She Speaks Conference

I was excited to learn about The She Speaks Speaking, Writing, and Leadership Conference via Drawing Closer to Him.

Although I have neither written nor spoken professionally at any time, both are pursuits to which I aspire. The more I read about the conference the more I think that this could be a tremendous opportunity! For awhile now I have had a very strong desire to develop ministry in these areas, especially with respect to the ~ My Husband Rocks ~ concept, and this conference seems like an ideal situation in which to do that!

Amazingly, Lysa TerKeurst is offering the chance to win a full scholarship! So you can understand my excitement, here's some more info:

For Speakers:

Whether you are ready to take the main stage and start speaking at conferences and retreats or whether you want to learn how to more effectively teach a ladies’ Bible Study- this track is for you. After attending this conference you will be equipped to:

* Know how to develop a message from start to finish

* Understand what keeps an audience engaged and how to make your message memorable

* Deliver your message in such a way that not only inspires your audience but motivates them to make life changes

* Increase your number of booked speaking engagements by using proven marketing strategies.

For Writers:

You have had a passion for writing and have even had people encourage you to write a book, but have never known how to get started on the pathway to publication. You will have the chance to attend sessions taught by some of the top Christian publishers and make appointments to pitch your book proposal.

Or maybe you are a blogger and just want to learn how to more effectively connect with your readers and increase the impact of your blog. What better way than to sit in sessions taught by three of the most widely read blog authors. Whatever the case may be, after attending this conference you will:

* Discover your unique writing voice and the mechanics of effective writing

* Understand what publishers are looking for and how to write proposals that get their attention
* Better understand how to build your writing portfolio by getting published in magazines

* Know how to write a book that will impact your reader from start to finish

And as though that was not incredible enough:

We will get to learn from Big Mama, Boo Mama, Chatting at the Sky, Barefoot Blogs, the Nester, and Musings of a Housewife.

So, even if writing/speaking professionally, or in public at all, is not what God has for my future, I will at the very least, learn how to make my blog far more effective in whatever ministry he leads me through in blogland :)

With the growing list of "competitors" for the scholarship, the chances seem pretty slim, so I'll know that I'm really supposed to be there if I'm selected :)



Thanks for reading!

Ultimate Blog Party 2009!!!

Time for Ultimate Blog Party 2009!!! Courtesy of 5 Minutes for Mom!!!

Hello and welcome to The Great Adventure! Please feel free too look around. Make yourself at home! Our party menu includes BBQ beef sandwiches, cheesy potatoes, baked beans, broccoli, crescent rolls with apple butter or strawberry jam, and chocolate cake with vanilla-strawberry custard filling! :)



My name is Katy Lin! I'm a twenty-something, semi-newlywed who loves to read and sew and craft and scrapbook and travel and basically just love life! My family, which at the moment consists of my wonderful hubby, Austin, our spoiled black lab/rhodesian ridgeback, Diddy, and myself, resides in small-town Iowa. Austin and I have been married for exactly a year and a half and three days (tee hee). Our plan is to wait until we've been married for 5 years before we start having children. We are learning about being married and enjoying each other in the mean time :)

We both have great families. Mine includes my mom, dad, and two sisters who live in Colorado, where I grew up. Austin's parents - who are also fabulous in-laws, live here in Iowa, and his only sister Ashley lives with her husband in Illinois.

Every Friday, The Great Adventure hosts ~ My Husband Rocks! ~ Fridays. This post explains the motivation behind MHRF, as well as what it is intended to look like each week.

If you're interested, the following posts are a few of my favorite:

~ Our Engagment Story
~ Our Chipotle Baby
~ State Fair Fun!
~ Special Occasions

Now onto the prizes!

