Checking In

So, things have gotten a little busy and I'm not updating the blog as much as I intended. Sorry! 27 days left, and almost as many things to do before Sept 1!! Truly, though, the things left really feel like minor details, and Rob & I will get married with or without them.
The house is coming along; we've had to toss our "let's only go by once a week" rule now that the progress is advancing almost daily. It looks like all the "construction" part is about done, and it's just the finishing left. I say that, and then remember that they've still got to pour the driveway, so I guess that's construction. We're getting close anyway!
Please keep us in your prayers, asking God that we won't get stressed or side-tracked during these last three weeks of our engagement. Not that we're at that point now- I just don't want to go there at all! Pray for Rob- he had to move out of his apartment last week, and is now living out of a suitcase until the house is ready, and that's already old. For me- pray that I'll be productive with my time, and patient as I wait. God has gifted us with a deep love for one another that we are extremely thankful to have; pray that our love will continue to grow every day. (Our pastor has teased us that we're going to have to make up a fight before our next counseling session- we're too easy!)
Have I said lately that I'm the luckiest girl in the world?

Engagement pics

Sorry it's taken me a while to get these posted!!! There were so many good ones that I was trying to figure out how to get a whole album on here... I never did! So here are some of our favorites!

Our wedding plans are all being finalized... 36 days to go! I can't wait!!!

This Week...

The days are flying by lately, and taking forever all at the same time! The wedding countdown is on- 56 to go!! This week was a pretty good one- I'm definitely in favor of having every Wednesday off.
Tuesday evening Rob & I went to Centennial Park to have some engagement pictures taken. We were excited to have found an aspiring photographer's ad on Craig's List stating that he was looking for people who were willing to let him use their photos in his portfolio in exchange for free pictures. He did a great job, and I think we'll have some really good pictures to show in a few weeks! And they were free! (If you're not familiar with Craig's List- let me know, I'd be happy to introduce you)
Then on Thursday, Rob called me at work to tell me that he found a lawnmower (again, thanks Craig) that he wanted to go check out. It was the same kind of mower that's used to cut golf courses, and someone was selling a used one. When we went to meet the owner, it came up that he & his family were selling off all their stuff because they're about to move to India as international missionaries! Of course, I told him that Rob & I had met overseas, and his wife came out and we had a really neat visit sharing some of our experiences with them. It's such a small world- I love how God brought that chance meeting together with a used lawnmower!
Funniest moment of the week... Monday evening, my friend Rachel and I were going somewhere when we passed two guys pan-handling on the side of the road. Their sign read: Family killed by ninjas. Need money for kung fu lessons to seek revenge. We didn't give them money, but they get big points for creativity!

Details

Ok, apparently I haven't been giving enough details here, so I'll try to do better!

Rob & I are getting married at 3:00 on Saturday, Sept 1, at Grace Community Church in Nashville (where we're members). Grace is special to us because we were first introduced to the church back in 2002 when they sent their pastor and a team of volunteers to Croatia to minister to the missionaries of Central & Eastern Europe. We both loved the church then, and were excited to participate in this body when Rob relocated back to Nashville last fall. We're each having two attendants- his two brothers and my two sisters, and both of our mentors will take part in officiating the ceremony. My dress is-- yeah right! Like I'd give THAT much detail here!! Oh yeah- colors are black & white, with purple flowers. As much as I love pink, purple has been my favorite as long as I can remember.

As for the house, we're WAY excited! On Saturday, we got to choose most of the details of our new home... bricks & vinyl, flooring, cabinets, countertops, lighting- the works! It was so fun!! And contrary to what everyone told us- it was a fairly painless, fun afternoon! We laid out all the carpet samples- he tossed one out, I tossed one, him, me, until we got it down to three, and then we easily agreed on the middle shade that was left. I'm so happy that we get along so well and have such similar tastes!

We're back to doing the distance thing again this week. Rob left today for the Servpro national convention in Palm Springs. I miss him already, so I guess it's good that we already know how to handle being apart! Friday seems so far away right now!!!

