2011 PANEGYRI

Last weekend my Hubby and I went to the Greek Festival!  We started our relationship in Greece, fell in love in Greece, and decided to marry eachother while in Greece.  We have been there together twice- so it obvisouly holds a special place in our hearts!

This was such a fun night for us!  Our favorite foods, a bottle of wine, dancing, and a cultural talk with a woman from our favorite city- Athens.  There are 100,000 people who attend each year!  No matter what state we live in next year- we will be back!

meal 2- greek pizza (and our bottle of wine... yes it was sold by the bottle, and yes, they sold out)

so technically this was serbian, but very similar (just beef instead of lamb)

he did not actually chug it (note his greek footbal jersey!)

imported from Cyprus

traditional dancing

after this was open dancing for all- where 1,000 people participated in traditional greek dancing!

For more information on this event click here! 

moving back with the parents- married style

Well, we had to make a decision.

It's been several months and we are getting down to the wire.  After many sleepless nights and identidy crises- the moment has come.  School starts back in Indy THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST!  However, here in Cincy it starts the LAST week of August.  I told my family (that i work for) that Aug 12 would me my last day.  I have been planning on subbing next year- and hubby and I would look for a new place to live. 

I still have one application for teaching out- but I know they only want to hire minorities (people were actually rifted so that more minority teachers could be hired).  Then it happened.  I got a call.  From a district that had already told me that they filled all of their positions for 11/12.  The principal left a message asking me to come in July 7th at 5:15 for an interview with a panel of teachers. 

Yesterday, I had a panic attack.  I had finally come to terms that I would not be teaching, and was excited to stay in Cincy.  This is going to end up having a quick turn around.  We have to make a decision on when to move out IN THE NEXT DAY!  (due to the 30 day notice, and the cost of rent).

So we are moving out August 1st- to where- well we have no idea.  We will be in either his parents house in Cincy or my parents house in Indy.  Nothing like moving pack in with the parents after being away for several years and being married for over a year!  This is going to be a whirlwind of a month.  Hopefully I will have a job at the end of it!! 

Dear Lord, get me a job! 

the devil dog

^  This sweet face is actually

more like this one!  

Our sweet little dog ate through TWO mac chargers in less than 48 hours (cost of a mac charger 78.99)!  He also has a new think for jumping on the shoe rack and taking a bite on the blinds to pull them down so he can see out.  Creative- yes, cleaver- yes.  good- no!  Hopefully I will get back to posting better things once I get to work later (i'm a nanny to an infant, I have  free time then)

nada bartini (being in our twenties)

On Friday night I got together with my girls and we hit the town!  We went to this posh resurant called Nada, then across the street to a swanky bar called Bartini's.  We had a blast!  It was great to be out doing something like a normal 22 year old.  Instead of being the old-maid that I am most nights. 

My husband is friends with a guy who frequents bartini's.  He got all of us in for free, and bought two rounds of shots for everyone!  He also kept checking up on us- which was nice, and partially because my husband was not there and if anything came close to happening to us hubby would be after this guy! :) 


I have to confess, I drank too much.  Now, I can hold my liquor- but i didn't realize just how much I had until this morning.  Let's do drunk math, margarita+shot+double shot+ tequila shot+ cosmo= well you'll see!

we asked a neighbor to take a group shot

waiting for the hot shot to get us in

we were cracking up forever- there are 5 more pictures like this

after, getting ready to go home... I feel like my eyes are a little red :/

I don't remember this conversation

none of us where ready!  I promise we were not this drunk... i think, but hey you do the math ;)

adventures of a nanny

Welcome to the adventures of an infant nanny!  My days are spent with the only noise i hear being screaming, crying, and the clicking of my keyboard.

I spend hours on end trying to keep an infant smiling by doing everything imaginable.  I know for a fact I am not ready for kids.  Although he is a cutie, he can really wear you down when you have a 13 hour day with him- especially with the lack of human contact.  I watch a lot of mickey mouse club house so that there is at least some sound in the house.  When the little monkey is sleeping I jump on my computer and blog my little heart out!  It's my favorite part of the day!  If there is not a lot going on in blogland- then i hibernate with netflix.  It's an interesting job where the highs are soaring and the lows are roaring.  Nothing is worse that 14 hours with a sick baby who won't eat or sleep!

