Here’s another installment of YouBlog- where I introduce you to one of your fellow blogmies. Remember the goal is to get to know each other! Many of you readers/commenters were born to be friends- I just know it. And I’m out to prove it!

I love Andrea’s blog. You may have seen it before, or maybe not. But I hope today that you will take a hop over there and check out what she’s got going on.

Andrea used to live in Nepal and I absolutely love her post about a Hindu wedding. I totally love all the bright colors in the pictures. And I love Andrea’s heart for her friends and for the people of Nepal.

Makes me glad that we get to know her here.

So swing by her blog, leave a comment and tell you I sent ya. She’s darlin and you are totally going to love her.

Hey you local yokels- wanna be featured one week as the YouBlog-ger? Just email me at annieblogs [at] gmail [dot] com and put “YouBlog” in the subject line. Or leave a comment. I don’t know… just get in touch with me.

The Glory Revealed 2 Album is finally out.

I hope you own the first one. If you don’t, today is the day you buy 2 new CDs.

HERE IS THE WEBSITE.

(It also should be on iTunes today- which is where this blogista will be purchasing her copy.)

Go there. Buy it. You’ll be glad you did.

And a late amendment to this: My friends in Mike’s Chair have their new album coming out today too! How in the world does all this good music come out in one day?!? You’re gonna want that album too. So budget wisely and find a way to get both these albums today.

Listen, I’ve never lead you musically astray before, have I? I mean, come on people, I. Live. In. Nashville. You can trust me.

Oh oh oh! And! While I’m talking about my music choices in Nashville, I gotta give a big YAHOOOO to my friends Lady Antebellum for having the #1 single in the USA and Canada. Good gracious our whole group of friends is BESIDE THEMSELVES excited for Lady A. Don’t even get me started.

See? Isn’t that proof that you can trust my musical ear? And…. I used to play the french horn in middle school. Does that give me any added music cred?

Not so much?

Cool.

I have some facts to start off with today:

#1. I know you know this. But let me reiterate. I. Love. My. Birthday. Three days later, I’m still coming down off the b-day high.

#2. Here’s another thing that I absolutely love: my friends being friends with my friends. I know all of us have multiple friend groups. And nothing makes me happier than seeing those friend groups mesh together and like each other. Oh it just gets my insides celebrating.

And here’s fact #3 you need to know: I was TERRIBLY homesick this time when I returned to Nashville. Pretty much, as I was walking out of my parents’ door in Atlanta, Mom said, “I don’t know if I’ve ever not seen you on your birthday.” Which then caused me to melt into a puddle of sadness and remind her, through my tears, that she missed 21 and 22, thank you very much. So I cried the whole way back to Nashville, wishing that I could just stay in Atlanta forever. [I'm not dramatic or emotional at all.]

So. I was grateful that I had my birthday to celebrate right after I got back to Nashville on the 4th because I was hoping that Fact #1 and Fact #2 would eliminate Fact #3.

I started out my birthday with a job interview [second interviews will be in 2 weeks] then my sweet parents bought me jeans at Old Navy [I had to throw a pair away in South Africa], then I hung at Frothy Monkey all day. People kept asking how my day was. And I had the same answer every time.

It was AWESOME. I am ALWAYS amazed that I have only lived here for 11 months and have such wonderful friends. They are gifts from God and I don’t deserve them at all. But God has again proven to me that He provides above and beyond what I’m able to dream. This picture is proof.

I promise I have dude friends too. We just didn’t take a group pic when they were there. Aren’t these girls the cutest? How would I have even known to dream this big? I am so deeply grateful.

Oh. Here are some dudes. I forgot about this picture. I don’t know why I look scared. But I obviously had some amount of fear in my heart at this moment.

How cute are they? And they are all single, ladies. Just say the word and I’ll hook you up. From left to right- there’s the musician/band guy, the trendy photographer, the jock, and the brains. And not an ugly one in the bunch. I’m telling you- if you cover me up, this picture is like a mini version of The Bachelorette.

I’ve lost focus. I’m sorry. Back to my birthday….

I love that this is the life that God has given me. Yes, there are moments of doubt, 3 1/2 hour long “moments” of homesickness. I think that’s natural.

But on my birthday, as I watched my friends being friends with my friends, and as I felt the sadness melt away, I realized that I am really really lucky to live this life with these people.

29 is going to be quite a year.

Here’s another installment of YouBlog- where I introduce you to one of your fellow blogmies. Remember the goal is to get to know each other! Many of you readers/commenters were born to be friends- I just know it. And I’m out to prove it!

