I guess you are used to it by now...

...My long breaks between blogs that is. Life has just been busy. I have been using my new computer more, but not for blogging as you can see. I quick update on the last few weeks.

Work has been crazy. I new legislation change has effected the way we are able to treat patients who were injured on the job. There is now a long and arduous process for preauthorization of physical therapy services. It has added work load to a already full plate at work. We are slowly but surely streamlining the process so that is a positive thing. God had blessed the business I work for over the last year and we are so grateful for that.

My friend and co-worker Tina had her baby girl this week. Her name is Ella MaryLin and she is the most perfect and beautiful thing you have ever seen. Congratulations Patrick and Tina!

The holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving was pretty low key for us. Mark and I went out to dinner at McCormick & Schmick's. We are celebrating Christmas with some great friends and having a few people over for a quiet New Years celebration. I have been shopping online this year and LOVE it. We have to ship all of our gifts anyway so it has been such a breeze. No crowded malls, aching feet, etc. Just sitting at home in my flannel pajamas and shopping away. Tomorrow I will be in the kitchen making goodies for friends and co-workers as well.

I bought a CHI flat iron today from my stylist today and it is just awesome. I have had an old school metal one for years now. This one feels like silk gliding over my hair...Makes my hair feel like silk too. If you use a flat iron this one is so worth the upgrade. It's even pink! By the way, Melissa my stylist is awesome too.

Mark is done with school for a few weeks and then back at it. It has been nice to have him out of his office more.

I will try and post again real soon.

Blueberry-Lemon Banana Bread & New Notebook

Well, it is one o'clock in the morning and this is where my procrastination has gotten me. A few things collided today and my self control was weak. Tomorrow is a baby shower for my good friend Tina that I am co-hosting with two other women. Tonight I helped one of my co-host get her home ready for tomorrow. I had to make banana bread and prep for the quiches I am making in the morning. Well, the bread is still in the oven (25 minutes to go) and the prep work for the quiches will have to wait until tomorrow (I need the oven for that too). How did this come to be you ask, making banana bread at one o'clock in the morning.....
What had happened was...I got my new Notebook delivered today (that my awesome husband got for me, see previous blog for more about him). Yes, my new notebook PC, the one I am using as I sit in my favorite chair in my living room. I could not wait to take it out of the package and hook it up to our wireless network and go. This is what I did when I got home at 8:30 rather than cook banana bread. I sat upstairs with my husband and played with my new toy as he flipped back and forth between hockey and UFC. It was fun cause I was looking up athlete stats and sharing then with him as he watched. So, now you see how the banana bread got pushed aside and why I am going to be so tired tomorrow afternoon. I am already planning a nap before church.
So, not only did we get our wireless up and running but my husband got me this great notebook and I am gonna rock my blog from now on!

My Husband

I just have to say that I am the most blessed girl in the world. My Husband is amazing and he has been extra sweet this week. I got roses, a clean house, we went to see the Star's play, plenty of snuggle time and foot massages...I could go on and on but you might start to get jealous. He is so caring and so committed to our marriage. Mark is also committed 100% to God and to seeking His will for our life. One of his gifts is leadership and he has started several bible studies at his work. He is also a very hard worker as he works 60 hours a week as a Design Engineer at LMCO, goes to school at Criswell Bible College, volunteers at church and still has the time, energy and desire to be a great husband. I LOVE YOU BABY! Here is a pic of us on our wedding day, March 22nd, 2003.

I am Still Alive

Just really busy! Plus, we do not have the wireless internet working at home and it has been cumbersome to get online. I have been super busy at work and have not had time during lunch to post. So, just wanted to let you all know that I was still here. The move went well and we are expecting our new dining room table and chairs to be delivered this week. So...You all will be getting a dinner invite soon 'cause you know we love to cook! We have not settled in completely but are well on our way. I hope we get the internet thing fixed this week, I know it is driving Mark as crazy as it is driving me :-)

Furniture?? Movers??

Okay, so we are scheduled to close on our home on the 23rd. I am packing as we speak. Anyone have a moving company they would recommend? I have a couples of quotes out now but have not nailed anything down. If you have moved recently and were pleased with your movers leave a comment on my blog. Also, we are looking for kitchen & dining room furniture (dark wood). If you have some to sell send me a pic. If you have a fave store send me the link or name. I am thinking of just going to IKEA. Found a couple of things I liked at Rooms to Go and The Room Store as well. We are trying to stay within a budget because we are paying cash for everything (by choice). I found a great table at Drexel-Heritage but do not want to pay $420 a piece for the 10 chairs to go around it (you have got to be kidding me). Oh, by the way we need a dining table that seats minimum of eight, preferably 10 (we love to entertain/cook for our friends). Here are a couple of pics of my kitchen nook and dining room (the rooms I am trying to fill).

Be a Blessing, Help your Neighbors

Call 1-800-HELP-NOW or go to www.redcross.org Any amount will help, these people have lost so much and will need assistance for weeks and months.

God Help Them

Father God please be with the people of America that have been devastated by hurricane Katrina. Father, comfort those who have lost much including loved ones. Father help those who are stranded to find a way out to safety. Most of all give them the peace that can only come though your son Jesus in this that is probably the most difficult and tragic moment in their lives. Be with those that are there to help in the rescue and relief efforts. Bind us all together as a nation to reach out to our brothers and sisters in any way we can. In Jesus name, Amen.

A Lot Going On

Wow, it has been over a week since I posted. Well a lot has been going on as we are in the process of buying a new home (we live in an apartment now). It is exciting and stressful at the same time. We are moving to Keller. Which is kind of funny...you see we have said we would not move to Keller. God obviously had other plans (don't ever tell God what you will and will not do). It really makes perfect sense, we can get much more house for our dollar, it is closer to my husband's job, tons of people we know live out there including some of our closest friends, the list could go on. I am really excited as our house is too cute! Here is a pic!

