100,000 T-shirts

My friend Jerrod Murr is a cool guy. And Jerrod Murr has cool ideas. This weekend he and his wife came over and I learned just how cool my friend Jerrod Murr really is. Recently he went on a mission trip to Haiti. After returning, he was inspired to raise $500,000 to build Hope Villages for the children in Haiti through the "Mission of Hope Haiti" organization. How does he plan to do this? By selling 100,000 t-shirts of course!

After listening to him talk about how the vision came about and how he has already sold hundreds of t-shirts through events that our church organization hosts, I feel compelled to help him out any way I can. He brings a message of unity and a vision to believe in a better way...and YOU can help be a part of that. Each shirt has its own unique number on the back and is only $15. To help support his goal, be the next person to buy a t-shirt!

Broken

I know it's Murphy's law that everything must break at the same time, but honestly, it's getting really old and frustrating. In less than three months, these are the things that have broken at our house:

Surround sound
DVD player
Answering machine and phone
Garage door
One of Mike's tires
Mike's three month old guitar
Now our washing machine

For the love of all things good, please tell our stuff to quit breaking!!!!

Today

Marks ten years that Mike and I have been together. I remember that first year we were together back in high school like it was yesterday. Even with the ups and downs spread over ten years, it has been a wonderful adventure together and I am so happy to be with the one I have loved for ten years!

Two things I learned this weekend:

1) Batman is a super cool guy (and Christian Bale is hot, but I already knew that part), but the Joker is even cooler.
2) Going to the zoo on a "free day" is not as fun if it's 100+ degrees outside. In fact, it's pretty brutal.

In Ireland I...

unknowingly took the longest route from the Dublin airport to Galway.
saw a leprechaun...for reals.
dropped the top of my ice cream cone onto the ground accidentally. It totally sucked.
went into the Kylemore Abby Castle.
saw some killer sheep.
heard a dude playing bagpipes.
got my sixth sinus infection this year.
learned what 4D was.
saw the Spanish Arch.
watched the coolest parade ever.
missed my doggie.
ate croissants for breakfast. Everyday.

was told I couldn't enter the swimming pool area because I had street shoes on (flip flops) and I didn't have a swim cap on. Ugh.

saw a man so drunk he tripped down the stairs and fell face first into the concrete road.

tried to impersonate the Irish accent and sucked hardcore.
was flabbergasted at the wimpyness of the US dollar.
rode a train.
saw the hotel that U2 owns in Dublin.
took naps as often as I could because I couldn't get over the jet lag.
had hot tea with nearly every meal.
was challenged to find Dr Pepper for Mike.
stayed in a hotel that used to be the ambassador's home in Dublin.
took a city bus for the first time.
spent all of my money...and then some.
had a delayed flight coming home.
had to endure a two hour flight with a screaming kid the last stretch of the trip.

The trip was wonderful, but there's nothing like sleeping in your own bed after being away for 12 days. It's good to be home.

It's Time

With only two days remaining, the time has come for me to start thinking about packing for our trip to Ireland! YAY! This meeting has been the works for about year and I have been looking forward to this trip for quite some time.

We will be leaving Wednesday for Ireland and won't be returning to the States until the 26th. Woo hoo.

I am excited about the pictures and the beautiful scenery, and from what I hear, there is no shortage of castles over there, which is the one thing Mike is really looking forward to seeing. :)

Talk to ye soon Laddies!

Holiday and stuff

My extended holiday weekend wasn't long enough. They never are. :) I spent the majority of the long weekend relaxing, swimming, spending time with family, avoiding all responsibility, and riding my new bike.

Mike and I received some surprise money and have been planning to buy bikes all summer, so we thought it was a perfect excuse to go get some. We love them! We rode them everyday since we got them...it's my new favorite thing to do. YAY for fun exercise.

Now it's back to the grindstone and back to responsibility...the only thing keeping me motivated this week is knowing that next week I will be in Ireland. Woo. Stinkin. Hoo.