I'm on a page of my life story that is in the transition of turning over. It can be challenging to be in this "half-turned" transition. These words came to me in a recent time of meditation. I am very thankful for my Father loving me enough to share His faith with me on my journey.
-----------------------------------------
Walk on the path God has created for your purpose.
Do not get distracted by self doubt, impatience of the pace, jealousy of the pace of your peers, and lack of clarity ahead.
Your distractions will collectively form a self labeled identity that hampers movement with temporary satisfaction in a mirage of a purpose.
What a beautiful thing my Father must see ahead.
His faith will walk me along the way.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
i.l.f.m #4
Carry each others burdens
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galations 6:2
This is interesting. (Referring to the page I read) We are reminded to live among and surround ourselves with people who suffer. People who remind us that the world is not perfect, not "paradise". We all strive to look out for the best situation for ourselves. To be happy, satisfied, fulfilled. These "other" people may include people who do us wrong. We should show THEM love. God has called us to live a life of love that may rescue, bring hope, love, faith to someone who knows no other way to attain it. Do not live solely among believers, socially acceptable, proper, HAPPY, people.. only those who make US feel good and life US up. They will not fully graspt the love we have to offer. Show love.
Love as a choice. Choose it.
----------------
A few of my favorite lines from the page:
Everywhere love turns, it finds burdens to carry...
What if there were no one who made a mistake? What if no one fell? What if no one needed help? To whom would you show love?
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galations 6:2
This is interesting. (Referring to the page I read) We are reminded to live among and surround ourselves with people who suffer. People who remind us that the world is not perfect, not "paradise". We all strive to look out for the best situation for ourselves. To be happy, satisfied, fulfilled. These "other" people may include people who do us wrong. We should show THEM love. God has called us to live a life of love that may rescue, bring hope, love, faith to someone who knows no other way to attain it. Do not live solely among believers, socially acceptable, proper, HAPPY, people.. only those who make US feel good and life US up. They will not fully graspt the love we have to offer. Show love.
Love as a choice. Choose it.
----------------
A few of my favorite lines from the page:
Everywhere love turns, it finds burdens to carry...
What if there were no one who made a mistake? What if no one fell? What if no one needed help? To whom would you show love?
i.l.f.m #3
God is real. I feel it in my heart. We have been in a battle together for quite some time now. I battle the poisonous darts of insecurity. When hit, the poison spreads to nearly every aspect of my life. I watch God care for me through this. I continue to pray for a pure heart and clear vision for recognize his care.
*I am thankful for a loving supportive husband.
*I am thankful for my long distance friends, however often or not often I can actually connect with them. They still mean the world to me.
* I am thankful for the friends I have made here, whatever level of friendship we've reached, at this point.
* I am thankful for guidance to a church, where further opportunities for us lie ahead.
-----------------------------
To admit your sin is righteous.
Humbling yourself is to acknowledge and admit weakness
Sometimes we become oblivious to ways we are sinning -> unknowingly growing in a false confidence.
We need to be willing to open our eyes (AND heart) to our weaknesses, to recognize them and grow beyond them.
----------------------------
*I am thankful for a loving supportive husband.
*I am thankful for my long distance friends, however often or not often I can actually connect with them. They still mean the world to me.
* I am thankful for the friends I have made here, whatever level of friendship we've reached, at this point.
* I am thankful for guidance to a church, where further opportunities for us lie ahead.
-----------------------------
To admit your sin is righteous.
Humbling yourself is to acknowledge and admit weakness
Sometimes we become oblivious to ways we are sinning -> unknowingly growing in a false confidence.
We need to be willing to open our eyes (AND heart) to our weaknesses, to recognize them and grow beyond them.
----------------------------
Sunday, April 8, 2012
i.l.f.m. #2
This is my second posting of some personal "ah-ha" moments that I recently discovered, as mentioned in the previous posting. (A better description for why this is posted.) I was thinking about my last post and thought that my responses may not make sense entirely, since I chose not to post what I was responding to. If it becomes a problem, I can post those at a later date, if there is a need. I have no specific order for what I am choosing to post, just what I like at the moment :).
Here goes #2!
