1st Anniversary!

It has been a great year of living and learning since Brad and I were married a year ago today! It is hard to remember life before seeing each other every day! The Lord has blessed us in many ways and we are looking forward to how he uses us in the future! I'm not going to promise to blog more this year but I hope to keep posting about the changes this year will bring! We are so excited about 2011! But before I get ahead of myself please enjoy this video from today...tasting the top of our wedding cake!

Back to the Basics

Shortly after Brad and I got married we were approached by the preschool director, Lori, at our church who was trying to start a new program. Most of the schools in Raleigh go all year long so during "track out" times these kids are left needed some type of childcare while their parents work. Lori came up with this great idea that not only offers childcare to these kids but allows them to learn certain hobbies. So, this Fall Brad began teaching guitar lessons while I taught ballet classes for the Enrichment program at Bay Leaf. My kids range from ages 3 to 5 and they are the cutest kids ever. I was 3 when I started taking ballet and I remember being just as excited as these girls are about being able to do a passe and plie. Here are a few pictures from the classes. Aren't they so cute in their little leotards, tights and skirts?

Pretty toes and ugly toes!

Oh Baby...

I'm going to be an aunt and Brad is going to be an uncle! We are SO excited my sister-in-law Kristin and my brother, Brandon (aka B and K) are expecting their first child in March! They are going to be wonderful parents and I just can't wait to love that kid...and be its favorite aunt, of course :)

So, I have a ton of pictures of/with them but this one always makes me laugh every time I see it.

What's so great, too, is that I'm going to be an "aunt" x3 in 2011. Some of my best friends are expecting as well...

Elise and Clayton are expecting the same week as B and K! I've known Elise since we were in diapers and have shared many great times with her. You can read all about Elise's journey with her pregnancy here. I'm so excited for them! The first PPhiG baby!

Shannon and I met in New Orleans the fall of 2005. When hurricane Katrina kicked us out of the city I spent the next four months in Houston with her as we worked as semester missionaries. We still keep in touch and I love the honesty in our friendship. Shannon was told many years ago having children naturally may not be a possibility for her. Nevertheless, Shannon and her husband, Jonathan never doubted the Lord was capable of doing anything. Shannon and Jonathan are expecting a boy at the beginning of 2011 and I am so happy for them!

Sara Beth and I got to know each other better at a time when I was in desperate need for an encouraging and present (as in same city) friend. We soon found out that my dad and aunts grew up with her parents...instant connection if you have relatives from the small town of Fayetteville, TN. Sara Beth and Josh are going to be great parents!

Bring on the baby showers!

One year ago...

I was in Senegal!

Oh, man! I loved that place! I went with a group of wonderful people from Dauphin Way Baptist Church, in Mobile! We worked with the Wolof people group to share the story of Jesus. It was an awesome experience. I pretty much had a consistent flow of sweat from the time we landed in Dakar until we got back on the plane to go back to the US but it was totally worth it. One day I hope to go back!

I received an email today, one year later, from a guy we worked with who was one of the few believers in the entire country. Hearing from him got me to thinking about that experience and how it changed me. My eyes were opened to the poverty of this world. At the same time I saw children and families who were happy with little to nothing and called you family after only knowing you for a few hours. It is a crazy thing to have a conversation with a women who know nothing about the Bible or Jesus. Then they want to hear why some crazy Americans fly and then drive hours to their village when there is nothing and want to love them and learn about their culture. The women there are strong...they don't have all the things we take for granted. One day I watched a girl wash clothes with her hands, a bucket, and a bar of soap. Those clothes were cleaner than any washer and dryer could come close to cleaning. What's so sad about the women in the West Africa region and the Wolof people group is that they have no say in their lives. They have no voice. They answer to the chief of the tribe. If the chief does not turn to Christ then nobody will. If someone decides to step out of a limb and follow Christ they are kicked out of their family, community, and tribe. To follow Chirst is to literally leave everything you have and know. It brings a clearer understanding to what Jesus said in Luke 14:26-33,

²⁶“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³²And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. ³³So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." -ESV

The men work in the fields. All day. Every day.

Team Two-Bob (minus Terry) wearing our clothing made for us by a local seamstress.

My favorite picture of the entire trip. Omar was my buddy. He couldn't play like the other kids. He had something wrong with him. Maybe a heart defect. He was retaining water all over his body and getting the proper medical care was next to impossible. Omar passed away in October after his family was unable to get him to a doctor in time. What I love about this picture is that he wouldn't smile for the camera but every time I showed him the picture of us on my camera he would laugh.

The kids love to have their picture taken. They would follow us until we took a picture of them. Of course, you have to show them the picture on your camera, too. They would laugh and then run away.

To find out more about the need in West Africa go here!

What happened to June?

June flew by. Brad has been taking summer classes since the first week in June and working. I've been working and getting hours for my practicum. To say we have been busy is an understatement. In fact, the only reason I have time to write now is because I'm sick (throat is on fire, sound like a man and completely exhausted, can you relate?). We've had our share of frustrations but have learn a lot over the past few months. Brad and I are so excited about the many changes throughout July and August! New jobs, new home, new opportunities, and vacation to Alabama!

More to come, when our changes become more official! :)

Raleigh, I like you.

