Spring is in the Air!

I am back to blogging again after who knows how long. It seems to be a good outlet for me to write about my life, feelings, ups and downs, and just whatever I feel like. I cannot believe we are halfway through March right now. Where in the world has the time gone!?! I absolutely love the sunshine we have had these past couple days. The constant rain was more than annoying this weekend. I have to say I absolutely despise rain. I know that it brings water to the plants, life, etc. but I hate being wet when I am clothed. That is what a shower is for!:) Anyway, it put a damper on our weekend with my brother because we wanted to walk around outside, but the weather did not permit us to do so. Oh well, I am so thankful for the sun that will be shining this weekend:)

Not much has happened since the last time I wrote. The litter we are getting our puppy from was born this past weekend. Actually, 2 days earlier than expected. I emailed the kennel on Monday to tell them how excited we were that they were born. Then I got the dreaded email of how it was a really chaotic and eventful weekend there. The mother of the puppies died after giving birth. She (Rosie) had fallen ill Sunday and they had to do an emergency c-section to save the puppies. The mother did not not survive this surgery. I was just broken when I heard this. I could not believe how terrible this must be. Needless to say, they had to move on and care for the 9 puppies that this mother just birthed. They are rotating the puppies every 3 hours in order to feed them properly and enough to live. They are so good at what they do and I know they will do a phenominal job with all 9 of them. I cannot imagine what a task that is for them though! Anyway, we are set to get a girl sometime in May once she reaches 8 weeks. We are more than excited, but we are also nervous about the thought of having something to take care of that young:) Guess it is good prep for kids someday! We are hoping to have pictures soon and as soon as I have them I will post!

Peter and I have started working out much more avidly now that the weather is nicer. We have been running, fast-walking, and lifting weights at the gym. Yesterday, we went over to Peaks View Park and ran for a little bit over there. It was so beautiful and warm. The past couple days prior we have been going to the gym and working out big time. It is that time to get in real shape not just 'ok' shape to get by. It is summer-time and bathing suit weather approaching us soon!! I know I am ridiculous, but I know that I feel better about myself when I am working out, having more energy, and doing something I enjoy with someone I really enjoy:)

It is Thursday already again and tonight starts another week of our wonderful Esther Bible Study. I love the girls that have decided to join and make this their Thursday night. Time is precious and I am so thankful that each of them decided this was something they wanted to invest their time in. I love this group of girls because all of them are so different, but we have one common thread running through us---love for God and His people. That is all that matters in life. When all else fails, God does not! That is the best promise to remember especially in times of tribulation and trials that this world is going through right now. I know it is easier said than done in a lot of situations, but it has to become a way of life and a habit. God is not someone that is put on the shelf until certain days of the week or when you feel like being Godly for that moment. It is something that is daily, continual, and on-going. I loved the past week of the Esther study because it talked about how Esther had to put the situation in God's hands. She realized she could not control the results, but God knew the divine and perfect plan. A lot of times that is so true in our own lives. We try to control the situation because we want it to work out OUR way because we know best:)...wrong! God is the only one who knows the results and the BEST results for YOU. That is a weakness of my own because I tend to be controlling of situations because I think I know best, but ultimately I don't at all. It is just something I have to continue to work on. Anyway, just a little glimpse into the life of Esther.

I am going to get back to work here, but have a great weekend everyone!

It's Friday!

T.G.I.F everyone! I am so happy to be having a weekend off to spend in the nice warm weather we are expected to have. What a great way to end a terribly cold week....75 degree weather:) Time to get out the flip flops and short-sleeves! My favorite type of clothing! I swear I am meant to live in a warm climate. My body just does not do well in cold weather at all. I can honestly say that I have no desire to see another flake of snow for a LONG time! I guess seeing that I was pretty much born in snow country and lived there for a major portion of my life it really is not fun anymore.