The verse the book focused on was:
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galations 5:24
Be Aware of Sinful Tendencies
I believe sinful tendencies can also be described as "weaknesses". I believe people naturally related the thought of Sinful Tendencies to outward, visible actions: cheating, lying, violence, ect. Reflecting personally, my Sinful Tendencies, or weaknesses as I'll now refer, can be hidden behind a social curtain, such as doubt, lacking in trust, and confidence. The visible sins seem to have effects, also visible, on relationships, social freedom, imprisonment. Buried weaknesses can also have serious consequences. Although they may also indirectly affect others, the effect lies mainly with the accused. It destroys from the inside out. Burning away natural gifts and abilities given to us from God, possibly preventing future opportunities and growth.
Awareness in this matter is crucial. Knowing your weaknesses makes it possible to acknowledge when they emerge and possibly why. It can be extremely difficult to know what you are weak in. It can also create other weaknesses, allowing those reminders to surface too often. We must keep God on call, to keep a healthy balance.
After all of this, I thank God for keeping me humble through my weaknesses. Please help me utilize them to benefit my growth and positively affect those I come into contact with.
---------
I can already feel myself being stretched by posting these. I feel my insecurities surfacing... "What if people this what I have to write is stupid, or trivial, or poorly written." Then I remind myself how I've already felt that putting myself "out there" has been a wonderful, uncomfortable feeling and that it can at least provide for an enjoyable read for someone else.. or maybe just a read, if anything else! :)
This is simply my way of doing something I find "uncomfortable" in order to open my introverted self to allow God to do more with me in the future. Baby Steps! You have to start somewhere.... Where is your first step directed?
Here goes #2!
The verse the book focused on was:
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galations 5:24
Be Aware of Sinful Tendencies
I believe sinful tendencies can also be described as "weaknesses". I believe people naturally related the thought of Sinful Tendencies to outward, visible actions: cheating, lying, violence, ect. Reflecting personally, my Sinful Tendencies, or weaknesses as I'll now refer, can be hidden behind a social curtain, such as doubt, lacking in trust, and confidence. The visible sins seem to have effects, also visible, on relationships, social freedom, imprisonment. Buried weaknesses can also have serious consequences. Although they may also indirectly affect others, the effect lies mainly with the accused. It destroys from the inside out. Burning away natural gifts and abilities given to us from God, possibly preventing future opportunities and growth.
Awareness in this matter is crucial. Knowing your weaknesses makes it possible to acknowledge when they emerge and possibly why. It can be extremely difficult to know what you are weak in. It can also create other weaknesses, allowing those reminders to surface too often. We must keep God on call, to keep a healthy balance.
After all of this, I thank God for keeping me humble through my weaknesses. Please help me utilize them to benefit my growth and positively affect those I come into contact with.
---------
I can already feel myself being stretched by posting these. I feel my insecurities surfacing... "What if people this what I have to write is stupid, or trivial, or poorly written." Then I remind myself how I've already felt that putting myself "out there" has been a wonderful, uncomfortable feeling and that it can at least provide for an enjoyable read for someone else.. or maybe just a read, if anything else! :)
This is simply my way of doing something I find "uncomfortable" in order to open my introverted self to allow God to do more with me in the future. Baby Steps! You have to start somewhere.... Where is your first step directed?
Friday, April 6, 2012
I learn from myself?
I realized something today, after reviewing some old reflective journals. This is quite an obvious statement, but it IS so obvious, it is often easily dismissed. I learn from my life. Obvious, yes. I go through the same feelings, the same valleys, and the same mountains, but from different perspectives. Every new moment feels like it is a new experience, that feelings are 100% different and just as confusing.
I have reoccurring feelings of inadequacy, brought on by allowing several other insecurities to get to me too often. This is nothing new, but through time, I never felt my responses to be similar. Today, I was very comforted by my own words written several months ago, in response to a daily devotion from a wonderful book called "Faith Alone" originally written by Martin Luther, but edited for today's readers by James C. Galvin. Every page I had read was so incredibly encouraging to me. Not only to re-read my "feel-good" words, but to acknowledge that, although they were written from a different perspective, were very applicably similar.
Faith Alone is my go-to book. I LOVE it. I have had this book for several years, but ironically, have yet to read it completely. I simply love my previously underlined pages so much that I find my progress to be slow. But I am okay with that.