I have been a Raleigh resident for four months and the more I found out about the Oak City, the more I like it. Now, let me just preface this with by saying when I talk about Raleigh, I'm not talking about the city and all surrounding areas. Its not like when I was growing up and people said they were from Birmingham but actually lived in Chelsea, which is not even in the same county. This would soon be followed by a response like, "I only date/associate with people with a "1" as the first number on the license plate." Ok, I know, I was a snob and then married somebody with a "2" but at least it wasn't a "58"...

Back to what I was saying...It is possible to spend all your money shopping, hanging out, and eating and only buy from local businesses. I love it. It makes what I do seem so much more personal. Don't get me wrong, I love Target and H&M, but I also love all the local places. According to my friends from Raleigh, I haven't even visited some of the best places.

Brad and I went to the State Farmer's Market on Friday. I took some clients from work there last weekend and didn't have enough time to do some shopping of my own. Brad and I got some fresh vegetables, lemonade (with cherries, limes, and oranges), and our first babies...Lil Guy and Petey. We now have two cacti sitting on our kitchen counter. The lady at the market told us to make sure we give them lots of sun. So, being the good, new mom, I put them on the dashboard in the blazing sun on the way home. Two minutes later, one left turn, and Lil Guy had flipped over and dug himself in my knee leaving several needles in my leg and dirt all over me and the car. It was intense, but Lil Guy sustained no permanent injuries from the fall and should have a full recovery.

Here are some of my favorite places, so far, in Raleigh! Enjoy!

1. Morning Times is my favorite coffee shop! In the middle of downtown it's a great place to get and enjoy coffee! Brad and I have a slight addiction to coffee and there are many great coffee shops in Raleigh but this place won me over with the latte, carrot cake, and free WiFi.

2. At the end of the corner, two shops down from Morning Times is Stitch. I haven't actually bought anything here yet, but I can't help but stop in almost every time we walk by. Holly Aiken makes the cutest wallets, bags, and accessories! They are so unique and the friends that I know who own a piece of her creation say it is super durable! I am in the process of trying to decide which colors I want for the wallet. I love them all! Holly's precious golden retriever sits in the shop throughout the day and sleeps in the windows at night! P.S. Brad loves this store, too, and is working on getting a guitar custom strap.

3. Of course, the State Farmer's Market. $4 lemonade was worth every penny!

4. My home. I'm not going to lie, I've done some excellent cooking in the past few months. I have only repeated a few meals and I have baked more desserts in the past few months than I have in my entire life (I have a chocolate pound cake in the oven now). I love the kitchen and I have really loved getting good use out of my new recipe books and aprons! As seen in a previous post. Brad and I have been blessed to be spending the first 6 months of marriage in Nate and Maria's house. It has been wonderful! We have been looking for a new home as of lately and I'm pretty excited about the possibilities! More to come on that...

5. Bay Leaf Baptist Church is our church home and it is located in North Raleigh. The people at the church have been amazing and so welcoming to me since I moved up here. Brad has been on staff there since just shortly after starting seminary. This is our family in Raleigh. We attend the regular services on Sunday morning, the youth service on Sunday nights and the College/Seminary/Singles service on Wednesdays. Oh, and the worship leader is way hot! :)

Lil Guy and Petey

Raleigh is feeling more like home everyday, but there are still cities I would love to one day call home, again. One of those being Nashville. Fortunately, next weekend Brad and I are taking vacation for the first time since our honeymoon to Nashville. Our great friends Virginia and John are getting married next Saturday in Kingsport, TN! Brad and I decided to keep on driving to Nashville after the wedding! We are so excited to see family and friends for a few days! Grab your route 44 drink from Sonic, Combos and trail mix! It's road trip time!!!

Easter and Updates!

Brad and I had an eventful Easter weekend. Bay Leaf had their annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday. The church owns some property not far from our house and every year over a thousand people gather for the egg hunt and other fun activities! Brad and I volunteered to help set up and hide the eggs. It was fun and we hid over 15,000 eggs!

Sunday, after a wonderful time at church, Brad and I had some friends over for a potluck lunch! I bought a HoneyBaked Ham and we had tons of other great food! Brad and I wanted to have friends over who were not able to spend Easter with their families. I was able to use all of my fine china for the first time, too! Here are some pictures Lane took!

In other news, this weekend Brad decided he had heard enough of my complaining due to extreme tingling/numbness/uncomfortable in my right knee/leg. I mean, I love to run and not being able to was so frustrating! For the past several weeks running would cause major discomfort and recently the only exercise I could do was walk at a normal pace. So, Monday we went to the orthopedic surgeon and was told I pulled some of my accessory muscles in my hamstring. Apparently, people who run a lot can have this problem. The PA (who favored Dr. Sorrell, for you B'ham people) told me the only way for complete and fast healing would be physical therapy and some NSAID gel. I'm glad to know whats wrong and to hopefully be back to normal soon!

Next week, Brad's parents and granddad are coming to visit! We haven't seen them since the wedding and I'm looking forward to spending time with them! Our good friends, Laura Ashley and Lee will be here next week to visit, too! I can't tell you how excited I am for them to move up here this summer! I've know them since I moved to Mobile and Brad lived with Lee his senior year at UM!

My supervisor for my practicum/internship asked me to read A General Theory of Love. I've only read a fourth of it and it's pretty interesting if you read it with an open mind. It was written by three doctors and my supervisor told me they do a great job of explaining how parents really affect their children's ability to love others. Basically, the dysfunctional clients I will be working with more than likely came from dysfunctional homes.

That's all for now!