Yes, two posts in one week

Ladies and gentlemen, I may have missed my calling. As a drummer. You heard it here first. Oh yeah, that's right. I was apparently a very good girl this year, and Santa brought me a Wii AND Rock Band! (In case you're unfamiliar, "Rock Band" is a video game with a microphone, guitar, and drums that three people play at once, sort of karaoke style. You win points by keeping up with the music.) I have had such a blast!! The guitar is pretty fun, especially for someone who wasn't willing to cut off her fingernails in order to plan an actual guitar, and the microphone is cool on the songs that I know (but there aren't many of those. YET.), but I rocked the drums!! I've always had a good ear for music, and I can hold a beat, even if my style is a bit lacking. Honestly, I willingly admit that I feel a little like Rain Man playing the drums- I have to stare at the screen and focus, so I end up being a little stiff, but I don't care- it is FUN! And when it gets to the part where all of the drums are lit up and you can just bang whatever ones you want to, I imagine that I probably look a little like Animal from the Muppet's, arms flailing and drumsticks flying. I have to laugh at myself even now just thinking about it! I'm pretty sure I'm going to be wasting a lot of time working on my rocker skills in the near future.
In all seriousness, Rob and I had a great Christmas. We had talked about inviting friends over after the Christmas Eve service at church, but ultimately decided to spend a quiet evening at home, just the two of us. It was a cozy little first Christmas in our first home! We cooked dinner together (Stromboli, Rob's favorite meal that I make) and sort of watched It's a Wonderful Life. Neither of us had ever seen it, and I'm still not sure that I can say that I have, but it was on in the background while we ate and talked and then traded one gift each. Then on Christmas morning, I attempted to make what was supposed to be sausage pinwheels. It ended up being more like a Sausage Yule Log, which was pretty good if I can say so myself. (I think I'll definitely try to make that one of our family traditions!) We read Luke 2 together over cups of cinnamon bun coffee, ate our log, and swapped gifts. Between the two of us, it looked like Santa really had come to a house of excited kiddos, what with all the boxes and wrapping paper strewn around. We left the mess, though, and drove across town to spend the day with Rob's family.
It was a fun day with the Dixon clan. I really am blessed to have great in-laws. (Rob is too!) I, of course, entertained the crowd with my drumming, and Rob only had to excuse himself from the festivities for a little while to take the call on one water damage that came in. And I'm pretty sure I at as much in the last 24 hours as I have in the past 24 days; it was all soooo good! I'm back on the healthy wagon again today, though, and plan to keep my happy self right here for a while again- I've got to get myself into a bridesmaid dress in a couple of months (exactly six, come to think of it)!
I hope you had a holly, jolly Christmas and experienced the blessing of knowing Christ in a new way yesterday.

And to all a good night

I'm not really sure why I feel like the only blog-worthy things in my life are the calamities I find myself in, but I do. I should do better. I could have written about my trip home for Thanksgiving to see my family (and trying to teach my 7-month-old nephew to crawl!) or creating lime green icing to decorate "truck cookies" to celebrate Rob's 2nd anniversary with Servpro or my Christmas-candy-making-marathon with my friend Rachel or singing my little heart out to try and become a SingStar in my cousin's living room. We have a real exciting life, I tell you. But I would like to share with you, instead, about Nashvegas Falls- discovered in my garage yesterday.

Now, you know that Rob (and I) own a Servpro franchise. One of their specialties is "Water Damage Restoration." Basically, this means that when people have a leak, or flood, that gets into their home, Rob's guys come to the rescue to clean up the water and make sure mold doesn't invade the place. I used to struggle with the idea that Rob's work thrives when others are experiencing personal disasters (I hate watching the weather and thinking, "ooh, there could be some frozen pipes tonight!"). Anyway, I expressed this internal battle the other day to a friend who is a pediatric oncologist. He reminded me that KIDS have to have CANCER for him to have a job. He wins; his job is much worse. I digress.

Yesterday night (the night before last night), Rob and I were all snuggled warm in our bed while visions of sugar plums and peppermint bark danced in my head... when I was rudely awaken by what sounded like someone filling a bathtub at the foot of our bed. "Rob- Babe- Get up-- WHAT IS THAT?" "Huh?" "Is that water? DID OUR HOT WATER HEATER JUST EXPLODE?!?" Remember- this was at around 5:15, and we weren't exactly awake. We both got up and fumbled around for our glasses and sweatshirts and shoes (our hot water heater is in the garage, where we knew it was cold) and made our way downstairs. What to our wondering eyes should appear? Nashvegas Falls! I guess it was really more like a bubbling spring, flowing forth from under our hot water tank. Either way, it was not beautiful or wondrous. It took us a few minutes to find the water shut-off valve, but I (ahem, WE) did and managed to stop the gushing before the water rose deep enough to wet the drywall and seep into our living room. Whew! I tried to get Rob to call into his own answering service and leave a message for his office manager that we needed a crew to come out and clean it all up, but it really wasn't that bad, and he didn't think she would be amused at 5:30. Probably not. In fact, Rob was so relieved that the water hadn't come into the house that he wanted to go back to bed and deal with it after the sun came up. He's the professional, so that's what we did!

