Reflections..

of a HAPPILY MARRIED WOMAN...

I HAVE A HUSBAND WHO DOES WHATEVER IT TAKES

LAUNDRY, DISHES (he is at the sink scrubbing dishes as we speak), GRILLING IN THE RAIN, WORKING WHATEVER SHIFTS ARE AVAILABLE TO HIM (even when he is exhausted or it takes him away from me after we haven't seen each other much), TAKING CARE OF OUR KITTY, TAKING CARE OF OUR CAR, STAYING UP ALL NIGHT TO MAKE SURE I GET UP INSANELY EARLY FOR WORK, HAVING LUNCH READY WHEN I GET HOME FROM SCHOOL, PRAYING FOR OUR FAMILY, HOLDING MY HAND, AND MANY MANY MANY MORE THINGS THAT ARE TOO MANY TO LIST.

I AM BLESSED. SO VERY VERY BLESSED. I AM BLOWN AWAY WITH THE MAN THAT GOD CHOOSE FOR ME. BLOWN AWAY. IT IS SUCH A CONFIRMATION OF GOD'S LOVE FOR ME, THAT HE WOULD BLESS ME SO MUCH WITH THIS INCREDIBLE MAN.

We just passed our One Year mark. I cannot believe that we have been married a year already. The year passed in the blink of an eye it seems. I remember getting engaged, planning the wedding, getting married, our honeymoon, getting to live together, planning our move, moving, adjusting, new home, new jobs, new EVERYTHING, starting school, and poof more than a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

God provided us the opportunity to attend a couples retreat with our church the weekend of our anniversary. It was an incredible time of being together, growing together, learning together, playing together, praying together, worshiping together, and being challenged together. We were at a beautiful place with a Beautiful Heavenly Father, and great leaders loving on great couples.

Our anniversary day was a real and simple day. It was who we are and where we are at. It was perfect. I woke up to find...TICKETS TO THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA!!!! I have been wanting to go for so long and I can't wait!! (We go in a couple weeks!) I woke my sweet hubby up with lots of excitement and thank yous and subtle hints that his gift was right beside him. (Hints he was too sleepy to pick up on right away, lol) I gave him an Alabama watch, he liked it a lot! We got up for church but missed it because I couldn't find anything that fit (that was the REAL part ha ha), we made hamburger helper for lunch, then we got dressed and went to the Botanical Gardens in town to walk around and take a few pics (this was a gift to me as hubby really isn't a big fan of pics - he was a great sport!!), we then went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday with a buy one get one free coupon (this is where we are and I love that this was our dinner on our first anniversary and we used a coupon! Love it!!), then we headed to the bowling ally for cheap bowling night. We did not bowl well but we had a good time and tried hard! We then came home to eat the top of our wedding cake. Which was quite good actually! I had three pieces and hubby had two!! It was THE PERFECT DAY!

Our first year of marriage was chock full of wonderful memories and some tough times. We married, moved, and became college students. We have grown so much as husband and wife, and as friends to one another. We have made adjustments, we have cried tears of joy, sorrow, frustration, and hope. We have prayed, and sought the face of the Lord, we have believed and trusted. We have held hands, held each other, missed our families and friends, and loved each other through it all. We have learned to love, support, and encourage one another and to put the other first. We have learned better how to love one another!! We have learned likes and dislikes and what tough moments look like as well as what blissful moments look like.

I would say that this first year of marriage has created in me a greater love for my wonderful and Faithful Heavenly Father and a deeper faith in my Jesus, a greater love and appreciation for my amazing and wonderful husband, and a greater love and appreciation for our families and friends whom we miss so very much!!

Our wedding day still stands as one of the most amazing days of my life. That is the happiest and at peace I can ever remember feelings. With our families and friends surrounding and loving on us and making a vow to love each other forever with God as our Center always!! A truly beautiful and perfect day!!! We are still beyond thankful and blown away by how everyone came together to make the day exactly what it was...Perfect and wonderful!! We truly miss our friends and families more than words can express and can't wait to get home to see everyone!!!

We cannot wait for what God has in store for us in this next year. We expect wonderful things!!!

Here's to FOREVER with MY FOREVER!!

I love you my Mr. Wonderful, My Forever, My Hubby, with all of my heart and I thank God for you every single day!!!! I am proud to be your wife and have you as my husband!! I couldn't have imagined it better than this!!! Thank you for being such an incredible man of God, thank you for loving God and seeking after Him and being willing to follow His will, thank you for doing whatever it takes, thank you for loving me, and thank you for being my best friend!!! I am so proud of you and so thankful for you!!