There are literally HUNDREDS of fabulous prizes that go along with this wonderful party! I'd be happy to win ANY of them, but my top three are:

~ Karmin G3 Salon Pro Hair Styling Iron from My Hair Styling Tools (INTL 8)

~ Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer from Moms Who Think (58)

~ Box of 10 Christian Books from Karla @ Ramblin' Roads (134)

My other top picks in order are:

19, 21, 22, 68, 119, INTL 60, 45, USC 9, INTL 15, 109, INTL 7, USC 27, 118, USC 50, 123, INTL 23, INTL 36, USC 38, 14, 39, 26, INTL 54, USC 47, USC 35, 99, 24, 55, 80, USC 14, 91, USC 66, INTL 63, 103, USC 17, 133, INTL 11, INTL 43, 130, 111, USC 40, 114, USC 15, 72, 15, 81, 7, 60, USC 21

But like I said, it would be an honor to win ANY of the prizes on the list

Favorite Movies!

I found this fun game over at Camy's Loft this weekend, and decided to play along. Here's how it works:

RULES:
1. Pick 15 of your favorite movies. Or movies that you have seen
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.

1.

Do we really suck or is this guy really that good? Shoot 'Em Up Different Dog

2.

The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino. You've Got Mail Jodi

3.

Is this a kissing book? The Princess Bride Laura

4.

Oh, your majesty, in America, it doesn't always mean to be quiet. Here it could mean "Wow, gee whiz, golly wolly"... The Princess Diaries ServinGsus

5.

It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you.

6.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Nah, I betcha don't, you're probably too sensible for that. Or have you ever, like, seen somebody? And you knew that, if only that person *really* knew you, they would, well, they would of course dump the perfect model that they were with, and realize that YOU were the one that they wanted to, just, grow old with. Have you ever fallen in love with someone you haven't even talked to? Have you ever been so alone you spend the night confusing a man in a coma? While You Were Sleeping Jodi

7.

I can't believe I brought my real parents to our wedding Mr. & Mrs. Smith Amy

8.

D: Say it again.
H: I'm sorry.
D: No. The part where you said my name. Ever After Jodi

9.

You're not supposed to name it. Once you name it, you start getting attached to it. Now put that thing back where it came from or so help me... Monsters, Inc The Mrs & bigSIS

10.

Suddenly an unconscious Argentinean fell through my roof. He was quickly joined by a dwarf dressed as a nun. Moulin Rouge Friend Chick

11.

It was sort of sweet actually - I mean, I know she's an actress and all that, so she can deliver a line - but she said that she might be as famous as can be - but also... that she was just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her. Oh, sod a dog. I've made the wrong decision, haven't I? Notting Hill Jodi

12.

I've never been alone with a man before, even with my dress on. With my dress off, it's MOST unusual. Roman Holiday Melissa

13.

You are the twelfth in a long line of governesses who have come here to look after my children since their mother died. I trust you will be an improvement on the last one. She stayed only two hours. The Sound of Music Nanna K

14.

D: Cause the house always wins. Play long enough, you never change the stakes. The house takes you. Unless, when that perfect hand comes along, you bet and you bet big, then you take the house.
R: Been practicing this speech, haven't you?
D: Little bit. Did I rush it? Felt I rushed it. Ocean's Eleven The Mrs

15.

A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. But then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magical. Music & Lyrics ServinGsus

These are in no particular order, just as they came out of my head! I'm really interested to see who guesses correctly :) Hope I didn't make them too hard, or too easy, lol! :) Guess away!



P.S. ~ If you decide to post your faves, let me know so I can play along with you, too! :)

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ Post Vacay Edition :)

Click here to read about why I started MHR Fridays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life has been a little bit crazy in our world for the past few weeks, so I have to apologize for my sporadic blogging and ~MHR~ activities! We will definitely have a prompt next week, and I've got some fun new ideas that I am hoping to develop in the near future as well :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Austin just rocks my socks off, I've got to tell you! Not only did he take me on the most increible vacation last week (which I will definitely be posting more about, don't you worry, lol :) - to see the initial pics,click here), but he is just the sweetest thing!

I got very sunburned on the last day of our trip (thanks to my own stupidity), and the worst place was on my upper back right in between my shoulder blades. Needless tosay, it was impossible for me to reach that area to apply any kind of moisturizer, so Austin has done it for me every night - even when it was peeling and icky :S.

