Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Hard Workin' Man and Sister

So Joey has been on the ball today. He worked and then came home and put up my new porch light and a fan in the work-out room, loaded up all our demo trash, cleaned out the storage shed, and started working on a carport area. Well, as he's throwing away a can of "Great Stuff" (the stuff you spray in crevices that puffs up), it explodes in the air and gets all over his trailer and a nearby tree. I felt so bad for him but couldn't help but laugh and grab my camera.

Thankfully it came off with a spray of the water hose and that Joey can be a good sport and laugh too.

On another note, my sister's been working hard delivering our new nephew all day today. She'd been at it since about 5:00 this morning and wasn't progessing as of about 4:00, but he finally arrived around 7:30 tonight. Thanks to those of you that were praying for her and for him to cooperate so that she wouldn't need a C-section. Joey and I are now the proud aunt and uncle to Caiden Brent Lucas, a healthy 8 lbs. 2 oz., 20 1/2 in. with a head full of hair. I'll post pics soon. We're headed over tomorrow when Joey gets off work and I'm finished with finals.

Friday, April 25, 2008

The new island

So recently we figured out that my father-in-law is a pretty talented carpenter. He made us a really nice gun cabinet, complete with divided glass doors. So then Joey decided to take on the challenge of wood working and made me a really nice console table with chicken wire doors and an inset western star on the top. Well, when we bought this house we knew the kitchen desperately needed more cabinet space, so we thought a center island would be perfect, so that we wouldn't have to redesign the entire kitchen on our limited budget. Well, Joey's dad decided to take on the task of making one for us (which ended up significanly contributing to our staying on budget). So I just told him I wanted beadboard cabinets and a butcher block top. And that's exactly what he did. Check this out...




We are so grateful for this island. It's so nice, and we know he put tons of work into it, especially that top - he had to piece every little piece of cherry wood together. So thanks Wally!

Monday, April 21, 2008

I'm it

I've been tagged again, this time by a friend, Amanda, so here's some more info so you can all get to know me better!

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Well, this time 10 years ago would have been when I was 13 at the end of my 8th grade year (I think I calculated that right). I was getting to practice with the high school soccer team which I thought was so cool, playing basketball for the middle school, and probably going to the 8th grade dance. This thing was way too big of a deal for 13 year olds. Thankfully, my parents didn't let me go over-board and rent a limo or something. I went with a total loser though. I did get to wear one of Amber Cryar's prom dresses to it though.

5 things on my to do list:
1. Unpack my kitchen after countertops get installed and other little things.
2. Clean the whole house
3. Get momma dog adopted
4. mow (or get Joey to mow) our jungle of a yard
5. paint the shutters and front door

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. dark chocolate
2. chips and salsa
3. Special K orange delight bars
4. apples and cheese
5. cookies

5 things I would do if I were a billionare:
1. Give back to God/the Church
2. Give to the Institute for Sexual Wholeness
3. Give to no-kill animal shelters
4. Build a craftsman style house on lots of acreage (and horses) with a awesome view
5. Build a vacation home or cabin out west in the mountains

5 bad habits:
1. biting my nails/cuticles
2. eating something sweet after meals
3. getting frustrated when anything technological doesn't work
4. dyeing my hair
5. relying heavily on first impressions

5 places I've lived:
1. Leeds, AL (outside of Birmingham)
2. Guntersville, AL
3. Rome, GA
4. Perry, GA
5. and now Whitwell, TN

5 jobs I've had:
1. lifeguard and swim coach at Guntersville Rec Dept.
2. family support worker at Marshal Co. Dept. of Human Resources
3. Floyd Heyman Hospice, Rome GA
4. secretary at Cross Point Baptist Church in Perry, GA
5. and now about to start at the PSI Community Counseling Center in Chattanooga, TN

And now I want to tag Scott and Laura Beth Moore.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Talking about sex all weekend