Thank you Heavenly Father for the amazing man that you choose for me and share with me. Thank you for Your faithfulness, forgiveness, and love. Thank you for seeing us through the hard times and the wonderful times. Thank you for being by our sides every second of every day. Thank you for challenging us to be better. Thank you for being You and for teaching us!!! We love you with all of our hearts and cannot wait to see what you have in store for us. We trust you and believe in You and we serve You!!! In Jesus name. Amen.

Always Faithful..

When we were lost...You were faithful

When we were single....You were faithful

When we began dating...You were faithful

When we were both laid off...You were faithful

When we needed new jobs...You were faithful

When we needed to buy a ring...You were faithful

When we had a wedding to pay for...You were faithful

When we had a big move to pay for and get through...You were faithful

When we had school to pay for...You were faithful

When we had books to buy...You were faithful

When we were broken in Spirit...You were faithful

When we were exhausted...You were faithful

When we were homesick...You were faithful

When we were stressed...You were faithful

Sometimes I just need to remember the many ways in which YOU ARE FAITHFUL Father!

Thank You for your faithfulness. Thank You that no matter how desperate I feel in the moment of crisis, it is only a mere moment and the moment ALWAYS passes and YOU ARE ALWAYS FAITHFUL.

Help me to remember that so that the MOMENTS are filled with FAITH instead of worry and anxiety. Fill our home precious Jesus with your Peace I pray. Fill our hearts with Your Peace I pray. Fill our lives with your Faith I pray. Always.

In Jesus precious precious name I pray. Amen.

Moving Forward...

Moving Forward

They sang this song in church this morning (Praise Assembly in MO) and I had such an emotional reaction to it.

First: It made me miss our home church (New Life AL) so much as this song was an anthem for our church for a while. As we sang it was hard to once again realize that we must move forward from our wonderful home church. Yes we will most certainly go back to visit, but it will be different.

Second: It made me think about how badly I do want to move forward. Move forward into a new year with my husband and for us to grow more and more every year. Move forward in school and toward the life that You, Father God, have called us to. As we approach our One Year Anniversary I cannot help but be emotional as I think about how Faithful God is and where we are now compared to where we began.

Several lines in the song just touch on where we are and what God is up to...

What a moment you have brought us to:

Springfield, Missouri from Columbiana, Alabama = Wow!

Full-time College students from Full-time workers = Wow!

One year of MARRIAGE = From Years of being single = Wow!

You have given us a second chance:

Wow! We were both lost. Very lost and you gave us second chances. Here we are literally following Jesus in Springfield. It was not easy to give our sins and old lives of darkness over to You Jesus and there are moments when it is not easy to continually give our lives over to you. But you have given us a second chance (and many other chances as well)! How faithful you are precious Jesus, Abba Father!

Surrender our lives to Christ...Moving moving forward:

We have surrendered our life to you Christ and we will keep moving forward!

Keep moving forward when we are exhausted, tired, stressed, scared, when we wanna just throw our hands up and give up because that just seems easier. We will keep moving forward, following you, growing in you, desiring more of you, applying your Word to our lives and allowing it to change us, we will move forward into the life that You have called us to, even if we are doing it alone.

All things are made new:

You made us new when we surrendered our lives to You Jesus and I am so very thankful for that. You continually make us new as we grow in you and allow your Word to change us and mold us into Your image!!

Change also makes things new, new city, new people, new church, new routine.

Change is not an easy thing but we will keep persevering so that our lives will indeed be DIFFERENT and be a Testament of YOUR LOVE JESUS!

I needed this emotional reaction today. And the encouragement from another Children's Pastor that followed this afternoon. To be re-fueled to KEEP MOVING FORWARD!!

It is so beautiful to me that our Heavenly Father brings encouragement even when we didn't know we needed it!!

Father, You are so beautiful and loving and faithful!! I praise You for who you are!!! You are so beautiful and wonderful and I am so thankful to be a part of your kingdom and to get to do kingdom work. Right now I understand that for the most part that work is to STUDY and to gain all the knowledge that I possibly can so that you can use me in greater ways to touch the lives of your precious children in the near future. Father you are indeed amazing!!! Thank you for our second chance in this life to love you and serve you. Father I pray that YOUR Truth will sink deeper and deeper into our hearts and lives and be evident in all we do for the rest of our lives. Father I thank you for pushing us forward even when it is so incredibly hard. I thank you for sending encouragement at just the right times!! I thank you Father because you are wonderful and Holy and Worthy and I praise you tonight with all of my heart!! Thank you for Your Word!! May we have such a strong love and desire for your Word and may it transform our entire beings and lives forever. Thank you Father for bringing us together to walk this journey together with You. Lead us and guide us and change us and speak to our hearts and let us dear Father be all that you created us to be. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

Love

Crazy Life

Things are a bit crazy right now. With exams and papers due!