Meet Kim.

Kim is a super cute friend of mine from San Antonio, Texas. I can only hope that she has experienced the finest thing San Antonio has to offer- Taco Garage. It is a Mexican restaurant that Melanie took a few of us to in August and I can’t help but long for it every day now and then.

How does every conversation of mine end up pointing to Mexican food?

Anyways. Back to Kim.

Kim blogs over at Kamp KK. Here’s a great post about where the blog title came from. I think you’ll really enjoy it. And she’s in a book club, which always screams KINDRED SPIRIT to me.

So head on over to Kamp KK and take a look around – it is summer, after all. Who doesn’t love camp (or kamp) in the summer? Read some of Kim’s blogs, tell her I sent ya, then email me so you can be the next YouBlog-ger!

Hey you local yokels- wanna be featured one week as the YouBlog-ger? Just email me at annieblogs [at] gmail [dot] com and put “YouBlog” in the subject line. Or leave a comment. I don’t know… just get in touch with me.

First of all, thanks for all your sweet birthday well wishes. 29 sure seems to be shaping up beautifully so far.

On to the more important bloggy things. Like dessert.

So Annie Parsons introduced me to Deb Barnett.

And Deb Barnett introduced me to what shall be called “The Dessert That Defined My Summer 2009″.

Here’s the recipe – go get it from Deb. It just makes more sense that way. But here is a photo-montage of the day my addiction began.

Ye ingredients, gather round. I’m going to tell you a little story of a 29 year old blogista who has a soft spot in her heart for low-fat desserts with fruit.

Here’s the mixed jellos [had to go with raspberry instead of cranberry. But still delicious.] with the milk and sour cream.

Then I mixed in the Cool Whip and as my friend Marisa says, “Oops.” Maybe that isn’t exactly in the recipe directions, but how is one supposed to resist dipping a Nilla Wafer in the pudding? Sheesh. What do you think I am? Made of steel?

Then I attempted to set up the camera so I could be photographed with the parfait. Dear Annie, remember to actually SET the timer when you want to use it. [Let's all be grateful I didn't go into brain surgery as a profession.]

And let’s try that again.

Much better. But still a bit weird to take a picture of yourself, alone at home, with a dessert. But whatevs.

Now. I’m no Pioneer Woman, but I kinda love this shot. Deb is always looking for the perfect bite and I think I may have captured it.

Momentarily.

Oops.

I highly recommend this recipe [and really any recipe that Deb has on her blog]. I think with this one, you could substitute any fruit jello and any fruit. Make it your own. Embrace it. And join me in celebrating summer correctly- with a parfait in one hand, and your camera in the other.

I think, since I’m officially turning 29 right now- as in, right this very day, I should tell you 29 things about myself that you may or may not already know.

1. I love orange juice with lots of pulp. LOTS.

2. I’ve been nominated multiple times for What Not To Wear. But never picked. Lame.

3. I love the Atlanta Falcons. Always have. Always will.

4. I think I’ll live in Scotland at some point in my life.

5. I thought CDs were going to totally fail. So I kept buying cassette tapes until 1999.

6. I’ve read the book “Christy” over 40 times. By choice.

7. I started this blog in November of 2006 because my sister had one.

8. I’ve been a bridesmaid 16 times.

9. But I only own 13 dresses. 3 brides picked the same dress. Can you believe that?!!?

10. I don’t get starstruck easily, but I think I would pass out if I met Dolly Parton.

11. I wanted to get a tattoo last summer. Not any more.

12. My favorite verses are Psalm 73:25-26. I say them in my head all the time.

13. I LUH-HUV my birthday. And I love that my birthday is on 07/07.

14. The first person that I ever prayed for that later became a Christian is Deion Sanders.

15. I wore the number 21 in every sport for that very reason.

16. Jesus loves me, this I know.

17. I love being on stage with a microphone.

18. I think God brought me to Nashville to give me freedom.

19. I am super lucky to have great friends in Nashville and Marietta and here on ye old blog.

20. I love taking naps.

21. You’d be surprised how much flack I get for wearing fleece all winter. I just love those things.

22. My life is proof that God dreams bigger than I do.

23. I never planned to be single at 29. I’m okay with it.

24. If I had more lives to live, I’d star on a Disney Channel show and be a chef.

25. I always crush on boys that a) send good emails or b) wear baseball caps backwards.

26. I still use the same Bible that my parents gave me for Christmas, 1995.

27. My favorite city to visit in the USA is Boston.

28. I have best friends that are ten years younger than me and some that are twenty years older than me. It’s called generational bud-dom. Get you some.

