“Hospitality will always be more a matter of the heart than the architecture.” -Ann Voskamp

 

May has been one of the most amazing months of my life. I can barely begin to describe how much has changed and how deeply I’ve been effected. Being married is so wonderful I truly don’t know how to express the depth of joy and awe it’s brought into my life. *happy sigh* Maybe I shouldn’t even try.

 

can you tell how happy we are? This pic was taken on our honeymoon which was the stuff of dreams, I must say.

 

rain, city lights and night from the window of our suite

 

we woke up early one morning to watch the sunrise…there’s something so spiritual about a sunrise on the beach…

 

the view from our hotel

 

then we came home and Jeremy and Roxanne came over

and helped us plant a garden! We are quite pleased.

 

standing out

 

trying out new foods

 

isn’t it wonderful?

 

perfect little corn sprouting up

 

mushrooms in our yard

 

our first rose

 

Tonks in all her cuteness

 

our house is surrounded by flowering trees, honeysuckle and butterflies, birds and now–cicadas. It’s quite interesting and beautiful

 

hanging laundry out is one of my most favorite things

 

house full of wonderful people; we had our first party the other evening. It was WONDERFUL!!

 

I’m loving life right now!

 

This next weekend, Christopher’s family is having a reunion and we’ll be having 2 couples staying at our house. I still haven’t cleaned the upstairs since before we moved in, so once we get back home from TN, I’m thinking I’ll hop into a frenzy of cleaning and getting the house ready for our first sleep over guests since we’re married. I have expectations of great fun and interstingness.  

 

Till next month! 

 

me

“I’m so happy I could pee!!” -Kaye

 

I love this child

 

Fun times with family..<3

 

their captivating beauty and delight in living life.

 

her soft beauty

 

prayer time for the birthday girl..listening to these little kids pray melted my heart.

 

my beautiful sister

 

fun at work

 

blue teeth from mom’s cupcakes

 

hanging out with this wonderful girl..showing her my paradise

 

 

spring flowers

 

colorful details coming together before we’d even moved in

 

first item in our fridge. As it should be.

 

my beautiful dress

 

evening and morning flowers

 

budding green things

 

my growing collection of odd little vases..I used them at the wedding

 

our matching eyes and matching happiness

 

their striking cuteness

 

that smile

 

four leaf clover found at our new house…I took it as a special sign of future happiness 

 

flowers in my room

 

meeting this blissful child

 

setting up for the wedding

 

all Brittany did with flowers and decor on our special day

 

the last walk on my road the morning of my wedding..it was special..:)

 

That’s it! I can’t wait till I do the May update! It’s gonna be fun.

I finally have a laptop! I’m so happy. I’ve been editing pictures for quite some time now and enjoying catching up.  

 

snowflakes frosted on glass

 

individual paradises in Honduras…I love how they create these.

 

a blurry us enjoying cold bags of water in the hot weather

 

our beautiful old house

 

the flower beds Papa had put up for mother’s day a long time ago..

 

my white toes enjoying Honduran grass

 

banderas

 

tortillas being made at Johnnie’s house

 

the parents being grandparents

 

my first nephew

 

flower within flower

 

I love ferns

 

the goofiness

 

Lidia

 

Ninfa

 

Josselin

 

JD

 

Cristian

 

Yolanda

 

Harmony

 

awesome tree

 

Goodnight, peoples

 

 

 

Today, I have the random urge to write about me. I don’t know what I’m going to say, but I shall start and see where I end up.

I’m turning 25 today…I find myself pondering life and how different it is from what I’d always planned and expected. A few years ago, I was certain I would have been married to someone who isn’t even in my life anymore. I would have expected a few kids by now, and I had no intention of living in the States. We were to live in Honduras.

I cannot express how happy I am that God is in control of my life and how thankful I am for where I am now. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m happy we live here in Virginia. I’m not sure I’m happy we had to leave Honduras, and I’m definitely sure I wish we hadn’t left the way we did; forced out by people who didn’t know what they were doing. But looking back, I see God’s hand in things so clearly (at least in my life), that I dare not be anything but grateful. He’s so good to me. I still pray for miracles in my kids’ lives and am trusting God can work in their hearts just as he’s worked in mine.

