Moving Day!

October 31st was our moving day...easy to remember when we look back and think, "how long have we been here?" haha. Some of my family came to help (Mom, Jennifer, Jonathan) and some of Mark's family (Adam, Noah, Mom D) It was awesome to have their help and we got everything moved over in 5hrs! Seeing as how the garage wasn't packed up at all yet, I was quite impressed with that time.

We are so glad Jonathan came to help! He was there bright and early and was our only other guy for the first few hours. (Adam was sick and Noah had class)

Mom using the dolly Grandma let us borrow. Thanks Grandma! Adam unloading my parents big van. You can fit so much stuff in that van!

Loading up the lawn trailer. So nice to not have to rent a U-Haul.

Our almost empty old house :)

Unloading the kitchen at the new place! Mom Driggers came after her jail ministry she does and unloaded almost everything into my kitchen by herself. So nice to have done!

Taking a quick break. Love my mom and sister!

More kitchen

Unloading all our mattresses. Adam is taking safety precautions and wearing my bike helmet ;)

Scrubbing the kitchen floor one night Mark was working. It took me 40 minutes!!

Until we get the master bed and bath remodeled we are staying in the guest bedroom and bathroom. The owners before us were in the middle of a tile job, so there was still carpet around the toilet. So nasty! That was one of the first things to go!

This morning Mark fixed our washer. He is awesome figuring out all that stuff so we don't have to hire someone. I'm so excited to be finally washing clothes for the first time in over a week! Speaking of, I have so much to accomplish today....so much cleaning to do. I'd better get started and stop typing. More pix later! Think the next post I'll do some of the new house.

We've Moved!!

Ok, March. Yup. I'm pretty much the worst blogger :) But Michelle, you have me motivated so this is for you girl! Since you can't live in Texas then I'd better learn to blog!

So many things have happened in the last few months. And I'm thrilled with all that God is doing!

On October 31st we moved out of our first home, which was definitely bittersweet! There is just nothing like that first home. So many memories and our first place as a couple....I absolutely LOVED that first house. But moving to something a little bigger and opening a new chapter is always fun. I love change so it has been wonderful!

First day of packing! Lots of boxes and tape!

One of my stacks of boxes

Our new home is a foreclosure so it was great that we got such a good deal, but we have lots to do. We are excited to learn and to make it just how we want though! Mom Driggers came and helped me clean the house the Tuesday before the move. We worked several hours and got the main areas ready. Lots more left to clean though for sure!

Trying not to breath in the really strong cleaner I was using to scrub the bathtub! Lets see, so far I've used up 1 1/2 bottles of Windex, 1/2 bottle of toilet bowl cleaner, 2 bottles of 409, 1 bottle of scrubbing bubbles, and 1 bottle of some natural green cleaner I had.

So I thought I'd post some pictures of our first house just because I love it so much and I want to remember it. Here you go! The tour of our first home together :)

This is before we fixed it up. Mark worked on it so hard in the four months we were engaged! And David (Leah's husband) did an amazing job on the tile! But this are the before pix.

Living room

Kitchen

Master bedroom

Master bathroom

Guest bathroom-nice toilet seat huh? haha

We moved into our first home in August of 2007 right after we got married. Here are some pictures of the house right before we moved out in October of 2009.

Middle bedroom-as you can tell I wasn't gifted in the way of decorating! haha

Front bedroom-At least I got a few things on the walls in this room. Those are Mark's plaques he earned in the fire training academy. He was first in his whole class for academics and physical fitness! Yup, he's awesome. Love him.

Guest bathroom-Mark painted the cabinets and put new countertops and fixtures in both bathrooms!

Master bathroom-yes, the blue is overwhelming! Let's just say it was a little different color than what we thought!

Our master bedroom-I love this green with the dark wood. I think we are going to go blue in our new bedroom though. Time for a change!

Master closet-Container Store I love you.

Entry way and hallway to the living room/kitchen.

The kitchen-I really liked the open plan of the kitchen and living room.

Living room-Lola cracks me up! :)

I had a lot of good quiet times on this back porch. We had that little barn constructed and Mark painted it. I think it's super cute!

Back of the house. Loved the huge backyard!

The front of our first home. I'm gonna miss this place even though I love our new one so much!

Well, I guess I've blogged enough for today for sure :) Maybe next post I can put up pictures of our new house and of moving day. Right now I need to go do some cleaning!

I'm blessed....

It's late....I should be in bed, especially with an early morning workout planned. But my thoughts are wandering and I'm humbled, amazed, and saddened. The book I mentioned that I'm reading, Last Chance in Texas, has some pretty tough things in it. I'm reading about some of the boys and girls that are spending time at the Giddings State School in TX for crimes they have committed....they are all juveniles. They grew up in homes filled with sexual and physical abuse, drugs, gangs, alcohol, no mom or no dad, or ones that were only drunk and high....horrible childhoods. No normal memories like going to the park, or having a birthday party at the zoo, or family photos or family dinners...nothing. They try beers at 5 and 6 because that is what they see...they try drugs at 8 or 9, because they see that too. Besides, it takes away some of the pain. All they know is abuse, hate, emptiness, pain. So that is what they do. He was fifteen when he shot his girlfriend and killed her. He was twelve when he got caught for dealing drugs. She was sixteen when she strangled her two year old nephew and six month old niece. He was fourteen when he stole his grandparents car and drove two other gang members (who he was trying to gain approval from) by a house where they shot and killed a college student through a window. And that same boy was five when his aunt beat him horribly out of anger then filled a bathtub with scalding hot water and dropped him in. She was just six when her dad started visiting her room every night and molesting her. He was five when his mom took him with her to a party....a man got stabbed, his insides hanging out. His mom never came to comfort him, he sat curled up in a corner until someone else took him home. He was eight when his uncle would chain him to the table all day while he was out drinking and doing drugs. When he came home to find urine on the floor, he beat him.

