New Beginnings

I am going to admit, I have neglected posting for quite some time now. Some of you might think, well she's done with school she's probably busy working etc..well guess what-I'm not! So I have had more than enough time to post and catch up on some much needed blog time, but there isn't that much news with us and I am really enjoying my time off. Going to school and working took up lots of time and now that I only work two days a week (I know that's not very much..) I have been able to do some stuff that I couldn't do while in school, there's only so many hours in a day! That chapter of my life is finished and new one is beginning. I think I'm in a transition period right now but I am enjoying it and looking at the positives.. I have been busy sleeping in the extra hour, doing the craft(s) I have been meaning to do for awhile now, hanging out with the little Rylie, actually cooking dinner with Erik and the list goes on. Don't get me wrong, I love this time right now, but I am looking for a full time job. One that allows me to use my creativity and also one that betters the community. I have been doing some stuff on the side, and that's great, but something stable would be great too!! So that's my life in a nutshell right now. Here are some pictures of the last month, including graduation (never actually posted pictures.) Also Congratulations to Dana & Brett who were married this past weekend! They are dear friends of Erik and I and deserve the best. Their wedding was absolutely beautiful and a great time was had by ALL! Hope all is well bloggy friends :)

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had fun ringing in the New Year. Whether you were out and about or at home with the fam, being with family and friends is what it's all about. I know one little girl who eagerly welcomed the new year, afterall, she spent most of last year waiting for this moment! Here are a few more pics of the lovely lady....

IT'S A GIRL!!!

I would like you all to meet our new little niece, Rylie Elizabeth Lawrence! Her proud and brand new parents are my sister Abby and brother-in-law Kevin. Isn't she adorable?! She was born early yesterday morning and she is doing great, and so is mommy! She is just a little peanut, she weighs 5 lbs 15 oz...full of love and joy:) She has already brought so much happiness to everyone who has met her. I am very proud of Kevin and Abby, they are going to be wonderful parents. Praise God for a healthy little baby girl! Which was such a surprise by the way..we didn't know if she was a girl or a boy, so it was an a amazing surprise! Girls are what we do best I guess!

Congrats to mom and dad too..or shall I say Grandpa and Grandma ;) I will post more pics later because of course MY camera died right away so I need to retrieve pics from other camera's. Hope all is well with you! (yes, we are still alive...we haven't posted in a while!)

Way to go Erik!

Well this years hunting weekend was a success (twice)! Yup that's right, Erik came home with two deer on Sunday and one of them was a whopping 8 point buck! We go up every year to Honor Michigan with some friends..it's a lot of fun. The guys go hunting and all of us girlies somehow find ourselves downtown Traverse....great shopping...I like hunting weekend;) This one was memorable though, because for the past three years all of us have been putting money into the "buck pot." The deer has to be a 6 pt. or higher to win the money and no one had got one yet....except this year! So it was really nice to get that pot. Here is a picture with Erik and his deer. Not that all of you may want to see this but some of you might....I think I should take up hunting if it makes me this much money! Anyone like venison because we have a TON of it?! I don't mind it but I would rather have something else, but Erik loves it. We just have way too much of it right now. Let me know. Hope all is well with everyone!

Hey guys, so I have been MIA for the past 2 months. School has been absolutely nuts but I have been able to do some pretty fun stuff (love-hate relationship) and I guess it's worth it..right? Also work has been about the same. We added on 5 new attorneys this week (that's a lot) and the behind-the-scenes work for that to happen takes a ton of time (marketing tools etc.)..so needless to say when I do have some free time, I want to spend it with Erik and with my preggo sis (who is due in about 8 weeks.. and with my best bud who is getting married soon ( I am doing her invites so that is pretty awesome..) so add that all together and it means 2 months of not blogging. But I'm sure you all get what I am talking about..it's called life right?

But on a much more serious note..I had all intentions of posting some pics of the past two months but my mind is elsewhere. I keep thinking about my friend Angie and her husband Kyle and the struggles they are facing. Please pray for them as their family is going through some pretty hard times right now. Kyle's dad has been battling cancer for the past 4 years and the past couple of weeks have been really tough. I love them both and can't imagine what they are going through, please lift them up in prayer this week.

There's a new puppy in town!

Meet Rudy, the newest addition to our fam! Erik and I took him home with us last night and we couldn't stop taking pictures of him...isn't he adorable?! He is a mini goldendoodle and should grow up to weigh about 30 lbs or so (so hard to tell)! He is a mix between a golden retriever and a poodle, which means he is hypo-allergenic. Great news for me! Anywhoo here are some pics of Rudy during his first night with us. The overnight part was just the opposite! Pure little stinker didn't sleep and neither did we...I felt so bad for him. We did take him out of his crate at around 5:00 and slept on the couch...I needed a little shut eye...we weren't going to take him out but hey....we did great 70% of the time ;) Let's hope little Rudy sleeps better tonight!

This was just a great pic of Erik basically saying "Yup..I like him!"

I think he was checking out Sammy - my parents cat..looks a bit scared in this one

He is a ladies man what can I say!

BLESSED

Tonight Erik and I watched a touching documentary called "God Grew Tired of Us". It was a pretty tough movie to watch but it meant so much to us. It is the story about the journeys of Lost Boys from Sudan coming to America to live. You may already know about who they are but I have found that many people do not.

For the past 4 1/2 years I have had the pleasure of working with and getting to know a "Lost Boy" from Sudan. He has really changed the way I look at life and has taught me so much. He is 27 and not so much a boy anymore and in my opinion, he lost that title years ago at the young age of 6. He was forced to flee his village on foot because it was being ambushed by enemies of war. He was working in the fields at the time and they were told to run..to flee..to get away because they were killing everybody. So he ran. With all of the other young boys (ranging from 5-13) he started a very long journey from their village in Sudan to Ethiopia and then arrived at a refugee camp in Kenya...with no food and nothing to help them survive. Their stories were filled with death and starvation, and not knowing what the next day or even hour would bring. Some have been able to come here to live, which hasn't been easy! Many of them are still in the refugee camp waiting to come to America. They are very strong people and understand what loss/misfortune really is. Never have I seen Michael complain and often times I find myself complaining about such small issues that are pointless to complain about..does it really matter that some of my flowers have died in my yard or that the coffee might taste burnt in the office sometimes??

I have been meaning to write about this for awhile but after watching the documentary tonight I couldn't ignore it any longer. We are so blessed in America to have opportunities and have the chance to know at least ONE family member, an experience many of them do not have. I am not going to get into the whole "I am proud to be an American" thing, but I am thankful to know that my family is living and I even to get to see/talk with them regularly. We are all so blessed here in America and many ignore that..I am guilty as charged sometimes. We take so much for granted..like a trash can, shower, house, running water and something so small as a pillow. So I don't really know where I am going with this but I know that sometimes those rude awakenings (like tonight) can lead to very long blog posts! Check their story out. They need our prayers and our encouraging words...Erik and I have been touched and have learned so much! Here is a link to the documentary website..there are several websites out there that explain details but this one talks about the documentary that we saw tonight..God Grew Tired of Us.

On a lighter note..Labor Day weekend has come and gone but it was awesome. Filled with family and friends! I never got around to posting about about it! The VanDeRiet girls went to Chicago this weekend and we had a great time. Pics to come! Thanks for the past couple of weekends..we are blessed to be able to celebrate and enjoy time with people we love:)