Seven

Seven months of marriage! I can't believe how quickly the time flies by. Marriage is wonderful! I'm so very thankful for my sweet husband! I recall those times when I would see others getting married and wonder if there was someone out there for me, someone wonderful and amazing. R. exceeds all my hopes, dreams, and desires. If I had known what kind of man God had for me, perhaps I would have prayed with more faith and less anxiety! Thank you, Lord, for my husband!!!! Thank you, R. for being a man of God and for loving me well! I love you, sweetheart!!!!!!!

Houseguest

R. and I were in the guest bedroom last night hanging out. I was sorting pictures on the computer while R. chilled for a bit. There we were, minding our own business, thinking we were the only ones there. For some reason I looked up and low and behold, an intruder. We have a gecko! Living in our house...somewhere. He never moved all the while we were in the guest room, but this morning he was nowhere to be found. We're calling him "Skinny". R. came up with that one. It's better than a cockroach, though it is rather startling to think he could reappear at any moment and take us by surprise. The south is a strange new land, but the creatures don't seem too dangerous!

Bar Projects

Not the drinking kind of Bar, but the exam kind of Bar. While R. studies...all the time...(Smile, he's so diligent!) I've been keeping myself occupied with a few projects around the house. I have to say I'm quite proud of myself. I don't really know what I'm doing, but somehow the projects are turning out quite nicely. Our living room is looking classy!! Check out the before and after pictures! Sweet!

Before...

Finished Product

Sweet Action!!!

Relationship Status: TAKEN

I'm so beyond excited!!! My sweet sister has a sweet boyfriend!!! It all happened rather out of the blue. Just goes to show that tomorrow or today could bring the answer to what we've been praying and hoping for. It's a good reminder to trust that God is working on our behalf even when we don't see Him.

I'm proud of you, Sis! I'm proud that you've never dated before but have waited for God to orchestrate something for you! Thanks for being faithful! You rock.

Papa Roach

I think that's the name of a music band. Well, I met Papa Roach last night. Not the music band. He was quite eager to meet me, too! It was going on 10 o'clock. I went upstairs to get ready for bed and as I walked into the bathroom something jumped at me from the wall above the mirror. That something was the biggest cockroach I have ever seen! Yuck! I jumped and raced out of the room to yell for R. He came upstairs and went into the bathroom. "Oh my gOSH...thump, thump. Yuck." Dead Papa Roach. I promptly announced that we would have to move...north!

Needless to say, bedtime was out of the question after that little fiasco! My heart was still beating hard so I stayed up reading a bit longer until I calmed down. Things are not supposed to fly at you from the bathroom wall. It's not natural! And cockroaches are not supposed to be 3 to 4 inches long. That's not natural either! Yuck!

In spite of my adventure I managed to get a good night's sleep. Though I did check the walls in the bathroom this morning. It's wild down here! Smile.

Praise the Lord!

Well, Grandpa had his surgery on Friday and has already been released from the hospital! God is faithful! We weren't ready to let him go yet! He and Grandma are convalescing in the nursing home until Grandpa is fully recovered and they can return to their apartment. Thank you for all your prayers on his and our behalf! Blessings and Love!

Bible Study

I've been attending this Bible study at work for married women. We're studying the book "Created to be His Help Meet" by Debi Pearl. It's definitely not for the faint of heart. Pearl is pretty blunt about how we women have usurped the role God has give to our husbands and have tried to control instead of submitting to his leadership. It's been convicting and exciting as I've watched the Lord soften my heart. I've learned that submission is really about trust. Do I trust R. to care about me and to make wise decisions? Do I trust God to care for me even when R. makes mistakes? Trust has always been something I've struggled with and letting R. be the man has been huge in teaching me how to trust. And I have so much more peace in my heart when I'm not trying to control. I can't believe how much it's made me relax! I'm so thankful to be learning this in the early stage of my marriage rather than years down the road. God is faithful and He is certainly the one who changes our hearts. And it's great to watch Him do it!!!!

