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.

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