 

 

I feel like my eyes are wide open to God today…I see him everywhere. It makes me feel all kinds of things inside I don’t even know how to express. Maybe I’ll start speaking in tongues in a bit here. I love him so much! He’s done so much for me and in me and even through me…His goodness and grace blow me away.

 

So I want to make a list of things I like about God!

1. His faithfulness. He makes the sun rise and set every day. He delights in repetition and constancy; and yet

2. His unpredictability is always there too. He’s never boring or predictable. Ever the same, ever new and surprising.

3. His unchanging-ness. He’s so…aaaah! I can’t describe it. He’s always the same, yesterday, today, and forever. I love that about him!

 

 

4. The millions of ways He loves us. I started a list of 1,000 gifts 3 years ago, I think. Just when I needed to start a list like that. I’ve been writing ever since and am on #557 of my 7 or 8^th list. I’m very confident I could keep writing forever and never run out of new and old/new ways he loves me and shows me every day. Doing this has changed my life and opened my eyes to his passionate, overwhelming love for ME. The sinful, undeserving creature that I am. It brings me to tears. I’ll never stop praising him. I may falter, but I won’t stop. Heaven will just make it more pure and true. 

5. His blatant wooing through nature. This world is truly an ugly place sometimes. We’ve so broken it with sin and selfishness…and still, he brings the laughing, bouncy, sunshiny, sweet breeze of Spring. How can one doubt his love with Spring in the air?

 

 

 

6. His forgiveness. It’s always there, mercy like a sea we can dive into.

7. His power. He’s done miracles in my life…and I’ve seen him work in the lives of others…what he’s brought them through; created in them; done through them…this is what keeps my faith intact as I pray and hope for my kids. He does miracles all the time. He will for them also. 

8. His grace. I’ve started thinking of grace as, the power to live victorious over sin. And really, what greater power is there? Living a victorious life and pointing others to that grace…the power to come out of that horrible struggle where every breath seems like an effort in living for God…to FREEDOM! Aaaaaaaah…there’s nothing like it!! 

9. Constantly more to discover. My latest discovery is that he chose not to create formulas on purpose. When I have something awesome I’ve lived and learned, I wish to pass it to someone else without the effort I went through to get it…and sometimes I want someone else’s wisdom and victory or freedom in a little box so I can call it my own…but God doesn’t give us a step by step formula to follow because he wants us to SEEK HIM. He wants us to value his gifts and if we could all go out and pluck them off trees, we wouldn’t value them at all. So sometimes we have to suffer, sometimes we have to struggle and lose sleep.

 

 

   And on a side note, I’ve been realizing we are such sheep in how we follow each other around (I’ve been watching Maya follow Anika:), and I think God created us that way on purpose. It’s not always a good thing, but maybe there’s some good to be gathered from just admitting it. I wonder if we would stop trying so hard to be unique and different and pushing our individuality around, we might be able to get somewhere. Maybe we could just choose who we follow instead of trying not to follow anyone. Maybe we could follow good people…like Paul encouraged us to follow him. And then always follow Jesus…

10. His goodness. He’s constantly, relentlessly kind. He never stops, never gives up…his goodness has become the story of my life. It’s weaved into every thread that makes up the tapestry he’s making of me.

 

 

And this ended up being more about Him than about me. Which is exactly what I want my life to be like anyway…J I’m very happy today…as I turn 25 and think of my past and anticipate my future. My past has had its dark times…times of despair and sadness so great I thought the grief would swallow me…but looking back, it’s all become a song of praise to Him and I want my future to be even more so.

I can’t believe I’m getting married in a little more than a month. Time goes so quickly and before I know it, I’ll be a wife! *pauses in awe*

 

 

I’m adding some pics in this post here and there, but they’re all old ones. I don’t have my laptop right now but as soon as I do, I’ll edit the rest of the pics from Honduras and post a blog for February and then later on, I’ll do one for March..or maybe I’ll just combine the two since I didn’t take very many pics in March due to the lack of a camera. My new one just came yesterday, by the way. I love it dearly already.

