a few of my favorites things :)

just a few of my favorite things, that i'm really digging lately :)

cherry m&ms - goodness, these things are yummy! ive had them at christmas before but D brought them home to me for vday this year too :) so good!



also, my line-a-day journal. I love my line a day journal, love it. I found this awhile from camille (she's one of my favorites) and decided to get them for all my bridesmaids. i have a horrible memory so i love this way to track memories, days and years. while it was great last year (my first year to write in it) i love it this year because i get to look back and remember what i was doing last year. what a great idea! published by chronicle books.























and lastly, this goodness:



vintage modern is bonnie and camille's latest line. i adore it. im loving the houndstooth. just in case anybody out there is wondering... my birthday is coming before too long, and i wouldn't mind getting this.

Our first year :)

Earlier I posted about our first six months together, so now I'm hoping to round out that first year with some new memories. I have a horrible memory, so I love writing these down and being able to come back and remember these sweet times together.

We celebrated the summer in full fashion: we went on an amazing trip to San Antonio (including Sea World), we went to the Houston Aquarium where David convinced me to touch a sting ray. I had been to the Aquarium before with Laura, but just couldn't bring myself to touch them. But this time, with his encouragement, and some major psyching up, I did it! I know it is a silly, small little feat, but I felt proud for conquering a fear.

I actually conquered another fear that summer as well. Many times we went swimming with Aus. They were jumping off the diving board, but as few may know, I have a major fear of jumping off the diving board. When I was a little girl, I fell off once, and cut the inside of my leg - I was hurt *and very embarrassed* and that was the end of it for me. That night there were plenty of 5 year old kids jumping off just fine, but I was too scared!!! Finally, with the encouragement of my two favorite guys, I did it. And even while it was thrilling (silly yes, I know) I still wasn't completely comfortable. I did it several more times, but everytime I was pretty petrified. All in all our swim dates were a great part of the summer.

Mom and Dad packed up and went to the "south" to visit amy for a couple weeks, so David and I moved in and played 'mom and dad' to Austin. It was a fun week - Austin was getting ready for a mission trip, we hung out, watched movies, grilled hamburgers, built a fort, watched Harry and the Hendersons, went to the chocolate bar, and David and I oohed and aahed over mom's washer and dryer (we were used to a half size one!)

David and I watched fourth of july fireworks tucked away in a quiet neighborhood- we found a great spot, with a great view, but with no crowds!We'll have to remember for next year (see??? its good that I write these things down!)

After we house sat for mom and dad, we house sat for one of our favorites profs. It was fun, playing house :) We took care of cats (which we dont really like...) jumped on the trampoline, watched movies, hosted a failed book club, and swam at their local pool. So much fun!

At the end of the summer, David and I flew (free - thanks Natalie!) to Baltimore, and then traveled to DC, met up with Meryl and J and drove to Charlottesville, VA for Ashley's wedding. What a blast we had. The guys stayed with some friends of Ashley's (and went kayaking, I believe) and Meryl and I shared a room at the Clifton Inn. Girl's night out, fun games, dedicated psalms, bouquet tutorials, catching up with Liza and Andrew, rehearsal & lunch, last minute decorations and plans, early morning, bees stinging, and then... the wedding. What great fun to celebrate with my dear friend.

We moved! Um, we love our new digs, and we feel like God was in all the details. We had planned out exactly what we needed, and our very first spot was the spot. They had everything we wanted and more, and in our price range, and in the location we wanted, and they would paint our walls, and they would waive our application fee. Um, yes please!

David started working as interim youth and children's minister. Immediately we felt loved by these sweet sweet people at this church. I love Sunday night church - singing old hymns. Feels just like when I was a little girl. What a blessing it is - you just don't find that a lot in churches anymore. I feel like I'm back at Baker, and I love it.

We celebrated in Waco with the newly engaged sis & her man at their engagement party. How much fun was this. So happy for the soon-to-be-Reynolds. And hey, we got a day with the WHOLE (there are eight of us now!) family at Salado. That's impressive.

We read (and watched) all the Harry Potters, we went shopping at our brand new HEB (right next door to us!!!), we karaoked (sp??) with the Hatchett clan in China town (ha!), we royally screwed up (i.e. I royally screwed up) our Halloween extravaganza by accidentally doubling the chili powder instead of halfing it (what a gracious husband I have), we threw a Christmas party for our college buds and played nertz for hours, we looked at Christmas lights and put up our very own Christmas tree (it was our first time to do this - so much fun!), we proctored the SATS, we bought got jobs at HBU, and I cut my head on my third day of work and had to get stitches (great...).

