An Angel

Wow. Sometimes when you least expect it you get these really great signs. I had a really nice weekend, and yesterday morning, when I went to church, I was feeling a little stressed. I have been praying about something for a really long time and it just keeps coming back up as a challenge. I felt pretty frustrated when I walked in.

All of the sudden, I saw someone I recognized. Almost two years ago, I went to the coffeehouse one night and Eric and I met a guy that was seriously struggling with a drug problem. He had nowhere to go, and was staying at The Well for a few days while he was trying to kick his habit. He was very very thin and hungry. I didn't have much money, but I had a $20 and asked him what he wanted to eat. He wanted a pizza, so I bought it for him and listened to him talk about his life and how he'd messed up and lost his daughter and how he really wanted to get clean. He said his name was Angel.

Several times since then, I have wondered about him and how he is doing. It always makes me think when I help someone, even a little, with a meal or jacket, if it makes a difference. Yesterday, I found out it had. I almost didn't recognize him because he was healthy. He had gained weight, and was with his family at church. It took me a little while to remember it was the same person. He had purchased a guitar to help him with stress & was doing so much better.

After that I was with the kids in the nursery, which always makes me feel great. They are so cute!! When I came back in, they were playing the song Eric & I danced to at our wedding, Daughters of Jerusalem. It futher strengthened my determination to hold on, don't give up, keep praying about it. It will come in God's time when He is ready.

May peace be with you this week and all through the holiday season!

Long time no blog!

Hi friends & family!

I haven't blogged in a while and just wanted to do a quick update. All is well here and I am hoping to see as many of you as possible during the holiday season. I love looking around and seeing that some lights are already up. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (as my Nana always says!). This is a picture from Saturday when we went to visit Eric's good friend Joe, his wife Heather, and their 7 month old baby, Joseph. We had a great time. Eric picked up an acoustic guitar for the first time in a while, and after hearing him play it, I, of course, believe he should own one. I got to bang around on the drums, too and loved it. I think our next house will have to have a rock studio!!!!

Marshall Family Reunion

These pictures were taken at the Marshall family reunion on September 6th in Virginia. Below is Eric's cousin Burnett & Dolly, with Joan.

Eric & I won the prize for the newest married Marshalls, a photo album with a rooster on the front.

We were able to picnic outside with Laura, Scot, and Ryder!

Aunt Tori & Unkie E love Ryder & Laura

Can you see the resemblance?

It was a fun day..can't wait to do it again next year. We went to the local jockey lot and racked up on some great deals, including a pair of swarovski crystal earrings from a local artist!

Fun

Doodle keeps losing weight, thankfully! He is down to 14 pounds and dropping! I feed him a half cup of Merrick's Wildnerness blend and some fruits & veggies. Since Chihuahuas originated in Mexico, they used to eat fruits and rodents for meals. I skip the rodents, but they love fruits. All but grapes and raisins. I think avacado is Jasmine's favorite. It is easy because Eric & I eat a lot of fruits & veggies so I give them a little of my leftovers. This is truly a miracle doggie. He was so heavy he couldn't walk and had thyroid disease. I take him to a vet in Kings Mountain, NC that is a holistic vet. He was a missionary in Colombia, South America for 20 years and has taught me so much about how to take care of my dogs. Doodle is a happy boy and he really tries to sing like Jasmine, but sounds more like a frog!!

Here's the princess Jasmine, looking pretty & perfect as usual. She likes to bite Doodle if I talk to him or pet him too much!

Here's a really cool thing! I told my good friend Chris (who is a great artist) that my favorite monkey was a Lion Faced Tamarin. He painted me a picture for my birthday! How sweet!

This was my birthday dinner with my good friend Catherine, Chris, and Eric. Catherine took us all to Nakato in Pineville and it was so good! She gave me the coolest card! Good friends like these are hard to find and I am so thankful for mine!

-Have a great day!

Family

Better late than never!  I piled into a beach house with Eric's family, there were 7 adults, 1 infant, 5 puppies, and 7 dogs!! And we survived and I still liked them afterwards.  Isn't that a miracle?? :)  I think after that weekend, I realized that we absolutely need more fun vacations with my sister in law and brother in law!  It was lots & lots of fun.  I am ready to go again!!!

Friends

I was so excited to have a great weekend.  Friday night a band came and played at The Well & Eric helped me to serve coffee at the coffeeshop.  It was a lot of fun and the best part was that Greg & Melynda Burge came with Melynda's cousin.  They took the time to come see us and to come to church with us on Sunday.  They are missionaries in the Dominican Republic and Greg and I used to work together at Land Rover.  It was so great to see my friends again!! Now I need donations to travel to help them!!  I am collecting pennies at this point in time!  :) Love!

Oh Praise Him!!!! Eric's new job

What a blessing!