Then last night, I was telling him about a silly klutzy moment I had at work yesterday, and insted of laughing at me, he expessed genuine concern and reqeusted that I take better care of myself because he does not want me to get seriously hurt. Isn't he adorable?



He has also had a pretty stressful situation to come back to at work. I don't think he would appreciate me sharing all of the details, but he continues to do his very best every day, and tries not to let that situation bother him. He has been a great example to me of "do not repay evil for evil."

Austin just rocks my socks off, I've got to tell you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check in with the other ladies who are bragging on their rocking hubbies today by clicking on the "My Husband Rocks Participants" button in the left sidebar.

(if you would like to add the MHR Fridays button to your sidebar, use this code ).

<a href="http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-husband-rocks-friday.html"><img src="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/katylinvw/mosaicmhrf.jpg"/></a>

If you're not a blogger, but still want the world to know about your amazing husband (or wife, or husband to be, or wife to be, etc.) leave a shout-out in the form of a comment! If you're unable to comment, e-mail me at katylinvw [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll add your shout out to this post!

As always, on Fridays From*me Tees will refund your shipping on any order of two or more items if you mention the great adventure and ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ in the "how did you hear about us?" section of your order form, so run on over there and check them out, too! Thank you From*me Tees!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend!

Another Giveaway!

My adorable sister-in-law is having another card giveaway! I'm late again, but she is accepting entries until tomorrow night this time! Click here to enter!

:)

I'm Ba-a-a-a-ck!!!!

As I write this today, I am sitting on our love seat with Austin stretched out on the couch. My dog keeps licking my fingers as I try to type, and we are catching up on last week's American Idol (gotta love DVR :) ) Why would we need to catch up on American Idol you may ask? Well, thanks for asking, we've been out of the C-O-U-N-T-R-Y!!!! That's right! We spent the last eight days and seven nights in beautiful Cozumel, Mexico!!!

We stayed at the Melia Cozumel:



In a beautiful room:



Enjoying breathtaking views:

Soaking up the sunshine:



Enjoying the company of some fun new friends:

We had a lot of fun and took a ton of pics, so there will definitely more later, I just wanted you all to know that I have not entirely fallenn off the face of the earth!

Oh, and I promised my mom that I would post the haircut pics:





Anyway, thanks for reading! Hope you all are doing well :)

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ Growth

Click here to read about why I started MHR Fridays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This does not speak to the prompt for this week, but it is something that I have been most reminded of in the last couple of weeks. One of the things that I love the most about Austin is his consistent pursuit to be better. He continually strives to be a better man, husband, son, friend, and employee. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is not the same man he was a year ago, nor is he the man he will be a year from now. That kind of self-discipline and growth is very encouraging and challenging to me as his wife. He's pretty phenomenal.

As to the prompt itself, a few of the things that makes our marriage happy is our ability to laugh at ourselves and with each other, enjoying common interests, and shared experiences and memories.

One of the greatest joys in my life is Austin's ability to make a joke out of almost any situation. As someone who tends to take things overly seriously at times, he is so very good for me in this aspect. I also greatly appreciate that he does not take himself or mee too seriously. He has always been able to laugh at himself and has taught me to give myself the same courtesy :)

I am also tremendously thanful for the fact that we enjoy the same activities and diversions. We rarely disagree about what to watch on TV, or what music to listen to (not that a difference in opinion or taste is a bad thing), and we both have the same taste for unusual and adventurous experiences that add dimension and excitement to our lives.

These common tastes and interests make for some wonderful experiences and memories. In our short year and a half of marraige thus far we have already made some spectacular memories, and I cannot describe the elation I fell anticipating the next 50 or so years together! I praise the Lord every day for blessing me with such a well-rounded, exciting, fun-loving, sweetheart of a husband! I am truly a blessed, blessed girl!