Hope you all have a nice day! *hug*

me

“The decision to be in God’s will is not the choice between Memphis or Fargo or engineering or art; it’s the daily decision we face to seek God’s kingdom or ours, submit to His lordship or not, live according to His rules or our own. The question God cares about most is not “Where should I live?” but “Do I love the Lord with all my heart, soul, strength and mind, and do I love my neighbor as myself?” It’s that second question that gets to the heart of God’s will for your life.” -Kevin DeYoung

 

the gray stark beauty of winter

 

As you can see, I’m reading Kevin DeYoung’s book called “Just Do Something.” It’s quite amazing, actually. It’s kind of thin but very heavy and it’s taking me a while to read it because I keep backtracking to actually “get” what he’s saying. It’s the kind of book I wish I’d have had about 2 years ago when the struggle of knowing God’s will felt like a huge burden and I couldn’t decipher it. I finally came to the conclusion that I should just…do something. Even without the book, but I wonder if I’d have had a bit of an easier road if I’d have read it back then. It’s a good book for youth. And anyone. It was recommended to me by my dad..who has very good taste in books:)

I love the freedom of choosing God and just walking this journey trusting in his guidance and his ability to stop me if I start going down a road I shouldn’t. It agrees with my blithe nature of not really thinking before I do things. I’m not actually encouraging that. But if we’re seeking first the kingdom of God…if we honestly WANT to do his will…I think he’ll guide us to it. And I’ll leave it at that. If you want to get deeper into the subject, read the book!  

 

Quido came for Ryan and Lacey’s wedding…spending time with 

her was wonderful! My life always feels more complete with her around.

 

how they get along

 

how often does a girl get blessed with a best friend who is 

wonderful AND gorgeous?

 

we went to see Appomattox Courthouse and this is the home in which Lee surrendered to Grant…it was pretty historical and cool

 

Quido made me stop to take pics of this place…:)

 

 

our new pose.

 

yummy food by mom..and set up so nice by Quido

 

the beauty at the wedding…Lacey made her own roses…AND her own cake toppers! How cool is that??

 

they were so beautiful that day. I loved their wedding so so much!!

 

this is how Lacey looked the morning of her

wedding…can you tell she likes plaid? I like her.

 

 

I liked being a bridesmaid again…but that day was full of a lot 

of mixed emotions…

 

the flowers were amazing…I loved the queen anne’s lace and the golden rod. Lacey’s favorite flowers.

 

 

these two were my constant companions and they’re as fun and wonderful as they look. Maya all snuggles and Anika goofy love.

 

this child’s love of lettuce

 

memories evoked

 

golden sunset through curtain

 

We’re going to Honduras in exactly 10 days. It blows my mind. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about anything (except getting married to my guy, maybe). It’s been 3 years this month…if someone had told me I’d survive away from my beloved country for that long I’d have asked them what they were smoking. I wouldn’t have been able to stand for it! I would have thought I’d buy a ticket for myself and just go back. Alone, if need be. To hug my kids and talk with them and walk through the sunshine and feel my heart be at home again. But…I was in school. And then I was getting into work…and getting to know my guy…and…well, now we’re finally all going and it’s a beautiful thing. It’ll be Ryan and Lacey, the parents, and Christopher and I. The fact that my guy is coming along makes my heart so happy I can barely stand it! I’m glad that it’s before we’re married too…it’s such a huge part of me…and to share it with him before we’re married just seems…right. 

 

 

latte and scone and friendship

 

best chair ever (wish I could own one like it)

 

I helped Lacey set up her first bookshelf. Made me happy..she has some awesome books!

