Wonder-full

"I’ve always found that the most beautiful people, truly beautiful inside and out, 
are the ones who are quietly unaware of their effect."

  Jennifer L. Armentrout

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It was so good to see Joey's family this weekend. While I find myself even more comfortable around them, there were a couple times that I found my pregnant self talking when I wish I was just listening. Ah, it happens I guess? We finished a really cool puzzle too. 

We got to meet Greyden Snoke on Saturday - which was so neat. It was neat to see the little man that was being grown insider her all that time, to know how the Snokes' lives are forever changed, to see how great of a mom Kara is and how connected she was this time, and to realize a little of what we might experience ourselves in ~6 months. So neat. Other than that, just enjoying life, having J off and at home (I'm happy for him even if I'm not there), and looking forward to taking this Wednesday off, just for fun. 

Last July Friday

 

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Happy Friday! Last night after dinner with my family, we packed up and we'll be heading to see J's family this weekend. We get to have dinner with them and spend Saturday there. We'll also get to pick up J's birthday gift - a grill! We're excited to try some things out on it. I'm really happy we get to see his family :) - it feels like it's been a while!

Our News

Now that we're moving out of the first trimester (and posted on facebook), I can officially announce that we're expecting! We're super excited, although a little nervous and so so thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far. I've started a pregnancy blog for family and friends that are interested in the details and relatively weekly pictures. Okay, that's all. Yay!

 

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Evenings

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Last night J cooked. One of the best things of evenings is that it keeps the days from being monotonous. As much as I try to enjoy the days even though I'm working, I really can't wait for the evenings - the part that feels like "life" to me. Maybe I should make a change? but for now I'm happy. 

2.5

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Happy Monday! I had a good weekend - such a praise that everyone got along well (8 girls can be drama), and we got to try paddle boarding, which was really cool. We saw a few dolphin fins on the creek we went on. J and I have now been together for 2 and a half years. I'm so super happy that that Starbucks date went so well....

Charleston II

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Tomorrow morning I'm heading down to Charleston with a group of girls to celebrate my friend Annie's bachelorette. I'm looking forward to showering her with love and making her feel special, and good conversations and fun times. J will be going to Philly for a tournament, so I'm praying for safe travels for our little family. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Live well

 

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try again tomorrow

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So this weekend we watched movies, did another training session with the dog trainer, got errands ran with my mom at the mall, got errands ran with my hubby at 3 different stores,  napped, had dinner with a new couple to me, got to go to church together again, made a new appetizer, and attended a baby shower. Oh, and I was extremely cranky on Saturday. I think a part of me is still surprised with how patient and loving J still tried to be throughout the day and evening, and more of me is surprised that he just forgives me. I'm hoping to not really ever be that bad again. It's supposed to be a busy week at work and J's working night shifts, but I plan to be sweet to him :)

300

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Today, we've been married 300 days. The transition felt more natural than I could have imagined. I love figuring out life with my husband. I'm amazingly happy and loved, and so so grateful for that. Still, in looking back at our story, I love seeing how much God did in bringing us together, in making us who we were when we met, and in continuing to change us (hoepfully for the better). I'm looking forward to the rest of our lives :)

Also noteworthy, today is the first birthday of one of my friends' little girls :)
Today marks full term for my pregnant friend Kara. I'm so excited it'd be okay for her little man to come any time now! (I mean, I do hope she makes to through her sprinkles this weekend)

Courage

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Wandering Heart

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Let's be honest, I distract the mess out of myself. I've started reading, I think 6 books, I try to watch tv and listen to music at the same time, sometimes I read a line or two of my Bible reading while I'm driving, I talk about all sorts of crazy things to J (in particular), I listen and appease my growling stomach, like every 2 hours, I rotate my shirts to another part of the closet, I'm re-wearing all my shoes to separate my heels in to full day and half day categories, I pick at my split ends, I could go on and on. This morning, I heard this song by Brandon Heath, and I realize it's not new, but it still hit me, sometimes, I just miss the point. 

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me you heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

Highlights

 

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Highlights:

1. Dinner with couples. J and I don't get to do that too often.

2. I sent J a free Disney call of encouragement from Mickey. Kinda silly, but it made me (and I think him) smile. 

3. My bridesmaid dress for Annie's wedding fits. It's a very medium purple :)

4. Another Sunday with church together. 

5. Helping a friend clean up her nursery for her little boy coming in less than a month!

6. Wanting breakfast for dinner, walking to Barry's but finding out it was an early close night, going to the grocery store instead, and J making my dream of Mickey pancakes come true :) 

7. Walk with a visiting friend and loaning her my veil. Something about sharing a "vital" part of my wedding day feels really special to me. 

8. Waking up early to drop J off at work (his car is in the shop). I got this flash of wondering if this is a little what it's like to drop kids off at school - then come home and start my day.  

Life is full of all sorts of things, and I'm hanging on to those moments :) 

Highest

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So in some ways, I think having Wednesday off made me even more productive this week, both at home and at work. (it's a slow week at work, so it's a little hard to tell) 

All my email devotionals have recently been about adversity. It's not something we imagine wanting, but it turns our eyes to our Lord, it helps build our compassion for others, it allows us to mature more, and it can help us see a bigger picture in the long run. I mean, it can also brew bitterness, immaturity, selfishness, anger, jealousy, etc., but the beauty is that the choice is ours (maybe with some help). And we can always be renewed by the transformation of our mind.

Dreaming

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Today, the office is just not working for me. I'm dreaming of home :) and beyond.

*Update: my day got tons better :) Lots of story sharing at work, I actually ran errands after work, boys and I just missed the rain on our evening walk, and omelets for dinner with hubby.  Yay.

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now;

rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be 

seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, 

but the things we cannot see will last forever. "

-2 Corinthians 4:18

Independence Day

 

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Hope everyone has a safe and fun Fourth of July :)  It's amazing to live in a country with freedoms to and freedoms from, especially after being reminded by Brian and Debbie of other countries in which Christians are still physically persecuted. I take it for granted most days. I'm looking forward to time with family, playing cards, brownies, and fireworks!

July

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Happy July! Hope everyone stayed coolish. We watched movies, cleaned house, went to the pool, ate well, saw Stephanie and David, and heard Africa stories :)  All in all, a great start to the month!