ReThink Life...

A few days ago I decided to get back to my devotionals.  I have really put this on the back burner for the last few months, and I am veering....well, the devil is pulling me off my path again.

I have found that since I found the path I want to be on earlier this year, I am much more aware of when I get off the path.  So...back to the path I go with the ReThink Life Devotional on YouVersion.

Day 1 had a prayer at the end of it...

I shared this with my mom and sister, but due to recent events, thought you should have it as well.  Stay on the path my friends, and remember that this world is not our home....we are just passing through.

Carrie 

From PC to the USA...

And we're back!  :)  I cannot say enough about this trip.  It was the longest most relaxing trip since our honeymoon, and if Baehr asked me to turn around tomorrow and do it again, I would.  We were not ready to leave the beach this morning, but there is something to be said for home, your bed, and knowing you can go see your mom anytime you want.  So we are on our last leg, Miami to Houston.

We spent the last 8 days here...

Laying out, eating, laying out some more, and eating some more.  The perfect vacation!  The weather was great, and the food was endless.  Thank you All Inclusive.  :)  The hotel we stayed at was HUGE and had shows every night at their indoor / outdoor theatre.  We only watched one....Michael Jackson!

I was not too sure what it was going to be like since not a single person besides us spoke English, but it was really pretty good.  They did all of his hits (lip synced of course) and Baehr said it was really Michael Jackson not an impersonator.  Too much sun for him I think.  :)

To keep it short and sweet, we had a wonderful time to celebrate our wonderful 3 years of being married.  I couldn't imagine spending these 8 days or 1095 days with anyone else in the whole world. 

We are loving life on The Baehr Block and we hope you are too!
Carrie

A Meaningful Christmas...

While we were on our trip I was thinking about Christmas.  It's weird to hear Christmas music all over the resort when you are laying on the beach, soaking up the sun, but I still have presents to get so my mind was trying to tell my body to think CHRISTMAS!  17 days to go...better get on Amazon!  haha  Anyways, in thinking about Christmas I kept thinking about the awesome project my cousin did with 23 of her friends this year.  I am really trying to expand my horizons and do things I wouldn't normally do.  It's hard to do because I like my little bubble, but here is one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2013.

A Meaningful Christmas

I love this idea!!!  I thought it was so cool, and I couldn't wait to share it.  So if you want to join me for Meaningful Christmas 2013 let me know and I will add you to my list of Meaningful Christmas Buddies!  :)

Hope you all had a great first week of December! From seat 20E, 

Carrie

Happy December from the Air...

Who can believe it's December?  Not me!  This year has just flown by... Funny that I wrote that since we are currently flying.  :)

We are celebrating 3 years of marriage by spending a week in Punta Cana.  Woot!  I am not sure what I am looking forward to most...hanging out with a non-stressed Baehr for 7 straight days, beach time, sleep time, or food.  They all sound quite good.  Don't you agree?

These past few weeks have been crazy.  Three weeks ago we celebrated Cal's 9th birthday with 16 of his classmates, a few of his favorite teachers, and some of our regular party crew. It was a good party, but let me just say that 16 - 10 and unders provide a lot of loud moments!  haha

The following week Courtney, Cal, and I drove to Alabama for Thanksgiving.  Met my parents and the rest of my moms family for a grand ole family time.  This was probably ones of the best Alabama visits I have ever had.  We ate tons of good food, took a million pictures, and laughed until we were in tears.

This week at work was a little longer than normal because we had an event on Monday and then I worked late Thursday since the rest of the crew will be at Team Training all weekend.  That made my Friday "to do" list long, but between all of my errands I got to spend some time with a few of my favorite people.

A girl I used to work with at Xtreme just had twins and brought them over for an afternoon at the house.  It was so good to see her and the babies!  Such cuties they are!  I only took one picture and it's on my phone so you don't get to see them in this post. 

I went to Xtreme last night because Baehr's niece is in the developmental program there, so I had to go check that out.  I have high hopes for her despite the fact that she's only 5...I have Olympic dreams!  hahaha

After Cobras I went to dinner with two friends from Xtreme, Candy and Telia.  We closed the placed down.  After a 4 hour dinner I guess they were ready for us to leave.... ooopppsss!  I got home at 11:30 last night and still hadn't packed.  YIKES!