My goal for the week while he's away: respond to all the emails I've been neglecting this past month. Being engaged is so busy and so much fun that I've become an even worse emailer than I already was! I promise, I'll catch up- please don't give up on me!

Come visit soon!

Big Day

What a Thursday! Rob & I booked flights for our honeymoon in Savannah, GA, and chose a hotel. When Rob called to make those reservations, the price the woman gave him was about $30 more per night than what he found on the internet, so she hooked us up with a good deal! We're excited about going to a new city that neither of us has ever been to. Now we've just got to figure out what we're going to do there!
AND, our other big news of the day---- we put a contract on a house!! It's started, but currently is just a "slab and studs". The cool thing about that is we'll get to pick everything- from the bricks to the countertops! It's a very exciting, very overwhelming, time for me (Rob is as laid-back and cool as ever!) We're praying, though, that God will take care of every detail so that we can easily transition into a new home and new life together. I can't believe how smoothly things have worked out to this point... isn't HE good?!

Wedding Stuff

We're making progress! We now have a florist, photographer, dj, dress, tuxes, and a wedding website! Check out Rob & Jess and leave us a message!
Also- we don't know what song we want to dance to yet. We're open to votes or suggestions from friends! Only 76 days to go!!!

Still smiling

The wedding plans are all falling into place, and I'm still giddy! Probably once a day I look at Rob and say, "Hey! Guess what? WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" I don't know if I've ever been this happy!
We've had a productive first few weeks of engagement. We've already booked the church and reception hall, which is a big relief... everything else feels like minor details. My mom asked the other day what my priority is- food? cake? photographer? I answered "the marriage license!" As long as we get that, I'm sure it won't matter what we eat or what songs we dance to!
We also went to Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond and registered. I've heard other people say that registering was a stressful process, but we had a lot of fun! And we're open to "registry audits" if you look at it and think there's something else we should add!
An added bonus... I put together a mini-photo album on Facebook, which I think you can access by clicking this link: Jess & Rob

Happy, Happy... Joy, Joy

So... I can't really beat around the bush--

ROB AND I ARE ENGAGED!

Last week when I wrote that we were going to New Orleans for the weekend, he was already scheming to make sure that I would never forget it. Before we ever left, my mom told me that she & my dad had a wedding to go to in the French Quarter on Saturday, and she suggested that Rob & I go down there too, and spend the afternoon walking around while they were at the wedding. It sounded like a fun plan to me, and that's just what we did.

We went to Cafe du Monde and had beignets and coffee, strolled through the French Market, browsed through a few shops and galleries, and walked up & down the streets all around the Quarter- it was a georgeous day to be out and about! We decided to go down to the Riverwalk, since I hadn't been there in years. After a little while there, Rob was ready to leave (he'd just scoped out the perfect place and was ready to ask the big question). We walked back towards Spanish Plaza, and I suggested that we get someone to take our picture in front of the big fountain there, which he readily agreed too. After our quick photo-op, Rob took my hand and led me a few steps away, out of earshot of the kids who'd just taken the picture. He turned me towards him and said a few really sweet things (that I'll keep to myself). Honestly, I just thought he was in a good mood- it didn't occur to me that he was about to drop to one knee and ask me to marry him, and that's exactly what happened! I was laughing and crying all at the same time, and I think I asked him "What are you doing?!" and as I bent down to hug him and say YES, a woman standing nearby realized what was happening and she started screaming. As we stood up, still hugging each other, everyone around cheered and clapped for us. It was so much fun!!! (The first picture is right after I said Yes!)

We met back up with my mom and dad shortly after that, and celebrated over dinner (they both knew Saturday morning that we would have cause to celebrate that night!)I don't think my feet have touched the ground since...

Funny side note- Rob had a moment of panic in the Nashville airport when he was stopped at security to have his backpack searched. He'd had enough fore-thought to write "Engagement Ring!" on one of his business cards in his pocket, and he was able to secretly show that to the TSA agent before they started pulling everything out of his bag- including my ring! Even so, he said he was racking his brain for the right words, just in case he had to propose right there on the spot in the security line. It still would have made for a great story, but I'm glad he was able to wait!