I made a decision to share a few my responses through the span of a couple days, or weeks.. or longer. We'll see what plan ends up developing! I consider myself to be a fairly private person. I keep a lot to myself, which can be both beneficial and detrimental. I have a desire to stretch myself and grow as a person, but I don't always like to take the first few steps. Sharing my personal thoughts are a big step for me, but I think it will be a good move. I take this from my journal, so many of is posted may not entirely make sense, but maybe it will.
-----------------------
August 2011
Topic: God Will Take Care Of You
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and the feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD
Deut. 8:3
Although this passage speaks directly of food and hunger. I interpret the message to be about "lacking" in general. When we are hungry, it means we are lacking energy, which comes from consuming food. We cannot maintain our energy by our own efforts. We cannot will it to return. We must rely on something outside of ourselves, food. Without it, we will fade and ultimately di. This resource is readily available to us at any time. All we must do is accept.
In the same way, our spiritual lives must be maintained by putting aside our own will to remain full. Our weaknesses may be recognized as our own personal demons appear. Feelings of inadequacy, lack of trust, motivation, ect. When our "energy" is running low, we must remember to sustain ourselves by allowing God to "feed" us. God will meet you where you ask him to, with so much more than you know. All you have to do is let him.
Just as our bodies physically need food, and on a regular basis, our soul, our spirit, needs renewal. It's a daily struggle to fight of those demons that wear you down and drain you, but God is there, always, to feed, to energize, to sustain.
I find myself thanking God of my abilities when I lose sight of them.
----------------
p.s. Our lives will be soon updated to friends and family who are interested in reading about us. Explanations and a plea for forgiveness for this time gap are on their way, as well. :)
I have reoccurring feelings of inadequacy, brought on by allowing several other insecurities to get to me too often. This is nothing new, but through time, I never felt my responses to be similar. Today, I was very comforted by my own words written several months ago, in response to a daily devotion from a wonderful book called "Faith Alone" originally written by Martin Luther, but edited for today's readers by James C. Galvin. Every page I had read was so incredibly encouraging to me. Not only to re-read my "feel-good" words, but to acknowledge that, although they were written from a different perspective, were very applicably similar.
Faith Alone is my go-to book. I LOVE it. I have had this book for several years, but ironically, have yet to read it completely. I simply love my previously underlined pages so much that I find my progress to be slow. But I am okay with that.
I made a decision to share a few my responses through the span of a couple days, or weeks.. or longer. We'll see what plan ends up developing! I consider myself to be a fairly private person. I keep a lot to myself, which can be both beneficial and detrimental. I have a desire to stretch myself and grow as a person, but I don't always like to take the first few steps. Sharing my personal thoughts are a big step for me, but I think it will be a good move. I take this from my journal, so many of is posted may not entirely make sense, but maybe it will.
-----------------------
August 2011
Topic: God Will Take Care Of You
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and the feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD
Deut. 8:3
Although this passage speaks directly of food and hunger. I interpret the message to be about "lacking" in general. When we are hungry, it means we are lacking energy, which comes from consuming food. We cannot maintain our energy by our own efforts. We cannot will it to return. We must rely on something outside of ourselves, food. Without it, we will fade and ultimately di. This resource is readily available to us at any time. All we must do is accept.
In the same way, our spiritual lives must be maintained by putting aside our own will to remain full. Our weaknesses may be recognized as our own personal demons appear. Feelings of inadequacy, lack of trust, motivation, ect. When our "energy" is running low, we must remember to sustain ourselves by allowing God to "feed" us. God will meet you where you ask him to, with so much more than you know. All you have to do is let him.
Just as our bodies physically need food, and on a regular basis, our soul, our spirit, needs renewal. It's a daily struggle to fight of those demons that wear you down and drain you, but God is there, always, to feed, to energize, to sustain.
I find myself thanking God of my abilities when I lose sight of them.
----------------
p.s. Our lives will be soon updated to friends and family who are interested in reading about us. Explanations and a plea for forgiveness for this time gap are on their way, as well. :)
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Steven had a birthday, Amy got a job! Exciting week? I think so!
Do you ever think back to a time in the past when something just "clicked" in regards to learning from life? I find myself thinking back often to my lightbulb moment of patience. In the good 'ole days of high school, someone once asked me if I was enjoying working with the Awana Sparks club (K-2nd grade). I answered that I was, but that I thought I needed more patience. The response I heard was one of the simplest but most life-changing, "when you ask for patience, God puts you in situations that require it."
