Live Well. Love Much. Laugh Often.

Hey guys! So, my last post was a few weeks back (yes, I've failed again at keeping up to date). However, I'm fixing to fill you in on everything that has happened since we returned home from Camp Conquer. Sit down and hold tight.

As I mentioned last time, we were feeling as if we may have found a church to call our home. Well, that feeling has only intensified over time. What a wonderful God we serve, who so graciously places us where He needs us and where we feel needed/wanted. Thank you, Lord. We have been enjoying our short time at Crossroads of Life Church. We can't seem to get enough of the precious people connected with the church. We've started having the youth group over once a week on Thursday nights. It's been so nice to be around teenagers again! We feel like we are back to where God needs us.

Matt is still working long, hard hours.. but it pays the bills. The weather has been causing some set backs, so we were very thankful for the rain last week. I am still keeping two boys three days a week. It gives me something to do and it's excellent birth control :)

My sister and I went to Dallas this past week with my dad. We stayed at the Gaylord Texan Resort, which is amazing FABULOUS. We slept late, ate too much, tanned, and shopped. And shopped. And shopped some more. A 1.6 million square foot outlet mall?! Yes, please! We had a wonderful time relaxing and having girl time. It was definitely good sister time. :)

(above, Aeriel view of the mall)

When I returned home from Dallas, Matt was out of town leading Encounter. Encounter is a men's weekend, but not a retreat. It is an ENCOUNTER with God. I'm so proud of Him and I know God used him for His glory. It did suck though coming home and him not being here. I had not seen either of my boys for five days, and a long five days it was.

I'm praying about some big educational decisions at the moment. I have already started studying for NCLEX (for you non nursing readers, only the BIGGEST test of your nursing career). Lord willing, I will take NCLEX in December/January soon after graduation. I'm also praying about where God would have me work. I know where I want to work, but I need to make sure it is where GOD would have me also. I'm also praying about further education. I will probably take the GRE in July or August. Still praying, but I plan to apply for graduate school very shortly after graduation and work on my Master's part-time as I work. More details to come later. Right now, pray Pray PRAY I survive my final semester and have a BSN behind my name in December!

Matt surprised me and had a MacBook Pro waiting for me when I got home from Dallas Saturday. He is so sweet. And my laptop is/was crap. So a huge thanks to him! I love this thing :)

I have the week off of work so I plan to spend it doing random things. I'm going to the big town of Learned tomorrow to put the finishing touches on a 50th Anniversary party for Nana and Gaggy! Wow 50 years.. love birds. I also have a doctor's appointment which will include another x-ray, so please pray for good results as well. I'm tired of x-rays and doctors. 

That's all I have for now.

Xoxo

Let Me Rediscover You

Hey guys, it's been about a week since I've posted last.  And, like I promised, I'm determined to keep y'all up to date with our lives. So, since I've last posted, two of our trips have been fulfilled. My best friend and I took our road trip to Memphis.  She's never been anywhere, literally.. she lives in Meridian and ventures to Clinton to the semester.. this is about the extent of her travel life.  She was so excited to see Memphis that it made me giggle. 
(Ash, if you're reading this.. you know I love you, you make me smile )

So, we finally made it to Memphis.. phew, not used to a gazillion lanes on the interstate. Nonetheless, we parked and found our restaurant (after being lost and wandering around downtown Memphis for about thirty minutes). We ate at a place called the Majestic Grille.  It was so nice and so incredibly neat.  The restaurant originally opened in 1913 as a silent picture house.  After 30 years, it closed down and was remodeled and transformed into a restaurant.  The original architecture is still in place, as it gives you the feel of being back in Old Hollywood time.  It also has an 18 foot screen that plays silent films and classic movies throughout your dinner.  If you know Ashley or myself, you know that was right up our alleys.  We LOVE old Hollywood.  So, here's a few pictures of the restaurant. 




After dinner, we headed over to the FedEx Forum for the concert.  I don't have much to say about the concert other than it was amazing.  In my opinion, if an artist can sound just as good (or better) live than recording, that is something to be applauded.  Well, Michael does just that.  He sounds even better live.  He's like this generations Frank Sinatra, so I'm ok with that.

Here's some pics from the concert..

