright, colorful homes - the joy of a first lost tooth (misplaced though it may be: "It makes me strong!") - "No, Jesus makes you strong!" - new friends - heart-to-hearts with my husband - knowing that no matter what I do or say, I won't scare Josh away - "I really care about you" - affordable car repair (and the safety that comes with knowing your car is good for a while) - my sweet momma - forgiveness - a wonderful year of marriage - surprise daisies - "Pirate Booty" chips (aka healthy cheetos) - Sweet CiCi's watermelon sorbet - free movie tickets - The Help (good movie!) - romance - Josh in plaid shirts - being silly - reminiscing - starting to get the hang of the "cat eye" eyeliner style - grilled shrimp - the anniversary gifts we've received - whoever took care of our creeping weed for us - Messy Mondays  - an even playing field in Mario Party - The Generous Wife blog's gentle reminders - that Josh just holds me and listens while I cry - "Your worth is not based on your performance" - lists - my improving health - God's great faithfulness - Ray and Laurie's generosity - neck massages and the relief they bring for headaches - organization - forehead kisses - daydreams - generous friends - orange juice popsicles - relaxing at home with my sweetheart - what a good friend Jen has been all these years (we love her) - meals with friends - watching Josh and Jordan make videos - when Jordan's laughing so hard he can't get his lines out - good laughs with good friends - getting to see Jared after a summer's absence - you guys :)