And that brings you to today...on the plane headed to PC.  Hope you all have a great first of December!  We definitely will!  :)

Love from the Baehr Block...
Carrie in seat 20B

Day 6 and 7...

So much for being 7 days of thankful!  haha!  It has taken me 17 days to get through my 7 days.  I need to get on it! 

Day 6:  I am thankful for my husband.  I honestly don't know how I got so lucky... a lot of help from the man upstairs I guess.  He deals with my craziness and my random ideas.  He puts up with all my parties and all the people and mess that come with them.  He loves me...for just me.  My good days, my bad days, and all that's in between....he loves me and I love him and I am thankful that life is good and we are blessed.  :)

Day 7:  I am thankful for my family.  Not just my mom, my dad, my sister, and my Cal, but ALL my family.  The blood and the not blood.  2012 has been such a great year.  Some have come and some have gone, but tonight, I realized, family isn't just the people you are related to, it's the people who care enough to act like family despite no relation.  I am thankful for those people... they, quite honestly, are sometimes better than real blood related family.   :)

Day 3...Day 4....Day 5....Thankful!

Day 3:  I am thankful for relaxing days on the couch.  When I have nothing to do and can just enjoy some time with the boy watching football.  I am also very thankful that Alabama beat LSU on my lazy day!  :)

Day 4:  I am thankful that my parents are still married.  We sat next to a family at the Texan's game yesterday and the parents clearly disliked one another, and it seemed disliked their children.  There was a lot of snatching, gritting of teeth, and ignoring.  It wasn't pleasant.  At one point one of the kids said "Can I move?  I don't want to sit next to dad anymore."  It was uncomfortable and made me very thankful that I have the parents I do.

Day 5:  I am thankful for my new job, the new people that I work with, and the fact that the Lord surrounds them throughout their daily life.  I like it. I like it a lot.  :)

 Until tomorrow...have a great Monday night!  :) 

Day 2 of Being Thankful...

Day 2 of being thankful.  I am thankful for all the people who leave their friends and families to protect our America.  The military and people like Chris Stadler.  Chris gives his life unselfishly to protect our freedoms on a daily basis.  He just recently got orders to go to Afghanistan just after his wife found out she was pregnant with their second child.  He knows better than the rest of us what "freedom" actually means, and does not take for granted the gifts we have been given here in America.

Thank you Chris  for your service.  Thank you to your family who serves beside you.  Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed.

Friends and Family, I ask that you pray for Chris and his family as they face the challenge of being apart for the next year.  Lift him up in your daily prayers and bring him home safely to his family.

Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 

Good night all!  Be thankful for all you have!  We are truly blessed!  Love from The Baehr Block.

7 Days of Thankful....

Last year my sister challenged me to 7 days of being thankful, and this year she is doing the same... I decided I would start on November 1.  That's as good of a time as any... right?  RIGHT!  :)

Day 1 of being THANKFUL...

I am thankful for my friends.  To be specific to today, I am thankful for people like Luis Gomez. He goes out of his way to think of me, send me a text, call, or just help.  He has been one of my greatest blessings from Xtreme Volleyball and I am so thankful to have him in my life. 

That's Luis in the front...haha!

Psalms 128:2

You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.

 

Thank you Luis... for all you have done, for all you will do, and for everything you do for Xtreme.  You are a one of a kind and The Baehr Block LOVES you!  :)

A rave...

Several of you read my rant that I posted a few weeks ago....  Well, now it's time for a rave!

As you all know I like to keep the boy to myself.  A lot of you don't even know his first name, and I'm not gonna lie, I like it like that.  :)  But every few months I do have to brag about him... 

In the process of moving/decorating our house a new kitchen table was on the NEED list.  When we lived in the apartment we had a little 4 person table, and it worked just fine for the space we had.  Now, we have a bigger space and so we need a bigger table.  :)  In 2012, we have been using plastic tables because of all of our parties, and I just didn't want to move them out to the garage and back in the house every few weeks.  Finally, I decided we were going to get a table, and that I was going to make it.  (I am sure my family said "yeah right!" when they read that! haha)  Anyways, I found the table I wanted and showed it to Baehr and he said "Oh yeah!  We can do that!"  And so HE did!  

