Kind words for Encouragment and blessings

God is so great. He is matchless in his relentless encouragement and ability to love me. I am so glad that he knows our thoughts and our hearts. I am forever thankful for the people that he has purposely put in my path to encourage me and point me towards Him.

I am at my desk trying to write and have so many thoughts and feelings in my mind/heart right. I know that I don't have time to write them all down or even explain them very well but I called a friend this morning on the way to work to just sound off some frustrations I was feeling. I don't think I really spoke to her, I think I spoke to Christ in her. I am forever thankful to Christ and to her. I am so happy that she is in my life and that she is allowing Christ to use her in an early morning phone call. I feel refreshed and I feel brand new. I don't know if that makes any sense but I know it does to the Lord and that is where it counts.

Last night Kelly came into town to hang out, be a friend, Christmas shop and throw down at the tacky Christmas sweater party allen and I are having this Saturday. I love her so much. She can brighten the room with her laugh and with her presence. No matter what comes our way I know that we will be friends and that God will continue to use each of us in our walks with Him.

I hope that this Christmas season you are overwhelmed with God's goodness. That the Christmas tree, and the parties, and the gifts don't get in the way of God. He gave us Jesus and that changed EVERYTHING! I know that I love hot chocolate and twinkly lights, decorations and "holiday" music but I am pushing myself to remember why I celebrate this season. All my students are reminding me that Christmas has become a tree and gifts. If people from other religions can get excited about Christmas because that means more parties and fun decorations then we are in danger of losing the true value of this celebration.

I want to be excited about God's gift to us...Christ. I want to be more in love with Him than with the tree in my home and the twinkly lights.

Decorations!

Here is our 1st married Christmas tree!! Its a dark picture but it was a spur of the moment on my phone kinda picture! Its makes my heart so happy!
Allen hanging out on the couch being a good sport with the camera

Maggie is not part of the decorations. But she put herself in this position last night in my lap and fell fast asleep. I thought it was so akward and weird I had to take a picture!

ICE cream at IKEA

Falling short

To my dear beautiful friend Bethany - I forgot to get the pictures from the camera so I will not be posting the dining room re-do today! I love that you care so much!! Can we PLEASE get together before Christmas?? Wanna walk and look at Christmas lights??

Love YOU!

I wanna go back...

I wanna go back to this day. To this moment. I so wish I could. I love this picture. I love the way this day takes my breath away when I think back on it, talk about it, or look at pictures. Oh I wish we could go back!

Felt = happiness

Allen and I made this garland/banner last night. I had been wanting something similar that i had seen at anthro and online at Etsy.com but i knew that I could come up with something cheaper and creative.....

I love it! The colors that are hard to see are grey, red, white, black, grey and they look much better in person than on a camera phone!

Merry Christmas!

Flea Market Finds + dining room table

YAY for a dinning room table!!

So the other weekend Allen and I ventured out to a gigantic flea market. I wanted to search and find interesting things like old globes, quilts and glass jars but my main goal was to find a dining room table. We had looked everywhere, at least that is how I felt. My sister and come to visit the Friday before and helped paint our neutral dining room a dark grey. We trimmed the windows with white and added white curtains. I love the way it looks!! Pictures of our transformation to appear soon!

Enjoy the ones from the flea market adventure!