A new phase

Alrighty friends!  Here's the deal...I am leaving behind my blog in favor of a 'family blog'.  Now, don't go getting any crazy ideas...we're not pregnant or anything like that.  We just decided that since we are a family (husband, wife, calm/sweet dog, hyper/crazy goat dog) that perhaps we should have a blog that was more family geared...so that when kids come along it's not you tuning into 'Leanne's blog'...it's you tuning into the DUIGAN FAMILY BLOG. 

.....sounds good anyway.

So here it is...the new blog...

www.theduigans.blogspot.com
"Teacht Duigan"

Please add us to your lists and start looking there for your information on our lives...wild and crazy though they probably won't be.  I am going to try to blog in the new year (I think I've said this before...) and I hope you don't get too bored with my 'You won't believe what stupid thing Lily's done now' stories. 

But anyway...goodbye 2012...goodbye single girl blog....hello 2013....hello new blog.

Come on over and see us there! :)

Coming 2013

So, I know I don't blog a ton....but I promise I'm gonna try to do better (get ready to be inundated with pictures and stories of our crazy dogs and boring life).  However, I am going to stop posting on this blog and create one for Alan and me to use together.  I won't open it or start posting there until the new year - but I thought I'd let (the two of you who read this) know! :)  And for your enjoyment (b/c let's face it - blogging is all about pictures...):

Lily and Mercy went to see Santa Claws at PetSmart...don't they look cute in their Christmas collars?! 

One Year - Part 2

I'm sure you noticed we only made it through the 6th month anniversary on the first post....so here's the rest of the year....

March 31, 2012
--Darren came for a visit!


April 4, 2012
--Alan's brother Francis passed away. We didn't get to go to the funeral, but we did get skyped in for the last prayers.

April 7, 2012
--Reagan and Mark get married in San Antonio. Darren and Alan were groomsmen and I was in Reagan's houseparty. It was so fun to return the favors she did for me during our wedding! We sure miss them!




April 9, 2012
--Alan starts his first American job!!!

April 15, 2012
--My Birthday! :)

April 21, 2012

--We headed to Waco with Allison and Thomas for our (me and Allison's) good friend Marnie's wedding. Another fun wedding day!

May 2, 2012
--We joined a gym. (We used it for about 2 months....sad, huh?)

May 19-20, 2012
--Back to Fort Worth where we celebrated Alan's birthday with the Huffman's (a week early)

May 22, 2012
--Alan's Birthday!

May 26, 2012
--Alan's Birthday Party - complete with pony rides!



--We adopted our second dog, Lily.



May 28-29, 2012
--Leanne auditions for Sarah, Plain and Tall....and convinces the director Alan would love to be in it too!

May 30, 2012
--Leanne gets cast as Adult Anna
--Alan gets cast in 2 minor rolls





 

June 29, 2012
--we got to go see our great friends the Irby's in Fort Worth!

June 17, 2012
--Mercy started her second round of obedience classes, but was a bit overwhelmed so....



June 24, 2012
--(not so) Little Lily started her first round of obedience classes. (Best idea EVER!)



June 31, 2012
--Alan and Leanne move 4 houses down to their second house. Not as nice as the first...and not unpacked until mid-September!

August 2012
--Leanne went to workshops and got ready to go back to school...and school started.

September 2012
--ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!


 

And there you have it, my friends...the year in review.

One Year

So -- as of last week Alan and I have been married for one year!  How fun is that?!  It feels like it FLEW by!  My Dadhas been asking me if my anniversary would be blog worthy (seems I'm not on here too much....) and so I'm here to write something for the 2 of you who still read this!

A YEAR IN REVIEW:

September 17, 2011
-- Alan and Leanne get married
--Leanne's Grandma passes away



September 18-21, 2011
--Alan and Leanne Honeymoon



September 23, 2012
--Leanne's Grandmother falls and breaks her hip
--funeral activites

September 24, 2012
--Leanne's Grandma's funeral



October 16, 2011
--The Duigan's go to the State Fair


October 18, 2011
--First dress up date since wedding.  We went to the Pregnancy Centers fundraiser dinner with our friend Laura Dominick


October (a date which I cannot remember - probably blocked it out)
--Leanne has to put down her sweet kitty Gracie due to major health issues.  Alan gets initiated into the life of a married man by digging a geometrically perfect grave for said kitty.




November (exact date a tad sketchy)
--Alan and Leanne move into their first house.



November, 24, 2011
--Alan's first Texan Thanksgiving




Deccember 6, 2011
--Alan sees The Littlest Wiseman for the first time.  (Leanne laments that not living in Fort Worth keeps her from truly being a part of this year after year.)


December 7, 2011
--Mail off Alan's Green Card paperwork!

December 9, 2011
--Second big date since getting married! We went to see The Gift of Christmas at Prestonwood Baptist.

December (a Sunday which I cannot remember the exact date of)
--Alan and Leanne make the joint acting debut at Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley - the inn keepers - in the church's Christmas play....hysterical.

December 24-25, 2011
--Alan does Christmas with the Meppen clan - year 2.


 


December 31, 2011
--New Year's Party with a couple of cute boys (the nephews).



January 2012
--we took it easy - nothing major happened this month...unless you count taking Mercy to obedience classes major....

February 14, 2012
--Our first Valentine's day together...and as a married couple!



February 28, 2012
-- 6:30 am appointment at the USCIS building in Dallas b/c Alan's brother had been sick and we needed him to have the right to travel.

March 9-11, 2012
--We took a trip to Fort Worth to see our friends there and to go to sweet Sydney's Quinceanera.



March 12-17
SPRING BREAK!!!!!! A week spent in preparation for the Saturday....

March 17, 2012
--PADDY'S DAY!!!  We through a big ceili at the house.  I cook several Irish recipies (make soda bread!) and we taught Irish dancing.  Possibily the most fun yet!


