Funny Thought

The other day Matt and I were talking about names that we won't be able to give our children given our last name. This all started one night when we were watching Man vs. Wild. We had a pretty good laugh.

Bear Rhodes...this came from Bear Grylls on Man v. Wild
Dusty Rhodes...been done and he's legendary
Gravel Rhodes...not that we would, but it's still funny
Stone Rhodes...Stone Phillips works, but not for us
Abbey Rhodes...Hello John, Paul, George, and Ringo!
Country Rhodes...take me home John Denver

So those are a few. Have you got any to add to the list?

Way Down...Up In Kokomo...

I have so much catching up to do blog-wise. If we had the net at home it would be much easier...soon, hopefully. Anyhow, so we didn't have to spend Thanksgiving alone. We weren't exactly sure what we were going to end up doing and I was actually trying to see which restaurants were going to be open that day. But we ended up with an invite to go to Kokomo...Indiana...not the warm, sunny one. It's just a little North of us. Our friends Nathan and Jenny were gracious enough to ask us to join them at Jenny's aunt and uncle's house for the day. Now, I've thought a lot about how to describe this day...I think I'm going to go with "interesting". For starters the food was awesome and Jenny's mom made a KILLER sweet potato souffle...love that stuff! When we got there and got out of the car it was snowing...not a lot and just small flakes but it was pretty steady for about an hour or so. It was actually pretty cool. After we had been there for about 20 minutes and done all of the awkward introductions someone said something about going downstairs to watch the football game. We had no clue what we were about to experience. As I turned the corner to go down the steps I looked up and staring me in the face was a Peyton Manning fathead (For those who don't know what that is, its basically a huge life-sized sticker that you put on the wall.) So of course I'm loving this place more by the minute. Then at the bottom of the steps was a case that had a football signed by the team and the ticket stubs from the 2006 AFC championship game against the Pats. THEN as I turned the corner there was a 74" tv surrounded by over 2000 DVDs with a Bose surround sound system...Matt and I were pretty impressed and I think Matt was considering asking them if they were interested in renting the basement out. There was also a HUGE fish tank and I'm pretty sure every fish from Finding Nemo was in there. We were probably acting like poor street children who had never seen such amazing things. So we stuffed our faces and watched football all day with a bunch of strangers, but it was AWESOME! We were really glad that we were able to spend the day with family...it wasn't our own but they welcomed us and made us feel at home.

Then Friday came and that was the day we had been excited about for WEEKS!! Matt's mom Dana, sister Kristie, and Jacob a student from the E1 youth group came to visit. Matt and I worked all morning finishing the cleaning and preparation for them to get here. Matt was so sweet and kept saying, "My mommy's coming today!" We did some shopping and took them downtown. The weather was nasty the day we went to Indy so we ended up at the mall, but it was still fun. I hated Monday morning when they left. But it was SO good to see them and spend a few days with some of the people I love the most on this planet. Good news is that Christmas is almost here and we get to go home soon!!!!

The biggest frustration for me this week has been trying to find health insurance. Word to the wise...NEVER NEVER EVER fill out an online request for an insurance quote. People have been hounding me to death all week. They nearly made me lose my mind. One guy was so rude to me that I actually reported him to a supervisor and I NEVER do stuff like that. There's so much information...co-pay, deductible, out-of-pocket. I HATE it! So if you have any good advice on insurance I could really use your help. I have no clue what I'm doing.

I got a call from my mom today that my grandpa is in the hospital. He was having some chest pains so they took him to the hospital last night and are doing a heart cath today. If you think about it please pray for him. I hate it that I'm not there to do what I can to help he and my grandma out right now...so I'm pretty frustrated today.

Well, I think that sums up all the latest. Love and miss everyone! The apartment pics will be up by the end of the week!!!

Celebrations

There have been a lot of celebrations over the past week. Saturday evening Matt and I went to the Melting Pot to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. I still can't believe it's been a year already. We got to the restaurant and there was a rose on the table and a card from The Melting Pot staff. We had 4 courses of AMAZING food. First we had the spinach and artichoke cheese fondue that we dipped bread, veggies, and apples in. Then we had Caesar salads...Matt's favorite. The 3rd part was the meats and veggies. The bring you a pot with broth and then flavor it with what you ordered right there at the table. We had the Mojo...so good!! It had orange and lime juice and Caribbean spices...appropriate since we spent our Honeymoon in the Caribbean. The give you a platter of different meats and you cook it yourself in the broth. Amazing! And then, the BEST part! The chocolate fondue!! We ordered the Flaming Turtle which has pecans and carmel and they flambee it...so cool. Into that we dipped strawberries, brownie, marshmallows rolled in oreo and graham cracker crumbs, bananas, pound cake and cheese cake. Needless to say we were stuffed. They also brought us a bottle of sparkling grape juice b/c Matt had told them earlier that we're not drinkers. It was so sweet. I'm sad that we don't have any pics of it.

