Blog Challenge #6 & #7

#6 {Your last random act of kindness}

I really do try to do random acts of kindness often.  I love being able to bless others when they least expect it. As I read this though I couldn't remember the specfic time that was the last random act of kindness I did.  SO I am now challenged to do something very soon!  I will update what I decide my random act was and how I was able to bless others.

#7 {What is your dream job?}

WOW, this one is hard I have so many things that I would love to do.  My dream job would be a mixture of a bunch of things.  I would love to not have to have a job and not have to worry about money.  With that I would love to be a personal shopper for people.  I would love to spend time baking and maybe have a cupcake shop (similiar to the one in 2 Broke Girls lol), I would love to just help people decorate thier homes and do the shopping for them.  I would just love to do the things that I enjoy to do in my freetime for a living!

Blog Challenge #3-#5

#3 Post your favorite picture of yourself, explain why it's your favorite

This is one of the first pictures ever take of me and I L-O-V-E it.  That is me with the yellow bow and that's my older brother Marc looking over me.  He has always been my protector and looking over me and I love this picture!

#4 What is your favortie Comfort Food, post the recipe!

Ice Cream!  I love all kinds of ice cream and it's my go to comfort food.  About a year ago I got a kitchenaid stand mixer (the best gift I have ever given myself!), along with that I the ice cream maker attachement.  While I have made many great types my favorite (which I have yet to name) is a mixture of Cookie Butter and Nutella.... here is the recipe I use....

2 large eggs 
¾ cup sugar 
2 cup heavy or whipping cream 
1 cup milk 

1/2(ish) cup Cookie Butter
1/2(ish) cup Nutella

Mix eggs until frothy, add sugar slowly until mixed.  Add cookie butter, nutella and mix until blended.  Add milk and heavy cream.  Refridgerate for a few hours before making the ice cream

#5 Top 10 songs you are loving right now

10) She's singing my song by Songbird Jones (local Fort Worth guy)
9) Million Times by April Geesbreght (another local whose made it big)
8) Loved the Hell by Joey + Rory
7) Beam me up by Pink
6) Roar By Katy Perry
5) Little Drummer Boy by Pentatoix
4) ALL OF SHANE & SHANE (I couldn't pick just one!)
3) 5:19 by Matt Wetrz
2) Wake me up by Avicii
1) When My Heart is Torn Asunder by Phil Wickham (This has been the anthem to my life and espeically 2013)

Blog challenge 2014 day #2

{10 things that make me really happy!}

10) Heated car seats
9) Chai tea
8) My pups
7) Matt Wertz
6) Live music in general
5) The beach (especially at night!)
4) A good meal (steak & lobster!)
3) A good bed
2) Cookie butter {ice cream}
1) ALL the amazing people in my life. What really makes me happy is how blessed I am to have so many amazing people in my life. I am blessed to have friends who I can laugh with, those I can cry with and those I can just be still with. Relationships are what make me happy!

Blog challenge 2014

I have wanted to start blogging more and so I decided to give myself a jump start with a 31 blog challenge. My goal is to blog every day of January. So here we go..,

Day #1 Write the story of your life in 250 words or less (this is gonna be hard!) and a current picture

Born in Minnesota, grew up both there and Florida. Was introduced to Jesus when I was 11 which has directed the rested of my life. Graduated high school in Vero Beach. Tried out a few colleges spending most of my undergrad years at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Involved with CRU, traveled to Brazil which gave me a heart for the nations. Moved to Texas, lived with 8 teenage girls and learned that The Lord wanted to use my story to bless His name. Spent 18 months at Heartlight. Moved back to Minnesota. Joined staff with CRU. Left staff. Moved back to Texas. Got bachelor and masters degrees in social work. Got an amazing job I love. Trying to live my life to honor The Lord. Am blessed to be able to walk alongside people who are struggling and have amazing people in my life who love me well!