Though with my limited marital experience, I do not exactly feel qualified to offer any profound advice that would be considered universal or earth-shattering, my "tip" for cultivating a happy marriage is this: Count your blessings! I know that sounds utterly simplistic, but I have found it to be so true in my own thought life, when I focus on the things that I do not have, it makes for a very sour and grumpy Katy, who is NOT a pleasant companion or co-worker, let alone wife; however, when I choose to dwell upon the myriad blesings in my life - especially in regard to my marriage, I am exponentially more pleasant to be around, not to mention happier and far more content with everything. Those are just my two cents :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenges:

Let's be honest, there are parts of all of our marriages that are not as great as they could be. Our challenge for this week is to take ownership of what we contribute to the negative aspects of our relationships. Nothing we do can ever force our spouses to change - nothing - change can only happen by the grace of God, and in his timing. The only aspect that I have the power to change is the way that I respond to my husband, and the choices I make in regard to my responsibilities as a wife. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check in with the other ladies who are bragging on their rocking hubbies today by clicking on the "My Husband Rocks Participants" button in the left sidebar.

(if you would like to add the MHR Fridays button to your sidebar, use this code ).

<a href="http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-husband-rocks-friday.html"><img src="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/katylinvw/mosaicmhrf.jpg"/></a>

If you're not a blogger, but still want the world to know about your amazing husband (or wife, or husband to be, or wife to be, etc.) leave a shout-out in the form of a comment! If you're unable to comment, e-mail me at katylinvw [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll add your shout out to this post!

As always, on Fridays From*me Tees will refund your shipping on any order of two or more items if you mention the great adventure and ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ in the "how did you hear about us?" section of your order form, so run on over there and check them out, too! Thank you From*me Tees!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend!

MHR Inspiration #13

Well, it's Thursday again, and it has been a GREAT week, oh my word! I have so much to tell you all, and so much to say! Has anyone been watching American Idol? I loved the wild card show tonite!!! Sooooooooo glad that a certain Puerto Rican will NOT be joining us in the top twelve, can I get an amen?

Yesterday I got my hair chopped off, and I LOVE IT!!!! I'll be posting pics later, promise :) - I also promise that I will not always be a terrible blogger!!! I will get back on the horse at some point in our lives, lol! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I found this week's article by accident, but it's one that I am going to print out and keep in my Bible! It's that wonderful!

Marriage Martyr
by Renata Waldrop
I don't know about the rest of you, but this one really spoke to me this week! I hope it's helpful for you, too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompt/Theme for Friday, March 6, 2009

One of the searches I used when looking for articles this week was "What makes a happy marriage?" For your MHR post this week, answer this question. This is going to vary for every couple, and it's going to be the same for every couple in lot of ways. So, if you can, please share with us what makes your marriage happy marriage - specifically, and any "universal" secrets that you have learned along the way! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Challenge:

Let's be honest, there are parts of all of our marriages that are not as great as they could be. Our challenge for this week is to take ownership of what we contribute to the negative aspects of our relationships. Nothing we do can ever force our spouses to change - nothing - change can only happen by the grace of God, and in his timing. The only aspect that I have the power to change is the way that I respond to my husband, and the choices I make in regard to my responsibilities as a wife. :)

Thanks for reading everybody, have a fantastic evening!

Fantabulous Card Giveaway!

Okay, I know that this is really, really late notice, but my beautiful and talented sister-in-law, Ashley:


is doing her very fist giveaway and it ends TODAY!!!!!

She is giving away SIX of her exquisite, hand-made cards, with envelopes:

I have been blessed to receive a few of her gorgeous creations for various occasions, and they are as detailed and beautiful as they look!

Hurry over and comment on this post, and you could be the lucky winner!

Thanks for reading!

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ Sweet Concern

Click here to read about why I started MHR Fridays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Austin is such a sweetheart! I woke up on Saturday morning feeling like a very large anvil had settled in the middle of my chest. My head was stuffy and I had this tight, wheezing chest cough - it was bad! Thankfully I hardly ever get sick, so my poor hubby does not yet really know what to think of the situation when I am (in fact, this may very well have been the first time I have been sick since we got married in 2007) - anyway, he was amazing!