 

my favorite scarf

 

happiness planning

 

brave leafies hanging on

 

A tiny part of me is almost scared to go back though. Things are so different. Some of the changes are going to hurt me. I already know some of them…but seeing them will be worse than just hearing of them. The colony so alone and desolate…no one living in any of the houses…our house has been “fixed.” I remember walking through it 3 years ago…tears streaming down my face as I took in its desolation and the despair of no one laughing there..no one living in that nice old house..the silence was deafening. And it was falling apart. They wouldn’t let us go in and take a tour when I asked permission so we sneaked in at night with Cristian crawling through the floor of my old room because there was a big hole there. I’m sure the hole is gone now…but I wonder if I’ll miss it. I do so hate change. And if it’s all perfect and Americanized (as I’m sure it will be), that’ll hurt me too. I’ve seen pictures of the manicured lawns around our old pond. The beauty of it is like a slap in my face. How does one get to the point where manicuring lawns and keeping a place pretty (in a land where people starve and children roam the streets with no one to take care of them) is more important than loving the children left in your charge? I don’t understand it. Someday…I hope I can completely forgive the people that have so hurt my kids…sometimes, I think I really have. And then more news reaches my ears and my heart shrinks into that state where bitterness could so easily take root. I’m trying to keep that from happening…God is helping me.

 

 

*Sid voice* “piiiine cone!!”

 

lunch with the Troyer family (they’re awesome) and especially this little girl

 

reaching this point..:):)

 

so many addressed envelopes already…once we have our invitations 

and engagement pics (to be taken in Honduras) we should be able to ship

them off with great ease

 

Yolanda just had a baby. His name is Jadiel Esau. I’m going to make her let me take a photo shoot of him and I’ll be sure to post lots of pics of him. From what I’ve seen, he’s adorable with chubby cheeks and little slanty eyes..:)

 

Harmony is married…and pregnant. Maybe she’ll have had her little girl by the time we get there. I really hope so. I want to meet her! And if I don’t this time, I don’t know when I will…even though I HOPE I can plan on an annual or every-other-yearly trip to Honduras. Christopher? Are you out there reading this? Make a note.

 

I painted my toes in preparation of Honduras…white and blue

to go with the flag and I’ll be wearing a Honduras shirt on the way down,

and flip flops in my carry on (or purse, so I can reach them faster) and I’ll probably 

wear those on the way off the plane because I’ll be so eager for my toes to see the 

sun again!!

 

I also got out some of my spring/summer clothes. Their bright, happy

colors warmed my heart and made me squeak a lot.

 

 

our yard a winter wonderland…

 

winter in VA…

 

Some of the kids have lost eyes…it makes my heart hurt. If you think about it, you could pray for us a lot during the next few weeks…I want to be a safe place for them…to help them lean harder on God…to see him first…and I know any unforgiveness in my heart could hinder that. 

 

These “kids” (I guess I should stop calling them that now that they’re having children of their own) still inhabit the softest, most vulnerable spot in my heart. I think I cry almost every time I talk about them for any amount of time. I don’t understand why things are the way they are. Why things went down the way they did. Sometimes I wonder why God didn’t stop it. Or at least do something miraculous afterwards…to keep them from going astray. They’re the fatherless, after all. How does one leave a floundering kid whose had the only stability they ever known taken away from them? And how does that kid learn to trust God in all that dark despair and betrayal? I have to keep reminding myself the story isn’t over. They’re still alive. And I have to believe my prayers are heard and that God is doing something. That he’s doing it now, behind the scenes…and I can’t see him doing it. But I have to trust him. Because he’s proven himself to me…my whole life is a testimony to his greatness and what he can do to turn things around…to make the dark glittering light. To give me so many undeserved gifts…my whole world wrapped in them and His love. If he’s done so much in my life, he can do it for them. I don’t think God has favorites, but if he did, they would have a very special spot in his big, wonderful loving heart. Because they’re so alone and they’ve been hurt so much. I’m waiting to see what he will do. And trusting it to be beautiful…

 

Here’s to the beauty of undying Hope…

 

 

Goodnight

I learned how to take heart bokeh pics…:)

 

so I tried stars as well…it’s fun

 

I love bokeh so much!!