A Prayer Request

I'm requesting prayer from all of you for my Grandpa. He's been having some health troubles that have caused him to pass out a couple times in the last week. The doctor's think it's heart related and have been running some tests to determine what needs to be done. Please pray for his healing and for encouragement for him. Also, please lift up my parents as they deal with this as well as my Dad's injured shoulder and resulting unemployment. It's a lot right now.

On a happier note, I have to say how thankful I am for my sweet husband. He brought a cheesecake to the office for me and all my co-workers just as a pick me up for the stress at work and in our personal lives. Sometimes I can't believe how very blessed I am by the man God has given me. He's so thoughtful and considerate. I'm a blessed woman, indeed! Thank you, sweet love!!!!!

Job Woes

The past couple weeks work has been kind of a bummer. A co-worker returned after maternity leave and the dynamics changed. What I thought was a blossoming friendship with another co-worker has wilted before coming to bloom. "They" have become exclusive again and my partner A. and I feel like we're on the outside. Then there's the bosses. Can I say roller-coaster? It's impossible to tell from one moment to the next whether they'll be up, down, or something else. Stressed usually describes them, it's just a question of what that will look like to the rest of us.

Now don't get me wrong. I have some INCREDIBLE co-workers. It's just that lately some of those I have to work with directly are really a pain, or taking their stress out on A. and me. Needless to say, I'm wrestling with my attitude. I simply don't want to be here anymore and yet I don't have a choice at this point. That's the hardest part...not having a choice and feeling stuck.

Please pray that the Lord will help me to rise above the petty attitudes and mood swings. I really want to do my job well and to finish strong and not have things peeter out as my time here comes to a close. It's temporary (though I don't know when it will end), so I want to remain joyful in spite of the frustrations. Thanks!

It's all about me....

I think I'm starting to realize that I'm always going to encounter people who think they're better than me, or smarter than me, or cooler than me, or more mature than me. And that condescending attitude is annoying. However, it's not likely to change, so it's up to me to change. I'm letting other people control me when I react to their attitude and actions. Of course, now, knowing this and learning not to let them bother me are two very different things. But, I guess instead of focusing on what other people do that I have no control over, I can turn my attention instead to my response to them which I can control. Almost sounds like mind over matter.... Smile. Well, Happy Friday everyone!

Forever Young

I'm told that one day I will come to appreciate the fact that I look young for my age, but I have yet to see the benefits. (I should apologize for the fact that this will most likely be nothing more than a vent. ARGH!) I'm so tired of being treated as if I don't know what I'm doing simply because I look young!!!!!!! I'm frustrated with the condescending tone, the furtive glances looking for someone else to assist them, being questioned when I tell someone the procedure, told how to do something I've done a thousand times. What is it that makes people act this way? It takes twice as much effort trying to prove my competence rather than just being competent. I'm sure I should probably learn to just let it go, but it's hard when it happens repeatedly. Does anybody else feel this way????? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

For the birds

I arrived to work this morning to the sound of all sorts of birds echoing across the parking lot. The funny thing is, it's an electronic bird sound. No, it's not meant for pleasure or even ambiance, it's to scare away the gackles. Birds fly south, right? And they have to go somewhere, right? Well, they picked Texas. They flock everywhere and leave their evidence on cars and anything else that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, they put in an electric bird sound to scare them off. One bird sounds very much like a falcon out of a creepy movie. All authentic, mind you. Smile.

All things considered, though, I've come to love this hot place. I never thought I'd enjoy Texas, let alone come to love it, but I do. I love the heat that wraps around me like a cozy blanket, the humidity that refreshes my skin like a soothing cloth, the homey sound of crickets chirping (as long as they're outside), the trees with branches reaching to the ground and spread wide. I love the rumble of thunder and the lightning that rips across the sky and the sound of the rain beating on the roof. I love it. And I love that I share this home in this place with my sweet husband. The Lord has blessed me greatly and I feel content.