I am now 32 years old and life is great! It sure doesn't look anything like what I thought it would at 32 though.  I'm Assistant Director of Crisis Services for a mental health agency, I oversee seven 24 hour crisis programs.  I've lived in Fort Worth for almost 7 years and love it. I have 2 sweet dogs (Daisy & Bella) My love language is Quality Time and I love doing crafty things, playing board games, reading a good book and traveling!

I'm guessing if you don't know me you will get to know me well over the next 30 days! Here is a picture my dear friend Marti Aiken took!

2 weeks and counting...

It's 5:00 in the morning and I don't have to be up for another 2 hours. I don't know why I'm awake, it's been an exhausting week/weekend! Life has been super busy as of late, but I'm making it and I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Over the summer I was given the opportunity to submit a proposal for a new program. I had two weeks to develop a program and write the grant. I spent many long days at the office those two weeks but it paid off when we got the letter of approval in August. We were being awarded $4.5 million to open a 12 bed crisis respite unit for adolescents!!

Since then I have been working hard to get the program started. We did what seemed liked 5,000 interviews and hired the 28 staff needed to run the unit. It's an amazing staff and I'm so excited about the leadership! We've spent countless hours coming up with the policy & procedures, rules, and schedules (who knew how hard making a 24-hour schedule was?!?).  I don't know how long I spent debating between furniture.  I love that kinda stuff but it's hard to pick out furniture from a blank slate and hope if will work! $58,000 later the furniture was picked out and sent to order.  I have spent hours upon hours and thousands of dollars shopping for the unit.  I've had overflowing carts of towels, pillows, and home goods.  We packed the work Tahoe full at IKEA, and then I went back a week later to get even more stuff! I spent this last weekend doing even more shopping and have much more to do this week.

It's all coming along though! We are set to open December 2, 2013!  The furniture is being delivered today, the building renovations are almost complete and we are having a community sneak peak this Thursday! It's crazy that all the hard work is coming together and we are about to open our doors in two short week! I am so excited to be able to serve this population and to love them well while they are in our care! I also look forward to being able to rest once it is open!

Yesterday I got to spend the day with sweet friends from Heartlight. It was so good to be able to reconnect with them and to reminisce about our time at Heartlight. I love how Gid used each and everyone one of us while we were there and the relationships He formed. I pray that this new unit will have the same result!

I love seeing how God is using my past to mold my future and I love the opportunities I get to love people well!

Thankful for Today 5.18.13

1) My dear friends Kati & Erin! It's crazy to think that it was almost 5 years ago that I met these two sweet girls at Panera.  I had just gotten back from Thailand and needed community in a bad way. I was invited to join their small group and met up with them and a few others that day at Panera. Only God would know that over the next few years we would grow to become dear friends! Our lives are all {a lot} more busy than they were 5 years ago but we make time to continue to walk through life with one another. Today we grabbed lunch and helped Kati with wedding registry stuff. It was so good! I just love those girls!

2) Sundress weather! It's so funny how with every season I look forward to the next! But right now I am so glad that it is Sundress weather! I love wearing skirts and dresses. If I could wear a sundress and sandals every day I would. I'm so glad the season is officially here! I'm sure I will shortly be longing for sweater weather but for now I'm thankful for the blazing hot sun!

3) Shoe designers who still make size 5 shoes! I don't know when the trend happened, if a study was done and people were found to have larger feet than in the past but I'm so thankful for those faithful designers who still make shoes in size 5. I really wear a size 4 but those are near impossible to find in Northern America. I have learned the tricks of wearing shoes a size too big for me but add an extra 1/2 size and I'm a loss cause. Most designers start makes shoes at size 6 and it makes my heart a little sad when I cannot find cute shoes. I was a Dillard's today and after a long search finally just said bring me out ANYTHING you have in a 5.  Ten minutes later the sales clerk returned with A pair of shoes, yes just one! So thank you Nine West, Jessica Simpson, and all the others who remember the small {footed} people!