After we got up again, we called our Home Shield warranty people, and the nice lady there sent Jerry over to fix our pipe. It turns out that the hot water heater was fully intact; the fitting on the pipe leading into the tank had come undone. Jerry pulled out his handy little blow torch and had us fixed up in less than 30 minutes. And we went to bed last night to the soothing sound of air movers in our garage. Ah, what an exciting life we lead.

One of my goals this Christmas has to not get stressed out by the "stuff" and focus on Jesus. I think I've been pretty successful too. We had one crazy weekend of four parties rolled into two days (but that was actually the first weekend of December) and it's been a fairly chilled out month. And here I am on Christmas Eve morning, sitting on my couch in my sweats with the presents all wrapped under my fantastically simple tree, catching up on my blog, with nothing on my "to-do" list for today except the Christmas Eve service at church tonight, which I'm really looking forward to. Oh, and the air movers in the garage. It's a peaceful morning. I think I might grab a fresh cup of coffee and my Bible, turn off "The View" and pop in Casting Crowns' Christmas CD, and sit & enjoy Jesus for a while, who came into this world as a baby for the sole purpose of giving us access to God Almighty. Come, Lord Jesus.


What a Holy Night. Peace to you.

Today's lesson brought to you by Exxon

It's a little embarrassing, but I have a funny story... and the moral is?

THE GAS LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD IS NOT JUST A SUGGESTION!

Yes, you know what's coming next...

I totally ran out of gas on my way to work yesterday morning. I've heard stories of other people doing that and thought, "Wow- how dumb can you get? You have a gauge AND a light to tell you when you need gas!" And now I have joined the ranks of the people I used to make fun of.

The light came on Tuesday on my way home from work. I thought that I might go to the grocery store that night, and thought, "That's perfect, I can get gas at Kroger." But then I skipped grocery shopping. The light came on again the next morning as soon as I started the car, and yes, I noticed it. I like to think of myself as optimistic though! I picked up my friend Tanya and we were on our way. Maybe God was trying to give me a little hint when we got on the interstate and traffic was backed all the way up to our on-ramp. There are no gas stations between our neighborhood and I-40, but I knew there were several at the next exit 3 miles ahead. I jokingly told Tanya, "If we have to sit in this traffic for too long, we might have to pull off and get gas." The cars kept moving, however, and I settled comfortably into the left lane and didn't think twice about getting gas before work.

(Admission of my own stubbornness- or stupidity-- We live 22 miles from work. The light came on Tuesday on our way home. I know full well that you generally have 25-30 miles to go once the light came on. What the heck was I thinking, that I could get all the way home AND all the way back downtown with that little orange light glaring at me?!?)

So anyway, we were cruising along, chatting away, when I started to feel the car slowing down. Did my foot slip off the pedal? I pressed down hard on the gas; no response. "Oh no," I thought. Trying hard not to panic, I began gently easing my way across the three lanes of traffic separating me from the next exit ramp. I've never ventured into this part of town at all, but it seemed like a good time to jump off the interstate and pray there was a gas station waiting for me at the bottom of the exit. There wasn't. By this time I had prayed a couple of times that we would get to work- fully knowing that I should take 10 minutes to get off and fill-up. I think God might have been laughing at me. He was definitely shaking His head. Again- I was only trying to be positive and put my faith to work! Back to the story... we managed to get off at the exit and coast to a stop at the bottom of the ramp. Poor Tanya's eyes were huge by this point, and I could tell in her mind she was screaming at me- "What are we going to do?!" Laughing at the predicament I had just gotten us into, I picked up my cell phone and called Rob. And then I called AAA. (I figured they could race to rescue us. Rob won.) About 25 minutes later, his truck came flying down the exit ramp. About 10 seconds after that, his brother's truck came flying down the ramp- Rob was worried that we were in a less than savory part of town and he called Ryan to come protect us until he could reach us with a gas can. I was still laughing and cutting up and trying to help Tanya relax. Rob wasn't laughing. I still don't think the situation was all that serious; and by lunchtime he was laughing at me too.

Talk about starting your day off on the wrong foot...

