The Anti-New Years Revolution

So as the new year approaches everyone is talking about their "new years revolutions" and what they want to do differently in the upcoming year...in my experience-most people (including myself...) make goals and resolutions to only forget them or fail at them within the first few days, weeks, or possibly months...I don't want to do that-I want to change the way that I live-change the way that I eat-change the way that I treat my body. I want to become a healthier me! I have tried the Weight Watchers route before and right now I am not going to rejoin-money is tight-and we already are spending money on Planet Fitness each month and I have got to get back into my routine of going and working out! I feel so great when I get done and I just know that if I can get myself into my routine that I would really do well with it! I am not going to give myself a "weight loss goal" or a number that I want to lose I just want to change the way that I live and one way is by working out more and becoming healthier as the year progresses!

Christmas x4

I absolutely LOVE the ENTIRE Christmas season-the decorations, the traditions, ALL of it!! I got to experience several different Christmas experiences this year-Small Group, Crossville with the Kington side of the family, Jackson with my Parents, and then finally Dyersburg with Drew's side of the family! This was our first Christmas in our first home as homeowners and it's been so much fun! I was able to take some of our previous used decorations and add some new ones that fit the house better and I couldn't be happier! Drew let me put lights up on the house and I have just been a happy little girl all season! Mom and I went shopping the day after Christmas and I got lots of stuff to use next year and I can't wait! Each Christmas celebration had it's memories and loves of mine and I can't wait to see what happens between now and next Christmas season!

Family!

Family!  My little family!  I looked at Drew the other night and told him how it's hard to believe that we have been together for 9 Christmases and this is our 4th one as a married couple-our own family!  I am beyond blessed and cannot wait to see what will change before next Christmas! 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all! I have come to absolutly LOVE Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God Christmas cd...We saw him in concert a few years ago and I just could listen to the songs over an over again-he tells the story of the Bible and this song is one of my favorites!

May your CHRISTmas be filled with joy, peace, hope, love and most of all CHRIST!

2013 in Review

I have really dropped the ball with blogging this year-my intention of this blog has always been just to use it as a way of getting my thoughts and whatnot down-obviously I have not done a good job at that. Enjoy the picture as a recap of my year with Drewby and my goal is to blog at least 3 times a week for right now...

God Bless...

I was just reading an article with some pictures about a little boy with MD who is wheelchair bound and will never walk or really do much of anything on his own...a photographer did the "lay on the ground-i stand above you" trick like I've seen with wedding and engagement pictures-but these were different. He photographed the little boy doing things that he will never get to do in real life. He did one of him playing basketball, skateboarding, diving, flying away with a balloon, break dancing, and more...I thought the pictures were wonderful and started reading some of the comments-one person wrote "God Bless this little boy" or something along those lines and then another comment said something along the lines of "don't bring God into this-if God was in it, then the boy wouldn't be suffering" This person's comment got me thinking-really thinking...God does allow "bad" things to happen, and sometimes when we are close to the "bad" situation, we don't see that God allows this-we don't see that God is still right there with us. It's hard to see that God has a plan-even if we don't see it-he's got one, it's our job to believe, have faith, and trust in Him to do His work!

So through all of these tragedies happening in the last few months-as well as some tragedies close to home-GOD BLESS
 

Getting used to it...

It's taking some getting used to...
-a new house
-being a homeowner
-being the wife of an EMT

 Drew and I were not planning on buying a house or moving in the near future...we weren't planning on packing up our life and moving in two days...we weren't planning on having to get a relator and loan person and inspector and all of the other things that go with buying a house...We weren't planning on that-I was actually just getting my craft room the way I wanted it, I had just gotten the garage cleaned so I could park in there, I had just reorganized our pantry area...and then life happened...drama happened...something that didn't have to happen did...But because of the actions of one, Drew and I were forced into the wonderful world of home ownership! We were forced into a journey quickly and without warning...I can only be grateful and thankful for this journey though--I have learned so much and now Drew and I are officially HOMEOWNERS!!!!  I picked up the mail for the first time at the new house yesterday and the charter bill was there-with our names and the new address-I was a little taken aback by it-in a good way!  The other afternoon, I pulled in the driveway and my initial thought was "where am I" mom and I laughed about that for a while...Yesterday, I went to take Darla for a walk (we don't have a fence yet) and I thought I locked myself out of the house...I can't wait to get settled, for Drew to not work EVERY single night of the week (until after 10 p.m.) and make this house our home! 

I am also getting used to Drew working-and working as an EMT where he goes in early some days and doesn't get home until after I am in bed!  I think that since Monday, I have spent maybe a total of 2 hours with my husband (not including sleeping)...I miss my husband! 

These things that I am complaining about don't even come close to how the families in Boston and now Texas are feeling-I am beyond blessed and couldn't be happier with where I am right now!!


 

It's Official!

It's Official! 

As of Friday April 12th 2013 

Drew and I are HOMEOWNERS!!!!

