Happy First Birthday Hallee Jae!!

Last Tuesday, my precious niece turned ONE! I can hardly believe that one year has gone by already. It seems like just yesterday that we were waiting for what seemed like forever in the waiting room for her to get here. And then she arrived. And she's fantastic.



Hallee Jae. So full of life. She is exuberant. She's got a fire and a sass. A beauty and a firecracker. My kinda lady. I look forward to every year that comes along to watch her grow into a beautiful young woman. God has wonderful plans in store fo her life. I'm so glad He picked me to be her aunt.




We had a birthday party for her last Saturday at Rosiclare Park down by the river. It was a little chilly, but overall a beautiful day. It was a cowgirl theme, for the little cowgirl herself. She got so many wonderful presents. And she smashed her cake to pieces. She loved every bit of it.

1) trying out her new tricycle
2) loving her new rockin' horse from grammy, gramps & aunt E
3-6) CAKE SMASH!
7) trying to share some cake with Aunt E
8) all cleaned up

working 9-5

I have just been informed that it's a long time since I have blogged... so here it goes.

I've been rather busy working 9-5, Monday-Friday. Work is good, but it can be crazy busy and sometimes a little stressful. So when I get some, I'm ready to just relax and just be chill.

Other than work, I've been trying to squeeze in time to work out, which doesn't happen as frequently as I would like, but I'm working on it. I like to hit up the elliptical for a while and then stretch real good. After I've worked out, I always feel really good, but I just don't always have time to get there. Or I just don't feel like going.

Last Friday night, a few of us girls went bowling with my friend Jason who is in medical school. It happened to be cosmic bowling, which is awesome. We had a lot of fun just catching up and spending time with him. And we got DQ afterwards, and sat in Jason's car where he quizzed us about our lives. It's the simple things in life that are oh so much fun.

Then the next night, Angela, Cacy & I went to Crossroads Bible Church in Norris City. They were having a night of worship. It was incredible. Most of the music was new to me, but it was really good. We spent the evening worshipping the Living King. It was so refreshing to be in the presence of God.

My quiet time has been so good lately. I feel like I've really been digging in. Recently I've been reading in 1st & 2nd Timothy and I just started in 1 Thessalonians.

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.  For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
This is something we should strive to be as Christians. That we would become imitators of the Lord because we are filled with joy of the Holy Spirit. That we would turn away from idols of this world to serve the one true living God because He promised Jesus was coming back. And we are always, always to give thanks for one another.

1) Celebrating Ben's 30th birthday at El Ranchito.
2) One of my new favorite movies, very good, wholesome, family movie. Worth watching.
3) Watching my high school alma mater play soccer.
4) My sweet niece at 11 months old getting so stinkin' big.
5) The most recent picture of my youth kids in Ukraine. One of the girls recently graduated from University.
6) And a throwback to Seattle. I wish I was there.

valentine's day

Well, something big has happened since my last blog post.
I got a job! A real, big kid job. I got to work from 9-5, pretty much Monday through Friday. And it's almost like a graphic design job. I'm doing some designing, but mostly typesetting at a Print Shop in town. We make copies and trophies and awards. I'm still learning the ins and outs of it all, but it's interesting.
Still working on designing for the girls conference this spring. We are almost done with that. I can't wait for that to get here. I think a lot of junior high and high school girls are going to get rocked by it.
Recently, I made my mom a logo for her photography company. She's a pretty accomplished lifestyle photographer. I get to be her assistant sometimes. Basically, she has recreated her image. She just got a new website. She takes pictures of babies, seniors, children, families, and couples. Pretty much, she does it all. Go check it out: Sycamore Grove Photography.

This morning in my devotion I was reading Hebrews 13. I got to verse 8,

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

And that just made my heart so happy to have that reassurance. Because Jesus will never ever change. He was at the beginning of time and He is right now and He will be forever. And nothing about His character will ever be different. He is just as patient and kind as He was then. That is incredible to me. Forever I will trust in the fact that He won't change on me, no matter how often I change.

I'll leave you with some iPhone pictures from my week.

