What to write? Xanga updates are fewer and fewer . . . I think it's fading out. It's sad when I have to think - hard - about what to write. It's even worse when I can't remember what I last wrote! Life continues to go on at the Martin household. Not much in our daily routine has changed. We're pretty boring!! We've both had birthdays - "Happy Birthday to us!!" - I turned 27 and Nelson turned 35, I guess I'm no longer a 'kid' - that's sad!! I was talking with one of my friends telling her what I want to do for my husband's 40th birthday, then I started panic-ing - I'm planning my husband's 40th birthday, ahh we're getting old!! She pulled me out of my panic and said Monica by that time you'll be 5 years older too - making me 32 - so that helped calm me down! Where do the years go. Nelson and I will be together almost 10 years - doesn't seem possible. It comforts me, because at times he talks about things we did when we were dating and I'm like, "huh? We did THAT? - I don't remember that." Shoot sometime I can't remember what I made for dinner the night before!!

Last Saturday evening we had 12 people from the Fire Hall for dinner (we had invited 20, some didn't make it). I started making food the Monday before. Saturday morning my pies were made and by the afternoon I was able to lay down and take a nap before I had to start the final preparations. It was an enjoyable evening - folks stayed around visiting till 10:30ish. Fun times!

This coming Friday evening I'm having my Sunday school class girls over for a slumber party. I believe there's 7 of them - ages 12-14. I'm looking forward to it - probably won't get much sleep. We're planning on finally doing a gift exchange, going out for dinner, watching movies - fun, FUN times!! I think they're excited.

February also found us in South Carolina visiting Ashley Sanders. It was great catching up with her. Especially enjoyed our day with her, shopping and catching a quick bite to eat. It went by way too fast. We drove down with Dee and Katrina - drove straight through. It was fun traveling with others, definitely made the trip go much quicker. We also spent some time at Chad and Kendra Brubakers and their precious baby girl, Adrianna. It was nice to get to know them better as a couple. We made wonderful memories with both Ashley, Dee's and Chad's.

For Valentine's Day, Nelson and I won tickets to Dennis and Barbara Rainey's 'Weekend to Remember'. It was a special time for both of us. Our prayer was that as we were at the conference we would first be drawn closer to God and also to each other. It was such a wonderful weekend. It was good to sit down after the sessions for the day, and discuss over dinner what we learned, how we felt, etc. Just touch base with each other. This never happens, but when the waitress came to take our order, we laughed and said, "oh, we haven't even had time to look at our menus" - ahh, I was in heaven!

That pretty much catches you up for now - on what we've been doing, where we've been etc. God is still working on me. At times, it's hard for me to accept the things that God has chosen for me - it's not been all "bad" - just tough. I hate even talking about certain things - I don't want to complain or seem like I'm throwing a pity party, but there are days and times (special occasions) that are really tough. Trying to find my place in the middle of it, is quite hard and at times can be pretty depressing. God is faithful, this I know, this I claim. Choosing to trust is never easy, but it's really all that I can do. It's when I'm trusting, leaning on, resting in my Father I find peace, comfort and the assurance that He'll see me through the tough and difficult times. Praise Him for that!

Can anyone "believe" it's November; and that the hustle and bussle of the Holidays are around the corner? Already our calendar is filling up with events of the season . . . I'm chomping at the bit to get my Christmas shopping done so I can enjoy the holidays more. Working full time kinda takes that luxury away from you. Our weekends fill up so quick with family functions, we have 2 work related Christmas dinners, Christmas programs, Christmas caroling, a friend from PA and I are going to try to do some Christmas cookies on November 22nd; while our men our hunting - that'll be a first for me in a LONG time - so I'm looking forward to that. I really don't know where to start. I keep thinking I need to buy some containers so I can freeze some of this stuff for Christmas . . . what are good "traditional" Christmas cookies to make - if you have any suggestions you can leave them as a comment . . . I'd love to get some ideas!!

I've been asked to do another wedding - it's not till April though - I feel bad because I haven't got all the charts & papers to my bride yet, they contacted me about a month ago - so I really need to do that - SOON!! Then I'll be able to put that on the back burner till about january/February '09. Fun Times!!

Next week we leave for our annual trip to upstate New York to the cabin. I'm looking forward to it - I plan on scrapbooking. I hope to get ALL caught up . . . which is basically one year worth of pictures - which sounds like TONS, but in reality it's not even 200 pictures . . . so really it's not that bad.

I also celebrated my 1 year anniversary at my "new" job. I continue to learn . . . but really have learned to enjoy it. I told my coworker the other day, "it's so nice to know what's going on and feel familiar with "the ropes"". So I press on, not sure what this part of the future has in store for me. I'm starting to feel the repercussions of the economy - I believe. My department has slowed down quite a bit - I'd love for it to pick up to at least where it was 8 months or so ago - and back then, as I understand it, was really "not that busy". So we wait . . .

