Our Corner of the World

just a second

2011-11-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

I don't have long to sit down and write today but I wanted to write down a few things. Our little man did in fact turn one and we had a fantastic party with lots of our family and friends! Hopefully in the next day or so I can get back on here and write a post about his birthday and party. Since his birthday lots of our running around and craziness has slowed down. Praise the Lord! I am enjoying the more relaxed days with my sweet boy and catching up on some household to dos.

20 days

2011-10-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

Time doesn't stand still. Sometimes we want it to and other times we wish it went faster. Any way you look at it it doesn't stand still. In twenty days (actually 19 now since I'm writing so late) my sweet little boy will turn one. A whole year old. 365 days of life with him. What a blessing every single day/moment has been. I will always cherish October 23, 2010 the day I became a mother. I thank God nightly as I go in to pray over his sweet growing self for the blessing of being his mom. For trusting this sweet child to us.
We are busy with preparations to go to the beach and to celebrate our sweet boy's first year. Life is full of blessings. Too many to count, thank you Lord!!
For now I will enjoy the next 20 days. Holding tight to my baby, before he officially becomes a toddler. Time flies too fast...

2011-09-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

i love him!

Dusting off the ol blog a bit...

2011-09-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

If you check this blog often for updates on our family, especially the smallest cutest member then I am sorry. I have failed at updating here. I am good about keeping up with Jeremiah's monthly calendar and baby book and even with his monthly pictures but not so good at the blogging. It has also become much harder to find time to sit down at the computer now that our little man is mobile and much more interested in the world around him.
I am thanking God daily for the joy our son brings to our lives. He is so much fun! I am so blessed to be able to stay home with him and to really have the time to play and enjoy him. His latest antics include pushing his hippo push toy all over, pulling up on EVERYTHING, eating almost all of his food with his hands, crying when its time to get out of the bath, signing more when he wants more food, and looking up when you try to take his picture. I cannot believe that his first birthday is quickly approaching. Time is certainly going by way too fast!
Over the next couple of weeks I won't promise to update much. Aaron and I celebrate our second wedding anniversary on Monday and then have a couple of trips coming up before we celebrate our little man's first birthday next month.
Here are a couple of cute shots just because I can :)

9 whole months

2011-07-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

My sweet little boy turned 9 months old this past weekend. We were out of town on the actual day so I still haven't taken his monthly photo (to be corrected tomorrow am) but there were a few moments throughout the day to reflect on the 9 months of life we have had with him. It was fun to think that he has now been in our lives as long as he was in my belly. It was also fun to see all of the changes he has gone through in just 9 months.
He is quickly becoming such a little toddler, almost a little boy, less of a little baby. In the last two weeks, almost to prove that life is indeed moving too fast, he became mobile. He went from sitting and playing with his toys to belly crawling, to pulling up, to true hands and knees crawling. Tonight he actually let go of the ottoman and took a few steps towards Aaron on the couch. Now he did stumble and fall a bit as he got to Aaron but not from lack of trying. The silly kid thinks he can walk already. I know that all too quickly he will be walking. It is exciting but at the same time a bit bittersweet as I watch my firstborn grow up. I am thankful for the snuggles and hugs that are still so very much a part of our day. I pray that they stick around for many more years.
More than anything I am reminded daily of the blessing we were given in this sweet child 18 months ago. Just as I loved nearly every moment of being pregnant I have enjoyed nearly every moment of his days with us. I am so thankful that he is in good health and that he fits our family so beautifully. I am so very proud to be his momma. It intimidates me to think of the challenges that lay ahead of us and the responsibilities of raising him to be a Godly man. I am thankful that the Lord is always with us and that He loves Jeremiah so much more than I ever could and has plans to prosper him and to give him a future. Thank you Lord for trusting us to parent this sweet blessing!

no excuses

2011-07-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well I have very little to say for my lack of blogging lately. Except for the busyness of summer and a now quite mobile almost 9 month old.

Life continues to plug along for us. We are doing well. We have been doing our best recently to make the most of summer. Our days recently have been filled with family, friends, cookouts, sleepovers, pool parties, naps and a few small get-a-ways.

Our sweet baby continues to grow and amaze us. He continues to have a sweet go with the flow personality and continues to bring everyone around him such joy. He currently takes two naps each about two hours long and is now going to bed somewhere between 9 and 9:30. Until last week he was going to sleep easily. Now he immediately sits back up and tries to play or pull himself up on the crib. We watched him pull himself up tonight and cruise along the side of the crib all the way to the other side. Crazy monkey! While he has figured out how to do a quick belly crawl his favorite method of moving is for you to hold his hands so that he can walk. Sometimes he tries to let go and walk on his own (unsuccessfully for the time being). He can easily pull himself up on a number of items and we can only imagine will be walking soon. He continues to be a great eater eatting nearly everything you give him. This week he suffered with his first real fever. For about two days he was very lithargic and just wasn't himself. It was so hard to see him that way and not always know the best ways to comfort him. I am so thankful to see him fever free and back to his normal self.

Hopefully in the coming days I can post some new pictures. I am trying to figure out how to post them in a slideshow so that I can let you see a more of what we have been up to without having to spend hours working on loading them. If anyone has any suggestions then I would love to hear them :)

Where we stand for now

2011-05-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

I use my blog mostly as a link to read other blogs. There I said it.

I often think about posting things but then feel like it would be too much work, esp if there are pictures I want to share or that no one really cares about the thoughts running through my head. I started to think about why I blog and if I wanted to continue to blog. I decided over the last few days that I would continue to blog...hopefully with a little more regularity. I want to share the things that keep our family going and to share pictures of our sweetie with family and friends that dont live close by.

Speaking of our sweet little one he continues to be such a blessing in our lives. He turned 6 months old recently and suddenly seems to be growing up so quickly. In the last week he has taken off with his motor skills. He rolls over all the time now and loves to play sitting up. Just yesterday he started to pull himself up holding your hands without any real help from you. He continues to love most solid foods. He has enjoyed peas, pears, sweet potatoes, avocado, and squash. So far the only foods he seems to not like are peaches and rice cereal.

Alright for tonight thats all I have. I am off to fold laundry and sort out little man's 6 month photos.

Birthday month :)

2011-03-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

I love March. Since I was little I have started the birthday countdown from the beginning of March until my actual birthday. I LOVE birthdays especially my own. I love to celebrate. I am not one to try and cram it all in one day but love to spread it out for as long as I can muster. I love to get together with friends and celebrate. I also love a reason to eat cupcakes :)
My first birthday celebration this year was a very exciting one for me. My mom and her best friend took me to see Nicole C. Mullen in concert at The Cove. I have wanted to see Nicole in concert for years! The evening was amazing! Aaron and my dad stayed with Jeremiah and had a mens night while we ladies went off to enjoy and evening of worship. Nicole has such energy and a true heart for God. Nicole sang a few of her older more popular songs and then moved on to the new worship songs she's written. I can't wait for her new Cd to come out. We ended the evening being able to go meet Nicole and get her autograph and snap a couple of pictures. What a great way to start off the birthday month!!!

A bit of what's floating around in my head...

2011-02-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

*My son just got over his first cold. It was his first bout of illness of any sort and he handled it like a champ. For the most part you wouldnt have really known he wasnt feeling good as he continued to smile and play. He had one day where he spit up some and was kinda cranky but then the next day he was right back to his ol self again. I'm thankful that he has had nearly 4 months of great health and that he continues to do so well!
*Aaron and I are going out to a movie tonight :) This is an extension of our Valentines celebration. I think its sweet how excited he is to be going out with me.
*We are in the process of trying to figure out the best usage of Aaron's days off this year. There are so many things that we need to do and another list equally as large if not larger of things that we would like to do. Please be in prayer for us as we seek to make these decisions.
*I am loving this recent weather we are having. We have been taking advantage of this weather with a few more trips out of the house and walks around the neighborhood. Hopefully in the next day or so we will be able to walk around the lake as well.
*I love hanging out with my son and watching him experience the world around him. I love being able to make him smile.
*We love watching the Biggest Loser. Such inspiring stories and it is amazing to see how far the contestants come each season.
*Husband and I are in the midst of taking a Crown Financial class at church. We have always been eager to pay off our debt. This class is a great springboard for that goal and also gives us a great heavenly perspective on our money and possessions. As a result we will be going out to eat less and really cutting back on any nonessentials.
*I still havent ordered my wedding album :(. My goal is to get that accomplished by the end of this weekend.
*I would like to plan a game/movie night this weekend. Anyone wanna come play?
*I am in the process of organizing little man's photos. Hopefully I will be better about sharing more of them soon. I love to take pictures of our little one and love sharing them too! Pictures are such a treasure. I need to do a better job of capturing him on video as well.
*I havent been able to wear my wedding or engagement rings since about July and I miss them.

Often my life feels like one giant to do list, a list of things I need to do and things I'd like to do. I love where God has me most of the time and yet there are so many areas where I feel I could still improve/work. I'm hoping that as a result of cutting back on spending money there will be more time at home to enjoy our sweet little family and to work on these to do items.

I'm back, with pictures!!

2011-02-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

Well I finally have my computer back. Yay! A childhood friend of my brothers was able to get everything off of my old computer and put it on my new computer and then fix the screen on my old one. He did so much for us and so quickly was also very affordable. Now I can move on with many of the projects I need to do.

It is hard for me to believe it has been a month since I last blogged anything. Life has continued plugging along. Most of our time is now spent loving on our little one and trying to enjoy every moment as he is growing SO quickly. Nearly every day is something new for him. I LOVE staying home with him. I love being able to be here for every new thing he learns and discovers.

Here are a few pictures of our little man.

Not sure why this is sideways but I love this pic!

cute!

Tummy time with Papaw

Playdate with Alexis: I love how she's holding his hand :)

Snow, snow and more snow!

2011-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

Well it happened again. It snowed several inches and everything outside our window looks like a beautiful winter wonderland. :) Where was all of this snow when I was growing up and longing for snow days? Anyways, I have informed our sweet son that not all of his days will be filled with snow, despite the large number of snow days he has experienced in his short two months of life. He doesnt seem to mind the snow with the exception of the time we took him out quickly for a quick photo shoot right as he was waking up from a nap. I love the "permission" the snow seems to give us for staying in our pjs and simply snugglin up and enjoyin each other. It is nice to have a few more layed back days. Speaking of layed back I think its nap time for this tired momma as well.
Coming soon more pics of our little one :)

It's pretty...

2010-12-28T21:01:00.000-08:00

My new computer arrived today and its so pretty. It is very shiny and exciting. Hopefully over the next couple of days I will start learning the new operating season and where everything is. I dont plan on putting a lot of time into it until Zach and Rachel leave on Thursday.
I also need to get Zach's friend to transfer things over from my old computer to the new one.
Hopefully soon I will be able to post a bit about Christmas, a few snow pics and then of course some updated Jeremiah photos.

I dont mean to leave ya hangin

2010-12-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

My computer is on the fritz. And as a result I have been unable to come and update you sweet readers (you are out there right?) as to what we have been up to. Or more importantly to post more pictures of our sweet little one. Because I'm sure that's what most of you are here for anyways. After consulting several computer savvy friends we decided that it was in our best interest to replace my computer, therefore in the next week or so my new computer should arrive and I can once again resume my own personal electronic life. Good thing we recently got smart phones, and that I can occasionally hop on hubby's computer or I would really be going nuts!