Looking for a job is never fun. It's very challenging and forces you to think a lot about yourself, evaluate, and eventually grow in many ways. It's been very frustrating, but definitely a situation that required and inspired a growth in patience. Not only in patience, but a humbleness that emerges through recognizing weaknesses, insecurities, and a deep set need for God in every area of your life. It's crazy to recognize growth when you lower yourself. Not only that, but recognizing where you are truely and watching God do as he has always promised, meeting where you are WITH so much more than you can ever imagine. (I hope my thoughts make sense!)
Anyway, this is all true and I could remain in this deep line of thinking but I have to share the slightly humorous ways that God has been teaching me patience. Steven and I do not have cable tv in our house. We use the good old fashioned rabbit ears with the convenient technology of a converter box that feels sorry for people who still use an antennae. This system worked just fine in Overland Park. Now we live in a 1950s Florida house with concrete walls. We thankfully have 3 of the major networks to watch most of what were our favorite shows. I can't even explain how frustrating it can be to have 3 channels (remember I'm thankful for!) that each have a different antennae position that changes every time you turn on the television. I can say that we do not watch nearly as much as we used to, which is usually a result of giving up finding the "perfect" spot. Sometimes when I choose to remember that it's just growing my patience, I also grow such a strong stubbornness that vows to conquer that television and after a 30-45 min battle, I can usually pull out a win! :) This definitely doesn't happen everyday. I also can't say that I've paired stubbornness and patience to work in my favor before.
On to the important news! I got a job! I have been blessed with a wonderful friend who is nearly married to one of Steven's good friends from Stetson. She had informed me of an open teacher position working with the autistic students in their learning center and offered to schedule me to shadow at the center to see if it were something that I was interested in. I should mention that the job in in Tampa, which is over an hour drive for us. I knew she made the drive and thought she was crazy. My last job was a 5 minute drive from my house! I loved my time observing and loved everyone that worked and attended the center. Two days later I was offered and accepted the job as the new lead teacher. I am going to have a classroom of four fairly high functioning students with different needs and their own lesson plans of daily work. I'm thrilled to have a challenge and to be able to look for creative, effective techniques to benefit each of them individually.
I will be car pooling with my friend, Marla who conveniently is reimbursed for her gas. (She is now also learning Italian in her car as she drives!) and since she stays for a couple of house after the kids go home, I will also work in the office as well as go through training to tutor typical students who come in after school hours. The support system at Huntington Learning Center is great, not to mention I'm already good friends with someone in management! I'm just so thrilled for the opportunity!
Other interesting stories. Let's see. Steven just had his 24th birthday. This year was a little different for him since he spent the day studying in the library. He took convenient breaks so we could enjoy breakfast and lunch together, which was great! He enjoyed his birthday Chipotle burrito that I happened to surprise him with. He rarely gets to eat there since I'm not exactly a fan (oops). I also need to share this delicious dessert recipe that I received in one of those annoying daily emails that I signed up for at one point. It's a raspberry tiramisu trifle. (Steven is holding it in the second picture) SO good! Make it! You won't regret it!
http://www.recipe.com/raspberry-tiramisu-trifle/?sssdmh=dm17.544268&esrc=nwdr082811&email=3553337198
I also need to share that Bailey is deathly terrified of that Captain America balloon. I've never seen a dog so close to crying after I gently tossed the clip that holds the balloon in her general direction. I also have never crawled under a bed to apologize to one. She's turning into quite the sensitive pup! I suppose the velociraptor dog costume (posted below) we were looking at for Halloween might not be entirely appropriate anymore! It'll still be hilarious, though! I love that dog.
We also attended our first Tampa Bay Rays baseball game last weekend. It was so much fun! We were able to enjoy a free hotdog, 12 oz. soda, and a bag of peanuts all for simply showing a bill from our current internet provider! Although I prefer the stadium setup of Kauffman, Tropicana's promotional deals were much tastier! The Rays also have a fun second mascot called DJ Kitty who shows up on the big screen occasionally between innings to rile up the crowd with his mad dj skills and hilarious apathetic expressions. I believe my favorite part was the slow clap beat accompanied by a pulsing image of the cat's eyes on the screen. How many baseball teams use a cat? I'm curious. It was great! However great he was, their main mascot did NOT have a hot dog launcher like the one used imfamously at the Royals stadium.