4) Air conditioning! Today was in the 90's here in Texas, and I think the humidity was at like 352%! So maybe I'm exaggerating but seriously the humidity was crazy! My said sundress what sticking to my body, my hair laid limp on my head and I sweat in places I only knew sweat once I moved to Texas. Today such as these make me so thankful for air conditioning. I love that cold blast you get when you walk into a store after what seemed like a mile hike from your parking spot. I don't know how people did it before central air!

5) That I am part of the grand story of redemption seen in the Bible! I am so thankful that God is in the business of redemption and restoration! I have failed numerous times and yet God is restoring my relationship so that I can bask in His presence... I could not be thankful for anything more!

Thankful for Today 5.15.13

1) Have I mentioned that I have AMAZING staff?  If not, then let me tell you now... I HAVE AMAZING STAFF! I never thought I would want to be in admistration and supervise people but I L-O-V-E my job and for a large part its because I have such great staff.  Today I threw out my flowers I got for my birthday.  This afternoon I got back from lunch and found an BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers sitting next to my computer.  One of my staff said she heard me say last week that I always want fresh flowers in my office so she bought me some!  I am so thankful for how my staff love me well!

The Beautiful Flowers I got!

2) Comfy clothes!  I haven't been feel great this week.  I've been sore and achy all over and these Texas Allergies are killing me.  The best part of my day today was when I was able to get out of my work clothes and put on my yoga pants and my new Shane & Shane t-shirt (which happens to be THE most comfortable shirt ever!)

3) Brewed.  What is Brewed, you ask?  Well Brewed is my new favorite restruant in Fort Worth.  They have lots of locally brewed beers on tap, and many deliciously brewed coffee drinks! As amazing as thier drinks are, the food is even better.  They have duck fat sweet potato fries {Yes you heard me... duck fat fries, as in fries cooked in duck fat} They are melt in your mouth amazing!

Braving the storms at Brewed, enjoying our time with Kate

4) Community & Fellowship.  A few girls from my home group and I went to above said establishment to enjoy some of the last hours we have before our friend leave to go serve in West Africa.  We ate, played Heads Up and just had a great time!

5) Thunderstorms.  A huge storm came through tonight.  Numerous tornados touched down in the surrounding areas.  I pray everyone is ok, but I just love thunderstorms.  To me they are so calming!

Thankful for Today 5.13.13

1) Mondays! I mentioned a few posts back that Mondays often tend to be my favorite day of the week. Today proved to possibly take that award this week also. Every monday I meet with my dear friend Stephanie to do a Bible Study and catch up on life. We spent the lunch hour engaged in conversation and in the midst I got convinced to stay for the afternoon and eat supper with them! My love language is Quality Time and today was filled with just that!

 2) A clean house! I spent yesterday spring cleaning. I cleaned base boards, moved furniture to sweep, mopped, dusted and organized. I love waking up to deep cleaned home! When my home is clean and organized, my whole life somehow feels more organized.

 3) Fresh flowers! In April I got flowers from a number of friends for my birthday. I decided then that I wanted to have fresh flowers in my life at all times. I have a vase next to my computer at work and my goal is to always keep fresh flowers in it.

 4) Gummy Bears!

 5) Online shopping! I think that the world is out to get me, and no I'm not just being paranoid! It seems like everything I love in this world ends up getting discontinued {I was speaking in material terms... But maybe it's the same conspiracy theory when it comes to men in my life} The list seems to go on and on, the first to be discontinued was the Australian Toaster biscuit, then white coconut diet coke from Sonic, Clinique Black Amethyst eyeliner and the most recent to go Mango Madness lipgloss from Victoria's Secret. I have tried to find a replacement, I have tried so many different kinds of lipgloss and none compare. I had mourned the loss of this lipgloss when I decided to search amazon in a last ditch effort. I found it! I ordered 3 tubes and it arrived today! My lips are glossed and happy!