A Weeks Worth of Gratitude

2010-11-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

Well here it is over a week later and I am just getting around to posting again. This last week has been very different and busy. I have started doing more than just take care of my child which has been refreshing but yet tiring as I balance my new life. This next week will hopefully be a much slower week as we take time to enjoy Thanksgiving with each other. I am looking forward to Aaron being off all but one day this week and getting to spend some uninterrupted time with our families as well. We are so very blessed!!
11/14~I'm grateful for our friends at Access church Asheville. It was such a joy to go back this week and share our son with them. We loved the warm welcome back we received and are thankful for the friendships we formed with the great people there.
11/15~I'm grateful for being able to drink Diet Coke again. As silly as it sounds I am glad to have this wonderful beverage back in my life again. As unhealthy as it may be I am glad to be able to enjoy it again. While I really did not miss it that much while I was pregnant I have certainly enjoyed it this week as a treat :) My goal is to continue to drink mostly water while enjoying my sweet Diet Coke as a treat.
11/16~I am grateful for heat. It has been getting cooler lately and I am so thankful that we have heat to keep us warm. I hope that the Lord does not allow me to take even these simple things for granted-there are so many who do not even have these luxuries.
11/17~On this day I am thankful for the life my grandmother lived. She had such a huge impact on my life and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to know her as well as I did. I love every moment we had together and miss those moments more than ever. I still struggle with not being able to introduce my son to her but am so thankful that she is no longer in pain. I'm thankful that one day the Lord will reunite us together in heaven. Happy 2 year home coming Grandmother!
11/18~I am thankful for the Lord's financial provisions. While we are not wealthy we have been blessed far beyond our deserving. We have come many times during our short marriage to wonder where the money is coming from or wonder how we are going to make ends meet but yet the Lord has been so faithful to provide not just our needs but so many of our wants as well. I pray that we always remember we are simply stewards of what is His and that we always recognize His provisions for us.
11/19~Today I am thankful for weekends. I am thankful for the layed back and relaxed relief that comes with Friday afternoons. I love that my sweet husband comes home on Friday afternoons and that we have two whole days to spend as a family. Even though I dont work outside the house any longer I still love and treasure weekends.
11/20~I am so thankful for my "sister" Abby! Words cannot express what she means to me. I am thankful that nine years ago the Lord brought us together. I am thankful that she has been there for me through the thick and the thin. We enjoyed our college days together, we were in each others weddings, we traveled together both short trips and abroad---I could go on and on trust me. She is wonderful. She truly is a blessing in my life!
11/21~I am thankful for naps. I have always loved squeezing in the occasional naps but they are especially special to me during this newborn phase when sleep is only coming in spurts during the night.
11/22~I am grateful for the internet. I love staying connected with family and friends. I love being able to catch the latest news and information from both family and friends as well as whats going on in the world around us. I am thankful for email and sites like facebook. I also love reading blogs~having both a place to record my own thoughts as well as keep up with family and friends.
11/23~I am thankful for our fireplace insert. Aaron has worked so hard over the past year to accumulate wood for us to use this winter. While we have baseboard heat in the ceiling it is expensive so we use our fireplace insert as our primary source of heat. It is so nice to have a more affordable way of keeping our family warm. We also love that we can have heat regardless of whether or not the electricity is on :) Plus who doesnt like to have a fire going?
11/24~Today I am thankful for the health of our son. We took him to the doctor today and he is doing so well! He is gaining weight like a champ (now up to 8 lbs 9 oz) and has grown almost two inches since he was born. We are so blessed.

Thank you God for Chrysalis

2010-11-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

Chrysalis always has and always will have a special place in our lives. I am grateful that God chooses to meet us there. I am grateful for all of the amazing things that happen in our lives and the lives of others there. I am grateful for all of the wonderful people that come together to share the love of Christ. Today we had the privilege and joy of taking Jeremiah for the first time to Chrysalis. It was so special to share our son with this very important aspect of our lives. We loved introducing him to our friends. We even took a picture so that we will have a chance to share with him later about his first time at Chrysalis.

I was doing so well

2010-11-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

I was doing well keeping up with my days of gratitude until this week. Sad since we arent that far into the month yet. Oh well. The good thing is my son is well fed and happy, not that my blog has been updated. I'm going to make tonights post quick since I'm tired and we have a busy weekend ahead of us.
11/10 I'm grateful for my meals our friends/family have prepared for us in this new season of our lives. It has been so nice to focus on our son and not what we need to do about food.
11/11 I'm grateful for the time I had with my grandmother and that she is now with Jesus and no longer suffering. There have been times where I catch myself wanting to introduce her to Jeremiah and I find myself thinking about her a lot during this season since it is close to her birthday, the day she passed away and also the holidays which were so big for our family. And while I get sad for a few moments I cant help but be grateful for the many years we had together.
11/12 I am grateful for cameras and the blessing of capturing memories. Words cannot describe what having pictures of my family and friends means to me. I love having both the important events and the daily moments captured for us to look back on.

Lovin where we live

2010-11-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

Today I am so thankful for the beautiful area in which we live. I love living in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I have visited many places in the world, many of them very amazing and wonderful but nothing compares to home in my heart. I love fall in the mountains. God just shows off in amazing displays of color.
I also feel very blessed to live in the neighborhood where we live. We are definitely the youngest around yet I wouldnt trade it for anything. We love our neighbors and the connections that we are forming with them. They are excited about us being here as well. It is sweet to have people tell you they are glad you are around and hope that you have no plans to leave. So many of our neighbors have come over to meet our son and seem really excited to have a baby in the neighborhood. It is neat to see them be so excited about him :).
We took Jeremiah on his first neighborhood walk today. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed taking him out, enjoying the warm weather and introducing him to a few more of our neighbors. I look forward to many more walks around our neighborhood with him in the future.

Yesterday and Today

2010-11-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

Today I found myself very grateful for our church families and my hard working husband. Yesterday we went to the birthday celebration service for New Covenant Church. It was a great service and was a blessing to see where the Lord has brought the church over the past 33 years. I am grateful that the church has recently added a crying babies room where nursing mom's can go and have a private place to nurse and care for their babies. I missed that yesterday when we were at the community college and I needed to nurse. I love the people that make up the church. Nothing compares to the love of those Christian brothers and sisters. We have really appreciated all of the love, meals, prayers, etc our Christian family has given us. I am grateful for the teaching and worship we receive through our church. We are very blessed to have found a place where we feel God move and where we feel we can begin to connect and grow.
I am also very grateful today for my hard working husband. He has been such a blessing to me since we got married. He has encouraged me to stay home and does not complain about having to get up and go to work. He works so hard to provide each and every day for our family. Even when he comes home he keeps up with household work, especially the harder outside work. Since the birth of our son he has been amazing at getting food ready for me and keeping the kitchen clean. He has also stepped up and takes care of his son (esp. diaper changes) when needed. Thank you Lord for blessing me with such an amazing husband!!!

Grateful for rest

2010-11-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

My heart overflows today. I am so grateful for lazy restful days with my family. Today the three of us spent time snuggling together in the bed. Now we are not a cosleeping family but occasionally we do pull our little man in the bed for some extra snuggle time. This morning was so perfect. We got a few pictures of him outside in the first "snow" of the season and then went right back and crawled up in the bed together. Hours later we managed to get up and make it to the living room for more lazy day moments together. It is nice to have lazier days where we can just enjoy each other and catch up on much needed rest together. I love pajama days, especially with my sweet family!

On a side note: I am getting super excited about the holidays. We have nearly all of our shopping completed. I am looking forward to enjoying the holidays with our son this year. While he will be too little to grasp anything related to the holidays I am looking forward to having the stressful parts over with so that I can enjoy being with family and all of the sights, smells and sounds of the holidays.

First Friday Club

2010-11-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago the women on my dad's side of the family started the "First Friday Club". Basically they just wanted to get together once a month. I am grateful for these opportunities to spend time with my family. It is nice to see everyone outside of holiday functions. This month we went out to eat and made sure that everyone had updated address books and birthday calendars. This month was also special because Jeremiah went with me. It was wonderful to introduce him to more members of my family and watch everyone love on him.
Now I'm back home and ready to snuggle up with my boys :)

Grandparents and Great Grandparents

2010-11-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for family, especially our grandparents. It has been such a joy for us to introduce Jeremiah to his grandparents and great grandparents. I have always been close to my grandparents and there is a special joy that comes with introducing them to my son. I love watching the joy on their faces and hearing/seeing them love on him. It is awesome for me to know that he will at least have the pictures to look back on but even more exciting that he will have the chance to know them during these first years of his life.
Today my grandfather and his wife drove up from Atlanta to meet Jeremiah. We enjoyed watching them hold him and snap pictures of him. Thus far Jeremiah has had the opportunity to meet all of my grandparents who are still living. Hopefully in the coming months we will be able to introduce Jeremiah to Aaron's grandparents.
Overall we look forward to Jeremiah growing up with all levels of family around him. We love living fairly close to everyone and the opportunities he will have to grow close with his family as he grows.

In a week and a half...

2010-11-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

In a week and a half:

*I have given birth to a beautiful baby boy.

*Missed my pregnant belly and the flutters within more than once.

*Stared at my son for HOURS and wondered how I ever lived without him.

*Fallen even more in love with my husband.

*Dropped over 20 lbs.

*Fit back into a lot of my prepregnacy clothes (just in time as it is getting colder and my maternity clothes were all summer clothes)

*Had many uncomfortable places in my body.

*Marveled at the human body and how God designed us.

*Learned that sleeping in two to three hour stretches is not that bad.

*Found that meals from family and friends are absolutely the best blessing in times like this.

*Spent more time thinking about bodily functions than I ever thought I would.

*Discovered that my son has gained over a pound in a week

*Taken hundreds of pictures

*Only left my house a handful of times and most of those have been visits to the pediatrician's

*Discovered how wonderful the Moby wrap really is

*Enjoyed the simple pleasures of sleeping in my own bed, using nice toilet paper, and showering

I am amazed at just how much has taken place in this last week and a half or so.

Days of Gratitude

2010-11-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

Last year I spent each day in November remembering things that I was grateful for. While my schedule is a little busier this November I thought it would be nice to try and do the same thing this year.
11/1~ I'm so grateful for my sweet husband. He has done so much for me over the last few weeks of the pregnancy and then through this first part of Jeremiah's life. He was such a pillar of support for me during labor and has not hesitated to do what has been needed for our son. I am grateful for all of the work he does to provide for our family. I am so very blessed that he goes to work each day to allow me the opportunity to stay home with our son.
11/2~ I am grateful for the safe and healthy delivery of our son. I am still in amazement of how labor and delivery went for us. It was much faster than I had imagined it would be. I am grateful that the Lord looked after each and every aspect of our hospital stay and care. I am thankful that the induction process went as it should and did not result in more medical interventions/procedures.
11/3~ I am so grateful for the blessing of staying home with my son. Before the birth of my child I often took the blessing of being able to stay at home for granted. Since his birth I have so deeply enjoyed the blessing of staying home and caring for our child. I love being able to meet his needs and learn new things about him each day. I love that I dont have to hand him over daily to someone else but that I can spend each day with him.