Monday, Monday

What is it about Monday's? They're not any longer than the other days, and yet, I dread them every Sunday. It's been a good weekend though, and I guess I just don't want it to end. In fact, the past several weekends have been really good, and the next several are promising too. Two weeks ago, five of my former students from UAB came up for a weekend retreat; it's always good to catch up with friends and get deep in God's Word together. Last weekend, Rob's cousin Shannon came to Nashville
for a fun girls' weekend; we went horseback riding and then shopped until we couldn't stand anymore! We just got back from Jackson a little while ago after a great weekend of friends, football, and baby showers. Next weekend Rob's brother is getting married, the next we'll be going to Atlanta to visit my sister... Just looking at my daytimer wears me out! None of our weekends have been, or will be, restful- not even a little bit- but totally worth it. For now, for this moment, Rob and I are back home early and are chilling on the couch watching a movie, and while not the most exciting event or memory of the month, it's definitely one of my favorites!

I've heard several sermons, Bible studies, etc. lately on God's command to have "no other idols." It's so easy to think of this as one of the obvious "Big Ten", like don't steal or don't murder. And we let ourselves believe that this isn't a danger for us- we don't worship statues or relics. I think I'm guilty though. At different times, and for what seemed like a good reason at the time. I've let other things take first place in my life and in my heart. It's hard to hash it all out on paper, or the screen as it were, but I'm definitely in a season of refining. Even though it isn't exactly fun, and certainly not easy, I'm excited about what God is doing in my heart.

One more thing- Rob and I are trying to work it out to be able to take a trip back to the Czech Republic and Romania next year. There are still a lot of details that we need to figure out, so please pray with us that everything will be made clear soon!

Race for the Cure

I love the Komen Race for the Cure! This was my second time participating- it's such a great cause, and everything is PINK! Seriously, it was a really fun, inspiring day with my co-workers Joan and Juliana. I loved seeing all of the breast cancer survivors out there walking, and I had a great conversation with one lady as we walked. I also loved seeing all of the creative team t-shirts... my favorite one had two baseballs strategically placed on the front and read "Save Second Base!" It's may be a little crude, and definitely not something I would wear, but I thought it was really funny!!

Yay for face paint!

My Cheerleader

At home with my honey

Rob and I are just hanging out at home tonight, and I love it! We've had the best week- I like it when we don't have much going on. Not long after my last post, Rob went to Houston to help with Hurricane Ike clean-up; he was gone for nearly two weeks. I did not handle that well. I love my husband, and I really like having him around. On the contrary, I hate it when he's not around. I was happy when he came home. Very happy!
While Rob was in Texas, I went home to Louisiana for a weekend. It was a lot of fun seeing my family. I got to spend time getting to know my future brother-in-law, Scott, a little better; we girls had a good time shopping for bridesmaids dresses; I got to chat with my granny over a cup of coffee before everyone else woke up; and we all had a blast watching my nephew, David (check out his blog!). My mom must have taken a hundred pictures that weekend, but none have surfaced yet! It's so neat watching him grow and change. The trip had been planned for a while, and turned out to be a wonderful distraction in the middle of Rob's trip.
God has been teaching me a lot lately. I've been meeting with a group of women going through Beth Moore's Stepping Up, and have also had some really good conversations with a couple of girlfriends recently. God has been refining my heart, which is often uncomfortable for a time, but always good. I'm thankful for friends who have challenged me and encouraged me. My times with the Lord have been really sweet thanks to all of these things. I hope I'll be able to expound on that soon, and put words to everything in my head and my heart.
Random change of subject (thinking "out loud")... I want to cook a roast in the crock pot tomorrow. I don't have time to cut up the vegetables & get it all ready in the morning, but I'm afraid that if I cut everything up tonight it will be brown by morning. How do I not have time to cook in a slow-cooker?

Busy, Busy Girl

I've run out of excuses to offer for my most recent absence from the blog world. I'm just busy- and when life gets crazy, the blog slips on the priority list. What can I say?
I had a fantastic visit with my college roommate, Courtney, a couple of weeks ago. We lived together from 1999-2000 (until I graduated from LSU), and since I moved out we've only seen each other once or twice a year for a couple of hours at a time. It was so great to have a whole two days with her just hanging out. It was the ultimate girl weekend!
The very next weekend, my sweet husband took me on a 3-day cruise to celebrate our first wedding anniversary! We went to Nassau, Bahamas, and it was fabulous! It was so nice to get away from the busy-ness of our crazy life and just spend a couple of days focused on each other. I think my favorite part (more than Atlantis and the beach) was the long talk we had on the top deck of the boat every night. This was my first cruise. I've always loved the beach, because it reminds me of the hugeness and power of God. Being out in the middle of the ocean with nothing in sight but waves brings up those same thoughts. The water was pretty choppy and we had no shortage of ocean breezes (translate: crazy wind) thanks to Hurricane Hanna, but that didn't stop us from enjoying our trip.
I went back and read my blog post from September 1 last year- the morning of our wedding. I didn't know it was possible that I could be more in love with Rob than I was that day, and yet, I absolutely am! He makes me laugh, keeps me warm, and is a constant reminder that God loves me. I am so grateful that God chose to bless me with such an incredible man as Rob. I am the luckiest girl ever!

