a question...

When I was growing up, all the way through high school and into college, I secretly never wanted to pray (as so many adults in church always did) that Jesus would come back soon. I liked my life and I wanted to live. I was happy to live as a Christian and that sort of thing, I just wasn't ready to go to heaven yet. I'm pretty sure that I had an inaccurate view (and still do) of heaven, but it was not something I was interested in yet.

All of that changed...but I'm not sure when. I think maybe when I started being less selfish and more aware of people around me and the pain and suffering we inflict on each other. There are so many beautiful and fun things in this world, but there is so much more pain. It just makes me sad to think of the pain we cause other people and ourselves, especially intentionally. And then to contrast that with the picture of the world the way God created it...that has been enough to change my mind and ask the question of so many before me - how long?

You're invited!

This is a special invitation to everyone who visits this blog...

Our jewelry website is up, and our business is open!

We are inviting all of our family and friends (and if you read this blog, that means you) to visit our site, a l a designs, and let us know what you think. We're also taking orders during our special Friends and Family sale - tax free, free shipping, and buy one pair of earrings get the second half off.

We're not accepting payment through the website yet, but send us an email with your order, and we'll get your jewelry to you post haste. You'll find all of the details on the site.

Thank you for your help and support in getting our business up and running!

apparently I don't run fast enough :)

I'd better get this done so I still have someone left to tag...

4 Jobs I've had...
(I'm not entirely sure I've had 4 legal, tax-paying jobs, but we'll see...)
personal assistant
Univ. of Houston Orientation Team Leader
Children's Ministry Director
small business owner! (we're almost up and running!)

4ish movies I would watch on repeat...
You've Got Mail
The Muppet Christmas Carol ("You throw the fish away, and it comes back to you!")
That Thing You Do!
Newsies
The Jungle Book (live action version - if you've never seen it, go see it now!)
The Matrix (and then I'll write a book with the real ending to the movie...)

4 TV shows I love...
(This is easy - but I have to divide it into currently airing and sadly cancelled, and I know there are more.)
Gilmore Girls
24
Related
Love Monkey
(and the cancelled shows:)
Lois & Clark
Star Trek: The Next Generation (come on, you knew I was a nerd)
The Pretender
Square 1 TV (nerd, we've already been over this)

4 Vacation Spots I'd love to frequent...
India
Boston
London
the beach (a good one, far from Galveston)

4 websites I visit daily...
(as daily as I manage with anything...)
Relevant Magazine
cool blogs
a l a designs (we have big news - stay tuned!)
Kraft Foods (well, I'm working on honesty here...)

Four foods I lust for...
dark chocolate
Cinnamon Dolce Lattes
spicy food (Chinese especially, House of Hunan particularly)
raspberries

Four things I "love" most about Texas (just for Ashlee!)
humidity (good friends)
heat (good food, especially Mexican)
horrible traffic (the Astros!)
driving forever to get anywhere (access to lots of stuff - great concerts and good shopping)

Four people I am "tagging"
Azina
Raj
Lisa (though I'm not sure she even knows I have a blog...)
Joser (who doesn't have a blog but can respond in the comments)

the post to end the griping...

See, the thing is not that I don't have something to say, the thing is finding the time to say it! Which brings up an interesting question - how does one person's life get so full of things that "need to be done?" And why do they never go away, even when one is constantly busy?

Anyway, please do email ala_designs@hotmail.com and let us know that you want to be added to our email list and be informed when our jewelry business website is up. It's coming soon, I promise...just another one of those things on the list...