Ugly and horrible? Yes. And we need to be aware that it is out there. I was raised in a Christian family where I had all those good childhood memories. I had a dad that loved me and a mom that comforted me. I grew up knowing the light, the truth. I've never known the kind of pain and emptiness those kids have known. I was never scared to fall asleep or to wake up. I never questioned that I was loved. Lord why me? Why have I been blessed so much, known so much love, given above and beyond what I deserve...and these children didn't. I'm no better than they are, I didn't deserve a happy life any more than they did. Yet I had it and they didn't. And Lord, I don't ever think I'll ever know the answer to that question. But this is what I do know. I have to tell them. I have to tell them they are loved beyond what they can imagine. That YOU care, YOU love them, YOU created them. Lord show me how to tell them! They are not too ugly or sinful for the BLOOD OF JESUS. Because it washes away ALL sin. All of it...It can take away ALL the emptiness. It can heal ALL the pain.

Oh Lord Jesus, may I never forget who You are and what You have done for me. I am overwhelmed. Lord give me a passion for You, give me a heart like Yours, mold me, break me, show me who You are! I want to be Christ to such a sad and hurting world! I want them to know You and may You use me! Give me boldness and humility...Thank you for saving me, thank you, thank you....

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13

Home Decor

There are so many things I could post about, but at the moment I'm on a decorating kick....uh, or should I say I'm on a researching decorating kick :) I've pulled out all of my Pottery Barn and Crate&Barrel catalogs to gain brilliant ideas. There are so many things to consider. Color scheme, flow from room to room, style, minor details, adding personal touches...the list goes on and on. It is quite difficult! This morning Mark and I went and looked at granite countertops. I went knowing exactly what I wanted....and came out completely clueless as to what I wanted! There are so many options! Decorating is a slow process that takes lots of thought...

So since I love Pottery Barn so much I decided to browse the clearance section to see what I might find....And this is what I found.

Click here

Yes, a twig....a twig?? For $19.99?? On sale from $39?? I am reminded why I only gain ideas from these stores and don't buy from them. Think I'll stick to garage sales, craigslist, ebay, and amazon....

Yet another day to serve Him...

I can't exactly explain it, but lately Jesus has been doing such a work in my heart. My simple pleas and cries to Him have been answered in such an amazing way. I'm not even quite sure where to begin on what He has taught me, where He has pulled my heart, what new desires He has placed inside of me. Starting out this year my main goal was to be more like Christ. Satan has tried his best to defeat me, throwing obstacles in my way, presenting thoughts of failure, bringing up old hurts. But the more I take those before my King the less of a grip they have on me, and the more I can become like Him.

This year so far I have read some fabulous books:

Death by Love: Letters from the Cross by Mark Discoll & Gerry Breshears
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
and I'm currently in the middle of Last Chance in Texas: The Redemption of Criminal Youth by John Hubner

All four of these books have made a profound impact on me. God has used each of them in a different way. I'm so excited about how He is changing my heart and my desires! He has used these books as well as His Word to open my eyes to a hurting world and a need for the Love of God. Lord may I never turn away from the pain I see all around me, but seek to shine Your light in a dark, dark world...

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Isaiah 6:8


A photo of Mark and me in Vail this January. Here is the man who daily encourages me to follow Jesus. He is my rock and I still can't believe I'm the girl that got to marry him....love him more and more each day!

Elections

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be make for all men; for Kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is the good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." I Timothy 2:1-4

Barack Obama will be our next President, and I will definitely be praying for him.

These two couples I respect tremendously. And I hope to be seeing Sarah Palin again :)


John McCain is definitely a man of faith and a man of class. His speech brought tears to my eyes.



"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1

Fall Days

Last night Mark and I had a date to Central Market. A much needed date. With night shift work for me and 24 on 48 off for Mark plus overtime and scheduling ourselves around wedding commitments, we see very little of each other. I'm quite ready for November to be here!!


Trying to hold the camera AND be in the picture!


Live band :)

Central Market had a live band playing last night. I had yummy tilapia, fruit, iced tea, and a little milk chocolate bar for dessert. Mark went for the grilling they had set up outside...fries and a big Texas burger. The place was packed and we were lucky to find two chairs together. It was glorious though :) I loved the atmosphere and spending time with my man. We came home and went to bed pretty soon. Mark was exhausted from giving flu shots for 13hrs that day. (a side job that paid well)

The weather has been perfect and I just love this time of year, with spring being my all time favorite time :) Devotions on the back porch while the sun rises are a favorite right now. Just cold enough for socks and a hoody, but not too cold. This was one of the verses I read that morning, Proverbs 8:34 "Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gate, waiting at the posts of my doors." God showed me a lot that morning about blessing, fearing Him, and spending time in His word. I felt so refreshed!

Tuesday evening I came home from spending 5 days in KY visiting my best friend Michelle! We had such a fun time! It was my first time to be away from Mark that long since we've been married, so it that sense it was a little tough. But many good friend memories were made!


Love ya girl! Oh, and I like you too Kyle ;)


Green day!! And no, it wasn't planned. Happy times :)


Sweet photography skills :) Thanks Kyle!

When I flew into DFW on Tuesday I was SO READY TO SEE MARK! He met me at the baggage claim with these.


I just love that man! :) It was good to be home. Although, I have much to do! One of those things being some home decorating...my plant had died while I was gone. I knew it was coming...inevitable. But the sight I saw was pretty pathetic!


Think I'm going for fake next time. That's it for now. Keep Christ your focus this week! "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." Proverbs 8:17