He laid around with me all day - we never even got out of our pajamas all day on Saturday - and he made sure that I was taking my medicine and put me to bed early so I could feel better for church on Sunday! Sunday I wasn't completely up to par, but was feeling a whole lot better, so we did go to church, but after church we went straight back home and vegged the whole afternoon.

He even hit every Redbox in town trying to find the movie Changeling - only to have to get it as a pay-per-view when he couldn't find it at any of them! He wasn't really dying to see it, but he knew that I wanted to see it very badly, so he made sure we got our hands on it!

He takes such good care of me! Doesn't he rock?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenges:

1. Pray this prayer: Lord, how can I love my spouse today like (s)he's never been loved and never will be loved? every day for the next week, and see what happens!

2. Pick 1 book on marriage from this list that you will commit to read (either on your own or with your spouse) within the next three months!

I'm going to grab the book Sacred Marriage to read on the plane/on the beach during our upcoming vacation :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check in with the other ladies who are bragging on their rocking hubbies today by clicking on the "My Husband Rocks Participants" button in the left sidebar.

(if you would like to add the MHR Fridays button to your sidebar, use this code ).

<a href="http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-husband-rocks-friday.html"><img src="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/katylinvw/mosaicmhrf.jpg"/></a>

If you're not a blogger, but still want the world to know about your amazing husband (or wife, or husband to be, or wife to be, etc.) leave a shout-out in the form of a comment! If you're unable to comment, e-mail me at katylinvw [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll add your shout out to this post!

As always, on Fridays From*me Tees will refund your shipping on any order of two or more items if you mention the great adventure and ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ in the "how did you hear about us?" section of your order form, so run on over there and check them out, too! Thank you From*me Tees!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend!

MHR Inspiration #12

Another week, another Thursday! I hope you are all doing well out there in blogland! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found the following quotes this week while doing my "marriag research," and I thought they were fantastic:

When a husband and wife both want their partner to receive life’s best before they do, you have a marriage that’s going to exceed every wedding day dream. Their love not only lasts; it continually grows. — Gary Smalley

How to ride the rough waves in a relation long enough for the waters to get calm? When does it sink in that overcoming difficult times gets easier with practice? How do you drag some of the good feelings, good times vibrations into the stormy places? To love someone long and deep is a "consummation devoutly to be wished"!... It is day by day, one step at a time. It may not mean two bathrooms, but just some space, some privacy, some area to be alone. ...Unlike the wedding event, that takes place in a day, marriage is a long process that goes on at some level every day for the rest of your life....We have to learn how to live together... I thought I loved you, Ossie, when we got married, but as I see now, I was only in the kindergarten of the proposition. To arrive at love is like working on a double doctorate in the subject of Life. - Ruby Dee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Only one article this week, but it's a really good one:

God's Design for Marriage
by Carol Heffernan

In this article, she references the Book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. I have never read this book, but I have heard nothing but good things about it, and after reading this article, I think I'll pick it up to read on our upcoming vacation! :)

My favorite line in the artile is "What if your relationship isn't as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God?" So often I think that we look at our circumstances and the difficulties in our situations and try to "fix" the symptoms while ignoring our true need for deeper and more meaningful relationship with God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompt/Theme for Friday, February 27, 2009

Free Form! No prompt this week! Share anything you'd like the world to know about your rocking awesome hubby! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenge:

1. Pray this prayer: Lord, how can I love my spouse today like (s)he's never been loved and never will be loved? every day for the next week, and see what happens!

2. Pick 1 book on marriage from this list that you will commit to read (either on your own or with your spouse) within the next three months!


Have a great Thursday everybody!

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ Married Moments :)

Click here to read about why I started MHR Fridays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a relatively-newly married woman (1 year, 4 months, and change), I am constantly surprised and excited at all of the wonders of marriage. Don't get me wrong, I'm constantly surprised (in the not always positive way) at the difficulties of marriage, too; however, this week I have been reminded of the special little moments I get to enjoy being married to my best friend, and the love of my life.

