quick pic

I thought that I would take a break from my recent attempts at graduate work and post a little fun from this past weekend. This pic was taken on Father's day while we were putt-putting with my family. Aaron and I played 3 games of putt-putt that weekend!

Longing...

Aaron left this afternoon and even in the last few hours before he left I found myself longing. Longing for more time (despite the fact that I'd already been graced with one more day), longing for this leaving crud to be over, longing to have my thesis written and behind me, longing to be married and have kids. Longing for so many things. Things that I know are part of what God has planned for me, at some point. I guess the factor for me is that the time for those things is not now. I have no reason for being impatient with God. Who am I to think that I would want things any way other than the way He has planned for me? 90% of the time I understand why things are the way the are and know that deep down I would not want them any different. Lately it seems that I seem to be living in that other 10%. The 10% of the time where I am not satisfied with where I am, with who I am, the 10% of the time where I find myself longing to be someone else/to be doing something else.
It seems easier to wish that things could be some other way than to be satisfied with who/where I am in life right now. I am amazed at how much time I have wasted (in just these last few days even), time that I could have spent working on my thesis, one of any number of projects, etc. I spent time on my drive home tonight wondering and asking God for an explination as to why I seemed unsatisfied. In some ways I could just feel God staring back at me as if to say "You've got to be kidding, could you really not understand how you wound up here"? And yet in the next flash I could see His arms extending towards me begging me to come back into His security and comfort. God knows what's best for me and yet I, in my flesh, fight Him--wanting to do things on my own. What a stubborn and ungrateful child I am sometimes.

Aaron's coming!

Aaron's coming! Most of you who know me at all know that this alone makes me a very happy camper. :) That happiness is increased even more by the simple fact that I don't have to teach at all while he's here! Unfortunately I am going to have to do some research for my thesis across the several days. At this point I cannot afford to take a few days off of that project :(.
Hopefully I will be able to post more over the next few days. I'm really hoping that I will have some new pictures, esp. of the two of us!

long time no blog

Whew!

That is how I feel after these last few weeks. There have been wonderful mountain tops and also snotty nose/teary eyed valleys. I would love to say that I had the time to catch you up on everything that's been going on but unfortunately I am in class and that might get a little suspicious if I'm typing that much. While I am often feeling overwhelmed I am also recognizing more and more that I am so very blessed. The end of school is finally in sight and I could not be happier! Don't get me wrong, I have loved my little kiddos (for the most part:)), I am just tired of having so much on my plate. I am looking forward to a few months where my primary focus will be graduate school and not balancing between both schools. Ok...enough of that.

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Two cutie pies!

Watch out! Aaron's got his game face on!

I love this little boy SO much!

prayers

I dont have much time or energy left after the past few days. I would appreciate prayers on a few things right now.
*My sweet grandmother who yet once again is in the hospital.
*My thesis
*The end of the school year---there's so much to do in such a little bit of time
*Safe travels for Aaron as he comes up here for a whole week!!

Thanks to all! I will hopefully have more time to post soon.

beautiful day!

I slept in a little bit today (not as late as I could have b/c I was stressin a bit). After waking up I went upstairs to check on the funny ladies and then came back downstairs to piddle around the apartment. Not too long after I hear this very pitiful crylike call come from Grandmother. It took me a second to track her down and after finding her on my front porch I went out to check what she needed. While all she said she wanted was a trash bag and some water for her plants I could tell that something was just not quite right. She seemed very down in the dumps and just not herself. My thoughts were confirmed when she broke down crying. I quickly hopped off the phone and got dressed so I could go out and help her. I ended up in the yard for several hours raking up leaves, twigs, and oak tree crud...cleaning off the driveway, sweeping both porches, and cleaning out the flower bed next to the stairs. Grandmother was so funny because she would talk to me about how I didnt need to spend my Saturday doing yard work for her, but then she'd turn right around and say how wonderful it was to have me around.
I will say that I am tired now. But it feels good to know that I've helped and made her smile. She has done so very much for me in my life and it was not too hard for me to give up a couple of hours on a Saturday to return the favor. I know that this is the time that God has given me with her and I do not want to take that for granted.

Just heard a crash upstairs......better get off of here and go see whats up.

a quick sleepy update

Please be in prayer friends for my allergies right now. My head feels as if it is swimming. The pressure is unreal. I wish I could take the day off tomorrow to rest up and get ready but my assistant's daughter is having fairly major surgery tomorrow and I don't feel that both of us can be out right now. At least not as unprepared for a sub as I currently am.


On other notes. I greatly appreciate the prayers of all for this past weekend. We had a good weekend with safe travels. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate Sean's graduation and spend time with everyone. I also had a wonderful Mother's Day with my own mother and grandmothers. Sometimes God just blesses my socks off. I wish I had great photos from Mother's day, but I was starting to struggle with my allergies at that point and was just not motivated. (Sorry this is so scattered...my head really is not on right tonight).





And what would a post be without a few pictures of my adorable nephew.

He holds a piece of my heart!

Such a beautiful family!

Christal, Sean, and Cooper

Brothers (and Cooper!)