Our little blessing

2010-10-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah Giese was born Saturday, October 23rd at 1:50 p.m. After a smooth pregnancy we hit a bump in the road medically in the last week where the doctors wanted to go ahead and deliver. We went in Saturday morning at 4 a.m. to be induced. We were all surprised at how quickly things went and our little miracle arrived just short of 10 hours into our visit. While his birth wasn't quite what we planned from the beginning it went smoothly and I could feel God's presence all throughout. All of the concerns they had for me medically are better and everything for Jeremiah looks good as well.

We are very much in love with our son! He is perfect with all fingers, toes, etc just as they should be. He has a very relaxed personality and we are enjoying every minute with him.

Here are a few pictures. More pictures to come.

He's here!

2010-10-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Our sweet gift from the Lord arrived today at 1:50pm. I will post more information and pictures very soon. Right now I am going to collapse in this hospital bed while he sleeps. Praising Jesus for his many blessings and answered prayers today!

It's nearly go time!

2010-10-22T15:09:00.001-07:00

Based on my lab work the doctor feels it would be best for us to go ahead and deliver our sweet one tomorrow morning. We will be heading to the hospital at 4 and will be getting things started from there. Sometime tomorrow we will hopefully have him in our arms.
Please pray for a safe and healthy delivery, a healthy baby, and for my lab work to return to normal. We value your prayers and thank God for each of you! We cannot wait to share our son with you. Thank you for praying for us during this pregnancy, God has been so faithful! We cannot wait to give him the glory for a safe delivery and a healthy baby!

What a week!

2010-10-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well this last week has been quite an interesting one. Our social calendar has slowed down drastically and so I thought would the excitement, haha. I worried on Monday that our little guy wasnt moving enough and right before we called the doctor to see about getting things checked he started movin like crazy again and hasnt really stopped since. I'm with my mom on the fact that this won't be the first time my son will scare/worry us.
Aaron's work week has been very heavy this week as well. He has been working until 6 or later nearly every day. I am grateful that he has steady work during this time and that he works so very hard for our family!
We managed to have dinner with both sets of our parents this week. What a treat to have our families so close by. I love the close family connections and am glad that we will be able to offer those to our children.
The end of the week was certainly the most surprising part of our week. When going to the doctor this week they found some changes in my normally great numbers. As a result of these numbers we are looking at the possibility of meeting our son just a bit earlier than we thought. Even though this comes only days before our due date and is before any health issues would be come alarming it still comes as a surprise to us. My emotions processing this latest news have been all over the place. I know that the Lord my God has ultimate control but my flesh is screamin a different story. Praying for the peace of Christ to overwhelm us at this time.

Baby help/visits

2010-10-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

We are blown away by the number of people who have already shown their love for us and our sweet little one. So many of you have asked about bringing meals or coming by to visit once he is born. We would LOVE to share our little one with each of you but would like to ask a few things. Please call/text us before coming to see that it is a good time and that we are not resting. Also if you have been sick recently (last 48-72 hours min) please wait before coming to see us.

To keep any one person from having to coordinate meals for us we are using a website (www.carecalendar.org) to make sure that everyone who wants to provide a meal has the chance to do so. To log in you will need the ID code: 52218 and Security code: 7608. Please let us know if you have any questions or troubles logging in. When you log in you will be able to see the needs for each day and whether or not they have been filled. There is also information there about allergies, likes/dislikes, times etc. There is also a place for you to enter what you would be bringing to allow for a variety of meals.
We love you all and are very thankful for each of you! Thank you so much for everything you have already done and for the love and prayers we continue to feel during these last few days. We cannot wait to share our new little one with each of you!

Ping ponging back and forth, up and down...

2010-10-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind. Friday was an awesome day at Chrysalis. I hated to not be involved for more of the weekend than we were able to this time but I am always glad to be able to go out and serve and be blessed by the community of Christ out there.

Saturday was the first day where I noticed that my energy levels are definitely on the flux. I slept late, ate lunch, took a nap, and then got ready for my cousin's wedding. You would think after all that sleep I would be good to go. Especially since the only thing I did was attend the wedding/reception. Crazy thing is I came home and went to bed early. This little one is certainly continuing to show us that life is changing.

Sunday was filled with church, lunch, hammock swinging, corn hole, and seeing sweet friends.

Our big projects have pretty much been completed. I am trying to fill my days with the little things I wanted to have done and resting up. My mind is going all over the place these days. I can tell my emotions/hormones are ping ponging back and forth. It is crazy what these last days of pregnancy can do to a woman. I am so ready to meet this little one!

Quick check in

2010-10-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

So I'm laughin at myself tonight for not blogging anything for nearly a month now. I have a 36 week belly pic that I meant to post but obviously never got around to it. Things have been a bit crazy around here as we have rushed to get our last minute baby stuff together as well as complete other projects before he gets here. Not to mention all of the other commitments we had/have on us before our new arrival. While life has been very busy for us during this last month it has been a good busy (for the most part) and really is beginning to calm down. After this coming Saturday we dont have anything major planned until our little one gets here. Now I realize that is only a bit more than a week, if he comes on time, but for us not having anything planned for that long is a dream. I am looking forward to having a newborn not only to love and cherish but to keep us at home and not runnin around for just a bit. I'm sure that soon enough we will be back to a crazy enough pace.
A few realizations:
*We are so very very blessed. I am overwhelmed with God's provision.
*The end of pregnancy is tiring. Really tiring.
*I feel like a ping-pong ball most days. Ready to be not pregnant and then the next second almost mourning the end of this wonderful pregnancy. Yes, even at 38+ weeks I am still enjoying pregnancy.
*The human body is quite amazing!

On the baby news front. As of this afternoon when I went to the doctor I have dilated to an almost 2 and have a "very soft" cervix. Most of the time I still feel great all things considering. I am having more contractions and they are getting more frequent and stronger. My mind is still baffled by the fact that our little one will be here any time.

I am not even going to pretend to tell you that we will be updating every day with photos and info once he's here. I will simply do my best to share with our loved ones what I can. Love you all and can't wait to show you the newest member of our family.

My favorite time of year!

2010-09-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Fall is finally here! It is by far my favorite time of year. I get so excited when it starts getting cooler and the leaves start falling. I love the sights, smells, colors, etc of fall. For me there is something energizing about fall. Maybe its the last hoorah before winter sets in or maybe its just the time of year when I feel even more blessed to live where I do, where it seems like God is just showing off with all of the colors and changes. While I havent been able to make many of the festivals and fairs this year I love that there are so many options for enjoying this season. I am looking forward to getting out and enjoying the changing leaves and cooler weather soon.
I am also glad that our son will be born during this season. Yet another reason for me to celebrate fall :)

Tired?

2010-09-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

Many times lately I have been asked if I am tired. Am I tired of being pregnant? Do I tire easily? Am I tired of standing? Etc, etc, etc.
Overall I am doing well. I feel good. Great most days :) I sleep well at least 5-6 nights a week and am blessed to be able to rest frequently during most of my days. So when people ask me if I'm tired I can for the most part on most days say no. Most days I'm doing well. I do have more moments where I wear out more easily. I certainly cannot do all of the things I used to squeeze into a day right now. Since I am blessed to be at home right now I have the ability to take it easy and rest when I need to. Life continues to be fairly busy. We have a lot going on for my family right now and that is keeping me pretty busy. I'm glad for most of the busyness since it keeps my mind somewhat distracted as we wait for our little one. With each day I am growing more and more eager to meet our little one. Only about four more weeks now. All in God's timing.

Our first baby shower and a few pre baby thoughts

2010-09-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we had our first baby shower. What a sweet time with family and friends. Christal did an excellent job putting everything together. We were blessed with many sweet gifts and an even sweeter time of prayer for our new little family and our little one. I know it is because of friends like these praying for us that we have had such an excellent pregnancy. We both feel very blessed to have such an amazing support group around us. (I have some excellent pictures but just not the time/energy to put them up at the moment)
While we have cut back on many activities in efforts to prepare for our little one we have also managed to stay busier than I could have ever imagined. My days lately have been busy preparing for a bridal shower and a separate reception for two of my cousins. I have also started to make sure that all of the "little" things are taken care of before baby comes, or at least making a list of what still needs to be done. My nesting is definitely beginning to come in spurts~mostly as I have the free time or energy to do so.
This past weekend Aaron and I went and served on a Mountain Top Chrysalis weekend. It was a great weekend full of the Lord working in awesome ways. Even at nearly 35 weeks pregnant I was blessed to be able to serve on the weekend. God is so good!
I am coming to realize that growing this little one is taking more and more of my energy each day. I continue to rest well most nights and am trying to take it easy but definitely feel every bit of the 35+ weeks of this pregnancy at times as well. I cannot wait to see this little one and yet at the same time I find it hard to believe he will be here in just 4ish weeks.

Originally titled 28 weeks, reality is 33 weeks

2010-08-24T14:40:00.001-07:00

28 weeks

Here is our 28 week belly shot. I appologize for just now getting it posted. We will continue to do belly shots at least once a month up until the end. I might go to more frequent shots later on if I notice more change but then again who knows.
32 weeks

The 32 week belly shot. I am quite amused by the fact that it has taken me over a month to put up our last pic. and to get this post up. Life continues to be wonderful. We have now finished our childbirth classes and are approaching our final baby showers. Only 7-9 weeks left until we meet our little guy. I am still enjoying being pregnant. I have moments where I am anxious to meet him and hold him and then I realize just how much I am enjoying feeling him roll and kick inside and know that I cant replicate that once he's here. Just yesterday at church I was thanking God for answering my prayers and giving me an enjoyable pregnancy~we have been so blessed and are so thankful!

I have also had people ask if we are going to post pictures of his nursery and to be honest I'm not sure. Probably we will but that all depends on when we get some things done in there and how things are coming along with it. For several months now we have had his crib, dresser, and glider in the room along with the guest bed which is staying in there. There have also been other projects of ours hanging out in there from time to time. I am eager for those other projects to be completed or find other homes.

The third trimester...

2010-08-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

We are officially here. The third and final trimester before this little guy makes his arrival into our lives. We have been so blessed to have good health and an overall easy pregnancy. I know that for the most part I have LOVED being pregnant. I love feeling all of his rolling around, kicking and jabbing. Even the occasional back pain and rib pain have been tolerable. It is still hard to wrap our minds around the fact that in around 9 weeks there will be another member of our family.
I read a blog post today about cherising the times when your children are small because you won't ever get them back. I have often thought about that concept as I look at life and especially now that we are getting ready to have a child. It hit me today as I read that post however that it also applies to my pregnancy. Since the beginning one of my prayer requests was that I would be able to enjoy pregnancy, both the good and the bad and to be joyful in it. I pray that others have seen that in this pregnancy as I know we have felt it. We truly have enjoyed this process. We love looking at the updates each week letting us know how our little one is growing and developing.
We are halfway through with our childbirth classes. Several people have asked us why we are taking them with Aaron's medical knowledge of the birthing process and my knowledge of children but I can honestly say that we have both enjoyed and gained quite a bit from the classes. It has been nice to learn new breathing and coping strategies as well as other ways to manage labor. The classes have also been a great starting place for us into discussions of what we want during labor and while we are in the hospital. Next week's class includes the hospital tour which I know we will both find useful. I know that will make things that much more real for us as well.
We love and appreciate all of the prayers our friends and family have offered up on our behalf. What a humbling experience to have so many people praying not just for you but for your child. I am blown away by the number of people that are as excited as we are about this little one and cant wait to meet him. God is so very good! If there is this much love for our child who is not even here yet, how can you truly wrap your mind around the love He has for each of us?