It's for a class. As a part of my training as a marriage and family therapist, I'm required to take a couple of classes on sex therapy. I know this may sound weird, but as I've gotten into it I really have realized how badly our world, especially the Church, understands what God intended for sex, gender, and everything related to them. So anyway, this class has been especially informative because one of the professors (actually all of them) are very well-respected in the secular and Christian psychology field, and today we have been discussing homosexuality and gender identity and how to help those struggling with these issues, especially Christians. Obviously, there will be differences of opinion even within Christian ciricles about if those struggling with homosexuality or gender identity even need "help." But in my opinion all of us could use some help with what we have learned about our gender and about sex in general. But this one professor (Mark Yarhouse, check out his type of therapy and research here) has been doing very well-respected research about helping those struggling with gender identity and homosexuality, not necessarily about what causes these issues (although he thinks research has shown both nature/biology and nurture/learning and environment contribute) but about how to help these individuals deal with their fallen nature in a moral way guided by God and Scripture. It is a very cool calling, and I realized today how much we need to be in prayer for him and those like him. He is submerged in an area (sexuality) that has been so dominated by the Enemy and where there will obviously be much spiritual warfare. So I'm asking you to join me in prayer for him as well as to pray for me as I enter a career/ministry where I will also be dealing with some of these issues, even in helping married couples with sexual issues.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

And I thought Alabama was redneck....

As soon as my brother-in-law, Mike, came to help work on our new house, he started trying to explain to us about where we are living now. He used to live in TN, so I guess he already knew. We always thought it was pretty funny that we could count several trucks up on cinder blocks on the road to our house. Mike just kept saying, "Y'all don't understand where you moved to!" Well, I finally have begun to see the truth of what he's been saying. This is what I saw one morning in front of my house.


I know it may be hard to see (and to believe), but there are horses, no acutally it was donkeys, pulling these "carriages." As you can see, the "carriage" in the back was made from what looks to be like the chairs from those motorized wheelchairs. And I couldn't tell what the other one was made out of. In all my years in AL, I've never seen anything like that. So TN, you beat AL when it comes to true hicks.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Another Day of Demo

So Joey, Mike, and my dad started demo on the parts of the kitchen that we're redoing while my mom, my sister, and I went to Chatt. to do some shopping. It's probably better this way - that us girls are gone while they're doing this because when they started banging with hammers and tearing stuff apart, we're hearing "OUCH!" and "SON-OF-A!" We left Mike bleeding from his palm and just hoped that would be the worst of the injuries. Thankfully, it was, and they got all the counters ripped out and the cabinet cut out where we'll install a dishwasher, thank goodness! Who in the world lives without a dishwasher! I mean even the pots that I don't put in the dishwasher, I beg Joey to scrub! Being the sweet man he is, he does this without complaining. So here's some pics of the mess so far!



I was also very excited that my mom brought the shower curtain she got made for me for a housewarming gift. I had looked everywhere for a shower curtain for our master bath. All I wanted was a small print with orange and green. So finally I started looking for fabric, and after a long search I found the perfect fabric, small rectangles of orange and green on a gold/khaki background. So a sweet lady that makes all my mom's window treatments made this for me, and I love how it turned out. Sometimes it's a curse to know exactly what you want, but it always turns out wonderfully when you finally find it.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Office

We got the office pretty much cleaned up. Joey's going to build me a bookshelf for my huge collection of books I've accumulated throughout grad. school, so there's still a few boxes of books and some picture frames and stuff to put up sometime. But we're pretty happy with how it turned out, especially because we've never had an office before, and we both really need one because of school for me and Joey does his paperwork at home. So here are some pics of it.




We kinda compromised because Joey saw the color I had picked out for the walls, and he wanted to add brown spots so it would look like camoflauge. Well, obviously that wasn't going to fly, so we put up his deer head in there, added his gun cabinet that his dad made (which is really nice-looking, by the way), and put some pics of his friends up (in a deer antler frame). Anyway, next project: the kitchen!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Out with the Old in with the New

Well, we finally did it. The wallpaper is down, the paint is finished, and the carpet is in! So I thought I'd post some before and after pics, so you could see the transformation before we get our furniture all in.

Here's bedroom number one. Notice the nasty orange wall and disgusting carpet.


And here's the after.




And master before...


and after (we don't have our furniture yet, but you get the idea).



More to come soon!

Friday, April 4, 2008

# 101

Scott reminded me of something I should have included about myself in my 100, so here's #101 because I guess it is kind of interesting.

101. I have a real phobia of cops. Yes, I almost have my master's in counseling, but you can't do therapy on yourself. I do have some self awareness now though, thanks to my classes, as to why I have this phobia. The funny thing is...my brother-in-law has just become a cop.

