The Other Man in My Life

me 'n father. some where along the line of my life, i started to affectionately call my dad "father". it has always been this silly thing that i would do, and it always made us laugh. but it's just stuck and i almost always answer my phone when he calls "hello father." and he will almost always respond "hello daughter."

i've already sent my gift, and my card (and he's already cried when he read it!), but as i scurry around my apartment today making food, cleaning, making more food, studying, etc. i keep thinking of my precious father.

i have the oldies station blasting. i genuinely LOVE oldies!! my whole life my dad has had the oldies station going whether he was working in the garage, driving me to practice, doing yard work, going on family vacations in the hot wagon or dust buster, or when he and i do our ritual morning coffee run to wawa at the beach and we ride in the truck- always the oldies!

today my heart is smiling knowing that in just a couple months i will see my dad again, we will be together again, and we will listen to oldies as we drive 20 hours across the country together!

i am the way i am because of my dad about these things:

my love for oldies

my love for tastykakes, and hate for little debbies

my love for jersey hoagies

my love for the jersey shore

my love for the beach

my love for coffee

my love to dance (who didn't know that glenn could dance?! you really should see him dance around the dinning room table- the beegee's are his fav! you haven't lived until you've seen his moves!)

my love for sports/running

my love for nice hotels

my love for nice resorts

my love for vacationing

my love for writing

my love for Jesus

my love for living for and following God

my love for family

my love for God's Word

my love for people

my love for The Church

i am who i am because i was loved sooooooooooo much by the most wonderful, most amazing man in the whole wide world!

i love you father.

"happy father's day dad...I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!" hahahaha!! :0)

The Man in My Life

sista texted this to me today...my heart melted. i can't even handle him. i am DYING DYING DYING to get my hands on him!!!! my love for this little guy is so strong already, and we haven't even formally met yet. i literally feel a weird pain in my heart because i love him that much...am i thee luckiest auntie in the world, or what?? this is my life for the next 9 months...

PRESENTS!!!

hi! i'm a barista! :) let me start off by saying i really dislike this picture, but it's the only one i have of me actually working! AND since this photo was taken many moons ago (shout out to good 'ol dickson city drive thru!) i have successfully advanced to the BLACK apron. yes folks, i am a coffee MASTER. anyway...

over the course of this past week, i have received FOUR different presents from THREE different customers! seriously! it's been like christmas at starbucks! in order to protect the identity of the individuals involved (i think i've secretly always wanted to say that!), i will be referring to them by the name of their regular beverages.

Gift #1: Half Shot, Tall, Stirred Caramel Macchiato along with Tall, Raspberry or Hazlenut Dark Roast

They work at Macy's and left me a gift bag full of make-up (LOVE it!), perfume, (LOVE it!), lotions (LOVE LOVE it!), face moisturizer (LOVING it!), and cute lil make-up bags (still LOVING it ALL!)! names such as tommy, clinique, and etee lauder made an appearance amongst the gifts. these customers are so sweet! i was completely shocked and just sooooooo touched by their thoughtfulness!

Gifts # 2 and #4: Tall Light Roast with room, Tall cup of ice with a lid, no straw; Refill of half dark roast, half light roast with room

This customer brought me a movie that he taped FOR me that takes place in PA, because i am from PA and he knows i love PA! So stinkin' thoughtful! then, on saturday he was telling me about his weekend plans, which included going to several grad parties. i was instantly jealous because i don't know any one graduating and expressed my sadness over missing the grad party cake, which is my FAVORITE! well, low and behold, he walks in this morning with a piece of grad cake in a little glad container for me! i almost died! sooooooooooo sweet!!! i was so touched! and let me tell you, it was, and i truly mean this, THEE best piece of cake i have ever had! no joke! the chocolate cake with sugary frosting (not the nasty whipped cream frosting that i hate!) was to DIE for. i licked and licked the glad lid until there was literally NOTHING left! haha! oh my word! i was so touched!

Gift #3: Grande, double-cupped, one refresh/one zen tea bag, 3 honeys in the bottom of the cup first, then the hot water, stirred hot tea; along with (for family members!) two double-cupped, Grande, peppermint/cinnamon dolce/vanilla, non-fat, extra hot latte, with a "p,c, or v" on the TOP of the lid.

This customer specially had his step-son get me this thing called a "doberman". it's some thing to wear on my arm while running. all i have to do is hit a button and it's sounds a ridiculously loud alarm if i'm ever in danger. it also has flashing lights if i ever run at night! holy cow! they're not even on the market yet, but he knows i am a runner, and wanted me to have one! he was at the mall bright and early this morning, literally POUNDING on the door (we weren't open yet) because he was so excited to give it to me! holy cow. again, i'm super touched.

i am so over-whelmed with the generosity and kindness of these sweet customers! they truly make me love what i do! (i know matt's totally gagging right now, but i can't help it! ) i could cry just thinking about their sweetness and love for me!

(p.s. the following two pics that i love were taken by my fellow-barista brother, johnny cakes...i think he should go into photography....)

Soul Week

i can not sit still. my heart is just BUBBLING over with happiness!

check it out. for the previous several weeks in my life, i felt as if i was drowning in a deep, dark, black ocean with enormous waves constantly crashing down on my head. i couldn't get out. i was sinking further and further into the depths of the darkest sea.

well, God wanted to rescue me! He chose to fly me all the way to jersey for jen-i-a's wedding to do it! literally, on the plane, right before i landed in philly, i wrote these words in my journal.

"let me REST in your STRENGTH. let me give life. find me in spite of my wandering heart, and please speak on my behalf..." (i had read that in a book) i prayed this over and over as i landed.

almost instantly my pleas were answered! i didn't know it at the time, but God was about to part the dark ocean waters and sweetly reach out and rescue me!

it would impossible to describe each detail of how God so intimately has brought such freedom and happiness into my SOUL! not only during my trip to NJ with family and friends, but also since returning to MN with family and friends here!

i feel to describe ANY of my wonderful week would do injustice to other parts! so, i am going to just show a couple pictures! i think you can see the freedom and happiness for yourself...(one p.s.- i sadly do not have pictures of my fam that i spent time with yet- more to come!)