 

Forrest preached about the things we say this morning. It was very convicting. As Lacey put it, “It stepped on every toe I have!” (which is a good thing, you know). He started out with talking about how powerful our words are. We hear the saying “talk is cheap,” and “actions speak louder than words,” and in a way, those things are true but only because we’ve cheapened words so much. Basically, it’s okay to say ANYTHING. Well, maybe not for Christians…we’re known to watch our words a little better, but if you hang out with non-Christian people for any amount of time, you’ll start noticing that words really can be cheap. But even as a Christian, thinking about the things I say, is so convicting! I use so many idle words…not to mention speaking ill of people. Venting about things. Responding quickly and without thought in ways that are so far from godly. There’s so much power in what we say…regardless of how cheap it sounds. All of it means something.

 

Lacey’s bridal shower was magical.

 

Papa and I made Christopher a bookshelf for Christmas.

Seeing a large portion of his books in it, makes me happy

 

These are the gifts he gave me. My camera and lenses will forever be safe…the

COMPLETE Calvin and Hobbs comic books (I love it soooo much!!), some of those

delicious oreo cookies and my favorite children’s book as a kid..:)

 

old record player

 

our new carpet!

 

enchiladas for Gerry’s birthday party…they were quite good, if I do say so myself.

 

Carmie and how she loves her husband

 

The cake she made him…

 

my one outdoor pic of the month. (I hide inside now most of the time:P)

 

coffee with friends

 

The Bible is a lot stronger against using words badly than I thought it was. 2 verses in Titus really stand out; “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,  knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. -Titus 3:10-11 And, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” -Matthew 12:36. I remember how that one used to strike fear into my heart as a kid… There’s so much said against gossip and talebearing..whispering bad things about people…I think God hates it all. 

 

But if there’s so much power for evil in our words, it follows that there is even more power for GOOD! There are lots of verses about encouraging one another…about being builders instead of someone who tears people down. 1 Thessalonians is full of them, I think. 5:14 is a good one: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards them all.” And, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” -Colossians 4:6

 

I feel pretty convicted and inspired about where I work and the opportunity there. To be a light to my patients, but also to my coworkers. It’s a challenge I know God will give me grace with. It’s so easy to complain; to find fault with the system and the way things are done, to wax sarcastic and even to talk bad about some of the people I work with. I feel like God has spoken so clearly to me today and I want to change…to do better; to always speak encouragement and never to speak badly of anyone. 

 

Meeting John and Bethy to exchange Christmas gifts and hang out for most of a day…it was wonderful!

 

being goofy together

 

this couple

 

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!

 

 

 

 

My amount of picture taking has been pitiful this month! But I’m posting anyway…cuz I do have a few..:P

 

photo by Christopher

 

fall is fading away now but it was still strong the beginning of this month.

 

these two the day they came back from their honeymoon.

 

grass still green in spots

 

 

*grin*

 

Thanksgiving with Christopher’s family

 

this really cool coffee shop and spending time with Amita…:)

 

our future home…it’s going to be a bit large for us but the rent is wonderfully cheap and it’s such a beautiful old house; I love it already

 

Since today is the first day of December, I decorated my room in Christmasy things and burnt my candles. It was delightful.

 

Hope you guys had a good month, and that this year’s Christmas and month of December is wondermous for each and every one of you! 

 

Much love, 

me

The sunrise right before we got engaged…:)

 

Before I get totally started, I shall warn everyone this is going to be a pretty long update…October was an amazing month and I tried to say no to a lot of the pics and weed out those that weren’t as awesome as the rest but I finally gave up because there were so many I loved I couldn’t resist posting a lot.  

 

 

 

bacon!!

 

 

all the crazy positions she got herself into on that swing

 

someone finally touching that stick

 

this mother daughter relationship..:)

 

tussling in the grass

 

flowers at Gramma’s house

 

 

almond joy pie!