On another note, we are getting carpet installed in our bedrooms tomorrow!! This means we get to move in this weekend and start staying at our own house! No offense Mom and Dad, we've enjoyed staying with y'all and really appreciate how you have helped us. I'll post before and after pics soon!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

100 Random Facts About Me

Well, I was tagged by Scott Moore to list 100 interesting facts about myself. I don't know how interesting they will be, but here goes...

1. I've known that I wanted to be a counselor since I was 14 years old.
2. Before that I wanted to be an architect, and I used to draw houseplans when I was in 4th grade.
3. I still enjoy looking at house plans and decorating houses.
4. I am an animal nut, especially about dogs and horses. I cry in movies when an animal gets hurt or dies, but not necessarily when a person does.
5. I have a wonderful 6 year old Boxer named Rocky who has slept with me since he was a tiny puppy, and I trained him in German.
6. The town I grew up in (Guntersville, AL) was founded by one of my distant relatives which is why my Maiden name is Gunter.
7. I had a brother, Brent, who died of luekemia, and if he hadn't my parents wouldn't have had me because they only wanted two children.
8. I also have an older sister, Leah, who is 6 1/2 years older than me. She used to dress me up in stupid outfits when I was little and we used to not get along very well, but now we're very close.
9. My first nephew is going to be born within a few weeks. His name is going to be Caiden Brent which is only one letter different than my brother's (Carden Brent).
10. I have the cutest step-neice, Anna, who is the only reason I know who Hannah Montana is.
11. I had a crush on my husband for a year or so before we actually started dating.
12. I met Scott Moore when I started going to First Baptist Church, and he got me involved in a wonderful older group of friends called the Cuzes. He chauffered me around because I was only 15. This is how I met my husband, Joey. So thanks Scott!
13. My husband graduated from college the same year I graduated from high school.
14. I am a huge Kentucky fan even though all of my family are an Alabama fans. I started following Kentucky basketball in middle school, and it intensified from there.
15. I started talking about "Jesus coming into my heart" when I was 4, but I talked to my pastor and made a public profession of faith when I was 7.
16. I have only worn the color pink one time in my life. I hate to wear pink and I look horrible in it.
17. I started swimming competitively when I was 5 years old.
18. I won first in the state in breast stroke when I was 10.
19. My first job was when I was 16 as a lifeguard and assistant swim coach at the local recreation department.
20. I only had to save one kid from drowning in the 3 years I worked there. He went down the slide in the deep end and couldn't swim, not smart.
21. I have also worked at Marshall County Department of Human Resources, supervising visitations between parents and their children and inspecting families' homes.
22. I drive a huge, lifted F-250 diesel truck.
23. My favorite drink is cherry coke, and Sonic has the best.
24. We just bought our first house and are in the process of renovating it.
25. I would love to vacation in Montana, Wyoming, or Colorado.
26. I blew my knee out when I was 15 in a basketball game and had to have my ACL replaced, so I couldn't play basketball for half of that season.
27. One of my favorite country artists is Clint Black.
28. I listen to different kinds of music, and my husband hates that.
29. I really love old country, new country, old and new alternative, and classic rock.
30. I love to read, especially books on psychology, Christian fiction, and suspense novels.
31. I also love coffee, especially Starbucks, so the Barnes & Nobles that have Starbucks in them are wonderful places.
32. I have been blessed to witness two friends who were Atheists come to know Christ.
33. Since I was in middle school, I have always had a guy as one of my best friends.
34. I once dressed up like the Blues Brothers with a friend and danced for a talent show.
35. I can play one song on the bass guitar - Last Kiss by Pearl Jam
36. I almost always sing to the radio when I know the words to the song.
37. I have a thing for cowboys and rednecks.
38. But I really have a thing for red-headed rednecks who look like Brett Favre (a lot of people say my husband looks like Brett Favre and he's also definitely a red-headed redneck).
39. I am allergic to a lot of things - all types of nuts, pollen, animals I'm not used to, and hay.
40. I've been hospitalized for my asthma before when it got so bad because of all the pollen one spring.
41. I played soccer in college at Shorter College in Rome, GA. I was a goalie.
42. My sister is a social worker who just got her license to practice counseling, so we want to open up a private practice together one day.
