Sunday afternoon with friends...

I love a leisurely Sunday afternoon with no running around and the time to sit and relax with good friends. Greg BBQ'd burgers and the boys watched Sun. afternoon football while we girls went to the spa for hair cuts and pedicures...what better of a way to spend an afternoon.

A song for all moms...

I had to laugh at this all to true tribute to what a mom says in a day... perhaps I should simply memorize this song so I get it all down in under three minutes, it could come in very handy :-) Some people are too creative!

Official Pictures updated on the Int'l Website

So many of you have been asking to see my pictures and I'm happy to announce they are up and running on the Mrs. International website. I haven't received/seen any "hard copy" pictures of the shoot but I was pretty excited to see these. Clay did an amazing job on the makeup and hair and needless to say he is a talented photographer. Obviously, you can see how fun the wardrobe was...thank you to Joey!

Puttin' on the Ritz

Yesterday I celebrated my 33rd birthday...it's crazy to think I'm in my thirties let alone working on my third year :-) I have to admit it though, I am enjoying this stage of my life or maybe I'm just in denial and trying to convince myself - he he... Greg and I ate a three course lunch at the Ritz. Amazing! Complete with Souffle' for dessert. Later in the day Greg finished an outdoor planter garden that I've been wanting to get working on, so that was a special treat! Here's to you mom... because really you are the one who should be celebrated on this day for what you had to go through to bring me into the world. I love you!

Special Guest speaker - JR Mahon

For those of you in town (or who would like to make a trip ;-), JR Mahon, will be speaking at Halogen this Sun. evening, Sept. 30th at 6pm. JR is the author of Starving Jesus and will be sharing his message at Halogen, "Love Everyone & Candy", which challenges people to foster, adopt, befriend, love and care for the American Orphan. Come on out this Sun. to hear JR's compelling message and his own story of adoption.
(Click on the Halogen website for address & directions- hope to see you there)
Also, Devin has JR on as a guest for the week on Real Fusion so check it out too!

There's nothing quite like family...

I know I'm a bit biased but I believe I have the greatest husband in the world. I don't know too many men who would willingly drive a 10 hour round trip road trip to see his in-laws family... let alone be the man to suggest it! Here's what I mean: my great aunts from New Jersey, along with my Aunt & Uncle, cousins etc. decided to have a mini family get together in Vegas at one of my cousins timeshares (which by the way was amazing). Since I'm back to work with Cotillion, I didn't think it would be "practical" to drive all the way out there just to visit for less than 24 hours with relatives. Would you believe my honey said he thought we should do it, even if we could only visit for a couple of hours. After all, family is family and being that my great aunts are both in there 80's and one in her late 80's at that, I wouldn't have this opportunity too many more times. So we hopped in the car Saturday afternoon and headed out to Vegas. That night we dined with the family and enjoyed hearing stories about my grandma Keller whom I never met(she died after childbirth when my dad was 14) and stories about my dad as a boy...I sat like a small child enthralled with my Aunt's family stories and loved being in their presence. The next morning we gorged ourselves at a brunch buffet (ya gotta buffet when in Vegas) and then walked through a few Casino's before heading out that afternoon. I was so glad that Greg talked me into doing the trip even though it was for such a short period of time. I loved being around my Aunt's and meeting cousins for the first time and being with family in general. My family grew up far from extended family. Everyone else seemed to live in Jersey or Florida. Greg on the other hand grew up with a very close knit family that did everything together w/ the aunts and uncles and cousins... so he knows the value and importance of getting together. This little jaunt just made me pause a moment from the business that I so often get caught up in and realize that no matter what we all need to be sure to take the time out for what really matters in life - relationships - with family and friends...because in the end they will be what matters most and with whom we all wish we could have another day.

Meet "Rebekah"

On Sept. 1, 2007 I had the honor of meeting my "namesake" Rebekah. It all goes back 4 months ago when I met Rebekah's mom, Kumba, while sidewalk counseling. I volunteer at an abortion clinic to speak to young women about alternatives to aborting their babies. Knowing that there was one other person out there in the world that cared enough to help was what Kumba needed to make the decision to keep her baby...so for the past several months of her pregnancy we developed a friendship and I was able to help her get back on her feet and meet others who helped her in a variety of ways. Finally, the day arrived and I received the call from Kumba at @ 10:45 pm..."Your baby's here"...it made my heart so incredibly happy to actually know I played a role in this baby girl's arrival into the world. Over the weekend that she was in labor, Greg and I played Auntie & Uncle to Kumba's other daughter, three year old Ruthie...she kept us on our toes, needless to say :-) We brought Kumba and the baby home from the hospital to my parents where my mom, former nurse practitioner, helped with the baby so Kumba could get some much needed rest. As we gave Rebekah her first bath I couldn't help but be amazed at the whole process I witnessed the past few months. From a broken girl I met on a sidewalk in front of a clinic, to a beaming new mom with a beautiful baby girl she decided to name after me...God is good!