I've said before that I think I'm the luckiest girl in the world- now I KNOW that I am!!! I've got the love of an incredible man, a beautiful ring on my hand, and 92 days to wait all my dreams come true! It's going to be an unforgettable summer!!!

Fun Stuff

PAST

I meant to tell you sooner-- one of our last big events at the BCM was a Pie Auction. It wasn't what you expect though... the winner of each auction item had the option to take their pie home to enjoy, OR smash the pie into the face of whoever brought it!! All of our leaders and staff participated, and we raised over $2000! Yes, even I got a face full of coconut cream pie, but I'm pretty proud that I brought in the biggest purse at $270! I got to smash one too- you should try it sometime. It's so much fun!

PRESENT

God has given me a unique ministry opportunity here in Nashville. I was praying about where He wanted me to serve Him, and I heard about Kajal. She's about 4 1/2 years old, from India, and blind; she was brought to Nashville about six weeks ago for surgery to hopefully restore her sight. What an amazing girl! I've started spending one night each week with her and her prospective adoptive family, just offering an extra pair of adult hands to her busy mom. There's so much I want to tell you about Kajal... she loves to sing and swing, and LOVES dancing (spinning around and clapping!), and she's SO much fun to be around! Last night, she did the coolest thing... as soon as I got to their house, "Auntie Jess- color", so I found a coloring book and some markers. Kajal took the marker and carefully ran the tip along the edge of her hand on the paper. "Oh great- what a mess," I thought, "is it really a good idea for a blind girl to be playing with markers?" Then Kajal picked up another marker without a cap, which of course made no mark on the paper. She turned to me and said, "It's dry!" I was amazed- how did she know that?!? Then I realized that she was using her left hand to feel the dampness of the ink on the paper as she colored. Wow- what a smart girl!!! Please pray for Kajal- for her eyes to see again. Jesus used mud and spit to restore a blind man's sight- surely he can use today's medical advances to do it again! Also pray for her adoptive mom- Karthi, dad- Blair, brother- Elijah, and sister- Davey Joy- they're going through some big transitions lately.

Read an article about Kajal from The Tennessean last Sunday

FUTURE

I'm going back to New Orleans this weekend... I can't wait to see my family, meet my friend Shannon's twins Chloe Rose and David Michael (born last week), and eat some crawfish! I can't wait!!!

Go into all nations...

I got to see God do some pretty incredible things this past year at UAB, one of the greatest being the development of a heart for the nations among the students in that ministry. The BCM has sent out summer missionaries in the past, but this summer we're sending students out to six of the seven continents!! (Apparently, the need for workers in Antarctica isn't that great!) This is a really big deal for us- ten percent of our students will be serving God through missions for all or part of their summer!
Their journeys begin today- two of our guys are on their way to India as I write this. I'm excited for these students, to see their passion for the Lord, and I can't wait to hear all their stories as they return and learn how God used them and what He's teaching them.
Pray for Amanda, Andrew, Casey, Daniel, Dusti, Josie, Laura Beth, Lindsay, Sybil, Teresa, Tori, and Will. They will be serving in Australia, China, Germany, India, Peru, Serbia, Swaziland and the US. (all in alphabetical order- can't mention who's going where- God knows though) Declare HIM fearlessly, my friends!

Who needs mastercard??

