GFJ, Nursing School, Health, Summer, Family and other Happenings!

I was afraid I may have forgotten my password to my blog since it has been SO.VERY. LONG since I last posted.  Apparently, I use the same password for everything, which in my case, is a good thing!  :)  I eventually hope to become the kind of blogger again who doesn't wait months upon months to post the "going on's"  in our lives.  Only one more year of nursing school and maybe that will become a reality for me again!

Speaking of nursing school...LOVE IT.  Really.  I can't believe I'm already finished with my first year. I'm not so much a fan of the chaos that it adds to my life at times and the quality time that it can take away from my husband and other family and friends.  My precious husband is my biggest supporter and I just don't know what I'd do without his constant encouragement on those days that I'm so tired because I only got 3 hours of sleep the night before and I just want to throw in the towel, or on those nights (many nights) when the only thing I have time to "cook" us for dinner is a bowl of cereal.  The Lord is so faithful to sustain us when we are just flat out tired.  Many people ask what area I want to work in when I finish my schooling.  I love children.  I love babies.  As I look back and think of my work as a nurse in Allergy and Asthma for several years,  my pediatric patients were always my favorite.  The Lord impressed upon my heart some time ago the idea of working in children's hospice care.  The most common response from people that I share this with is almost always, "Meredith!  No!  How could you do work in a field like that?!?"  It's heartbreaking to think that the words "children" and "hospice" should ever have to go together, but the reality is that they do at times.  If the Lord calls me to  that field and provides the opportunity for work in that field, I would love nothing more than to love on those children, praying over them and their families, and sharing with them about the hope we have in Jesus, even in death.

I have so enjoyed my break from school this summer.  While it has seemed fast and furious, it has been much needed.  I needed to spend time with my husband, with our families, with my sweet Luke and Caroline.  Oh, how I miss them when I have to go for any length of time without seeing them!  They are growing like weeds!  I can't get enough of their sweet faces.  Luke was able to come spend a weekend with us recently and I just LOVE our time with him...he is quite the smart cookie and I just love his curiosity about the Lord.  Some of the statements he makes and questions he asks just blow me away.  I pray continually that the Lord would continue to draw that sweet boy to Himself.   Aaron and I had the opportunity to go to Hilton Head with his parents and sister (and her now fiancé, Josh!) in May and earlier this month we headed out with my family for our annual St. Simon's trip.  Since Aaron is our only income while I'm in school, we are so very thankful that our families still allow us to tag along with them on vacation!  They bless us more than they know!  I did have the opportunity to work a few days this summer with my friends at the Allergy and Asthma Clinic in Gainesville.  LOVE working with them and am thankful they were willing to have me back for a few weeks!  During these last 2 weeks of freedom before 3rd semester begins, I am trying to soak up my husband, cook substantial meals for us, get our house spotless (if that's ever possible!), sleep at least until my husband does in the mornings, spend unhurried time in the Word, prepare myself for a skills exam that will begin the first week of the semester, work on getting my husband packed and ready for his mission trip to BRAZIL (SOOO excited for him!), take walks with my husband, and anything else that needs to be done between here and there.

Speaking of taking walks!  Some of you know and many of you don't know that I've had a "back issue" over the last year.  I originally thought I hurt it when moving into our new home this past summer.  We did lots of lifting, lots of painting, etc., so naturally this made sense.  When it became the kind of pain that takes your breath away, I decided to go see my doctor.  They agreed that I likely had a lower lumbar strain from the move and that it would take several weeks to heal.  Several weeks turned into several months.  I pride myself on having a pretty high pain tolerance, but some days, this pain was unreal. It was always worse at night after having been on my feet all day.  I recall one night having to get up out of the bed to use the restroom and literally having to get my husband up to help me make my way there.  Crazy, huh?  Towards the end of this past year, we decided to go back to the doctor to pursue further testing.  Long story short, I have a fairly high deductible on my insurance plan and the cost of having an MRI done was going to be ridiculously high, so I chose to hold off a little longer and Aaron and I agreed to continue praying for complete healing.  Around this same time, I saw my ob/gyn for some other issues I was having and was diagnosed with what's called PCOS (poly-cycstic ovarian syndrome).  She suggested a medication treatment option that I chose not to begin right away.  I did, however, choose to begin treatment in May, and about a month or so after taking the medication, my back pain began to improve tremendously.  Are the two related, the back pain and the PCOS?  It is very possible, according to my doctor.  All I know is that I can make it through the day now without having to take a single ibuprofen as opposed to taking them around the clock just to not be in tears.  I have even been able to begin walking again for exercise over the past few weeks and this has been HUGE for me.  Nursing school along with a gimp back has caused somewhat of a train wreck in the weight loss world.  Many of you probably think that I've completely given up on my GFJ (get fit journey), that I've been on since 2007.  Although I have had some MAJOR setbacks over the past couple of years, I have not given up!  It will take some time to get me back into the groove of things, but as always, I just have to remind myself that I'm not in a race.  So, if any of my Griffin friends out there are into walking, I need a partner.  My sweet Mama was my faithful partner before Aaron and I got married and I now know how important that accountability is.  :)

I will leave you with a few pictures from over the past few months/year.

March 2012 - Caroline "Baby Sis" joins us! 

 Luke's "summer spend-the-night" with Mae Mae and Aaron

My Sweet Mama came and spent a weekend with me and she helped to plant me a flower bed around my mailbox.  Love it.  :) 

My Daddy got to go with us on vacation this year!!  Yay! 

Mama's surprise 60th birthday part in May!  She got a kitty from her Sister's! :) 

We got to take a tour of Savannah with Aaron's family during our vacation to Hilton Head!  So fun! 

I planted my first little garden this summer and these were my first fruits!

My thrifty find of the summer.  I paid $25 for this antique find and refinished it.  Love how it turned out! 

Not "Whoa Sally" but "Whoa Aly"!!

"WHOA!" I think this word pretty much sums up the past few days. The craziness began around 10:45 AM on Wednesday morning this past week. I was heading to get my hair cut after school and on the way, I received a phone call from on of my best friends (Sisterhood Girl's), Karla. Her immediate words to me were, "Meredith, something really strange has happened. Alyson (another one of our Sisterhood Girl's) has had a stroke." My immediate response was "WHAT?!?" I seriously thought I had heard her wrong. Surely she didn't say that Alyson had had a stroke. Alyson is 30 years old and fit as a fiddle. I can't really describe what my mind and heart felt at that moment...most definitely shock and a sense of bewilderment. My jaw stayed open and my body felt numb for at least the next 20 minutes until I could process everything.

