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

being a youth leader

One of the greatest joys in my life right now is being a youth leader to the junior high and high school kids at Little Chapel Church. While I was at school, I didn't really have time/I was still too close in age to the kids to really be "relevant." But now I'm just old enough to be a leader. Most of the leadership is made up of people my age, with a few older couples. I feel like we really relate to the kids because we are so close to their age. I just remember when I was their age, and how significant the relationships with college age/a little older adults were to me. So I try to be the best that I can be, and live my life in a way that they can be proud of. One month I taught junior high Sunday School. We all try to meet one-on-one once a week with one of the girls, and go through a Bible study or just meet and talk about life. Just take time to invest in them. When I find verses in my quiet time that I think are relevant, I'll send it to the girls. They need people who will love them and want them to grow up in Christ. This weekend is the girl's conference, WORD. We have an exceptional speaker and an awesome worship leader coming in. It's going to be great.

Some of my favorite girls :)

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.