For example, Hoss was on a business trip last Wednesday, Thursday, and did not pull into the driveway until I was leaving for work on Friday morning. It had been a VERY quick trip driving straight down to Alabama, staying one night, picking up a vehicle, and driving straight back through the middle of the following night. So, needless, to say, he was exhausted.

A couple of things happened in conjunction to the trip that made my heart get the flutters :)

On Thursday, while he was driving between Alabama and home (I think he was somewhere near Nashville at the time), we were chatting on the phone for a quick minute when I headed out for lunch, and I before we signed off, I said "I miss you." To which he replied, "I know it's silly since I've only been gone for a day, but I really miss you, too." :)

And on Friday night, he fell asleep on the couch around 6:30, and rather than go upstairs at our normal bedtime, we decided to stay on the couches and "camp out" in the family room. It made for some stiff necks the next morning, but it was just one of those silly things that was special because we did it together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenges:

1. Ask your hubby the "loaded question" from the first article, and dilligently follow through on his request.

2. Implement the "VIP" system from the third article in the way you relate to your spouse.

3. Pick one piece of advice from the "How to Have a Happy Husband" article to focus on improving in yourself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check in with the other ladies who are bragging on their rocking hubbies today by clicking on the "My Husband Rocks Participants" button in the left sidebar.

(if you would like to add the MHR Fridays button to your sidebar, use this code ).

<a href="http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-husband-rocks-friday.html"><img src="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/katylinvw/mosaicmhrf.jpg"/></a>

If you're not a blogger, but still want the world to know about your amazing husband (or wife, or husband to be, or wife to be, etc.) leave a shout-out in the form of a comment! If you're unable to comment, e-mail me at katylinvw [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll add your shout out to this post!

As always, on Fridays From*me Tees will refund your shipping on any order of two or more items if you mention the great adventure and ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ in the "how did you hear about us?" section of your order form, so run on over there and check them out, too! Thank you From*me Tees!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend!

MHR Inspiration #11

Hello and happy Thursday everyone!!! Where do these weeks go? I cannot believe that it is already Thursday again! I promise that my blog will not always be a simply Thursday/Friday MHR event! I will at some point begin my regularly scheduled programming and visiting around at everyone else's blogs, too! Sorry that I've been such a slacker lately!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoy researching and finding different articles and challenges for us every week, but if any of you have found a great resource that I've missed, please shoot me an e-mail to let me know! (katylinvw{at}yahoo{dot}com) I love finding new sites and blogs and ministries that focus on our marriages.

Speaking of Focus on Marriage, has anyone registered, or is anyone thinking about attending one of thes simulcasts? It looks SOOOOOOOOO great! The date is Saturday, February 28th, so there's still more than a week to find a location near you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week I started out with more than a dozen articles that I really liked, and I was able to narrow it down to three. They are all phenomenal, so if you have time, please check them out, or bookmark them to read later! :)

Loaded Question
by Eva Marie Everson

How to Have a Happy Husband
by Lindsey Meier

Respect Your Husband (Even If You Don't Think He "Deserves" It)
by Nancy C. Anderson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompt/Theme for Friday, February 20, 2009

Share your favorite "married moment" from the past couple of weeks. Anything that was special, made you smile, or made you feel all "warm and fuzzy" :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHALLENGES
1. Ask your hubby the "loaded question" from the first article, and dilligently follow through on his request.

2. Implement the "VIP" system from the third article in the way you relate to your spouse.

3. Pick one piece of advice from the "How to Have a Happy Husband" article to focus on improving in yourself.

Thanks for reading everybody! Hope you have a phenomenal day, can't wait to read all about your rocking hubbies tomorrow!!!

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ Valentine's Day Edition

Click here to read about why I started MHR Fridays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first Valentine's Day that Austin and I ever spent together was February 14, 2005. It seems crarzy that it has already been four years, but at the same time, I feel like we have been together all of our lives.

We were still in college over our first V-Day, so we both got ready for our big date in the dorms :) The girls on my floor were all abuzz getting ready for their respective dates, and we all had a great time speculating about our boyfriends' plans.