Let me just give you a brief background of my personal relationship with Alyson. She has literally been in my life since we were in preschool - so about 27 years now. And just to make what could be an incredibly long story short, we have been in each others lives, through every major event, since the day we first met at the ripe old age of around 3 or 4 years old. Sure there have been seasons where we haven't been as heavily involved in one another's lives as we should have/could have been (throughout our college years, etc.), but we realized after the first decade or so of our friendship that we were simply in it for the long haul...kind of like getting married..."til death do us part." I can't tell you what an overwhelming thought this is for me...to know that as rare as lifelong friendships are, not only do I have Aly's, but 4 other incredibly precious girl's as well. That the Lord would show such favor on me blows my mind!

You've heard me refer to my Sisterhood Girl's many times and in no particular order, these girl's are Alyson, Kimi, Kacee, Karla and Courtney.

Actually, I'll just show you a picture so you can have a face with their names. From left to right is Aly, Courtney, Kacee, Me, Karla and Kimi - taken on my wedding day. Aren't they beautiful? With the exception of Courtney, who came into our lives during our middle school years, we have all been friends since elementary school. And we love each other just.like.sisters. We have seen each other at our worst and at our best just like sisters do, get frustrated from time to time with each other just like sisters do, forgive like sisters do, laugh so hard with one another until our sides hurt and our mascara has covered our faces just like sisters do, talk about things that you only talk about with your sisters, prayed for and with each other just like sisters do, and we all hurt when one of us hurts...just like we all have been over the past few days since Aly's crazy run in with this stroke, that none of our human minds can wrap itself around.

My Pastor is always reminding us of how hopeless and helpless those without Christ truly are. I've heard him say those words over and over, but not until earlier this week did those words finally pierce my heart. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for Alyson's unwavering faith. I haven't heard a negative word fall from her lips since her incidence on Wednesday. Instead, I've heard words like "God is all knowing, He is in control, He is GOOD, He is going to use this for His glory, etc.". She has 2 babies and a husband at home, a classroom full of kindergarten students to teach. Shouldn't she have been saying, "Who is going to take care of my babies, Why did this happen to me?, etc." According to the world, yes. She should have been saying those things. The world is full of sin and without Christ, so it is without hope and it is helpless. But...Alyson has Christ - so there is HOPE and help and peace for her during probably what have been the scariest moments of her life thus far. Alyson has matured enough in her faith to know that His Word is true. That when He says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you", or when He says that "our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all", she can trust and have hope in that! My heart truly breaks for those without Him...for those with no hope, with no anchor when everything around them feels like it's coming apart. Aly - I would give anything to reverse what you are going through, but know that He IS using this situation in your life to bring Him glory. Others have and will continue to see this Hope that you have and my prayer is that their hearts will be so drawn to the Him that they see in you.

I know many of you have already been lifting up Alyson and my plea is that you would continue to do so. She has made much progress but still has more to go. Doctors are still trying to determine the cause of her stroke and at the moment, she is still battling some major side effects. As she would say, "My God is all knowing, all powerful and all good so I know He will use this to His good." Words to live by right there. :)

Supposed to be studying....

Yes, that's what I'm supposed to be doing right now. It's now almost 10:20 AM on Saturday and my goal before I went to bed last night was to be up and at 'em by at least 8:30 this morning! So far, I have managed to roll out of bed, get a load of laundry started, a 1/2 pot of coffee made (BTW, I made the Beaumont Brand "French Vanilla" coffee that I bought from Aldi a few weeks ago and it is GOOD!!), breakfast has been eaten, devotion read, and to procrastinate just a little more, I decided to blog for a minute! Oh well...what are ya gonna do...I've got all day to get that studying done, right?!? :)

These past couple of weeks have flown by. This past weekend, Aaron and I headed to Gainesville to spend some time with my "Sisterhood Girls" and their sweet husbands and kiddos - we met at a park and enjoyed a picnic lunch together while the kids played on the playground. My sister let us take Luke with us and he had a great time - it's crazy to think that most of us girls were all around Luke's age (or younger) when we began our priceless friendships - I love those girls and it does my soul such good to see them! We spent the rest of the afternoon with my sister, Luke and my Mom and Dad - Mom cooked and we ate! We had to make it back to Griffin in time for Aaron to catch the first GA game of the season - looking back, I think he would have rather stayed in Gainesville a little longer! :) Looking forward to visiting with my family again in a couple weeks - we have my sister's 35th birthday to celebrate and my 31st!

School is still going well. Two weeks ago we had to take a Dosage Calculations exam and they basically give you three chances to pass it over the course of a few weeks - if you get three strikes, you are out of the nursing program. A 90% or better has to be made in order to pass. No pressure, huh?? :) I have stressed over this exam since I first learned about it over the summer before classes even ever started. Lots of studying and prayer went into preparing for this and it is truly by the grace of God that I passed the first time around with a 100. If you know anything about me and math, you know that we have not always been buddies. I received my first "C" in high school algebra and ever since, I've had nothing good to say about numbers. I'm slowly but surely allowing them a place back in my heart. We also had our first lecture exam that basically covers material from three different classes (lecture, skills, and concepts). I made an 87 on this test - I was really hoping for an "A" but I'm thankful for my 87!

One of the reasons I've always loved nursing and the medical field so much is because it totally and constantly puts God in perspective for me. I can't read a chapter in my nursing books or learn a new skill without being reminded of how intricately and purposefully He created our bodies. I think so often when I read how our brains or other body systems react to certain stimuli in order to keep our bodies safe and functioning properly - "God, You are SO good - You didn't miss a thing when you made us." And in the same way, He made the church to function together - so that each "system" works together to keep each other "safe" and functioning properly...otherwise, it can't survive. Our bodies truly are dependent on Him for every breath that we take in - and His Church must be dependent on His Spirit for each soul that's regenerated.

Ok, my first load of laundry is officially washed so I guess that's my cue that I need to get to studying! Happy weekend everybody!

Taking a "Time Out!"

I really want to be able to look back two years from now after all this craziness is behind me with nursing school and remember what actually went on in my life despite the madness. For that reason, I hope to be consistent in taking some "time out" moments to record some thoughts - even if it's just 5 minutes here and there. Monday begins week 3 of nursing school - crazy to think how quickly it's going by already. (I'm OKAY with that!) :) The first week was fairly "easy" for the most part. There were some overwhelming moments, but those moments were brief, thank goodness. We mainly just learned some basic "intro to nursing" things along with how to perform proper patient hygiene techniques such as oral care/bed baths, changing bed linens, etc. This past week (2nd week) I definitely had more frequent "what have I gotten myself into" moments - information was thrown at us at a much faster pace this week. Nonetheless, it was still a good week! Still just getting "a feel" for what to expect!

