What a Wonderful Christmas, Snow Flurries, & Friday Night Lights...

Happy New Years Eve! :)

Just to recap, the Garlich family had a wonderful Christmas and when I get pictures from my family I will add them to the blog. We are so blessed to have family come to us because we can't leave due to Target's lovely RED DAYS (My husband cannot ask for any vacation time during the months of November and December). Matt's family came and spent several wonderful days with us. Our time was spent cooking, playing cards and games, watching movies, talking, shopping, and enjoying our time together. :)

My sweet husband got me the beautiful Willow Tree Nativity Set which he heard me that I reallllly wanted to a friend. :) So happy that I will be bringing this out every Christmas and something can be added to it every year! :)

Matt's mom and dad got me this beautiful coat (in black) from the Loft....I love it!

And although I opened it before Christmas, my parents got me this beautiful white watch that I have been wanting...

All in all, it was a great time of celebrating our true gift, Jesus. This was the first year we have been to our church's Christmas Eve service and what a joy it was!

One of the coolest things that the Lord gave us was SNOW FLURRIES the day after Christmas!!! Matt's family had just left and I was starting to get sad that Christmas was over then his mom came back and knocked on our door and said, it's snowing!! :) So, we didn't get much, it didn't stick at all, but there were definitely snow flurries in Tallahassee, FL. Pretty much made my day. :)

On another completely random note, does anyone watch Friday Night Lights? I had never seen it before, but we just got Netflix and we've heard great things about the show. O.M.Goodness it is soooooo good! It's a little bit dangerous to have it streaming live to your TV because I have watched episode after episode the past few days...it is such a good show!
Well, Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe in a few hours it will be 2011!! :)

I still love you blog.

Even though I have neglected you through and through.
I do enjoy writing in you, but have just not had the motivation lately.
But Christmas is almost here...
and that is a happy fact. :)

I am going to Pensacola for a few days to see my parents and grandparents

and then my in loves are coming for three days for Christmas.

My husband just taught me how to drive stick last night...

and it was pretty funny.

That was random.

But anyway, life is wonderful, not perfect, but I am trying to go with the flow

and live to glorify my God and King.

Thank you, Lord, for sending your son, as a tiny, precious little baby

to save me.

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

So behind...

So even though you can walk into pretty much any store and see this....

I'm pretty ridiculously behind on this blog because this is what I want to post about....

:)


A couple of weekends ago we ventured to our local pumpkin patch and took Lucy....she was so sweet even though when most people first see her they take two steps away. :) But I love the fact that she is a big dog who sits, licks, and lets a sweet litle girl pet her....and yet if anyone were to try to hurt Matt or I, we would be protected. It's a perfect combo!

Just look at this little pumpkin....isn't she cute? :) Her daddy is pretty cute too if I do say myself! :)

I also wanted to share something that happened this past Sunday.

Do you know when it hits you....when it really hits you, what the Lord has done for you? We had communion on Sunday and as I was reflecting, I saw everything that I had done to dishonor Christ, my sin that was heavy before me, my very prideful heart, the selfish things I had said or did that hurt my husband, the dishonest actions/words, my laziness in spending time with the Lord, the things of this world that I let become more important than HIM, all of it.... it was pretty disturbing. For a second, I felt the weight of it. Then, realizing that because of the great and lavishing love my Father has for me, Jesus has already taken all of that to the cross and forgiven me for every single one of those things. HE bore the wrath. HE took the blame. Not just for me, but for EVERY PERSON who trusts in him. He felt the ENTIRE weight of all of it and felt the hate and disgust God had for it.

Praise the Lord! I am a new creation in Him. Thank you, Lord, for letting me really see it....for giving me a chance even though that I have believed all of this since I was a little girl, to remember just what you have done.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Matt and I are going to the FSU/Clemson game tomorrow to support our Noles! We've had a pretty heartbreaking season, but this is a HUGE game and I really hope we win! We are going tailgaiting with some sweet friends of ours, so I know it will be fun!

Life Lately

Matt is doing a little better....some days are better than others and lately he has been having more good days than bad so that is a blessing. I was a bummed because I thought his neurologist was going to give us a flat answer as to what was wrong....but he didn't. He said that everything looks normal and that it is probably a virus trying to work its way out of his body or an inner ear issue and that if it continues to get worse and not better we need to see him again. Really? That's what is causing everything? I need to be thankful that all of the tests they ran came back normal but its just frustrating that we don't have a final answer. I need to continue to seek the Lord for his help and guidance.