So much to say...

I don't even know where to begin- we've had such a crazy summer, and I feel like there's a ton I should update about. The problem is, I feel like my life isn't all that exciting to anyone except me (and maybe my mom). Seriously, it's not interesting to other people who I've visited with, or what I've encountered at work. At least, I'm pretty sure it's not. So, instead of my usual "here's what I've been up to" post, here's a little questionnaire someone emailed to me this week...

3's About Me!

Three jobs I have had in my life:
1. Auto body shop receptionist
2. Behavior therapist for autistic kids
3. Coffee Master/ Barista

Three shows that I watch:
1. The Office
2. Friends reruns
3. The Amazing Race

Three places I have been:
1. Hvar, Croatia
2. Damascus, Syria
3. Lynchburg, Tennessee

Three People who email me:
1. Courtney
2. Rachel
3. Juliana

Three of my favorite foods:
1. Mexican anything
2. Peanut butter
3. Pancakes

Three places I'd rather be right now:
1. With my hubby
2. Asleep
3. The Beach

Three things I am looking forward to this year:
1. My first wedding anniversary (sept 1)
2. Seeing my nephew David again
3. Christmas with Rob in our first home

Pray for Rob. He left for Florida today to "scope out" Fay's damage; it was a long, rainy trip. Pray that they can make some big progress this weekend so that he can come home early next week. Fortunately, I'm not alone- my college roommate, Courtney, arrived tonight for a weekend visit (our first extended visit in 8 years!) As sad as I am that Rob is gone (really, I am. sincerely.), I'm very excited about the total-girl weekend ahead!

Organized Chaos

Busy doesn't even begin to describe my life as of late. The "lazy, hazy days of summer" are racing past in one big blur! Here's your fair warning- this post will likely be as all over the place as I've been these past few weeks!

QUICK UPDATES: The lows and highs

- Rob was in Cedar Rapids for a week. I cried a lot and slept just a little. I was kind of pathetic really. It's a good thing he came home when he did.

- The tomato's are struggling. I think we're down to two that might survive to full-grown so we can eat them.

- Rob's brother, Stephen, proposed to his girlfriend, Joanna. We've got two siblings getting married in the next year, and we're thrilled for them. We are excited about both of our new in-laws!!

- We made a quick road trip to Louisiana for July 4th and my dad's birthday (can you say there's anything "quick" about 16 hours round trip?!) It was great to see family that we hadn't seen in a while! We ate, watched old home movies from when my dad was a kid, laughed, visited, waterskiied, and worked to see who could make David laugh the most. He is growing in size and cuteness daily! I wish it was easier to get home more often...

- We were home for less than 14 hours when we left again, bound for the national Servpro Convention in Denver. Rob learned a lot in workshops while I worked hard at relaxing. It was a good time to reconnect with old friends and build relationships with new people as well. Rob was given the Director's level Platinum award- the highest from his "class"! (I think I was a little more proud of him than he was- ok, a lot!) We also took a vacation day after the convention ended and went to Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak.

- We got our government stimulus check, and like good, law-abiding citizens, we went out and spent part of it the next day. We bought a Roomba (robotic vacuum), and I love it! I could write a whole post on our wonderful new cleaning robot, whom we affectionately named "Danny Tanner". I probably will. Did I mention that I LOVE Danny Tanner?

Work is going well, and like any job it has presented its own unique set of challenges. I've felt a little like Nehemiah lately. Or wanting to feel like him is probably a better way to say it. God wanted him to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah didn't question God's instructions like Moses, or run from God like Jonah, he just trusted and set out with this HUGE, God-sized task in front of him. When I think about my project- getting 2 books translated into 50 languages by volunteer translators by December 31- I can't help but feel overwhelmed and question the reality of the possibility. I admit, I've had my doubts about whether or not it's going to be finished on time. But it's not up to me to question the Lord. So I'm reading Nehemiah's story, and trying to gain his strength and confidence. I'll let you know what I find out from him. And if I forget- ask me about it!!

Rob & Jess + 8

Ok, maybe not quite as catchy as "Jon & Kate", but we've got eight little ones on the way too!!! Eight little Roma tomatoes, that is! (Did you think I was talking about babies?!?! As Rob would say, "Are you crazy-outta-your-mind?") We also have 1 "early girl" tomato plant that currently has a baseball sized beauty on it; I keep mistakenly calling it a "big girl" instead of "early girl"! We've been working hard on our tiny little garden, and it will all pay off soon if we can keep the bugs & critters off. I'll take some pictures of my flower bed later this week- after I pull weeds.