It took a little over two weekends to get it finish.  That of course was with football and food breaks, but here is the final product!  :)  I LOVE it.... 

There is a bench to match that will be coming very soon.  YAHOO!  Don't you just love it?

I have to say...I married a pretty crafty and AWESOME guy!  :)  So you better come visit so  you can enjoy our new (non plastic) table!  See you soon!

My last 15 days...

Phew!  It's been a good 15 days since I have last posted so I better get with it!  :)  

The last two weeks have been crazy.  I was wearing Xtreme purple on a Friday and wore Skyline blue on a Monday.  I hit the ground running and was working on big projects in a matter of hours.  Baehr and I had family dinners and a Texans game.  I headed to Round Rock for CAL's Soccer Fun Day, came home just in time to get ready for Skyline's Carnival for a Cause, and in the last 3 days Baehr has decided to come down with a cold/flu/sinus infection.  It's been CRAZY but good (minus the sick boy part) 15 days.  

Over the last two weeks I have been trying to regroup and refocus.  Catch up and get in a NEW (blue) groove.  I have been trying to remember to send thank you's up as often as possible for these awesome opportunities and am trying to focus on the little things that are HUGE things that I didn't even realize were possible.  

(Does that make sense?  It did in my head!  haha)

I have spoken to several people over the last few days about why I left or how I am doing.  The more I talk about it the more I think that God has given me more than just a job here.  I'm not quite sure what it is, but I know that there is more coming.  I'm excited...I am excited to know what the future holds, but I am also trying to tell myself to enjoy the present.  For the last few months I have completely trusted in God's timing, and I need to keep myself in that place.  Trusting that there IS more to come, but it will come in His time, not mine.  Patience... not my strongest point.  :)

Anyways, all of that to say I am happy and THANKFUL.  Now, I have to go get ready for the Texans vs. Green Bay game so off I go!  Have a wonderful Sunday, and I promise to post again SOON!  

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38 & 39

My last day at Xtreme Volleyball...Part 2...

While sitting at work on my last day, I wrote this...  

"Today, as I sit here on my last day of work, I am utterly amazed by the outpouring of thanks and love from my Xtreme family.  I am truly blessed to be surrounded with an AWESOME group of people who care about me and wish me nothing but the best, and so here is my thank you letter to them.

To ... you know who you are...

Thank you!  Thank you saying thank you, for sending me text messages, for sending me flowers, for hugging me, for understanding that I had to do what was best for me, and for supporting me in my decision."

Little did I know that there were people plotting a surprise going away party...  :)

I went through the rest of the day on some highs and lows.  I got my hair cut (Thank you Stacey!), closed out the day with a review of my "how to" folder, and headed to Cal's soccer practice.  When I drove off my boss was standing at the door and before I even got out of the parking lot my face was filled with tears.  I love Xtreme Volleyball.  I have spent 7 years of my life there...growing and changing, getting married, and meeting new people.  I made some really awesome friends and made some really awesome memories.  Despite my tears I knew I was still making the right decision (the right decision), soI dried my tears and went to soccer practice to cheer on CAL.  I picked up Baehr after soccer and headed back to Xtreme for Camryn's Volleyball practice.  

Courtney had already planned for us to meet for dinner to celebrate my new chapter, so after we left volleyball we headed to Pappasito's.  When we got there it was insanity...a 30 minute wait and CAL was on the verge of a break down after about 20 minutes.  I won't lie, I was ready to throw in the towel as well and eat cereal for dinner.  We finally got to sit down and when I turned the corner there was a table for 10...what?  Courtney told me that several of the Xtreme Coaches were coming and that they were on their way.  I cried...again!  (haha)  

We had a great night, and I am so grateful that everyone took the time to put this together for me! 

Thank you Mrs. Molitor, Royce, Telia, Alison, Courtney, and Baehr for working together and planning last night!  I needed it more than words could say, and I am so thankful for all of you!  Last night was the end to a great 7 years... Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!  :)

Oh yeah, and ... yesterday was my 3 month birthday!  hahaha 

Happy Rainy Saturday from the couch on The Baehr Block!  :) 

Carrie

My Departure from Xtreme Volleyball...Part 1

I know that the rumor mill in club volleyball can be nasty, so I thought I would write this note so that you could all see MY truth.  :)  Or the truth that I am willing to share with you.