 

their cuteness

 

 

fun at Sandbridge

the sunsets there

 

our mugs

 

our morning devotions on the deck..:)

 

their beauty

 

them

 

these two wonderful ladies and the amazing food they fed us

 

us..engaged

 

jumping waves

 

enjoying the ocean

my new bow

 

My guy’s sense of humor

 

doing their engagement shoot

 

fall

 

my awesome footstool!

 

endless pizza

 

twirling girlies in their beautiful dresses

 

wedding day!

his shoes

 

I love how much she loves him

 

I love them..:)

 

she puts her flowers in her belt

 

wedding pics

 

They were gorgeous

 

I loved his orchid

 

 

My favorite table at the wedding

 

I loved these cupcakes!!

 

I loved the flowers beyond description

 

Jolene is so beautiful

 

the bamboo was awesome.

 

the cake

 

 

I’m at 604 pics..:)

 

“The quality of life does not consist in the great experiences we have, but in the depth of commitments we make. We find ourselves as we give ourselves away.”

 

I’m very thankful to be alive these days. I had my first brush with death, I think, and although I wouldn’t mind going to Heaven…if I think about it deeply, I actually end up reeeally longing to just Go Home and be with Jesus and God and…I want to see my loved ones that are there already…but feeling like I kind of came face to face with the possibility of death has made me thankful for Life. Life is beautiful and hard and challenging and crazy and sad and horrible sometimes…but…it’s life. And I’m thankful to be able to LIVE it. I like living.

 

I like sunsets like this while enjoying a picnic with my guy, for instance. Do you think it’s possible for Heaven to put this 

kind of beauty to shame? I do. But I like that I’m not wasting sunsets…that I enjoy the ones granted me

 

our picnic was awesome…if I do say so myself…

 

I even made tiny little caramel apple pies…the top burnt (I forgot 

about them of course) but once the crusty part was picked off, they

were pretty awesome..;)

 

We giggled (okay, I giggled and he chuckled) to a Wodehouse story…I love when my guy reads to me.

 

this book on a bright beautiful day..(ignore the cover please:P)

 

This is what my brush with death looks like.

I crawled out that back window with only a tiny scratch on my leg

and a bitten tongue from the jolting. God is amazing, huh? I’m pretty sure

my guardian angels were all over that car protecting me from getting hurt. I

feel kind of like a miracle. :’) 

My “glad to be alive” face later on that day. (Isn’t my shirt awesome?;)

 

the details

 

white chocolate pumpkin lattes with my guy on

our Richmond Day…:)

 

we had Indian food for supper…and we ate outside..:)

 

Naan…the best thing since sliced bread.

 

My handsome boyfriend

 

my grandparents had their 50th wedding anniversary and we had a lot of fun celebrating together

 

The aunts decorated with fall themes, it was pretty cool. 

 

I love my family

 

We had the awesomest cheesy-est most mushroomy chicken ever…and that’s the only way to eat sweet potatoes.

 

this is how Christopher and I bonded while everyone else played corn hole or vball

 

I love my water bottle! And that it’s no longer humid enough

to fog up my lens like this. 

 

them

 

trying out new recipes

 

a daisy in September…and my new lens that actually captures it so well

 

grapes for homemade grape juice 

 

 

 

the perfection of a rose

 

spiderwebs in the morning

 

peace

 

a mushroom village 

 

bokeh

 

us youth went camping and it was fun watching the couples Be Together

 

*photo by Carmie (she borrowed my camera to experience my new lens a bit

 

we helped out a lady with clean up around her house…it was fun

 

the cabin we stayed at was wonderful…

 

so many unique things about it…including this endearing pig.

 

sky and water…so many moods…

 

this one I took specifically for Anika

 

ahhh…:)

 

the wrinkle in that big grin

 

looking at this when I drive…thanks, Kaye

 

Us

 

persistence in fishing…I’ll never be a good fisherwoman

 

And that’s finally it! Have a lovely October, people…:)

 

(I’m at 499 pics! Basically halfway to 1,000!:)

“This life therefore is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness, not health, but healing, not being but becoming, not rest, but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it, the process is not yet finished, but it is going on, this is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.” -Martin Luther

 

My guy is back from his long trip west and it is SO nice to have him home! He came over for supper last night and we had a lot of fun…but that’s a subject for next month’s post. I’m so far behind in posting, things are getting a bit mixed up. Sadly, I still haven’t gotten a recent pic of us together so I can’t count it in with my thankfulness pics…but I had to mention it somehow so here’s a random paragraph right at the beginning.