43. My nickname was Ghetto in high school because I have a "Ghetto booty."
44. In ninth and tenth grade, I could bench press more than the the guys on the J.V. basketball team.
45. I threw the shotput and diskus in high school.
46. I loved planning my wedding and would be a wedding planner if I weren't going to be a counselor.
47. My husband is a Mr. Fix-it, acts like Tim the Tool Man Taylor on Home Improvement and also has the last name Taylor.
48. Tim's wife, Jill, on Home Improvement studies to become a counselor, like me! I hope our similarities to this family don't mean we are going to have 3 boys!!
49. I love hospital-type T.V. dramas. I am loyal to House, ER, and sometimes Grey's Anatomy.
50. I have been watching Days of Our Lives since I was in middle school.
51. I also currently love watching American Idol (especially David Cook and Michael Johns) LOST, and The Dog Whisperer.
52. I have loved school and academia ever since I started studying psychology...if I didn't need to get out and get a job, I'd probably continue on and get my doctorate.
53. I am a conservative Republican and enjoy discussing and learning about politics.
54. I absolutely love sushi.
55. I will only eat bananas if they are in really cold milk/in my cereal, weird I know.
56. I have seen most of Alfred Hitchcock's movies.
57. Chocolate is one of my weaknesses, especially dark chocolate.
58. If I could, one day I would have a craftsman style house on lots of acreage with horses.
59. I have a dream of incorporating animals in my therapy.
60. My sister and I once were in the local paper for finding a balloon in Huntsville that had been sent from some kids at a school in Texas.
61. I have had the same cell phone number since I was 15.
62. I love the Fall because of the cool weather and the beautiful leaves.
63. Going to the mountains to stay in a cabin is my idea of vacation.
64. Because my husband doesn't want to go, I'm going to take a girls' trip to Italy one day.
65. I really like to shop in Ann Taylor Loft and J.Crew when I have money.
66. Otherwise, Target, Old Navy, and the sale racks are my go-to.
67. I listen to Rick & Bubba on the radio whenever I can get their station.
68. I also regularly listen to Sean Hannity and Neil Bortz.
69. I could analyze a situation forever, especially with my friend Erin.
70. I could watch the Bourne movies over and over.
71. I have helped build an adobe home for a pastor in Mexico.
72. I used to wear boy's clothes in middle school.
73. I hate roses but love lots of other flowers - peonies, tulips, lillies, and my favorite, hydrangea.
74. I enjoy looking at old plantation style houses and old traditional, well-kept downtowns.
75. I am in love with TiVO. I love that you can watch what you want when you want and don't have to be at the mercy of whatever's on when you're available to watch.
76. I find lots of good deals on ebay.
77. My husband and I will celebrate our 2nd anniversary in May.
78. For our first anniversary, we took a nice trip to Savannah.
79. We must be rednecks because we pulled a 4-wheeler on a trailer to our honeymoon.
80. We also moved all our stuff from GA to TN in a 33 foot horse trailer.
81. I worked as a fill-in secretary for the church we went to in GA, and I really enjoyed it.
82. My favorite salad dressing is Fat Free poppyseed.
83. I am so blessed to have a husband (and parents) who support(s) me emotionally and financially in order for me to pursue my dream.
84. I hated the movie I AM Legend, and I usually like Will Smith a lot, like in Hitch and The Pursuit of Happyness.
85. I have a bad habit of biting my fingernails.
86. I like wild game more than chicken and beef.
87. I hate being hot, so I freeze my poor husband because I keep the thermostat on 65 to 68.
88. I used to dream about being the First Lady and living in the White House.
89. When I wasn't dreaming about that, I was dreaming about becoming a judge or somehow involved in politics.
90. My dad and I talk theology a lot, and I enjoy reading about and discussing theological issues.
91. Kevin James is one of the few comedians that can make me laugh out loud hysterically.
92. I love to sleep, so when I can sleep in, I do.
93. A really strange thing about me is that I have a horrible vocabulary despite how much I read.
94. Therefore, I use the thesarus constantly when I'm writing papers.
95. I have had the same purse by Nine West for about 10 years, and it's just now wearing out.
96. I still get compliments on the aforementioned purse.
97. I've had my ears pierced since I was in elementary school, but haven't worn earrings in years besides at prom and at my wedding.
98. I am a channel flipper when it comes to the radio, but I can't stand channel flipping on the T.V.
99. More likely than not, you'll find my T.V. on Food Network or HGTV.
100. I love to cook unless it's something too complicated.

Whew, that took forever!