Just Do It...Live Strong...

...I could go on and on with slogans and mantras, but alas I am just going to do it! Last Friday was the kick off to my new work out regimen. My husband has really inspired me as he is training for a sprint triathalon in September. I just pray that God will give me the discipline, strength and endurance to stick with it. That is always my problem. I ran 3 miles on Friday, ran 3 miles on Monday and biked 15 miles last night. I run the front office for Riata Therapy Specialists so my friend Tina, who is a MPT, OCS, is going to teach me a core body routine on the swiss ball. I will keep you updated on my progress. Posting about it will really help with the accountability part of it. I have no excuse as I have plenty of time to work out along with a great gym, Lifetime Fitness.

My Friends New Business

I wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine who just opened her new e-business. Her name is Tiffany and she is an awesome woman, wife and mom. We met through HomeTeams at Fellowship . Her company is Trinity Silver . She will be adding more products as the week goes by so please stop back in if you don't see something you like. When it is all updated there will also be scripture journals, bibles, Veggie Tales gifts and lots more. The jewlery is great and you can't beat the prices.

A few days off

I know I am supposed to be getting better at this but you will not hear from me for a few days. My great uncle went to be with the Lord yesterday. The funeral is out of town this weekend. He is my Mema's brother. My Mema lost her husband, my grandfather, in February. Please pray for her as I am sure she has not completed the grieving process for him since it was less than 6 months ago.

Hopefully I will have some joyfull things to post about next week...I am looking forward to it.

Starving in Plain Site

Matthew 25

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Anderson Cooper is having a special tonight about the horrific struggles of the people in Niger tonight at 6:00 central on CNN. I would encourage each of you to watch it if you have the chance. My husband and our friend Steve Dilla have touched on it recently in their blogs. People, mostly children are dying every day.

It is my daily routine to go home at lunch time. I live close to where I work so it makes it easy. I let our dog Zacch out, eat my lunch and watch either Fox News or CNN. Today, I stopped at Sonic to get lunch. They got my order wrong so I sent it back and had them remake it. Not sure what happened to the food I sent back, probably got put in the trash. So I drive home and continue my daily routine. Zacch goes for a walk and them I proceed to sit down, eat my lunch and watch the news. As I am sitting stuffing my face an image of a child comes on the screen. I decide to watch and it is of a child in Niger, starving to death. He is hungry but almost unable to drink. If they are not able to drink by the time they reach the medical teams they usually die. He is crying, but not like I have ever heard a child cry...almost a moan. I look down at my food and almost throw up. I am still nauseous as I write this. How could I enjoy my lunch when there was so much need in the world. I could probably stand to loose about 30 pounds, here was a ten month old dying because he was so starved that he could no longer drink the milk that was being spooned into his mouth.

Then it hit me. I spend on average 50 dollars a week on lunches, Starbuck's, etc. That does not include groceries, eating out for dinner or on the weekend. I decided to start a fast. Why? Well for several reasons. First, so that I could start to, on a very small scale, empathize with the people of Niger. Second, to really see the over indulgent lifestyle most of us live for what it is. Third, to reconnect with God through prayer and fasting for the people of Niger and all people throughout the world who physically and spiritually hunger each day. Finally, to send money to a relief organization that is working in that region.

How could God allow this to happen? Well, evil is in the world. What are we as followers of Christ going to do? Please re-read the bible passage at the beginning, seems like an easy answer. The people of Niger need to feel the compassion of a generation of Christ followers who have had much, too much if you ask me.

Click here to help

I am so bad at this

It has been forever since I posted a blog....i really want to do this thing but it seems that fear and time management are getting in my way. I love reading other peoples blogs, they always seem to have so much to say. I need to just jump in and go...the reality is that I am sure my husband is the only one who looks at my blog cause anyone else I have sent it to has seen the same article for six weeks. So, today I am going to do this thing...even if I am posting random thoughts that most people could care less about.

I must say I am impressed with my husband Mark's blog, he has been working really hard on it, even got a custom header designed for it. He has been getting more and more personal and that is what I think blogs are so great for, like conversations with friends. He is such a great man and a great husband. I am so blessed to have him in my life. His blog is www.teknon0301.blogspot.com, check it out!

Zacch

Here is a picture of our new baby boy. If this works I will upload more of our family and his cat brother and sister for you all to see.

Zacch Attack

We have a new addition to the Bjornholm family, his name is Zacch. He is a Miniature Pinscher and is the most adorable boy. We adopted him through Furever Friends, a rescue organization in the DFW area. He has had a hard first year of life and we are so excited to have welcomed him into the family. Zacch was found running around the busy streets with duct tape on his muzzle. Becasue of this he is missing quite a bit of hair on the top and bottom of this area. He is also blind in his right eye, but you would never know it the way he runs around the house and plays. He has settled in very well and even gets along great with his cat brother and sister Niko and Tabatha. I will post some pic's of him tonight and more musings about him. We have been truly blessed as he his such a good boy and just needed some love and nurturing.
By the way His full name is Zacch Kula Bjornholm. Kula means bullet in Swedish and if you get to meet Zacch you will see that he lives up to his middle name quite well.

What's in a name

This is my first post, thought I would take this opportunity to explain the name of my blog. My last name is Bjornholm, it's Swedish. Bjorn means "bear" and holm (or holme when it's a word not a name) means small island or islet....so now you get it. Looking forward to making my blog real jazzy with pictures and all as soon as I get the hang of all this. Later.