Lovely day

2010-07-31T20:30:00.000-07:00

Today has been such a fun day! When we woke up today the only thing we had on the agenda was to go downtown to the Folkmoot International day festival. Folkmoot is a wonderful international festival that takes place in Waynesville every summer. I love getting to go and see the different countries and enjoy their music, dance and costumes. I love watching how open and friendly people are. Things looked great when we got there today, outside of the lack of parking. It was slightly overcast and there were a lot of great food and craft vendors set up. We had a blast walking around looking at everything. We were able to watch France dance/sing before the rain really started to come down. What looked like a great overcast day quickly turned into a very rainy one. We hated to only get to see one group but we knew they wouldnt be able to perform in the rain. Since we were already wet we continued to look around at the crafts buying a few Christmas gifts and then started the trek back to the car.
Once we got home and dried off we each curled up with a book. I flipped around and found out the Braves game was on, something that just doesnt happen at our house. What a lovely day~my husband, good books, a nap, and a Braves game :)
It has been nice to have such a relaxing day with my sweetie.

July

2010-07-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

I find it sad that I am having to sit and do a catchup post on nearly a whole month. My biggest blogging hurdle has been moving the computer to the desk in the other room so I only make it in their to check facebook or read a couple of blogs I follow. My time away from the computer has been great for spending time with my husband and friends but sad for my blogging.
July was a busier month than I thought it would be. It seemed like everytime I thought things would slow down or ease up I found myself busier than ever. At the beginning of the month we had a group of friends over for the fourth. We had a great time cooking out, fellowshiping, playing corn hole, and watching fireworks. The rest of my weeks were busy keeping my cousin's little one three days a week and then meeting with other friends on my "off days". I was also able to squeeze in some Turner kiddo time since they were in NC for nearly two weeks. I have really enjoyed being able to see so many of my friends this summer. Aaron and I have also spent some time cleaning up around the house and getting projects completed. It feels good to finally see things getting accomplished.
Just this last weekend I went down to the beach with my mom, her best friend and her best friend's daughter. It was a great girls weekend and we managed to do a lot in just a few short days. We enjoyed a day in downtown Charleston complete with carriage ride, shopping, lunch, and lots of walking. We also spent time down on the beach and at the pool. On our down time we attempted to watch a few movies although someone if not everyone ended up falling asleep in just about all of them. Overall we had a great time and enjoyed our mini getaway!
For the last few days in this month I am at the Turners house hanging with the kiddos while Matthew and Amy work. We dont have a lot planned but have just been enjoying our time together. While the kids play I have been getting to a lot of work I need to do on the computer including blogging and baby registries.
Hopefully life will settle into a more settled pattern (haha) and I can get back into blogging more. The next couple of months will be our last ones without a child so we will be trying to make the most of them while at the same time not wear ourselves out.

We have a bit of catching up to do...

2010-07-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Going back a bit to the beginning of June. We had our first party to celebrate our little one. As part of the agreement when we decided to find out whether we were having a boy or a girl I agreed that we would have a party to celebrate our big news with our friends. Because we were going to a wedding right after we found out we went ahead and told family but our friends had to wait a few days longer. We asked them to wear blue if they thought we were having a boy and pink if they thought it would be a girl. While up to that point we had more people saying girl we ended up with nearly an equal amount of each that evening.

Here are the pics for team blue and team pink.

We had a great evening of fellowship with friends and enjoyed being able to tell many of our friends at the same time what we were having!

The cupcakes held the answer inside.

It's a boy! A little boy will be joining our family towards the end of October or early November.

We are excited to meet our little one :)

roadblock (of sorts)

2010-07-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

My plans to post and update my blog over our vacation have been halted due to no internet at our condo. Hopefully I can get on next week and update. Life is well! Later!

Keepin on, truckin on

2010-06-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Life has been busy. There are so many things that I need to catch up on. The last month has flown by. We started off the first weekend in June with our big ultrasound appointment at the doctor's office. Right after the appointment we drove over and picked up Aaron's mom and started our drive to Northern VA for his cousin's wedding. We had a great trip seeing his family and being there for their wedding.
Week 20 (The beginning of the bump)

A few days after we got back we held a Gender Reveal party for our friends to let them know whether baby Giese would be wearing lots of pink or blue. Our party was a blast! I will put up a seperate post with pictures from that night.

The following weekend I drove down to Winston-Salem to see Abby in Cinderella. For years now I have been able to go down and see the various plays put on by the West Side Civic Theatre. The plays are outdoors and are always fun to watch. I enjoy the layed back night of entertainment. The next day I was blessed to be able to visit with Sean, Christal and Cooper for a bit before coming back up to the mountains.

The last couple of weeks since then really have been a blur. I have gotten back onto the task of crossing items off of my really long and detailed to do list. Many of these items have been on there for nearly a year and some of them I really want to have accomplished before our little one arrives. Starting last week I also started keeping my cousin's little boy a few days a week. I have enjoyed being able to help them out while also forcing myself to stay home and get a few things done around here as well. Not to mention he is such a happy baby! In addition to those things Aaron and I have also made some decisions, based on many prayers, about our church home. We knew my time in the nursery was coming to an end but we have also decided that our time of going to Access church are also coming to an end. We love many different aspects of the church but are feeling led to come back to a more local church in order to raise our family in the way God would have us to.

As far as our little one goes, we are continuing to be blessed by the Lord with an easy pregnancy. My only complaint is some occasional mid back pain. I thank the Lord daily for this child and this pregnancy. I can honestly say I am enjoying being pregnant. I love feeling our little one, who's kicks are growing stronger every day. I am thankful that they seem new and exciting to me each time. I never want to forget just how special this time is. While the heat has been above average here lately I have been managing ok. I have only had one day where I felt miserable with the conditions. Next week marks 24 weeks in this pregnancy! I will post a new belly pic then.

Thanks for continuing to check in on us even in our long absences.

furniture, flutters and funny dreams

2010-06-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Things around here have been very busy lately. We continue to try and finish up projects around the house that we have been wanting to do especially the ones that have to do with baby. At the end of last week the crib and dresser came in and Aaron's mom brought them over here with her truck. During the weekend my parents came over and helped us move around the furniture in our guest/baby room and assemble the crib. It is a beautiful crib and dresser set! We are still getting used to seeing them in the room as we walk by. Once we have things more prepared I will post pictures.
I am getting more and more used to feeling our little one flutter in my belly. Most of the time I start to feel little flutters in the first quiet moments of the evening. Over the last few days and nights I have noticed that I am feeling our little one more often and for longer moments each time.
I am evidently very excited about finding out the gender of our little one. Last night I had 3 seperate and very different dreams about finding out. In each dream there were different friends and we found out or told people in different ways. When I got to the end of the last dream I found myself wanting to go back to sleep and to the dream so that I could find out...haha. Many of our Chrysalis friends and family were in my dreams as well as some complete strangers that I couldnt figure out why they were there or would want to know. I'm glad that I only have to wait 2 more days before we find out (or at least have the chance to).

ch ch ch changes...

2010-05-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we began what I know will only be the first of many changes in our little household. We pulled everything out of 3 of our 4 closets and proceeded to sort through and reorganize. Nearly two days later the biggest part of the project was finished. The closets look great, especially the baby closet which is nearly empty awaiting arrival of all things baby.
Yesterday mom and I went to the store of all things baby and bought the car seat and stroller. Later that evening his mom ordered a glider rocker for us and then brought us our crib and dresser we ordered a few weeks back. We have been so blessed to receive so many big items already and all at a discount thanks to an awesome sale at the store of all things baby. With 20% off of each item we really saved a lot!
This weekend Aaron is on call but we are going to spend most of our time working around the house and putting together the crib.
We are getting more and more excited about this little one. It took me forever to fall asleep last night as I realized we had only a week until we will be able to go and hopefully see what this little one is :) As a fun way to announce to our friends what we will be having we are going to have a gender reveal party on June 8th. We will let our families know later that day but will have everyone else wait until the party to find out. We cant wait to celebrate with everyone!

I'm still here!

2010-05-04T19:06:00.000-07:00

We are still around and doing great! I am sorry for the long absence between posts. Here are a few tidbits of what has been keeping us busy:

Baby Giese (also known as Wiggle Worm)

I spent most of the first trimester sleeping. That included through a good part of the Olympic figure skating. I was blessed enough not to really have any morning sickness. I did have a few food items that made me feel icky, but with avoiding those items I have felt great. Aaron and I walk as often as we can and have started the process of trying to select names.

I've been to the doctor twice now (I go again next week) and have received two great reports. Thus far this pregnancy has been wonderfully uneventful. I will continue to pray for a happy and healthy pregnancy. We will continue to pray that the Lord continues to form this little one and brings about a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

We have not taken many belly pictures largely because there has not been much to photograph in that department. Around week 12 I began to have a slight bit that I could no longer suck in. Here at 15 weeks I am just barely past that point. Still nothing major to report. Here is a little picture of week 12.

In other events, our social schedule has finally slowed down. We ran a very busy schedule from the beginning of February to the end of April. Lots of fun events but it was very tiring not to have any down time. We were blessed to be able to celebrate Cooper's 2nd birthday with him, participate in another Chrysalis weekend, continue to serve with our church, celebrate Adam's birthday, visit Disney (i promise to upload pics soon) and a number of other events.

I am excited to say that we are making some progress on some personal goals we have around the house as well. It is nice to see some things come to place that we have had to put off for quite some time. Both of us are looking forward to this spring and summer season and all that it will bring!

Crafty fun!

2010-03-17T19:17:00.001-07:00

Awhile back I decided to try my hand at decorating a few shirts for my friends little girls. I picked out a different fabric for each shirt and then found a cute font for each on my computer. After a quick printout of the first letter in each of their names I set to work tracing the letters onto the fabric and then mounting that onto the iron on backing. (Next time I will put the fabric on the backing before I cut out the letters)

Here a few pictures of the finished products. I really liked the way they turned out!

Enjoying a mouse or two

2010-03-10T13:14:00.001-08:00

Aaron and I are enjoying Disney World this week. I will be back next week with pictures and memories to share.
Love you all!

I cannot wait

2010-02-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

I cannot wait to snuggle up with our child. To soak up all of the little coos and sweet baby smells. Oh friends my heart just keeps getting bigger and bigger much as my child does with each growing day. God is so good!

new look?

2010-02-26T20:25:00.000-08:00

I decided it was time for a new look once again. What ya think?