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a particular group of girls over the past couple of weeks...my Esther girls:) I am blessed beyond measure with every single one of them and can't stop thanking God for bringing them into my life. They are amazing and all so different, which is what I love about our group--diversity! We went through Week 2 of the Esther study by Beth Moore and were able to sample beauty treatments, compliments of Amber:) I have to say...thank God for making me a girl! I sure love being pampered. Sometimes I take for granted getting my nails done, or my hair cut and colored every month, but seriously I could not imagine being a guy! They do not get to have all the fun that we do as women:) Now don't get me wrong, it sure can be a total pain in the butt being a girl sometimes too. I mean we do have to go through the child birth part and go through painful and rather annoying periods every month, but all in all we can still pamper ourselves. I really have loved reading the book of Esther and being able to dig deeper into this story and how God's hand has completely guided the story. Everything has been nothing short of a miracle! If you have never read the book of Esther or really have not done a good Bible study in a while--I recommend this one!

Tonight, Peter and I are heading to my favorite resturant of all times---Panera Bread---with a newly engaged couple Kristin and Tim! I have known Kristin for a couple years and Peter knows her fiance as well. I have to interview a SPED teacher for the last week of my class and she teaches in a SPED classroom so I immediately thought of her! It will be good to catch up with her and of course the wedding plans---and do a little school work on the side:)

No other major plans happening this weekend. My brother comes a week from today and I am so excited to have him stay with us for a long weekend. He has not seen our house since we moved in. Well, I am going to get back to work here, but I will blog later on next week. Have a great weekend everyone!!

The Past Couple of Weeks Recap...

I am definitely a terrible blogger. However, I have been extremely busy so therefore I have an excuse:) I have been working long days and nights at LU counseling students for the new grant program I have been put in charge of. I absolutely LOVE my job and anyone who knows me can attest to that fact. I have been blessed by my job here at LU and know that it has opened so many doors and opportunities for me.

Today is halfway through the week or 'hump day' as many people call it. I just know that I have still a long week and weekend ahead of me. I have my weekend intensive for my Master's degree on Friday and Saturday so that will take up the majority of my weekend. The class is a lot of fun and the professor is hilarious so that really helps pass the time. I have to work on a presentation for the class that I have on Saturday. I honestly need to figure out what I want to do because I know that I will not be able to complete my program with student teaching here at Liberty. I don't want to quit my job and there is no way for me to do student teaching and work full-time. I am considering getting provisional licensure through VA and going that route and then eventually getting licensed in the state we eventually move to (i.e. GEORGIA). That is my proposed plan then I can at least still teach, I just won't have full licensure.

Peter and I are supposed to officially close on our home this week. The refi's have taken over all 1st time homebuyers no matter how long ago they turned their paperwork in...lovely. So much for being the organized homebuyers who had everything today within 1 day. I guess that really does not matter anymore. I told Peter I am so ready to get this over with, I don't care what happens at this point. The builders and seller have been gracious enough for us to move in and live rent free until this all gets straightened out so I can't really complain.

Peter and I spent a wondeful weekend at Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville, VA. We had originally planned to get a massage here in town, but everything was booked so we decided to check with BHI as they have an incredible spa. We have been there once before, but have never actually stayed the night at BHI. We booked a room Saturday night and a massage for Sunday morning. It was so incredible! The room was great, we had our own private balcony, the service was impeccable. Overall, it was amazing. If you ever need a wonderful place to stay, this is it. I highly recommend it.

My brother is coming in 2 weeks to visit Peter and I for his Spring Break. Oh to be a college student with a week off:) He is coming Friday and will stay through the next Tuesday then head home to Michigan for the remainder of his break. We are so excited to have him come and stay with us. He is so easy to please and laid back so I know it will be a great time. We plan to do some different things and show him around the abundant city of Lynchburg:) Those who live here know that was sarcasm. Peter and I have some work to do in our spare bedroom so that my brother will have some room to live for a couple days.

Well, I caved in...I completely redid my bathroom. I knew that I wanted something different, just could not find exactly what I was looking for. I found an adorable shower curtain at Target..the best store on the face of this planet...that was light tan and ivory giraffe print. It immediately caught my eye and knew that was it. They also had the bath and hand towels to match that were a little darker brown so I picked up a few of those as well. Peter put together an armoire for the bathroom in white for me and we hung a large picture and some bath towel hooks. It looks a million times better and actually looks put toghether. I definitely found what I was looking for. I am contemplating the different things we could do with the spare bedroom. It has become sort of a dumping ground for things we are not sure what to do with and I hate that. I am way too organized for that:) The bathroom in there is Peter's bathroom that he uses in the morning and I absolutely LOVE the color scheme in it. Amazingly enough, he picked it all out. I know we want to keep our desks in the room, but if we are going to make it an office, I want it to look like an office. Right now we have clothes, Goodwill piles, Peter's work tools, etc. all over the place. We have looked at some ideas through IKEA for some wall units, etc. to make it more office-like. I would love to put a big brown leather chair in there and just make it more organized than it is. We will see. I might tackle that project next weekend.

