endings & new beginnings

24 days. 
3 weeks.
12 hours of lecture.
11 trips to Champaign.
6 tests.
3 clinicals.
1 presentation.
1 project.

That's. It.

Then I get to tell Parkland goodbye.
And say hello to Carle Foundation Hospital!

Can't believe I'm to this point already!

Oh...and there's the whole Boards thing that I'll have to do at some point... ;)
And then RN here I come!

Thanking and Praising God for His grace and strength each day and for His leading!
All Glory goes to Him!
I didn't get this far on my own.  And I most certainly won't be going any further without HIM.
By HIS Grace...

year in review -- 2013

2013 flew by...literally.

So much happened...so much changed...so much stayed the same.

January brought another semester of school - teaching me an incredible amount about Mental health and general med-surg information.  It wasn't one of my most favorite semesters...

February came and I said goodbye to a dear man I helped care for for many months, ending my part time income which came in handy.  I also traveled to OH for a wedding...spending time with some wonderful friends.

 March came with a trip to KS to surprise a dear friend and a trip to OH again for invite-a-friend...which began with a unexpected text bringing a whole new dimension into my life with a proposal. The end of the month my whole family spent a long weekend at a house in Cincinnati with a day at the Creation Museum.

April held lots of time in prayer, seeking God's word, doubting, learning to trust, freaking out, stepping out in faith...etc. And an amazing long weekend spent in OR for invite-a-friend.  It was extremely good to get away, spend time with new & old friends, and take a little break.  I returned home with more very clear signs that God was leading me on this new journey and after a couple more weeks, numerous more signs from the Lord, and a certainty of God's leading, I gave my answer back.

The first weekend of May a group of girls and I traveled to Taylor, MO for a little get-away.  It was interesting keeping my engagement quiet with a few of the girls knowing about it and a few not.  The next weekend brought our Engagement. And thus began my journey of getting to know a man I hardly new but with confidence that he was exactly the man who God had chosen for me.  

June was a frenzy of wedding preparations, showers, shopping trips...I think you get the point. I enjoyed a Mystery Weekend with a wonderful group of ladies in St. Louis...thankful for the memories. We also found a house to rent, which we were and still are very thankful for and took engagement pictures.

July we began moving stuff into our house after some painting and cleaning.  Showers continued with many more wedding preparations.  The end of the month I was able to go on one last vacation with my parents and lil bro to Washington state.  While it was different than many of our other vacations due to a certain man who I left back at home, I was still able to enjoy our time together very much and am very thankful for the memories we made.  I flew home a few days early to spend a birthday with my fiance and start tying up all the loose ends in preparation for our wedding the next weekend.

August, of course, brought a very beautiful wedding weekend for us.  We spent a few days in a cabin in Gatlinbury, TN.  And came home to a week full of "settling in" before I started my third semester of nursing school.  

September we spent a night with some married friends in WI Dells...school continued with lots of studying.  It was interesting trying to learn how to balance all of my new tasks and school together, but we managed!

October we traveled to OH for a friends wedding.  School continued.  Spent some times with friends. Took some family photos.

November brought more school.  The end of the month was filled with lots of family time and thankfulness. We welcomed a new, absolutely adorable niece, Ellie Anne. And took some more family photos.

December brought FINALS! which I couldn't have been more happy to see.  Took some more pictures. And Winter break which was full of Christmases, catch-up, organizing, relaxing, shopping, and so much more.

Looking back 2013 was filled with so many blessings.  A year ago today I could have told you of what I had planned for the year.  But today I can look back with the realization that my plans and God's plans can be very different.  And while this past year didn't hold what I thought it would, one thing is for certain; God has been faithful and for that I am so very thankful.

While today has been a day of reflection, it has also been a day of wondering.  Wondering what this new year has in store for us.  I could create a list of many things that I think 2014 will hold...like graduating from Nursing school...taking my boards...getting a job...and so forth...but I know that the list would be incomplete.  Instead of beginning the New Year with expectations or a list of what-I-think-I-will-accomplish-in-2014, if I just leave it in God's hands, I know that this year will hold so many blessings, learning experiences, growths, and most importantly - exactly what God has planned for my life.  I wouldn't want it any different!  So here's to another year - 2014!

everythingelsephotos

Finally.  The rest of the pictures of our wedding weekend.
I've been wanting to get these pictures up before I catch up on all the other life happenings except that I'm soo late in this post that I've been putting off posting it because I feel like I don't have any words... so I'll just let the pictures write the story!

Family

Yeah... this is how my side of the family pictures went...and we are MUCH smaller! But that's ok...life's not perfect!

Set-up

Thursday evening the men helped set up the tables and chairs

Friday we had a wonderful crew who did an amazing job at putting everything together!  I loved how everything turned out.  Many, many thanks to each of you!

The wonderful calligraphers!  

Creative minds at work - loved how it turned out!

Finishing up the top part of my cake...hope no one looked too close!

Rehearsal Dinner

Dinner was delicious!

Looking at our scrapbook...thanks so much to the awesome ladies who helped put it all together...and all the stress involved! We love it!

Reception

 Grandparents

And just like that...it was all over!

Thanks to each one who played a part in making our wedding weekend an extra special one!  It means soo much to us.  We are so blessed. :)