I'm learning very early on that they don't lie to you when they tell you you will not have much of a life outside your school work over these 2 years. So far, my schedule consist of getting up between 5 and 5:30 most days, managing to have somewhat of a quiet time and substantial breakfast and leaving for school between 6:30-6:45. I'm usually home most days by around 3, which gives me a little time to get some studying in before Aaron gets home from work. Poor thing - some days I'm doing good to look up from my books long enough to give him a kiss and ask how his day was before returning to my studies. I cannot tell you what a blessing this man is to me - he has been so ready to help out however I need him to as far as cooking and cleaning goes. I may have to ask for the help at times, but never do I hear a "sigh" or complaint. He's always ready to answer with a "sure" and a sweet smile on his face. I did good. :) I try to end my day by 9 or 10 - I'm trying to allow my body to adjust to a minimum of 6 hours of sleep to a max of no more than 8. So far, I'm hangin' in! Time management is going to be key!

I think the hardest thing for me throughout this journey is going to be having to say "no" or "I'm sorry, I just can't do that right now" when asked to be somewhere or participate in something that I would LOVE to be a part of...and learning what things or events are ok to say "no" to and when I need to say "no" to nursing school...if that makes sense. My church just hosted a 2 day "Disciple Makers Conference" this weekend and Aaron literally had to tell me that I could not go. Now, don't get me wrong - my husband loves me and he knows my heart...and we both agree that our devotion to the Lord comes before anything else. I went back and forth for over a week, trying to figure out how I was going to study for the 2 test I have next week on top of all the "routine" things I have to study every week, plus go to this conference Friday night and all day on Saturday. I needed him to tell me I couldn't go for many reasons! Thankfully, they recorded the sessions so I can go back and listen to them when I have time. So, it's just things like this that will be hard. I apologize in advance if you ask me to do something and I have to turn you down - please don't take offense or take it personal! :)

Well, I definitely needed this little "time out"! Like I said, I have 2 test next week and then another one the following week, so maybe I'll be back for another "time out" after that! For now, I'm going to spend some time loving on my honey until the Falcons game starts at 7:30. Then, it's back to studying for me and some fun football watching for the Mister! :)

Thoughts...

LOTS of thoughts running through my mind today - random thoughts - thoughts that don't necessarily flow together but are still there, nonetheless.

- ONE week from today I start nursing classes. Thinking back 5 + years ago when I TALKED about going to nursing school, hoped to go to nursing school, dreamed of going to nursing school. It's really happening and I'm scared out of my mind!

-LOVED this weekend and the extra special time spent with my sweet husband. We've been talking about how once classes start for me next week, that our time together may not be as often as what we like - that we will vow to set aside time for each other everyday - and ask the Lord to allow us to soak up as much of one another as we can during that time each day - whether it be 10 minutes or 2 hours.

-Hoping my husband will forgive me in advance for the lack of cooking and cleaning that will take place over the next two years and praying that my OCD self will not stress out over the lack of cooking and cleaning that take place over the next two years!

-Thankful that Aaron and I both come from families of hard workers and that they continue to instill in us the value of doing things the right way, even if the right way is the harder or the longer way.

-I am still giddy over the fact that I have another precious niece or nephew on the way. Aaron and I were talking last night that we need to buy my Sister and BIL a webcam so that I can see more of my Luke and my sister's belly as it grows!

-"Your walk....talks." A statement my Pastor made yesterday. He is currently preaching through Colossians and right now he's talking about "a new man's new mouth" and how others will know we are truly regenerated by the words that flow from our lips. Oh be careful little mouth what you say.

-The visit that we had from dear friends this past Friday was so good for my soul. Brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.

-I miss my girlfriends from home. Miss them something fierce at times. They are precious to me and they always will be. They each have such beautiful families now and it's crazy to think how grown up we all are getting. I love the callings that the Lord has placed on each of their lives. I haven't gotten to see much of them over the last year and a half, but truly look forward to the next time we do get together - because I know we will not miss a beat. :)

-Thankful for the new friendships I'm allowing the Lord to finally begin cultivating in my life here in Griffin. I. Need. Them.

-Praying with all my might that I do not gain 20 more pounds in nursing school. I already have 25 to get back off since Aaron and I entered marital bliss. I'm adopting this phrase my friend Kate (who is a nurse) shared with me the other day: Nuts and berries, not fries and shakes. That's her advice to me as I start out on this journey - I will try my hardest to heed it, Kate!!

-"Made to Live For You" - song that was sang at church yesterday. Needed the reminder that above nursing school, above my friends and family (and missing them), above stressing out over a cleaned house or a homecooked meal (or lack thereof), above ALL else, I was made to live for Him. So often, I think I'm made to live for all these other things and I try to squeeze a bit of Him in wherever and whenever I can. Help me, Lord, to live for YOU, and while living for YOU and seeking You and Your kingdom first, You tell me that all these other things I need will be added. Help me to trust Your word.

New House, Goodwill Finds and a Growing Luke!

Hey all! Well, to say we've had lots going on lately is a bit of an understatement. We found out a little over a month ago that I was accepted to begin nursing school this fall, which is a HUGE praise and something that we are incredibly thankful for. A few weeks before we received this exciting news, we started throwing around the idea of becoming "house hunters" for the first time. After all, it is one of our favorite shows on HGTV. :) So, after some praying and seeking advice from our friends and family, we started putting what we've learned from our late night family friendly t.v. show to use! The process of looking for a home has been fairly pleasant overall and the Lord has been faithful to close doors and open them where He has seen fit. We couldn't be more excited with the home that He has chosen for us! We are set to close on our first home on June 6th! We definitely have our work cut out for us for the next few months (or year!) with the renovations we hope/need to make, but we know that's just part of making it our "own". :) I will post more pictures once we move, but for now, here it is!

Our kitchen in the new house is a bit odd shaped. There is a separate dining room where we will have a full sized table, but as far as the kitchen goes, there is room for something, but not a full sized table by any means. Aaron and I began looking at options for kitchen islands, with the thoughts that we would eventually just probably have one custom made for us later on down the road. Wouldn't you know, however, that I would find one that I just LOVE while Aaron and I were out and about one day at an antique store here in Griffin?! Seeing that we are buying a house, we have most certainly put ourselves on a spending FREEZE on items that we don't necessarily need at this point. So, I knew there was no way we could purchase this kitchen island that has so much character and that I immediately fell in love with. I had this table on my mind non-stop after seeing it. I was trying to come up with a million different ideas of what I could sell, etc. so that we could purchase this table. Aaron told me I sounded like him trying to figure out how he was going to buy an iPad! He gets giddy and excited over buying iPad's...I get giddy and excited over buying beautiful blue kitchen islands! Several days later after talking things over with Aaron, I went back to the antique store to see if I could bargain with the owner to lower the price - I failed because she had actually just lowered it by almost $90. She did inform me, however, of the store's lay-a-way plan and after lots of thought, Aaron decided that I would never be able to look at another kitchen island again without comparing it to this one. Take a look at our new (but old!) soon-to-be kitchen island that we are in the process of purchasing! It is going go perfectly with the colors and cottage type feel that we are going to be going with in our new kitchen!