After tons and tons and TONS of prayer, I have decided to leave Xtreme Volleyball.  For years (7 to be exact), I have been on the side of the fence where parents and athletes came and went.  Some of them were harder to take than others, but in the end I always said "You have to do what you feel is best for you and your athlete." Such is club volleyball.  People come and go...and come back again.

For the last few months I have struggled to decide what is best for me....if Xtreme was the right place for me.  I have thrown around ideas (if you know me they ranged from staying home to getting a "real" job), but always came back to, "Xtreme is where I am supposed to be."  It wasn't until recently that I realized I was just doing what was easy.  I was unhappy but unwilling to make changes because I felt an immense responsibility to BE XTREME and I also hate change!  (Who doesn't?)

I love my job (the work part), I love the hours, I love most of the people, and I LOVE VOLLEYBALL, but there were some aspects that I was not a fan of.  If you have known me for any period of time, you know what and who those are.  If you don't, I won't share them here because they are personal and not for the public to share or judge or gossip about.  At the end of the day, I still believe that Xtreme is one of the best training clubs in the Houston area and I refuse to change that perception because of my personal reasons to leave. 

Anyways, on one of my rather excruciating days I reached out to a few people.  Initially there were no openings, and so I decided to just pray about it and wait for God to lead me.  When my first interview came up I even said, "If this is not something that you have open, don't force it.  It will happen when the time is right."   And so I waited and prayed and prayed some more.  God answered...in a HUGE way. 

Remember how I said I LOVED my job, the hours, and volleyball?  Well, I get to do all of those still!  YAHOOOO!!!!

I am excited to be a part of a new group of people who love volleyball and love the Lord.  I am excited for the opportunities they (and God) have given me, and I am SUPER excited that this was prayer driven and God led. 

I have been blessed with 7 years of memories and relationships from Xtreme, but now it's time for that chapter to end, and a new one to begin. 

"God puts things in us we don't know we have, and sometimes God has to push us into our destiny, and sometimes it's through adversity....What I thought would be my darkest hour, launched me into my brightest hour."
-Joel Osteen

And so off I go...into the wild blue yonder!  :)

A rant...

Today, a friend on facebook posted this article about Kountze High School.  "District Superintendent Kevin Weldon banned the religious messages, including run-through banners at football games, after the Freedom from Religion Foundation told him that a resident had complained about the Bible verses."  Read the full article here...http://m.kltv.com/ms/p/si/117/view.m?id=124279&storyId=19604893

I reposted with "This is absurd! I am so over all of this "no God in schools" business!!!!!"  I got one comment.  A frownie face from my aunt. 

Am I frustrated?  YES!  Why?  Because we, as Christians, will post verses, ask for prayer, and talk about being blessed, but when it comes to standing up for Christ and our beliefs we like to shy away because we are taught not to FORCE our beliefs on other people.  And while, I agree that some times there are people in our lives who force church down people's throats, I also believe that we are taught to stand up for what we believe in. 

Why do we allow people to tell us what we can and cannot say?  How did we get to a place where we let a court or a government control when or where we pray, speak about God, or quote the Bible?  I mean for Heaven's sake, I didn't go to the government and say, tell all these athiest to pray with me!  Do it, do it now!  (Maybe I should have!)  I don't walk up to strangers and tell them to sit down and read the Bible with me.  We are grown, if you don't believe what I do, say no and walk away.  I do it to the Jehovah's Witness all the time.

I want to stand up for what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and taking God out of everything is not what is right.  How can we sit by and just let people run over us?  I believe WE are the majority.  WE, the people who believe in a higher power, WE, the people that live in this nation under God, WE, the people that believe we can pray together and be heard.  Why are the students of Kountze High School more willing to stand up for their beliefs than we are and why are WE not driving ourselves to Kountze to support the students of Kountze High School?  