Please keep Rob in your prayers this week. He left this morning bound for Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to help with the flood recovery efforts. He brought two of his guys, three trucks, and a huge load of equipment, and is planning to stay at least a week. Pray for protection from injury and flood-related illnesses, for good sleep, and for compassionate spirits for Rob, Lee, and Joe. Pray too that Lee & Joe will see Jesus in Rob this week as they work together, that they will see more to him than just their boss. Pray for me too- it's hard to be separated from my hubby and it hasn't even been a whole day yet! Please ask specifically that I'll be able to sleep well this week without Rob next to me. Pray for the people of Cedar Rapids that Rob & his crew will be helping.

Good Night

It's been a busy couple of weeks since my last post. Make that- a crazy week this week! Rob & I made a last minute decision on Friday to drive to St. Louis on Saturday for my sister Kayla's surprise engagement party; it was an early departure and slight detour on our way to Indianapolis on Sunday. (I've worked at LifeWay for three weeks and they sent me on my first "business trip" to the Southern Baptist Convention). Before deciding to leave, we faced the grim reality that we're getting old and have to base our decisions on things like responsibility, rather than simply what we want to do... Can we afford the extra gas and hotel room?... We really need to mow the lawn before we leave for five days... What will we do with the dog?... Factors like those make it a lot harder to be spontaneous and fun!
We made the trip- and we're happy we took the extra detour- and got home around 12:30 last night. And then I spent today catching up on everything that had piled up while we were gone: grocery shopping, laundry, unpacking, etc. I tried a new recipe for dinner tonight, and it was not good. It has been a long day.
I went out to the patio after dinner to check on our tomato plants (since the ones we grow may be all we get this summer!) The one that's finally turning orange has a big hole right through the middle of it. Ugh- can't eat that one. I sighed and was about to come back inside when I noticed how pretty the sky was tonight. The threat of thunderstorms in the area, coupled with the creative genius of almighty God, brought some particularly bright pink stripes to the dark blue dusk sky. Pink always makes me happy, but tonight it just felt like a gift from the Lord, sent to make me smile. I called Rob to come join me, and we sat outside in the cool evening just enjoying the beauty around us. From our backyard, you can see pretty far up into the hills. It was so peaceful and relaxing to sit still for a little while, talking and laughing and forgetting the craziness of the day and the dirty dishes still on the table and remembering all over again how much I love my husband and how good our God is. I am tired, and excessively grateful. Life is too short to miss these moments.

PS- Congrats Kayla and Scott! Marriage is incredible- you're going to love it!!

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The last two weeks have been sort of a blur. So much has been going on!!
I started my job at Lifeway, and I love it! Everyone is so nice, and they have all gone above and beyond to welcome me. The task ahead of me is huge and I'm ready for the challenge. It's been fun telling others that I'm the new multiethnic editor- everyone asks if I know all 50 languages. I usually reply that I've got 47 down pat and am working on the last three! One woman even confessed that she didn't expect me to be "so white"! This multiethnic initiative is a top priority for Lifeway right now and I am very excited to get to be a part of it.
Another bright spot in the past couple of weeks was a weekend in Ft. Worth. Rob and I flew out to visit family and meet our new nephew over Memorial Day weekend. Of course, I'm a biased aunt, but David is absolutely the cutest kid in Texas! I hate that we waited so long to see him, although I'm glad now that we did... he was able to smile and interact with us a lot, which was really fun! Now, I don't want a reputation as a meanie, but isn't this the cutest picture?!? Crying or not- I love this kid!
In spite of my wonderful new job and time with sweet David, this week was a hard one. We got back on Monday night without our luggage. Besides our clothes, my car keys, check book, work ID badge, Rob's work file, and several other important things were in the lost suitcase. American Airlines had put the wrong tag on it at DFW, and we had a claim ticket for a woman headed to Washington DC; they had no idea where our stuff was. We tried not to be upset about it and headed home, where we found that our refrigerator had gone out over the weekend! (The first clue was the can of biscuits exploded in the fridge!) Not exactly what you want to come home to after a weekend out of town.
And I can't show you a picture of the ugly, so I'll just tell you about the huge, purple & black stripe across my back. I slipped on a staircase at work Tuesday morning and hit the lower part of my spine on a step before sliding the rest of the way down. No, I couldn't fall on my tailbone where I've got plenty of cushion- that would have been too easy! I was able to get up and walk immediately, but I was in a lot of pain and had to go straight to the doctor. They did x-rays to confirm that nothing was fractured, and thankfully everything looked good. It's still rather painful, but fortunately I can tell that it's improving every day. Please pray for a complete recovery! On top of the physical pain, my pride was hurt almost as bad with embarrassment for having a workman's comp claim before I even had my first paycheck.
I came home from work Tuesday and cried. Between the lost luggage, the expensive fridge repairs, and my hurt back, I felt very defeated. I wondered why God was allowing these attacks from all angles. He gently reminded me that He is good and is always in control, and I was stressing over relatively small "stuff." I got a big dose of perspective later that night and felt silly that I had cried over these trials. Because that's all they really were. Disciples aren't exempt from the hard road. As followers of Christ, our journeys are peppered with speed bumps and detours. We just have to learn to trust God to get us around- or through- the obstacles and allow Him to strengthen our faith through those times.