Happy {?} Mother's Day

Mother's Day has always been a hard day for me. I have never "known" my mom. Sure I spent two weeks every summer and a week at Christmas with her until I moved in with her full time at the age of 11, I then cohabited with her until I was 16, but I don't really know who she is. We have never had the typical mother/daughter relationship. We have both hurt each other and there have been years that have passed with no communication amongst us. Mother's Day has always reminded me of that hurt and every year has been a bitter-sweet day for me. My heart aches every year on this day that I don't know who my mother is, I long to hear her story one day but until then this day will have a sting in my heart.

 I love rejoicing on this day with those dear people in my life who have entered into motherhood.  I love watching my friends mother their sweet children. Every year I've  had such an anticipation of the day the deepest desire of my heart would be fulfilled and I would become a mom. I have always felt like, then, my life would be complete. I have longed for a family and every Mother's Day for the past 10 years I have prayed that would be the last one in which I would be single. This year was especially hard because for the first time I faced the reality that my deepest desire may never be fulfilled. I may never get to experience the joys of motherhood... And that makes my heart ache in a way I cannot explain.

Yesterday I read this article. A letter to a pastor from a non-mom about Mother's Day. I could not have said it better myself. There are so many times that I have felt "less than" because I am a 30-something single female without children. I often get the questions "Are you married? Have any kids?" When I answer "Nope, it's just me", I can see the look of pity on their faces and watch as they stumble to come up with what to say next.

 My heart aches on this day as motherhood is celebrated, I am so thankful for those women who mother well...That should be celebrated! But my heart hurts with the thought that I may never have that badge of honor.

So today I rejoice with those who are rejoicing and I mourn with those who are mourning.

Thankful for today 5.10.13

I have been amazed over the past few weeks how God has answered so many specific prayers that I have prayed. I am so thankful that God answers prayers! So today my 5 things I'm thankful for are truly answered prayers!

1)  Since I have moved to Fort Worth I have prayed for community. I have had seasons of really sweet community and fellowship but none like this current season. The Lord has blessed me recently with really sweet friendships that have been such an answer to this prayer! Every Monday I get the opportunity to spend my {extended} lunch break with one of these sweet friends. We have spent the last 4 months studying Gods word together and digging into each others lives. We spend our Mondays laughing and crying and learning more about God. It's become my favorite time of most every week!

2)  Children! It's been so sweet how the Lord has brought sweet little children into my life whom I just love and adore. I have loved spending time with my friends children and watching them grow. I think that's one of the greatest parts of living in community. I love holding the little bits and hearing them coo, my heart melts hearing these little ones call my name, and I just love rejoicing with my friends as they are expecting! I have struggled with the idea that I may never have a family of my own but The Lord has been so sweet to give me put these sweet children in my life in which my heart overflows for!

3) Being able to {really truly} rejoice with a sweet  friend as she got engaged. My dear friend Kati got engaged to an amazing man 2 weeks ago. My eyes filled with tears and my heart overflowed with joy when I heard the words "I'm getting married" come out of her mouth. It has been so sweet to walk with her and pray with her in this journey as she has prayed for her husband and I will be honored to stand up on July 7th in support of this marriage!

4) For how God has drawn me back to Him. These past few years have been hard! I don't think I realized how hard they were until now. I am realizing now how far I had drifted from the God I loved. It's been so sweet to be drawn back into His presence!

5) Ever since I spent 18 months at Heartlight my heart has been burdened to walk alongside people who are struggling. I have wanted to love people in the midst of the hardness of life and I have wanted to enter into the lives of those who are hurting and love them well. That was the motivation for getting my Social Work degrees and what drew me to working at MCOT. When I was given the opportunity to move into administration I really struggled with leaving direct care. I am in constant awe of how God is using the gifts He has given me and the desires He has laid on my heart to walk alongside my staff in hard times. I love that in my position I can really support my staff in a sweet way and that I can provide them with love and support. The people I work with really have become like family to me. I mourn when they mourn and I rejoice when they rejoice. I L-O-V-E how God knew this job would be the answer to my prayers I began praying almost 10 years ago!