But more importantly, this is the cuteness that fills my day. 

he did not move for several minutes- we just had a stare down- then he slept

have you ever had these- they are amazing!!  We give them to baby to help fatten him up after being sick

I really am a good nanny.. he scooted himself there very quickly!  He was laughing the whole time!!

I have been with this little guy since he was 3 months old (almost 3 months that is).  New nannies are being interviewed on Monday for him!  They better be good to my little guy!

netflix doodles

I found this site which shares the works of netflix doodlers- and doodlers of all kinds if you continue down the rabbit trail

a link worth clicking!

oops

sorry for the craziness, of my blog right now- i am trying to get a fresh new look.... but it's still like this.  stupid technology.

how i am feeling




**Edit** 
Ok, This is what I am sticking with until I find more time (which is much better than the black that wouldn't go away earlier)


So what do you think?  Is this a good look?  Easier to read?  Better than the Antique look from before?

the brent spence bridge

Downtown Cincinnati sits right on the river, which means that all communters (basically) drive over a bridge to get to and from town, since we like to call Newport, KY Cincy as well.  My husband drives from the northern end of 275 down into KY multple times a week.

The other day I drove down to see him at work, and it took me 2 hours!  (should have been 30 minutes) This is because the biggest, most important roadway (this bridge where two major highways combine) was down to one lane.

Last week he was talking to me on his blue tooth when i hear Sh*t! then silence.  He was fine, but apparently a car stopped right in front of him!  This is a huge bridge, no reason for stopping!  Well, there was a reason.  Part of the upper deck (for southbound traffic) dropped through and onto the lower deck (for northbound traffic) dropping tons of debris.  My hubby just missed getting his car smashed, and missed the closure of the bridge while cars where on it!  More on that story>>here

This week a car broke down on the southbound deck.  A good Samaritan stopped to help the guy out.  He was hit by a car and sent over the bridge, by Friday evening, the body had still not been found.  **update: The body was found Saturday Morning, and the man's name has been released- no charges have been made** More info >> HERE

They also close this bridge every night and every weekend to work on it.  Why- well I'll let Wiki speak for me on that one: The Brent Spence Bridge is one of the 15 major interstate bridges the federal government has labeled "functionally obsolete" and unsafe.^[1] Motorists are five times more likely to have an accident on the bridge than on other interstate roadways in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.^[3] The American highway Users Alliance ranks it as one of the 24 worst highway bottlenecks in the United States.<sup>[1]

Friends, be safe.  And city- let's keep up the work on getting these disasters taken care of.</sup>

the full bard- abridged

Last night the hubby and I went to "the complete works of william shakespeare (abridged).  It was written by 3 hilarious guys!  It was performed by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Co. and is going until the 26th (so there is still time to get in!)

We have seen this performance recorded by the authors of this hilarious production, and knew we wanted to see it live.  With our discounted tickets it was 30 total!

The show was hilarious, and the three guys were really good.  I loved that they made a few things specific to Cincinnati, and updated a few things as well (references to charlie sheene, rebecca black, and a few other pop hits).  I loved that it was a small theater, 140 seats total, but not all are available for audience.  Seriously, if you are at all educated about any of shakespears works- find this show!  It is a must see!!

via- this is what the show is like ;)

Hubby and I once we returned home- apparently camera was not on the right setting

a few great things- I took this to see if we would fit in the frame, our dog is barking at me, and that pile of stuff in the corner, that is our basket of blankets, which puppy likes to eat (normally that area looks better)

lem photo challenge

Linking up With Live Every Moment Photo Challenge, Theme: Farm.  As a city girl I searched back through my college photos for these goodies

Check out this link for more!

sicky house

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I woke up Thursday morning to find poo in my puppy's crate, i moved him to another and continued to get ready (hubby was sleeping in after a late night celebrate of the Yankee loss).  When I jumped out of the shower i heard puppy crying again!  Very odd, I ran downstairs to find him standing up, looking sad, with diarrhea on one side of the crate, and vomit on the other (gross, i know, be thankful for no pictures)

I woke up the hubby and he came down to clean- I took pup for a walk to see if anything else was in his system.  It didn't take long for him to do it all over again!  Back at the house I got him some water and took it outside to him (waiting for round 3).  He drank all the water, then laid down- so. sad.