Austin and I met in the commons area, where a friend snapped a pic:




Then we headed for a local restaurant. I left Austin's gift in the car, but when we finished eating, Austin pulled out a small box that inside held a pair of diamond earrings! I had never before in my life owned a real diamond! I was so excited! In fact, I still wear them every day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am so, so blessed! My hubby spoils me rotten. He was on a hard and fast business trip for the last couple of days, and he pulled into the driveway as I was leaving for work this morning. So he's exhausted, but he was still such a sweetheart, and happy to see us (me & Diddy) :)

I fell so spoiled because not only is he taking me to Mexico next month, but I just found out we're going on a double date tomorrow night and he's been hinting around about a gift (which I was positive we were forgoeing due to the vacation!) He's such a great catch :)

Love you baby!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenges:

1. Even though I do not always agree with the commercial hype of Valentine's Day, take advantage of the excuse to be especially romantic and dote upon your hubby!

2. Even after Valentine's Day is over, be intentional about showing genuine kindness and tenderness to your husband!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check in with the other ladies who are bragging on their rocking hubbies today by clicking on the "My Husband Rocks Participants" button in the left sidebar.

(if you would like to add the MHR Fridays button to your sidebar, use this code ).

<a href="http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-husband-rocks-friday.html"><img src="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/katylinvw/mosaicmhrf.jpg"/></a>

If you're not a blogger, but still want the world to know about your amazing husband (or wife, or husband to be, or wife to be, etc.) leave a shout-out in the form of a comment! If you're unable to comment, e-mail me at katylinvw [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll add your shout out to this post!

As always, on Fridays From*me Tees will refund your shipping on any order of two or more items if you mention the great adventure and ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ in the "how did you hear about us?" section of your order form, so run on over there and check them out, too! Thank you From*me Tees!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend!

MHR Inspiration #10

Hello to everyone out there in blogland! No, I haven't died, I have just ben a bad, bad blogger of late! :)

I am excited for the upcoming Valentine's Day. Austin thinks of it as just another way to line the card companies' pockets, and I can't say that I fully disagree with him! Also coming up next week is the two year anniversary of our engagment. Austin has been gone for the last couple of days as well, so it will be an especially nice weekend :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have two articles again this week. The first is short, but chock full of great advice:

10 Secrets to a Successful Marriage
by Mitch Temple

The second is more geared for the holiday itelf:

The Romance Factor
by Twanda R. Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompt/Theme for Friday, February 13, 2009

1. Tell the story of your first Valentine's Day together.

2. In reference to the first article, which "secrets" do you do well, which could you work on, which do you struggle with?

3. If you decide to take the advice of the second article, tell us what you're going to do, or share pictures if you have time!

Challenges:

1. Even though I do not always agree with the commercial hype of Valentine's Day, take advantage of the excuse to be especially romantic and dote upon your hubby!

2. Even after Valentine's Day is over, be intentional about showing genuine kindness and tenderness to your husband!

Hope you have a wonderful evening!

~ My Husband Rocks! ~ laughter & fun

Click here to read about why I started MHR Fridays!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. Tell the story of a memory about your husband that brings you a smile and a giggle every time you think about it!

I picked this topic thinking that it was going to be so easy to come up with the perfect memory to share, but my problem was that there are soooooooooooo many!!! Austin is the kind of guy that makes even the most mundane of situations fun and enjoyable, and he has always been able to make me laugh regardless of my initial mood.

First I was thinking of telling you all about the time that we were driving between college and Colorado, and Austin saw flashing lights behind us. Thinking he was going to be pulled over, he quickly took the nearest exit ramp only to watch an ambulance go screaming past! (teehee, that one makes me giggle every time)

Or, I could talk about the horseback riding tour we took on our honeymoon where Austin quickly befriended the other family in our group as well as our tour guide with his gregarious personality, then enjoyed immensely pretending that he was John Wayne and galloping off into the sunset.