The week in Review

It has been a VERY good week. I'm excited about starting my new job tomorrow, but I have to admit- I have LOVED being a housewife this week! Kroger is a completely different place at 10am; it's so much more peaceful when you're not rushing through to get home and cook dinner, and running into everyone else who's rushing around trying to get home. It was almost nice.
So, as for my list of things I wanted to accomplish... finish the bonus room (nope), finish the touch-up painting around the house (some- I can't find the original wall paint), lunch with friends (yes- every day), day long retreat (sadly, no), sew a dress (yes!), get a pedicure (and a manicure! Happy Birthday to me!!!). While I didn't finish everything, I still think it was productive.
Really, I'm excited about starting my new job tomorrow. And a little sad that I have to get up early.

This post is completely pointless. I promise- the next one will be worth reading.

Temporary Unemployment...

... is glorious! Yesterday I closed the door on the world of architectural openings (pun very much intended). And today I was a Lady of Leisure! A look at my day today:
- I slept in until about 8:30
- Woke up to breakfast in bed cooked by my fabulous husband
- Stayed in bed until the Today show was almost over
- Met my cousin for lunch
- Went to the mall and shopped for a Mother's day gift for my mother-in-law
- Came home and painted my toenails

It's a tough life, but I'll persevere through until I start at Lifeway next Friday!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I could survive on peanut butter and Mexican food. Mexican is probably the one food "category" (genre? ethnic group?) I could eat EVERY SINGLE DAY. Simply put, I love Mexican food. Not as much as Jesus or Rob, but it ranks pretty high up there. In light of that, Cinco de Mayo seemed like a great reason to have a Mexican potluck dinner (even if we had it on Quatro de Mayo!)! Throw together some enchiladas, queso dip, a "pin-yaya", and good friends, and you have a pretty good fiesta!

Me, with Abby and Ellie (she seriously wore those sunglasses the WHOLE time!)

Katie, taking a swing at the "Pin-yaya"

In other news, tomorrow is my last day at Girtman & Associates. It's been a good year, but I can't really say that I'm sad to be leaving the world of construction and doors behind... I'm way too excited about the opportunities ahead of me. And I'm REALLY excited about having over a week off in between jobs! There are so many things I want to do with my time off- finish putting everything away in the bonus room, finish touching up the paint around the house, have lunch with a few friends, go on a day-long retreat, sew a dress, maybe get a pedicure... ask me on May 16 how many of those things I actually accomplished! It will be a good week... maybe I'll start early with a bubble bath right now...

Flooded with Praise and Thankfulness

I've been meaning to post for a while now, and I really wish I'd been keeping the blog more current. This has been a really, REALLY good week. I just don't want to neglect to tell you about how good things had gotten before this week. So let's work backwards...

On Wednesday, I got a nephew! David Clinton Walker finally made his way into the world, a short week after his due date. (My sister, Mindi, was SO ready!) He came fairly peacefully, from what I understand, and weighed in at a hefty 9 lbs, 1 oz! He's a big boy, but still not big enough to beat Aunt Jess' family record! I can't believe it's going to be a month before Rob & I get to meet him face to face.

On Tuesday, I was offered a new job at Lifeway Christian Resources. I'm really excited about the position! I'm going to be a (the?) multiethnic resources editor. It sounds like a fancy title, which is kind of cool, but it's the job itself that gets me smiling. I'll be working on a project to get two Bible study/discipleship books translated into 50 different languages. No, I don't have to learn 50 new languages; my role will be more of a project manager than copy editor. The best part is- as they are completed, the translated materials will be available online for FREE! I love that this isn't being driven by dollars and cents, but by the fact that this is important stuff and people need to hear it. They're still not sure what phase two of the project will be- translating more material into those same 50 languages, or translating the same two books into 50 more languages. Either way, I'm thrilled that my day-to-day work is going to have an eternal purpose.

On Monday, I went to lunch with a friend at my current job and we decided to start doing a Bible study together. She confessed quickly that she doesn't know much and I'd have to teach her. I didn't tell her that's what I had been praying for; I've been wanting to be in that sort of discipling relationship again. I meet with a fabulous woman of God every week who counsels and pours her wisdom into me, and I want to pass that on to someone else. Pray that our weekly lunch dates will be profitable for both of us, and that we won't be easily distracted from meeting after I begin working somewhere else.

