new beginnings

WARNING: this post does not contain any wedding pictures...those will come at a later date! ;)

It's been a while... well okay, only a few weeks but a LOT has happen in that time.
I'm now a married woman...cooking, cleaning (as much as I have time for...which isn't often), doing laundry, being a wife, and so on.
So far the newness hasn't worn off too much...we still feel like we're just "playing house."
I'm sure one of these days laundry will become dreaded and cooking will wane but so far so good. (I think...but maybe you should ask Kirk for a better opinion...) I would say cleaning has almost crossed the line from 'play' to chore...but then I remember that I haven't really done enough for it to reach that point yet!
*sigh* there could be worse things in life...

School started off with a bang last week...so yet another adjustment.
Add studying into the mix of cooking, cleaning, laundry, and being a wife...and you have one jam-packed schedule!  Ok so not totally because I still found the time to blog...and maybe take a short nap... and I'm sure it could get busier so I guess I won't complain.  Plus...sometimes I kinda like busy.  I mean, what would I do if I ever reached the point of nothing on my to-do list?! YIKES. That would be epic!

So while the last few weeks of my life has consisted of numerous new beginnings...wife, cook, maid, 3rd semester nursing student, book keeper, hostess, secretary, babysitter, the list could go on...and at times my stress levels rise above desirable, I am soo thankful for God's peace and know that He is ultimately in control of our life. And while change isn't always the easiest for me to deal with, I am soo thankful for the path God has lead me down.  To God be the GLORY!

Now for some pictures...

Our view of the Smokies from our Cabin...photo credits go to Kirk! I didn't even help him a little bit!

walked around Pigeon Forge...watched the potters.  Very interesting!

took a ride up the mountain on the sky lift

Ziplining!

Home again, home again....to a pleasantly decorated house...nothing outrageous, thank goodness his friends forgot when we were coming back or it could've been much worse!

opening gifts the day we got back at my mom and dad's...we wanted to get everything oraganized a put away.

Our first supper...SUCCESS!  I'm thankful to have a husband who likes to cook...he gives me lots of good tips!
And if you can't tell what we had...it was stir-fry on rice!

Our first shopping trip...GULP!  Aldi + wal-mart + empty cupboards = $$$$$$$

Our first company the Sunday after we got back...I think I'm gonna like being a hostess!

Our first babysitting excursion...SUCCESS!  Hamburgers + french fries + a trip to the park!

such a little cutie! 

Friday night double date to Red Lobster w/ Josh & Amber.  Everyone but me enjoyed the Endless Shrimp.  I got pasta... :)

Steak night...couldn't resist pulling out my china for the fun of it!

Spent an evening with this cutie and his family!

moped rides!

waiting patiently for their turns!  

mystery weekend

So I'm a little behind on my blog posts.  But this is definitely blog-worthy even though it's quite late!
Back a few weeks ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the weekend with 14 other girls from 4 different states in St. Louis, MO.

T & K and I had planned this as a mystery weekend over the past several months.  (Most credit goes to K & T for all the planning cause for some reason I had other things keeping me busy.)  We set up a mystery email account, sent out invites and mailed them from OH so it wouldn't be so suspicious as to who it was, and didn't inform the invitees where the destination was or who the fellow travelers were until closer to departure, and even then, they only knew who they would be traveling with.  However...most of the girls had asked around and pretty much had it figured out who all was going to be there and I think most had an idea of the planners as well!  So even though the mystery was pretty much figured out, there were still a few surprises for some. :)  I think I can say that it was a wonderful weekend had by all.  So thankful for all the amazing opportunities I've had to travel and meet other sister's in Christ from all over the U.S.  We are soo blessed!

Our sweet house for the weekend!  It was way back in the woods, away from the city, yet close enough for activities, and it had 5 bedrooms with almost all king beds!  We coulda packed a bunch of other girls in!

Fri nite after supper, chilling on the screened in porch.  It wasn't until almost 9, that we had the spontaneous idea to go to the City museum that night!  It was a late one but we had a blast!

Sat morning breakfast cookers...thanks ladies, you did a wonderful job!

Special times singing together and taking in the suns warmth :)

U-turn #11 & 12 accomplished with only a few more dozen ahead of us! ;) 

Ready for the scavenger hunt we made...group #1...and the winners

Group #2

Group #3 :)

Lunch after the scavenger hunt.  Then we headed back to the house to get ready for a supper and singing at St. Louis church.  

Frozen yogurt stop after the singing...with another driving adventure to follow :)
Hmm...I wonder why these orange cones are here...I guess we just go through them!
What's that chirping sound?!

Sunday morning picture before church.  There were a bunch of other visitors there that weekend including us.  I think we tripled St. Louis church!  

The group

Going up the arch!

At the top!

Yellow light + wet roads + fender bender = smoking car left along the interstate in the middle of the slums.
Praise the Lord for His protection!  

Sending off a few of the ladies Sunday night...in gimp car #2

Thank you mom and dad for making the long trip to St. Louis to bring my car back.  Sorry for keeping you up all night :-/

It always amazes me how we can plan a weekend with a bunch of random girls who we don't know all that well, yet know that we all have something very special in common, and it almost always ends up with amazing results.  This was one of those weekends.

So many precious memories.  I'm very thankful I had a last little fling before I join the "lame married couples" group! ;) (just kidding...looking forward to many more precious memories as a married person!)

Thank you each one for coming along and making the trip extra special.  :)

Oregon

Friends.  Food.  Fellowship.  Fun.
I think that pretty much sums up my weekend on the west coast! 
But in more descriptive terms, here ya go:
(Warning: You may be clueless unless you were there!)

Not attending a jean skirt convention...
Driving a moped over the curb...
Getting caught in the sprocket of a surrey...
Wearing a balloon skirt...
Battling the windy beach...
Not having (or having) a killer sweet camera...
Getting stuck with an X on the bottom of your plate...
Saying "Happy Birthday" to a compliment...
Being "quarantined to the back seat with the luggage...(That was me!)
Having a want-to-be- weanie roast...
Freeze-drying marshmellows...
Having wonderful convos about our spiritual lives...
And just being together!

So many memories were made. 
Ones that only a select few of us would understand, but memories none-the-less.
It was a wonderful refresher.  Spiritually, mentally, and I guess physically as well! ;) (Those Surreys sure were beasts!  Or maybe it was the passengers...)

I'll let the pictures tell the story...they might be easier to understand :)

Hanging out at our cottage Friday night...

Bubble skirts!

My Hostess - Jenna, thanks so much for the amazing weekend!

The clan!

The Surrey...aka beast

X's 3...

Beautiful Coast...

Monday before heading home...

 Thanks again all you Oregonian's for hosting a blessed weekend.  Maybe I'll come back this summer.... :)