I am ranting at you, but I am also ranting at myself.  I so WANT to make a difference, and here is an opportunity.  I am asking God to show me my purpose, and yet, instead of doing something or taking a chance, I sit here actionless.  Well, people, I am done with all of that.  I don't know where to start, but I am going to ask the Lord to guide my path.  I hope you will join me in my quest to better the world and spread the Word, either by prayer or action or both. 

Acts 6:7

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

My Wish For You....To my sister....

I wrote this long blog, but have decided that this song says it all for me...

To the best sister of all time:

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.
But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

Where were you on 9/11?

Isn't that the question you get asked 1000 times on 9/11 each year?  Well, why shouldn't I ask you too?  Do you remember where you were and how you found out about the attacks on 9/11?

Here's my story....

I was living at home, going to community college, and had decided that morning was a skip morning.  My mom would shake her head and say "of course it was".  haha!  When I got up that morning, I got on the computer and one of my friends immediately chatted me "Have you heard about the terrorist attack?"  My response "what the heck are you talking about?"  In my very naive world I had no idea what he was talking about...terrorist attack?  Those two words don't even make sense in my head... what the heck is a terrorist?  He immediately told me to turn on the news...I did, and the rest is history...literally.  I didn't leave the TV for the rest of the day.  I saw the second plane fly into the building, watched the news anchor ask if that was a person that had just jumped from the building, and watch both buildings crumble to the ground like a sand castle.  Unreal then, and unreal now. 

The sad part of my personal story is that I never fully grasped what happened until all of the information that came out on the 10th anniversary last year.  The wide spread effect it had and still has on America.  The videos that came out last year were ones that you only see on movies...but they were real.  Real families fleeing from their apartments, people calling their families not knowing what was going on, watching dust clouds envelop people and cars on the streets.  Unreal.  That is the only word I know how to describe it, and yet, it was so real.  

So today, when I see people post "We Remember" or "Never Forget", I will remember what I was doing that morning 11 years ago, but I will also remember how, in the days to follow, the people of our country united together as one.  That on this day, in this month, and for months after, our country loved one another in spite of religion, politics, or race.  That we stood proud to be Americans in the land of the free and the home of the BRAVE.  And that at the end of the day, we are all connected by a greater power.  

So I say "NEVER FORGET" today (and every day) the compassion we shared, the hands we extended, and the prayers we lifted for each other, and "ALWAYS REMEMBER" we can be like this everyday. 

“A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

My favorite part of Sunday...

It's football season!  You know what that means... (or maybe you don't!  haha)  Another year of Sundays spent at Reliant Stadium cheering on the Texans.  Baehr is an avid Texans fan and always has been.  I, only the other hand, am just a avid sports fan.  I love all sports (minus the winter Olympics) and can pretty much enjoy any sport's setting.  Yesterday was the first regular season home game, and the Texans won!  Wooohooo! 
 
While the Texans winning was great, yesterday reminded me how much I love spending the day with Baehr.  We have so much fun together, and while we may not agree on whether we should take the escalator or walk to our seats (ha), I love football Sundays! 
 
Now, you say, "Is that your favorite part of Sundays?  Spending the day with your husband?"  Well, yes....but no.  :) 

My favorite part of Sunday is the drive to the game.  My subconscious tells me that Sunday morning means I need to be connected to God somehow, someway, and that means that I turn on KSBJ or music from my iphone.  The music of choice yesterday was Cornerstone by Hillsong Live.

This is my new favorite download, and the album is a must have if you love Christian music. 

I love being able to connect to God on our ride to the game, and being able to share this time with Baehr makes it that much better!  :) 

So there it is...my favorite part of Sundays.  I hope you get to share moments like this with the people you love. 

Psalms 68:4

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.

It's been a while....

Why yes, it HAS been a while!  :)  Did you miss me?

We have been busy... Well, I don't know what we have been doing, but I feel like I am really busy so it must be true!  haha!  I am also in a place where my thoughts are trying to make sense of themselves so releasing them on my blog will only add to the madness swirling around in my head.  So I just wanted to post something real quick to you (and to me) about life....

Today, while chatting with my sister on gtalk I sent her a note....

10:42 AM

me: sometimes....

  it's so easy to forget

  how blessed we are....