 

This photo was actually taken in July but I forgot to post it! It’s such an awesome pic (mostly because I had to call

upon all my powers of patience to get it right when he spread his wings like this) that I had to give it the honor of 

being on a post…even if it is a month late.

 

Rubita’s flowers 

 

snuggles and giggles in the morning

 

his unending energy and expressiveness

 

this little family…I love them.

 

hoagie on a tailgait

 

herbs in a windowsill…and colorful pots 

 

flower girl (doesn’t she make you grin?)

 

My gorgeous Kaye…I got to spend a whole week with her!

 

Here we are, about to walk across a bridge we weren’t supposed to

 

Here’s a pic of the bridge…it was fun walking across it…a sense of daring and adventure pervaded the air

 

 

The three of us together…it was wonderful, to say the least

 

that day we went to the amusement park and I got a ride on the steepest roller coaster in the world…it was intense

 

tender moment with butterfly

 

Kaye’s bridge

 

heart on butterfly (just for me, thank you, God:)

 

 

corny meal at Kaye’s house..it was great

 

best cupcakes ever…I love Lewistown (partly because of these, and partly because Kaye lives there:)

 

Seeing this delightful couple twice in the same month!

 

trees

 

Things at work have been going great! I’ve had my down days…those frantic ones where nothing is working out and you just know you’re not going to make it and you just can’t keep up. But I survive them and go home and go back the next day and things get better. So far, I’m only taking 3 patients…it looks like that will change next week and I’ll start taking 4…and then 5…and then the entire group while my preceptor just makes sure I’m doing everything right. I love my preceptor by the way. She’s great. Calm, unhurried, competent, good at explaining things and catching my mistakes before they’re too huge. The census at the Hospital has been at the bursting point this past week. We had so many patients there wasn’t room for any more and we had to send people off to Lynchburg. Things got pretty hectic. I’m proud of my little Hospital for how well we took care of all the patients we had though. 

 

I’m learning about delegation and coordination and leadership. They’re all things God didn’t gift me with. But I’m trying to learn them anyway…and He’s helping me. 

 

*small warning* Anika and Maya came to visit this month and I took loads of pics of them and I must post a lot. It’s a compulsion. It’s also a good thing they’re both beautiful and fun to look at…;)

little girl on swing

 

that wrinkly nose when she laughs

 

that smile (she really is the personification of all things sweet and squishy)

 

half body pics that capture happiness; this was an accident but I love the result

 

those curls

 

twirling girl

 

 

scribbling sidewalk chalk

 

her softness

 

Them…their beauty and their love for each other, and that they’re a part of my life. I’m truly blessed.

 

smoothies and sidewalk chalk and nieces..<3

 

Anika requested a butterfly drawn…then she colored in the spaces while Maya pointed at things…it was a happy moment for me.

 

the ethereal quality a parasol lends to a pic

 

happiness

 

ahhh…:)

 

her beautiful gray eyes

 

Us

 

daisy in August. I squeaked in pleasure when I first saw it!

 

evening light

 

an afternoon with this darling creature

 

cappuccino with Dave’s awesome espresso machine…

 

on a rainy morning

 

all us handsome couples at the Eicher house…;)

 

“I’m having one of those moments…right now.”

“What moments?”

“One of those moments when everything is so perfect and so wonderful that you almost feel sad because nothing can ever be this good again.”

-Gilmore Girls

 

I’ve been having a lot of moments like that this month. I feel like I’m on the brink of Change…and even if it’s the Good Kind of Change…it still makes me cling to Now. 

 

I currently have 429 pics! Next month it’ll be even closer to halfway there!