Good New thought...after Thursday I will be able to breathe again!!!

Even Better news...Friday after my two classes my Wonderful Hubby and I are leaving for our...ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TRIP!!!!

We are going to the lake for the weekend for a Couple's Retreat with our church. I am excited to be away with my Husband for the weekend without Books, Notebooks, or Old Navy. Without interruptions or distractions. To reflect on our year together and on our Future!!!! Then we will spend our Anniversary day together, taking some pictures and just being together, and of course eating our Wedding Cake!!!

I can't believe it has been a year already!! The time has gone by so fast!!! It is really shocking!!

I'll try to work on a post about our year but my brain is exhausted these days!!

Study time!

Weekend Review:

After looking back on my blog posts of previous years I have decided that I like weekend reviews.

Friday:

I had classes from 7:30 to 9:30

We spent the afternoon running a few errands and then went to do a little bargain/window shopping. It was a sweet afternoon of holding hands and just appreciating the time together. Then I had to be at work by 2:30 and worked until 11:00.

When I got home Hubby had rented a movie that he thought I would like.

We ended up getting distracted by working on my spring class schedule so we started the movie late and I ended up falling asleep. I'm such an old lady.

Saturday:

I had to work from 8:30 to 2:45

Hubby had to work from 12:00 to 4:00 and then again from 6:00 to close (well after midnight). He ended up coming home for a bit between shifts. It was nice to be home together for a bit.

I spend the rest of the day relaxing under my electric blanket. Worked some on my Blind Project paper, watched the BAMA game and watched the move I slept through Friday night.

Sunday:

Had a wonderful time in God's presence at church. Had a very powerful time of communion.

Then home to eat my hubby's amazing chili and watch some football and relax and nap!

My brother came over and spent the whole day with me. It was really really nice to get to spend time with him and get to catch up!!! It was THE PERFECT DAY!! I even got half of my paper written!!!

Love

Weekly Facebook Status Update...

Sunday: "3 hour blind project begins...NOW!"

Monday: "Ate a superb steak dinner @ the dinning room table with my wonderful hubby! Now to study study before hubby's softball game! It has been a very nice day!"

Tuesday: "The devil is a butthole!"

Wednesday: "Thankful for LIFE today! Jesus paid your ransom, how are you honoring that today?"

Thursday: "Just had an attacker drill at school...NOONE in our class yelled SPARTANS & our attacker never had a chance! We were informed & ready though!"

Friday: "It's OCTOBER!!! My favorite month of the whole year!!! Fall & our Anniversary!! Wow how quickly time has gone!!!"

Saturday: "Why yes, yes Tater and I are snuggled up under my electric blanket on this lovely FALL day!!"

OCTOBER!!!

It's here!! My favorite month!!!

I love this month it has always been my favorite month. It begins Fall and the temp drops and there are pumpkins and fall leaves, and pumpkin spice latte's and sweaters, and now it also hold our wedding anniversary. A great month indeed!!

Our October will be filled with studying, hopefully a pumpkin patch, chili, exams, work, football of course, walks in the park holding hands, a couples retreat, hopefully a visit from my parents!!!!!, hoodies, warm socks, snuggling on the sofa, chili, pumpkins, wedding cake, remembering our wedding, and just Life's chaos.

I was looking back today and realized that each year holds its own kind of chaos. That is just life.

Last year was wedding chaos, this year has been moving, adjusting, school, and balance chaos. Next year it will be something different.

THIS IS LIFE. THIS IS LIFE.

In all of these things there is JESUS AND HIS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, GRACE AND MERCY, there is LOVE AND HOPE AND STRIVING TO BE BETTER, there is LAUGHTER AND JOY, TEARS AND STRIFE, there is LIFE.

Father Thank You for this LIFE. Thank you for YOUR FAITHFULNESS AND PROVISION. Thank you for who you are and who you are in our lives!! Thank YOU for this year!!!

HAPPY OCTOBER YALL!!!!