:)

Possibly the best birthday present ever:

Thankful

Since yesterday was Thanksgiving and November has 30 days, I'm going to post 30 things I'm thankful for. :)

1. that God my Father loves me unconditionally, no matter what!
2. Mom and Dad, all they do for me, how they give me advice and love me and care for me even when I fail to share my appreciation.
3. Andrew, Anna, Wesley, Christianne, and Ben, how they make me laugh and encourage me, and make life fun. Love having siblings!
4. my Toyota Corolla, safe and reliable
5. books and the ability to read them
6. God's neverending faithfulness
7. colorful sunsets
8. Tiger Lily, how affectionate she is sometimes and how entertaining she is when she's "wild"
9. clean water to drink
10. brilliant gold, orange, and red trees in fall
11. that God's steadfast love never ceases, and His mercies are new every morning
12. warm coats and gloves
13. all the different foods there are to eat, that there's not just one thing we have to eat all the time
14. electricity, to make life easier
15. well-made clothes to wear, and a good house to live in
16. Facebook, even though I waste time on it. It helps me stay connected to my friends and relatives
17. paper and pencil, to write down my thoughts and my schedule
18. both of my part-time jobs - Chick-fil-A and Massage Therapy Studios. I am blessed to have 2 jobs I love!
19. sunscreen(in the summer), without it I'd look like a lobster
20. backpacks, lunchboxes, and purses to carry things in
21. different scenery: mountain, beach, lake, city, country, etc.
22. clocks and time. without them, it would be hard to do anything with someone else.
23. my amazing, wonderful friends who are always willing to talk with me and pray for me, not to mention they make life more fun. :) In particular: Hannah G, Cara, Alex, Emily E, Jan, Melissa, Eli, Kasey, Jonathan, Laura, Anna T, Josiah, Tim
24. the gift of sleep
25. cameras to capture memories and wonders in nature
26. music of all kinds to listen to. without it, life would be dull indeed.
27. the beauty of sign language
28. my name. even though Emily is a common name, I'm glad my parents picked it for me. :)
29. the truth of Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good for those who love God." 
30. the amazing fact that I will spend eternity with my Creator

God has blessed me beyond what I could imagine!
What are you thankful for?   

80's skating

Mission28 had a skating night, and to make it more fun, everyone dressed up in outfits from the 80's. I loved seeing everyone's creativity with their outfits, and skating was really fun! :)

Just a few of the guys. They're all hilarious!

Most of the girls.

Here's my outfit:

7 questions #2

So my last post was a bit depressing. Here's a lighter topic. :) Another 7 questions post.

1. Hamburger or Hotdog? (veggie versions count)

Hamburger! You can add lettuce, tomato, bacon, avocado, pickles, cheese, and other yummy stuff to it. And hotdogs are just gross.(i.m.o.)

2. If you had to live on any other planet in our solar system, besides Earth, which would you choose?
Mars 'cause I'd rather be farther from the sun than closer to it.

3. Share a photo of an outfit that represents your personal style, please. (doesn't have to be of you)
Hmm, my personal style. Let's see... Simple but pretty.

 

4. Would you rather get ready for the day or get ready for bed?

Get ready for bed. I just love putting my PJ's on and getting into my cozy bed.

5. You have to choose between never having eyelashes or never having eyebrows, which would you choose?

Never having eyelashes. You don't need eyelashes to make facial expressions, but you sure use your eyebrows!

6. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A wife and stay-at-home mom. :)

7. Do you set your clocks right on time, or a few minutes ahead or behind?

I like mine a few minutes ahead, but I treat them as though they are the correct time. That way I'll be more likely to get places when I need to.

 

tough times

I've been going through some hard things recently, with certain relationships and circumstances. For the past couple weeks, all I've wanted to do was stay at home and cry. I was tired of "putting on a happy face" whenever I went somewhere. I kept thinking, "My life is so hard right now, I just want to give up. I'm tired of being joyful when I'm hurting inside. I'm tired of pretending everything is ok when in reality I'm broken. I can't do this anymore."

Then God broke into my thoughts. "Yes, my child, life is hard. But it is because I love you. If I gave you an easy life, you would be less likely to run to me. " Then He gave me this Scripture: We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus knows what I'm going thorough and He loves me and is always there for me. He wants me to come to Him with my problems and tell Him what's going on, even though He already knows. He wants me to talk to Him like He's my best friend, to trust Him.

My circumstances haven't changed. But God is changing my view of them. Slowly, but He is working. Praise the Lord that He never gives up on me! God always has a plan, no matter what!

_______________________________________________________________

On a lighter note, here's a picture of my favorite kitty. :)

 
  

picture post

gorgeous clouds

storm moving in

me and my reading glasses

my sister and coworkers at a bowling party

7 questions

Saw this on a friend's blog and thought I'd fill it out.

1. The Olympics are awesome! What's your favorite Summer Olympic event to watch?

Can I have 2? Gymnastics and diving are my favorite.

2. If you could compete in an Olympic event (either season), which would it be?
Gymnastics

3. Would you rather be tickled to death or poked (by finger) constantly for the rest of your life?

Tickled to death. I love laughing. :)

4. Do you keep your nails long or short? Square or round?
Round and super short, 'cause I'm a massage therapist.

5. Do you think you're funny?

No.

6. When you have something you're looking forward to SO much, but it's still a ways off, what do you do to keep yourself distracted?

I try to be busy. Cleaning, running errands, working, anything else to keep busy. Then the time will seem to go faster.

7. You've just won an Olympic Gold Medal! What are you going to do next?!?!
  Probably stand there with my mouth open in disbelief. Then smile and give the glory to God.

gluten free muffins

Here's another recipe for you. :) These muffins are plain, but oh so good!

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. rice flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
2 eggs

In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, & salt. In separate small bowl, mix milk, oil, and eggs. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into greased muffin tin and refrigerate 20 minutes. Bake at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown.
(You could also try using buttermilk instead of regular milk. It makes them more moist and yummy.)

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I decided to post this recipe 'cause it's so good! Makes about 3 dozen.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup each of brown sugar, granulated sugar, chopped nuts (I used walnuts, yum!)
1 12oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup each of rice flour, tapioca flour
1 tsp. each of baking powder, baking soda. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. each of salt, cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheets with parchment or freezer paper.
Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and mix. Add vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts, and mix.
In separate bowl, combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, xanthan gum, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir just until mixed.
Place tsp. size spoonfuls on baking sheets 2 inches apart (these spread a lot).
Bake 10-12 minutes until browned. Cool on racks or wax paper.

Charleston in photos

We went shopping in downtown Charleston the day we got there. I loved how different the buildings are compared to Charlotte.
This is our hotel. We stayed there for free, thanks to hotel reward points.

The second day, we went to Folly Beach in the morning. I actually went out in the ocean pretty far, and it was fun!
Then in the afternoon, we walked through the historic part of Charleston. We saw the famous Rainbow Row, several churches, and lots of beautiful houses. I could have spent several days looking at everything.

 

The last day, I got up early and went for a walk. Then we headed back home.

In other news, I've been gluten free for one month now, and I love it! Before I did this diet, I got an upset stomach almost every time I ate. I was losing weight, 'cause I didn't enjoy eating since it made me feel sick. Now I don't feel sick after I eat, I can eat more at a time, and I stopped losing weight. I also have more energy and don't need as much sleep as I did a month ago. I'm so glad we figured out what was making me sick! :)