Also, I am wanting a new name for the blog. Should I go back to What's up paper cup? or should we pick something new? I think if we go with something new it needs to be something that can stand for our family regardless of how many of us there are or whats going on at the time. Perhaps something reflecting us and/or our values?
Any suggestions?

With growing joy and excitement....

2010-02-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

we bring you our exciting news..............we're pregnant!!

I had suspicions and decided to take a test even though it was probably a bit early. Within a minute or so the test very clearly read pregnant. Even though I knew it was a very real possibility I was surprised. I looked at it over and over saying to myself...really? I even went so far as to go back and look at the test several times throughout the morning. As the day went on I realized just how excited I was and how much I love our little one already!

Aaron came home from the office for lunch and I had waiting on his computer an "I love Daddy" bib. When he saw it, he looked at it and quickly realized its meaning. He had a few moments of surprise and realization and ended with great joy.

We are both still processing this news and are excited about the changes that are coming!

We have now told most of our families so I thought I would take a moment and post our news on here :)

A few quick thoughts

2010-02-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

I dont have long to update at this point but I did want to put down a few thoughts so that I could come back and visit them/update when I get a chance.
*Prayers~ My heart is still heavy with them but God has given me the peace of knowing He is in control.
*Crafts~ I have some photos to post of some shirts I made and cant wait to share them! They turned out really cute :)
I am also getting back into scrapbooking and hope to make some great progress over the next couple of weeks.
*Superbowl commercial spectacular~ We enjoyed a great evening with friends. We had a lot of great food and conversations! I will post some of the pictures from the evening when I can.

The current state of my heart

2010-02-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

February is heart month. As a teacher this was just one of the many topics we tried to squeeze into the smallest month of the year. Now that I am at home I think back to those days and think about all of the ways that God has changed not only my schedule but also my heart. For the first time ever I plan on working from home, staying home with our future children, and have noticed how God is increasing the prayers that dwell within my heart.
Over the past couple of days my heart has been very heavy with prayers for many that are close to me. I have family members in need of prayer. I have friends with ailing parents in need of prayer. I have friends struggling with unexpected health problems in need of prayer. Oh how my heart has become heavy for these situations.
Over the next couple of days I will be away from my computer a bit more than usual as I try to help in any way that I can with several of these situations. Please join me in praying for these situations friends. Several of these are life and death situations and others are very life altering.

My Internal Alarm Clock is BROKEN

2010-01-26T21:13:00.000-08:00

From the time I was born my mother has said that my"internal alarm clock" was broken at birth. For the most part my body prefers to be awake at night and asleep during the day, or at least some version of it. More often than not this has caused problems for me since the rest of the world does not suffer from the same condition. When I was working I had to force myself to go to bed at a "reasonable" hour so that I could several hours later force myself back out of the bed. If I was doing well I could manage to get on a schedule where it became normal and not so forced. My schedule would be doing well until a long weekend or vacation. At those times I would allow myself to stay up later and sleep in later. Most of the time this just meant a few days of readjustment or indulging in an afternoon nap. Occasionally during the summers I would wind up getting my sleep schedule so off track that I was physically unable to go to sleep before 3, 4, or sometimes even 5 in the morning. Not a good thing.

Right now I am not working out of the house full time. This is a blessing and what Aaron and I both believe is God's will for me for this time in my life. While it has allowed me the opportunity to really be there once again for my family and friends and even bless others on occasion it has also presented me once again with sleep issues. This time they have come on slowly. For the first couple of months I would go to bed every time Aaron would. I hated the idea of him going to bed and not being with him, plus it was no fun to stay up by myself. In the last couple of weeks I have had great trouble falling to sleep before 2 or sometimes later and have had to absolutely force myself out of the bed somewhere between 10 and 11.
My struggle is that on most days I am free to adjust my schedule. This is great for things that come up or for doing things as I would like. It is not so wonderful when I dont have anything to regulate my sleep. I wish that I could say I was disciplined enough to get up (early-ish) on my own and go about my day but sadly I am not. Now on most days I do get to at least the minimum and the most important things on my to do list--even with my most productive hours falling in the late afternoon and evenings.
My conviction lately has been with the Lord calling me to be more intentional with my time. My hope is that I can start to readjust my sleep schedule once again so that I can make better use of my time. Feel free to ask in the future and see how I am doing. I don't want to change who I am, and I know that I will never be a morning person. My goal is simply to make better use of my time, to be more intentional and accountable.

A New Year...a new word

2010-01-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

As we enter this new year there are so many thoughts running through my mind. Reflections from the past year, excitement for the new one. 2009 was a big year for us. Could 2010 top it, is it going to be our year of settling down, what new things will we do, what changes will we see? As I sit and look at a new year I wonder what will it bring. Over the past few weeks I have pondered whether or not to make "resolutions" or goals. There are so many things that I want to accomplish, try, improve, etc. In the past I have not made resolutions because I have trouble narrowing down just one area to focus on. On the rare occasion in the past when I have made a resolution I have like so many others not seen it to completion, sometimes even forgetting that I made one~haha.
This year I wanted to do something. I want 2010 to be different. While looking at a few different sites and seeing many of my friends set their own resolutions I came across an idea that seemed to fit perfectly for myself, it was exactly what I wanted for this new year. The suggestion was to pick a word to focus on for the year. Something that you could focus your thoughts and use as direction. This new suggestion seemed managable and not as overwhelming. Having something to apply to many areas of life, to improve and not just simply change.
As the weeks have progressed I feel like the Lord has brought one word to mind:

Intentional

During these past few weeks I have felt the Lord calling me to be more intentional with my life. Since I am staying home/working from home right now my sense of schedule and occasionally my sense of purpose have become very fluid and at times undefined. While I am learning to grown through this season in my life I am also feeling this new prompting from the Lord. I feel like this time has been given to me and that I need to be intentional about it and what I do with it. I need to be intentional about the kind of wife I am and the activities I find myself doing.

I look forward to seeing how this will play out in our lives this year.

This one's for you Keisha...........honeymoon pictures :)

2009-12-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

Our honeymoon was nothing short of fantastic. We had absolutely fantastic weather and enjoyed a mix of sightseeing, stamp getting, and relaxation in the sun. While I could go on and on I wont. I will just leave you with these wonderful snipets of our week in paradise.

A different but still blessed Christmas

2009-12-28T09:48:00.000-08:00

This Christmas certainly was a different one. With my family still adjusting to holidays without my Grandmother and on a much tighter budget and Aaron's family spread out for the holiday season this year things were certainly different. Another wrench in "normal" plans was the snow storm that hit just days before Christmas.

Despite all of the unusual circumstances this year our first Christmas together was wonderful. We celebrated Christmas eve with my dad's family, a miracle in itself considering my Poppa Bone's recent surgery. Christmas day was celebrated here at our house with my immediate family. We really relaxed and enjoyed each other. The day after Christmas my family did leave the house to go to Asheville to eat out and see a movie. After the movie we all stayed up until it was time for my dad to take my brother to the airport. Sunday held yet another Christmas celebration with Sean, Christal and Cooper. We certainly are blessed with amazing family and friends!!
One special highlight of our Christmas week was Zach coming up from Texas. He came on Tuesday and left very early Sunday morning. Every day while he was here we played games and stayed up WAY later than normal. It was great to soak in every moment and to spend time relaxing instead of running around.

Wedding slideshow

2009-12-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

I know that many of you have been waiting a long time to see wedding pictures so I'm glad to be able to post a link to the slideshow our photographer made for us! Hope you enjoy looking at what was captured of our special day.
www.reginaholder.net/giese

My heart is heavy tonight

2009-11-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

My heart is very heavy tonight. Nearly all day off and on I have thought about my grandmother. How she is in a MUCH better place, how I miss her, how I managed to get through my first year without her, etc.
On top of that I have been thinking about my grandfather. He was admitted to the hospital yesterday with chest pains and now tomorrow he is facing open heart surgery. My family is thankful that it was caught now (the docs said if it had not been he probably would have been dead within the year) and that there is the capability of fixing things. My grandfather is scared and even with the best outcome tomorrow will be facing a long road to recovery.

Please sweet friends be in prayer for my family tonight. We are thankful to have Jesus to turn to and trust that we are in his hands, but this is tough. I dont want to walk this road. Not this soon.

a bit of this and that

2009-11-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged in forever. Life has just been busy. Despite not having a full time job I am staying pretty busy. I am amazed at all of the various activities that now fill my days. Since I am tired (and also needing to work some more on cleaning and organizing) I am going to give a quick recap.
Since our wedding/honeymoon I have been in Abby's wedding, worked out with mom and Fran, started further purging and simplifying our stuff, bought new furniture, started going to a new church, became the nursery/preschool director for the new church, practiced my soccer mom skills driving various kiddos around, watched lots of dancing with the stars, etc etc etc. The list just seems to go on and on.
Most of the time I find myself very busy but blessed. Recently Aaron and I both have spent time talking about how blessed we are. God has not even come close to forgetting about us. We do not have every single thing we want but our needs have definately been met. I continue to be amazed at how God works in the details. He is ever so faithful to provide.

I hope that as things become more settled I can get back into a regular schedule of blogging and recording our lives. I will also post a recap of our honeymoon (I still have to dig thru and edit the pictures). I also want to post some thoughts on this first year without Grandmother, next week will mark one year since she went to be with Jesus.

At long last...a wedding post!

2009-10-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

Our wedding was perfect! The whole day was wonderful. God provided me with a sense of calm and peace that passed all understanding. All day long people kept commenting on how calm and happy I was. The joke by the end of the day was don't worry about asking Rachel, she'll just tell you "its all good". Over and over I kept being surprised by myself and how calm I was. All I can say is that I know it was Christ being with me and carrying me through that day.
The morning started off with the ladies getting our hair done while watching a couple of chick flicks. I then calmed my mother down before getting into my wedding dress. Things after that happened in a weird state of uncanny calm and crazy rush. I barely remember hearing music as my dad walked me down the aisle. (Funny note: I had to ask Abby afterwards what music was played during the wedding b/c I didn't know nor hear it) My dad and I both tripped a bit over my dress as we climbed up the stairs and then the ceremony part of everything began. I remember hearing my dad choke up a bit as he turned to walk off stage. I remember focusing on Aaron and Alan throughout the ceremony. Before I knew it the ceremony was over and we were out on the porch, alone--as husband and wife.
Our reception was fantastic and fun! We visited with people as best we could, we took pictures (lots and lots of pictures), we even managed to grab a bite or two to eat. It was so much fun for us to watch everyone esle have TONS of fun. The photo booth was such a hit! As soon as I can figure out where I put the cds I will add some of the photos from the photo booth. One of the fun keepsakes we have of our wedding day is a scrapbook made from the photo booth pictures--each page being made by our friends and family for us. They are great fun to look at!

I loved nearly everything about the whole day. We felt so loved and blessed that day. I felt beautiful from head to toe (loved my dress more than I remembered when I bought it). I loved seeing my family and friends and being able to celebrate our special day with them. I loved seeing my dad so dressed up and so proud of his little girl (knowing that there was a part of him that day that was wishing I wasnt so grown up). I love thinking back and remembering how beautiful and perfect everything was. The tables, cupcakes, flowers, etc were beautiful. My mind is overwhelmed when I think about all of the work that my family along with Wanda and Devon did to make everything just right for us.

