simply.

i just can't wait to go "home" for Christmas. i'm not sure i've looked forward to a holiday this much since my age was in the single digits.

perhaps the anticipation comes from the fact that my expectations only include words such as "relax," "converse," and "enjoy." there are no "big plans" beyond a lovely little party with our beloved youth who are no longer youth. simply family, board games, movies, music, cooking, baking, feasting, and being. that's what it is...being. i can't wait to simply be for a while.

it's been a beautiful, semi-chaotic, rapid semester, and it's time to both reflect and escape for a while. here we come.

a grateful heart.

today, i am thankful for so many things, big and small.

for a husband who seems to know nothing else but to love.
for a crazy/beautiful transition to dallas.
for a job that i love.
for a church that has embraced us, no questions asked.
for a school community that is passionate about the things of God.
for in-laws who call and ask if there are special things my family eats at thanksgiving so that they could help me feel at home during my first married, perry turkey day.
for a family who is already so excited about us spending christmas together that my mom and i e-mail about it almost every day.
for wonderful friends, new and old.
for so, so much more...

but this thanksgiving, i am especially thankful for God's perfect provision and timing in the announcement that...

OLIVIA IS OFFICIALLY A MEMBER OF THE FIGHTIN' TEXAS AGGIE CLASS OF 2014.

we are so proud of her, so thankful for her, and so excited to watch God's plans for unfold over the next four years. she's taking a road less traveled by graduating from high school early, in december, and starting college classes in january. we're amazed by her strength, in love with her wonderful humor and personality, and so grateful that she is a part of our lives. God is so good.

a few of my favorite things.

This is my husband, Jared,
and I on our wedding day -
May 31, 2008. It was
absolutely perfect. I'll
probably reference it
a lot - and I can promise
I'll reference Jared a lot.
He works for A&M right
now and our hope is to go to
Ireland someday and help
people know Jesus.
(photo courtesy of danielcolvinphotography)

This is my family (and another wedding picture - you should probably plan on seeing a lot of them :). Hillary, my middle sister, will be a sophomore at A&M and Olivia, my youngest sister, will be a junior in high school. My mom, Val, is the executive director of His Grace Foundation and Dad, Buck, is a pastor at Grace Bible. They live in College Station now, too. I love it. They love having anyone over and its really kind of the Lord to have them living in the same town as Jared and I for a while. We're really blessed by them.
(photo courtesy of danielcolvinphotography)


I thought through writing about some friends and putting up pictures, but I wouldn't really know how to do that. They'll come up through my postings, don't worry. You've already heard about Hillary, Olivia, and Lindsay - they're a fabulous place to start :).

This is Ireland. I went there last summer. Jared and I are going back in Summer 2009, should everything go along with what we've mapped out in our minds :). God has given us a special heart for this beautiful country and its people - we're excited to see where He continues leading. Right now, He has us serving at Grace Bible alongside high school seniors who we adore. They're teaching us a lot about Jesus that I know will help us love others in the future.

I like books, movies, Lost, and oh so much music. Plenty to come on all of the above and more :).
I love Jesus with everything I have- or at least that's what I'm seeking to do. "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." - Psalm 40:2. I don't know what else to do with myself but love Him.