I also wanted to share with you a GREAT Goodwill find that I ran upon several weeks ago. We have been looking for a bedside table for Aaron's side of the bed since we've been married and have always come away disappointed with not finding one we like that is reasonably priced. I immediately called Aaron from the store as soon as I saw this to ask if he minded me buying it (again, we're on a major spending freeze!). After hanging up w/ Aaron, a fellow shopper approached me and assured me that I was getting an amazing deal in this little table. He told me that it was indeed an antique, that he had two tables at home just like this one, and that they were worth over $100. Check out my little deal...only paid a little over $8 for it and I can't wait to refinish it!

(please excuse all the boxes in the background...if you could only see the rest of our "packed up" apartment right now!)

And last, but certainly not least, I leave you with a quick update on my little man, Luke. Last week, Luke completed his first year of PreK. He has grown to love and enjoy his time at school and making new friends. I can't believe how big he's getting - but I must say, the older he gets, the more fun he gets! I love him more and more each day - even if we are 100 miles apart! Both of our families are doing well. Please keep both Aaron's grandmother and my grandfather in your prayers. They've both had their own health issues arise this week but are both in good hands!

Luke's first day of preschool this year!

Luke's last day of preschool this year! Don't you just love how he crosses his legs?!?

Cute thing. :)

GFJ -"Fit For My King" FINISHED!!

Getting ready to head out on vacation in just a couple of hours so I don't have but just a quick second to update. I successfully complete my 30 day "Fit For My King" devotional yesterday! I wish I could put in to words how good I feel! Truly. Before I started this whole foods adventure a little over a month ago, I was really starting to struggle with fatigue and just flat out not feeling good all around. Without a doubt in my mind, I now know the majority of these "complaints" were due to the foods that I was choosing to eat. Aaron and I have both gotten into an exercise routine again, and this obviously is helping us to both feel better as well. Am I going to continue eating this way? ABSOLUTELY!! The biggest challenge has been finding recipes, etc., but the sites I posted in my last post have been lifesavers. Another great one that I ran upon this week is www.100daysofrealfood.com . The main goal in eating this way, at least for myself is to feel healthier so that I can ultimately take better care of the Lord's temple (my body) to serve Him better. I'm excited to say that I've lost 9 pounds over the last 30 days. I pray that as I continue on this journey, that it will always be for HIS glory and not for my selfish desires.

GFJ -"Fit For My King" Recipes!

Just wanted to quickly share a few recipe websites/blogs that have been and are becoming extremely helpful for me as I've learned to prepare and ENJOY whole foods/natural foods over these past few weeks! (read post below to see why!) I have about 1 week left until my 30 day "fast" on whole foods is over. I don't think it'll really be "over" for me though! I can't tell you how GREAT I have felt with no refined sugar or processed foods swimming around in my system. Aside from my allergies wearing me out, I have truly had more energy than I can remember having in a LONG time! I'm learning to love that knowing what is going into my body is GOOD for me. I will update next week after my 30 days is up! But for now, I will leave you with a few websites that have some really yummy and healthy recipes.

"Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more that we would ever dare to ask or hope." Ephesians 3:20

http://www.ohhealthyday.com/

http://www.anjasfood4thought.com/

http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/

http://www.fullplatediet.org/recipes/

GFJ Post - getting "Fit for My King"

I have to be completely honest here in telling you my thoughts when I picked up this book in LifeWay about a week ago. I thought, "ok, this is just another one of THOSE diet books that just happens to have a Christian spin on it." The title even sounded a little cheesy to me - Fit for My King. Just being HONEST! (must've been extra critical that day and having major moments of NOT walking or thinking in the Spirit!) And if I've read one book on how to lose weight I've read at least 50. So, why should I use my gift card to buy this book instead of that Kari Jobe CD I really wanted? I kid you not, there was a battle that went on in my head for about 15 minutes as I held both of these items in my hand. I only had enough money left on the gift card to purchase one or the other. Which one would it be? Well, obviously we all know it was the book, and I have to admit that I left the store I little mad about my decision. I was mad that I didn't get that Kari Jobe CD and I was even more mad that I was one of those people who have to buy books about losing weight anyway! It was most definitely a "poor, poor me" kind of day...can ya tell?? :) Thank goodness His mercies are new everyday! Amen? Amen.

Towards the mid part of last week I started feeling much more energized and rested. I attributed this to being more consistent over the past couple of weeks with exercising and the sunshine that we've been getting hasn't hurt, either! After my workout last Thursday, I was hungry! It was lunchtime and Aaron had other plans for lunch that day, so I was on my own and could fix myself whatever I wanted. I don't know that I could say this is exactly what I wanted and had in mind when opening the fridge to see what my options were, but what I came out with were fresh fruits and veges that I made a simple smoothie out of. (see last post) And it truly was so satisfying and GOOD and gave me more energy than anything else I could have chosen to have. I know this sounds weird, but it was actually very exciting to me that I enjoyed my lunch that much!

I woke up the next day, still feeling good about the choices that I had made the day before, and I happened to remember that "book" that I had bought earlier in the week that still sat in its crumpled up bag in a chair. Still a little hesitant, I began to read the intro. And after a few pages in and reading things such as "Our God desires for His beloved to experience good health and for their souls to soar" and "Can you imagine if our purpose for being our best was to show our King how much we love Him by taking care of His temple and to have enough energy to witness to the lost?" - I have to say I was a little, ok a lot, more humbled than I was a few days earlier in my regards to what the Lord might allow me to learn through these pages. And I was even more so humbled that He began preparing my heart and my body for the challenges that laid ahead of me the day BEFORE I even knew what they were going to be. This book, Fit for My King, is a 30 day devotional that challenges you, not only with a whole foods "diet" for the 30 days - fasting completely off of white sugar, white flour and several other things, but it is also a book that makes some tough points. My goal, as His child, should not be to lose a single pound for ME and ALL that comes with that! It absolutely should be completely about Him and for His glory ALONE. This is so INCREDIBLY difficult...especially for us women. We are constantly faced with images that we think we should live up to in our society. We so long for the approval and the praise of others. But that isn't God's goal for us at all. His goal is for us to be HEALTHY - for His glory, so that we can make His name greater - and that's the ONLY reason. So, as cheesy as it may or may not sound, I want to be fit for my King. I want to wake up each morning feeling strong so that I can fulfill whatever purposes He has for me for that day. I want to eat the foods that He intended for me to eat from the beginning of time. Not foods that may taste so yummy for a time, but slowly destroy His temple.