Update

WOW- So much has happened since I last posted!
My last 2 posts were not upbeat and were not happy posts-my parents and I went up to East TN for my Aunt Debbie's funeral and it was beautiful!  The visitation lasted over 4 hours and there were well over a thousand people who came through.  It was hard knowing that she had battled so much and fought so hard only to be taken in a freak accident, but it was also amazing to see the legacy she left behind in her family, her friends, her coworkers, and her students!! While in East TN we got some more bad news about the house that we are renting from my uncle that resulted in a frantic and very rushed hunt to buy a house!  We got back on Wednesday-I worked Thursday and Friday while looking online for houses, we got a realtor and had house tours set up for Saturday!  We saw several houses that would be great if it weren't for this or that, and then I found a very cute cottage style house that I wanted to see.  We e-mailed our realtor and he added it to the list!  We loved it and then wanted to see it again on Sunday along with a few new houses...still nothing except for the cottage style house!  Knowing that we were in a potentially extreme time crunch we talked and prayed about it and put an offer in on the house!  Yes-after 2 days of looking, we put an offer in on a house!!!!  I had to leave Monday afternoon right after work for Nashville for a SPED conference for the middle school and would be gone until Thursday evening...Freaking out and waiting to hear back I went to work Monday-we did find out there were multiple offers on the house.  Drew and my mom went and looked at a few more houses while I was gone but nothing was as great-so we put in a counter off--and then the waiting game began-it was so hard to be away from home and waiting to hear something, but finally on Tuesday night while I was at dinner with some wonderful and great friends, Drew called to tel me they accepted our offer!!!  We were one step closer to owning a home!!!  Yesterday we had the inspection and other than a few cosmetic things the house looked great-I am so excited!!  Drew was going to talk to the relator again today but hopefully everything will still be on track for closing date on April 12th (the day after Drew's b-day!!))!

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers about this house and as soon as I know more I will try and post!! 

 

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1 

This verse is all I can think about today...We are not guaranteed tomorrow here on earth-but as a Child and follower of God we ARE guaranteed a forever life in Heaven!

 

Complete Shock

As I sit here and type this, I am in complete shock. Yesterday afternoon I got home and wasn't feeling well (side effects of coming off of a medicine) and laid in my chair to take a nap before bible study. About 30 minutes Drew woke me up with some devastating news....My "aunt" Debbie had been killed in a freak accident in Knoxville. My "Aunt" Debbie is actually my second cousin (I think) but growing up she was always and will always be my Aunt Debbie. My mom has told me since I was little that if anything happened to her and dad and my grandparents couldn't take care of me that I Debbie and her husband would take care of me. At Christmas time we went to Crossville and helped my grandmother put on our 2nd annual Christmas dinner with that side of the family and I sat and talked with Aunt Debbie for a long time about school-she used to be a sped teacher and then became the principal at a middle school up in East TN. We talked about dealing with and working with middle school students. We talked about behavior problems and how she dealt with them-it sounded like she was an amazing principal who the kids loved and respected. Another thing about my Aunt Debbie is that she was fighting breast cancer-and that's why she was in Knoxville yesterday-her husband had taken her to a treatment and they went out for food after... God works in mysterious ways-he took Aunt Debbie so suddenly, I hope and pray that she did not suffer. I hope and pray-and believe-that she is now dancing with the angels in heaven-her mom and dad especially! I pray for her two children-Elliot and Courtney, her husband, her two brothers and their families, and my grandmother (her aunt who she was very close with). There are so many things that happen in this world that we don't understand, that we don't agree with, that we don't like-but it's important to know and believe that Jesus conquers all death-he controls all death-and because she is a believer, we will see her again in heaven-cancer free!

My Aunt Debbie

Thankful Thursday

There are so many things that I am thankful for...Today I am especially thankful for my Husband. I know that I have said it before, but I am so thankful for him and all that he does!

 Drew-I could never thank you enough for all that you have done for me!  You have such a loving and caring spirit and you are so patient with me!  I am so glad that I said "yes" to you twice-once almost 9 years ago in August (while you were at Camp and I was laying on the floor in Rachael's room) and then again almost 4 years later at Lakeshore when you asked me to marry you.  You have brought me so much joy and happiness and I couldn't begin to thank you enough.  I know that I don't always show my love and appreciation in a way that a wife should-but please know that I do love you with all of my being! 

Wordless Wednesday

OK-so not totally wordless Wednesday--I am just so excited about what this picture is that I can't just post it with nothing more...These are watercolor pages that are almost done for a worship for Camp Agape this summer!!  I am so excited about this camp!!! 

Tuesday...

Is it really Tuesday again??
For me, Tuesdays are almost as bad-or worse than Mondays...
Tuesdays are LONG days for me-I walk out of the door at (or before) 6:40 and don't walk back in the door until 9:00 if not later!  I teach all day, then drive to Martin for class-sit in class for over 2 hours and then drive back to Jackson from Martin!  I am working on my Master's degree in Special Education and have a class on campus this semester.  It's not a bad class, but it just makes for a very long day!!  
 

Favorite PIcture Ideas

If you are here from Kelly's Blog-welcome!

Even though Drew and I got married 3 1/2 years ago I still LOVE our engagement and wedding pictures!!!! Thanks Starla!

