dinner

Last night I cooked what Brian calls "the fanciest meal you have ever cooked" thanks to Sherry's bday present. Sherry gave me ingredients to make this amazing pasta so I had to share! 

( I dont know how to rotate so you will just have to look sideways.)

Sundried Tomatoe Pasta

1 pkg. bowtie pasta

1 jar of sundried tomatoes

1/4 c. pine nuts

3 garlic cloves, minced 

1/4 c. olive oil

4 oz. feta cheese

2 T. fresh basil strips (or 1 T. dried basil)

Cook and drain bowtie pasta according to directions on package. Heat pine nuts and toast them a little in the oven. Saute garlic and olive oil for 1 or 2 minutes. Add to pasta: sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic and oil mixture, basil, and feta cheese. Stir gently, and serve with garlic bread.

26th Birthday Celebrations

I had an awesome birthday week! It all started on Tuesday with dinner at PF Changs with Uncle Mark, Poppa, Kali, Lance, Tanner, Brian, and I. Kali and Lance got me a new purse and some clothes. Poppa and Mark got us tickets to Wicked and Dream Girls this summer with Dallas Summer Musicals. I can't wait! It was fun being with everyone and listening to Tanner "talk". 

Brian and I celebrated on Friday night because of 2 weddings we had on Saturday. We got all dressed up and headed to dinner. (The whole evening was a surprise to me.) Brian knows how much I love a good steak, and treated me to dinner at Bob's Steak House. He also knows that I am a sucker for a nice hotel, so he had booked us a night at the W hotel downtown. It was a perfect night of good food and an awesome view!

The room was AWESOME!! 

Saturday (my actual birthday) we went to see the movie Oceans by Disney and then it was time to get ready for wedding #1. We headed to Kyle and Jana's wedding at 6 and then met up with Kyle and Brittany at Casey and Ashley's wedding. Thank you Brian for making my birthday so special. I LOVE YOU!!!

Sunday I got to celebrate again with the Pattillo's. Beth cooked up a fabulous lunch for Jerry, David, Scott, Adrian, Jackson, Grandmom, Granddad, Brian, and I. I got season 1 of Glee, a massage, gift card to Yogurtland, and a running shirt. I definitely feel over celebrated. Thanks everyone for making my birthday so special. Oh, and thank you to my mom and dad (even though they couldn't be here) for the sweet card and gift. I love you guys . :) 

Really Knowing Christ

This weekend I had Brian load a bunch of Matt Chandler's old Metro sermons on my iPod so that I could listen on my way to and from work. I started listening on Monday and have loved it! I look forward to my drive because I love the passion that Matt has for Christ. 
A few weeks ago, in our church home group, we went around and shared our list of things that "stir" our affections and the things that "rob" our affections for Christ. Since that night I have really been trying to incorporate some of those things into my daily routine and listening to Matt was one of them. 
I think it was Tuesday when I heard Matt say something that really got me thinking. He said that if you have little to no affection for Christ it is because you probably only know what other people have told you about Him. I started to think about that and it really convicted me. I have been a believer in Christ Jesus since I was a little girl. When I hear people talk about Christ, quote scripture, and have a genuine affection for Him and living a life that is consumed with him; I am "stirred". I don't want to know just what others have said or preached about Him, I want to KNOW him! So yesterday I sat down got out my Bible and computer and started looking for reasons to memorize scripture. Here are some of the reasons I came up with: 1) to teach us about the character of Christ 2) it helps us fight temptation and sin 3) it provides comfort and counsel for others 4) helps us to accurately share with non believers 5) for the JOY of knowing Christ and walking in His truth. 
So I started a list of basic scriptures that most people are familiar with so that I can start really thinking and knowing them fully. I want to be able to quote them accurately and know where to find them. Here are a few:


Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 


Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved and gave himself for me.


Ephesians 2:8-10 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-not from yourselves, it is a gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Philippians 4: 6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prater and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.


My prayer is that Christ will continue to stir up these desires that I might know Him deeply and not just know what others have taught me. 

Happy Easter

One day when heaven was filled with His praises, 
One day when sin was as black as could be, 
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my Example is He!


Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He's coming, O glorious day!


One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected: 
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!


One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door,
Then He arose o'er death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!


One day the trumpet will sound for His coming, 
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Saviour, this Jesus is mine!

1 Peter 1:3-9- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.