The Rays were playing the Red Sox for the wild card (sorry if I get the explanation wrong, I don't follow sports :). ) The game was extremely exciting as it went into extra innings and fans grew crazier at each play. I have to admit, I enjoyed seeing Steven get into the game like he did, but I DID have to pull him to his seat at times when he began taunting (harmlessly) the many Red Sox fans around us by shaking his keys in the air, dancing, yelling ect. Ha. It was fun.
I believe it's time to wrap up. There shall be more information coming as I'm sure stories and further life lessons will create themselves in the next coming days/weeks. Thank you all for putting up with my stories, some unnecessary, some vague. I enjoy writing them and maybe I should share them more often as to not lose effectiveness in translation from memory to screen. We'll see! :)
Thanks again to everyone who showed me love and support for my upcoming job. I really appreciate the prayers and celebration. I hope everyone is doing well. We'd love to hear from you! Please drop us a line sometime whether on this blog, our facebook pages or phone. We are so encouraged by the relationships we have. I will now leave you with some super cute pictures of our pup. :) Love you all!
This pillow turned into a new fort/nap spot.
Her new favorite game of terrorizing the "monster" that is our bedspread until it completely envelopes her, creating the perfect nap spot. (There's a theme with her games.)
Looking for a job is never fun. It's very challenging and forces you to think a lot about yourself, evaluate, and eventually grow in many ways. It's been very frustrating, but definitely a situation that required and inspired a growth in patience. Not only in patience, but a humbleness that emerges through recognizing weaknesses, insecurities, and a deep set need for God in every area of your life. It's crazy to recognize growth when you lower yourself. Not only that, but recognizing where you are truely and watching God do as he has always promised, meeting where you are WITH so much more than you can ever imagine. (I hope my thoughts make sense!)
Anyway, this is all true and I could remain in this deep line of thinking but I have to share the slightly humorous ways that God has been teaching me patience. Steven and I do not have cable tv in our house. We use the good old fashioned rabbit ears with the convenient technology of a converter box that feels sorry for people who still use an antennae. This system worked just fine in Overland Park. Now we live in a 1950s Florida house with concrete walls. We thankfully have 3 of the major networks to watch most of what were our favorite shows. I can't even explain how frustrating it can be to have 3 channels (remember I'm thankful for!) that each have a different antennae position that changes every time you turn on the television. I can say that we do not watch nearly as much as we used to, which is usually a result of giving up finding the "perfect" spot. Sometimes when I choose to remember that it's just growing my patience, I also grow such a strong stubbornness that vows to conquer that television and after a 30-45 min battle, I can usually pull out a win! :) This definitely doesn't happen everyday. I also can't say that I've paired stubbornness and patience to work in my favor before.
On to the important news! I got a job! I have been blessed with a wonderful friend who is nearly married to one of Steven's good friends from Stetson. She had informed me of an open teacher position working with the autistic students in their learning center and offered to schedule me to shadow at the center to see if it were something that I was interested in. I should mention that the job in in Tampa, which is over an hour drive for us. I knew she made the drive and thought she was crazy. My last job was a 5 minute drive from my house! I loved my time observing and loved everyone that worked and attended the center. Two days later I was offered and accepted the job as the new lead teacher. I am going to have a classroom of four fairly high functioning students with different needs and their own lesson plans of daily work. I'm thrilled to have a challenge and to be able to look for creative, effective techniques to benefit each of them individually.
I will be car pooling with my friend, Marla who conveniently is reimbursed for her gas. (She is now also learning Italian in her car as she drives!) and since she stays for a couple of house after the kids go home, I will also work in the office as well as go through training to tutor typical students who come in after school hours. The support system at Huntington Learning Center is great, not to mention I'm already good friends with someone in management! I'm just so thrilled for the opportunity!
