Happenings

Friday I finished Rachel's quilt, here's the back that I hadn't shown yet. I gave it to her Sunday after church and Rachel sat and named off all the characters on the front, it was really sweet :-) (If you click on the picture, you can see a larger version and more detail)


Saturday my niece Ashley and I went on a college campus tour as she is finishing up her junior year and it's time to think about colleges. It was a very fun morning spent with a young lady who is quickly becoming a beautiful woman. I can't believe I'm old enough to have a niece who will be in college in a year.


I then met up with Billy, Mike, Teresa and the kids for Kyle's flag football game. He's 6 years old and it's super cute watching him figuring out everything as this was his 3rd game ever to play.


Then off to see our actual floor plan in person to feel what the space would be like. We were not disappointed :-) Their model home/ office for this particular neighborhood is a different option of exterior than we chose, so our house won't look exactly like this. My favorite things about this floor plan are that all four bedrooms are upstairs as well as the laundry room. We'll convert the study to a play room downstairs when we have children.


So after getting up at 5ish, we got home from the last activity about 4 pm and I immediately fell asleep for 3 hours... wwhhheee

Our Sunday night small group started a new series based on a book called "Men are like Waffles, Women are like Spaghetti". It's a series I haven't' been exposed to before so I'm looking forward to it.

Speaking of small groups, this last Wednesday was my favorite one in the book we have been studying "Praying the Names of God". The name that we looked at this last week was Yahweh Tsuri or the Lord, my Rock.

Reflect on: 2 Samuel 22:2-4 and 1 Samuel 24:1-13
Praise God: For being Your Rock
Offer Thanks: For the way God has delivered you from enemies
Confess: Any times in which you have retaliated against others
Ask God: To give you the humility not to strike back when someone offends you

It was such a powerful reminder that God is our defender in all things, to all let His love and forgiveness dictate our reactions when we feel offended. I am able to look back in my life with enemies of a much bigger "E" and only through the grace and power of God has he led me to forgive and have peace in my heart when that's the last thing I wanted to do. In the end, God takes care of all things. I'm glad life isn't fair or I wouldn't be able to go to heaven. I don't really want justice when it comes to my own mistakes, I want mercy from my heavenly father through His son and I'm called to carry that out to others.


Ladies Retreat this weekend, I so enjoy them :-)))

The new Lot

This week has been ...... interesting. I was in a funk for the first half of it to the point of tears. I couldn't quite put my thumb on what exactly was bothering me so much. There were a few things I was frustrated, disappointed with what was developing but in the end everything turned out well. I feel as though I've taken a turn around that bend what ever it was. It was one of those times that if the exact same scenarios had happened at any other time I wouldn't have been fazed. Sunday I felt awful and missed church, but was okay enough by 6 that evening to have small group at our house. Sometimes I just need to veg, usually once every couple weeks or Billy gets teary overwhelmed wife (doesn't that sound like fun for him?). It will probably bother me until I know exactly why I was in that frame of mind. In the mean time I shall let it go and enjoy the fact that I'm not feeling rejected by everything and that my heart is not so fragile.

Thursday and yesterday were the highlights of the week. Thursday I was able to see some old Prestoncrest friend and made a couple new ones. If you ever have the opportunity to do Apples of Gold, ladies, run, don't walk. Yesterday, while I was attending a planning meeting for the ladies retreat (Greenville Oaks ladies, sign up :-)!), Billy played paint ball with some guys from our church. I am really enjoying the sense of belonging. I hesitate to brag on our church, for fear someone else will think I'm comparing, but I'm really bragging on God. He does wonderful things through many churches and I'm just blessed to be able to view some of His work. I'll just say we always have room for more friends and I believe it's a God thing that God has brought us to where we are. I wouldn't be where and who I am without God working through the many wonderful Christian people I still continue to draw inspiration, encouragement and love from daily. I digressed,where was I? So, after the planning meeting, we met the realtor and signed on our lot :-)

A double bonus found out it was five houses down from some friends. Hi Jill & Tim! (Or as I say often since my mouth moves faster than my mind, Till & Jim). We spent a couple of hours making all kinds of choices, that was fun I have to admit. When Billy and I got married, he already owned this house. This next one will be ours :-))

Then we had sweet Rachel for the night so her parents could celebrate reaching four years of marriage. Congrats Amy & Wes! I am not just being kind in saying Rachel was an angel. She is so loving and joyful. We went over to some friends house with more than one misgiving, since she is 2. It was really best case scenario, she charmed everyone and once we got home, laid down and went to sleep. We actually managed to show up to church early, don't ask me how that happened. My camera battery was low and I was in a hurry, but this is the pic that I got of her this morning before we left for church. She wanted to play with the camera:


Oh my gift to Amy.... Recycling. It's the one thing she asked me to make a plug for on my blog and since she graciously allows me to hog her child, I will happily comply. I didn't even know Billy does separate our trash until I brought home a brochure Amy had. Also watching John and Kate plus 8 was convicting, if that woman has the time with 6 year old twins and 3 year old sextuplets, I really should get my show on the road. Amy and Kate also both eat organic foods when ever possible, something worth looking into. Preserving the best for future generations and refraining from putting pesticides and growth hormones in our bodies, sounds like a win-win to me!