10:43 AM

and I honestly....don't know how people go through life without God and without prayer....and without family

 

 

So to all of you, who are living the "busy" life, take a minute to really look around and be thankful for all you have, for your family, and for our God. 

 

 

Colossians 2:6 & 7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

What do I stand for?

I got a text from my sister this morning "Some nights by fun."  So when I got to work this morning I pulled up my Spotify and got "Some Nights" going. (BEWARE...there's a bad word at the end... :(   )

I heard it last week, but didn't know who it was.  It's a "fun song" as my sister calls it.  I agree, and even though reading through the lyrics shows that this song isn't all about the Lord, I still like the chorus.  :)  

Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for oh
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore...
Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah oh oh
Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah oh oh

What do I stand for?  Really...

That's something I need to think about because I think "standing for" something is so much more than just having an opinion about something.  "Standing for" something means fighting for that cause and being that cause.  If I truly "stand for" something, you would have known it as soon as you read this title.  But here are a few things off the top of my head...

I stand for...

• The Bible
• Religious Freedom
• Freedom of Speech....keep it positive!
• The Military...regardless of if you agree with a war, these men and women chose this career to support something they believe in so SUPPORT THEM!!! 

Phew!  That was harder than I thought!  haha  To close out today's note I wanted to post this awesome quote I saw on facebook.  I love it and it says a lot about how I feel...

What do you stand for?

Day 30... The End of Your Journey...

Day 30- Who are you? 

Well, I answered this question on May 30...Read Here or Read Below:

Here was my attempt at that answer...

I am a 30 year old girl who feels like she is 23. I don't feel old enough to be married but I am. I am addicted to my family. I own a home. Home means more to me than just a word. I long to have purpose in my life. I am ready for God to show me my "greater purpose". I am deeply in love. I am living my "once upon a time" and my "happily ever after". I want to do great things. I am lazy. I am content in life at this hour and on this day. I am crazy. I am happy. I am easily amused. I am a French. I love God. I love all things spiritual. I am Jeanne's granddaughter, Carolyn's daughter, and Courtney's sister. I love being those things....

After thinking about this question all day I think I figured out my answer. I am just me. None of what I just wrote matters because at the end of the day it's about following Christ. Being what He wants me to be. So ... in googling "Who Am I?" I found this song and it brought me back to reality...

I am His. I am so much more than what's above, but at the end of the day none of it matters. What matters is that we are His and we will be His for eternity.

But let me see if I can update it...

I think all of that is still true with the exception of being content. It's funny how one little road block has got me all crazy this week. I am working through it. Basically I hate to be told "No"or have MY plan changed and that is what happened this week so I am a little .... disheveled, uneasy....UNSETTLED...yes, that's the word I needed...unsettled.

In my life, or in our life, things have always worked out with the most perfect timing. I don't believe that is an accident, and of course it's not, but I still like to believe that I had part in that planning. (I am laughing at myself for even writing that because the best things that have come in the last 7 years of my life have come on someone else's timing!!! haha) So again, I am talking myself into understanding that my rush and need for now will eventually come on His timing and not mine. While that is easy to write...my brain and my heart just aren't really working together right now. Blah!

But yes, 99.9% of the time I am still the girl above. Happy, in love, older than my brain says, and family obsessed! :)

Hope you enjoyed my 30 day journey.  If you want a recap check here (http://thebaehrblock.blogspot.com/2012/07/challengesor-something-fun.html) for everything you could possibly want!  :)

Happy Wednesday!

Carrie

Day 29...

Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned

I have learned that I love the Olympics, but that I am too old to stay up until 11 pm every night.  It wears me out.

I have learned that I am addicted to my family.  It's quite possible that I could seclude myself to them and them only and I am ok with that.

I have learned that it's harder to write a letter to my parents than I think.  There are so many things I want to say, but I don't know how to say them.

I have learned that writing a letter to someone who hurt me is so helpful in "letting go".  I felt so much better after writing my letter and my follow up.

I have learned that the Olympians are like caged animals in the Olympian Villiage and it kind of disturbs me!  haha!  (We are watching the O's right now...can you tell?)  Side note:  Track is definitely my favorite sport!

I have learned that I have a lot more work before I am who I want to be. 

And, last but not least, I have learned that I am capable of answering 30 days of questions...