What a year. I can't believe it went by SO FAST. On our one year anniversary, D & I were supposed to be at a big Christmas event at church. We were sad we couldn't get away, but at least we would be together right? Wrong! I got miserably sick and was stuck in bed while my sweet man went to church. He came home to me with white roses. I burst into tears - what a blessing I've been given. I looked horrible - puffy and swollen eyes, red nose, couldn't breathe, I mean, let's face it, it wasn't pretty. And the man brings me roses. He's a keeper :)It may not have been some glamorous one year anniversary, but I saw a tangible expression of those vows (especially the 'in sickness' part) we had made one year previous, and really, I couldn't ask for anything more.

The Chronicles of Narnia

I was immediately scarred by the BBC version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when I saw it for the first time. I was just a young girl, and I did not like anything I saw. The scary witch, the talking animals... none of it settled with me right, and I, unfortunately, declared myself not a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia.

Nothing much happened or mattered in this regard until Austin got a little older and had read the books. "They are SO good," he told me. "They are about JESUS," he tried to convince me. But still, I would not relent. I somehow just couldn't be convinced...

David entered the picture, and he too, tried to convice me to read them. I still wasn't ready, though I was finding myself willing to give the new movies a try. Maybe they wouldn't be so scary... On Christmas Day, David and I were on our honeymoon in NYC and we wanted to go see a movie at the AMC in Times Square. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader had just come out. I knew he wanted to see this so badly... and I was okay with it. I was just happy to be seeing a movie in Times Square... that was enough fun for me! But as I watched the movie, I became less hard-hearted... I really liked some of the movie I saw. I loved when Aslan talked to Lucy and told her that their knowing each other in Narnia was just a glimpse of knowing each other in real life, in a real way. Lucy asked Aslan if they will ever meet in her world. And he says yes. When she asks how, he says, "Because there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."
I don't know why, but it struck me. The idea of catching a glimpse of him, of knowing him 'a little' so that one day we may know him more fully...it's beautiful.

Okay, so by this time, I'm feeling a little silly...realizing maybe there is something to these stories, maybe they are worth reading. So when David asked me if I wanted to read through them together with him, I said 'yes.'
And let me tell you, it has been such a blessing. I've enjoyed reading in the evenings with David... that has been blessing enough, but the stories we are reading are so incredible. I love how Lewis sees things, how he has told this story. It really is beautiful. Clearly I'm not the first to notice this, in fact, I'm apparently very far behind the rest of the world, but I admit, I shouldn't have let the scary british witch scare me so much as a child.

So thank you Austin - for planting the seed in me to read them. And thank you David for helping to bring it about.

Summer GetAway 2011

My wonderful sweets surprised me last week with plans for a quick trip to San Antonio and SeaWorld! We're both working most everyday all day so getting away for a vacation just seemed like it wasn't going to happen... but D worked it out!

We left Sunday afternoon and arrived in San Antonio just in time for a sundown walk along the riverwalk. It was wonderful. The riverwalk has always been one of my favorite places :) And I've never been there with the mister, so it was wonderful to share in this with him!

Monday morning we headed out to seaworld! I was SO excited to see Shamu. I went to seaworld as a kid and have never forgotten it... I was so giddy - we sat in the splash zone, right in the middle and had a GREAT view of shamu and all his tricks. We rode the Journey to atlantis, saw the AZUL show (some of the most amazing diving I have ever seen!), petted dolphins, saw sharks and penguins, went to a 4D show, saw a sea lion play, and ate at rositas! And probably more, that I have already forgotten! As we were leaving, David bought me a baby shamu as a souvenir. I love my sweetie.

I was planning on taking pictures with my ipod, but unfortunately, I didnt plan well enough and it was out of battery, so I didn't get any pictures, which makes me really sad, but I still know I will remember this getaway. It was such a surprise, such a gift, and such a blessing.

Side note - as more and more time goes on, I am more and more amazed by David. He is such a gift to me. He is my friend and encourager. His love is so selfless and he is an example to me.

six months

so, granted its been a little more than six months, i wanted to write some about our first half year together. its been up and down and all around, but overall, we're so grateful to be walking in marriage together. im grateful for a man to live life with, to grow with, to worship with.