U-haul trailer: $134
3 tanks of gas: $120
Dinner for the moving crew: $28
Saying goodbye to Rob on Sunday night, and knowing I'll see him again tomorrow: priceless

New Month, New Job, New Home

Happy May Day!!!
It's been a full day for me- I started my new job AND got the keys and began moving into my new apartment!
My last week in Birmingham was incredible. God confirmed for me again that Birmingham was exactly where I was supposed to be this past year, and I'm so grateful for the time I had there. I was blessed to serve a fantastic group of students alongside three wonderful co-laborers. On my last night at the BCM, I was given a scrapbook full of letters... those letters don't represent anything that I did, but the work of Christ in the lives of students at UAB. My heart was touched, though, that they thought to share with me how God changed them over the past 12 months (and I cried like a baby as I read them!) Wow- thank you, Lord, for letting me be a small part of Your work at the University of Alabama- Birmingham.
As for now, I'm liking my new job (at least, I think so after one day!) I'm training to be a project manager with a company that sells & distributes doors to commercial builders. I'm working in the national accounts department, which means that I'll be working with general contractors building new stores for Kroger, Office Depot, Hobby Lobby, and Petco- just to name a few. It's a TON of stuff to learn, and it will definitely be a challenge, but I'm excited about it.
Before I forget- here's my new address... write it in your address books in pencil, though! It's only temporary, for the summer. Hopefully I'll have a more permanent address to share with you in August.
(email me if you want it! I'm not dumb enough to post it here!)
The best part of my new apartment- besides the dishwasher and pool- is its proximity to Rob. We've now gone from living 200 miles apart to just 2 minutes apart!! (I'm just kidding- I'll take him over a dishwasher any day!!)
I also wanted to let you know that you can now "subscribe" to my blog! When you enter your email address, you'll receive automatic email updates whenever I write a new update. The emails aren't instant, but you'll get the text of my blog straight to your inbox without having to check back to my homepage. When you subscribe, you'll have to enter a "code" of random letters, and then you'll get an email from the "Feedburner" service that you must reply to in order to confirm your subscription. Maybe this will help prompt me to update my blog more often!! So sign up!
God is abundantly good...

Test post, take 2

Is anyone getting email about new posts? I got nothing!! I'm beginning to wonder if I set this up wrong... Just trying again!

Test post

It just occurred to me that I could subscribe myself to see what happens when people are "subscribed" to the blog... what kind of email do they send you? How long does it take? Etc, etc. So, for you four other subscribers- don't surprised if this post is here and then it's gone- i'll probably delete after my test run. Thanks for being my guinea pigs, though, and taking a risk on something new!!

Gainfully employed!

I got the job!!! Interviewed last Monday, got the offer on Friday, and accepted it today to make it official- I'll be the newest National Accounts team member at the Girtman Group, Inc. in Nashville. If you check out their website, you might notice that it's all about doors... yes, I'm venturing over to the foreign (to me) world of commercial construction. Don't laugh- I'm not kidding! I'm really excited about the new challenges that will come with this position, not to mention the opportunities to learn a TON of new things! Don't worry, I won't be building or installing, or even selling doors. I'll be working with the general contractors to find out what they need, when they need it, make sure everything is where it's suppossed to be on time, etc. in a project manager role. I really am looking forward to jumping into something new.
And please don't see this as a walk away from ministry either. There were no full-time positions available with any of the Nashville Baptist Campus Ministries, so I eagerly looked for a job that would put me into contact with real-world lost people on a daily basis. I'm also excited about the chance to fully dive into serving my church- something that is difficult when your job is a full-time ministry. I think this is going to be a good change for me.
I can't believe how quickly my time in Birmingham is coming to a close. The semester here ends Wednesday, and my new job begins on May 1...

Subscribe!

This is definitely still a work in progress, but I think (hope!) you can now get email updates every time I update the blog (this one- the page you're reading). If you enter your email address on the right, you will be added to a list that automatically receives an email when I put up a new post. Once I'm sure, or at least a little sure, that it's working, I'll send out a mass email. But, if you're one of the faithful few who still check this page every now and then to see if I've updated yet, you can be one of the lucky ones to sign up first and help me test this new feature!
Aside from spending a little too much time on the computer today, life is hectic but good! I went ahead and had my cable cut off last week in an attempt to save a little money and make myself more productive. So far I think it's working! There's a lot to do as the semester quickly races to the finish line... I wouldn't change a thing though. I'm trying to enjoy every minute I can with my students before they all head off for the summer and I pack up and move again. I love this journey!
PS- If anyone reads this before April 16, please pray for me as I interview for a job in Nashville Monday morning (8:30 cst)! I know that God has a plan already arranged for me, which may or may not include this position, but I'm still really nervous!