One more day to go!

See you tomorrow,

Carrie



Day 28...

Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?

July 17, 2011

Me and mi cousin, Frank Michael

July 18, 2012

Henry (my second cousin) and me

How have I changed...well, let's see.  I would say that I have changed the most in 2012.  I set some New Year's resolutions and I have stuck with most of them.  I am learning to actively work on my relationship with the Lord.  It doesn't just happen through prayer at night.  I blog now.  I am content.  I was happy last year but I didn't know how to just be content when nothing was happening (good or bad), I can now and I love it.  I am so much happier focusing on the positive in life and not the negative.  I am learning to let go of people who bring me down.  Honesty is the best policy... even when it comes to RSVP's.  :)  I am trying to expand my horizons on food.  Baehr loves to explore new types of foods and I am trying to explore with him.  I am learning that for the most part if I am unhappy with a situation I can change it.  This year has really been a soul searching experience as far as who I am really and who I want to be.  I wonder where I will be in July of 2013!  :)

Days 25, 26, and 27...

Day 25- What I would find in your bag

Well, you would find my wallet, my phone, change, and well, just a bunch of other junk.  I am trying not to carry a purse right now because the larger the purse the bigger the mess in the bottom...  :)

Day 26- What you think about your friends

I think my friends are pretty great.  I saw this quote on twitter the other day and I think it fits my life perfectly "The older we get the smaller the circle.  WISER!".  I think this is so so true!  The older I get the more value I put in the people around me, and I don't like to be around negative, drama filled folks because I think that keeps negativity and drama around.  :)

Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge

Because I thought it would be something interesting for my blog!  I also like to stretch myself and answer questions I wouldn't normally answer.   Sometimes I don't even know what I will say or do until the day of.  :)

Hope y'all are having a great Sunday! 

Carrie

Day 24...A letter to my parents...

Dear Mom and Dad,

Yesterday, I was having a really hard time trying to figure out what to write.  Not because I don't have plenty to write, but because most things I thought of were very on the surface.  You know, the things I can find in a Hallmark card.  "Thank you for the all the things you have done, not letting me quit basketball my junior year of high school, putting up with me in 7th and 8th grade, praying for me when you could have given up, or for letting me make decisions you knew were wrong."  But I wanted my letter to be more meaningful than that.

On the way to work this morning, I saw a man standing on the side of the road with a sign that read "Not Homeless Father of 3.  Tough times, any help will do."  Here is this man, standing on the side of the road, begging for anything to help his family (real or not real), the perception is this man would do anything for his family, and I thought of you both and what I would write in my letter.

Mom and Dad, thank you for the things I didn't see you do.  The things I still don't know that you did.  The extra work, the late nights, the early mornings.  For the clothes and shoes I wore, the just because presents, school, summer camps, swimming lessons, family vacations, doctor's appointments, and just every day things you worked extra hard to provide me with.  Thank you for giving me a roof over my head and a strong Bible background.  Thank you for teaching me right from wrong just by your example.  I never look back and think I missed out on anything, and I hope you don't wish you could have given me more.  

Thank you is not enough for the things I don't know you did.  Thank you is not enough for the tears and hugs and kisses you gave me, but that's all I have.  So Thank You to both of you for my days and nights and my ... well... my whole life.  I wouldn't be here without you and the little (and BIG) things you have done!

I love you both... very much!

Carebear

Day 21, 22, 23 of 30...

Hey friends!

Well, I have been a slacker these last few days!  The Olympics are keeping me busy on the couch!  haha  :)  So here we go with Day 21, 22, and 23...

Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy

This little boy makes me happy.  He has since he was born, and I miss him now that I don't get to see him every day.  His voice and hugs put a smile on my face, and I LOVE being his GiGi.  

Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else

Something that makes me different would be my ability to pretty much say how I feel.  People have always told me that they love that I can say what I am thinking...even the hard honest truth.  That, of course, is a double edged sword because when the hard honest truth is directed at some people they don't like it.  haha 

Day 23- Something you crave for a lot

CHOCOLATE.  I mean...is that even a question???  I love chocolate in all shapes and forms and will hardly ever turn it down.  In fact, I am trying to say no to a chocolate brownie from Chick-fil-A as we speak!  hahaha!!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!  It's August 1st...where did time go!