We are blessed my friends, so very blessed. Our life is not perfect but we are so blessed.

We should be getting wedding pictures back in the next couple of weeks. I will share them when I can. Also, I will post pictures and a quick recap of the honeymoon as soon as I can.

We're back!

2009-09-27T17:04:00.001-07:00

We are back from our honeymoon which was as fantastic and wonderful as the wedding! We have unpacked, washed clothes, and managed through our first days of married life together. Hopefully before long I can sit down and blog a bit about our wedding and honeymoon, complete with pictures. For now I leave you with the knowledge that we are back and doing well. We are enjoying figuring out married life one day at a time.

And we're off!!

2009-09-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

We had a perfect wedding day (I will blog about specifics later!).
We are off for a Hawaiian adventure!
Pray for safe travels.....talk to you soon!

It's finally here!!!!!

2009-09-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

I"m getting married tomorrow!!!
I'd post more but I'm to exhausted to think about it....love to you all!

Half and Half

2009-09-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Not that I havent known it for awhile now (some would argue quite awhile) but I'm getting married in a week! A week, one week, seven days.....wow!
It's funny to realize that we have been together for so long and have even been engaged for so long and the day is finally coming. I sit here this morning knowing that my life is about to change in a BIG way. As I think about it I find myself dealing with two major groups of emotions/feelings---on one hand I am excited, anxiously anticipating and on the other I am OCD thinking about all of the details and feeling a different type of anxiety over the ceremony and formality of the big day itself.
In the end I know it will be beautiful and we will be married. I just want to soak up these last few days of what I now know as my life. I want to slow down a bit and remind myself (once again) to enjoy the process.

As we enter into these final days/moments before our big day I ask that you pray for us. Specifically for me. Up until yesterday I have spent most of my time dreading being in front of people on my wedding day, I dont like to have people watching me. But yesterday as I faced the stresses of this process my heart began to ache. The ache that I felt was not a new one, it was the ache of missing my Grandmother. For the first time I not only knew she wasnt going to be there with me but I felt it. I missed her in a whole new way. Please pray that I do not allow that ache to overcome me, it is not what I want nor what she would have wanted. I miss her and I always will, this day and this time need to be looked upon with joy not sorrow.

Matters of the Heart

2009-08-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

Over the past month I have spent more time worrying and talking about my heart than I ever thought I would be before the age of 50 (at least).
Not too long ago my mom and I started working out with a physical trainer. While I would not consider myself to be in tip top shape I didnt ever imagine that I would be struggling either. Within a few days of working out my trainer commented to me that she was worried about my heart racing after a short time on the treadmill. I wasnt really worried about it because I felt fine and had no symptoms.
Fastforward a couple of weeks and my trainer was still worried so I mentioned it to my doctor. My doctor checked all she could in her office, didnt seem too concerned, but decided that we would have things checked out just to make sure something didnt get overlooked, so she ordered a stress test.
I completed my stress test and received another "your heartrate does go up a good bit, but I'm not sure it's anything to worry about". Right about the time I was beginning to feel relieved and started to put the whole process behind me the heart doc said "I'd like to order an ultrasound of your heart just to make sure we arent overlooking anything I cant see".
Now under normal circumstances I would be grateful for the detail in checking everything out but right now it is very overwhelming. Overwhelming on several fronts:
1) They're talkin about my heart---scary stuff!
2) I have a wedding to plan here! No time to spend worrying over heart conditions. I need to worry over what flowers I'm going to carry and who is playing during the service---not what's going on with my heart.
3) Taking time out for heart appointments cuts into my wedding planning, sleeping, and social life.
4) My insurance runs out at the end of the month, in exactly 4 days. This creates problems in scheduling appointments in time so that I can still be covered and not have to pay a fortune.
5) Speaking of paying, since I am no longer working now is not exactly the best time to be paying hundreds of dollars to go to the doctor and also leaves the question of what expenses might come with the results of these tests (as in long term care if problem is found).

Hopefully I will get some results from the ultrasound very soon (praying for good news), waiting is not easy!!

I am very grateful for the prayers and encouragement my family and friends have offered me and I am trying my best to trust in God. Trusting God during the bad times as well as the good...not always easy.

Two weeks and two days, 16 days, 384 hours

2009-08-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

...................until our wedding day!!!!!!
While the big day is quickly approaching my to do list is ever growing! I am amazed at how many things are still left to be done. When I lay down at night my mind is usually racing with all of the things that are left to be taken care of. I have stayed up WAY too late over the last couple of weeks looking at bridal bouquets, picking out pictures/songs, emailing various people involved, writing thank you notes, etc.
I can understand why I have heard so many brides say they are ready for the whole process to be over and that they just want to be married.
Throughout the last year I have really tried hard to enjoy the process of planning a wedding. I dont want to wish certain seasons of my life away. I dont want to live each season wishing for the next. I want to (as much as possible) enjoy planning a special day to celebrate our wedding with family and friends. I want to be honest when I tell people I'm excited about the wedding, excited to be getting married. I am excited to be getting married! We have waited a LONG time for this special day!
I am very excited to see everyone who is coming to join us for our special day. I cant wait to all of the things we have been planning over the last couple of months come into realization. I cant wait to be married :)

planning and seeking

2009-08-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

While my last post was only a few weeks ago it feels like it has been forever. I have been quite busy with all things bridal. We have had two showers, engagement pictures, and multiple appointments around various aspects of wedding. There have been days where I have felt very overwhelmed and other days where things seem to be falling right into place. More than anything I am trying my best to enjoy this process. I want to look back on this time as a busy but good time, not another stressful point (Lord knows this last year has held enough of those).
On another note I am still waiting for the Lord to show me what it is I am to spend my time doing during these next phase of my life. I have had a few leads come up but nothing seems to be fitting just right or has worked out so far. I am praying that over the next few days I will receive some clarity from the Lord on which door it is He wants me to walk through. I know what my desires are but I also know that I do not want to miss what the Lord has for me.
Only 24 more days until the wedding!!!

Grief

2009-07-29T22:09:00.001-07:00

Grief has a funny way of creeping in when you least expect it to. Earlier this week I found myself alone on the beach and wasnt sad in the least. I knew I had the time and space to deal with anything I wanted in any way that I wanted but the tears etc just never came.
Then there is tonight. I stayed up late to finish a book I started yesterday and as I closed the book this overwhelming wave of grief hit me. I got out of bed and came into the living room so that I wouldnt wake Lynn and also to get something for my dripping nose.
In the blink of an eye I miss nearly everything about her. I want her to come and hold my hand, run her hands through my hair, tell me she loves me and how proud of me she is. I want to walk with her on the beach, to share the joys of our upcoming wedding, to plan what we're going to eat for dinner, to sit and rock on the porch together. I want her to be here on this trip with me, to be there as I come home from trips and listen to all of my adventures. I miss her so much! I am amazed at the physical pain I feel in my chest as my heart hurts.
I know that she is in Heaven, finally healed and happy with Jesus, but on nights like tonight that does little for my wounded heart.
Right now I just want her back. I want what we used to have.

Beach Therapy

2009-07-27T19:16:00.000-07:00

From the get go of this trip I have had mixed feelings. This is the first trip I have taken since my grandmother passed away in November. Trips were our thing, we went on nearly all of them together and when she couldn't go with me she tried her best to pay for part of my trip. With that being said I was not sure I was ready to take a trip without her, especially with Lynn who was the third sidekick, my other "funny lady".

Right away in the car we both admitted we were having mixed feelings about things but felt as if we needed to do this. One way or another we would make it through this new normal together.

It has helped somewhat that Lynn's friend Donna has made the trip with us. It is definately different and I still miss my grandmother something fierce.

I am grateful for the opportunity to make this trip with people who will allow me to process this as I need to. It has been nice to do things at my own speed (esp. since life has not done a lot of that this past year).

So far we have laughed and cried, played cards, walked on the beach, swam in the pool and enjoyed some great food and rest.

Turner love!

2009-07-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

The last part of my visit to GA looked much the same. I did not get anything posted because we stayed very busy! We swam, chilled and simply enjoyed one another. The kids and I left Wednesday mid-day to come back up to NC. Once we were back in NC we unpacked our stuff, said hey to Aaron, and then headed off to the playground. The kids spent that night with me so that the next day we could go to the......pool....of course!!! Late in the afternoon I managed to pull them out of the pool so that we could head out and meet Mimi.
Super Bradley! (Not sure what made him put this on the night before we left but it was too cute)

The kids spent Thursday evening with Mimi. Friday morning I drove out to pick up the kids for the Folkmoot parade. We met up with Keisha and her daughter on Main St. We enjoyed snacks and water as we waited for the parade to start. Our friends Bruce and Amy joined us with thier daughter and Amy's mom right before the parade started. Overall everyone enjoyed the parade. The adults and bigger kids really seemed to get into it while the two little ones never really seemed interested.

After the parade we ran a few errands and rested before Outdoor Movie Night at the church. We all had a blast setting out our chairs and blankets to watch the movie. The kids layed there the whole time and did not make a peep! They were so cute laying under the blankets together. I hope they are always as close as they are now.

The next day we went back to the pool for one more round of swimming before heading back to Mimi's.

I'm not sure if I will see the kids again before they go back home but I have really enjoyed the extended amount of time I was able to spend with them this summer! Words cannot express how much I love those two kiddos and how blessed I am that they love me like they do in return.

I can't wait to see them in the wedding!

Turners day two

2009-07-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today was not quite as busy, in its own way. The kids and I all slept late and enjoyed a quiet mid day around the house. Bradley and Megan played on the wii for a bit while I read. After awhile we decided to head on down to the pool. There are two pools here in their development--the "big" pool and the "little" pool. The "big" pool is slightly larger and has a water slide. Yesterday we spent our time at the "little" pool so today we ventured out to the "big" one. After several hours of splashing around we headed to Target for some pool toys, goggles, and snacks. Once we were finished shopping we headed straight back for some more pool fun. Around 8:30 Amy called to see if I had left town with the kids and to tell us that supper was ready if we were interested in coming home to eat.
These kids bless my heart so very much. When I finished eating Megan looked at me and asked me if I wanted to color some more. She said "I just want to spend time with you". Never mind the fact that we have spent every waking moment together for the last two days. How sweet it is to be loved like this!! (Anyone else just start singing?)
We ended our evening by watching National Treasure 2.
Now I'm off to spend some time hangin out with my late night gal.

**Sorry about the lack of pictures today. Most if not all of the pictures that I took today were with the water cameras we bought at Target.

Multiple posts

2009-07-12T22:39:00.001-07:00

I posted three times today. So if you are interested in "all" (ok, some) of what I have been up to keep scrolling on down.

Turners day one

2009-07-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Since I knew I would have lots of pictures to share with you I thought I would try to post a bit each day about what we are up to on my visit down to GA.

I was LONG overdue for a trip down to visit with the Turners. It had been nearly two years since my last visit.......wayyyyyyyyyy too long.

After a quick visit down to the gift mart with Mom earlier in the week it worked out for me to be able to bring Amy back down again on Saturday evening.