Thankful for Today 3.17.13

1) Spring weather! It has been beautiful around here this past week, mid-70's and sunny. I have enjoyed sitting outside reading, journaling and just watching the pups run and play in the backyard. I love this time of year, things began to turn green again, life is sprouted from the ground and I can just enjoy the beauty of creation!

2) Food trucks and the gathering of them at the food truck parks. Last night I met some friends at Clear Fork Food Truck park for supper. It's has become one of my favorite new places to go. I took Daisy with me and she enjoyed seeing all the other dogs and families. I got a sandwich from Gorgonzilla... It had Munster cheese, creamy goat cheese, peppered bacon, spinach and grilled mushrooms on it... AMAZING!

3) My home group. Last August I officially changed churches, I am now a covenant member at The Village Church. It has been such an amazing transition in my life! As a result I've become a part of a home group. We currently meet Sunday mornings (The Village is launching a new campus here in Fort worth and only have a 5:00pm service right now). It been so amazing to live life on life with these people. We meet about a mile from my house and just dig into what God is teaching us. It has been so good for my heart!

4) Good movies! I saw Oz-The great and powerful today.... SO GOOD! I haven't seen a movie in the theater in a long time and this one was well worth it!

5) Another relaxing weekend!

New Season

I feel like I'm in a season of regrowth and new beginnings. I'm in such an interesting place in life. I'll be 32 in three weeks. I never thought this is what life would look like at 32. I always pictured myself married with the beginnings of a family by this point. I sat back and watched this happen for the majority of my friends and have dreamt of the day I would be the one in the pretty white dress. That day has yet to come and about 3 months ago I did one of the hardest things I've ever had to do... I surrendered! I laid the desire of a husband, of a family, down at the foot of the cross. I spent the next month crying, as I mourned the loss of that desire, it was such a hard time and yet I had such comfort in knowing that I was being obedient to what Christ was asking me to do. In my obedience the pit of loneliness has been taken from my soul.  My eyes began to be opened to the renewed joy that was in my heart. For the first time since I can remember I was able to rejoice with friends in the news they were expecting. The twinge of bitterness never even showed his face! The hurt is being healed at the root and is sprouting new life within me. I long to see what will grow out of this season!

Relationships...

The Lord has been teaching me so many things lately and has me in such a sweet spot. He has been showing me a lot about relationships lately, my relationship with God, my relationships with friends and my desire for a relationship with the man who may become my husband. Over the past few years I have really struggled with loneliness... I have had this pit of loneliness in my heart and have sought out all the wrong ways to fill that pit, only for it deepen.

I have been so hurt by the invitations that did not come, the Facebook pictures I was not in, the phone calls I did not receive, and the lonely nights I spent at home. I have wanted so badly to be known and yet I ran away from the only one who will ever truly know me

About 3 months ago I had an amazing encounter with The Lord, He has opened my eyes and heart to so many things. He has drawn me closer and closer to Himself in the lack of earthly relationships. He has allowed me to fall more and more in love with Him. And in the midst of that has brought me sweet fellowship and community. I once again feel like I have people to walk through life with and have community. It's been amazing to look back over the past few months and realize that the pit of loneliness has been filled by the only One who can fill it and out of that has come so many blessings!. I have had a true joy in my heart and have been able really live in the here and now.

I am so thankful for those friendships that have lasted the test of time. Those friendships that no matter the time we can pick up right where we left off. Those friendships that are more like family than anything. Those friendships in which I can laugh, cry, be known and still be loved.

I still get that twinge of jealousy (or bitterness) in my heart when I am faced with the reality that people I once called my closest friends have moved  on and I no longer hold that title in their lives; I am also thankful that God is in the business of restoration!

Thankful for Today 12.9.12

1) Weekends! It's so nice to have weekends off to do the things I need to do and to rest and relax. The work week always seems so long but the weekends are a breath of fresh air. 