We returned home from Memphis the next day and I began to pack for mine and Matt's next trip. But somewhere in the middle of that, I got sick.  Like yucky sick.  I was not feeling well at all.  Praise be to GOD that I was still able to go to Camp Conquer.  Matt and I had the privilege of going to youth camp as adult leaders, and it could not have blessed us anymore than it did.  From hearing Tom Richter (one of my favorites) speak to worshipping with Downhere and watching illusions by Jared Hall, it was an amazing no AWESOME week.  That camp just didn't do something for the youth though, it gave Matt and I such a peace about a situation we have been trying to work out.  Most of you know that Matt and I have been searching for a church where we can call home and get plugged into.  I'm almost positive that is the reason God allowed us to go to this camp.  I have NEVER, I repeat, NEVER felt so accepted, welcomed, and loved by a group of teenagers as I did this week.  It's very hard to put everything I felt and am feeling into words. Basically, to sum it up, I feel like we may have found "home" and I could not be more thrilled.  I'm already trying to talk Matt into planning youth events and parties at our little apartment.  I can't get enough of being around those kids, they are such a blessing and encouragement.  So, Ashley, Amanda, Abbey, Janice, Angel, Dillon, Cody, Ty, Chris, Travis, Daniel, and Ridge, (if y'all are reading this) THANK YOU from the BOTTOM of our hears. We love you.  You have already meant more to us than you will probably ever know.

Camp was not only wonderful, but beautiful as well.  We were about 45 miles north of Chattanooga and on top of a mountain. God has such a beautiful mind and a beautiful creation.

I'm going to leave y'all with the lyrics of one of the worship songs we sang a few times this week.  It has to be the most REAL and powerful songs I've ever sung.  Lord, let this be our prayer.

Your spirit hovers over my waters
Your love burns longer than the sun
The skies of thunder echo you wonder
Your praises can't be over sung

The whole Universe is witness
To only a part of what you've done
So let me rediscover you
And breathe in me your life anew
Tell me of the God I never knew
Oh, let me rediscover you

You see my weakness, my pride, my blindness
You wield your power through them all
Of all the mysteries, still, the greatest to me
Is that you're faithful when I fall

How can I say I know you
When what I know is still so small?

Let me rediscover you and breathe in me your life anew
Tell me of the God I never knew
Oh, let me rediscover you

Let me cry "holy, holy, holy"
Let me awaken to your majesty
And see a glimmer of your glory
Let me abide in you

Let me rediscover you
and by your grace I'll follow through
reveal to me the God I thought I knew

let me rediscover you
And breathe in me your life anew
Tell me of the God I never knew
And let me rediscover you

Oh, let me rediscover you
Tell me of the God I never knew
Jesus, let me rediscover you.

God Bless,

Weekly Update

Ok, so I promise I'm going to keep this thing updated.. so here we go.  Not much has happened since my last post, but here's a little look into our lives this week.  Matt had a slight accident on the interstate (not sure if I already mentioned that?) about a week ago.  He is ok, someone just ran into the side of him.  So, we are in the process of getting his truck fixed.  This hasn't been our year with vehicles, ha.  Also, it is now June (duh), which means my life is about to kick into turbo speed.  I went to Geyser Falls today with the family I babysit for and my sister. We had fun a blast. Highly recommend it.  I will babysit again tomorrow as I do every Monday through Friday.  However, I'm off Friday.. yay! My best friend and I will be roadtripping to Memphis to see Michael Buble Friday night. I absolutely cannot wait.  This will be the second time in one year I have seen him..!!! Slightly addicted.

Next week, Matt and I leave Wednesday to chaperone a church camp.  We will be in Dayton, TN at Camp Conquer. We will return Sunday.  Please keep us in your prayers, as well as the youth.
On June 21, my sister and I will set out for Dallas, TX with my dad for the week. We will be staying at the Gaylord Texan Resort.  Can.  Not.  Wait.

From June 29-July 3, I will be at the beach with the family I babysit for. Super excited, love those kiddos.

So, as you can see, my June is jam packed with adventure as I leave Matt behind to work. No, really, I'm bummed out that he can't come.

However, Matt and I have had a BLAST these past two weeks.  We had two photoshoots.  The first one consisted of me squeezing back into my wedding gown and him into a precious suit and bow tie! We took some FUN post-wedding pics.. Can't wait to see them all! Last night, we went to Ceres Plantation.. an old Civil War hospital turned home.. gorgeous, too bad it's run down now. We took some very rustic pictures by the fence and barn. Afterwards, we got into some old clothes and had a PAINT fight. Most fun night of my life! Check back later for several photos!

Well, that's pretty much all I have to say tonight. Continue to be in prayer for Matt and myself as we embark on our new journey in life and continue to seek and follow God's will for us.

Here's a sneak peak from the photoshoots :)

Much love,