Please pray for me over these next 30 days as I make my way through this devotional and through His Word. (and as I seek out new recipes to try!!) I have also been given the challenge to not weigh myself at all during these next 30 days which I know will be VERY hard for me. So pray that I will not be fixated with a number but with feeling energized so that I can betterB serve others and my Lord. Pray that I will not get discouraged when I mess up, because I know that I probably will. My hope is that my desires and my thinking for food and the types of food I crave will be transformed over this next month so that this will become a lifestyle change - not just a 30 day change. And lastly, pray that I will learn to do EVERYTHING for Him.

This seems to be a GREAT book for those looking to loose weight and for those who just want to eat more wholesomely. Highly recommend it. Fit for My King by Sherri Rose Shepherd

Recipe I tried out yesterday that was YUMMY!

Irish Mum's Brown Bread

1 cup unbleached white bread flour (I used whole wheat flour instead)
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4+ cups buttermilk
2 ounces butter
1 egg

Melt the butter over gentle heat.

In a medium-sized bowl lightly beat the egg and then gradually add the buttermilk all the while stirring to incorporate the egg. Beat in the butter. In another bowl sift and mix the dry ingredients as best you can, and then stir in the buttermilk mixture. If you are using a baking tin the mixture should be on the wetter side. If your dough is too dry, mix in small splashes of buttermilk until it is the right consistency. Cook at 400F for 50 minutes on the middle rack. You want to hear a sort of hollow sound when you knock on the bottom of the tin. Resist the urge to take the bread out too soon, or the middle of the bread won't get cooked through.

Makes 1 loaf.

**NOTE** Because I used whole wheat flour, the loaf was a little more dense and took about an hour and 10 minutes in the oven instead of 50 minutes.

GFJ Post!!

I'm sorry, yet again, that it took me forever to do another "Get Fit Journey" post. Some of you are aware that I have been on this journey since January of 2007. I constantly have to remind myself that journeys in life have both roads that go up and roads that go down, and often times roads that are somewhere in between. I've definitely been on a "rocky" road over the past year in my GFJ and I think/know the biggest reason for that is simply a lack of self-discipline. I can blame this road on starting back to school, or on just getting married and moving to a new place, etc., etc. But when it comes right down to it, I've just been very lax with my eating and with my exercise. These last two weeks have been better, though! Thanks to my mother and father-in-law, Aaron and I now have a treadmill! I have wanted this for Aaron and myself for a while now, but was a little hesitant with our living in an apartment, lack of space, neighbors right underneath us situation. Aaron's parents had a spare treadmill in their basement and they were very generous to allow us to use it. I'm using the treadmill to supplement my exercise video that I truly enjoy doing - "Walk Away the Pounds" with Leslie Sansone. This video allows me to choose a 1, 2 or 3 mile workout, depending on the amount of time I have to workout and also on my energy level. I always either choose the 2 or 3 mile workout and then on top of that, I have been walking on the treadmill for a least another mile. So far, so good. And my sweet husband has been getting up early to use the treadmill before he goes to work. I love that he has chosen to head out on this "journey" with me. The thing that makes me not like him being on this journey with me, however, is the fact that his pants feel looser after ONE stinkin' time on that treadmill! :) I love him so much and am incredibly appreciative of his support in my life. Here we both are, trying out the treadmill!

I look a little TOO excited...and my thumbs look weird.

I can hear what my husband is thinking..."Seriously. You're taking a picture of me walking on a treadmill at 7 o'clock in the morning?? Who cares about that?!?" Isn't he just cute? :)

This was my lunch for today and it was SO YUMMY and packed full of vitamins and nutrients. I enjoy eating smoothies, I just don't ever really think about making them. Well, that's going to change! I just took several ingredients that I had on hand here at home - a carrot, an apple, a handful of fresh cherries and frozen strawberries. I probably would have added at least part of a banana too, but since I had one with my breakfast this morning, I skipped it in my smoothie.

I only used half of an apple. A bit of yogurt would have been ideal just to help liquify the smoothie a little, but since I didn't have any in my fridge today, I added a couple of tablespoons of apple juice - just enough to help the blending process.

I also used my coffee grinder and ground up about a tablespoon and a half of flax seeds to throw into the mix. Incase you didn't know, flax seeds are FULL of goodness for you! You can add them to anything you make - doesn't hinder the taste at all.

Isn't that just beautiful?? And it tasted even better than it looked! VERY filling too.

My advice for this GFJ post: Don't consider yourself a failure, even when you find yourself on a hard or rocky road in your journey. Keep going, because the road will level out again eventually.

"Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places smooth." Isaiah 40:4

"Catch All" Post

You know how most of us, whether we will admit it or not, have a "catch all pile" - a pile that catches anything and everything that has no specific place? Well, that's how this post feels to me today - a "catch all post". I haven't blogged in a while, for many reasons, but have so much on my heart and mind today that I just want to get it out! So, know that if you're reading, my words and thoughts might be all over the place today.

Over the last months and even the last year, the Lord has allowed so many "situations" to happen. Situations that cause myself and so many of those I care about on a personal level to be tempted to question God's plans and His goodness. To wonder how Romans 8:28 "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good" is even a possible reality among cancer and other diseases, death that takes someone precious away from a spouse and children at a young age, a barren woman who longs to see her tummy grow and move with the life of a child, a baby born to a single mother who has no idea how to take care a child, much less herself, those who long so badly to be accepted and loved for who they are, jobs lost and feelings of defeat. I could go on and on with examples of suffering, loneliness, "getting the bad end of the deal" kind of situations that have hit so close to home recently.

In my times of reflection and seeking the Lord over the past few months regarding these things, the word that He has most often brought to mind for me is simply "contentment". I admit that I tend to argue back and forth in my thoughts - "but HOW on earth am I to be content or even pray for contentment in the lives of those suffering these things, Lord?" I'm still praying through this word "contentment" on a regular basis, and as I do, He is faithful. He is faithful in asking me to be content in His provision that "He will supply EVERY need we will ever have according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19) - reminding me that the process of HOW my needs and the needs of others around me are being met is not up to me - that this process, although He may choose to use me in it, is ultimately up to Him. He is faithful again, through words of Paul in Philippians, of teaching me to "be content in whatever situation I am in" and to pray this for those around me. That we would be just as content in the extremely tough times as we are in the joyful times. We are ALWAYS going to be faced with things we don't like - things that we hate, even - as long as we are alive here on this earth as a result of sin. And because of that, I know that this contentment the Lord is teaching me about is most certainly not something this world can give us, but it can only come through Him, through His Word and His promises, and through the knowledge that He is Sovereign, and that He is good. Ultimately, I am learning to HATE sin all the more in times of hardship instead of questioning God. And hopefully this hatred of sin and seeing the ways in which it plagues each of us, will cause me to proclaim His goodness and the hope that I have in Him all the more. Whew.

