CRAZY COWGIRL! (overlook the misspelled word)

Random Post (Our Life & Dr. Epting)

I don't even know where to start! I'm so embarrased that I haven't blogged in 20 days. Things have been so crazy at work, which is great! When I get home, I am so exhausted, yada yada yada. So, I am blogging now, and that's all that matters. We all have been doing well. Matthew is busy with work, so am I, and Marli Claire is growing like a weed. It is hard to believe that she is 17 months old. She is running (literally) everywhere, and her vocabulary grows by the minute. Her sassiness has increased tremendously, landing her in a lot of trouble. I really don't know where she gets it from, ok, I do, but I'm almost 30 so I can be sassy. She has been pointing her finger at me, and saying, "no, mam!" How did my sweet innocent child change drastically overnight? Well, I will be posting pictures soon of our latest adventures. So, stay tuned!


This picture has absolutely NOTHING to do with this blog post, but I couldn't wait any longer!



I saw this hanging on the wall in Staples one day. I had to snap a shot. Dr. Epting? Is that you? I thought to myself, "Dr. Epting is pulling out all of the stops to help NGU!" Modeling for Staples though? Whoever this man is, I hope you know you have an incredible twin! What do you think?

HAPPY NATIONAL CLERGY APPRECIATION MONTH!

Today is a sad day for the three of us (well, two of us, MC doesn't understand). Our pastor resigned from the church to begin a new journey with the North American Mission Board. Dr. Page is not only a pastor to us, he is our friend. He is such a wise man, and NAMB will be blessed to have him become part of their staff.

I will never forget the first Sunday that Matthew and I visited TFBC together, we were trying to sneak out of the side door so we didn't have to talk or shake hands with pastor. (sad, but true). He sought us out as we were sneaking, to introduce himself to us, then called us that week to get to know us better. What a pastor! If you think he is awesome, you should meet his incredible wife. (talk about "better half").

Anyway, on to explain the post title, Happy Clergy Appreciation Month. I just found out that October is the National Clergy Appreciation Month. I know this isn't a holiday that we bring out cake and party hats, but it is the time set aside to let your pastor know how much you appreciate him. Dr. Page, you mean so much to us! Thank you for leading our church with passion. We will miss your teaching, your personality, and oddly enough, we will miss you throwing tortilla chips at us at the mexican restaurant. You will be greatly missed by all, and you will always be Marli Claire's "Papa Page." We love you and Mrs. Dayle very much!

CLASS OF 2026

When I look at Marli Claire, it is crazy to think that she wont love the Lord, or that she will one day walk away from the church. Our church has begun a new ministry called Growing Graduates. This is a partnership between parents and the church to bring up our children to be passionately devoted followers of Christ. It is scary to know that 70% of 18-22 year olds leave the church and their faith. Through Growing Graduates, we will be able to prepare our children for the generation to come. Matthew and I promise to do our part as MC's parents to teach her how to have a heart of a warrior, mind of a scholar, hands of a hero, and feet of an ambassador. For more information on how you can do the same, visit www.growinggraduates.com.

This pic is MC showing off her print that she received at church today. This is what it says:

CLASS OF 2026

AND WE PRAY THIS IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE LORD AND MAY PLEASE HIM IN EVERY WAY: BEARING FRUIT IN EVERY GOOD WORK, GROWING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. COLOSSIANS 1:10

MARLI CLAIRE & ELI

We FINALLY got together with our friends Wesley, Candy, and Eli. We had a great time, and Marli LOVED Candy. It is so great to have awesome friends!

MARLI CLAIRE AND ELI MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME

CUTE LITTLE COUPLE

MARLI AND "AUNT CANDY"

SWEET MARLI CLAIRE

Random Ramblings 1

I have random thoughts everyday, some I think about more frequently than others. Honestly, I keep them to myself because they are outrageous! Surely others have these thoughts too. It can't just be me. Right?

I said all of that to say this, I think I will start sharing some of them. (Right now, my sister Sherri is saying, "NO NO, please NO!") But, I'm gonna! I am going to entitle each of them Random Ramblings. I will post them when they come to me.

For instance, last week, one of my guests (Aveda word for client) and I were talking about cleaning our ears out. No, this is not usual conversation in the salon, but that isn't the point here. I have thought about it everyday since. I LOVE CLEANING MY EARS!!! Now, for those of you who are thinking at this very moment of posting a comment about the harm in cleaning your ears out with Q-tips, DON'T! I already know. SIDE NOTE: I actually had to have my right ear cleaned out by a doctor my senior year of high school because of using Q-tips. I had temporarily lost the hearing in my right ear. I will spare you the details, but I must say that It was well worth it. There is just something about walking in to the bathroom, taking the top off of the jar, pulling out that beautiful white cotton tip, and cleaning my ear. I'm embarrassed to admit, that it happens to be one of the highlights of my day. Sad I know! I know that I have a simple life when the highlights of my day are:

1. Spending time with my husband AT HOME!
2. Loving on my beautiful little girl.
3. Listening to online sermons on my lunch break!
4. Chatting with my mom on the way home from work. (and cracking up with my bro-in-law Andy over Blackberry Messenger)
5. Reaching in the fridge for a ice cold can of Coca-Cola Classic.
6. Cleaning my ears with Q-tips!

What in the world has happenned to me? I don't know, but I love it! Back to the Q-tips! Why does it feel so good? Why am I addicted? I want to know, are you addicted too?

An Unexpected Gift

TRUE STORY! Matthew’s birthday was September 9th. You know, when you want to buy your spouse something for his birthday, it feels weird using the debit card to buy it, right? If your husband is like mine, he would know what he got anyway, because he checks the online banking about 50 times a day. SIDE NOTE: money is not going to magically appear in the account just because you check it online! Anyway, that is all beside the point. I always hide my cash tips in the back of my wallet in a zipper pocket (probably not anymore, because Matthew will now know). I use the cash tips to buy something fun, most of the time for Marli. So, I had been saving for Matthew’s birthday so that I didn’t have to use the debit card. I was able to get MC’s pictures made and still have money left over to buy the Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses that he has been wanting (thanks to my mom). I was excited because I led him to believe that I didn’t get him anything due to lack of funds. I decided to just get a gift card for him from The Sunglass Hut so that he could choose the pair he wanted. They of course all look the exact same to me. Again, beside the point. Yesterday, we went to the mall for Matthew’s annual birthday trip with his grandmother, and he finally got his sunglasses. I definitely told him that he looks better than Brad Pitt in his, and he does. When he took his grandmother home, she went to the back of the house and returned holding a case in her hand. She told him that she remembered her husband (Matthew’s grandfather) owning a pair of Ray-Ban glasses too. The glasses look IDENTICAL to the ones he just bought, and the case hasn’t changed either. His grandfather had taken such good care of them, that it looked like they had never been worn. Matthew lost his grandfather not too long before he and I started dating. They had an incredible relationship, and he misses him very much. The two of them must have been more alike than I even knew. What a special pair of aviators! Needless to say, we are headed back to Sunglass Hut to return the overpriced glasses that we bought yesterday.