 

 

Blog Stalking

Disclaimer:  This is a bit rambly........I'm not sure the points I make flow well -- but I hope something makes sense! 

I'm a stalker.  I stalk blogs. (If you don't want to read this due to its rambly nature - choose a blog in my 'follow' list and stalk it....) I do not stalk them to be weird, I promise.  I stalk them b/c I am constantly amazed at how others handle situations!  (And a few b/c the babies are toooo cute!)

One of the ones I stalk is one of my mom's friend's daughters. (Did you follow that?!)  She gave birth to twins and one of them died that day.  Her faith is amazing.  Her insight is astounding.

Another one is a family who is adopting.  She posts her true feelings about the adoption process, but also shows how God works in her through all of it.  Amazing.

Another is a family whose youngest daughter has had cancer.  She is a kindergartener.  She has fought all year.  There have been high highs and low lows, but they have praised God and turned to him all along the way.

Why do I write about this?  I was just sitting here thinking about being content in the situations we are in.  I life isn't like this! 

There will always be unexpected bills, unexpected events; unexpected joys, unexpected pains.  Are we truly content and able to praise God?  Once in Sunday School in Fort Worth we talked about this.  I joked that it can be hard...you have a wreck and still are to praise. I remember saying, "What?  You say, 'Praise God I can get a new car?!'"  Wouldn't you know a week later I had a fender bender and chose to say, "Praise God it wasn't a full on, total-your-car kind of wreck!" (I also was able to bless an older guy who looked as though he was about to have a heart attack by walking away...)

You know - God is good and if we let Him teach us and we let Him work in us, He WILL!  He will take that thing - you know, the one you hate most - and work it out of you.....and you will find joy and peace and contentment!

So what am I allowing God to work on?  I'm letting Him work out several things in me.  What does it look like?  It starts with, "Lord help me today.  Work this out in your way, in your time.  Give me opportunities to practice it your way."  Then I mess up, tell him I'm sorry and ask him to give me another chance.  (It doesn't always follow this pattern word for word - but it is the underlying theme if you will...)  And you know, he always lets me try again.  I count it a victory that I recognize the tone of voice that others have said I use, but I never heard.  I recognize it and can ask forgiveness for using it.  I don't always catch it in time to not use it - but I hear it now.  I am learning to be thankful for little things - and I'm letting God work. 

Contentment.  Praising Him.  In every situation. 

Successful every time?  No.

Learning more and more?  YES. 

Isn't God good?

In our little world...

What's been going on in this bad bloggers world?

1. Work - We are both working now -- and different schedules.  I work daily from 8-4.  Alan work 2 days from 8-5, 2 days from 12-9, then on Friday he either works from 8-12 or 8-5 (it rotates every other Friday) and every other Saturday he works from 8-12 (if he works a full Friday, he works Saturday).  It's gotten very interesting keeping us fed and clean and the house clean and such....just another learning experience!

2.  Church - we love our church!  We are both on the praise team.  I sign back-up on Sunday and lead on Wednesday.  Alan plays his accordian.  I love that we do this together!  Our church is looking for a pastor and while it's a difficult process, it's a growing and learning time.  I also have taken on the ladies ministry and I am 'planning' the Mother's Day meeting.  I use planning lightly as my sweet friend has done much more work than I have at this point!

3. Life - We love just living life!  And together.  Don't get me wrong - we disagree and get huffy and say stupid stuff....but life is so much better together!  In April we celebrated the wedding of Mark and Reagan, me and my sister's 33rd birthday, Marnie and Bobby's wedding, house/horse sat, and I did the SPCA walk with Mercy and my friend Donna.  This week we joined a gym and I see Zumba in my future!  We are looking at moving into a smaller house in the summer to save us a bit of money.  I auditioned for Fiddler on the Roof, but due to an amazing conflict (seeing Idena Menzel with my sweet KD), I was not cast.  I am 19 days away from the end of the school year, but will be working some this summer and will be attending some workshops.  I also will be taking a new certification test - Generalist 4-8 (heaven help me!).  Around that I hope to audition for Sara, Plain and Tall at the children's theater here in town.  Alan is hoping to do some cycling classes at the gym as well as train for some 5ks.  He is looking forward to celebrating his (you can guess his age now) birthday.  We are looking at some party options as well as gifting options.  He is enjoying working, but still hoping to find an accountancy postion soon.  He is looking forward to getting a TXDL soon too.  We haven't heard anything from USCIS in a while, but are hoping to this month.  I have heard from a friend that they are horribly backed up and moving slowly.  We will see.  (COME ON GREEN CARD!!!)

SO - that's what's up in our world. (yes - i know -- i'm a bad blogger....not a single picture...sigh.)

Valentine's Day 2012

WARNING: A POST WITH PICTURES!!!

This morning I got up and my sweet husband made me coffee.  Truth be told, he does this everyday, but I want to celebrate the sweet things he does!  So he made my coffee, started my car, and helped me pick out my clothes.  Off to work I went!  While I was at work I recieved a beautiful bouquet of flowers from FTD.  FTD delivers flowers in a box which is super cool!

In the box were a dozen red roses and a sweet card.  I put them in a vase I had at work...

And then I took pictures so that all 2 of my followers/readers would see my pretty flowers.



After work Alan got his Valentine's Day gift....

Note the little guy on the bottom...



This evening we ran a few errands and went to the auditions for Noises Off at the theater.  It's gonna be a great show!  Then we came home and had a bowl of cereal (the stuff of romance here...) and took some pictures on my phone of ourselves.  They aren't very good -- but here they are:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

(Francis update: He's back at St. Pat's (his nursing home) and slept most of the day.  Please continue to pray for him!)