And before all of this happened this week, God had really been working on my heart. I had been feeling somewhat unsettled in the midst of all the waiting- waiting to hear back from Lifeway, waiting for David- there were too many "unknowns" for my comfort level. Our church has been in a season of studying "What does a disciple look like?", and I think I was feeling convicted that I wasn't doing enough- not sharing my faith enough, not spending enough time in the Word, not bearing enough fruit. The uneasiness was probably the result of conviction (that's never comfortable, is it?). Anyway, I felt like God had finally gotten my attention and was shaking me back into step with Him. It's kind of hard to explain now that I'm trying to put it all into words. Pruning, stretching, refining- whatever you want to call it, it never feels good at the time, and that's where I was for the past month or so. It's so refreshing to come out on the other side, though. I think God did some "spring cleaning" in my heart! I have the excitement of realizing that I'm a new creation all over again, and I'm thankful for that more than anything else.

Some things I've learned this week

1. I tend to snuggle more during thunderstorms. (I call it snuggling, Rob calls it me wedged up under his side.)
2. Dolly Parton said in Steel Magnolias, "Noone cries alone in my presence,"- and that's still true. When my friends are hurting and cry, I cry with them. Even if I'm a hundred miles away.
3. If God puts someone on your mind more than once- call them.
4. We are called to serve God with gladness- wherever He calls us. In ministry, in our daily jobs, in marriage, in the grocery store. Our joy is to be in Him; not in our situation.
5. Clover may look fluffy and harmless, but it's roots are deep and strong. It's the monster in my flower-bed.
6. No matter how hard or sincere you pray, God doesn't turn grapes into chocolate. I know. I asked Him. He said NO.

100th Post - Lots of catching up to do!

Blogger counts my posts for me, and this is the centennial entry! I feel like I should have something really profound or insightful to share; this may disappoint! I wish this was an outlet for all my deep ponderings, but it's never really accomplished that- it's more for keeping up with old friends that I don't call or email enough! So in that vein, I'll just let you know what's been going on in Nashvegas...


I'm finally starting to feel "settled" in our house. Don't get me wrong- I've still got plenty to do- but I've gotten all the boxes out of the living spaces that we spend our time in. The bonus room and guest rooms are definitely still works in progress. The downstairs and master bedroom are in pretty good shape, though, so I'm feeling a lot less pressure to work on house stuff every moment that I have free. It's a good feeling! We're blessed- God has filled our home with friends, love, and laughter often, and we're happy to have a place to welcome everyone! (That's your invitation to come visit!)

This weekend, I had several girls from UAB up for a Spring Retreat. I can't remember the last time I consumed so much junk food in 24 hours! It was so much fun catching up with them and hanging out. We didn't do a whole lot- it was just good to be together. I sure do miss those girls in Birmingham!

Rob & I will celebrate two years "together" this week on April 1! Time sure flies when you're having fun!! So much has happened in both our lives since we got together in Gatlinburg- we've both moved several times, changed jobs, gotten married, moved a few more times... it's been kind of a whirlwind, but in a good way. The next big thing coming up? We're going to be an aunt & uncle in a few weeks (days?!). My sister Mindi is going to have a baby any day now, and we're almost as anxious as she is to find out if it's David or Ali!!

There is one thoughtful insight I can share. This past week I got to experience God in a new way. I think for the first time, I had a few moments of that "peace that passes all understanding." On the way to an appointment that could have been extremely nerve-wracking, I found myself with no anxiety and no apprehension- only a calmness and peace in knowing that God is in control and nothing can change that. I was reminded that My Father wants what's best for me. This "new" revelation was only two days after Easter Sunday- a day set aside to celebrate Jesus being alive! I got to spend a lot of time this week dwelling on the goodness of God, His Grace and Provisions and Mercy. It's a hard thing to thing to comprehend, and I realize that I may never grasp the full extent of God's grace. And I guess the good part of that is that I'll keep on searching!

Our First Home!

Maybe the title of this post technically isn't true, and we're grateful to God for providing our little apartment these past few months, but I know I can speak for Rob and say we're both anxious to call someplace else home! It's been easy to get excited about our new house, although that tinge of fear lingering from our last attempt at homeownership has definitely held me back. Even now, I'm still a little nervous to post these pictures until the papers are signed on Thursday... I can't help myself though! I finally got them uploaded and I'm so anxious to share. Our first Valentines day as husband and wife will surely be one I never forget!

Prayer Request

Please pray for our friend Lyle- yes, the one we went on vacation with last month. He's only 29, yet he's having a pacemaker put in tomorrow! This is not a planned operation; Lyle passed out a couple of times yesterday and went to the emergency room, and found out this today that he needs to have this surgery in the morning. Please lift Lyle, and his wife Melissa, in prayer!

Need to Brag

In case you didn't know- I have the best husband in the world! He has been working like crazy and is fighting off a nasty cold, and HE cooked ME dinner! I know what some of you are thinking: Shame on you- you should be taking care of him. And I try really hard to be a good wife! In fact, I had taken out the stuff for dinner tonight with every intention for myself to cook a fabulous dinner, but Rob beat me to it, and well, the kitchen in our apartment really isn't big enough for two. He made poached salmon, toasted cous-cous with tomatoes and feta cheese, steamed fresh broccoli, and creme brulee' for dessert. Yes, I said creme brulee'- he got the kit, torch included, for Christmas (I think he really just wanted the torch and it happened to come with tiny dishes and a recipe too!) Needless to say, dinner was DELICIOUS... I'm spoiled, I know it, and I love it.