Other interesting stories. Let's see. Steven just had his 24th birthday. This year was a little different for him since he spent the day studying in the library. He took convenient breaks so we could enjoy breakfast and lunch together, which was great! He enjoyed his birthday Chipotle burrito that I happened to surprise him with. He rarely gets to eat there since I'm not exactly a fan (oops). I also need to share this delicious dessert recipe that I received in one of those annoying daily emails that I signed up for at one point. It's a raspberry tiramisu trifle. (Steven is holding it in the second picture) SO good! Make it! You won't regret it!
http://www.recipe.com/raspberry-tiramisu-trifle/?sssdmh=dm17.544268&esrc=nwdr082811&email=3553337198
After our delicious dinner/dessert, we enjoyed the conversation of family, including two separate birthday songs from each of our two nieces. It's so great that they love talking on the phone, even if Aubri (age 5) felt that Steven was getting too old when she heard his age.
I also need to share that Bailey is deathly terrified of that Captain America balloon. I've never seen a dog so close to crying after I gently tossed the clip that holds the balloon in her general direction. I also have never crawled under a bed to apologize to one. She's turning into quite the sensitive pup! I suppose the velociraptor dog costume (posted below) we were looking at for Halloween might not be entirely appropriate anymore! It'll still be hilarious, though! I love that dog.
We also attended our first Tampa Bay Rays baseball game last weekend. It was so much fun! We were able to enjoy a free hotdog, 12 oz. soda, and a bag of peanuts all for simply showing a bill from our current internet provider! Although I prefer the stadium setup of Kauffman, Tropicana's promotional deals were much tastier! The Rays also have a fun second mascot called DJ Kitty who shows up on the big screen occasionally between innings to rile up the crowd with his mad dj skills and hilarious apathetic expressions. I believe my favorite part was the slow clap beat accompanied by a pulsing image of the cat's eyes on the screen. How many baseball teams use a cat? I'm curious. It was great! However great he was, their main mascot did NOT have a hot dog launcher like the one used imfamously at the Royals stadium.
The Rays were playing the Red Sox for the wild card (sorry if I get the explanation wrong, I don't follow sports :). ) The game was extremely exciting as it went into extra innings and fans grew crazier at each play. I have to admit, I enjoyed seeing Steven get into the game like he did, but I DID have to pull him to his seat at times when he began taunting (harmlessly) the many Red Sox fans around us by shaking his keys in the air, dancing, yelling ect. Ha. It was fun.
Today we had a day off and decided to venture into Tampa to experience first-hand this IKEA we've heard so much about. What a zoo! We knew going on a weekend would be busy, but we weren't expecting them to trick us into never finding our way out of the store! :) lol. We first-timers, didn't realize you had to walk through the ENTIRE two level store (which is a maze, literally) before they led you to the only non-emergency exit. I was humored to find other couples wandering around with a quizzical look on their faces pointing to the exit signs. We didn't make any purchases, but we also weren't expecting to. I can't say they had anything I absolutely needed at this point. (I've become so frugal lately, I'll be surprised if I ever buy anything other than food again, haha). I will say that it was fun to get ideas for a house that allows for more creative decorating.
Thanks again to everyone who showed me love and support for my upcoming job. I really appreciate the prayers and celebration. I hope everyone is doing well. We'd love to hear from you! Please drop us a line sometime whether on this blog, our facebook pages or phone. We are so encouraged by the relationships we have. I will now leave you with some super cute pictures of our pup. :) Love you all!
This pillow turned into a new fort/nap spot.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Short stories of our recent weeks.
Steven and I were discussing today how we've been living here for a month now! I guess I should no longer refer to us living in a transition. I believe we can officially say that we are set here in Florida. Although, we have done little to complete our needs to finish furnishing our house, but that's so unnecessary at this point! :) We have decided early on that we would be using 2nd hand items to fill this house, which takes more time looking for those great deals, but its so satisfying when you come upon a great discovery! On one of our many garage sale/flee market outings we happen to come upon a young couple trying to get rid of an old cedar china cabinet. When we were told we could have it for $25 we couldn't risk not taking it. What made this purchase even better was that neither of us couples owned a vehicle large enough to transport it the mile to our own house. Thanks to the generosity and creative nature of these other people, we began a slow trek down the streets with the bottom of the cabinet sticking halfway out of our trunk. I sat on the folded down seats holding onto the piece so it wouldn't slide! The other car completely outdid us, they threw a blanket on top of their car and placed the top half of the cabinet on their car. Windows rolled down and arms sticking out the windows, they held on for the entire drive. We were quite a sight! I regretted not having my camera there to document this memory, but my stories will have to carry in their place. Which probably means it'll be stretched and elaborated on throughout the years to where the original story has completely disappeared!
