EEEEEEKKKK

Potentially exciting news for this Craig household.  I can't say much.  I can't say anything really.  However, I want to ask you to pray for God's will for our family.  If you don't pray, please send us good thoughts, positive karma, or cross your fingers for us.  Thanks in advance.  :)

Smile

What a week!  What a weekend!  I am actually pretty excited this week is going to start tomorrow as it will be the last weekend of my boring, dreadful, no good class.  It also means that in a week I will begin taking a behavioral finance class.  I looove behavioral finance. This will be my sixth class on the subject matter.   It just makes so much sense.  It's a new theory and basically studies why market participants make systematic errors.  

Anyways, that is probably pretty boring talk to the 3 people reading this so I'll get to something you all care about -Mallory.  She is a little under two weeks away from being a one-year-old.  This year flew by. Whoooosh- hear that?  That was her first year of life flying by.  This weekend the mister and I walked around campus corner picking out small birthday gifts for his little sister and one of my close friends, Sunny.  Mallory happily waved and chatted with all of the merchants as well as some adorable incoming freshman girls and very cute, but not as cute as my husband, incoming freshman young men. Mallory does not know the meaning of Stranger Danger these days which I think is mostly a good thing , but also a little concerning.  I'll just have to stress no candy from strangers.  

I do have to say it is pretty heart warming watching her smile and wave and sometimes even hug complete strangers.  It's pretty neat to watch the world through my child's eyes as she knows that EVERYONE deserves to benefit from her cheerful disposition.  Her smiles seem to brighten even the grumpiest of strangers' days.  I do honestly TRY to exude her joy... however sometimes life just gets in the way.  I get tired, stressed, exhausted, and sometimes even angered, and tragedies occur and I forget the power of a friendly smile.  The fact that I get so caught up in my own world is actually pretty arrogant of me, I'm just a girl that likes to see results, and be in control, and know and understand the plan, Stan.  And sometimes, when I can't see, or guess, or know exactly what God's plan is I get so frustrated.  When in all honesty, it is absolutely none of my business what God's plans are, or what my boss or friends think about me.  

Our reverend actually said something pretty powerful (at least I thought so) about a week ago.  I am paraphrasing but he basically said that God created man in his image, and ever since then we have been returning the favor. Meaning that we give human characteristics to God.  Which of course is totally not what we are supposed to be doing.  God is too perfect to be human or possess any human characteristics.  We often times use him to cloak our conquests for something that they are not.  Or to blame when tragedy occurs or when things do not go our way.  Or to neglect and then pray whole-heartedly to when we need healing or understanding.  All i have to say to that is Thank God that He forgives.  

Be sure to smile at strangers or someone you dislike tomorrow.  It may be the start of a slightly more cheerful world.  

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Twenty Two

We're baaaack.  The Craig family took a splendid 9 day vacation away from real life and traveled all the way to east Texas for a little family fun time and small town life.  Oh life in a small town.  Growing up in Mt. Pleasant, I hated it and vowed to never return.  It's not so bad though.  The really horrible thing about small towns is that everyone knows your business.  But, the really great thing is also that everyone knows your business.  Yes, people gossip (people gossip EVERYWHERE, it's just more noticeable in small towns),  but, the same people are also willing to help out or offer a prayer during your down times.  (I am not going through a down time, this was just an observation while I was visiting my old stomping ground).  Overall, everything is still pleasant in Mt. Pleasant.

We spent July 4th at lovely Lake Cypress Springs eating, popping fireworks, eating, fishing, eating, and doing other very American things, like eating.  Also, since my parents will be in Russia (those stinkin' stinkers) for Mallory's birthday, Johnny O, or "O" as Mallory calls him insisted she open her birthday present. When he brought it out I was pretty perplexed at what could possibly be in the long, skinny package.  My mind quickly began thinking it was something I would need to assemble or some other completely normal gift for a one-year-old girl.

That was a BIG mistake.  I've known my dad for my entire life and heard stories about him before I was born and I honestly don't know why I assumed he would start acting normal now.  So my father, Johnny Oscar Conroy the only, got my baby GIRL a .22. He even had our dear friend engrave it.  I'm not sure that Mallory knows exactly what purpose her gift serves, but her sweet face lit up when she saw it.  She is definitely half Conroy and half Craig.
 I am not even mad, I mean, it's a pretty awesome gift.  I was just really surprised. This is the first time I have ever been surprised by a gift...and it wasn't even mine.  I hope he realizes he has to top this gift every year.  I also hope that he realizes that my birthday is October 26th and that I want an equally awesome present.  Anything on THIS page will work, Johnny O.