Then on Sunday, which was our actual anniversary we went to the COLTS GAME!!! Matt gave me the tickets the night before at the restaurant...which was hard b/c I couldn't scream or make a scene and show how excited I was. So, we got to go to the game and it was so awesome! There are more pics on my Facebook, check them out.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It will be 2 in a row that we haven't been with family...last year we were on the Carnival Valor. This year we'll be in gray Indiana, not the sunny Caribbean. We'er not sure what we're doing yet. All I know is that I'll be thinking about my mom's dressing all day an wishing I was stuffing my face with it. But, FRIDAY will be much better because Matt's mom, sister and Jacob are coming up!!! I'm really excited about them being here. Just wish my mom, daddy, and bubby could be here too. But Christmas Times a coming!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Don't take your families for granted! Be glad you're with them, you may not always be.

Daddy, Mom, Bubby, Poppies, and Grandma--I love and miss you with all my heart!! Eat some dressing for me!

Taking a page out of the Heath Mullikin Book

This is going to be pretty random. First of all this guy was on the radio this morning--cracking me up. Some of you have no clue who he is but I know some of you know exactly who he is. Matt and I got a good laugh out of listening to him blabbering on the morning talk show and we did some reminscing.

This is the match-up for Sunday. If the Colts lose this one I'm just gonna...well, I don't know but I just hope they win. I would be so unhappy if they lost on my anniversary, and I don't think poor Matt could handle another one either. Three in a row would be unbearable. Game time set for 1:00 pm!

Going to see this on December 21st with Heath! Should be a fun time. We used to go see movies with Heath all the time so it will be good to get to do that again.

Final thought for today...I miss this group of people with ALL of my heart! I need a Christi Neff hug, a Monique laugh, a "Can I wear your shoes?", a "Hey there hot mama!", and a Kevin DeRossett pitiful excuse for an English/Australian accent. Love you guys!!

Bringing Sexy Back???

I found these pictures on my phone and just had to post them. I took these a few weeks ago when we were at SuperTarget. We ended up in the Halloween stuff and Matt found these fun hair-styles and just had to try them on. This boy totally cracks me up! Love him!

When his hair gets too long it looks a lot like this.

The Things We Think About

This morning Matt and I were getting ready for work and I heard him singing "Carolina Girls" in the shower. Of course my self-centered line of thinking was, "Aw, how sweet! He's singing about his 'sweet Carolina girl'." So I said something about it and he proceeded to explain to me that he was actually thinking about what people who live in each state are called. This of course led to an entire discussion about what the names of the residents for each state really are. So, I started to wonder myself. After a few internet searches I found a complete list. So for those of you who are now wondering yourself, here you go:

Alabama
Alabamian, Alabaman
Alaska
Alaskan
Arizona
Arizonan, Arizonian
Arkansas
Arkansan
California
Californian
Colorado
Coloradan, Coloradoan
Connecticut
Connecticuter; Nutmegger
Delaware
Delawarean
Florida
Floridian, Floridan
Georgia
Georgian
Hawaii
Hawaiian, also kamaaina (native-born nonethnic Hawaiian), malihini (newcomer)
Idaho
Idahoan
Illinois
Illinoisan
Indiana
Indianan, Indianian, Hoosier
Iowa
Iowan
Kansas
Kansan
Kentucky
Kentuckian
Louisiana
Louisianan, Louisianian
Maine
Mainer
Maryland
Marylander
Massachusetts
Bay Stater
Michigan
Michigander, Michiganian, Michiganite
Minnesota
Minnesotan
Mississippi
Mississippian
Missouri
Missourian
Montana
Montanan
Nebraska
Nebraskan
Nevada
Nevadan, Nevadian
New Hampshire
New Hampshirite
New Jersey
New Jerseyite, New Jerseyan
New Mexico
New Mexican
New York
New Yorker
North Carolina
North Carolinian
North Dakota
North Dakotan
Ohio
Ohioan
Oklahoma
Oklahoman
Oregon
Oregonian
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvanian
Rhode Island
Rhode Islander
South Carolina
South Carolinian
South Dakota
South Dakotan
Tennessee
Tennessean, Tennesseean
Texas
Texan
Utah
Utahan, Utahn
Vermont
Vermonter
Virginia
Virginian
Washington
Washingtonian
West Virginia
West Virginian
Wisconsin
Wisconsinite
Wyoming
Wyomingite

So there you go. Some useless knowledge for your Tuesday.