some highlights(and a few lowlights..)of our first six months:
- We celebrated our first christmas together in New York City! What a blessing and what a wonderful honeymoon! We got to celebrate the day out and about in NYC, seeing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller, a movie in Times Square, and a nice dinner in together at our hotel.
-Upon arriving home, we worked on getting our apartment settled. We were joining two lives, two sets of 'stuff' and setting up our home. David was great help and although there's still some picture frames and things to hang, it feels more like home everyday, because he's there.
- Job Hunting seems to have gotten the best of us. We waited so long for a job that we could have 'in the mean time' while we were looking a more substanital job. Money was tight, but D's a wonderful provider. I was never in need of anything. I'm grateful for a man who worked hard before we got married,saving money up, so that we could be prepared those first few months of marriage without a job. He was preparing provision for me, and I'm so grateful. Although we have jobs now, we both are still seeking direction from God about 'callings.' We desire to be doing more than going to a rote job everyday. We desire to be doing something that matters, something with kingdom value. We believe and have faith that He has a purpose for us. He has plans for us, and in His time, He will place us there.
-We've enjoyed being part of a church home at PGBC. We've been enormously blessed by the body of believers there, and we're grateful to love on the kiddoes on Sunday mornings.
- Grocery shopping: I love grocery shopping with this man. I have no idea why or how, but he makes it so much fun. I love that we can have so much fun doing something so simple together.
- One night, not long after we'd been married, David and I were up late watching TV... we were a little hungry, and we decided to go get chicken nuggets and shakes from McDonalds. I have no idea why this sticks with me, or why it was so fun. But it just felt like freedom. We were together, in our home, and we could go out anytime of the night we wanted! We could be crazy and get ice cream in the middle of the night! Again, I don't know why this was so much fun, but I just remember being in complete bliss that night. It was amazing.
- I changed my name! Though this process was a bit tedious, I'm so grateful for it. I love how in the bible a name change represents a change in who you are. When God changed your name, or had someone else change it, it meant the essence of who you are had changed. I have changed! I'm a different person. A huge change has occured in my life - I've made a lifelong covenant to be joined in marriage for the rest of my life, and my name change represents this! As a graduation gift, my mom got me a new bible with my new name on it. It's beautiful and I love it.
- I graduated! Though I was pretty discouraged somedays, D helped encourage me to keep at it, and after lots of long hours, papers and presentations, I finished my degree. Grateful to my love for all his encouragement along the way.
- We had a pipe explode under our sink, we had draino spill in our bathroom and stink up our whole apartment, we went to the aquarium, we had outings to katy mills, we played hide and go seek in the mall with austin, we had a spring break getaway to katy, we (okay me, it was me) locked our keys in our car twice!, David preached his first two sermons, we got new jobs at pappadeaux and quilter's emporium, we hosted our families and friends for dinner and celebrations in our apt, went to see summer blockbusters with austin, we spent our first night away from each other when i went on a girls trip to salado, we watched HEROES and FAMILY TIES, we (okay David) built us a new dresser, we played jeopardy (a lot!), we rented movies, we got hooked on america's got talent,we sang together at the top of our lungs in the car, we watched fireworks, we loved, we fought, we prayed, we wept, we learned, we laughed. We - me and him, the one I love.

so many things on my heart this morning...

YHWH, we ask for your presence and guidance in all these situations. We seek you and you alone!

thinking of austin and his team in joplin, missouri as they minister to people who have recently suffered much.
thinking of ms. liz and her team as they are loving on people and preaching the gospel in uganda.
thinking of amber as she is getting through her first week at sky ranch.
thinking of mom and dad as they travel home today and tomorrow.
thinking of a sweet friend who is in a not so great family situation.
thinking always of my beloved, praying God's guidance and presence in him.

stewards of grace

been reading through ephesians lately. trying to look at it with new eyes, reading slowly, asking the Spirit to guide me. several things have stuck out to me lately, but i have really been thinking of something i read in chapter 3.

paul just casually mentions at the beginning of chapter three about how the ephesians have probably heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to him ... and then he goes on to make his point. but this idea of 'stewardship of God's grace' really got me.

we are to be stewards of His grace. When he graces us with his presence, his provision and his guidance, it is a gift given to us from the living God. his grace is something that he gives us, something we should not take for granted.
He graces us with his presence in our lives, and we have a responsibility to respond. We have a responsibility to treasure and value his grace, not to waste it or use it cheaply.

what does this look like exactly? well for us, it may mean going to these jobs that we hate so much... we wake up each morning dreading going to our jobs - they are environments we aren't crazy about and often it seems like there isn't any kingdom value in what we're doing (making sure metal gets delivered and waiting tables...) but the truth is that these jobs are God's grace to us in this season. We hope and believe he will give us direction and this season will shift into more meaningful and purposeful work, but until then - we have meaning and purpose in this ... in being stewards of his grace. in working hard at our jobs, which are expressions of his grace.

show us your grace, all the more. may our eyes be always open to see the gifts you give us, and may we be good stewards of these gifts. may we value your presence in our lives. may we respond to your grace in a way that shows we are grateful and may you gain glory in this.

may we see your work in our lives in a way that cannot be explained away by things of this world. we want the world to see your work and to know that nothing natural can explain what is happening. we want to see hard hearts healed, we want to see reconciliation and restoration. we want to see you, we want to work for you and your glory. we want to respond to your grace. we want to be stewards of your grace.