1] I'm never up before the sun, but I had an appointment in Evansville last week and happened to see this fantastic sunrise, and I was reminded of God's beauty and majesty.
2] my awesome friend Allyson sent me these mustaches that attach to your bottles while you are drinking to make it look like you have a mustache, hehe
3] my dad delivered flowers to me at work on valentine's day
4] my sweet Hallee Jae is the only valentine I need, who is now 9 months old
5] I love cheesy valentines, like this Harry Potter one I found online
6] a close up of my pretty flowers

living life

Recently, I have been just here.
Working on a little project for a girls conference at the church. I'm pretty much in charge of all the graphics that we'll be producing for it. I've been working with the youth leaders pretty closely.
For the month of February, I will be teaching the junior high Sunday School class at church. This past week was my first week and it was pretty interesting. I had to bring out my authoritative voice, and I didn't even know I had one. Other than that, I think it went pretty well. I remember being in junior high — it was awkward, weird, and so was I, which will help me relate to them.
I have been looking for a job, but alas, I still have no job.
Contemplating a trip to Florida to see my snowbird grandparents sometime this month.
Recently, I've had a lot of really good time in the Word. Most of my time has been spent in Hebrews. Focusing on Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice and the new Most High Priest. Thank goodness Jesus came to be the last and final blood sacrifice so we no longer have to make a yearly sacrifice. Jesus died once and for all, and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf day and night. How great is that?

"The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself."
Hebrews 7:26-27



A few pictures from December until now.

1) watching fireworks with some of my favorite girls at church
2) still getting matching sweatshirts, even though we are getting old
3) remembering my sweet great-grandmother AnnaBelle who recently passed
4) girls night at the Ellis' house usually means Coca Cola in glass bottles
5) I've been listening to some pretty good music on my new record player I got for Christmas
6) my baby niece Hallee Jae getting so stinkin' big
7) Brody sitting in the snow, rather than going into the barn where it is warm
8) reading glasses, because I've had a lot of time to do just that — read

the most wonderful time of the year

It's starting to be that time of the year. You know: CHRISTmas! We have successfully put up all our decor in the Whitlock household, and it is very merry & bright. And being an unemployed college graduate, I am still helping Miss Jodi Duncan when she needs me. Which has transitioned beautifully from weddings into decorating homes and businesses for the Christmas season. She is just as busy in this time of year as she is in the summer/fall with all her weddings. I am so thankful that she likes to have me around and that she likes to have my help. So even though I don't have a real job right this very moment, I do have a little bit of money available to me. 

Working on the balcony with Glo in Chandler, IN

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

welcome to Christmas-land at a home in Harrisburg

Christmas at Marion Mackies

Christmas wreath chandeliers at Marion Mackies

Christmas is also just one of my favorite times of the year in general. I love getting to spend time with my family. When the weather is cold, it's my favorite because I get to wear big bulky sweaters and chunky scarves. Speaking of sweaters & scarves, I would like to get some new ones soon. A shopping day is in my near future, probably after Christmas presents and Christmas are over. This will be my niece Hallee Jae's first Christmas which is super duper exciting. I can't wait to celebrate and do all kinds of fun stuff with her. I know she won't remember most of it, but that's beside the point. 

Hallee Jae waving to Aunt E

proud aunt!!

I've clearly been on a blog hiatus for unknown reasons.
but I'm back and with a collection of pictures of my sweet Jelly Bean.
Dane, Jean & Hallee Jae came over for lunch today after church.
we had a good time eating & spending time together.
of course, we had to take some pictures of our sweet girl.
so here are a few of them.

you could say that I'm one proud aunt :)

17 days

there are 17 days left until graduation.
wow, I can hardly believe how fast this semester has flown by.
it feels like just yesterday it was starting.
my classes are going well, but it's getting to that point in the semester when things are piling up and I have a million and one things to do.
today, I spent the day in Louisville, KY on a field trip for class.
we went to Power Creative, a graphic design firm.
it was so awesome.
they are on a huge campus with so many designers.
my favorite part was the huge in-house photography studio.
plus a giant prop room full of awesomeness.
I think I would pick that to do if anything.
however, I don't think I'm qualified to work there.
their main photography guy used to work for National Geographic.
and their photography intern is from SCAD (really awesome art school).
so I don't think I stand a chance.
but I would like to be taking pictures all day every day.

also, new in my life, I'M AN AUNT!
my brother and his wife had their baby girl yesterday morning at 12:19AM.
her name is Hallee Jae Whitlock.
she weighed 9lbs 2oz, and was 22in long.
there were a few issues right after birth, so she's been in the NICU.
but things are looking better.
she has already won me over and stolen my heart.
I already know that she will be super spoiled, especially by me.
now that I know her name, I can start buying her things with her name on it.