In Love, and Loving Spring!

I still think summer is probably my favorite season, but so far this has been an AWESOME spring!! The weather has been absolutely amazing, Birmingham is beautiful with flowers everywhere, and I'm just really happy!
I hope you were able to keep up with me and my team during our trip to Thailand a few weeks ago. We left our sweatshirts behind and headed into the 85+ degrees of Pattaya, Thailand (and I LOVED it!) It was an amazing trip!!! You can check out our team blog (link below) if you haven't already and read about all that God did while we were there.
After I got back, Spring fever was running high! I've been doing a lot of my one-on-one meetings with the girls at UAB on the local walking trail or in the park. I think this week I might move to the botanical gardens! Last Saturday, Rob and I bought kites and took his dog, Buster, to a huge park in Nashville. It was almost a too perfect day-- sunny and warm, with a gentle enough breeze to keep things from being too hot, and just enough to tease you into thinking you might be able to fly a kite! It wasn't exactly optimal kite-flying conditions, but we sure had lots of fun trying!
I've actually been spending a lot of time in Nashville this year, and am planning to move there in May after the school year ends. I love UAB, and I'm going to miss "my girls" there a ton, but as my supervisor says, "Love is pulling me away"! Rob and I have been dating for nearly a year, and we're ready to finally live in the same state! I found an apartment and am currently looking for a job. (Please pray for success in that!) I'm really excited about this transition and can't wait to see what all God has in store for me, and for us together. I'm a lucky girl!!
Ok, enough computer time! I've got the day off, and there's no way I'm going to stay inside and miss out on the sunshine! I think I'll go for a walk...

Thailand

Seriously, I cannot believe I'm leaving in less than 5 days for Thailand! I'm SO not ready, and I've got a ton to do before we go!! Please be in prayer for Tiffany, Sybil, Doug, Craig, and me this week as we prepare.
Check out our team blog! We hope to update it daily while we're gone March 10-18.

UAB Thai Team 2007

Vegas or Bust!

Nashvegas, that is!! I came one step closer to becoming a Nashvillian this weekend... I went to a show at the Grand Ole Opry! It was so much fun! Rob and I were online Saturday evening looking for something cool to do that night, and when he saw that Allison Krauss was playing at the Opry that night, he was sold. We also got to see John Waite, Jimmy Dickens, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Skaggs, and a surprise performance by Vince Gill. There was also a new band, Blue County, that we both really liked. Our night was topped off by some SkeeBall, basketball, and motorcycle racing at Dave & Busters! 10 points for Rob for a fun Saturday night Date Night!!
I'm learning a lot about Nashville, and I'm starting to be able to get around a little easier by myself. I need to share something that frustrates me though... there's a street through downtown Nashville- Demonbreun. I've passed the sign on the interstate several times now, and I always thought it would be pronounced "DEE-mon-BREW-in". Rob got a good laugh at that, and enjoyed correcting me that proper Nashville pronunciation is "dee-MUM-bree-in". MUM?!? That doesn't make sense, and I'm the one who got laughed at! I guess I probably can't say much, since my hometown has Tchopitoulas Avenue.

The Best Job Ever

Yeah, I have it (the best job ever, that is). I love working with the girls at the BCM- they're so much fun!

We went to a state-wide girls retreat this weekend... what a trip! Good music, good teaching, good times, good memories! They are a picture-taking group of girls, that's for sure. They must have spent an hour Friday night posing all over the cabin taking silly pictures and funny pictures and serious pictures... I just laughed with them! Friday night they watched "Pride & Prejudice", and even though I didn't go (I was hanging out in our cabin with my girls), I applaud the retreat planners for choosing the best girly movie of the decade! Saturday's activity time included a mini-spa, ride on the zip line, and a nap for me. It was a great retreat!