We just recently went to Dallas for "Thanksgiving" with my family. We really didn't celebrate at all, but since Matt and I are not going to be with them for Thanksgiving, we needed to get together as a family...and boy was it wonderful. I didn't hardly take any pictures but these are a few from the trip.

The guys got to tour the Dallas Cowboys Stadium...my hubby was in his element. :)

Mark and Ashley are our sweet friends from college. Matt knew them before I came into the picture and we just love them. Mark was a groomsman in our wedding and Ashley is so sweet. They just moved to Dallas and we got to to go lunch with them.

My sweet Maren Elizabeth....I so wish that I would have gotten more pictures...especially of precious (no longer baby :( but big girl) Kennedy....but I do love this of Mare and I. We had Aunt-Niece bonding because she was the only one who would ride on the Ferris Wheel with me at the fair. I love this munchkin!

Well, this about wraps everything I feel like posting for now. :) I don't know why blogging seems so exhausting lately. I feel like I have so much in my brain but nothing really comes out when I type.....I don't like that. Hoping for a change.

Happy Tuesday!

We wait in hope for the Lord

My lack of updating the blog is very depressing....I want to blog about fun, lighthearted things but our lives have been consumed with trying to figure out what is wrong with my sweet husband. He has a neurologist appointment next week and we are anxiously awaiting some answers.

Praise the Lord that all major things are ruled out- his bloodwork came back normal and so did his MRI. He still is not doing well, but is the strongest person I know and still goes about his days living for the Lord despite what is going on physically. I can't even fathom dealing with what he is dealing with....I would be a wreck. A complete and utter mess.

God has been so faithful (can't even handle the fact that I doubt this constantly when he proves himself again and again in my life) and has shown his great mercy because he is using this to bring us closer to him and closer to one another. There was a short time where I have never been more scared in my entire life. Matt and I looked his MRI scan (of his brain) before the doctors gave us results (FYI...don't EVER do this! Don't even take the disk if they hand it to you!!!) and we thought we saw things that looked NOT NORMAL & NOT GOOD. Immediately, the fear sunk in....but God was there. He took our scared, confused, overwhelmed, broken selves and filled us with his holy, great, rich in mercy, mighty, healing, comforting, peace-giving, powerful SELF and intervened...in the midst of one of our greatest struggles. He has shown us that our lives truly are a vapor and that it is a priviledge to live our lives for him and that there is NOTHING ELSE MORE VALUABLE OR IMPORTANT THAN HIM. Everything else is a waste.

What a truly GREAT God we serve. Why do I forget this 99.9999% of the time? Please, Lord, help me to remember this. That you are GOOD. That your GRACE IS ENOUGH. That you are THE ONLY THING WORTH LIVING FOR. That your GOSPEL is PERFECT and my life should LIVE IT OUT.

I found a great Psalm that just calms my heart and allows me to focus on HIM.

Psalm 31

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be. He commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nation; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm foreve, the purposes of his heart through all generations...

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield, in him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name, May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Busy Beaver, Birthday Trip, Prayer Request, & Lullaby

Whew, I cannot believe it is THURSDAY already. This week has flown by due to a crazy busy week at work. I have already worked 45 hours and it is only Thursday night. I have pulled several 13 and 12 hour days and spent A LOT of time here....

I am so thankful that this is NOT a normal week and that I am only working a couple of hours in the morning and that my wonderful husband and I are heading here for my birthday weekend..

We are going on a small little trip to St. Augustine to celebrate my 23rd birthday on Saturday. I am very excited for a short but sweet time away with my sweet man. Speaking of him, could I ask ya'll to be praying for him? He has been experiencing some not normal symptoms of dizziness, headaches, nausea, and weakness for a while now. We have had some issues with doctors offices not being with it and having issues all the while Matt is not getting any better. I hate watching my very best friend suffer and not being able to do anything to help. Please just pray that he could quickly get in to see a great doctor who could give us some answers and that the Lord would heal him and take away what he is feeling. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Lastly and randomly, I have just recently found the song called Lullaby and I love it! I am not really a big fan of the Dixie Chicks anymore, but this song is SUCH A GOOD ONE! You can listen to it here.

Hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend! :)

MARCO.....POLO :)

So, even though our 2nd Annual Garlich Family Vacation was way back at the beginning of July, I still want to share about it because this blog is my virtual scrapbook of our lives. I am sorry but you are about to be on PICTURE OVERLOAD....just a warning! :) The first night we got to our hotel it was just M & I and with Mom and Dad G...we enjoyed our very first sunset in Marco Island....it was bliss.

The next day, everyone else had arrived and we spent some fun in the sun.

We went out for dinner at Cathy O' Clarke's Irish Restaurant....not as great as we would have hoped for, but we still had fun :)

On day #2 of our vacation, we did something that none of us have done before. We ventured out on an air-boat ride through the Everglades! We had a blast but came a little too close for comfort to these guys..

That night, we went to Guy Harvey's restaurant....it was DELISH and super fun!

On our last full day, we rented a boat and took an all day venture out on the water.

I would highly recommend going to Marco Island if you have never been....it was ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and super relaxing.

I am so blessed to have such a precious and wonderful family-in-love. We always have SUCH a great time together and it is such a blessing to have them in our lives. Can't wait for next year's vacation! :)

Oh Saturdays, How I Love You...

Dontcha just love waking up to a clean house and not have any obligations on a Saturday? Ohhhh, it just makes me smile and breathe a sigh of relief. Thankfully, that was this morning for me. After a long and somewhat stressful workweek, this is the best. I actually picked up and cleaned our house and did laundry last night JUST for this satisfaction. :) Usually, Saturdays are my days to clean and do things around the house, but not today. Today, I can just relax, do a little blogging, spend some time with Jesus, watch some decorating shows on HGTV, maybe watch a chic flick, maybe go for a run or do a Slim in 6 workout, maybe (but no pressure to) finish sewing my curtains and hang them, and enjoy the day. Here are some random things I am thinking about and enjoying today....

Today so happens to be these precious parents' 34th anniversary. Love, love, love them! Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! :) We love you.

Today I am loving looking at this sweet face right next to me :)

I am also loving these super cute Express items and exited that I will have birthday money soon to maybe buy some :)

I am also loving these bedrooms and wanting to do a major project in ours...aren't they so beautiful and restful?

Well, that is all I have on my mind today :)....Have a great weekend! :)

Boca Birthday Bash

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest sister Sarah turned 30, and we celebrated in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE. :) She had the most brilliant idea of taking a girls trip with my mom, my sister Emily, and me to make transitioning into her 30's a little less painstaking. :) I honestly am blessed with the best sisters and mom a girl could possibly ask for. Sarah is the most adorable mom and has SUCH an amazing heart for the Lord. We are 7 years a part, but it doesn't feel that way because she has always included Em and I and made us feel special. She is so selfless and it was so much fun to make the weekend all about her. We started by making a sign to greet her at the airport with......(13 Going on 30 anyone?!? :))

Sarah and Kennedy, my precious niece getting off the elevator and seeing us :)

Maren is my silly little girl....I love her so much. She and K stayed at their Grandma and Grandpa's house over the weekend which just happened to be on the way to our incredible resort

Did I say incredible resort? Yes, I believe I did....Just look! One amazing perk that I take full advantage of for working at a hotel is getting employee discounts. We just so happened to get an employee discount at the Waldorf Astoria in Boca Raton, Florida. It was seriously incredible. This was the view from our room.

I love my seeeesters :)

Sarah and I at Serendipity....one of the restaurants on the resort property. This place is famous for their frozen hot chocolates. Our waiter told us there are only 3 Serendipity's in the whole U.S.....the first one in New York City, the one we went to in Boca, and one in Las Vegas. So, we got to thinking and planned our next two birthday bashes right then and there. Guess what I chose? Vegas, baby! :)

Love them! :)

Mom bought us these super soft robes and had them monogrammed for each of us....we literally wore them all weekend...it was the most relaxing time of my life

Getting ready to go on the yacht that was a perk of the resort....it went from one part of the resort to the Boca Beach Club side

Memories at the Boca Bungalows...a part of the resort

Just looking at these pictures made me laugh, smile, and want to go back all at the same time. Sarah Lou, you are brilliant for coming up with the 30th birthday plan! I can't wait for Em's :)