Beautiful

Simply beautiful...

and I love how they made their exit!

Blessed Lil' Birdie

I can't believe all the news from around the South that I have heard today. The people in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Mississippi, Georgia, Chattanooga, Cleveland, and all the other places that were affected are in my prayers. 

I did have to share this one little side story with you. You see, one little lady made a smart decision when she built her little house this Spring.

A little robin-mama built her nest in this fern tucked up under the porch. I don't know if you can see the hail damage to the wall to the right of the drain pipe, but this fern barely got even wet last night. 

There aren't many trees in our zip code that would have been a safe place for that mama bird and her five little eggs during the storm last night. That is definitely one fortunate little bird.

Tornado?

I don't know if it was a tornado but it sure sounded like it as the hail pounded down, we could hear the skylights shattering, and the roaring passed by our house. We were in the closet, of course, so I felt relatively safe. This is what we found when we came out and I, for one, feel incredibly blessed that this is all it was. Better get these uploaded because the thunder is starting up again!

My mother-in-law had eggs out on the kitchen counter. Can you believe it?

Oh yeah, I have a final at 8:30 in the morning.

Shoulds

This is what I am should be doing more of right now. Our next exam on Thursday comes straight from this book and one other. All I have to do is learn the questions...all 13,000 of them. I exaggerate. A little. There are more like 1,000 questions. Easy enough to learn, I guess, but who wants to do this when it's drizzly outside and a nap sounds so wonderful? Or...when I just want to dream up plans for our house. Come on, isn't this more interesting:

Love the look of this kitchen.

We won't have a back porch like this one, but I'm brainstorming ways to bring the look of this room indoors.

Love all the colors and those benches.

I love the set-up of this bedroom, maybe with different artwork or colors.

LOVE!

OK, now that I have painted my fingernails, played with my Bailey-boy, perused my favorite pictures, and checked FB a handful of times, I will get back to the regularly scheduled NCLEX programming. boring.

Just Pray It's Not a Train!:)

ONE WEEK from today I will take my last nursing school exam. One week! I will not dwell on the fact that I have four exams to get through. No point in thinking about the hours that I will be sitting at this desk this week working through countless pages of notes and test questions. Nope-I'm done in 168 hours. That is unbelievable!

Feels Like Home to Me

I just have to say that some of the best times of my life are spent with this guy. Tonight we went to eat, walked around Wal-mart, bought dog food and nail polish (for me) and came home. He sat on the bed and patiently let me show him the new dress I got today, the pictures I took, and explain why the nail polish I had bought earlier in the day was just the wrong shade. I also love lying next to him at night while we read our Bibles. We've grown so much in the past four and three quarters years and I am so blessed to call him my best friend.

Praises

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise

 

Wow, this has been a pretty amazing week. I am almost speechless because of His blessings and feel that the last 2 hectic/happy/sad/sorrowful/blessed years while I have been in school are finally coming to an end. I think that a lot of the things that have happened over the past couple of years has really reminded me that the things of this life are temporary and that our true treasures are yet to come. Good news this week: I have been offered the job that I wanted the absolute most! I am so excited about it and also about the fact that our house contract can now become official! We should close on our house at the end of May. I also found out last night that my Dad will be inducted into his high school hall of fame for football. In May it will be 1 year since his death and I am so happy that we will be able to honor him in this way. 

 

While I hated going through some of the things that my family and I faced in the last couple of years I know that I am in a better position to receive His blessings and to know that I depend on Him. I also know that those aren't the last troubles I will face in this life, but I know where my strength comes from and that He will see me through.

Thank you also to my friends and family who have been with me through everything. You know who you are!!:)

What a Weekend!

This weekend was awesome! We started Friday night preparing for a dinner for the 55+ age group at church. The dinner was Saturday and had a "hillbilly survivor" theme. The dinner was wonderful and I think everyone had a blast! The funniest part was "nearly dead" (newlywed game). I loved spending time with a group of people I don't spend much time around.

Sunday was a big Easter event at church. 4000+ hidden eggs, inflatables, face paint, egg dye, and about 4 million kids equals a crazy and fun good time. I didn't get many pictures of that but we had an amazing time and I know we had to have made an impact on families in the community. We love our church family!

Some Good News and Some Other News...

We got some great news today. The sellers accepted our offer!! We now have a contingent contract on the house which means that when I have a job, we will start the official paperwork! This is exciting (and a little stressful). We also have a jam-packed weekend ahead which includes some hillbilly entertainment and some easter eggs. 

On another note, I wanted to ask ya'll to say a prayer for Chris. He went to the doctor today because he just hasn't felt any better after his treatments. The doctor wants him to have another colonoscopy and might send him to Vanderbilt if he can't figure anything out. We are both trying to stay positive but it's just a little discouraging. 

I've got to leave you with something happier...I love the color of this room and am trying to think of a room that I can paint in our house! What do you think?

Things to Come...

While I don't have any concrete answers yet, I can only be happy that things aren't standing still as they have seemed to the past few weeks. I have had one interview (the job of my choice) and I have another one in a week (another great job)! We also have seemed to come to an agreement with the sellers of the house we want to buy. They countered our offer, and, with only one little tweak, we are accepting. We should have a contract in the next couple of days!! I absolutely cannot wait to get into our own new-to-us house and make it our own. I have so many ideas and am trying to figure out the most thrifty and creative ways to do the things I have in mind. I can't wait to invite you guys over! Would a cook-out be perfect in this backyard....

It has also been one of those weeks when it is so beautiful outside that I feel guilty for being inside. I took Bailey to the dog park today so that he could play and I could soak up some vitamin D. It's getting to be that optimistic time of year again. I'm so happy that God speaks to us through His creation. 

So...while we wait for those answers I will concentrate on graduating (in three weeks, can you believe it?!?) finishing up strong and pretending that the next three weeks aren't going to creeeep by.:) Happy Thursday to all of you!

Patience, Patience, Patience

This is not my greatest virtue. At all. However, I'm getting a lot of practice at it these days. Chris and I are looking at a lot of changes in the next few weeks (as I'm sure you know). I'm looking for a job, we're looking for a house, and I'm working on graduating! This.is.all.going.so.slowly. We're working on a specific house which depends on my getting a job. These nurse managers sure are taking their time, though. Excruciating!! I want to show you pictures of the house, but don't want to be premature. I'll leave you with this photo of the awesome backyard, though!

Isn't it beautiful? Please, friends, pray for my patience!:)

I've Never Been Known As Crafty

I think I'm going to attempt to make this sunburst mirror. Anyone have any idea how much wooden shims cost?

Wouldn't it look pretty painted gold and hung on a bedroom wall that is this color...

Just dreaming about our little house that is hopefully in the near future!:)

It's a Good Kind of Day

Oh yes, it's Monday, but it's already been a pretty decent day! It started out with a group project we had to do at school this morning which we pretty much knocked out of the park!! A lot of that is thanks to my in-laws who came as guest speakers who came to talk about stroke.:) Secondly, I'm home early, it's a beautiful windy day, and after I make a phone call I'm calling it an afternoon for a nap! I need to do some cleaning and there is always school work to do, but for now, my pillow is taking precedence. Have a great afternoon and enjoy the sun before the storms!