This morning we woke up and went to church then lunch. After lunch we came back and chilled out around the house for a bit before heading to the pool. The evening was spent inside due to a thunderstorm. Since we were inside we passed the time by eating, coloring, and watching tv.

Here are a few of the highlights from today in pictures.

These pictures are from Bradley's "state" championship games (ended up being a double header). He played so well! I was so proud of him.

4th of July

2009-07-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

The fourth of July was full of great fun!

To celebrate the day we went over to Spunky and Keisha's for a wonderful meal with friends. After a fantastic time of fellowship and food we all loaded up and went over to the lake to watch the fireworks.

Thanks Spunky and Keisha for a great night!

These two were such sweeties--and super cute too!

Prayers needed

2009-07-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Friends,
My family needs your prayers right now. I dont want to go into details just yet but please be in prayer for us as it seems that life could really be changing. Just to ease minds--this is not health related.
Love yall!

Fun with Friends

2009-07-03T21:36:00.000-07:00

I appologize right now for the crazy pictures, I couldnt get them to go straight for me for some reason.

Since I am no longer working and the construction/remodeling at Grandmother's is slowing down I have finally had a few moments to spend with friends.

Several nights ago my friends Brandon and Jennifer came over with thier girls to play in the sprinkler and hang out. We had a great night of fun together!

On the last weekend in June we drove down to Old Fort for Jonathon and Rena's wedding. We had a great time and enjoyed getting to see our Chrysalis friends!

This past weekend my former college roommate, best friend and "sister" came up for a visit. We had a great time catching up, wedding planning, and hanging out together. I can't wait for her to come back in just a couple of weeks!!

Tomorrow I am looking forward to a fun day of family and friends as we celebrate the Fourth of July! The coming weeks will also be filled with many visits with friends. I will be sure to post often including pictures. Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Happy Father's Day!!

2009-06-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my Daddy!

I love you!

Friday's Fun

2009-06-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

I am excited for all of the fun that is going to be happening tomorrow! In the morning I am going to get up do a few productive type things then head towards Cherokee to see some of my family that is camping there. I am looking forward to a day where I can hang out with family I don't see often and relax. Maybe I'll even take a dip in the pool.
In the afternoon I will head back to Waynesville to pick up my keys (I left them in my aunt's car earlier today--oops), take a quick shower (maybe), and then meet my mom and some other dear friends for an evening of girlie fun. I'm not sure what we are doing when we get together but our final destination will be Chonda Pierce. Fun, Christian, giggly and girlie.
Hopefully I will have pictures to post soon. I am tired of blogging and not being able to add updated photos!

Also to come--Birthday shout outs to some of my favorite people!!

updates and a few thoughts and goals...

2009-06-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

I met my goal on Friday for being out of my classroom and turning in my key. The whole day Friday was so surreal. I packed my last load in my car and fought back the tears as I closed that chapter on my life. I dont know if God is closing the chapter on teaching for me for a season or for good. I am doing my best to place my trust in Him who loves me and has a plan for me.

This weekend didnt really feel any different from any other except for it was the first one in nearly a month when we were not moving stuff from one location to another. It was so nice to relax and enjoy life at a much slower pace. Aaron and I managed to get several things done so the weekend was not a total loss.

Today I have kicked back and relaxed much of the day. While I have the time to simply sit and do nothing I am feeling the urge to try and get a few things knocked off of the to do list. Maybe I can get a few things done.

A few summer goals (I am hoping by posting them that I will be more accountable to them):
*get back in shape
*finalize wedding plans
*find work for the fall (hopefully kiddos to watch)
*clean and organize this house

broken

2009-06-08T21:04:00.001-07:00

Tonight while I should be working on a number of things (nevermind it is after 12 already and I have to "teach" school tomorrow, possibly without an assistant, I feel the need to post.
For days now I have looked at my blog and felt like I should update so that people can read and discover that I have accomplished many things off of the ol to do list found in the last post. But I never could seem to find the energy. This past month (well year to be more precise) has been simply exhausting. Never in my rather young life have I felt so drained day after day. While I could go on and on tonight I simply come to you broken.
I am broken over what has happened in my life this year. As I started to pack up my professional life yesterday, I opened the first cabinet and sat staring. Then I began to cry. I was so frustrated and overwhelmed with all that I had to do and the little amount of time in which to do it. I was also frustrated with the ending or perhaps delaying of a dream I have carried in my heart for nearly my entire life. Even as I sit here typing all of this out the tears roll down my face. I am broken friends. I do not know where God is driving this crazy train I am on and sometimes I even wonder if I want to continue the ride.
This week is turning out to be so much harder than I ever imagined it to be--and it's only Monday.
Please pray for me over the coming weeks and months. I am trusting that the Lord will show me His will and point me in the direction I am to go. I am also trusting that He will restore peace and joy in my life.

Movin on up...

2009-05-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm not moving up per say, just to the other side of the lake. This weekend I will be moving as much stuff as possible into the house that Aaron and I will be renting for the next year. NO, we will not be living together....at least not until September. The plan is for me to move in now, get settled, have a place to move my school stuff as well as wedding gifts, and then Aaron will move in in September.

Life has and will continue to be super busy crazy for the next couple of weeks. For the record here is a quick recap of what is going to take place over the next couple of weeks:
*Finish up teaching: complete with assessments and c. folders and kiddos
*Move my house this weekend
*Go to Charlotte to order wedding bands and visit IKEA
*Organize my classroom into things I might use while out of the classroom, grade specific stuff, etc
*Bridal shower at school
*Revisit the guest list for the wedding and order invitations
*Move out of my classroom
*Organize and learn how to live in a new place

After June 12th (the last day of school) things should start to calm down a bit. At least thats what I'm hoping for. I'm hoping for a few days of rest before I have to kick my behind into full blown wedding mode. If anyone wants to come and help with any of the above items or wedding stuff please let me know!

2009-05-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

While I have spent some time reading blogs lately I have neglected to update my own. Life at work continues to have its ups and downs. I took several days off last week to stay with my friend's girls while they were in the hospital having their fourth child.

Here is a picture of the newest addition.

I went back to work on Friday but was not very productive as I had hoped to be. It was nice to get caught up with everyone though. I also enjoyed the fact that it was an early dismissal.

Then Saturday came and I was hit with the worst sickness I have had in years. I woke up that morning with aches and pains all over. Not long after the fever came. Things only got worse as I proceeded to get sick from having too much mucus in my stomach. For the past two days I have done nothing but sleep and move from the bed to the couch. I had to take today off since I was running a fever and couldnt be around my kids. Not to mention my throat still hurt and I couldnt talk much at all. As of right now I have had very little fever and am feelin pretty decent. Things must have been pretty bad because even the cat stayed away from me until today. While I am looking forward to getting back to work so I can finish my assessments I am not looking forward to having to work a full day on my weakened system. That and I havent done a lick of planning since I have felt like poop.

Greater Things have yet to come...

2009-04-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight I sit at my computer blown away by how blessed I am. A few days ago I stood in my kitchen opening my Easter basket and I pulled out a slip of paper saying that I had tickets to go see Natalie Grant on Tuesday night. My first reaction was how cool, quickly followed by "now that complicates my plans for the week". Little did I know how much I would need this evening of worship and personal affirmation.

It seemed like tonight's entire message (from all 4 singers) was meant for me. It was by no accident that I was attending that particular concert. Nearly everything that was said/sung spoke directly to my circumstances. I was blown away by the number of times I found myself being spoken to by God; reminders of His promises, both old and new. It was wonderful to be reminded yet once again that God is not finished with me yet. I am so thankful that He holds my future and not myself. Most of what I heard tonight was not new, but it is different when you hear it from the one who loves you and created you.

I cannot even begin to tell you how tangibly I feel the peace, joy and hope of Christ at this moment. Since Thursday when I received my answer as to my job status for next year, I quickly felt the peace that passes all understanding come over me. I do not know where I am going from here or what the future holds. I do know who holds my future and that He has greater things in store for me. Praise God!

Lots of fun with friends and cows!

Natalie Grant!

Carrying a heavy load

2009-03-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

For many reasons I have kept one of the biggest sources of stress off of my blog over the last couple of months. I am now getting closer towards the answer that will either determine the end of this stress or send me into a whole world of unknowns. Today as I write I am asking for prayers.
Please pray for:
*Those making this decision
*My stress levels--may they not be too high nor may the impact on the rest of my body continue
*That God will prepare me for whatever the future holds and make me ok with the decision made.
**That God will grant me the desire of my heart--concerning this situation. He knows what it is I am asking for.

I will admit friends, I am scared. I am struggling with letting go and letting God. While I know I have no control over the situation I still struggle with what the outcome might be. This next week is going to be a stressful one for sure.

On top of my own struggles and stress this coming Sunday a parent at my school is taking her daughter who has battled with cancer for just over a year off of life support. This mother lost her parents, grandparents, and baby sister to a horrible tragedy almost 10 years ago; then lost her house in the floods several years ago and is now having to let her first born go be with the Lord. Please pray for this family as they let this little one go from this earth. Also, please pray for our school community as we process this loss as well.

26

2009-03-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

In honor of turning 26 today I thought I would post 26 things you may not know about me or might just find interesting.

1) I once lived in a purple palace.
2) The word phlebotomist makes my skin crawl. I don't really like their job either since I hate needles.
3) I cant stand Sprite or Seven Up, reminds me of being sick when I was little.
4) I have a female cat named Bob.
5) I am obsessed with list making, specifically to do lists.
6) I have also become addicted to blog reading though I stink at updating my own.
7) I love to have my toes painted but only like my fingers done if they are done professionally.
8) I have nicknames for almost everyone I love.
9) If there were benefits involved I would run an in home daycare so I could play with little ones all day, every day.
10) Happy Hour at Sonic really does make my day!
11) I have several OCD issues, most of them relate to cleanliness and all of them involve my own stuff not other peoples.
12) I still get excited like a little kid over my birthday every year. I love to celebrate, hear from those that I love, and eat birthday cake w/buttercream icing!
13) I love to travel, especially with friends and family.
14) I miss my grandmother more with every passing day.
15) I am horrible about deleting emails, right now I have nearly 800 in my inbox.
16) I love to cross stitch, and crochet though I never seem to find the time to do either of them.
17) I would love a digital SLR camera.
18) I can walk on my knees.
19) I didnt get my drivers license until I was 19, and after my freshman year of college.
20) I have been to 9 different countries, a few of them more than once.
21) Sweettarts are my absolute favorite candy, especially the Chicks, Ducks, and Bunnies.
22) I have donated my hair 7 times now. I plan on donating at least 3 more times, probably more.
23) I read really quickly and have been known to finish an entire book in a day or two.
24) I love to swing.
25) I have been a Mountaineer since the sixth grade.
26) I am getting into healthy eating, but draw the line at soy milk and tofu.

Where have I been?

2009-03-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

So I realized a few days ago that this blog would be a whole lot more fun if I actually wrote on it..updated it. I am hoping to include pictures. I know I have said that before but I would really like to get back to it. I need to work on taking the card out of the camera, putting them on the computer and then actually doing something with them. Goals for another day...