The last little while my life has felt like I was on a yo-yo - up & down, up & down. Just feeling like my days are the same everyday. Nothing changes. Partly that yo-yo feeling was also a bit of melancholy - which I think I can truthfully say - "is not normally me". Someone made a comment, maybe it was one of my pastors - can't remember . . . they just asked the questions, "Have you ever wished you could sit down and have a conversation with God?" You'd ask him a question - He'd respond. He would ask you a question - you'd respond. This particular week I was talking to myself - you do that when there's no one else in the house to talk to or when I'm on the lawn mower and no one else can hear you - and that was one of the very things I said, I'd love to be able to carry a conversation with God. I'd love to here what He is thinking/planning/purposing for me & my life . . . answers to my many questions. Or just asking Him for advise - what would you do about this . . . what is the correct response, in this situation . . . I guess I can't wait to get to Heaven, where I believe this will be reality. One thing is for sure you can converse with God through the avenue of prayer - which I am so grateful for. Through all that, I believe God really showed me that I need to be content and satisfied with where I am in life - even though it's not where I want to be or where I thought I would be - I need to be content because it's where God planned for me to be. With God's help my desire is to serve Him where I'm at and be faithful in the areas/places He's placed me.

Well, it seems like xanga's been placed on the back burner . . . which isn't a horrible thing for me. I did recently join up with Facebook - not sure my feeling about that - I think it's kinda "young" a lot of the youth/kids from church have sites. I'm not sure I'll keep my Facebook account . . . I like xanga better - just harder to update on a weekly/monthly basis . . . anyway hope all is well in your corners - wherever that may be. Have a great day with Jesus.

Well, not a whole lot is happening . . . I'm sure you can agree with me when you see that I'm watching Andy Griffith Shows, however we are enjoying the beautiful summertime weather. With the exclusion of Monday and Tuesday of this week (a heat index of 112* is TOO much)! Since the last time I wrote we've done some "fun" things. We took in a comedy show with Nelson's boss & his family, then ice cream afterwards. The comedian was Ryan & Friends, he's a young kid from Nelson's youth group in PA, he is a ventriloquist, inspired by his grandmother to get "into" it, he's gone to school and now performs all over the country, performs on cruises, Charles Swindoll's church, just to name a few. It was great to get out and laugh till you had tears streaming!!! Of course school's out, I attended CCS's graduation, can't believe the "kids" that are graduating . . .In May we had the annual school festival, which grossed more money this year than EVER before. PTL!!! Had to have been the pancakes I was flipping!!!!!!!!!!! We also had the fun of celebrating a friend's, daughter's 1st Birthday! Why do parents torcher their poor kids? Nah, it was great!! Cake everywhere!! Also had friends give birth to baby #2 - Congrats Daryl & Jen on the birth of baby boy Ryan!!
 
Nelson's been on the go with the fire department. Two weekends of driver/operator training. Both class room and field; and meetings, meetings, meetings . . . officer's meetings, company meetings, training, more training . . . it was becoming a "bit" much for the wifey, when he drops the bomb, "hey, there's a lot in Hartly, CLOSE to the fire hall, wanna buy it??? Ahh, let me think about it . . . . . have I gotten back to him - I'll let you decide!! Question for you, when he comes home from field training exclaiming how torcheres, hot, and exhausting it was, must I feel sorry for him?? He chose it!!! I DO feel sorry, when he's got to make a living in the hot, roasting outdoors, but hobbying . . . (is that a word?!?) PTL it looks like the allergy season is over . . . now that the heat is here! Poor guy he must've had a record for sneezing for the Spring of 2008!! Ok enough on my hubby, he IS really great . . .
As for me, well, work is going better. I still do things for the first time. We've sold 2 houses, which is great, for the way the market is. We are breaking ground Monday, so I'm excited about that. Now if we can just get more buyers . . . AND huge plus we are back in our office, since the fire. So great!! NEVER have a fire - how profound!!! What a mess, it has been, BUT on the bright side, if we can't find something for a "pain in the ----" client/tenant, guess what we say . . . you guessed it . . . .!!! "I'm sorry we had a fire . . . it 'must've' gotten burnt up"!!!!!!!! No, actually, we don't do that . . . But yeah, job's going good, basically for those of you who don't know I'm the scheduler/administrative assistant/marketing-PR/real estate agent's agent/receptionist person for a developing company. I deal with a lot of Realtors, lawyers, sub contractors, county & governmental people. It's been challenging "gaining" their trust, for now I'm trying to convince them I'm Mrs. NiceGal!! Currently I'm overseeing a 153 lot housing development, with about another 6 developments "in the works". Ask me how I like it? Well today, I "love" it . . .  On the home front, I'm trying to spring clean the house, at a rate of about 1 room every 2 weeks . . .grrr!! I've put up some strawberry jelly and froze some sliced berries. Soon enough it'll be green beans & corn . . . uhhh!!
 
Well, I CANNOT believe this newsy piece got this long . . . if you're still with me, "thank you from the bottom of my heart"!! Now go take some Tylenol, 'cause a migraine just might hit in about 3 minutes, plus your eyes look beady!