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Friday, December 31, 2010

Bailey Love Part 2

So I thought I'd give you guys a better idea of how big our sweet kitty has become. And no she's not fat, she's just big-boned. Which means there's more of her to love each day, which is fine by me. But who wouldn't love this tiny little ball of cuteness?




Or this big ball of cuteness...



She asked me to take this last one down, but I told her no one would mind this angle because they've seen her prettier sides in earlier pictures. 

Monday, December 27, 2010

Brief Book Reviews

Over the last few months, I've read tons of books. Although none of these might interest you, I figured I'd post a bit about each in case you're looking for a new read.

1. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
     This story is about a Nigerian refugee that finds her way to England on a ship. Little Bee finds the only person she knows in England and in a weird and twisted way, weaves her way into their family. There are some hard-to-read parts, but it's an interesting account of the life of a refugee. Great for anyone who is interested in other cultures and is willing to face some hard facts.



2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
     I really loved this book. It's written in a unique language that always feels a step ahead of me, but is extremely accessible. Oskar Schell is a young boy that loses his father in 9/11. The story is of him searching through New York City, looking for traces of his father. It is more sad than happy, but well done so you don't mind the sad.



3. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
     This book is a fun read for any girl. It's about a girl who gets married, and less than a year later she runs into an old ex-boyfriend, one that she never quite lost feelings for. It reads quickly and has thoughts and sentiments that would appeal to any girl, especially one that has ever had a broken heart, or felt like she lost out on a guy from the past.



4. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
     This book cannot be summed up in 5 pages, let alone 5 sentences. Its essentially about the building of a cathedral in the 1100s in England. There is action, love, lust, murder, arson, etc. Pillars of the Earth is DENSE, but a rewarding read. It is perfect for anyone that loves detailed history and the story of the Church.  If you are willing to press through the length and language of this book, you will come out a more well-rounded and educated reader.



5. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
     This is by the same author that wrote "Love the One You're With." The premise is that Rachel is the maid of honor in her best friends wedding. But one night she has a little too much to drink and ends up sleeping with her best friend's fiance. This is not necessarily an extremely "wholesome" read, but is quirky and fun. Although somewhat superficial, there is much to be learned about yourself from Giffin's books. They pose hard questions that if you don't have answers for them, they'll settle into your mind until you find answers for them. I've already ordered a third book by her and can't wait to read it!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Text. Love. 4EVA.

So this is a funny little comic from my buddy Andrew's blog that speaks to one of my greatest passions in life: texting.


I've had to tell new friends up front that our friendship can only go so far if they don't text, gchat, tweet, or use Facebook regularly (and by regularly I don't mean checking it once a day). Even if you only send stupid messages, or more serious ones regarding your life's purpose- it doesn't matter. I have some of my deepest and best conversations over text messages. Thank you Cam, CT, and Jacquelyn. And Daniel. And Stephanie, for indulging in this appreciation with me. I <3 you. 

Friday, December 17, 2010

Bailey

So if you're wondering what I do all day, it's this:


I hold Bailey. Our 16 pound tortoise shell cat, who is as sweet as can be, but always wants to be between you and whatever you're doing. Bailey's a little high maintenance, odd, and full of love. Here's why:


She insists on pulling sweaters and jackets off the shelf in the closet, then bringing them to the couch to lay on. Usually this is more funny than frustrating- but I just wish she'd put them back.


This is her helping with the dishes.


Then helping check expiration dates in the fridge. What would we do without her? 


Chewing off the tops of the flowers. It's okay, those weren't my favorite flowers anyways.


This is her helping Paris Hilton- last year's Christmas tree. And by helping I mean chewing off the branches. Then she'd drink all the water in the tree stand each day...took us awhile to realize our tree wasn't super thirsty, we just had a sneeky cat. 


And last but not least, this is her telling Patrick how much she loves him. 

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Are we getting it yet?

First of all, I love my church. It is full of hundreds of people who are radical lovers of God and catalysts for world-wide revival. Watching everyone extravagantly worship each Sunday is one of my favorite things. There is not one person who isn't singing, dancing, jumping, or laying on the floor. I love watching people who are so captivated by God's presence.

With that said, God created us in His likeness. He blessed us and said that we are good. He thought of us before the foundations of the earth, and formed us in our mother's wombs. In Genesis 1, God was without us and He didn't like it. We are important to Him. We bear His image and are carriers of His glory.

I have friends that run in lots of different "Christian" circles, and I always enjoy hearing what they're learning and how they're growing. But if there's one thing that I notice that's inconsistent, it's how people view themselves.

What you behold you become.

If we sit here and stare at our sin and examine it over and over, how can we expect to be or act any differently? When we become Christians, we are given a completely new identity. And if I continually want to become like Christ, why not behold Him? Spend time in His presence. Get to know Him. It's Him that transforms us into His likeness (2 Cor. 3:17), not magnifying our own sin.

We have to know who God is and we have to know who God says that we are. It seems foolish to pay attention to anything else.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Trends

If I had an endless supply of money, I would hope that I'd donate a majority of it to someone in need, or to a really phenomenal organization. However, if someone instructed me to spend it strictly on myself (to which I would fight tooth and nail against), I would probably succumb to the purchasing of these fabulous fall/winter items.














However, since I do not have an endless supply of funds, I will just stare longingly at these items. Declaring that one day I'll be a millionaire and be able to help those in need, as well as tend to my own shopping whims.  Happy shopping.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Etsy Installment #3

Here are a few other pairs I made tonight!





West Love Etsy Shop

Hey friends- here is the etsy shop I set up. This is way easier to handle payments and shipping and everything! www.maryhwest.etsy.com I have hundreds of pieces of fabric so let me know if you want any colors that aren't posted- you have to pay to post each item so I haven't put up every single thing. :) Here are some of my newest ones! Enjoy!






Some are 5/8" and some are 1/2" - both are great though and super cute. Each pair is done from the same piece of fabric, but sometimes the designs are a little different on each which I like. It makes it a little less matchy. Shoot me an email if you have any questions! If you'd rather just order via email that's fine too.




Thursday, December 2, 2010

Earring Love

So if you know me, you know I love jewelry- especially earrings. So for my Middle East trip this year, I thought I'd make some fun things to sell as a fundraiser. So here are the pairs I have so far! Hobby Lobby ran out of the things I use to make them, so I'll have to go buy more supplies tomorrow. Tell me what you think!