See you tomorrow!

Carrie

Day 20...of 30...The Boy...

Day 20

Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future

Well, there's this boy... :)  His name is Baehr and I guess he might be in my future...

We met at a friend's house in 2005, started officially dating in 2006, and married in 2009.   I don't like to write about Baehr because I like to keep him (and the details of OUR life) to myself!  :)  It's like my own little special world and I don't like people in it... haha!  I'm weird...I know!

Anyways, for this blog I guess I can divulge of few things...

Baehr is the best part of my day.  I miss him terribly if I work late, go on trips without him, or just have errands to run.  He makes me feel like the only person in the room, he loves me for me, and he makes me laugh...I mean REALLY laugh.  On top of all that, my dad likes him!  Can you beat that???  :D  He's pretty much my favorite person in the whole world, my best friend, and MY HUSBAND!  (It took me two years to get used to that word, but now I like it.)  I love that he just fits with my family and all is right with the world when we are all together.  Basically, what it comes down to is...he's pretty cool and I love that he picked me.  ;)

So that's a little glimpse into my special (awesome) world and the boy who lives in it.  :)

I hope you are all having an awesome Sunday full of Sports on your TV! 

Love,

Carrie Baehr

Day 17, 18, and 19...

Day 17

Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

 

This is so funny!  Last night I told Baehr I could never been a princess because I would never be as poised during the Opening Ceremonies like Kate Middleton was.  I would be dancing and singing and basically acting like I do at a Texans game!  haha  And this morning in the shower I was thinking...I wonder what it would be like to spend a day/week/month with Kate Middleton.  Does she get to go to the Olympic sports she chooses?  Does she get to hug her grandmother in law or does she have to treat her like the queen?  What does she call her?  So my answer to Day 17 is Kate Middleton.  I would rather hang out with her than be her but whatever... :)

 

Day 18

Plans/dreams/goals you have

 

Oh my goodness...where do I begin on this one? 

• I want my relationship with God to grow
• My relationships with my husband and family to be indestructable
• I want people in my life to know that I love them and how much they mean to me
• I want the people who came to our wedding to know how thankful I am (I am still in awe that all of you came from all over the country just for us and I think about all of you often!)
• I want to learn to think before I speak (yikes)
• I want to find my purpose in life and perfect it to God's expectations
• I want to make a difference in the smallest ways
• I want CAL to grow into a God fearing, loving, smart, athletic young man that always loves his GiGi (that last thing is key!  :D)
• I want to have children when the time is right and raise them to be strong, independant, Lord loving, family people
• I would love to be an athletic director one day

I think that's a good start.  :)  

Day19

Nicknames you have; why do you have them

I have a few nicknames...Carebear, CarrieBear, Carrie Louise or Louise, and Scary or Scary Carrie.

My mom has always called me Carebear and my grandfather has always called me CarrieBear...I guess it was just fate that I would marry Baehr and I would officially turn into Carrie Baehr.  :)

I didn't have a middle name until I got married and made my maiden name my middle name so my college friend Jill gave me the name Carrie Louise.  Most the time she just calls me Louise and I won't lie....I LOVE IT!  :)  

My sister calls me Scary or Scary Carrie...not really sure why.  I am sure it's a sister thing because I have PLENTY of names for Courtney.   

That's it for Days 17, 18, and 19!  Until tomorrow...keep watching those Olympics!  :)

Carrie



Day 14,15, and 16... of 30...

Day 14 ...  A Picture of Me and My Family ...

On Court's Birthday

Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play

I put my IPhone on shuffle and here is what I got...

1.  Everlasting Light by The Black Keys
2.  Children of the Light (Live) by Hillsong
3.  Let My Tears Be Still by the Josh Abbott Band
4.  Crazy Girl by Eli Young Band
5.  Not Over You by Gavin Degraw
6.  White Flag by Passion feat Chris Tomlin
7.  Heaven by Emeli Sande
8.  Where I Belong by Building 429
9.  Homesick by Mercy Me
10.  Someone Like You by Adele

Day 16- Another picture of yourself

Reppin' the JeanEric with my sister