Hubby called the vet and gathered all new things to take with him (searching for the root of the problem).  Then I went off to work.

Apparently our puppy has a bad case of  Giardia (canis).  This can be fatal.  I freaked out.  His treatments for today alone are several hundred dollars, and we will be doing this each week for several weeks. 

In other news, it can be contagious to people.  My hubby went home and experienced similar symptoms to our dog.  Sad day.  Hopefully we can get the family back to healthy soon!

In more positive news- we are seeing Abridged Shakespeare Thursday night, so a post will be coming soon!

summer of service

each year my church hosts SOS (summer of service).  It is a week long event for middle school and high school students.  It's in it's 20th year and is kinda a big deal (like 1,000 kids each year).  These kiddos (ok teens and tweens) spend their day serving the city of cincinnati in various ways and in various areas.  What they do is awesome!  Of course, these kids are also built up- there is awesome worship that goes on, and a lesson is preached, and each year kids come to know the Lord.

I wanted to help this year- but plans kept changing.  So last night I just showed up and said "where to you need me".  I kept this in mind all night.  I was on the 'greeters' team which meant that i was to usher the students into the auditorium from all over the grounds (caught a couple getting close by the pond..) and make sure that students only went to the bathroom and back into the auditorium.  pretty simple job, I just had to do it for several hours (this being after my one hour of just walking the grounds making sure everyone was safe). 

As the night was wrapping up the students were invited to pray, to seek prayer.  The prayer team (and pastors) took to the front to pray with students.. but the students kept coming, and the adults ran out fast.  I have been on prayer teams at other churches, and led youth groups- so i jumped in to fill the need.

I was unprepared, it had been a few years since serving in that capacity.  The first girl I prayed with filled me with joy- because I knew God was working in her, and she was coming to know him more.  As soon as we were done there were call outs for girls who were seeking prayer (because with teens and young adults serving we pray girl to girl guy to guy).  Later in the night there was a young man in our area weeping.  The man in charge was not comfortable to taking with him (not a gift of his)- and asked if I would be comfortable- with everyone in proximity it seemed no harm. 

I was broken.  I was weeping in his pain.  I knew what he was feeling.  But, I could do nothing.  Of course, we prayed.  But my words were not encouraging to him, they were words echoed over and over.  This kid is going through some serious spiritual warfare.  He is breaking past his breaking point. Other pastors said to keep an eye out- and many were praying for him last night.

So my prayer- God, give him strength, and hope.  Do not let him give up.

Lives are being changed, there are amazing things going on with SOS.  Pray for those 1,000 students- pray for our city

tonight's worship, from the balcony

scripture

in the past few days i have been feeling a little lost and a little down (no one here is really suprised based on recent posts- thanks for bearing with me-- and encouraging me)

I finally opened up the bible my university gave me when i graduated... but nor before going to google and searching to bible verses. yep, you heard right, i needed some encouragment on the not having a job front so i googled it.

Here are a few verses that i have been thinking on

maybe it's me

i have been so frustrated at the fact that i still do not have a job.  my husband broke down the other night at had a quarter life crisis where he realized that he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life, no real future goals (for someone that is so driven this surprised us both).  We stayed up all night talking about what he might want to do- but there is nothing he is really willing to give up to pursue anything that he only half heartily wants. 

on father's day I was struck by the verse "i am the father to the fatherless (defender of widows...)" ((I think it's matthew 6:something))  I balled my eyes out thinking about what the verse meant to me as a teenage, and now, and then I started thinking beyond me....

he is the father to the fatherless.  there are so many orphans who do not know that they have a father.  they do not know love.  my heart breaks. cracks. shatters.  I have a passion for this people group.  especially the orphans in ethiopia (don't know why, but i have for years).  I mentioned this to my friend on sunday when i arrived to church.  she is one of the children's pastors there and had pulled me aside to talk to me about some of the kids i would be working with- and i had to share with her that i was breaking inside.  This friend knows my passion for orphans and ethiopia.  she has been encouraging me to go and serve for about a year now.  I don't know how to do that.  she reminded me today that when a passion that large is put on your heart you have to plow into it, not back off of it. 