I am going to get back to work here. Have a great day everyone!!

I cannot believe it is already Thursday. The weeks seem to fly by lately! Peter and I have been working on getting our spare bedroom organized as much as we can. I was able to finally get the 2nd bathroom completed and it looks SO amazing. We did a green accent and some browns in there. I am in love with that bathroom more than ours! I am reconsidering doing different colors in our bathroom. I am just not 100% satisfied. It looks just kind of pieced together and not like it actually works. I am going to see what I find this weekend. I might completely change the colors all together. I love brown anything so I might keep the brown rugs, just might find a different shower curtain or something less dramatic. I get on these kicks a lot when I want to change colors of things. I think we have gone through about 7 or 8 different bedroom sets all with different colors. I have taken a love for the robin's egg blue, but we will see how long that lasts.

I have our 2nd Bible study tonight with some wonderful ladies! We decided to do the Esther study by Beth Moore and so far it is wonderful. It is a very in-depth study and really makes one think about every point. She loves to skip around in the Bible and get your familiar with the whole Bible instead of limiting it to one book, which I love. I have not done this much Bible study since Bible class in high school. Anyway, I have heard some good reviews on the book from the other girls and I think we all are going to really like it once we get into it more.

Well, this weekend is Valentine's Day. I am not sure what Peter and I will end up doing. Everywhere is booked solid and we really do not feel like standing in line somewhere that does not take reservations. We were considering Shoemaker's but we did that last year so who knows. We may end up cooking together at home and just making it fun! I know we are for sure going to see the new movie Confessions of a Shopaholic. I absolutely love Isla Fisher. She is a great actress and of course, Sophie Kinsella is a great author so the movie is bound to be amazing.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

For My Sister-In-Law:)

Well, my sister-in-law has informed me that I have not updated my blog lately so I decided to write about all the happenings from the past week or so. Thanks Jennifer for reminding me:)

Peter and I are officially moved into our new home. God has been so good and unbelieveably faithful through everything. Peter and I had everything worked out perfectly, but God had a different plan and there were a few snags along the way. It really has taught us both that we need to completely trust Him through the ups and downs of the home-buying process. It can be an absolute nightmere at times. Tons of paperwork, tons of meetings, tons of phone calls and emails back and forth. Basically, if you are trying to buy a house just expect to be super-busy until everything is finalized and you have closed on your home. We are both so thankful for the most amazing realtor and bank that could every come across our path. We have been extremely blessed in that area and would not have been able to get everything completed in a timely fashion and with the smallest amount of stress possible when buying a house without them.

A good majority of guys from Peter's work came over last Saturday to help us move in. They got the truck around 9:30 and they were done by noon. It was so wonderful to have them there to help with all the heavy stuff. I also had a friend of mine help too and it was nice to have a girl's touch and help with some of the little things. Peter and I worked vigourously throughout the day on Saturday afternoon and evening to get the downstairs organized and unpacked before our big SuperBowl party on Sunday night. We were able to pull it off amazingly. We headed to Sam's Club on Sunday morning to get 6 pounds of hamburger meat, tons of chicken, fruit, soda, etc. We had about 15-20 people show up that night and had a blast! It was so great to have the fellowship and of course, to see the Steelers win!!!

Peter has gotten extremely sick with some sort of flu virus or food poisioning. He was home sick the past 2 days throwing up constantly, but seems to be on the mend today. We have a lot of work to do on the upstairs before my mom comes this weekend. I want to get the 2nd bathroom prepared for her so she will have her own space. The house has turned out wonderfully and it has been a blast decorating and making it a home. The knobs the builder put in for us on our cabinets makes a world of difference compared to what they were before. Just the little things seem to make all the difference.

Tomorrow is the official start date of my little women's Bible study. There are a total of 4 of us getting together every Thursday night at our home to start a Beth Moore study. I have not done this since who knows when and am really excited to have this group of women get together. I know some of them from college and one from work. I am excited to have the fellowship of other women...not that I don't love spending time with my husband...but it is nice to have some girl time every once in a while:) Can't wait to see you ladies!

