First Blog!

Well, I am so excited to blog for the first time! I am still trying to figure it all out. It has taken me several hours to pick out a back ground! I have been reading my friend Kelli's blog and it really made me want to create my own. I just loved reading about what was going on with her and her husband Matt and thought it would be a great way to share what is going on with me and my husband Matt!

Where to start... Matt and I met our sophomore year of college at Harding University. Actually we met our freshman year, but I don't remember. I wish I did! We have been best friends ever since. We graduated and got married in June of 2006 and moved to Little Rock. He thinks I am a total nerd for doing this blog I'm sure, but I don't care. He is a CPA for JPMS Cox an accounting firm here in Little Rock. He has been there for three years now. I sell orthopedic implants for a company called Synthes and I have also been doing that for three years. Until recently I was on call with my job 24/7. I had 1 weekend off every four weeks. I am really thankful and fortunate to not be taking anymore and now I have much more free time at home and with Matt. We like to run, fish, watch movies, work on our house, eat, read, travel, watch movies and most importantly go to bed early. It is 8:40 right now and he is in bed waiting on me and Bear. She likes to stay up until the last person goes to sleep. She doesn't want to miss any of the fun stuff going on out here!

We have two dogs, Bear and Midas. They are both labs. We love to spend time with them. They love to retrieve bumpers in the water or on land. Bear came to live with us three years ago this month. We bought her from a family in Judsonia and she has been our little baby girl ever since. Bear has her basic obedience training that Matt and I taught her. Midas is currently at my parents in Collierville, TN learning more advanced training in order for him to hunt one day with Matt. People think we are crazy, I know. They both sleep with us in our bed. In fact, when we moved, we bought a bigger bed to make room for Midas who just came to live with us in May. He loves for you to hold a toy and drop it so that he can catch it. We call it "Drop and Catch". Creative, huh? This picture is on the way back from Paragould. The love to try to sneak up to the front with me.

We moved in to our house in Maumelle in May of this year. We absolutely love it and plan to stay here for a VERY long time. We really weren't looking to move from our old house for a few more years, but with the market going the way it was and interest rates being so low, we thought it was the right time to make the move. Matt still loves to look at the Homes section in the paper on Sunday... that makes me a little uneasy, but I think he just likes looking at the houses. I hope.

We go to Pleasant Valley Church in Little Rock. We are involved in the "Young Couples" class. We also host a Lifegroup at our house every Wednesday. We love this time and I love that it is in a home and very welcoming to visitors. We are also involved in Platoons. It is a program which breaks up students by gender and grade and we study scripture. I have the new seventh grade girls and will follow them through until they graduate in six years. Sounds like a long time, doesn't it? I am thrilled about it though. I love getting to know them better. It is so fun to see them each week and hear about the things they go through every day. Matt has the senior boys. It is funny to see how differently we approach this activity :).

Our families. Matt's family is in Paragould, AR. His mom, Karan, works for St. Bernard's in Jonesboro as a Weight Loss Counselor and his dad, David, sells insurance for State Farm. He is our insurance man! :) They have lived there since before Matt was born. Matt's brother, Joe, works for Windstream and is in a band, Exit Strategy. His sister, Juli, is a hair stylist and she now lives here in Maumelle too. His youngest brother, Nathan plays football for Greene County Tech and is a sophomore.

My family lives in Collierville, TN- where Midas is :( right now. My dad sells paper board for Georgia Pacific and my mommy works at Talbots. But her full time job is taking care of the four- yes that's right four- labs that live at their house. Jett, Boo, Liza Boo Little, and Fib. My sister is an OB/ Gyn resident at UT Memphis and her husband, Zac, is the Youth Minister at Grace Crossing Church. They also have two labs, Jo Jo and Cooper. Jett and Boo are parents to Liza Boo, Fib, Jo Jo and Midas. (And 7 other doggies who roam around here somewhere). They had a litter of 11 puppies last March. That means when we "Gilberts" get together, there are 8 dogs and 6 of us. Pretty funny. You will get lots of licks (kisses) and tail thuds if you come over. And if you don't like dogs, you probably wouldn't like the Gilbert house.

I think that's the basic background for now. I am excited to share daily, weekly, monthly updates. Sweet Dreams for now!