maybe the reason i don't have work is because i want a teaching position.  i have wanted it more than anything all my life.  i thought it was what god wanted me to do as well.  when i was younger i prayed about what he wanted for my life, and life blew open my book to scripture that said 'you are commissioned to go and teach the next generation'.  the calling for my life was so clear to me, and has been reinforced though the gifts He has given me.  but maybe i am misunderstanding.  maybe the reason i can't find a job is because i am not listening to Him.  Maybe it's me...

calling my father

i did it.  on father's day i called the man who's sperm created me (that somehow sounds more appropriate than dad).

it was akward.  i was not a fan of ths call.  we tried to catch up (it has been a year since we last spoke), and talk about the recents of our lives-without being specific or personal.

and then when i thought the worst would happen.. he brought up the wedding, and how displeased he was with the whole event.  I braced myself for the conversation about to take place.  I was ready.  At least it would be over the phone so all emotions could be masked.  nope.  he said he wants to drive down to cincinnati, to our house and talk about it.  He is looking for a time.  He is hoping to do it this summer.  maybe before mid july. 

I had finally gotten my courage up and was ready for it- thanks to the fact that i would be hinding behind my cell phone- but no, he's going to drive 4 hours to have this chat face to face.  he wants to chat about the wedding, and where we stand, and what we want the futire to look like.  it will be a lot harder to tell him that i just want him out of my life when he drove down to my house.

looks like i get to continue to dread this conversation- but hey at least i called him!

cincinnati opera, rigoletto

in the middle of the week last week both us us were suppose to be off work, and we were going to go camping.  with rain in the forecast we nixed it- and i am so glad we did!  I wasn't feeling great on Tuesday (which was a 12 hour day of nannying, then 1 hour of running errands, followed by small group- I was not home until 11)- Wednesday I worked in the morning, and was not feeling great that night, and thursday we cleaned the house and looked at rentals, and I was sick.  But the up side of not going camping was that we would get to see Rigoletto!

via

Even being a sicky it was a great night!  It was held at Cincinnati's Music Hall.....

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Gorgeous, right?!!

via

The soprano stole the show!  After her aria there was so much applause that the show has to stop for a few minutes!  The famous quartet in the 3rd was also wonderful!  Really the whole cast was great, but my favorite was by far the soprano!  (which is saying a lot seeing as my hubby is a tenor and has performed a few scenes from this opera!)

The best part, we went for free!  My inlaws got me an Orange card for Christmas which allows me to go to several arts shows for free, and get discounted tickets!  Next thursday we will be seeing "the complete works of william shakespear (abridged)"!  So excited to be back in the 'theatre going crowd' :)

I am the father to the fatherless- pain, hope, and prayer

Although I am lucky enough to have a dad who took care of me, I did not escape the sadness, abuse, then abandonment of my first father.

When I was in high school I attended a summer event with a church.  There was a picture book like story that was shared.  It included a father looking in on his little girl, making the way for her, keeping her safe, comforting her, healing her boo-boos, and in general just being there for her/ with her.  It broke my heart because I was so jealous of this cartoon character that had so much from the moment she was born.  Then I realized what was to most a simple message- God is your father.  I wept for days, I am weeping now remember the realization.  From that moment on I have been trying (and failing) to forgive, and let go of the pain and abuse. 

I think about my dear friend who lost her father when she was a tween.  She lost a father that loved her more than anything, and had a good relationship.  But he had to die before she even started high school.  He had to die just as she started dating (which turned out to be her husband).  He missed so much of her life, and she misses him daily.  It breaks my heart to think of those who have lost a father, or have lost all meaning of the word.

He says "I am the Father to the Fatherless" "I will not harm you".  These are the words I take my rest in, I take my peace, and I find my quiet moment.

Pray that the fatherless would know their Father.

happy birthday furchild

Happy 1st Birthday my Furchild!  Mommy and Daddy love you very much!

**EDIT** My husband banned me from using the above picture for anything- here is the one he approves of

What a year we have had, We got married, got a dog, and learned how to care for another being (be it husband, wife, or puppy).  This Pup came home with us when he was 7 weeks old.  We pick him out of the litter at almost 6 weeks!  He has changed color since we got him, changed crates, changed food and changed hair styles.  As insane as our little Remy is, we love him! (yes, we are planning on celebrating by giving him a special treat and a new toy)

Pick of the litter

my pick of the litter

our first night together!

so little, and so black!

too precious. for words.

October

December, Sleeping on daddy

April, in the park