On to another topic. I'm excited to say that last semester at school is over and done with! I purposefully took 17 credit hours with the intention of finishing all my core in the hopes that I would be accepted to begin nursing classes this current semester. Good news - I survived and even got all "A's". Bad news - I didn't get excepted to begin nursing classes this semester. At least it was bad news at first. My ranting and raving regarding the fact that I NEEDED and DESERVED to be accepted into the Nursing Program this semester would fall under the above topic of learning to be content. :) I have to admit that while I still find myself somewhat impatient some days of wishing I could just get started with it already so I can get finished, I am finally learning to truly enjoy this time. I started back to school just 6 months after Aaron and I got married. And I totally jumped in with both feet! This didn't allow me the time I would've ideally liked to have had to be a new wife to my new husband. Now, since I'm only taking one class this semester, I am being blessed with the opportunity to simply be a wife to my husband, among other things. I struggled the first couple of weeks with this new "free time" I had - I don't do very well at times with not having a schedule to follow. I stress myself out with the thoughts that I should be getting something done that I'm not, or forgetting to do something that needs to be done. I've been asking the Lord to simply let me "chill out" and rest in the fact that this is where He has me right now and that it's okay. He is assuring me that just because I'm not taking a full load at school this semester or the fact that I don't have a full time job at the moment does not mean that I'm lazy. I can learn to enjoy my days when I let those lies leave my mind. I am so enjoying planning out our meals and having dinner ready when Aaron gets home from work, finding and trying new recipes that fit our budget, clipping coupons and learning how to serve the Lord better through our finances, not being busy with my school work every night and to being able to spend time with Aaron in the evenings with less distraction. I'm learning to take advantage of the time to catch up with those I need to, to cultivate new relationships, to spend more time in the Word, to get back on track with exercising, to make myself available to help out wherever I'm needed, etc. Anything but lazy! It's fun and I'm so appreciating these opportunities! If all goes well, I will hopefully start nursing school in August, so I'm definitely treasuring every moment of this right now!

I'll leave you with a thought that I honestly wish would leave me be, but one that I am nonetheless being forced to work through, thanks to my husband bringing it up last night and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit! Aaron and I, along with much of our faith family, are reading through a book called "Radical" by David Platt. (highly recommend it if you haven't read it) "Radical" is a book that focuses on taking a look at what God's Word truly says - not what we want it to say or what we have created it to say in our own minds throughout the years. A book that has aided in our conviction to truly live out the Gospel, not just talk about it. There is a homeless shelter here in town that our church has committed to working with each week. This is a place where homeless men, women and children come in and are given a place to sleep and eat - however, because the needs around town are so great, these people are rotated out, so to speak. They come to the shelter and if they can prove that they are trying to find a job, etc., are allowed to live there 2 weeks, and are then "rotated out" so that others who are homeless can have that same opportunity. Aaron was telling me last night that he and our Pastor were talking earlier this week regarding this. A question that our Pastor asked Aaron was this, "At what point do we just bring them home with us?" Wow. WOW. Aaron and I have talked before about this - what are we doing with that guest bedroom right down the hall from our bedroom other than letting the bed collect dust on it when there is someone, very nearby to us, sleeping outside in the cold on the ground? What does being obedient to God's Word in taking care of the poor and needy really look like? "At what point do we just bring them home with us?"

We've got so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much (CLAP)...

...to be thankful for! Does any else remember singing this song? It was always one of my favorites when I was younger and I still seem to recall it just about every year around this time. We truly have SO MUCH to be thankful for. I don't have a ton of time to spend on this post today, but I wanted to quickly list a few things that cause me to praise...leave me some love A.K.A. comments and let me know what causes you to praise!

- First of all, I know it may sound cliche, but I am forever thankful for an Almighty, Powerful God who gave His only Son as a ransom for my sin.

- I'm thankful for a church family who is Gospel minded and for this incredible season of growth, instruction, discipline and training in all our lives.

- I'm thankful for daily provisions such as food, shelter, warm clothes, a bed, a car...I am so RICH to have these things...may I never take that for granted.

- I'm thankful for legacies of faith and love that have been passed down to me from generation to generation - may those legacies continue through me.

- I'm thankful for incredible family and for friends that I call family. The older I get, the more I realized what a treasure each of these people are in my life and how the Lord has "fit" us so perfectly together.

- Wow...I'm so very thankful for the man I get to call "husband". This word "husband" has taken on a whole new meaning for me over this past year. It's truly a humbling experience to receive such love from another human being. Each day I catch glimpses of how Christ loves His church through the love that my husband has for me. I love my sweet man more by the minute and am so thankful for who he is and who he is becoming.

- I am thankful (most days!) for the opportunity of being back in school. I truly know that nursing is my calling and I can't wait to see what journey the Lord has for me through this whole experience.

-I know he falls under family, but I have to give a special shout out to my Little Man Luke. I never grow tired of being his "Aunt Mae Mae". I am amazed that the Lord would grant me the opportunity to be placed in his life. I can't wait to see how he grows and to watch him become the young man the Lord calls him to be.

I could keep on going and make come back and add to this list later when I have more time. And I promise I will do a GFJ post (good, bad, or ugly) this coming Tuesday. Sorry I missed one! Let me know what you're thankful for...have a wonderful day! :)

GFJ Update

Not a very exciting first week back on my GFJ...only down 1/2 a pound, but like I say...just like pennies make dollars, part of a pound eventually makes a whole pound. :) At least we're going in the RIGHT direction! I will readily admit that I didn't work at it as hard as I should or could have the past few days. Hoping for more next week...one day at a time! :)

Meredith and her GET FIT JOURNEY reunite!!

Okay...many of you who are my friends or if you have followed this blog in the past, know that I haven't done a GFJ (get fit journey) post in AGES. (actually, I've been slack over the past year as far as this blog goes...period) HOWEVER, it's time. It's time to reunite my body with my Get Fit Journey...if it will still have me. :) Needless to say, my GFJ and I have not been BFF's for about the past 1o months or so. I did that whole marriage thing at the beginning of the year (which I LOVE) and ya know how everybody says you have to be really careful when you get married or that weight will just come right back on?!? They AIN'T kiddin!! :)

The day Aaron and I came back from our honeymoon I weighed in at exactly 90 pounds down. Only TEN pounds away from my ultimate goal of 100 pounds lost. Well, call it "happy pounds" or call it the "freshman 15" (since I started back to college...not a freshman though!), call it whatever you want, but this TWENTY pounds I've gained within the last 10 months has got to GO! Now, instead of only being 10 pounds away from my ultimate goal of 100 down, I'm a THIRTY pounds away. Of course I'm furious with myself, but I'm choosing to take those frustrations and work them to my advantage! So, Tuesday's will be my weigh in days and I'll do my best to chart my progess here each week. And thankfully I have my sweet husband on my team with me! So...game face...back on!

King's Palace: Welcome to Our Home!