Drew and I met at a Christian summer camp called Lakeshore UMA and is Holy Ground.  We got engaged at Lakeshore and decided to have our engagement pictures there.  These are probably 3 of my favorite pictures from the entire session.  The camp is on the banks of the TN River and Kentucky Lake.  Our "feet" picture is one of my favorites because we are both known for walking everywhere barefoot!

 
 The story behind the grill picture is that even though Drew and I were on Summer Staff at different times, we both did the same job that required us to cook meals on that grill...It just hold so many memories and funny stories (One being how one of Drew's friends put a dead fish inside that grill one day when Drew was supposed to cook that night...)

 
These are 2 of the hundreds of FUN pictures we took on our wedding day with the same photographer!  Obviously, we weren't traditional with our choices for footwear (I actually went barefoot for ceremony-put these on for reception) and we wanted to document the shoes and our personalities!!

 

  

 http://starlaphotography.com/

Lisa Harper

Last night I had the wonderful opportuinty to attend the Yada Sisterhood at church. It's a monthly gathering for women of all faiths and walks of life. The motto is "bring a dish, bring a friend", Hope Hall is filled with decorated tables just waiting for women to come walking in! There is a HUGE potluck dinner, entertainment by leader Lisa Clemets, music, and then the featured speaker. 

 Last night it was Lisa Harper. Below is part of the bio from her website, 

 Rarely are the terms hilarious storyteller and theological scholar used in the same sentence, much less used to describe the same person... but then again, Lisa Harper is anything but stereotypical! She has been lauded as a gifted communicator, whose writing and speaking overflows with colorful pop culture references that connect the dots between the Bible era and modern life. Her style combines sound scriptural exposition with easy-to-relate to anecdotes and comedic wit. 

She was absolutely AMAZING-I wasn't able to be there for the dinner and visiting portion but came in as they were starting the after dinner stuff and was seated at her table with some of my friends who were saving me a seat.  After only sitting with her for a few moments I knew it was going to be a GREAT evening!  

Some of the stories she told were amazing!  Below are some snip its from her talk...

Agnes-the 80-something year old woman who sat next to Lisa on a late night flight from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Chicago.  She was heading to India for a mission trip-her 50-something mission trip since she was in her 40's.  WONDERFUL story about stepping out of our comfort zone and taking that leap of faith for Christ.
Cricket-the homeless man from Nashivlle who lives off Elliston Pike near Centennial park.  He lives outside of an old abandoned building.  Lisa served him Thanksgiving meal that was prepared by some women who are recovering addicts (who Lisa had been helping and mentoring). 

It was truly a blessing to get to listen to Lisa and her story of being an almost 50 year old, never married, soon-to be adoptive mother who has traveled 40 out of 47 days so far this year.  If you get a chance, check out her website, I am going to order some of her stuff-just LOVE IT!!!!!


 

Thankful

I am thankful for so many things-I don't always show it or express it, but I truly and thankful for all that God has blessed me with. I am thankful for my loving and patient husband-I know I can be difficult and a pain in the butt, but he loves me unconditionally! I am thankful for my family-they are my rock and my inspiration (that sounds really cheesy but it's true). I am thankful for my job-as much as I don't really don't always like it and I complain-but I am thankful for a job when so many don't have one!! I am so thankful for my family of friends-I have so many that I hold dear and love! I am thankful for technology that allows me to keep in touch with my family and friends. 

 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

 

Wordless Wednesday

It's Official!!!

It's Official! My sister-in-law and her husband are expecting their first child this fall!! I am beyond excited for them, they have prayed and hoped for so long that God would bless them with a child and he has taken the first steps!! She has had an ultra sound and will have her next appointment next month-hopefully we will find out if it's a little Ginger or a little Kevin! Couldn't be happier for the two of them!!

 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a difficult concept for many people-me included! There are countless Bible verses about forgiveness and how we must forgive others because our Father forgave us. It's just a very difficult concept. Over the last 2 years there has been one instance where I need to be the one to forgive-something was done to me and it's my responsibility as a Christian and a Child of God, to forgive this person and move on. When I was not rehired at East in Jackson I was DEVASTATED and CRUSHED! I knew that there were things that I needed to change and improve on and I know that I made mistakes but overall I thought I had improved greatly and thought that I had done more than enough to secure my teaching position for another year...apparently I was wrong and God had other plans. That's how I have to get myself to look at it-GOD had different plans-different than my own!! I was so ANGRY for days, weeks, and months. I searched for a new job but just had the door shut in my face...until God's timing was right and the door opened up for me. This leads me to where I am today-teaching in Crockett County in a position that allows me to work full time and work on getting my Master's degree. God has provided and has fulfilled HIS plan when mine didn't go how I wanted it. I still feel that I was wrongly let go by that one person, but as a non-tenured teacher, he didn't have to have any kind of good reason or proof-and I truly believe that he just did not like me. I cannot change that-I cannot let it continue to bug me or bother me, I can't let the fact that he now works at Central Office in a supervisory position, I just can't let it control me-I have to forgive and forget. I have to Let Go and Let God, because it was all His plan to begin with. Forgiveness is something that is a constant battle and a constant issue that I have to work on.