Happy New Year (a bit late)

Goodbye 2008 Hello 2009.

I spent this new year's eve on the couch with a fever watching some basketball.  It sucked! I have been sick since December 28th, not that I am keeping track or anything.  My lungs have revolted against me and I just can't get rid of this nasty cough.  Turns out bronchitis likes my lungs a little too much and still won't let go... LEAVE please!

I went to a beautiful wedding.  It really was the most beautiful ceremony I have ever been to.  I hope my wedding is like that one day!  Congrats Rachel and CJ.

I pray this year is the best one yet!  

Ridiculous

So this is a story I must share because it's rather ridiculous... hilarious... absurd... 

Laci (my roommate) and I sent out Christmas cards this year. They were very cute I might add.  Well I called my aunt and uncle to say hello and see how they were doing and asked... Uncle Jim, did you get my Christmas card? He said in a blah tone... Yes.  So me being on the other end of the receiver began to think... well maybe he didn't like it.  I asked, did you like it? response... should i? I am getting a bit confused.  I reply... well yes. response... why? Well Uncle Jim, I'm on the card that's why.  Then the question that summed the tone and everything else was... who's that other girl?!?!?!!? WHAT? Ummmm... that's my roommate uncle jim.  Oh. ok. Uncle Jim, please tell me you didn't think I had gone to the other side of the rainbow (my words exactly) and he said... well I had my doubts since I never hear you talk about boys you're seeing, so I didn't know.  I was like Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh.  No, Laci is my roommate.  I said, maybe I should send out a disclaimer.  And he was like, yeah, that's a good idea.  WHAT?!?!?

RIDICULOUS i say... RIDICULOUS

I called my cousin Mary Beth and asked her about it.  She laughed so hard I thought she would drop the phone and reassured me the card was very cute and that she didn't think that and neither did her husband.  She was like he is a silly old man Amanda and you shouldn't listen to what he says.  He is CRAZY.

Gosh.

For these I am thankful....

-Family... i have a really great family.  we are dysfunctional, but fun.  I miss my brother like crazy and really wish he was in my every day life, but I am glad he is happy.

-My sister-in-law.  She's pretty amazing and makes my brother a better man

-My niece... she's the cutest thing ever.

-My dad.  I love love love him

-My mom. She gave me her artistic abilities. love her

-Jesus. I am such a horrible sinner and He loves me and forgives me.

-Laci. She is a great roommate.

-Brittany. One of my favorites. She makes me smile.

-Deidre. my bff. 

-Mallory. she always makes me laugh

-Todd and Leeanne. my life wouldn't be the same without them

-Ephesus. My church is amazing.  My pastor and his wife are amazing too.

-A roof over my head

-More friends than I deserve

-A fun job

-Friends that i consider family

-a nice calm relaxing weekend

-Eric, Leah and Jace

-my education

-being healthy

-having the ability to love and care for people

-to be an American and be Free

-little kids who don't know how to say my name, but reach my heart anyway

I am thankful for a lot of things that I often forget to think of.  I am going to work on being more aware of all of my blessings.

Thank you Jesus!

because I just can't help it...

Gosh... I just LOVE her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOELLE

It's hard to believe that one year ago today I was waiting anxiously for the call that my niece had arrived.  All we knew is that it was a girl and her name started with N.  I guessed every name, or so I thought.  So a little after 7 am I got a phone call from my brother and he said... SHE'S HERE.  My first question was, does she have red hair... and the answer was YES.  I was so excited and wished so badly that I could be there. 

Well now she is a busy little 1 year old who gets bruises faster than I can blink, falls more than she stands, and is smaller than any 1 year old I've ever met!  She is precious and very sweet.  I love her very much.

Happy birthday sweet Noelle!  

CHECK IT OUT

The website is up and running.  There are still things to be added, but it's up now and can be viewed.

Enjoy

www.phelanphotography.net

just a few things...

Let's see here....

I am jobless at the moment.  

I've been looking for employment for several weeks now, and still nothing.  

As I was feeling a bit discouraged on Tuesday of this past week, the Lord again, showed me a promise.  It came in the form of a rainbow in the BLUE SKY.  There were wispy clouds in the sky, and there it was, a small piece of rainbow... see it?

Next:

I was washing dishes the other day and I began thinking about the story of Mary and Martha and then I compared those women to Laci and me.  Well folks, I'm Martha.  Yep, it just came to me.  I am so focused on making things look good, occupied with making sure everything is in it's place, constantly staying busy, just to make sure things get completed.  And I thought about Mary.  She sat at Jesus' feet.  She wanted to spend time with the Savior, and while Martha wanted that same thing, she was wrapped up doing instead of just being and enjoying.  I want to be a Mary.  Laci is more like Mary. If we were to have dinner with Jesus, she would definitely be sitting at His feet listening to Him, while I would be in the kitchen cleaning up after the meal, putting things away, and doing everything BUT just sitting at His feet.  I am learning.  I want to be more like Mary.

Last:

Saturday I woke up and my car battery was DEAD.  *side note: I tend to have car issues.* Laci and I try to jump my car.  NOTHING.  There was a man passing by walking his dog so I asked him if he could check and make sure we were doing it correctly.  It DID look right to me, but I just had to make sure.  It was positioned correctly, it was just that my battery was too dead to receive a charge.  He left us for a moment, then came back with this brilliant charge box thing.  It worked.  Laci and I go to Pep Boys (great place by the way) to get my battery, and her oil changed.  We are there for maybe 45 minutes, and we literally talked with EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THERE.  We know the employees by name, the customers conversed with us and made the time go quickly.  Later on that day, we go to Big Daddy's for dinner, and our waiter would not leave us alone. He came to our table, trying to make conversation, propping his elbows on our table, and loving our new friendship.  Laci was praying every time he would pass by that he would keep on walking.  It was rather humorous!  

Oh what a nice day.

Ephesus is great.  I really love my church.  The worship.  The message.  The people.  The passion.  It's amazing and I am so blessed.  Check it out... www.ephesuschurch.tv