Welcome to our home! Click on the YouTube link at the bottom of this post to see the video! (first of all, sorry if the video makes you a little queezy...I've not quite mastered the art of video taking just yet. One thing at a time...) Some of you have been asking to see some pics of our little apartment so I just decided to give you a quick...or maybe not so quick tour. Ok...so you haven't heard from me since before I became THE Mrs. King...so sorry I've been such a slacker in the world of blog over the last few months. Aaron and I are doing wonderful and absolutely LOVE being married! In just a few days we will have already been married four months which is completely insane! I think we would both say that we had no idea that being husband and wife would be so much fun and such a blessing! We are so enjoying each other and learning more each day that God's plans are good and that His way is always perfect.

Aaron is staying incredibly busy as Media Director at Second Baptist here in Griffin. He's also taken on two new side jobs doing web design for his home church, Rockdale Baptist, and also for a company owned by one of our new church friends. He works so hard and is SO good at what he does!

I am working part time at a family practice here in Griffin. Things are going well there but I just have to say that I miss SO MUCH my friends at the Allergy & Asthma Clinic back home. Family practice is new for me so there has been much to be learned and many challenges - which is a good thing for the most part! I start back to school this summer to begin working towards my RN. I will begin in June at Gordon College. This makes me both excited and nauseated at the same time! :) Returning back to school after being out for almost 8 years is a little intimidating!

Thankfully our schedules thus far have allowed us to spend good time with each other and we pray that this continues. Our families are doing well and we have been able to visit with them a decent amount...at least more than I had anticipated and this is a huge blessing! My little man Luke is growing like a weed and is the most country sounding child you've ever heard in your life...not quite sure where he gets this from! I miss not getting to see him every week but we make sure to "chat" on the phone on a daily basis. He loves his Uncle Aaron! :)

I have loved learning to become a wife over these last few months. I have an amazing husband who makes being his wife very easy and enjoyable - but I know I can't be the wife to him that I need to be in my own strength, but only in that of the Lord. I love cooking for us and making our small little apartment feel like a home. I love it when my husband comes home for work and we can just sit on the couch and chat with each other. I love that he lets me put my ICE COLD feet on him to warm them up without yelling at me. And I love that he thinks I'm pretty every moment of the day...even upon rising out of bed in the mornings. (I am so NOT pretty at that hour, people! Trust me.) I could go on and on for days but I will close now for those of you that are about to vomit at my newlywed ramblings. :)

Hope you are all doing well and hopefully I will learn to be a little more committed to this blog in the future...not making any promises! :) Have a great week!!

Aaron and Meredith's Humble Home

Engagement pics, but not really.

Aaron and I were scheduled to have our engagement pictures made a few weeks ago out at a beautiful ranch by my sweet friend, Emma. However, the rain has delayed those plans for now, so Aaron's mom made a few pictures of us this past weekend in the beautiful sunshine.

Life has been incredibly crazy busy these past couple of months with wedding festivities and planning. We had our 7th and final wedding shower this afternoon - what a blessing all these showers have been! It's overwhelming, really!

Hopefully after January 9th, I'll be fully back in the blogging world again...but until then, please keep us in your prayers as we finish up all the final details for the big day and as we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with our sweet families as "single" people for the last time! :)

God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me!

Wow...what a week! We all know that some weeks are simply just better than others and this past week was definitely an "other" in my world. I'm not saying the whole week was a flop...please hear me say that I have SO very much to be thankful for and no room at all to complain...there were just a few moments that weren't my favorite...that's all! :) Needless to say, I was begging for the weekend to get here and am thankful for the start of a brand new week tomorrow.

This weekend has been exactly what I needed to refocus and get my thoughts geared in the right direction once again after that crazy week I just encountered. Aaron and I visited with his Mom and Dad Friday night and all day yesterday. His Dad officially became a Senior Citizen on Friday so we definitely helped him celebrate! :) (i don't think he reads my blog...so hopefully I'm safe in letting the secret out!)

I had such a good time with Aaron this weekend. He's been such a hero in my life over the past few days. The poor thing called me one night this past week - hadn't talked to him really all day that day, and the first thing he hears from me are not words but instead a horrible sobbing sound that probably made him instantly wish he had of forgotten my phone number that day. But instead, he patiently listened to my cry over a personal issue I had going on, assured me things would all work out and be fine, and then lead me to the Lord in prayer. Such a perfect example of living out the Word and "bearing one another's burdens". Work was a little on the crazy side too this week and I simply just felt worn down and bone tired by Friday. Been there? So, Friday night, I made it to Aaron's parents close to 8, then he and I headed out to meet a good friend of his that is going to play the piano in our wedding. BTW, boy can tear up that piano! SO excited! Afterwards on the way back to Aaron's parents, we stopped by good old McDonald's for an ice cream cone. I have to say, there is nothing more relaxing than eating an ice cream cone in the car, late at night, with the Braves on the radio in the background, sitting beside your best friend. Again, God is good and knew exactly what I needed in that moment. Then yesterday morning, after waking up pretty early (at least for a Saturday), I walked in to Aaron's parents living room only to see my sweet fella out on the back deck, his puppies playing at his feet, and the Word of God opened in his lap. Now I know that Aaron is not perfect...none of us are. But I have to tell you that I have never seen a sweeter sight and never felt more safe than in that moment. To see the man that the Lord has chosen to join me with, seeking direction and allowing himself to be comforted by words that will never return void. After taking a "mental photo", I joined Aaron and we just sat...in the stillness of the cool, quiet morning. I'm not sure what Aaron's thoughts were, but mine where something along the lines of "thank you, Lord. You are so faithful." Again, God is good and knew exactly what I needed in that moment. We spent a big part of our day yesterday hanging out with Aaron's mom and then we had a fun cookout for Mr. King's birthday last night. After we finished eating and were just sitting around the table with full bellies, Aaron's dad teased us that we weren't allowed to know what his birthday wish was, but he did want us to know something that he was very thankful for...that each of us sitting around that table has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and had found our salvation in Him. What a treasure that I get to become a part of this family.

I had to attend the funeral of a sweet friend today. Tori was a precious girl that I went to college with and to church with for a short period of time during our college days. Tori was killed this past week in an auto accident - such an awful, sad thing to receive this news this past week. However, as sad as it all is, Tori had such an incredible heart for the Lord and I have no doubt that there is no other place she'd rather be than where she is right this very minute...worshipping Him like never before. Throughout this entire week and this weekend, from the tears I've cried, to the thankfulness in my heart over the Lord's faithfulness, to the farewell of this sweet friend, I have once again been reminded that absolutely nothing else in this life matters more than finding a personal relationship with Him and sharing that with anyone I possibly can. Because we might just be the tool the Lord uses in someones life so that one day, someone we might not even know, can successfully sit around his dinner table with people he loves the most in this world and say, without a doubt, that his family knows the Lord and have the assurance in his heart that no matter what path life takes them down, they are safe because of their Savior.