2) For a sewing machine. I've been wanting to learn how to sew for years now but didn't really want to spend that much money on something I wasn't sure if I'd be good at. One of my staff came to work one day with his wife's old sewing machine and gave it to me as a gift! It's an old machine but does the job. I've been sewing many new things. I do think that I will be purchasing a new fancier one once I get the hang of this a little more.

3) Sunday afternoon naps! 

4) The Village Church. Around 6 months ago I made the official move and began going to The Village Church, a church I have loved since I've moved to Fort Worth but always felt so far away. It's about a 45 minute drive and I wanted to find somewhere in Fort Worth. So when I found out they opening a campus in Fort Worth I knew it was a good move.  I love the spirit of the church and its been a sweet transition. 

5) Being able to walk through life with dear friends even when they lives miles away. Do you have people in your life who just bring joy to your heart? Friends who you can share your life with and who will love you through all of it? I got to talk with one of my dearest and sweetest friends on Saturday and it was so good for my heart. We laughed, I cried and we just shared where God has us. She called because she has a big decision to make and wanted my thoughts and wisdom. How sweet it is to be able to walk with people through life!  

Thankful for Today 12.4.12

It's been awhile but I've now got Internet at home and hope to continue this great tradition... It's always sweet to my heart to think through the times I am thankful each day! It allows me to live in the here and now and be able to focus on the good in each day! Hope you enjoy walking through my thankfulness with me in my blog!

1) Having a flexible schedule at work.  I ended up being out late last night on a crisis call and it was amazing to be able to sleep in a little bit and stroll into work around 9:30... And I had the flexibility to go to lunch when I needed to and also sneak away in the afternoon to meet up with an old friend! I love that my job allows for that type of flexibility and realize that is not normal.

2) For amazing co-workers, it so nice to be able to get along with those people I work alongside with.  I'm thankful for those co-workers who I can enjoy working with and who spur me on to be a better employee and a better person!

3) For amazing staff! I manager 41 staff and it's great how great they are.  I know that they are doing what they need to do and trust that they are representing my programs well! I am even more thankful for them as I spend more time on other units and see all of their drama.... Makes me thankful for my (mostly) drama free teams!

4) Reminders of God's sovereignty, grace and forgiveness! I meet up with an old friend today and it was so sweet to my heart to be reminded of those characteristics of God. I am thankful that God knows what I need better than I do and that He extends grace and forgiveness and allows me to extend those things to people in my life. 

5) My pups! You may or may not know that I got Daisy a friend! For the story of how she became a part of the family please go to my sweet friend Les' blog posting.  I love how well the girls get along and how they both like to cuddle as we go into the evening. 

Psalm 13

I just spent the evening listening to Shane & Shane along with Phil Wickham. I always love seeing Shane & Shane live because it is always such a moving show. Tonight was no different! They had only sung a few songs when the Spirit stirred in me and the tears began to fall... They  began to sing their song Psalm 13 and as I sang out with them, my God meet me where I was at.  The rest of the evening was spent in worship to my God, praising Him for who He is and where He has me.  I don't really know how to explain it but it was this crazy mixture of thankfulness and grief, contentment and loneliness, happiness and sorrow.  I have such a peace that I am exactly where I am suppose to be and yet life is so hard and lonely right now. 340 days ago I sat in my living room Christmas morning praying and pleading with God that I wouldn't have to spend one more holiday alone, and yet He continues to choose that for me. I could not have stated what my heart feels right now better than David did in Psalm 13 (and which Shane & Shane repened)...

Psalm 13

How long oh Lord will You forget me

How long oh Lord will You hide

Hide Your face from me

How long must I wrestle with me

and everyday have sorrow in my heart

sorrow in my heart

I will wait on You

I will wait on You

I will wait on You

Look on me Lord and answer me

Give my eyes light or I will sleep in death

I will sleep in death

My enemies say "I will overcome him"

and my foes rejoice even when I fall

I dont want to fall

For I will trust in Your unfailing love

My heart rejoices in Your salvation

I will sing to the Lord

The rest of the story....