Yesterday we got some incredible news! Eric has found a job that he will love! It is a clean, smoke-free enviroment, with a caring, intelligent employer, a shorter commute, and a nice salary too! We are so thrilled and have been praying for this. He's spending the day detailing a boat. How fun! If you need your car detailed, here's his new work website. www.elkinsautomotive.com

This has been a long time coming and Eric is so excited to get to go to school at night and work at a shop he really likes. They are going to teach him to do all kinds of auto repair as well. Sounds like fun to me. So congrats to the Turtle!!!

Thanks, God!!!!

And if you need your car detailed, here's his new work website. www.elkinsautomotive.com

Lucky Me

I haven't blogged in a while, because there hasn't been much to say!  Two weekends ago, Chu and I got to take a trip to Columbia!  I miss that town so much!  It really felt like home and I loved getting to see my friends at Land Rover.  We went to Gervais and Vine for Tapas with Kerry & Oates stopped by!! Then Chu was still hungry, so we went to a sushi restaurant...yummy Camon, and Kerry & his coach hung out for a bit.  Good times, great friends!

E-rockin the bass

I love this picture!  I took it with my cell phone last night as Eric was practicing with his new Ernie Ball Musicman bass guitar.  The sound is awesome and he keeps getting better all the time.  He is giving lessons to one guy from church, and hopefully soon will be able to instruct others as well.  I don't even think he realizes how talented he is at playing instruments, especially bass and drums.  It is fun watching him practice and seeing that he loves his wedding/birthday present!  

Imagine If

I found notes in a book, as I sometimes write my thoughts.  I kinda liked these thoughts, so I decided to share:

What if....

We could talk without fear of reactions?

We could listen without judgement?

We could learn without anger?

We could overcome pride?

We could erase doubts?

We could truly let God guide us?

Oh there is so much to say, but those are my random thoughts for the day!  

-Peace, Monkey

Happy Birthday Jack Jack

Ok, Ok, I will admit it...the cutest kid in the world isn't mine!  My sister's oldest boy, Jack Jack just turned three and we went to his birthday party at La Bastide, near the mountains of Hendersonville, North Carolina.  Coincidentally, it was the last night that the restaurant was open to the public (and I ordered fish instead of steak...way to go Tori!)  

Like most all kids, Jack was so excited about his birthday.  Especially since he loves cake so much!  When C.C. and Daddy Jack brought out a big Thomas cake with his name on it, he was so excited!

Jack Jack had so much fun playing on his new Thomas train that he got for his birthday!  He did not want to get off of it and his Aunt Tori pushed him over and over again and he could not stop laughing!

Thank you to all for looking at pictures!  Have a great day!

Oh, Jack also has a nineteen month old little brother who wants you all to know that his birthday is in November and he wants a Thomas cake too!!!  Brad loves Daddy Jack!

Memorial Day Fun

I tried to post this last week but was having problems with the photo uploader...so here it goes again....

What a fun weekend!  My friend Sara came to visit me from Charleston.  We got to spend some time hanging out with Catherine too!

Chris displayed his patriotism by a great dye job on his beard (which is now shaved!) I went to school to be an esthetician, not a hairstylist and it shows!!

Eric did manage to hit the pool but he was missed at the lake!! 

I should take a picture of my freshly steam cleaned carpets!  Eric got all the dirt and spots out on Sunday!!  I felt lucky to have such a great husband that helps me clean!  Sometimes I feel he cleans better than I do!  It was a great weekend catching up with old friends, the only thing missing was Eric!  And Bitty & Doodle got to have lots of fun too!!

The Well

So Sunday I went to church without Eric, as he was so tired from working so much last week!  I was blessed to enjoy such a beautiful time!  Dave & Liz (who will be missed so much) played Daughters of Jerusalem during communion.  That is the song Eric & I danced to at our wedding.

I also got to hold Brighton, Susannah and Ryan's little one!  He was so cute in his little turtle shirt!  He fell asleep in my arms.  I think it shocked him when he woke up and had to figure out who the strange lady was holding him!  :)  Fun fun!

Night Night

Hi again friends & family!

I wanted to show you my little perfect ones!  Princess Jasmine

& Doodle (aka Piggy).  Any guesses to what kind of dog he is? Good luck!

I have many more pics to post from this weekend, but wanted to get a little start tonight.  Good night and may you sleep with the angels!

-Monkey

While You Were Crusing

Dear Laura,

Just thought I would let you know that while you and Scot were out crusing...Eric & I got to spend time with Baby Ryder...nah nah nah! :) Haha! Here are some pics from our fun!!

Thought we would let everyone enjoy our cute nephew!

For all the mothers!

My dad sent me this and I thought it was so funny! :) Here's to you mothers!

25 REASONS I OWE MY MOTHER

1.. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.'

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.'

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
' Because I said so, that's why .'

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'

7. My mother taught me IRONY
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.'

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM .
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!'

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.'

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'

12.. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE .
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home..'

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
'You are going to get it when you get home !'

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.'

19. My mother taught me ESP.
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
'When that lawn mower cuts off your foot, don't come running to me.'

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.'

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?'

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.'

Some wedding pics