Well, I have a lot to work on tonight before American Idol comes on at 8pm:) I have to work on the 2nd bedroom and meet up with our cleaning lady that is going to clean our apartment for us for final inspection. I am so thankful we have found her!! Have a great day everyone!

Counting Down the Days...

Only 9 more days till we have those keys in our hands. We are so excited and can barely stand it any longer. The anticipation grows daily as we just cannot wait to finally call the place our own. I got word from our realtor yesterday and the builder is going to switch out the kitchen cabinet knobs on all the cabinets and drawers for us free of charge! The ones they had on there to begin with I was not too fond of and so my realtor asked if the builder would not mind switching them. Peter and I went over to Lowe's and found beautiful aged bronze knobs to match perfectly in the kitchen. It really made my day...the small things are really fun and exciting.

Peter and I went shopping this past weekend for more things for the bathroom and bedroom. We are considering re-doing our entire bedroom for the 3rd time (just the colors) and the bathroom as well. Our 2nd bathroom is going to be so cool and I cannot wait to get pictures up. There were some things that we had to get for the bathroom like the towel racks, toilet paper holders, trash cans, etc. We also had to make sure the 2 armoires we are getting for the 2 upstairs bathrooms were the correct size to fit where we needed them. They will work perfectly. We are going to wait till the week we move in because our apartment is pretty overloaded at this point. With me being such a clean freak it is hard to see all of these piles and bags to be taken to Goodwill, etc. We are taking a TON of stuff to Goodwill that we no longer want or need anymore. That will just eliminate a good majority of the stuff we have to move that we do not need to.

I have to teach in a few training sessions today, tomorrow, and Friday and need to go get prepared to speak. Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Baby It's Cold Outside...

Well, the temperatures outside feel like a normal Michigan winter. My mom emailed me and told me that her car read -7 degrees outside this morning. Lynchburg is about that cold and on top of that, the schools here are closed because it is too cold for the kids to stand out at the bus stop. So my thought to this is...why is VA different than Michigan or Minnesota when it is in the negative temperatures and they are still going to school? That is just my question of the day. I didn't even know schools were closed till I looked on the news and saw that about every school in the county and city are closed because of a cold temperature advisory...just not something I am still not used to even though I have lived in Lynchburg for 6 years now.

I am thankful it is Friday even though I don't know where the week has gone. I have been so busy with meetings and my new responsibilities at work. Just a lot to do. Working 7am-5pm does not hardly give me enough time in the day to get what I need done because there is so much to do. When you are getting a totally new program started at a huge school, there tends to be a large amount of work involved. I love it though and would not trade it for the world. I am thankful that my job and Peter's job allows us to work overtime and actually get paid for it. That is such a blessing!

Two weeks from yesterday and we close on our new home. I cannot wait to feel the keys in my hand for the first time and know that we have a place of our own! We had a lot of paperwork to get submitted yesterday and everything went smooth for that as well. Everything seems to be falling into place and for that, we are thankful to God. Buying a home is a big 'to do'...those of you who have gone through this process know exactly what I mean. It is not something that should ever be taken lightly and there is a lot of reading involved and definitions that you want to make sure you know the in's and out's of before you sign your name. Thankfully, we have a realtor and mortgage company that knows exactly what they are doing and are able to relay things in an easy manor where we can understand completely. My type A personality kicks into gear during times like this because I am so visual, hands-on, and need to know down to the penny what we will owe for this, that, and the other. Peter and I could not feel more ready for buying this home and cannot wait to move in.

My mom and brother bought plane tickets yesterday to come see Peter and I. My mom is coming in February and my brother is coming in March. My mom is going to help Peter and I get all set up and organized and of course, GO SHOPPING:) Cannot wait for that! I have to sit back and think about how much my mind has switched gears from shopping meaning clothes, to shopping meaning things for our house. Of course, there will always be room for clothes, but now our main priority is getting everything set up for the house. My brother is coming for his Spring Break in March. He found an unbelieveable ticket from Indy staight into Lynchburg. We are very excited to have him come visit us. Peter loves having my brother around and is good for them both.

Have a great weekend everyone! Stay warm and bundle up!