Well it's official, the paperwork is signed and most of the people who need to know now know.  I am the new Program Manager for MCOT and ICARE (our 24 hour crisis line)!  And it all happened less then 18 hours!


The program manager  for ICARE left at the end of December.  My boss has been interviewing since that time and I have been able to see the whole process.  He along with 3 of the other directors were conducting the interviews and they didn't really feel comfortable with any of the candidates. 


Over the past few weeks I have really come to a place where I was feeling more and more comfortable with where I am at.  Most of you know my desire to work with troubled teens and I really began to process that.  I got to the point where I really did not want that desire to be filled within my job.  I decided I would have more freedom to walk alongside these girls in the way I want to if I'm not held to the rules and law set forth if I were to do this within a job.  I was so excited about where God had placed me.


While I was loving my job and at such a peace of where I was at, my job was becoming very frustrating.  A lot of what my team (MCOT) does depends on the ICARE staff doing their jobs correctly.  Well over the past couple of months about 80%-90% of what they have sent us has been incorrect, which just makes our job all that much harder.


So last Wednesday I was on-call with one of my staff.  We had gotten a referral and I was headed to meet my staff at the clients home.  On the way there I realized that once again they had done the assessment incorrectly.  I was fed up!  This was the 4th referral of the day and they were ALL incorrect.  I called my boss and just started yelling about his "stupid crisis line!"  He was meeting with the CEO to recommend his candidate for the program manager position and promised things would get better.  I got off the phone and continue to drive to the crisis call.  On the way the thought crossed my mind that they really needed good leadership and I wish I could just whip them into shape.  And then I thought about it more and thought, "why couldn't I do that?"  I began to think of how this could work.  An hour or so later as I was driving home from the crisis call I called my boss and told him my idea.  If I could bring a staff up into a lead position who could do some of my day to day stuff I could easily run both programs.  He loved the idea!  Long story short, I interviewed at 9:00 the next morning and by 11:00 was offered the position! 


I told my staff yesterday and they are very excited as am I!  I think this is going to be a very good move for me.  It's going to be a challenge but I'm so excited about this move!  I have a lot of vision of how to train and guide both of these teams.  It's going to be a good transition.  Crazy to be running two programs but still good.  


One of the neatest things in all of this has just been to see how smoothly it all went and to know without a doubt that this was part of God's plan!  My boss and the 3 other directors were totally supportive of me and it's encouraging to know that they believe this much in me!  I'm looking forward to see where God takes me in all of this!  


So that's the rest of the story.... 

The Journey

I have spent a lot of time thinking lately.  I've been thinking over the past few years and thinking about all that God has done in and through my life.  I am constantly in awe of how He continues to show me favor in so many ways.  Today was yet again one of those times.  I can't really say much about it because it's not official official but God has yet again awed me.  I love looking back over the past few years.  I see how God brought me to Texas and how that was so perfect and how I continue to feel daily that I am exactly where I am suppose to be.  In the past 24 hours God has once again shown up in a big way!  I'll be able to share more next week... (if you need to know call me and I can tell you, just don't want to put it out there for the world to see!) but for now I am just in awe!  

A new day... A new month... A new year!

It's been awhile I know!  Life has been crazy and so much has changed!  I have not had Internet at home in over a month and want to take advantage of this time at ROOTS to update my blog and hopefully get back on track with it.  I still don't have Internet and wont until January 18th sometime between 8am-12pm.  One of the biggest updates that many of you already know is that I have moved! ( I will be putting some pictures up at the end of this blog). I moved in over Christmas weekend and quickly got settled.  I was so excited the day the package came from AT&T with my UVerse Internet equipment.  I chose to do self set-up and save the $100 but after searching for a good 30 minutes I realized that my new home did not have a phone jack anywhere in the house!  So now they have to come out and install and jack and so a real install.  Luckily my landlord is paying the charges!