ADVICE TO THE SINGLE GIRLS: Find a man who loves to cook!!!!!

Quick Post

The bank accepted our offer, which means...

WE GOT THE HOUSE!

Praising God for His faithfulness and provisions...

Links

Two posts in one week... look out!
First- I decided to change the "Wedding Photo" website to a "Jess & Rob's Photos of Everything" Website. I don't know how many different albums I can have there, but if there's a limit I guess I'll just rotate the old ones out as new ones get added. All that to say- there are new pictures up!! (if you're interested in seeing our trip to The Big Apple). Bookmark our page!
I also wanted to send you a link to my friend Angie's blog, Bring the Rain. It was created to share the story of her baby, Audrey, who hasn't entered the world yet, and get people praying for their family. It's a sweet dedication from a family I've grown to love (Angie & her family are in our community group from church.) And while I know their story will stir you to pray, I'll caution you that it will also strike your heart- get a tissue before you read. Please share their journey and please pray for them!

Second Attempt

Well, Rob and I are trying again to become homeowners! We submitted an offer last night, and now we wait. The home is currently owned by a bank, so the offer involves a little more paperwork, and a little more waiting to hear back whether or not it is accepted. This is harder than I thought it would be.
It's a great house! Two stories, three bedrooms, cool kitchen, big yard... I keep wondering why no one else has bought it! It was for sale last summer when we were looking, and I can't believe it hasn't been snatched up before now. My only hope is that God has been saving this one just for us!!
We are now more confident than ever that the "other" house (the one we tried to buy before we got married) was not meant to be ours. We've been reminded over and over that it wasn't God's best for us. In fact, we drove past it a few weeks ago, on the night we first went out exploring and looking for FOR SALE signs... no other houses on the block were finished yet, there were 2 dumpsters and a bulldozer across the street, there were no lights except for the lonely bulb over their garage. It was a little creepy- kind of like a ghost town- and I told Rob, "I'm SO happy that isn't where we live!" We have thanked God often that He kept us from that house.
I have to admit- I'm a little nervous. My home-buying experience is limited, but I don't exactly have any good experience to reference. And it doesn't help that I'm not what you would call a patient person. I want so badly to start thinking about where we'll put the furniture, and what color we'll paint the dining room, but I'm afraid to get too excited too soon. It's going to be a long week, waiting to hear back from the bank. Pray for me, that I wouldn't be anxious and distracted as we wait.

Thinking out loud

First things first- I'm sorry for doubting! I figured no one was listening and I quit rambling... thanks to all who responded to my post last week and let me know you're still out there and interested in what's going on in my corner of the world. It felt good to hear from so many. I knew already that I am loved, but it still felt good to be reminded. Tell someone that you love them today.
If I can get a little introspective and intimate...
I have been reminded over and over this week how wonderfully I am blessed!! All around me, friends are hurting and lives are being shaken. So much has happened this week- and it's only Wednesday... a people that I love are reeling from political turmoil in their country (Kenya)... I spent time praying with a friend who has been grieving the loss of her father... I prayed with another friend who's taking a break from a marriage on the rocks... another friend's marriage ended this weekend, days after she ended the life of a baby inside her... another friend is grieving the loss of an unborn baby she has desperately wanted and prayed for... It has been a heavy week. I've spent a lot of time with God these past few days, much of it crying out for these women that I love. Some are believers, whose faith will be strengthened by their current circumstances; some of their faith has been destroyed, and they need to regain the once solid foundation they once stood on. One has never understood the love of her Creator, and doesn't yet know the salvation and peace He can give her.
I'm not really sure what to think or how to feel. As Rob & I were talking earlier about all these situations, I told him that my heart and emotions are confused- heavy and burdened for my friends, but also light with the realization of so many things we have to be thankful for. I'm guilty of complaining about my job and griping about being cramped in a small apartment. At the same time- I'm grateful to have a good job and good insurance that we haven't had to use because we're healthy. We drove past the house we almost bought last week, and were so happy that it's not ours, because the builder still hasn't finished that street, and it's the lone house in the middle of a desolate construction zone.
The one thing I am sure of: God is good and He is still in control. When nothing else makes sense, we can be still and know that God is God.
I'm not really sure where I intended to go by sharing all this. Maybe I just needed unload a little bit.
Several years ago, a friend shared with me that with the coming of every new year she makes of list of things she's thankful for in the past year, rather than resolutions for the coming one. (Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I shared about this last January.) I think I'll go make my list- it could take a while. I've got a whole lot to be thankful for!