God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me!

encouragment from my fella this morning

I'm in a bit of a hurry this morning, but just wanted to share the encouragement with you all that the Lord gave me through my fella this morning from his blog. I am so blessed to have him in my life!

this week with God and Aaron...

i wanted to type this out, i guess just to get it out of my head...

GOD gave me a new perspective on a few things this week, things i honestly already knew but had somewhat lost sight of recently. working at the church has been awesome, i love it, but just like any job, it has its days. days where the unpreparedness of others come shining through and fall dead into my lap. i try to do my best with it, but lately i've missed the importance and the blessing of my work. i've gotten wrapped up in my list of thing to do, instead of just doing them for GOD.

i had a great meeting this week with Winfrey Shields, the media director from northstar church in kennesaw, which is HUGE by the way. great guy, a wealth of knowledge and years of experience for me to pull from, he's worked all over the country with franklin graham and all the biggest Christian bands. so we were talking about the philosophy of media in ministry, and he reminded me that my job is not about the website, projector screens, worship guides, cool posters, lights and sound. it's simply to focus on setting the tone for people to come to the throne and worship the LORD.

WOW! that hit me hard.

winfrey gave me a newfound sense of importance and encouraged me to a higher understanding of why i'm here in griffin. for me to think that i'm just as much of a critical part of the service as the soloist and the preacher, what a humbling thought! also, to know that i'm in a position where i can use the creative gifts GOD has given me to directly impact HIS kingdom. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE FEELING AND GIANT RESPONSIBILITY!

so i realized, what more can i ask for? knowing everything GOD has done for me and now seeing that i'm in a place to be able to constantly give HIM all the glory for my work, how could i ask for anything more of HIM?

...and still, HE GIVES ME EVEN MORE! HE PROVES HIS LOVE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

all this came to a head yesterday, when i got a great surprise from Meredith. i won't go into what it was, that is something i'll keep between us, but it cut me down again, in a really great way. as if GOD himself was saying, "see there, I did that too. I did that for you."

so i would just challenge you, take a second to see what GOD has done for you and/or where HE has put you. don't look right over it, don't get too busy to notice it. HE is here, HE is constantly working for the good of those who love HIM.

the least we can do is thank HIM for it.

Life Update

Luke on the way to Nana's for his first Sleepover ever!! :)

Sorry it's been so long! Life is nothing short of crazy these days...but I'm lovin' it! Just wanted to give you all an update on what's been going on in my world. First off, to follow up on my last post, being engaged is wonderful! Lots of wedding planning is taking place and thankfully a lot has already been accomplished and I feel good about that. I guess after being the bridesmaid 14 times, you just kinda know what direction to go in. Not that it's all been easy, but all that past wedding experience has absolutely been beneficial. :) It's certainly weird being the bride and not the bridesmaid this time around! Aaron and I have set our wedding date at Jan. 9th...SO excited about a winter wedding. I can't wait for that blessed day! Aaron and I are still learning so much about each other during this season of our engagement and the more I learn, the more I love him. The Lord truly is Sovereign and good and His timing is so perfect. A scripture that I can remember clinging so tightly to before Aaron came along was Song of Songs 2:7 "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." There were so many days that I simply just had to trust that the Lord would some day make Himself known in this passage to me because I most certainly was tempted to "arouse and awaken love" in my OWN timing. Being single is such a hard area to be patient in, but I now know the importance of this verse. The Lord graciously protected my heart in so many ways to make it ready for my sweet Aaron and vice versa. What a big God we serve. Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for our wedding day - a day that we pray will honor and bring glory to the One who is giving us to each other.

Work is still going well..the past week has felt like springtime again...SO busy! Not complaing though. I am SO going to miss this sweet bunch of people when I have to leave them at the beginning of the year. I just don't even want to talk about that! :)

My little man, Luke, is a spit fire! He is ALL TWO!! :) He came over for his very first spend-the-night this past weekend and did awesome! He is definitely to the point now of carrying on full conversations with whomever he is speaking with and I love it. He's one of my most favorite people to talk to these days. I've only had one breakdown so far about moving a little farther away from him after the wedding. I have been incredibly blessed with the convenience of only being 10 minutes or so away from him and being able to see him whenever I want since he was born. While this will be hard at first, I am only going to be an hour and a half away and I just know that the Lord will bless our relationship just as He always has. :)

My weight loss journey has not ended...for those of you who have been wondering since I haven't posted a GFJ post in quite some time! It has definitely slowed some, but I'm still hanging in and am at least not gaining! I'm very close to 90 pounds down and hope to lose at least 10 more pounds before the big wedding day. We'll see!

So much has happened in the past month...family trip to the beach, Luke's 2nd birthday, Aaron's 28th birthday, Braves game, baby showers, SO MUCH LIFE!! The Lord is all around and I am constantly in awe of who He is and with what and who He has blessed me with!

Engagement Story!!

I have officially been engaged for a week and a day now and for those of you wondering...yes, I'm still on cloud nine!! :) I wouldn't mind staying here for the rest of my life. What a sweet story I have for you. (get your blankets and hot chocolate and let's gather 'round) I must have told this story at least a hundred times in just one week and I've yet to grow tired of telling it. I drove to Griffin this past weekend to see my sweetie. There was an event at his church that night that we had to attend and later that evening I was to spend the night with our friends Todd and Jennifer. Well, I arrived to Aaron's apartment a little after 10 AM on Saturday morning. He had called to check on me a couple of times to see how close I was - now we know why! When I reached Aaron's door and knocked, he opened the door, peaked his head out, took my things from me and as I walked in, the first sight that I see is rose petals and lit candles on his living room floor. Talk about a sister's heart doing the biggest somersault EVER!! I immediately knew then what was about to happen and the first words out of my mouth were - "Aaron King, what are you doing??". As if I didn't know!!!!! So Aaron took my hands, kissed me, told me that he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, got down on his knee, and ASKED ME TO BE HIS WIFE!! I said yes faster than lightening, kissed him, then commanded him to show me that bling of a ring and put it on me! :) I was pretty calm at first, but as started thinking about what was really going on, I got REALLY excited and I'm pretty sure that FREAK OUT got a new name that day! My sweet fiance LOVES video, computer stuff, etc. So, wouldn't you know that he hid a video camera to capture this incredibly special moment on film. As much as I hate seeing myself on video, I am in love with the fact that we have this sweet moment forever. I'm trying to get up the nerve to allow him to post the video for you all to watch. Maybe in another week?? :) I LOVE that man and I cannot wait to be his wife. The Lord has lavished His goodness over me by giving Aaron to me and I hope to honor that always. I'm a blessed girl. Enjoy some pics and be on the lookout for that video...which I believe should be titled "Girl Freaks Out".