Let me rewind a little bit!  November was an eventful month for me!  I was in a wedding on 11-11-11, my apartment got broken into while I was sleeping (hence why I moved!), and I made a last minute road trip to Minnesota for Thanksgiving!  I was planning on spending some time with my dear friends the Schallers the weekend before Thanksgiving and at the last minute decided to take the week off and drive up to Minnesota.  It was a great trip!  I got to see so many people that I love and it was good to be surrounded by people who know and love me!


December flew by! At Thanksgiving I knew I only had a little over a month till I had to be out of my apartment and had no idea where I was moving to.  I spent a couple of days just driving around looking for rent houses.  One Sunday I was driving around for about 3 hours getting discouraged.  The sun had set and I still had no good leads! I just prayed that God would bring me to the perfect place. I called a friend and we decided to go eat.  As we were driving to Uncle Julios I saw a FOR RENT sign in front of the cutest little house.  I pulled over and wrote down the number.  I called the next day and long story short I moved in on December 22!  I love the house, it's a little 2 bedroom one bath built in the 1940's but updated inside.  It has a big fenced in back yard for Daisy to run and play, AND the best part it's 1.1 miles from my office!  I out a total of 34 miles on my car all of last week!  I go home for lunch pretty much every day and just love being that close.  It was exactly what I was looking for!  


That's really all the updates.  I've been extremely busy at work.  I have been short staffed for the last two months and I had to (unfortunately) let someone go right before Christmas.  I have been covering the holes and therefore have been very busy.  I had two new staff start last week so we should bee good soon! But that's been my life lately... working a lot and trying to spend time with people I love.  I will try to be better at my Thankful for TODAY postings.... even if I have to do them at work!


Here are some pics of my house!  Hope you like it!

The Front of my house!

My bed

My bedroom!

My new IKEA Dresser (All my bedroom furniture is new from IKEA)

Guest Bedroom!

Guest bed! You should come visit!

Bathroom

Dining room (from the living room)

My WORDS nook

Living room

Thankful for TODAY 10.23.11

*These will actually be the thankful for... the weekend!*


1) Camping!  This weekend I traveled up to Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma with some dear friends.  We got into the park about 11:30 Friday night and set up camp.  I just love being out in the midst of creation.  I laid on my back that night after we said good night and I just stared at the stars through the top of the tent.  I laid there praying for the rest of the weekend!


2) God's beauty!  I was amazing over and over again on Saturday of God's beauty in His creation!  I woke up early and went on a walk with Theresa along the riverbed.  There was steam coming off of the water and the view was amazing! Later that day two of us went for a hike, we took our time and stopped at a few places to rest and enjoy the scene.  We finally stopped and laid on a rock overlooking the river.  We sat there for awhile, talking about what God was doing in our lives and enjoying the beauty!


3) Cabin's in Beaver's Bend! One of the friends I was with had family in the same area.  They had rented a cabin so we went and ate supper with them Saturday night.  It was so fun to meet this family!  I love meeting the families of my friends and being able to learn more about that friend.  It was fun to go there and ended up being such a blessing because of....


4) Thunder storms!  I love, love, love thunderstorms!  They are such a picture of who God is in my eyes.  They are so powerful and yet somehow calming.  We got news that a storm was about to come in and so my friend's sister graciously offered for us to stay at the cabin.  We went back and tore down camp and go back just as it started to rain.  We all put our sleeping bags out on the back patio and watched the storm for the next few hours.  It was the most amazing lighting storm and then the thunder rolled in and the skies opened and rain just poured down!  We all slept out there on that patio as the storm brewed around us.  It was such an AMAZING night! 


So again.... SO THANKFUL for the cabin and for my friend's sister who let us stay!  I don't think the tent would have survived!  


5) Family meals!  This morning I got up and made everyone breakfast.  I made french toast, bacon and eggs.  I love being able to cook for large groups of people and to be able to all sit down and eat together!  


6) AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING  friends!  It was so good to get away this weekend and spend time with good friends!  It was nice to be able to speak truth to one another and just have fun!  


I am thankful for another great weekend!  Here is a picture of us before the rain started!