Even when we were doing all the work on the house, we had a blast! I remember one Saturday in particular, it was a "haul-out" day after we had a TON of debris on the floors from the demolition process we would rent a huge roll-off dumpster and shovel the chunks of plaster and lath and drywall and trim and termite-eaten wood into the bucket of a skid-loader and then Austin would drive it around and dump it into the dumpster. This particular Saturday, it was just the two of us working at the house, and it was HOT! The house had no air conditioning at the time, and we were working on the second floor. There were several times during the day where we looked at the mess around us and thought that we would never finish, but when the sun was going down and we were sitting in the bucket of the skid loader, drinking our Vault, we were both so happy that we had gotten so much done! It was not a particularly fun job, but I remember that being such a satisfying day because we had accomplished something huge together!

But one of my absolute favorite memories took place when we were in Switzerland with a group from our college. We had just spent three weeks in France as a missions trip, and one of the girls in our group lived in Switzerland, right on Lake Geneva, so we spent a week at her home before going back to Paris for the trip home. One evening while we were there, her entire family came to her parents' house, where we were staying, including her older sister, and her little niece Klalia, who had to be about 6 months old at the time. Austin spent a good amount of time on the floor that evening playing with Klalia, and making her squeal with laughter. I had never seen him so enjoy a little one, and it was precious to watch. I was able to catch a picture of that moment, and I love it because he has the most genuinely happy smile on his face! :) I love that memory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenges:

~ Set an appointment with your hubby to have a "goals and dreams" talk as described in the first article.

~ If you already know some of your husbands goals and dreams, be intentional about encouraging him and helping him to reach them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to check in with the other ladies who are bragging on their rocking hubbies today by clicking on the "My Husband Rocks Participants" button in the left sidebar.

(if you would like to add the MHR Fridays button to your sidebar, use this code ).

<a href="http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-husband-rocks-friday.html"><img src="http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn135/katylinvw/mosaicmhrf.jpg"/></a>

If you're not a blogger, but still want the world to know about your amazing husband (or wife, or husband to be, or wife to be, etc.) leave a shout-out in the form of a comment! If you're unable to comment, e-mail me at katylinvw [at] yahoo [dot] com and I'll add your shout out to this post!

As always, on Fridays From*me Tees will refund your shipping on any order of two or more items if you mention the great adventure and ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ in the "how did you hear about us?" section of your order form, so run on over there and check them out, too! Thank you From*me Tees!

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday, and a fantastic weekend!

MHR Inspiration #9

Hey everybody!!! Sorry I've been so sporadic lately! We've been reeling about our fantabulous vacation, getting ready for my parents to be here this weekend, working a lot of hours, and wowza, it's been kind of crazy! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In order to make up for that, I have TWO articles for us this week!

I Believe in You!
by Gary Smalley

and

A Time to Laugh
by Erin Smalley


Both of these articles were on MarriagePartnership, a branch of Christianity Today's website. In the first one, Gary talks about learning about his wife's goals and dreams, and the second one is all about keeping the laughter in your marriage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompt/Theme for Friday, February 6, 2009

We have a couple of different options for this week:

1. Tell us about some of the things that you and your husband do to just have fun together!

2. Tell the story of a memory about your husband that brings you a smile and a giggle every time you think about it!

3. Give us your best, most creative Valentine's Day gifts (and yes, this one is a shameless way to use your creativity to help me come up with a Valentine's Day gift, lol!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Challenges:

~ Set an appointment with your hubby to have a "goals and dreams" talk as described in the first article.

~ If you already know some of your husbands goals and dreams, be intentional about encouraging him and helping him to reach them.

Hope you have all been having a great week! Looking forward to hearing all about things that make us laugh and smile tomorrow!

We booked it! :)

I mentioned that we were planning a vacation in this post. My ever frugal hubby spent hours researching destinations and flights and hotels until he found the absolute best deal. In fact, he was on the computer for most of the day on Saturday doing just that. I ran to the grocery store late Saturday afternoon, and when I returned he had bookd our trip!

Ummm, yeah . . . excited is not a strong enough word for the way I feel!!! Cozumel, Mexico, 7 nights, 8 days, all inclusive!!!! :)