We had no intention of using this as a china cabinet. Instead, the bottom half became our entertainment center and the top half, a much needed bookcase on an empty wall.
We must also not forget that Steven started classes recently, as in... last week. I'm a little behind but I'm at least remembering to discuss the entire reason we moved down here! He actually had orientation two weeks ago and then classes the following week, so he's been in the routine going on his third week. Of course, what kind of wife would I be if I didn't take pictures of him both on his first day of orientation and first day of classes! I caught a glimpse of what he was like when his mother tried taking his picture as I could not get the guy to smile nicely, although I suppose I can't blame him. At least he humored me and let me take them!
The first picture is of his orientation day where they were required to dress up. The second is first day of classes with his free canvas book bag from the school. How nice :).
We had no intention of using this as a china cabinet. Instead, the bottom half became our entertainment center and the top half, a much needed bookcase on an empty wall.
We must also not forget that Steven started classes recently, as in... last week. I'm a little behind but I'm at least remembering to discuss the entire reason we moved down here! He actually had orientation two weeks ago and then classes the following week, so he's been in the routine going on his third week. Of course, what kind of wife would I be if I didn't take pictures of him both on his first day of orientation and first day of classes! I caught a glimpse of what he was like when his mother tried taking his picture as I could not get the guy to smile nicely, although I suppose I can't blame him. At least he humored me and let me take them!
The first picture is of his orientation day where they were required to dress up. The second is first day of classes with his free canvas book bag from the school. How nice :). Steven has been enjoying his classes. He spends most of his time studying in the library, which is just a short walk away. We initially thought this would be nice, but he now wishes we lived further away as the sight of the school taunts him from every window in our living room and his office. :)
I can still report that I continue my job search. I am in the process of making contacts and connections into the job world where I can apply my degree. I have a longing in my heart to return to school, but I have committed to helping Steven get through his law education first. At times, I struggle with this as I feel impatience and a desire to identify myself with my talents/education/career aspirations, but I do take peace in knowing that it will happen. I must do my part for the time being to find someone who can offer advice and guidance to a workplace that will not only keep me in the groove of what I know and want to do, but also give me training I can use in the future. God will provide, I'm confident. I remind myself to give credit by allowing that peace to remain and patience to grow... ugh, patience. Thankfully, we have both started making connections who are beginning to network for me to offer options. There are more to look into when the time permits! That's always encouraging!
I must also say how thankful I am for Steven again, as he is doing my friend making for me! :) Last week we attended the school's first social for the 1L students, intended as a meet and greet event. Unfortunately, they gathered us at an outdoor restaurant/sports bar with live music. It was so incredibly tight in the space we had to weasel ourselves in and out of the crowd to get anywhere. The food we were promised was nearly gone by the time we arrived, although what we did grab WAS good. We have passed on following socials for the time being as it is nearly impossible to talk with anyone when music is muting anything that may come out of your mouth. Not to mention, we were one of few couples that attended and we, like them, tended to stick to ourselves! We did meet a few people, although in a setting like that, it seemed as though they were more interested in meeting other singles, not a boring married couple. Ha! We had a great, awkward time of yelling at people about who we were, but we left early to the quiet serenity of our own home.
I have to say, it wasn't my ideal place to meet people. I prefer being able to have conversations with a smaller group of people in order to really get to know them. Thankfully, we were able to spend a wonderful Sunday evening visiting with a couple of Steven's friends from school, who happen to be cousins. Both of them are engaged, although only one of them joined us for the evening as the other lives in New York. I liked them immediately! We have discovered many similar interests and Steven discovered many interests he would like to take on as his own. I can only imagine how long it'll be before he's into spear fishing, bow hunting, and many more activities that will inspire future blogs!
I need to also include a few pictures of what's been keeping me busy. I discovered that yarn isn't the only thing you can crochet! I made myself my first bracelet out of an old window drape that I purchased at a thrift store. I also made my first fabric flower. One of many that will become magnets to stick to the back of our refrigerator that sticks out behind the half wall that splits the living room and kitchen. I've begun several other crafts, but those will be uploaded later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)