Life has been busy....if you really want details call. Too much to type :)

I am SOOO ready for Spring Break. I have major spring fever, mostly related to travel. I need to get out of Waynesville. Anyone want to go somewhere?

Just a little bit of evidence of God's love this week:
**Positive comments from my lead teacher about my efforts at work
*I won a door prize at my workshop tonight b/c I was the only one in the room who has a birthday this month. And on top of that it's purple!!
*Getting to meet, hold, and feed baby Braydon

Only 2 more days til my birthday!!
(15 more days til Aaron's birthday and 177 days until we get married)

a look at the numbers..

2009-03-01T20:17:00.001-08:00

As of today:
*20 days until my birthday!
*33 days until Aaron's birthday!
*195 days until our wedding!

a bit of snowday stress relief...

2009-03-01T19:31:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I took some time, stepped away from my work and went outside to play in the snow. It is amazing what some peaceful white snow and an amazing fiance can do for you! Here are a few pictures of our fun outside in the snow!

Here is a quick glimpse of our feet next to each other. Aaron was surprised my feet are so big...guess he is still learning new things about me!

I love this pic! Isn't he handsome!?!

officially concerned

2009-02-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

I dont want to go into much on here but I did want to let those of you know who love me and pray for me that I am officially concerned right now. Based on some news I received on Friday I am going to be changing some of the things I do and working my little tail off. And most importantly praying without ceasing, and asking those that love me to do the same. I do not know what the outcome of this will be and truth be told it is scary. I am doing my best to trust that God has my best interest at heart and knows the outcome, but it is not easy.
Please join me in praying for the following:
*Favor
*Direction
*Calm nerves/positive attitude
*Return of joy/self esteem

I do not know when the end of this trial will be or what the final outcome. I will pass along any additional information as I am able. I thank you in advance for your prayers.

continuing to learn life's lessons...

2009-02-25T19:02:00.000-08:00

Much of my life lately has involved teaching. Now that may sound a bit dumb since my job is teaching first graders. But I am learning that often I am being the one taught and not always the one teaching. Through many different circumstances Christ is showing me that I am not in control (hard to believe I know...). The lesson continues with one of conviction and humbleness, two less than easy pills to swallow.
While I dont want to go into things on the web. I am grateful for the prayers of those that I love and also for the fact that Christ is in control of my life. I am learning to daily, moment by moment, lay everything before Him.
I am blessed. So very blessed to be loved by an Almighty Savior and some amazing family and friends.
Keep praying friends, this journey is not over.
And please let me know if there is any way I can pray for you.
Love and blessings!

t is for tired

2009-02-18T19:11:00.000-08:00

Tired is the one word that has described me over these last few days. For a number of reasons my body is worn out right now. I wanted to post a quick note to let everyone know that I am still around...and longing for the days to get caught up digitally, but for now I must head to bed. Hopefully I can find some time in the next couple of days to get caught up on some of my to dos and want to dos. Love to all!

sneaky!

2009-02-11T06:14:00.000-08:00

While I am at school I have only a few options of the sites I normally visit that will make it through the insane firewall here. So why am I able to get on today? Who knows! But hey, I am and for that I'm excited. :) I have only a few quick moments before my kids come back from P.E. all sweaty and stinky. Just enough time for a mini (and really random) update on what I've been up to. Life has been very busy. Things at work are going better right now. I am finally finishing up with conferences (thank you snow) and moving onto more exciting things with my free time. This past weekend we celebrated my little friend Deseray's birthday. Ah to be 7 again. Since it was in the low/mid 60's we were able to celebrate outside at the lake. Aaron and I only have one semi free evening this week, which is fun but also very tiring. Tonight is our new life group--Fireproof your marriage. This study is based on the movie Fireproof and hopefully will give us a lot of wonderful advice to starting off our marriage on the right foot with Christ as the head.
Well...thats all the time I have for now. Sorry for the scatterbrained randomness of this post!

hangin with mr. cooper!!

2009-02-04T20:36:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago I was blessed with the opportunity to go down to Winston and visit with some of my favorite people. I left that Saturday morning and drove down the mountain. The main reason for that visit was not to spend time with my bestest friend but to spend time with the most wonderful nephew one could have!
Awhile back I mentioned to Sean and Christal that I would love to come down and stay with Cooper one night so that they could go out on a date with each other. As I talked more and more with Christal, defining plans I could tell how excited they were for the opportunity. While I know that they genuinely appreciated the offer and were excited by it, it was I who received the blessing. I LOVED having the opportunity to love on them and spend time with the ever adorable and heart stealing Cooper man.
While Sean and Christal went on their progressive date I spent precious time with Cooper, soaking in all of his sweet smiles and new developments. We ate, sang, played, read stories, and simply enjoyed each other. I was so blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with him. To be trusted with his care. After he fell asleep I spent a few moments watching him sleep and thanking God for the blessing of such a sweet young man.
The rest of the weekend was filled with wonderful Giese conversations and some Abby time!
I cannot even begin to express what a blessing this trip was for me!!! I loved having the opportunity to love on those that I love. Ain't God good?!

a few quick thoughts

2009-02-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

I dont have long tonight, b/c I am soooo very tired. We had a great superbowl party yesterday, more to come on that later. I really wanted to hop on here and put down some quick thoughts so that I could return to them in the next couple of days and expand upon them.
More to come on the following:
*Winston trip
*Superbowl party
*Wedding planning updates
*25 Random things
Who knows what else friends. I'm a bit too tired to know what else I logged on to write tonight. Off to bed.

days off

2009-01-20T19:18:00.001-08:00

So far this week I have had two days off (without children). Tomorrow is another teacher workday. While not all of my coworkers are excited about the time off I am thankful for the time my Lord has provided me with to not only rest but also get caught up on paperwork before our report cards go out next week. I do have a few assessments to finish up during the next few days but I feel certain that all things will be accomplished in time.
And until then I am enjoying the extra snuggle time with my hunny! I hope that you and yours have enjoyed the recent weather and stayed warm.

Snow day!

2009-01-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

After many days of snow forecasts it finally looks like today might actually amount to something white for all to see. Hooray!!
I was very unproductive at work today as it was VERY cold in my room and I could see the snow falling off and on from my door. The only thing I can successfully say I completed was my parent conference at 3:00 this afternoon. After that was over I put on my jacket, loaded my stuff up, and left. Driving home was like riding through a Winter Wonderland. Snow was falling very quickly all around me. Things just seemed quieter and calmer.
I felt the anticipation of a day off building. Fortuanately Haywood County schools did not make me wait long and called me before 7:00 tonight letting me know that I could sleep late tomorrow!!

Thank you Jesus for snow!

It's been a good day...

2009-01-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

This morning Aaron, Zach, and I loaded up the car and set off for the Big House. We got there right as they were working on creating the prayer vigil banner and agape bags. For the first few minutes we walked around enjoying those that we had not seen in a LONG time and trying to find our place again amoung the happenings. Within minutes I turned to see the two men I brought and whom I love dearly, down on their hands and knees drawing on the banner. Ah, I know that my smile could not compare to the one my holy Savior was giving at that sight. I had a wonderful day serving others and spreading the love of Christ. After lunch we made about 7-10 different agape items to share with these 4 caterpillars over the weekend. Thats a lot of love for 4 men. Exciting to think just how much God loves us--that he would put together a whole weekend for just 4 people!
On our way home tonight I got a call from Mom saying it was snowing at home and for us to be careful. I felt like a little kid when I saw the snowflakes start hitting my car right as I got off of our exit. The only thing that could make it better would be the forcast--snow for the next 3 days!!

six years!

2009-01-15T20:20:00.000-08:00

Six years ago this evening I went out to dinner with a friend, and came back his girlfriend! After several hours talking and hanging out on the playground I remember getting back to the room that night telling Abby and then hopping onto the phone to call Sean and Christal.

These past six years have been full of their ups and downs and have included several different degrees of long distance. We have laughed, argued, cried and loved. Overall I can say that I am more in love with him than ever before. I cannot wait to begin this next stage of our relationship as husband and wife!!!

I love you sweetie!!!

S is for...

2009-01-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

snow (well........here's to hopin for it ;)
sweetarts
superbowl party with friends (you should come!)
sleepy sleepy teacher

i know this is one super short list but i am one super sleepy gal and i simply cant think of anything more......haha!
hopefully i can update with something more important and informational soon

Reflecting

2008-12-31T17:04:00.000-08:00

The end of another year cannot help but bring about some reflection on the year that is ending and hope and desires for the new year to come. While I have never been one to really make a New Year's Resolution I have felt some stirings in looking at how life has been going for me and how I would like for it to go. I think part of this is in light of Grandmother's passing as well as looking forward to starting my married life during this next year.
During the last couple of months I have realized more about my own personal limits. I know more of what I can and cannot handle and am getting better at not trying to load my plate down.
I have also realized how valuable my friends and family are to me. I would not be where I am AT ALL without them. They have been there in ways I cannot even begin to describe during this last year. They have helped to shape me into who I am today. Losing a loved one brought me to a place of cherishing those that I love! More than ever I want to make time for people. To actually call them and hang out instead of saying I'm going to do so. To travel to see friends that are far away.

Other "goals" for the year (hopefully longer) are to grow in my relationship with the Lord and with Aaron. And also to be more consistent with taking photographs and putting them to use instead of just on the computer. I would also like to get back to blogging and adding photos to the blog--feel free to hold me accountable to that!

love you all and thanks for checking in

Christmas wrap-up

2008-12-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

This certainly was a Christmas I will never forget. Things have not been traditional in the slightest. Well....at least not most things. We did Christmas eve as usual at my grandparents; although that has changed a lot over the last couple of years as we have gotten older, some of us have married and others now have kids. Altogether the evening was wonderful as we simply enjoyed being around family. It was nice to see everyone, since it had been nearly six months since the last time I saw some of them. I really enjoyed being around family, I needed to be around family. I needed for some part of Christmas to be "normal".
After my grandparents we went back to my house instead of my parents to spend the night. Aaron and I decided not to go to Christmas eve service since we got about 3.5 hours of sleep the night before. My family allowed me to watch A Christmas Story one time as we played a few games before heading off to bed. I love that movie and could not imagine Christmas without it!
I slept in Christmas morning later than I have ever slept on Christmas before.
The rest of the day was interesting and in many ways very un Christmasy. We ate breakfast as a family (including Aaron!) and then got ready for playing games at Lynn's. We got to her house around 3 and played games until 12:30 that night. By the end of the day I was exhausted!
Today we have been at Aaron's parents, enjoying Christmas with his family. The day has been filled with great food, family, and fun.

More to come over the next couple of days and I promise that it will not be so boring and list like. And hopefully will include pictures!

long awaited (maybe?) update

2008-12-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

It has been quite awhile since I last posted. I have either been very busy or too tired to manage posting recently. Tomorrow is my last day of school until after Christmas break. This weekend has been wonderful since I have done nothing but relax and be with the ones that I love. I have played games, relaxed, finished reading my book, spent time with friends/family, and enjoyed a little Christmas baking. Now, because I don't have a lot of time and energy here are photo snapshots of the past few weeks.

Fun with friends at Dollywood :)

We graduated!!! Finally!!!

Cooper's baptism