My Precious Hubby

My husband is so sweet! This afternoon I was so cold in the office and he brought me a mocha to warm me up. Thanks baby! You're the best! I love you!

Bummed

I've been a little bummed for the past couple of days. Not totally sure why. It may have something to do with the fact that it's pitch black outside at 5:30 in the evening and by 7:30 I'm ready to go to bed. Plus, I haven't been feeling the best. I think I'm fighting a cold. So, in the midst of my "bummed-dom", (pretty sure I just made that word up), today at work I heard this song on the radio by Casting Crowns:

Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness. The chains of yesterday surround me. I yearn for peace and rest. I don't want to end up where You found me. And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight. I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west. And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned. But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way. Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west 'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again. In the arms of Your mercy I find rest 'cause You know just how far the east is from the west. From one scarred hand to the other. I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin. Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in.Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this wayI know You've washed me white, turned my darkness into light. I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night. I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals. I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me, You're holding on to me.

It's a really powerful song and it just reminded me of how unworthy I am and that even though I am constantly messing up He's always there telling me that I've been forgiven. And I really needed that today.

This weekend we went to a holiday arts and crafts thing at the Fair Grounds with Scott, Kelsie, and the girls. We had a good time. I bought the MOST AMAZING fudge I've ever tasted, Arndt's Fudgery, go here-->http://www.fudgery.com. I got two flavors, Pumpkin Pie and Carmel Apple Pie. It's the best I've ever eaten.

We also did some painting in the apartment. I'm hoping to get pictures up soon. Hopefully we can finish hanging some pictures in the apartment this week. Our anniversary is this coming Sunday and then the next weekend Matt's mom and sister are coming up so we have a lot to get done before then.

That's all for now. Love and miss you all!

Pics From the Game

Matty and I sporting our Colts gear.

Bitter rivals! Nathan Richardson and Matt.

Jenny and Nathan. Jenny doesn't really care.
She wore the shirt out of pity for Nathan. He wasn't a very popular guy
wearing that shirt around Indy.

Admissions and Convictions

So the Colts lost yesterday and since then I've been doing a lot of thinking about the game. First of all let me start by saying that we got to watch the game at this really cool place called Cinema Grill (http://www.cinemagrillonline.net/). It was so much fun getting to watch the game with about 80 other Colts fans...and sadly two Pats fans. It was so awesome that I could yell and not be the only one yelling. I fit right in. So, in regards to the game itself I have some personal admissions and convictions. I'll start with the admissions.

1. It was a good match-up. Defensively BOTH teams played very well. (This is me giving some credit to the Pats...this will not happen often.)

2. Randy Moss is a good receiver.

3. There were a couple of times when Peyton tried to pass the ball when he should have run it.

Convictions

1. Overall the Colts played better.

2. The Pats won because the Colts were unable to capitalize on a couple of good drives early in the game...see admission #1.

3. Brady getting SACKED like a middle school girl on his opening drive...AWESOME!

4. Tom Brady sucks as a person.

5. Bill...aka-The Cheater...worst coach ever. He totally snubbed Tony Dungy after the game which was completely uncalled for.

6. The allegations that the Colts cheated by pumping more sound into the stadium when the Pats were on offense is absurd.

7. The Colts, though now 7-1, are still the best team in the league.

Enough said.

Grow Where You Are Planted

So, I'm kinda sad today. I was on Facebook looking at pics from SWU and the Halloween activities and it just sucks not being able to do those fun things anymore. I knew before we left that I would feel this way. I've been trying to keep myself too busy to think about it and so far its worked but looking at those pics made me miss home so much. There's tons of fun things to do here, but its not about the what, its about the who. I miss the people so much I can't stand it.

Matt and I were talking this morning about some stuff and he said something that really made me think. He said that he just had to grow where he has been planted. As common sense as this is it really made me think about the depth of that statement. God puts us in all kinds of places and its up to us whether or not we decide to grow. Sometimes we need new soil in order to grow the way God wants us to. So, I'm just hoping I'll be able to get all that He wants me to out of the "soil" I'm in right now.

The big game is this weekend: Colts and Pats. Monday could be a really good day or a really pooey one...we'll have to wait and see!