29. I’m addicted to cheese.

So there you go. I’ve been saying I was 29 for about 4 months now, which is a pecular mistake to make… repeatedly. And now it’s official. Your blogista is 29 and feelin’ fine. Needin’ to make a dime. Wants to learn how to brine. Loves to attempt to rhyme.

Oh yikes. My sense of humor apparently expired after 28 years. I better go renew that puppy.

The Thursday before I left for camp, a writing job that would have been SUPER financially helpful fell through. I went to Frothy Monkey, sat with my buddy Skip and cried, then went home and sulked. I reminded God and myself that when I moved to Nashville, I never agreed to be living paycheck to paycheck. “Dear God, I wanted to be rich. Amen.” Not quite His plan.

I felt Him whisper, “Trust Me, Annie.”

To which I replied, “I think I’ll go watch TV now and pretend that all is right in the world.”

Thinking I would just up my nanny hours, I went to bed having concocted a solution.

Friday morning, my nanny family said that Nanny McAnnie could retire again. She was no longer needed – Mom was going to start working from home.

So in less than 24 hours, I lost all my income.

That doesn’t just happen. That’s God.

And in that moment, my perspective changed. I mean, I lost one job and got bitter. The second time, God wasn’t whispering that I should trust Him. He was LOUD about it. “TRUST ME.”

So I’m gonna.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I want you to watch. I want you to see God show up for me. Because of His great love for me, I don’t have to worry. The Bible promises that God is my provider, that somehow, my July bills will get paid. Then August. Then September. And on and on.

I’m. Not. Worried.

I’m. Excited.

God has given me a chance to trust Him. To live in a way where honestly, y’all, if He doesn’t pull through for me, I’m in big trouble.

But He will.

And I want you to see it. I want you to see that trusting God is an honor. That the Bible is true and that when one of God’s names is Jehovah Jireh, “The Lord Who Provides”, He means it.

I’m doing my part- applying for jobs, not spending a penny, connecting with folks who may have work for me.

But I’m also watching and praying. Watching to see what God will do. Watching to see how this adventure plays out. And I hope, when this is all said and done, we will all stand and applaud a God who LOVES to show up for His children and surpass their expectations. I think this is going to be fun.

I’m not worried. In fact, I’m grateful.

So. I’m super dee-dooper excited about this new segment of AnnieBlogs.

Here’s the motivation for what is about to transpire:

1. You know me. You come here and read about my crazy life. You come to Nashville and we grab lunch.

2. I know a lot of you guys- you leave comments, we email back and forth. It’s cute, isn’t it?

But.

3. I want you to know each other. Because many of you would probably really like each other.

So. I’m gonna help you out.

Each week, I’m going to feature one of you bloggers/commenters- “YouBlog”, that’s what we’ll call it. That way, you guys can get to know each other and maybe be best friends forever. [I can dream, can't I?]

So the first blogger I’m going to feature is my sweet bloggy friend Joanna. [Catch the title there? JoannaBlogs? Funny, right?]

Joanna writes open and honestly and I enjoy her blog mucho. You probably recognize her name cause she is a faithful commenter.

This is my favorite post of her’s – Wordful Wednesday. It’s long, but totally worth the read. So swing over to her blog and tell her AnnieBlogs sent you. After all, y’all may end up being totally best friends forever.

Yay for YouBlog! I hope you guys think this is as fun as I do….

Hey you local yokels- wanna be featured one week as the YouBlog-ger? Just email me at annieblogs [at] gmail [dot] com and put “YouBlog” in the subject line. Or leave a comment. I don’t know… just get in touch with me.

Remember this is just for bloggers. I love all my readers- and I have other plans coming down the way for you non-bloggers. Don’t hate, just wait.

I’m at camp this week.

You can read the blog here.

You can watch the services (and other camp events) online here. I’m one of the MCs for the morning games so A) forgive me for not wearing make-up, B) I swear I didn’t make up these games, but C) I think they are hilarious.

On the spiritual side, I have great things to share with you in the near future. But not today. I’ll just say this, God has been great to us this week. Amen.

Here’s a quick “13 months until 30″ update. First of all, it’s now “12 months until 30″, but whatevs. Piano lessons are scheduled to begin next week. My friend Mary Katherine is going to help me sew the quilt. And as for the French, I have a KILLER idea, and I’ve sent some good emails, but we’ll see what happens. So, pretty much, here’s the truth of the situation- one month down, zero steps officially taken. Sorry ’bout it.